What is your say about the Expression of Mariam Devotion?

The faithful know Mary is not a statue, just as they know she is not God! They are not confused. The palpability of the statue impresses upon their consciousness the maternal presence through grace of Mary's influence in their home or parish, similarly to having a relic of a Saint. Awareness of the Blessed Mother is more intense and changes the pattern of family and parochial devotion and practice. It is a sacramental presence. Because they (we) don't look at the statue as the reality but the person represented, she becomes more present to them (us). If any Protestant is present when these devotions take place and doesn't understand, then dialogue eliciting their attitudes and comparing them to Catholic ones is what is needed, not trying to hide or cover up anything; but Catholics who are simply expressing their love for the Blessed Virgin shouldn't be inhibited. That's what the Protestant doesn't get -- the love that's going on. More details at a href="http://www.amen.co.nr" rel="nofollow"http://www.amen.co.nr/a