|
|
Marian Dogma
“Mariology, the doctrine of the Mother of God, cannot be separated
either from the person or from the work of the Redeemer and
therefore has the deepest connection with both Christology and
Soteriology. Here the central idea is the Divine Maternity, since
this is at once the source of Mary's unspeakable dignity and of her
surpassing fullness of grace. Just as the Hypostatic Union of the
Divinity and humanity of Christ stands or falls with the truth of
the Divine Maternity, so too is this same maternity the foundation
of all special privileges which were accorded to Mary on account of
Christ’s dignity. These singular privileges are four: her Immaculate
Conception, personal freedom from sin, perpetual virginity, and her
bodily Assumption into heaven. For the three former we have
doctrinal decisions of the Church, which are final. However, though
Mary's bodily Assumption has not yet been solemnly declared an
article of faith, nevertheless the Church has practically
demonstrated such to be her belief by celebrating from the earliest
times the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God. Two more
privileges are connected with Mary's dignity: her special
mediatorship between the Redeemer and the redeemed and her exclusive
right to hyperdulia. Of course, it is clear that the mediatorship of
Mary is entirely subordinate to that of Her Divine Son and derives
its whole efficacy and power therefrom. In order the better to
understand the value and importance of Mary's peculiar right to such
veneration, it will be well to consider, by way of contrast, the
dulia paid to the saints and, again, the doctrine concerning the
veneration paid to relics and images. For the most part, dogmatic
theologians prefer to treat these latter subjects under eschatology,
together with the Communion of Saints.”
[The excerpt was
taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia, “Dogmatic Theology”.]
Click links to redirect to offsite
internet site
Perpetual Virgin The dogma of
the Perpetual Virginity of Mary defines that Mary was always a
virgin, even after giving birth to Christ--in fact, Christ's birth
sanctified his mother's virginity.
Mary had made a vow of perpetual chastity (virginity) at a young
age, and God did not dishonor her vow by predestining her to be the
mother of his Son, for she did not give birth by sexual relations
but by the power of the Holy Spirit, i.e., a miracle.
After giving birth to Christ, Mary did not dishonor her vow of
chastity; she had no sexual relations. The Brothers of Christ refers
to are believed to be Josephs children, children he had with a
previous wife who died prior to his engagement to Mary.
Mother of God The dogma of
Mary's status as the Mother of God is the cornerstone of Mariology
is because all the other dogmas find their source and goal in this
one, i.e., it was because of and for Mary's divine maternity that
she was conceived immaculate, ever-virgin, and assumed into heaven
to be crowned Queen.
Mary was the Mother of God not because she gave the Lord his
divinity but his flesh and blood. As St. Augustine says, "Her blood
is his blood and her heart is his heart." The Lord assumed human
nature in Mary's womb, but he did not assume a human person, for
Christ was a divine person in whom is united the human and divine
natures, being truly God and truly Man, i.e., the God-Man.
Moreover, Mary truly and really gave birth to Christ, but whether or
not she had birth pains has been debated since the early times of
the Catholic Church. The two arguments can be summarized as follows.
On the one hand, it has been argued that Mary could not have had
birth pains since these are the result of original sin, and Mary had
no original sin. Therefore, since she did not have a share in
original sin, she could not have had a share in a result of original
sin, namley birth pains. On the other hand, it has been argued that
Mary could indeed have had birth pains as these are the natural
result of giving birth to a baby. Moreover, if Mary could suffer at
the foot of the Cross with her Son, then certainly she could also
suffer during birth.
Finally, in Mary's divine maternity is found a symbol and most
perfect realization of womanhood.
Immaculate Conception The dogma
of the Immaculate Conception of Mary defines that Mary was without
original sin and actual sin, being filled with all grace and virtue,
from conception unto her Assumption.
The dogmas of the Church always embrace both faith and reason; for
example, the reason why Mary had to be Immaculate Conception--Mary
had to be the mother of Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and so how
could anyone but a holy soul, holy since conception and throughout
her whole life (especially since she taught Christ many things as
his mother), be chosen by God to be his Son's mother?
Moreover, Mary was filled with every grace because she bore in her
womb the fountain of all graces, Jesus Christ.
And the Immaculate Conception was not something Mary received
outside the economy of salvation, but--because she was the first to
benefit from the redemptive sacrifice of her Son as his mother, and
because the sacrifice of Christ encompasses all time since to the
Lord all time is one and nothing is impossible for him--Mary, by the
grace of God, was saved from original sin and all actual sin.
Assumption Of all the dogmas of
Mary, it is the Assumption that has been made into a mystery of the
rosary--the fourth of the five Glorious Mysteries, to be precise (of
course, the other three dogmas of Mary can be found in the first
three Joyous Mysteries, i.e., the Annunciation, Visitation, and
Nativity).
