Dear Shawn,

• Who said anything about Mary doing anything on her own?
  
• When you were younger did your mother [and/or] father protect you?
  
• If so, how could they if only God can protect us?
  

Catholics have always understood the family of God to be just that, a family.

Mary protects like a mother, and even older brothers and sisters can guide and protect us (the Saints in Heaven), but as in everything, all is done only with the power of God granted
to us by Him.

Peace,

Paul