Mary Worship? A Study of Catholic Practice and Doctrine

Park View ^ | July 2001 | Mary Ann Collins (A Former Catholic Nun)

[Christian Engineer Mass]

Jesus said that the truth will set us free. (John 8:32) However, He did not say that the truth would necessarily be easy to accept. It was painful for me to learn the information that I am about to share with you, but it was also liberating and it led to a closer relationship with God.

As a faithful Catholic, and later as a nun, I practiced Mary worship for many years without realizing it. The prayers and practices were so familiar. They were taught to me by good people, sincere people that I trusted. I prayed rosaries and wore a scapular and engaged in other “devotions” which I honestly thought were good and pleasing to God. Because of my lack of knowledge of the Bible and of Church history, I honestly had no idea that I was actually worshipping Mary.

If modern Catholic teachings and doctrines about Mary are true, then they will not be contrary to Scripture, the writings of the Early Fathers, or the decrees of past popes. For a devout Catholic to question these issues and put them to the test can be painful. It certainly was for me. However, it would be far more painful to have God correct us when we face Him on Judgment Day.

LETTING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SPEAK FOR ITSELF

I believe in letting people speak for themselves. Therefore my primary sources about Catholic doctrines and history come from the Catholic Church.

First and foremost is the official Catechism of the Catholic Church which was written for the purpose of summarizing the essential and basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and the English translation was released in 1994.

[amihow]

Please do not play word games with Christianity.

Your premise is that Catholics pray to Mary as to God.

Not true. Go to the sources such as Catholic Encyclopedie or the Catechism.

[narses]

CHRISTUS VINCIT
Christ King of Glory

Acclamations VIII Cent.
Ambrosian Chant (Variant)

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!
Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam
adjuva!

Christ Lord of glory, Christ Prince of nations, Christ our King of kings! Christ Jesus,
hear us. Perpetual safety and welfare to the Church of God. Redeemer, Savior. Assist
and strengthen her.

1. Sancta Maria: Tu illam adjuva!
O Mary blessed Mother. Assist and strengthen her.

2. Sancte Joseph: Tu illam adjuva!
Joseph holy guardian. Assist and strengthen her.

3. Sancte Michael Tu illam adjuva!
Blessed Michael patron Assist and strengthen her.

Optional (Sancte Patricii: Tu illam adjuva!)
Blessed Saint Patrick: Assist and strengthen her.

All repeat: Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe. Pio summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum
adjuva!

Christ Jesus hear us. Life and health and blessings to Pope Pius our Holy Father.
Redeemer Savior, Assist and strengthen him.

1. Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva! 1. Rex regum!
Blessed Peter, Assist and strengthen him. King of kings.

2. Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva! 2. Rex noster!
Blessed Paul, assist and strengthen him. Christ our King

3. Spes nostra!
Christ our hope.

Repeat: Christus Vincit! etc.

Gloria nostra, Misericordia nostra! Auxilium nostrum! Fortitudo nostra, Ar ma nostra
invictissima! Murus noster inexpugnabilis! Defensio et exaltatio nostra!

Lux, Via, et Vita nostra! Ipsi soli imperium, Laus et jubilatio per infinita saecula
saeculorum. Amen.

Jesus our glory, Fountain of grace and all mercy. Source of all our blessing. Defender
in battle, Strong arm of our God invincible. Our stronghold and our exaltation. Our
captain leader who has won our salvation.

Christ Jesus, our life and light eternal. To Him only is victory all praise and jubilation.
Through all the endless ages of eternity. Amen.

Tempora bona veniant! Pax Christi veniat! Redemptis Sanguine Christi: Feliciter!
Regnum Christi veniat! Deo Gratias! Amen.

Abundance of good things be ours. The peace of Christ be ours. Redeemed by the blood
of Jesus. Proclaim our joy. May His holy kingdom come. Praise be to our God Amen.

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[Veritas01]

I’m about to move back to kentucky; they are all over. I’ve heard there is a church that handles snakes

[Claud]

Not true. You asked me “What am I?” The answer is, “I am the one man that ever lived that is alone responsible for whether or not I come to Jesus as my Lord and Savior.”...Each man has the God given right and RESPONSIBILITY to choose for himself.

That is all well and good as it comes to personal behavior and a relationship with Christ Jesus. But no way that applies to doctrine. Every man has the responsibility to choose his own truth and his own doctrine?

[RobRoy]

>>Your premise is that Catholics pray to Mary as to God.<<

I think you are mixing my posts up with someone else’s. What I have said is they deify her when they say she was perfect, and they use her as an intercessor when there is no need. Christians come straight to Jesus with no middle man.

[RobRoy]

>>Every man has the responsibility to choose his own truth and his own doctrine?<<

That is precisely right. One chooses wisely if they use the teaching of Christ as the foundation though.

[amihow]

Do you ask your friends to pray for you? Cannot you ask the Mother of God to pray for you? Do you think she is Blessed among women?

[RobRoy]

>>Do you ask your friends to pray for you? Cannot you ask the Mother of God to pray for you? Do you think she is Blessed among women?<<

She’s dead. I ask my friends that still occupy their “earthly tent” because I can communicate with them. The only person who died that I can communicate with is Jesus. And it is because he is the first fruits of the resurrected and is God.

All other dead people are dead until the day we are all resurrected.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***The other one that has received significant support is 1 Enoch. What is your thoughts on that one?****

I’ve got one called The Secrets of Enoch. I don’t know if this is the same book but it is way too mystical and far-fetched to be scripture. More of a tall tale written by some pious Christian but used also by Heretics of that time.

Their are some who are reprining and distibuting a so-called St Paul letter to the Laodicians. It is considered a fake by most.

I have a chapter 29 to the book of Acts (Paul visits Spain and England) but even I can tell it is a fake by it’s internal evidence.

I’ve just found an on line copy of 1 Enoch. It may take some time to read it. I will read it later. It does not seem to be the same as the Secrets of Enoch.

Jude mentions Enoch but it is probably just in reference the same as St Paul mentioned certain Pagan writers in his letters.

[BenKenobi]

1 Enoch is decidedly not a fake as they found it at Qumrun. It’s not scripture, but its not fake. It wasn’t included in the Septuagint, but it did receive some support early on.

Thanks to Milton, it’s actually fairly widely known, but I’m not sure what version of it he had access to, as it’s only been fairly recently that they have found ancient copies.