This is an interesting one. Having gone to a Catholic College (I'm protestant) it was strange for me to grasp some catholic traditions. Saints for an example and Mary. I believe that Mary is the mother of Jesus, but that does not set her aside to be holy for being the carrier of Jesus isn't it what a vase carries rather than the vase itself that matters? The thought process in my mind when it comes to saints is why pray to another person when I have direct access to God? A catholic friend of mine responded with an interesting analogy; she described being in a classroom and having a question or need and instead of asking the teacher (God) so that not to bother him, she would ask a student she knew had the answer (Saint). My response was simply the teacher wants us to ask him/her the questions they want us to come to them! So does God!