Replies

I find it ironic that paganism is so often a charge against Catholicism only when it pertains to Mary or things which fit the most of the protestant. Why ironic?

Well, considering that the entirety of Christianity has been thus accused by nonChristians it is truly a case of a splinter and a log.

Why are there no apparitions of the Apostles or prophets or patriarchs? Well, we have no need of them. We have their written accounts in Scripture, Apostolic Succession in the priesthood and the Magisterium.

We have only one Mother. She is the Queen Mother of the heir to the throne of the House of David, Jesus. She takes hers place beside her son as all the other queen mothers did when their sons took the throne. She acts on our behalf as a intercessor with her Son, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She does not take the title for herself, it is hers by right of the birth of her Son. He honors her as all Jews honor their mothers and it is in her that the promises of Christ to all who believe in Him, love Him and obey Him have been fulfilled. She welcomed Him first, loved Him first, followed Him first and as such is with Him now.

If there is a dearth of anything, is that of love for her found on these forums.

“Virtually all the works that you would have to rely upon are later copies”

You are aware that we do not have the originals of any of the New Testament books, right? All we have are copies of copies of copies. The same can be said of them, oh and BTW, has been said.

I have never seen a claim that the Church sprang up fully formed overnight. What I see, what history teaches is that it has grown and evolved throughout its 2000 year history.

Yes, early stories have said that Mary died, that Thomas did not arrive in time and that when the tomb was opened for him(poor Thomas, always doubting)it was empty.

The Church does not claim that the story is true. It makes no declaration as to whether Mary died or was assumed while alive. It merely states that in light of the fact that she is the Mother of the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, God made man and in light of her preservation from sin, and in light of the fact that Scripture allows that there have been humans taken by God into heaven, the Church can state as true, the belief that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was united body and soul to her Son in eternity as she was with Him in their earthly lives.