Devotion to Mary is it ever "to much"

[BornAgainRN]

Well, I’m going to pose my original question again. What’s the difference between veneration and worship?

The word ‘veneration’ is not in the Bible, except for one translation (Darby’s Translation) & it’s only translated once (2 Thessolonians 2:4) from the Greek word ‘sebasma’ which means 'whatever is religiously honoured, an object of WORSHIP, of temples, altars, statues, idolatrous images. In the passage, Paul is writing to instruct the future generation that will live when the ‘son of perdition’ (aka: antichrist) rules, to not worship or ‘venerate’ him or his image. This same Greek word is translated ‘devotions, shrines, or worship’ in Acts 17:23. So, based on the original Greek, ‘veneration’ is the same as ‘worship’ & should be reserved for God/Jesus alone, but not Mary or anyone else. Hope this helps.

 

[Brooklyn]

But isn’t humanity collectively the pinnacle of God’s creation? This is what I’m not understanding. If she is human, then what sets her apart from the rest of the saints cannot be in virtue of her deification and glorification in Christ, as that is the collective destiny of man, but it must be in virtue of the fact that she gave birth to God in the flesh. I have no discomfort with the latter justification for setting the Theotokos apart from all other saints as the pinnacle of creation. But I find ideas like “we can never unite with God like she has” to be troubling, because they seem to indicate that her potency for union with God is somehow greater than ours, which would indicate that she is not of the same nature as we are.

Mary has a unique role in salvation - she is the mother of the Saviour. It was through her that Christ came into the world. She shared in his redemptive act in a way that no other human has or ever could share. She was the chosen and prepared ark of salvation. As Simeon in the temple told her, a sword will pierce your heart also. As I have already posted, she suffered with Christ in his passion just as much as if she hung on the cross with him. That is why she is callled co-redemptrix. Christ could certainly have redeemed mankind without Mary’s participation, but that is not what he chose. He made his mother an integral part of salvation.

No other human being can ever be as intimately involved in the salvation of mankind as Mary was and is. Abraham being willing to offer Isaac is a picture of Mary offering her Son for the salvation of mankind. The suffering she endured is beyond our comprehension. Because of her great suffering and her unquestioning obedience to our Lord, she has a higher place in heaven. Her throne, as Queen of heaven and earth, is right next to her Son.

It is true that none of the rest of us can ever be as intimately united with the Trinity as she is. She is the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the spouse of the Holy Spirit.

And it is this same magnificent creature whom our Lord gave to us to be our mother, the one who will unerringly and unfailingly lead us to her Son and salvation. She will never fail us just as she never failed her Son and her God. That is why Mary is the surest path to salvation.

 

[Brooklyn]

Well, I’m going to pose my original question again. What’s the difference between veneration and worship?

To venerate Mary is to honor her for her role in our salvation, to honor and respect her for the great sacrifice she made while on earth and for her place in heaven as Queen of heaven and earth. To worship God is to bow down in deep humility and give him glory as our Creator, to acknowledge that all that we have comes from Him, He is the one who gives us every breath we breathe and that we have no life apart from Him. He is the originator and giver of life. It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that we can be cleansed of our sins and saved from eternal damnation. Mary is a great path to salvation, but Jesus IS salvation.

I think it shows in how we pray. To Mary we say: pray for us. To God we say: have mercy on us. That is the difference.

 

[figs]

Mary has a unique role in salvation - she is the mother of the Saviour. It was through her that Christ came into the world. She shared in his redemptive act in a way that no other human has or ever could share. She was the chosen and prepared ark of salvation. As Simeon in the temple told her, a sword will pierce your heart also. As I have already posted, she suffered with Christ in his passion just as much as if she hung on the cross with him. That is why she is callled co-redemptrix. Christ could certainly have redeemed mankind without Mary’s participation, but that is not what he chose. He made his mother an integral part of salvation.

No other human being can ever be as intimately involved in the salvation of mankind as Mary was and is. Abraham being willing to offer Isaac is a picture of Mary offering her Son for the salvation of mankind. The suffering she endured is beyond our comprehension. Because of her great suffering and her unquestioning obedience to our Lord, she has a higher place in heaven. Her throne, as Queen of heaven and earth, is right next to her Son.

It is true that none of the rest of us can ever be as intimately united with the Trinity as she is. She is the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the spouse of the Holy Spirit.

