Posted on 11/24/2017 6:23:49 PM PST by marshmallow
Professor Clara Ferranti now target of the Left
A Catholic professor in Italy is facing strong backlash for doing the unthinkable in modern society: briefly interrupting a lesson to ask her Catholic students to join her in praying a "Hail Mary."
Professor of Linguistics Clara Ferranti at the University of Macerata took the occasion of the national Rosary rally organized by the Italian Marian Association on October 13 (the 100th anniversary of the Miracle of Fatima) to encourage students to pray. The whole deed lasted less than 30 seconds, but the controversy that arose may have consequences for many months to come.
Member of Parliament Giovanni Paglia from the leftist party Sinistra Italiana ("Italian Left") submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Education. "We couldn't believe that in a public institution ... people were forced to pray by the imposition of a professor," the complaint read. "I questioned the government if it isn't the case to bring an action against the professor, as this is an evident assault on state secularism."
But Ferranti told Church Militant she has also received much support in light of the backlash.
"[H]ow the hundreds of messages of solidarity claim a newfound courage to witness the Faith," she commented. "I heard this especially (but not only) from young students, who are usually more afraid to disclose their creed because of the ridicule they suffer. ... Many of my students have thanked me, assuring me they are many."
(Excerpt) Read more at churchmilitant.com ...
Naw, your religion doesn't have the luxery to pervert words of the dictionary...Praying is worship directed to God or a deity...When you say I pray thee, or, I pray you, then it is an entreaty...Prayer is worship whether your religion says so or not...
“Praying is worship directed to God or a deity...”
ROTFLMAO!
“I call to mind many charitable, blessed, and righteous souls. Mother Theresa, Padre Pio, Bernadette, etc., etc. Even Martin Luther”
Thankfully, I do not have to give an account for these people. That is between them and God. I do not intend to praise or condemn any of these by saying more. I would only caution that many godly men of the Bible had serious flaws. For example, I would not justify polygamy on the basis of men of faith in the Bible practicing it.
“Are you suggesting that really what they are doing is conjuring evil spirits?”
The extent to which evil spirits are involved in carnal worship practices is speculative. I certainly consider it possible to open up the door to evil spirits through idolatrous practices. God looks at the heart.
“Here, in reply to an article about a teacher persecuted for inviting students to pray, you decided to offer up a sarcastic remark to give vent to your anti-Catholic bigotry.”
There are plenty of Catholic caucus threads. They are often devoted to Mary, prayers to Mary and other saints, and other traditions that many Protestants find offensive. I do find the prayers to Mary being promoted offensive. If it offends you that I am offended, then I suppose we will just both be offended. That may just be part of life. It does not mean I hate you or think you hate me. However, I have stated my reasons.
When Catholics advocate their devotion to Christ and God, you will never hear me complain. When they talk about ending abortion, they will have my appreciation. If they feel various rituals they do in private bring them closer to God, and they are not spreading them to others, it is none of my business. But I am too familiar with what praying the Rosary means to pretend this is OK.
On the other hand I will give you this. Non-Catholics should not be surprised when a traditionally Catholic school actually carries out Catholic traditions. A Catholic school that admits non-Catholics should not force them to participate in such practices, but Catholics should be at liberty to observe their own faith, obviously. In that sense I share your feelings of being offended at the secular authorities for infringing on the rights of Catholics. While I consider the Rosary prayers to be a poor substitute for Biblical prayer, they are not so harmful as the anti-religious direction of secular authorities in the world today.
Perhaps it was uncharitable of me to turn the direction of the thread into a Catholic-Protestant debate. I will give it more careful thought on my next impulse to do so.
“I will be sure to offer a Rosary for your special intentions.”
I see what you did there. I appreciate your sense of humor.
What you do is, of course, between you and God. I will not accuse you of evil intentions or being demonic for saying the Rosary. However, I will say that frequently when I have such debates online I find myself under heavy spiritual attack. I will plead the blood of Jesus over me and my family and ask God to send back any evil spirits from where they come. But I will also offer my sincere prayers on your behalf and the other Catholics on this thread who may have a contention with my statements on this matter.
“There is certainly nothing wrong in praying only to Christ.”
