I understand the difficulty with Marian devotion that most protestants have with the Catholic church...I have discovered that is is terminology and of tunnel vision.
A little meditation will take you a long distance to understanding why we hold Mary in such a position of reverence.
” The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”.
Jesus, the word , took up earthly residence in the body of Mary to be en-fleshed. He was blood of her blood and flesh of her flesh.
Think of Mary being suffused with the Word of God every moment, every breath and every heart beat for 9 months.
This is why Mary is the role model for Catholic’s... we wish to be suffused with “The word of God” every moment of our lives and Mary is the example that it can be done.
It takes great humility, great submission, great openness.
We diminish as He increases.
No. It’s NOT merely terminology and tunnel vision.
There is horrific and very serious idolatrous blasphemy in the name of Mary on the part of major percentages of those within the Roman Catholic et al/Vatican edifice.
Ya’ll’s own documents indict you horrifically.
Ya’ll’s own behaviors and attitudes worsen the picture.
. . . including hereon.
You wrote, “Welcome with great joy to the faith.”
It breaks my heart to think that there are so many people who diminish faith in Jesus by implying that you must be a member of the Roman Catholic Church in order to have “faith.”
“The faith”? No, “the faith” is faith in Jesus. Lots of people trust in Him apart from membership in the Church of Rome. Lots of people disengage from the heresy of the RCC and its Popes, and instead cling to the mysterious and invisible Church of Christ. They should be considered among those who are members of “the faith.”
Please consider affirming Christ more than affirming the Roman Catholic Church.
Too bad so many Catholics aren’t as devoted to the Word of God and taking on the mind of Christ, as they are seeking the mind of Mary.