And it is this same magnificent creature whom our Lord gave to us to be our mother, the one who will unerringly and unfailingly lead us to her Son and salvation. She will never fail us just as she never failed her Son and her God. That is why Mary is the surest path to salvation.

…to that!!

 

[De_Montfort]

Mary has a unique role in salvation - she is the mother of the Saviour. It was through her that Christ came into the world. She shared in his redemptive act in a way that no other human has or ever could share. She was the chosen and prepared ark of salvation. As Simeon in the temple told her, a sword will pierce your heart also. As I have already posted, she suffered with Christ in his passion just as much as if she hung on the cross with him. That is why she is callled co-redemptrix. Christ could certainly have redeemed mankind without Mary’s participation, but that is not what he chose. He made his mother an integral part of salvation.

No other human being can ever be as intimately involved in the salvation of mankind as Mary was and is. Abraham being willing to offer Isaac is a picture of Mary offering her Son for the salvation of mankind. The suffering she endured is beyond our comprehension. Because of her great suffering and her unquestioning obedience to our Lord, she has a higher place in heaven. Her throne, as Queen of heaven and earth, is right next to her Son.

It is true that none of the rest of us can ever be as intimately united with the Trinity as she is. She is the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the spouse of the Holy Spirit.

And it is this same magnificent creature whom our Lord gave to us to be our mother, the one who will unerringly and unfailingly lead us to her Son and salvation. She will never fail us just as she never failed her Son and her God. That is why Mary is the surest path to salvation.

Brooklyn AWESOME post! I found this quote…

“Mary’s glorious body resembles the glorious body of Jesus in an especially unique way. Her body resembles His more than any other elect’s body will ever resemble it. Regarding the resurrection, as regarding the beatific vision, Mary is the first among creatures; she is the closest to Jesus. She is then New Eve alike to the new Adam. It is normal that, even in this physical order concerning the reality of the human body, Jesus should return to Mary a hundredfold what she gave Him. It was in her that Jesus’ body was formed; it is according to the model of Jesus’ glorious body that her body is glorified;”
(Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P. Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur)

 

[Church_Militant]

The word ‘veneration’ is not in the Bible, except for one translation (Darby’s Translation) & it’s only translated once (2 Thessolonians 2:4) from the Greek word ‘sebasma’ which means 'whatever is religiously honoured, an object of WORSHIP, of temples, altars, statues, idolatrous images.

Just because a particular word is not found in the Bible is no argument against it. The word Trinity is nowhere in the Bible and yet I bet you accept that doctrine of three persons in one God do you not?

Furthermore, words change meaning in different languages and different times in history. Veneration as used in Catholic theology is, in fact based upon Greek and you would know this had you actually studied the Greek instead of relying on that Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance you used.

Here…educate yourself. Saint Worship?

In the passage, Paul is writing to instruct the future generation that will live when the ‘son of perdition’ (aka: antichrist) rules, to not worship or ‘venerate’ him or his image. This same Greek word is translated ‘devotions, shrines, or worship’ in Acts 17:23. So, based on the original Greek, ‘veneration’ is the same as ‘worship’ & should be reserved for God/Jesus alone, but not Mary or anyone else. Hope this helps.

As I showed above, There are more Greek words that apply here and not the one you have cited. Your argument fails again.

If I were you, I think I’d be concerned about how Our Lord will look at you at judgement for the way you have badmouthed His mother.
[IMG ]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/corona_stellarum/ChristthekingBassilica-2.jpg[/IMG]

 

[constantconvert]

To venerate Mary is to honor her for her role in our salvation, to honor and respect her for the great sacrifice she made while on earth and for her place in heaven as Queen of heaven and earth.

But de Montfort is encouraging us to do much, much more than simply honor and respect her. How would you characterize the discrepancy between your definition and his description of our relationship to Mary?

If I were to go back and point out statements where I think de Montfort goes over the line, his defenders would say “He is only venerating Mary! He is only giving her her due place of honor!” So I think until we can expand and flesh out what worship is, I don’t think we can tell if our devotion to Mary is too much.

I will say that it is possible for a Saint to err in their devotion and theology.

I will say in my own devotion to Mary, i feel closer to her than I do to Jesus because she is a woman, and because she is human, not God. Would I say I love her more? I certainly hope not. I owe everything to Jesus, and could not be reconciled to God without Him. I desire to know, love and obey Him above all else.