Well, I would say that the example of scripture is typically that prayer is directed to God the Father through Christ, but I generally concur. If only that was the position of the Catholic Church, I think the offense with Protestantism might just dissolve. OK. Perhaps a few other issues would need to be worked out. But it is not merely the practice of things like the Rosary, but the insistence on their propagation and universal practice that provide the biggest source of contention.
“I wish to thank you for the excellent conversation. All my best to you and your family.”
Likewise. Truly.
Roman 15:30 — I beseech you therefore brethren by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God.
Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayersG4335 to God for me;
G4335
προσευχή
proseuchē
pros-yoo-khay'
From G4336; prayer (worship); by implication an oratory (chapel): - X pray earnestly, prayer.
G4336
proseuchomai
pros-yoo'-khom-ahee
From G4314 and G2172; to pray to God, that is, supplicate, worship: - pray (X earnestly, for), make prayer.
Whenever anyone is "prayed to" in the sciptures, it is always prayer to God, and only God...Always...
Many Catholics dump their stuff on the main page...The rest of generally stick to the religion forum...
I don't object since I am loyal to the Flag of the United States of America, and what it stands for...Unfortunately there's more and more of you that have wandered into our great Country...
My daddy instructed me never to say it in school and I never did.
You always do everything your daddy says...Did he also tell you there's no God???
You aren't serious, are you???
There is no such thing as “Italian Left” party. They are communists and/or assorted Marxists. They are “enemies of the state” and of religion.
Start with that premise and everything else becoming immediately clear.
definition of pray often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea pray be careful
It is a request for intercession. Pray doesn’t necessarily mean a request to a deity, although it is commonly understood as such, therefore hail mary is often called a prayer.
No where does Paul call believers to pray for the dead. Once an individual dies their destiny of Heaven or Hell has already been decided. No amount of prayer will benefit them at that point.
The astute reader will also note Paul notes there is but one mediator between God and men and that is Christ Jesus. This corrects the false Roman Catholic teaching that Mary is mediatrix.
I provide 1 Timothy 2:1 in context to show what Paul is really writing about.
1First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
7For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
1 Timothy 2:1-8 NASB
Because she's a Catholic and had Catholic students in her class.
Of all the errors of Roman Catholicism perhaps their worship of Mary is the most egregious.
So, if she was a Democrat she should interupt her liguistics class for a 10 minute gun control lecture? What if she were a Muslim? Would they have to hear her yammer on about veils and how Israel sucks?
Professor of Linguistics Clara Ferranti at the University of Macerata took the occasion of the national Rosary rally organized by the Italian Marian Association on October 13 (the 100th anniversary of the Miracle of Fatima) to encourage (catholic) students to pray. The whole deed lasted less than 30 seconds,...
**The first part comes from the Magnificat in Luke’s gospel and the second half is asking the Mother of God to intercede.**
Elizabeth didn’t say, “..the mother of my God”. She said, “the mother of my Lord”. Mary didn’t make the Son of God, God.
You place high regard on Peter, I assume. This is what he said:
“This Jesus hath God raised up........ For David....saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand...... God hath made this Jesus... both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:32-36
God MADE the Son both Lord and Christ, not Mary. The Son had to be resurrected to be a living “Lord and Christ”. Mary didn’t raise him from the dead.
Peter again:
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus...”. Acts 3:13
God glorified him, not Mary.
Peter again:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power,... God was with him..... Him God raised up..... it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.” Acts 10:42
God ordained the Son to be the Judge, not Mary.
You see,...... there is a big BIG difference between being “The LORD”, and being made “my Lord”.
As far as intercession goes, None of the apostles ever instructed the faithful, on earth, to pray to (or seek intercession from) those “asleep in Christ”.
Thank you for your kind and patient reply. You make some good biblical observations. And certainly, I do not believe Mary made Jesus God. You are 100% right about that. I certainly have no argument regarding anything you have written or quoted.
However, I think we can agree that Mary is Jesus’s mother, and Jesus is God, therefore, in a colloquial, and perhaps theologically imprecise sense, but simple logical sense, Mary is the Mother of God?
And if I may, I would like to ask a second question. Could Mary have said “no” to God the Father, or through Gabriel to God the Father at the Annunciation?
I appreciate your time and consideration of my questions.
I impressed by your knowledge of language in general and Greek in particular. I suppose I can’t argue with you in terms of linguistics. Perhaps it would be better to say that I “talk” to Mary and the saints rather than pray.
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