Convert question about Mary

[SD_Catholic]

Do any Catholic converts ever remember as Protestants purposely avoiding the topic of Mary or not referring to Mary as “Blessed” simply to avoid looking like a “Catholic”, either with a Catholic or around other Protestants? It seems to me this could be happening to several Protestants, but perhaps it is isolated to these forums. I was just interested in seeing if it was just me or if it was really happening.

SD

 

[jmcrae]

Do any Catholic converts ever remember as Protestants purposely avoiding the topic of Mary or not referring to Mary as “Blessed” simply to avoid looking like a “Catholic”, either with a Catholic or around other Protestants? It seems to me this could be happening to several Protestants, but perhaps it is isolated to these forums. I was just interested in seeing if it was just me or if it was really happening.

SD

We didn’t really think about Mary very much, except during Advent and when we were doing the Nativity play.

Words like “blessed” and 'holy" when applied to Mary would have just seemed foreign or sort of inappropriately affectionate (kind of like getting a kiss from a complete stranger) - and yes, we knew those words were in the Bible, but I think we sort of thought that the Evangelists were using hyperbole; they didn’t really mean that she was holy, or blessed; they just meant to convey that she was lucky, or something - that it could have been any woman, and she just happened to “win the lotto,” so to speak.

It’s getting harder to remember how to think like that, any more.

 

[The_Truthinator]

I remember having a great love of Mary even as a Protestant–one not shared by my brothers and sisters of First Baptist. Or really nurtured…

I remember throwing around the phrase “Mother of God” in front of them to gauge their reaction. It was only later that I was able to begin admitting that she was MY mother as well.

Simultaneously, I felt idolatrous for thinking of her so frequently. I even wrote poems and dissertations intending to ridicule Catholic piety and veneration towards her and disprove her Immaculate Conception. But here I am–and I imagine it’s because she prayed all the more fervently.

My friend Graham is the godliest person I know. He’s a Baptist (semi-charismatic) and while admitting to being uncertain about things like her Immaculate Conception (“we can never really know, right?”), he still affectionately calls her Mother Mary at least around me. He went further by stating, “I totally admire Mary more than any of person…” I love him so much. lol

He’s a little of everything, and I’m blessed to have a friend in his position so open to her unending affection!