 

[De_Montfort]

But de Montfort is encouraging us to do much, much more than simply honor and respect her. How would you characterize the discrepancy between your definition and his description of our relationship to Mary.

If I were to go back and point out statements where I think de Montfort goes over the line, his defenders would say “He is only venerating Mary! He is only giving her her due place of honor!” So I think until we can expand and flesh out what worship is, I don’t think we can tell if our devotion to Mary is too much.

I will say that it is possible for a Saint to err in their devotion and theology.

Please show me, if your going to accuse me of going too far! Everything I have quoted has an Imprimatur and has been praised by Popes! In giving Mary Her due honor and speaking of Her priviliages in no way goes too far. Saints are given wisdom and the history of the Church shows it. And that wisdom over time comes to bloosom.

 

[De_Montfort]

To venerate Mary is to honor her for her role in our salvation, to honor and respect her for the great sacrifice she made while on earth and for her place in heaven as Queen of heaven and earth. To worship God is to bow down in deep humility and give him glory as our Creator, to acknowledge that all that we have comes from Him, He is the one who gives us every breath we breathe and that we have no life apart from Him. He is the originator and giver of life. It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that we can be cleansed of our sins and saved from eternal damnation. ** Mary is a great path to salvation, but Jesus IS salvation. **

I think it shows in how we pray. To Mary we say: pray for us. To God we say: have mercy on us. That is the difference.

Very well worded Brooklyn

 

[constantconvert]

Please show me, if your going to accuse me of going too far! Everything I have quoted has an Imprimatur and has been praised by Popes! In giving Mary Her due honor and speaking of Her priviliages in no way goes too far. Saints are given wisdom and the history of the Church shows it. And that wisdom over time comes to bloosom.

I was talking about St. Louis, not you. I think we can all agree that Louis Mary de Monfort asks us to go far beyond mere honor and respect in our devotion to Mary. And I went out of my way *not *to accuse, to say I don’t know how we can tell if someone has gone too far in their devotion without some expanded definitions. Instead, I asked some specific questions, which you have not answered.

 

[De_Montfort]

I was talking about St. Louis, not you. I think we can all agree that Louis Mary de Monfort asks us to go far beyond mere honor and respect in our devotion to Mary. And I went out of my way *not *to accuse, to say I don’t know how we can tell if someone has gone too far in their devotion without some expanded definitions. Instead, I asked some specific questions, which you have not answered.

St. Louis de Montfort in now way exceeds Marian devotion, all he has done is pointed out all her priviliges given to her by God Himself, and how Marian devotion is Christocentric as John Paul II stated himself.

The whole point of Marian devotion is union with Jesus, and is a contiuation of HIS devotion to her, as St. John Eudes points out. It is all for Jesus, as Brooklyn pointed out “Mary is a great path to salvation, but Jesus IS salvation.”

St. Louis de Montfort’s writtings are full of wisdom and should be read more than once, in fact they should be studied by the individual. In my own experience when after reading parts over and over you see Christ is at the center, and Mary’s role is to unite us completely to God. She keeps no love for herself, she gives it all to God!

EDIT: Popes have practiced and blessed the teaching of St. Louis de Montfort, this could not be done if his teaching went “too far”!

 

[Hesychios]

EDIT: Popes have practiced and blessed the teaching of St. Louis de Montfort, this could not be done if his teaching went “too far”!

Until now I had thought that the church denies impeccability of the Pope.

 

[constantconvert]

You are saying that de Montfort does not go too far, without defining what too far is. What would be too far in Marian devotion? I think according to St. de Montfort and to you, there is no such thing as too far, which makes me wonder why you pose the question in the first place. I’m not saying what is or is not too far because I don’t know. I’m saying, let’s discuss what too far would be so that we can compare our devotion to Mary to see if it crosses the line.

Please do not keep emphatically saying that St. de Montfort does not go too far, when you have not said what too far is. It is crystal clear that you think his devotion to Mary is perfectly appropriate, so please don’t keep repeating your point!

 

[De_Montfort]

You are saying that de Montfort does not go too far, without defining what too far is. What would be too far in Marian devotion? I think according to St. de Montfort and to you, there is no such thing as too far, which makes me wonder why you pose the question in the first place. I’m not saying what is or is not too far because I don’t know. I’m saying, let’s discuss what too far would be so that we can compare our devotion to Mary to see if it crosses the line.

