dangus: You claim we hold her as a god. And to support this, you cite a passage which plainly states her role is to bring people to the Son and to the Father. That’s pretty funny.
What's so funny about that? That's attributing the work of God the Son to Mary. That is making her part of God then.
If Catholics don't hold her as God, then why do they keep attributing to her the characteristics of God?
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
INDEED.
>> What’s so funny about that? That’s attributing the work of God the Son to Mary. That is making her part of God then. If Catholics don’t hold her as God, then why do they keep attributing to her the characteristics of Go <<
Since when is doing the work of God being God? Like all Christians, she is a part of the body of Christ.
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Cor 12:27
Now what is the work of Christ? He said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” What did he command Peter to do? “Shepherd my sheep.” (Yes, although the KJV wording obscures it, it’s the same wording.) Does that make Peter God? Of course not.
Jesus healed. The disciples healed. Is that blasphemy?
Jesus raised various people from the dead. The disciples raised various people from the dead. Is that blasphemy?
Jesus came to proclaim the Good News. The disciples proclaimed the Good News. Is that blasphemy?
The notion that Mary is God because she draws people to God is insane. We are all supposed to draw people to God. And we do it successfully, when we do exactly as Mary does it: by telling God, “Let it be done to me according to thy will.” And when we do that, we bring Christ into the world, just as Mary brought Christ into the world.
Of course, not all the extremes of Marian devotion are officially sanctioned by the church, wisely so, but too many are (what is written in encyclicals is generally understood to be infallible, and some hold all are):
“The foundation of all Our confidence, as you know well, Venerable Brethren, is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary. For, God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation. For this is His will, that we obtain everything through Mary.” Pope Pius IX, in Ubi Primum (On the Immaculate Conception), Encyclical promulgated on February 2, 1849, #5.
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The power thus put into her (Mary’s) hands is all but unlimited. How unerringly right, then, are Christian souls when they turn to Mary for help...How rightly, too, has every nation and every liturgy without exception acclaimed her great renown, which has grown greater with the voice of each succeeding century. Among her many other titles we find her hailed as ‘our Lady, our Mediatrix,’ (St. Bernard, Serm.II in Adv. 4) ‘the Reparatrix of the whole world,’ (St. Tharasius, Orat. in Praesentatione) ‘the Dispenser of all heavenly gifts.’ (On Off. Graec., 8 Dec.).” Pope Leo XIII, in Adiutricem (On the Rosary), Encyclical promulgated on September 5, 1895, #8.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13adiut.htm
‘O Virgin most holy, none abounds in the knowledge of God except through thee; none, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee; none receives a gift from the throne of mercy except through thee.’” Pope Leo XIII, in Adiutricem (On the Rosary), Encyclical promulgated on September 5, 1895, #9.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13adiut.htm
With equal truth may it be also affirmed that, by the will of God, Mary is the intermediary through whom is distributed unto us this immense treasure of mercies gathered by God, for mercy and truth were created by Jesus Christ. Thus as no man goeth to the Father but by the Son, so no man goeth to Christ but by His Mother....Mary is this glorious intermediary...” Pope Leo XIII, in Octobri Mense (On the Rosary), Encyclical promulgated on September 22, 1891, # 4.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13ro1.htm
Thus is confirmed that law of merciful meditation of which We have spoken, and which St. Bernardine of Siena thus expresses: ‘Every grace granted to man has three degrees in order; for by God it is communicated to Christ, from Christ it passes to the Virgin, and from the Virgin it descends to us.’”Pope Leo XIII, in Iucunda Semper Expectatione (On the Rosary), Encyclical promulgated on September 8, 1894, #5.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13ro5.htm
All gifts which the Author of all good (God) has deigned to communicate to the unhappy posterity of Adam, are, according to the loving resolve of His Divine Providence, dispensed by the hands of the Most Holy Virgin.” Pope Benedict XV (AAS 9, 1917, 266) (quoted in “About Our Lady, our Blessed Mother”, by Our Lady’s Warriors).
