Thank you guys… Now I just need the courage and the eloquence to have a peaceful talk. So please, pray for me…
The Catechism can be of great help here as well.
These people judge based on appearance. They do not take the time to look up what the Church teaches on these matters.
If she believes that Catholics worship Mary, Challenge her to show you the official Church teaching that says Mary is to be worshiped. There is none.
I wrote this rebuttal to the accusation a while back and you might find it useful.
Official Marion Teachings
All of the following comes from the
DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH which is one of the source documents for the CCC. I believe it will offer a good summary and clarification of the Church’s doctrinal teachings on Mary.
In Paragraph 54 of this Dogmatic Documentafter Christ and yet very close to us.
Paragraph 53 contains the following statement about the Honor accorded to Mary.
“Wherefore she is hailed as a per-eminent and singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent exemplar in faith and charity. The Catholic Church, taught by the Holy Spirit,
honors her with filial affection and piety as a most beloved mother.”
Paragraph 56 contains this interesting statement, “Thus Mary, a daughter of Adam, consenting to the divine Word, became the mother of
Jesus, the one and only Mediator.
Para 60, even more clearly and forcefully says, “There is but one Mediator as we know from the words of the apostle, “for there is one God and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a redemption for all”. The maternal duty of Mary toward men in no wise obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His power.
For all the salvific influence of the Blessed Virgin on men originates, not from some inner necessity, but
from the divine pleasure. It flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on His mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it. In no way does it impede, but rather does it foster the immediate union of the faithful with Christ.
Para 62 contains a passage, used in the CCC. “Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. This statement is, however followed in the dogmatic constitution by this:
“This, however, is to be so understood that it neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator.”
Furthermore, in the CCC the very next para, 970 includes much of what is contained in the Dogmatic Constitution Para 60 shown above and is clear that Mary’s mediation, or intercession, is not separate from Christ.
Paragraph 62 goes on to say, “For no creature could ever be counted as equal with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer. Just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by the ministers and by the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is really communicated in different ways to His creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.
The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary. It knows this through unfailing experience of it and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that encouraged by this maternal help they may the more intimately adhere to the Mediator and Redeemer.
Finally I’d like to address the fact, and it is a fact, that some people within the Church tend to overdo Marion devotion. Para 67 says, “But it exhorts theologians and preachers of the divine word to abstain zealously both from all
gross exaggerations as well as from petty narrow-mindedness in considering the singular dignity of the Mother of God."
Thus when anyone sees or hears such statements from a member of the Church, even a Priest or Bishop, it can be understood that such statements are outside of the boundaries of Church teaching.
Frankly I could go on quoting from this Official Document of The church and a source document for the catechism, but it would be far better for anyone wishing to understand the Real teachings of The church to go the Linked document on the Vatican Website and to read it for themselves.
Suffice it to say, none who do will find anything in it that declares Mary equal to Christ, or that She is to be worshiped.
Peace
James