Please do not keep emphatically saying that St. de Montfort does not go too far, when you have not said what too far is. It is crystal clear that you think his devotion to Mary is perfectly appropriate, so please don’t keep repeating your point!

Love of Mary is love of Christ, devotion to Mary is devotion to Christ. You can’t seperate Mary and Christ. Her enemies are His, and His are Hers. You can’t go too far in “honoring” her, loving her, speaking of her priviliges, joining her confraternities.

The bond between Jesus and Mary is unbreakable, “We must not seperate what God has joined together, Jesus and Mary”. I will end with another quote from St.John Eudes…

“Do you forget that not only does Jesus reside and dwell perpetually in Mary’s heart, but that He is in truth the heart of her heart and the soul of her soul; and that therefore coming to the heart of Mary means to honor Jesus and to invoke her heart is to invoke Jesus?”

 

[constantconvert]

Love of Mary is love of Christ, devotion to Mary is devotion to Christ. You can’t seperate Mary and Christ. Her enemies are His, and His are Hers. You can’t go too far in “honoring” her, loving her, speaking of her priviliges, joining her confraternities.

The bond between Jesus and Mary is unbreakable, “We must not seperate what God has joined together, Jesus and Mary”. I will end with another quote from St.John Eudes…

“Do you forget that not only does Jesus reside and dwell perpetually in Mary’s heart, but that He is in truth the heart of her heart and the soul of her soul; and that therefore coming to the heart of Mary means to honor Jesus and to invoke her heart is to invoke Jesus?”

:banghead: OK, I give up. I can only assume that this thread is disingenuous, since you avoid at all costs discussing the original question posed, but simply use the space to reiterate what you are already convinced of.

 

[Church_Militant]

I suggest that people read St. Louis writings on this topic and from that take it all in context. It’s very easy to strip out a passage or statement and take it wrongly. Some people even do that with the Bible, as we all have seen.

You gotta remember that he loved the Blessed Virgin very deeply, and that affected his expressions. Context really is everything guys.

 

[Brooklyn]

But de Montfort is encouraging us to do much, much more than simply honor and respect her. How would you characterize the discrepancy between your definition and his description of our relationship to Mary?

If I were to go back and point out statements where I think de Montfort goes over the line, his defenders would say “He is only venerating Mary! He is only giving her her due place of honor!” So I think until we can expand and flesh out what worship is, I don’t think we can tell if our devotion to Mary is too much.

I will say that it is possible for a Saint to err in their devotion and theology.

I will say in my own devotion to Mary, i feel closer to her than I do to Jesus because she is a woman, and because she is human, not God. Would I say I love her more? I certainly hope not. I owe everything to Jesus, and could not be reconciled to God without Him. I desire to know, love and obey Him above all else.

I was talking about St. Louis, not you. I think we can all agree that Louis Mary de Monfort asks us to go far beyond mere honor and respect in our devotion to Mary. And I went out of my way *not *to accuse, to say I don’t know how we can tell if someone has gone too far in their devotion without some expanded definitions. Instead, I asked some specific questions, which you have not answered.

You are saying that de Montfort does not go too far, without defining what too far is. What would be too far in Marian devotion? I think according to St. de Montfort and to you, there is no such thing as too far, which makes me wonder why you pose the question in the first place. I’m not saying what is or is not too far because I don’t know. I’m saying, let’s discuss what too far would be so that we can compare our devotion to Mary to see if it crosses the line.

Please do not keep emphatically saying that St. de Montfort does not go too far, when you have not said what too far is. It is crystal clear that you think his devotion to Mary is perfectly appropriate, so please don’t keep repeating your point!

:banghead: OK, I give up. I can only assume that this thread is disingenuous, since you avoid at all costs discussing the original question posed, but simply use the space to reiterate what you are already convinced of.

In all these quotes, you do not give any specific statements from St. Louis de Montfort that you feel go too far, so how are we suppose to respond? Am I somehow missing your quote from St. Louis de Montfort that goes too far? It is impossible to respond to generalized statements when you make accusations of this nature.