http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/abtmary.htm
.When therefore we read in the writings of Saint Bernard, Saint Bernardine, Saint Bonaventure, and others that all in heaven and on earth, even God himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that the authority which God was pleased to give her is so great that she seems to have the same power as God. Her prayers and requests are so powerful with him that he accepts them as commands in the sense that he never resists his dear mother’s prayer because it is always humble and conformed to his will.... St. Louis de Montfort, in Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, #27, 246. http://www.ewtn.com/library/Montfort/TRUEDEVO.HTM
“In conclusion: we may say that, in virtue of the divine salvific counsels ordaining a most perfect redemption, our Lady as Coredemptrix is included with Christ, the One Mediator.” Rev. Fr. Peter Damian M. Fehlner, F.F.I., professor of Catholic Theology, in Immaculata Mediatrix — Toward a Dogmatic Definition of the Coredemption.
http://www.voxpopuli.org/book_2_10.php
“Pope Pius XII explains in an address on the Queenship of Mary, ‘when the glorious Virgin Mary entered triumphantly into heaven and was elevated above the choirs of angels to the throne of the Most Holy Trinity.’ And then Christ ‘placed a triple crown of glory on her head, presented her to the heavenly court, seated her at his right hand and pronounced her Queen of the Universe.’...Opus Sanctorum Angelorum, Formation Letter, “Mary - ‘Regina Angelorum’”, April, 2000.
http://www.opusangelorum.org/Formation/Maryregina.html
Mary's role as its intercessor was spelled out in the 12th century by theologians, such as Eadmer, (c. 1124) and St. Peter Damian, and was popularized in collections of her miracles. Mary placates the judge. According to Eadmer (A.D. 1060–1124), an English monk and student of Anselm, “sometimes salvation is quicker if we remember Mary's name then if we invoked the name of the Lord Jesus...[who] does not at once, answer anyone who invokes him, but only does so after just judgment. But if the name of his mother Mary is invoked, her merits intercede so that he is answered even if the merits of him who invoked her do not deserve it.”
In the word says Anselm, through her “the elements are renewed, the netherworld is healed, the demons are trodden underfoot, men are saved and angels are restored.” in the margins out, Smithfield decretals, began again, for over a hundred folios, Mary asserts her power over devils-and sometimes also over Jews. Andrew Taylor, “Three medieval manuscripts and their readers,” University of Pennsylvania press; page 173
The late Walter Martin noted,
I have in my library hundreds of pamphlets, manuscripts and books all published with the official imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church. In every one of them, language which is applied to God alone in Scripture is applied to the Virgin Mary. She is worshipped: she is given almost every title of Christ. Thus, they are subtly but systematically raising her to a place of equality with our Lord.... Worship, prayers, shrines, and even altars in churches have been consecrated to her around the earth. The healing grottoes are seldom dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth, but to "Our Lady of Lourdes," "Our Lady St. Anne de Beaupre," "Our Lady of Fatima," etc. The statues which are seen in Roman Catholic homes are invariably of Mary. The largest niches in Roman Catholic churches are occupied by images of Mary. The preponderance of prayers are to Mary, and the "Hail, Mary" is repeated in the Rosary continually. (Walter Martin, The Roman Catholic Church in History (Livingston, NJ: Christian Research Institute, Inc., 1960), p.54)
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"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" (Philippians 2:10) "And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day." (Isaiah 2:17) "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. {6} And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." (1 Corinthians 4:5-6) "And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon." (Revelation 5:4) "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; {10} And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. {11} And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; {12} Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Revelation 5:9-12) |
