Posted on 05/12/2012 10:48:55 AM PDT by cleghornboy
ping to self. howdee, Paul.
His Excellency will doubtless have his chance to mention this to the Blessed Virgin’s Son, soon, given that he is now 96. Rather than castigating him, I’d say, pray for him. Just my opinion.
One thing I’ll say in his defense - no Catholic needs to accept Fatima or any other private revelation that has occurred since the death of the last apostle. I will never criticize someone who rejects Fatima. Catholicism does not require Catholics to accept any private revelation EVEN if the Pope says he believes in it.
Jesus Christ chose the Virgin-Mary to be >His mother. & As Jesus has made us ALL children of God, the Virgin-Mary also becomes in a mysterious way our spiritual Mother.
The 4th Commandment (Catholic & 5th Protestant): Honor thy father & >mother. Jesus Christ honored His mother perfectly.
Luke 1:46-49, in part The Canticle of Mary, “And Mary said: ‘my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold from now on will all ages call me >blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”
Luke 1: 41-43, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my >Lord should come to me?”
A prayer to our Mother: ‘O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not ignore my petitions, but in your mercy hear and pray for me.’
Jesus is Lord.
We are ALL called to Honor our parents & to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
While what you say is true, the fact that he chose to address that issue among all the issues that plague us is telling. I can understand in a private conversation he might broach his disbelief, but not as the focus of a talk. He has revealed his, to my mind, crisis of belief. I know nothing of him, and his past proclamations would indicate whether this was anomalous or a continuation of his trouble with Catholic theology.
No impimp, no Catholic is required to accept private revelation. But in Lumen Gentium, No. 12 of the Second Vatican Council, we are taught that, “Such gifts of grace, whether they are of special enlightenment or whether they are spread more simply and generally, must be accepted with gratefulness and consolation, as they are specially suited to, and useful for, the needs of the Church...Judgments as to their genuineness and their correct use lies with THOSE WHO LEAD THE CHURCH and those whose special task is not to extinguish the spirit but to examine everything and keep that which is good (1 Thess 5: 19-21).
Pope Urban VIII said that, “In cases like this (apparitions), IT IS BETTER TO BELIEVE THAN NOT TO BELIEVE, for, if you believe, and it is proven true, you will be happy that you have believed, because Our Holy Mother asked it. If you believe, and it should be proven false, you will receive all blessings as if it had been true, because you believed it to be true.”
So what’s your point?
As far as Marian devotion is concerned, if the Archbishop believes that is is “excessive” today, I would have to question his sanity. The problem today is actually quite the reverse. Too many Cahtolics no longer practice devotion to Our Lady.
Rather than engaging in criticism of an APPROVED apparition or of devotion to Mary in general, perhaps the Archbishop should tackle the real problems within the Church...or just remain silent?
I know a lot of old people it is rare to find one that is 96 and still in possesion of all their reasoning faculties.
Gee, it took 9 whole posts before the antis showed up.
*sigh* for the umpteenth time, Catholics do not WORSHIP Mary. Let’s stop this nonsense.
So, please advise just where you have found the Catholic Church preaches that Mary is to be worshiped? Sorry, but you will not find that anywhere in the teaching of the Catholic Church. We Catholics venerate Mary as the mother of Jesus. That means we hold her in very high regard. When we offer prayers to Mary, we are asking for her intercession on our behalf to God. We Catholics do not worship Mary. Never have, never will. We only worship the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Christ is our intercessor not Mary not the saints.
I would take the time to explain things to you, but I suspect you’re the type who’s not very interested in the facts, no?
Why do Catholics worship Mary as though she were a goddess, when it is clear in Scripture that she was not a supernatural being?
Catholics DO NOT worship Mary, the Mother of Christ – as though she were a deity. Of all the misconceptions about Catholic belief and practice, this one is the most absurd. Catholics are just as aware as Protestants that Mary was a human creature, and therefore not entitled to the honors which are reserved to God alone. What many non-Catholics mistake for adoration is a very profound love and veneration, nothing more. Mary is not adored, first because God forbids it, and secondly because the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, which is based on Divine Law, forbids it. Canon Law 1255 of the 1918 Codex strictly forbids adoration of anyone other than the Holy Trinity. However, Catholics do feel that Mary is entitled to a great measure of exaltation because, in choosing her as the Mother of Redemption, God Himself exalted her – exalted her more than any other human person before or since. Catholics heap tribute and honor on Mary because they earnestly desire to be “followers of God, as most dear children.” (Eph. 5:1). Mary herself prophesied: “For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:48-49). Catholics know that every bit of the glory they give to Mary redounds to the glory of her divine Son, just as Mary magnified God, not herself, when Elizabeth blessed her. (Luke 1:41-55). They know that the closer they draw to her, the closer they draw to Him who was born of her. In the year 434 St. Vincent of Lerins defended Christian devotion to Mary this way: “Therefore, may God forbid that anyone should attempt to defraud Holy Mary of her privilege of divine grace and her special glory. For by a unique favor of our Lord and God she is confessed to be the most true and most blessed Mother of God.” Today 75% of all Christians still hold to this same view.
Why do Catholics pray to Mary and the saints when Sacred Scripture states that there is one Mediator between God and man – Christ Jesus? (1 Tim. 2:5).
When Catholics pray to Mary and the other saints in Heaven they are not bypassing Christ, whom they acknowledge as the sole Mediator between God and man. They are going to Christ through Mary and the other saints. They are asking Mary and other saints to intercede for them before the throne of Christ in Heaven. “For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.” (James 5:16). How much more availing is the unceasing prayer of the sinless Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ! St. Paul asked his fellow Christians to intercede for him: “Brethren, pray for us.” (2 Thess. 3:1). And again: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the Holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God . . .” (Rom. 15:30). Christ must particularly approve of our going to Him through Mary, His Blessed Mother, because He chose to come to us through her. And at Cana, He performed His first miracle after a word from His Mother. (John 2:2-11).
It is clear in Sacred Scripture that the saints in Heaven will intercede for us before the throne of Christ if they are petitioned in prayer (Apoc. or Rev. 8:3-4), and it is clear in the records of primitive Christianity that the first Christians eagerly sought their intercession. Wrote St. John Chrysostom in the fourth century: “When thou perceivest that God is chastening thee, fly not to His enemies, but to His friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to Him, and who have great power.” If the saints have such power with God, how much more His own Mother.
Do you pray for someone when they are sick or for any other reason? If you do, then you are an intercessor for that person.
I don’t mean any disrespect, but aren’t Catholics supposed to obey their bishops?
No where does it say we need to go through anyone but Christ. May I ask what shrines you have in your home?
Here's just a few. Rom 15:30
2Thess 1:11 & 3:1
Eph 6:18
Mk 12:25 & Mt. 22:30
Rev 5:8
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