The dogma of the Assumption of Mary defines that Mary, after sharing
in the Passion of Christ, seeing Christ risen, witnessing Christ
ascend into heaven, being with the Apostles during Pentecost, and
helping out the Church with her prayers, she was brought body and
soul into heaven, reunited with Christ and fulfilling her share in
the Paschal Mysteries, i.e., the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension
of Christ.
The Assumption was Mary's share in the Resurrection and Ascension of
Christ.
Oddly enough, some theologians believe that the Ascension of Christ
took place shortly after, and thus connected to, the
Resurrection--this argument would most certainly defend the fact
that Mary shared in both the Resurrection and the Ascension just in
her Assumption. But most believe the Ascension took place a month
after Christ's Resurrection, and so the defense of Mary's Assumption
becomes harder--but not impossible to be understood. There are three
arguments in place:
1. If by the grace of God Mary was preserved from all sin and filled
with every grace, and if it were by the power of God that she was
the mother of God, than certainly, by the grace of God and the power
of the Holy Spirit she could share in the Ascension and
Resurrection.
2. If Christ was in heaven, than couldn't and wouldn't Mary, a
figure and type of his Church, his Mystical Bride and Body, be with
him in heaven, as an eschatological sign of the Church?
3. If Mary, as a figure and type of the Church, shared in the
Passion, than why couldn't and shouldn't she share in the Ascension
and Resurrection, and if not together with Christ at the same time,
than why not all at once in a single great mystery?
The defense of Mary's Queenship goes along the same lines:
1. by the grace and power of God she is Queen of everything.
2. by her union to Christ the King, she is Queen in fashion after
his Kingship.
3. as an eschatological sign of the Church, she is triumphant over
all things, the Queen of the King, i.e., Bride of Christ.
By her Queenship, Mary is the most powerful after the Lord--as
humble as she was, so as powerful she is. As Christ said, "the
humble are exalted." Of course, Mary's omnipotence is not infinite,
nor is it her own, but rather, through, with, and in her as the
mother and bride of Christ (and since the bride of Christ, than
also, in a sense, his body (cf. Gn 2:24), and so, she being both his
mother and his bride is not incest, but the power of the Holy
Spirit, and indeed, a mystery) does God work--just as through, with,
and in her as the mother of God he accomplished the salvation of men
by her co-operating with Christ's person and work by her Fiat,
allowing him to be born, and sharing in his life, being a figure and
type of the Church.
Co-Redemptrix The fifth
Marian dogma is not dogmatically defined (unlike the other four
Marian dogmas). It has been proposed, and is subject to discussion.
It would dogmatically define that Mary co-operated in the
Redemption, because of her free participation in the birth of
Christ. Should she have refused participation, there would have been
no birth of Christ, and consequently no redemption. Thus she was an
alternative Eve, who of her own free will carried out the will of
God, and so doing contributed as a necessary, but not in itself
sufficient, instrument in the redemption process of Christ.
Mary: Coredemptrix, Mediatrix,
Advocate
We are all privileged to be living during the climax of the
universally designated "Age of Mary". International Marian Centres
such as Lourdes, Fatima and places of contemporary apparition, as
well as numerous other contemporary Marian movements manifest the
present climax of love and devotion to the Mother of Jesus
throughout the world.
But along with a climax in devotion to Our Lady, this Age of Mary is
also crucially calling for a climax in the doctrine about Mary. For
authentic love of Mary must be firmly based upon the authentic truth
about Mary.
Up to the present time in the history of the church, four Marian
doctrines have been defined as central Catholic truths by the
Church: the Motherhood of God, the Immaculate Conception, the
Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and her Glorious Assumption into
heaven. It is now time for the church, at the summit of this Marian
era, to proclaim and define the fifth and final Marian doctrine,
that is, Mary's universal mediation as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix of
all grace, and advocate for the people of God.
When the Church invokes Mary under the title, "Coredemptrix", she
means that Mary uniquely participated in the redemption of the human
family by Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. At the Annunciation
(cf.Lk.1:38) Mary freely cooperated in giving the Second Person of
the Trinity his human body which is the very instrument of
redemption, as Scripture tells us: "We have been sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb.10:10).
And at the foot of the cross of our Saviour (Jn.19:26), Mary's
intense sufferings, united with those of her Son, as Pope John Paul
II tells us, were, "also a contribution to the Redemption of us all"
(Salvifici Doloris, n.25). Because of this intimate sharing in the
redemption accomplished by the Lord, the Mother of the Redeemer is
uniquely and rightly referred to by Pope John Paul II and the Church
as the "Coredemptrix."
It is important to note that the prefix "co" in the title
Coredemptrix does not mean "equal to" but rather "with", coming from
the Latin word cum. The Marian title Coredemptrix never places Mary
on a level of equality with her Divine Son, Jesus Christ. Rather it
refers to Mary's unique human participation which is completely
secondary and subordinate to the redeeming role of Jesus, who alone
is true God and true Man.
