Posted on 10/07/2002 1:03:41 PM PDT by Polycarp
This is a decent summary from a non-Catholic source:
Current status of Mary:
Although the virgin Mary is rarely mentioned in the Bible, and although Protestant churches consider her to be a relatively minor biblical character, the Roman Catholic Church has long assigned her an elevated status.
The Roman Catholic Church has historically taught two basic dogmas about Mary:
1. Mary is the Mother of God. | |
2. Perpetual Virginity: Mary was a virgin when Yeshua (Jesus) was conceived; this state continued throughout her life. |
Two additional dogmas about Mary were infallibly proclaimed by two popes during the 19th and 20th centuries:
3. Immaculate Conception: Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on 1854-DEC-8. Many Roman Catholics believe that this refers to Jesus' conception circa 5 to 7 BCE. In fact, it means that Mary herself was conceived free of sin before her birth circa 20 BCE. | |
4. Assumption of Mary: Pope Pius XII, in his Munificentissimus Deus (1950-NOV-1), defined that Mary, "after the completion of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven." That is, she was "taken up body and soul into heaven," at the time of her death. She is there "exalted as Queen of the Universe." 1 |
In addition, various popes and church councils have referred to Mary as co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and advocate:
In ancient times:
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1750: Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, canonized as Saint Alphonsus in 1839, wrote a book "The Glories of Mary." It continues to be published today, under various church imprimaturs. Various chapters in the book are titled: "Mary our Help," "Mary our Mediatress," "Mary our Advocate," etc. 1 | |||||||
1935: Pope Pius XI gave the title co-redemptrix to Mary during a radio broadcast. 1 | |||||||
Circa 1965: The Chapter 8 of the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, passed by the Vatican Council II states, in part:
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1985: Pope John Paul II recognized Mary as co-redemptrix" during a speech in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He said, in part, "Having suffered for the Church, Mary deserved to become the Mother of all the disciples of her Son, the Mother of their unity...In fact Marys role as Co-redemptrix did not cease with the glorification of her Son." 4 | |||||||
1987-MAR-25: In his encyclical Redemptoris Mater, Pope John Paul II "referred to Mary as 'Mediatrix' three times, and as 'Advocate' twice." 1 | |||||||
1997-APR-9: During an audience Pope John-Paul II referred to the role of Mary during the crucifixion of Jesus: "Mary co-operated during the event itself and in the role of mother; thus her co-operation embraces the whole of Christs saving work. She alone was associated in this way with the redemptive sacrifice that merited the salvation of all mankind. In union with Christ and in submission to him, she collaborated in obtaining the grace of salvation for all humanity...In Gods plan, Mary is the woman (cf. John 2:4; John 19:26), the New Eve, united to the New Adam in restoring humanity to its original dignity. Her cooperation with her Son continues for all time in the universal motherhood which she enjoys in the order of grace. Trusting in this maternal cooperation, let us turn to Mary, imploring her help in all our needs." 1 |
Although Mary has been referred to on numerous occasions as co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and advocate, none have the force of an infallible papal declaration.
Professor Mark Miravalle of Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH, initiated a formal petition drive in 1993 during a Marian conference at that university. It asks the Pope to make infallible statement that would officially elevate Mary, the mother of Jesus, to the status of co-redeemer. More than six million signatures from 148 countries have reached the Vatican as of the end of the year 2000, asking that Pope John Paul II infallibly declare a new dogma: "That the Virgin Mary is a co-redeemer with Jesus and co-operates fully with her son in the redemption of humanity." If this were done, "she would be a vastly more powerful figure, something close to the fourth member of the Holy Trinity and the primary female face through which Christians experience the divine." 3 Miravalle's petition has received support from Mother Theresa, 550 bishops, Cardinal John O'Connor and 41 other cardinals (including at least 12 cardinals in Rome). If the dogma is declared infallibly, it would pronounce Mary as "Co-Redemptrix [co-redeemer], Mediatrix [mediator] of All Graces, and Advocate for the People of God." It would require all Roman Catholics to believe that:
Mary is co-redemptrix with Jesus. She participates in people's redemption. | |
Mary is mediatrix and has the power to grant all graces. | |
Mary is the advocate for the people of God and has the authority to influence God's judgments. |
If the dogma is infallibly declared, many feel that, in the words of Father Rene Laurentin, it would be the equivalent of launching "bombs" at Protestants. Father Laurentin is a French monk and the world's leading Mary scholar. He believes that: "Mary is the model of our faith but she is not divine. There is no mediation or co-redemption except in Christ. He alone is God." Raising the status of Mary would further acerbate the split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Ecumenical activity would be negatively affected. There is speculation that a schism might develop over the issue within the Roman Catholic church. There may be a renewed debate over the role of the pope's power in the church. 5,6
Different question than the one I asked and non responsive?