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Alphabetical list of appellations magnifying Mary (from Roman Catholic “Tom's Domain:” http://tomsdomain.com/rosary/titles.htm) |
101. Mary the Blessed Virgin 102. Mary, Blessed Virgin 103. Mary, Help of Christians 104. Mary, Mother of God 105. Mary, Queen of Africa 106. Mary, Queen of Angels 107. Mary, Queen of Peace 108. Mary, Star of the Sea 109. Mater Dei 110. Mediatrix 111. Mediatrix and Conciliatrix 112. Mediatrix of All Graces 113. Mediatrix of Salvation 114. Mediatrix of the Mediator 115. Minister of Life 116. More Beautiful Than Beauty 117. More Glorious Than Paradise 118. More Gracious Than Grace 119. More Holy Than the Cherubim, the Seraphim, and the Entire Angelic Hosts 120. Most Venerable 121. Mother Most Admirable 122. Mother Most Amiable 123. Mother Most Chaste 124. Mother Most Pure 125. Mother Inviolate 126. Mother of Christians 127. Mother of Christ's Members 128. Mother of God 129. Mother of Good Counsel 130. Mother of Jesus Christ 131. Mother of Men 132. Mother of Our Creator 133. Mother of Our Head 134. Mother of Our Savior 135. Mother of the Mystical Body 136. Mother of Wisdom 137. Mother Undefiled 138. My Body's Healing 139. My Soul's Saving 140. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin 141. Nature's Re-Creation 142. Nature's Restoration 143. Neck of the Mystical Body 144. Never Fading Wood 145. New Eve 146. Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris 147. Notre Dame of Chartres 148. Notre Dame of Easton 149. Nourisher of God and Man 150. Olive Tree of the Father's Compassion 151. Only Bridge of God to Men 152. Our Immaculate Queen 153. Our Lady, Gate of Heaven 154. Our Lady, Help of Christians 155. Our Lady, Mother of the Church 156. Our Lady, Queen of All Saints 157. Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles 158. Our Lady in America 159. Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace 160. Our Lady of Africa 161. Our Lady of Altotting 162. Our Lady of Arabia 163. Our Lady of Bandel 164. Our Lady of Bandra 165. Our Lady of Banneux 166. Our Lady of Baeuraing 167. Our Lady of Begoña 168. Our Lady of Bethlehem 169. Our Lady of Calvary 170. Our Lady of Charity 171. Our Lady of Consolation 172. Our Lady of Copacabana 173. Our Lady of Coromoto 174. Our Lady of Czestochowa 175. Our Lady of Europe 176. Our Lady of Fatima 177. Our Lady of Good Counsel 178. Our Lady of Good Help 179. Our Lady of Grace 180. Our Lady of Guadalupe 181. Our Lady of Guadalupe of Estramadura 182. Our Lady of High Grace 183. Our Lady of Hungary 184. Our Lady of Japan 185. Our Lady of Kevelaer 186. Our Lady of Knock 187. Our Lady of La Leche 188. Our Lady of La Vang 189. Our Lady of Las Vegas 190. Our Lady of LaSallette 191. Our Lady of Lebanon 192. Our Lady of Limerick 193. Our Lady of Loreto 194. Our Lady of Lourdes 195. Our Lady of Lujan 196. Our Lady of Madhu 197. Our Lady of Mariazell 198. Our Lady of Mercy 199. Our Lady of Montserrat 200. Our Lady of Mount Carmel
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201. Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Aylesford 202. Our Lady of Nazareth 203. Our Lady of Peace 204. Our Lady of Perpetual Help 205. Our Lady of Pompeii 206. Our Lady of Pontmain 207. Our Lady of Prompt Succor 208. Our Lady of Providence 209. Our Lady of Ransom 210. Our Lady of Refuge 211. Our Lady of Safe Travel 212. Our Lady of Salambao 213. Our Lady of Shongweni 214. Our Lady of Sorrows 215. Our Lady of Tears 216. Our Lady of Victory 217. Our Lady of Walsingham 218. Our Lady of Washington 219. Our Lady of the Americas 220. Our Lady of the Assumption 221. Our Lady of the Cape 222. Our Lady of the Conquest 223. Our Lady of the Golden Heart 224. Our Lady of the Gulf 225. Our Lady of the Hermits 226. Our Lady of the Highways 227. Our Lady of the Holy Rosary 228. Our Lady of the Holy Souls 229. Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception 230. Our Lady of the Incarnation 231. Our Lady of the Kodiak and the Islands 232. Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery 233. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 234. Our Lady of the Pillar of Saragossa 235. Our Lady of the Pines 236. Our Lady of the Prairie 237. Our Lady of the Presentation 238. Our Lady of the Rosary 239. Our Lady of the Snows 240. Our Lady of the Thorns 241. Our Lady of the Turumba 242. Our Lady of the Valley 243. Our Lady of the Wayside 244. Our Lady of the Woods 245. Our Lady Who Appeared 246. Our Own Sweet Mother 247. Paradise Fenced Against the Serpent 248. Paradise of Innocence and Immortality 249. Paradise of the Second Adam 250. Paradise Planted by God 251. Patroness and Protectoress 252. Perfume of Faith 253. Preserved From All Sin 254. Protectress From All Hurt 255. Queen of All Saints 256. Queen of Angels 257. Queen of Creation 258. Queen of Heaven 259. Queen of Heaven and Earth 260. Queen of Martyrs 261. Queen of Nigeria 262. Queen of Peace 263. Queen Unconquered 264. Refuge in Time of Danger 265. Reparatrix 266. Reparatrix of Her Parents 267. Reparatrix of the Lord World 268. Rich in Mercy 269. Rose Ever Blooming 270. Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit 271. Salve Regina 272. Scepter of Orthodoxy 273. Seat of Wisdom 274. Second Eve 275. Singular Vessel of Devotion 276. Sister and Mother 277. Source of Virginity 278. Spiritual Vessel 279. Spotless Dove of Beauty 280. Star of the Sea 281. Star That Bore the Sea 282. Suppliant for Sinners 283. Surpassing Eden's Gardens 284. Surpassing the Heavens 285. Surpassing the Seraphim 286. Sweet Flowering and Gracious Mercy 287. Tabernacle of God 288. Tabernacle of the Word 289. Temple Divine 290. Temple Indestructible 291. Temple of the Lord's Body 292. Theotokos 293. Throne of the King 294. Tower Unassailable 295. Treasure House of Life 296. Treasure of Immortality 297. Treasure of the World Undefiled 298. Undefiled Treasure of Virginity 299. Undug Well of Remission's Waters 300. Unlearned in the Ways of Eve 301. Unplowed Field of Heaven's Bread 302. Unwatered Vineyard of Immortality's Wine 303. Vessel of Honor 304. Victor Over the Serpent 305. Virgin by the Sea 306. Virgin Inviolate 307. Virgin Most Faithful 308. Virgin Most Merciful 309. Virgin Most Powerful 310. Virgin Most Prudent 311. Virgin Most Pure 312. Virgin Mother 313. Virgin of Charity 314. Virgin of Copacabana 315. Virgin of Sheshan 316. Virgin of Virgins 317. Wedded to God 318. Workshop of the Incarnation |
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From the "Litany of the Blessed Virgin"
1. Holy Mary 2. Holy Mother of God 3. Most Honored of Virgins 4. Chosen Daughter of the Father 5. Mother of Christ 6. Glory of the Holy Spirit 7. Virgin Daughter of Zion 8. Virgin Poor and Humble 9. Virgin Gentle and Obedient 10. Handmaid of the Lord 11. Mother of the Lord 12. Helper of the Redeemed 13. Full of Grace 14. Fountain of Beauty 15. Model of Virtue 16. Finest Fruit of the Redemption 17. Perfect Disciple of Christ 18. Untarnished Image of the Church 19. Woman Transformed 20. Woman Clothed With the Sun 21. Woman Crowned With Stars 22. Gentile Lady 23. Gracious Lady 24. Our Lady 25. Joy of Israel 26. Splendor of the Church 27. Pride of the Human Race 28. Advocate of Grace 29. Minister of Holiness 30. Champion of God's People 31. Queen of Love 32. Queen of Mercy 33. Queen of Peace 34. Queen of Angels 35. Queen of Patriarchs and Prophets 36. Queen of Apostles and Martyrs 37. Queen of Confessors and Virgins 38. Queen of All Saints 39. Queen Conceived Without Original Sin 40. Queen Assumed into Heaven 41. Queen of All Earth 42. Queen of Heaven 43. Queen of the Universe |
From Other Miscellaneous Sources
Note: Some of these might be considered duplicates as they are slight variations of each other (E.g., Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of the Rosary). Both are left in the list as one might be more appropriate in some circumstances.