Secondly, Mary is invoked in the Church under the title Mediatrix of
all grace. All the graces which flow from the redemption of Jesus
Christ are granted to the human family through the motherly
intercession of Mary. Mary mediated Jesus Christ, the Author of all
graces, to the world when she agreed to be the human mother of God
made man (cf. Lk 1:38). And from the cross at Calvary (Jn 19:26) and
as the final gift to humanity, Jesus gives Mary as a spiritual
mother to us all: "Son, behold your mother" (cf. Jn 19:26). For this
reason, Vatican II refers to Mary as a "mother to us in the order of
grace " (Lumen Gentium, n. 62) and several twentieth century popes
have officially taught the doctrine of Mary as Mediatrix of all
graces, quoting the words of St Bernard: "It is the will of God that
we obtain all favours through Mary." The Mediatrix performs this
task in intimate union with the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, with
whom she began the drama of our Lord's Redemption at the
Annunciation (cf. Lk. 1:35).
Thirdly, Mary is our Advocate for people of God, in that she takes
the petitions of her earthly children, especially in times of
difficulties, and brings them through her maternal intercession
before her Son and our Lord Jesus.
In the Old Testament, the Queen Mother brought the petitioned needs
of the people of Israel to the throne of her son the king (cf. 1
Kings 2:19). Now Mary is the new Queen Mother and Advocate in the
new Kingdom of her Son, who brings the petitioned needs of the
people of God to the throne of her glorious Son, Christ the King,
particularly in our present difficult times.
The universal mediation of the Mother of Jesus as Coredemptrix,
Mediatrix of all graces, and Advocate for the people of God is
already contained in the official and authoritative teachings of the
Church's Magisterium. Now, at the summit of the Marian era, what
remains is the final proclamation by the Church of this final Marian
doctrine as Christian dogma revealed by God.
Dr. Mark Miravalle, Associate Professor of Theology and Mariology at
the Franciscan University of Steubenville, has written the book,
Mary: Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocate. This work theologically
expounds these roles of Mary in Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and
the teachings of the Church's Magisterium, and humbly calls for our
Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, to proclaim and define the universal
mediation of Mary as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate as
"Christian dogma revealed by God, in rightful veneration of the
Mother of Jesus, and for the good of the one, holy, Catholic, and
apostolic Church of Christ". Cardinal Luigi Ciappi, O.P., who served
as Papal Theologian for every pope from Pius XII to John Paul II,
has written the foreword in strong endorsement of this work, and
himself asserts, quoting the call for papal definition of Mary,
Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate, "I share the hope of Dr. Mark
Miravalle".
Voice of the People for Mary
Mediatrix
Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici (Voice
of the People for Mary Mediatrix) is an international lay
organization that seeks to work for the papal definition of our Lady
as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate by gathering petitions from
the faithful throughout the world in humble support of our Holy
Father for this final Marian dogma. Vox Populi is distributing
Professor Miravalle's work throughout the world in nine languages,
and has already received 2.5 million petitions from more than 132
countries worldwide. Vox Populi has also received the endorsements
of 36 Cardinals and over 130 Bishops worldwide from the Universal
Church. The two previous popes who defined Marian Dogma, Pius IX and
Pius XII, both referred to the international petitions of the
faithful as one of the criteria that led to the final acts of
papally defining the Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and
the Assumption.
If you would like to share, as a member of the faithful, in placing
this final dogmatic crown on the head of our Immaculate Mother and
Queen during the climax of the Age of Mary, please fill out the
petition, adding lines as necessary, and mail it to:
Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici,
P.O. Box 42028
Santa Barbara, CA 93140-2028
Tel (800) 647-9882
Please write to this address for a suitable contact address if you
live outside the U.S.A.
Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici is a lay organization seeking the papal
definition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix of
all graces and Advocate of the people of God.
Petition For the Papal definition of Mary,
Coredemptrix Mediatrix and Advocate
To His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Your Holiness:
With filial love, we the faithful wish to humbly petition you, the
Vicar of Christ, to solemnly define as Christian dogma the Church's
constant teaching on Mary's co redemptive role with Christ the
Redeemer of humanity. It is our belief that such a definition will
bring to light the whole truth about Mary, Daughter of the Father,
Mother of the Son, Spouse of the Spirit and Mother of the Church.
Therefore it is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide you, Holy
Father, to define and proclaim the Blessed Virgin Mary as
Coredemptrix, Mediatrix of all grace and Advocate for the People of
God. Respectfully submitted:
Name (Signature) Address
1.............................................................
2............................................................
3............................................................etc etc
. - please add more lines as necessary.
Please print this out and distribute for the collection of
signatures; also distribute this file as widely as possible on the
internet. Return completed petition forms to:
Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici,
c/o Queenship Publishing,
P.O. Box 42028,
Santa Barbara, CA 93140-2028, U.S.A.
Tel (800) 647-9882.
or e-mail to;
e-mail-: qship@rain.org
Provided Courtesy of:
Eternal Word Television Network
5817 Old Leeds Road
Irondale, AL 35210
www.ewtn.com
|
