I appreciate your wisdom and charity.
However, in terms of devotion to Mary’s Immaculate Heart . . . I must differ.
There are far too many examples of that sort of exhortation in a plethera of the literature of the Vatican organization and it’s subunits.
I have NEVER read the qualification you kindly insert.
I have no doubt that some will rush to affirm such a qualification to make the above palatable.
However, the stark truth is, such an exhortation is propagated and published far and wide and has been so for a very long time—and that unqualified—unsoftened, unconformed to Biblical priorities.
To be fair, I don’t believe that the exhortation is trying to say that folks will not be saved if they are not devoted to Mary’s Immaculate Heart—at least not in the Fatima incident—though I’d have to reread it all to be confident of that.
And, to be still fair, there are a list of exhortations in the TEN MEDITATIONS . . . ON THE ROSARY which DO SAY EXACTLY THAT—that only through Mary is Salvation to be obtained. There are different wordings but the meaning is quite plainly that.
I find the exhortation to be devoted to the Immaculate heart of Mary a horrific extra Biblical diversion from putting God first and foremost first, middle, last and always.
There’s no hint of such in all of Scripture. None.
Yet, relentlessly there’s an abundance of such exhortations in a long list of Roman Catholic et al literature—without qualification either totally or in large part.
One would think that in such a massive amount of publishing that the “true meaning” you are so ready to kindly insert for them—would have been along side such exhortations at least every other time the exhortation was published. Or even 25% of the time. Or even 10% of the time. Not so.
The exhortation reigns in all it’s starkness on page after page in document after document. The faithful are deluded into thinking this is a kosher and fitting if not obligatory Christian thing to do.
What a deception from the pit! What a seductive, warm fuzzy FEELING deception.
Now, children, let us focus more intently on Mommy’s Immaculate Heart.
Let the adorations commence . . . . Ohhhhmmmmmmmmm. Mommy’s Immaculate Heart . . . . warm fuzzys abounding like sugar plums and whiskers on kittens, brown paper packages tied up with string and a spoon full of sugar to help the heresy go down!
God have mercy.
But as to the above point, that is the one thing I would change about the Catholic Church - that it be plainly spoken so that footnotes are not necessary.
The Catechism has many footnotes and can be diligently studied. But as you point out, most of the ordinary literature does not. To an educated Catholic, the meaning may be clear. But to someone just picking it up to read it casually, it is not clear.