St. Louis’ cannonization, as I have posted in an earlier thread, took about 200 years total. His writings were intensely reviewed and nothing was found in them to be an obstacle to his cannonization. That would indicate that there is nothing in his writing that goes against Church teaching or “too far” as you have said.

This is what Blessed John Paul II said:

As far as I am concerned, the reading of this book [True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by de Montfort] was a great help to me in my youth: “I found the answer to my doubts,” which were due to a fear that worship given to Mary “if developed too much, might end by compromising the primacy of the worship of Christ” (My Vocation, Gift and Mystery, pg. 42). Under the wise guidance of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, I understood that, if we live the mystery of Mary in Christ, there is no such risk. This saint’s Mariological thought, in fact, "is rooted in the Mystery of the Trinity and in the truth of the Incarnation of the Word of God"

Blessed John Paul II is specifically telling us here that we cannot go too far in our devotion to Mary. That is why his moto was “Totus Tuus”, which means “all yours” to the Blessed Mother. He knew that giving ourselves entirely to Mary means giving ourselves to Her Son. This has been echoed by the saints down through the centuries. Look through this thread and you will see the quotes. You also might note that JP II has gone further than any of us here have - he talks about “worship of Mary.” He doesn’t seem to have a problem with that, and actually says it can’t go too far and tht it will not compromise worship of Christ.

As St. Louis de Montfort told us, Mary is the surest and easiest path to her Son. If we give ourselves totally to her, she will lead us directly to Jesus. It cannot fail, and it has never failed for any of the saints. As I have written before, you will not find one saint or one pope in all of Church history who warns of “excessive devotion” to Mary. In fact, all of them say exactly the opposite, as can be seen in the quote here by Blessed John Paul II.

 

[Brooklyn]

I was talking about St. Louis, not you. I think we can all agree that Louis Mary de Monfort asks us to go far beyond mere honor and respect in our devotion to Mary. And I went out of my way *not *to accuse, to say I don’t know how we can tell if someone has gone too far in their devotion without some expanded definitions. Instead, I asked some specific questions, which you have not answered.

I found this fascinating quote from Blessed John Paul II To the Participants in the 8th International Mariological Colloquium on October 13, 2000

For me, St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort is a significant person of reference who has enlightened me at important moments in life. When I was working as a clandestine seminarian at the Solvay factory in Kraków, my spiritual director advised me to meditate on the True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Many times and with great spiritual profit I read and reread this precious little ascetical book with the blue, soda-stained cover. **By relating the Mother of Christ to the Trinitarian mystery, Montfort helped me to understand that the Virgin belongs to the plan of salvation, by the Father’s will, as the Mother of the incarnate Word, who was conceived by her through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary’s every intervention in the work of the regeneration of the faithful is not in competition with Christ, but derives from him and is at his service. Mary’s action in the plan of salvation is always Christocentric, that is, it is directly related to a mediation that takes place in Christ. I then realized that I could not exclude the Mother of the Lord from my life without disregarding the will of God-the-Trinity, who wanted to “begin and complete” the great mysteries of salvation history with the responsible and faithful collaboration of the humble Handmaid of Nazareth. **

Now I also thank the Lord for enabling me to experience what you too have had the opportunity to study at this colloquium, i.e., that when the believer accepts Mary into his life in Christ and the Spirit, he is brought into the very heart of the Trinitarian mystery.

I think that statement speaks for itself. “I could not exclude the Mother of the Lord from my life without disregarding the will of God-the-Trinity, who wanted to “begin and complete” the great mysteries of salvation history with the responsible and faithful collaboration of the humble Handmaid of Nazareth” Again, Blessed John Paul II has gone farther than any of us here when he says that to exclude Mary from our lives is to disregard the Will of the Trinity.

 

[constantconvert]

In all these quotes, you do not give any specific statements from St. Louis de Montfort that you feel go too far, so how are we suppose to respond? Am I somehow missing your quote from St. Louis de Montfort that goes too far? It is impossible to respond to generalized statements when you make accusations of this nature.

St. Louis’ cannonization, as I have posted in an earlier thread, took about 200 years total. His writings were intensely reviewed and nothing was found in them to be an obstacle to his cannonization. That would indicate that there is nothing in his writing that goes against Church teaching or “too far” as you have said.

