According to the Catholic Church: "The Catholic Church has always and with justice put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God. She who is associated with him in the work of man's salvation has favor and power with her Son greater than any other human or angelic creature has ever obtained or ever can obtain."-Supreme Apostolatus. Pope Leo XIII.
“The Catholic Church has always and with justice put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God.”
Ah, yes, selective editing. Along with the false moral equivalence, one of the favorite tricks of the left—be it the political, social, economic, or theological left.
Since so few will read the entire encyclical to benefit from a more complete understanding (not that ignorance will stop them from spewing poisonous accusations like so many benzedrine puff adders) let’s at least give the entirety of that one sentence.
It reads, “It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary, and to seek for peace in her maternal goodness; showing that the Catholic Church has always, and with justice, put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God.”
From this we clearly see that the hope and trust reposed in Mary is trust that she will pray for us, and hope that her prayers—so much more powerful than any of ours—will be granted.
It seems to me that an inference was being drawn that the “hope and trust” had to do with Salvation. Not, as we see, so.
The passage continues, “And truly the Immaculate Virgin, chosen to be the Mother of God and thereby associated with Him in the work of man’s salvation”
Does this passage say that Mary has the authority to grant Salvation? I think an inference was drawn to that effect, but, again, not so.
Clearly the association referred to is her role—as a human being—in Our Lord’s Earthly incarnation. Now that she is with God, of course, she has the authority granted by Him to lead us mortals to her Son. She doesn’t offer Salvation herself; she leads us to her Son.
The Holy Father continues, “(Mary) has a favor and power with her Son greater than any human or angelic creature has ever obtained, or ever can gain.”
Who doubts that, and on what grounds?
Who holds that Mary is not dearer to Our Lord than any other human, than any angel, than any other creature? What, would you turn Our Lord into a monster who doesn’t love his mother even as well as we sinful Earth dwellers?
Or is it that those feelings were extinguished at some point—perhaps when he died on the cross, or descended into Hell, or was resurrected, or ascended into Heaven?
Does that seem consistent with God’s omnibenevolent nature? Is there any indication that He didn’t love Mary when he was two? Three? Fifteen? Or at any other point?
Or is it that radical egalitarianism makes it impossible for some to face the prospect that Jesus might love someone else in a special way?
I think all these ridiculous—yet rabid—attacks on Catholics for venerating her who bore and raised Our Lord, and for asking her to pray for us, stem really from guilt. I think on some level even our worst detractors know in their hearts that Catholics only do what they themselves should do—but refuse—in respecting such a wonderful, even unique, human being.
So, in need of some justification for their own refusal to accept so many of God’s blessings, they whistle themselves past the graveyard by making up reasons that Catholics must be doing something terribly wrong in accepting God’s freely given blessings.
Well, you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can’t get over on God.
It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary, and to seek for peace in her maternal goodness; showing that the Catholic Church has always, and with justice, put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God. And truly the Immaculate Virgin,chosen to be the Mother of God and thereby associated with Him in the work of man's salvation, has a favor and power with her Son greater than any human or angelic creature has ever obtained, or ever can gain. And, as it is her greatest pleasure to grant her help and comfort to those who seek her, it cannot be doubted that she would deign, and even be anxious, to receive the aspirations of the universal Church.Naturally she's associated with Him -- isn't your mother associated with you?
According to the Catholic Church: “The Catholic Church has always and with justice put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God. She who is associated with him in the work of man’s salvation has favor and power with her Son greater than any other human or angelic creature has ever obtained or ever can obtain.”-Supreme Apostolatus. Pope Leo XIII.
This is idolitry .
We are told over and over in the scriptures in whom we are to put our trust , in whom we are to seek shelter , who is our refuge . Not once are we told to seek it in Mary.
Following this teaching and not that of scripture is following the teachings of men. Putting the teachings of men above the WORD of God is idolitry.