1. Adam's Deliverance 2. Advocate of Eve 3. Advocate of Sinners 4. All Chaste 5. All Fair and Immaculate 6. All Good 7. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin 8. Aqueduct of Grace 9. Archetype fo Purity and Innocence 10. Ark Gilded by the Holy Spirit 11. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin 12. Basillica of Saint Mary Major 13. Blessed Among Women 14. Blessed Virgin Mary 15. Bridal Chamber of the Lord 16. Bride of Christ 17. Bride of Heaven 18. Bride of the Canticle 19. Bride of the Father 20. Bride Unbrided 21. Chosen Before the Ages 22. Comfort of Christians 23. Comforter of the Afflicted 24. Conceived Without Original Sin 25. Consoler of the Afflicated 26. Co-Redemptrix 27. Court of the Eternal King 28. Created Temple of the Creator 29. Crown of Virginity 30. Daughter of Men 31. David's Daughter 32. Deliverer From All Wrath 33. Deliverer of Christian Nations 34. Destroyer of Heresies 35. Dispenser of Grace 36. Dwelling Place for God 37. Dwelling Place Meet for God 38. Dwelling Place of the Illimitable 39. Dwelling Place of the Spirit 40. Earth Unsown 41. Earth Untouched and Virginal 42. Eastern Gate 43. Ever Green and Fruitful 44. Ever Virgin 45. Eve's Tears Redeeming 46. Exalted Above the Angels 47. Feast of the Immaculate Conception 48. Fleece of Heavenly Rain 49. Flower of Carmel 50. Flower of Jesse's Root 51. Formed Without Sin 52. Forthbringer of God 53. Forthbringer of the Ancient of Days 54. Forthbringer of the Tree of Life 55. Fountain of Living Water 56. Fountain Sealed 57. Free From Every Stain 58. Garden Enclosed 59. God's Eden 60. God's Olive Tree 61. God's Vessel 62. Healing Balm of Integrity 63. Helper of All in Danger 64. Holy in Soul and Body 65. Holy Mountain of Our Lady 66. Hope of Christians 67. House Built by Wisdom 68. Immaculate 69. Immaculate Conception 70. Immaculate Heart 71. Immaculate Heart of Mary 72. Immaculate Mary 73. Immaculate Mother 74. Immaculate Virgin 75. Incorruptible Wood of the Ark 76. Inventrix of Grace 77. Inviolate 78. Joseph's Spouse 79. Kingly Throne 80. King's Mother 81. Lady Most Chaste 82. Lady Most Venerable 83. Lady of Good Help 84. Lady of Grace 85. Lady of Mercy 86. Lady of Peace 87. Lady of Perpetual Help 88. Lady of the Rosary 89. Lady of Sorrows 90. Lady of Victory 91. Lamp Unquenchable 92. Life-Giver to Posterity 93. Light Cloud of Heavenly Rain 94. Lily Among Thorns 95. Living Temple of the Diety 96. Loom of the Incarnation 97. Madonna of Saint Luke 98. Marketplace for Salutary Exchange 99. Mary of the Assumptions 100. Mary of the Hurons |
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From the "Litany of Loreto"
1. Mother of the Church 2. Mother of Divine grace 3. Mother Most Pure 4. Mother of Chaste Love 5. Mother and Virgin 6. Sinless Mother 7. Dearest of Mothers 8. Model of Motherhood 9. Mother of Good Counsel 10. Mother of Our Creator 11. Mother of Our Savior 12. Virgin Most Wise 13. Virgin Rightly Praised 14. Virgin Rightly Renowned 15. Virgin Most Powerful 16. Virgin Gentle in Mercy 17. Faithful Virgin 18. Mirror of Justice 19. Throne of Wisdom 20. Cause of Our Joy 21. Shrine of the Spirit 22. Glory of Israel 23. Vessel of Selfless Devotion 24. Mystical Rose 25. Tower of David 26. Tower of Ivory 27. House of Gold 28. Ark of the Covenant 29. Gate of Heaven 30. Morning Star 31. Health of the Sick 32. Refuge of Sinners 33. Comfort of the Troubled 35. Queen of the Rosary 36. Queen of Peace [repeated from above] |
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