Scripture clearly answers the why of the humanity of Jesus..It says nothing on Mary except she knew she was a sinner in need of a savior
In Heaven there are no bodies yet, only souls, right?
How do body-less souls communicate?
With their ears? Their physical brains and mouths? No, they won't have them till after the Resurrection.
Do the saints in Heaven speak to each other, the angels, and the Most Holy Trinity?
So how do souls communicate? From soul to soul by some method that eye has not yet seen and ear has not yet heard.
However, that faculty of the soul was given man at creation, and we have it now here on earth, and shall retain it (obviously) in Heaven.
Personally I think those body-less souls communicate just as our souls here on earth communicate with God, through an act of the will, in a form of prayer.
Where does the ability to pray come from? That too, here and in Heaven, is a gift of God.
In Heaven all those body-less souls participate in the Beatific Vision.
How do they "see" God if they have no bodies?
Its a mystery, but probably much the same way God speaks to our souls, which does not involve physical senses.
Furthermore, only matter, our physical being, exists in space and time.
Those souls in Heaven exist outside space and time. They exist in a timeless Eternity.
So they have FOREVER to "hear" the prayers of the faithful on earth.
And they "hear" them simply because God hears those prayers of the faithful on earth, and the saints are participating in the Beatific Vision.
Yes, its a mystery to us, as scripture says eye has not seen what God has waiting.
The Communion of Saints ain't that difficult to grasp.
Here is the link...now think about this ..The JW's only changed ONE word in the Bible and that one word strips Jesus of His divinity..words do mean things
Mary was a sweet and holy lady who is god to many...God is not happy about that , he does not share His glory
Isa 42:8 I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Think on this CG
By the theological virtue of Divine Faith! This is a supernatural Gift of God which no human being can obtain on his/her own. Since the Grace of God builds on the order of nature which He Created, Faith in no way contradicts nature, but rather, builds on it leading to the Infinite where it transcends nature. It is, first and foremost, a gratuitous work of God. But God invites us to freely respond to it by accepting His Grace, i.e. the Life of God in us, in order to continuously grow with His Divine Life in us. This is a result of our free will given to us by God, Who will not force it. In other words, Heaven can and should begin here and now on earth in us, both corporately (the Church) and individually, but we will only experience it's fullness at the "close of the ages" when we see God "face to face" and all Creation is consummated and brought to the Eternal Father by His Son. Individually, this could mean at our death, but the hereafter is still a mystery to us and I don't think any of us know all the details. I mean by this that we will have a share in God's Eternity and concepts of "time" and "space" in such a situation would obviously be much different than our experience of them in our "life of the flesh".
I cannot judge other people, only pray for them and open myself to God to allow Him to work through me to bring others to the Faith. Because it is a lifelong process, no one knows just how or when the Grace of God will work in them to bring them to Grace, or whether or not they will accept that Grace.
You make the assumption if a hundred people all over the world are saying a rosery at the exact same time Mary can hear every single one of them and respond to every single one of them..Neither she nor any saint can do that ..those are the unique gualities of God. And He will not share those with anyone
Scripture tells us our purpose is to know love and serve God in this world in the next..When you read Revelation the picture is of all Gods creation worshiping at the throne.. not sitting by a "hotline" waiting for incoming calls:>))
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