Perhaps Mary has led me to this thread to help me practice patience. please read the next sentence very carefully. ** I am not accusing anyone of excessive devotion to Mary, because I don’t know what excessive devotion looks like.** I am not saying St. Louis Mary deMontfort, anyone on this thread, my grandma, or anyone else goes too far in their devotion to Mary. What I’m trying to figure out is what “too far” is.

It seems to me that you and other St de Montfort devotees are saying, please correct me if I’m wrong, is that one cannot go to far in their devotion to Mary. If that is what you are saying, that’s fine. Perhaps the title of this thread is rhetorical, and I mistook it for a genuine question. I think if it is a real question then we should examine:

• What is worship?
• What is veneration?
• How do we quantify them?
• What would devotion that is “too much” look like.

We are finite humans. Therefore we have a finite capacity to love. We should not love Mary more than God. She would cringe at the thought. I have not read much de Montfort. I’ve read The Secret of the Rosary and his book on the Total Consecration. I found both books instructive. I, myself, love Mary very much. If anyone were to approach me and say that I needed to examine my devotion to her because it seemed excessive I would take such an admonition very seriously even if I thought it was unfounded. If anyone said the same thing about my devotion to God, I would dismiss it out of hand, as one can never love God too much. (Well, I would examine the way I was expressing my devotion to God, to see if somehow I was alienating someone or something-- in otherwords, if my devotion were somehow flawed or Pharisaical.)

 

[TimothyH]

Perhaps Mary has led me to this thread to help me practice patience. please read the next sentence very carefully. ** I am not accusing anyone of excessive devotion to Mary, because I don’t know what excessive devotion looks like.** I am not saying St. Louis Mary deMontfort, anyone on this thread, my grandma, or anyone else goes too far in their devotion to Mary. What I’m trying to figure out is what “too far” is.

It seems to me that you and other St de Montfort devotees are saying, please correct me if I’m wrong, is that one cannot go to far in their devotion to Mary. If that is what you are saying, that’s fine. Perhaps the title of this thread is rhetorical, and I mistook it for a genuine question. I think if it is a real question then we should examine:

• What is worship?
• What is veneration?
• How do we quantify them?
• What would devotion that is “too much” look like.

We are finite humans. Therefore we have a finite capacity to love. We should not love Mary more than God. She would cringe at the thought. I have not read much de Montfort. I’ve read The Secret of the Rosary and his book on the Total Consecration. I found both books instructive. I, myself, love Mary very much. If anyone were to approach me and say that I needed to examine my devotion to her because it seemed excessive I would take such an admonition very seriously even if I thought it was unfounded. If anyone said the same thing about my devotion to God, I would dismiss it out of hand, as one can never love God too much. (Well, I would examine the way I was expressing my devotion to God, to see if somehow I was alienating someone or something-- in otherwords, if my devotion were somehow flawed or Pharisaical.)

As I replied to your original request to quantify worship and veneration and devotion, to know if someone is going too far requires X-ray vision into that person’s heart, mind and soul.

Excessive devotion does not look like anything. I may kneel before a statue of Mary, prostrate myself, and stay like that for five minutes praying, and there is zero indication of what I am thinking, what I believe, and what I attribute to God.

Many believe that some Christians go too far in their veneration of Mary, stepping into worship, because they maybe have not fully understood the role Mary plays in our salvation and the authority and power and great gifts she has been granted by Her Son.

Mary has been given the treasury of grace won for us by Her Son on the cross. She distributes that grace to men according to her will, which is always conformed to her son’s will. She decides when and where to distribute that grace, converting sinners and returning men to a state of sanctifying grace when she sees fit, and she does so because it is Her Son’s wills that all sinners be converted. Mary’s very presence causes the devil to flee, because she is “Full of grace.”

So when I say “Mary, protect me!”, it is not going too far. When I say “Mary, help me!” it is not going too far. When I say, “Mary, save me!” it is not going too far. When I ask my Holy Mother to place me under her mantle of protection and veil of mercy, it is not going too far.

We can keep analyzing what the break point is between veneration and worship, but the fact is that Mary plays a larger role in our salvation than most seem to give her credit for. Catholicism seems to have lost a proper understanding of that in recent decades. As long as we keep in mind that Mary’s power, authority and ability come from Jesus, and that without Jesus she is nothing, and that Jesus is our savior and Mary is the conduit for that salvation, there is very little that we could ever do to “Go too far.”

-Tim-