Devotion to Mary: Required or Optional?

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HillbillyHermit

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I don’t think it is required, and according to this tract here at CA it isn’t:
LINK

This site is pretty trustworthy for info, but ya never know, a mistake can be made. I don’t know of any reliable site/document/etc. that states Catholics have to have a devotion to her. If someone could supply that, it would be appreciated.

Now, I’m not asking about whether or not devotion to Mary is good, or helpful. The Church wouldn’t approve of the various devotions and private revelations if it wasn’t.
 
Devotion is not required, but reverence and due honor is required (mind you, not the same honor due to God alone).
 
I don’t know of any devotional prayer that is obligatory but if there ever was one the rosary would head the list.

Now it may be that every single private prayer is not obligatory, or better, no particular one is, but still we are obliged to pray privately. And if I had one and only one to choose from, I would pick the rosary.

In fact some have said they feel like the rosary is not for them because it is difficult for them to pray it. But I would say that it is precisely this that makes it worthwile, since God looks at our effort and not at our successes.

Just a thought.​

“Bright as the sun, fair as the moon, she reigns who held within her womb the Word made flesh.” (hymn)
 
Devotion is not required, but reverence and due honor is required (mind you, not the same honor due to God alone).
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That is very helpful! I think a lot of people, myself included, get a little confused about devotion and honor when it comes to Mary. Sometimes reading the more technical explanations make things as clear as mud. LOL

I have a strong devotion to Mary, but being able to explain the whys to others has always been difficult.
In fact some have said they feel like the rosary is not for them because it is difficult for them to pray it. But I would say that it is precisely this that makes it worthwile, since God looks at our effort and not at our successes.
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Just a thought.
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That, along with the rest of your reply, are very good thoughts. Thanks!
I wonder if, especially among men, the rosary is difficult because we’re conditioned to do things ourselves without help? Letting go and letting Jesus and Mary guide us…not an easy thing to do. That and silence…so tough in this day and age.
 
Why are there so many threads like this? Of course it’s not required, it’s just extremely helpful. My niece broke her foot a few weeks ago; she’s not *required *to use crutches, she could just hop around everywhere on one foot. But the crutches are right there, and they make the going a whole lot easier.
 
Mary is like peanut butter and Jesus is like jelly; they are much better together… Tho one can survive on jelly alone… 🤷 👍 btw i mean no disrespect just trying to portray this thru an analogy
 
Forkfoot said:
Why are there so many threads like this? Of course it’s not required, it’s just extremely helpful. My niece broke her foot a few weeks ago; she’s not *required *to use crutches, she could just hop around everywhere on one foot. But the crutches are right there, and they make the going a whole lot easier.
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To drive you crazy. It’s a conspiracy. 😛

I think there are so many threads like this because some of the quotes that get posted can make one think that maybe devotion to Mary isn’t an option. I posted a link to a tract here on CA that said it isn’t, but thought it would still be good to ask the question just in case. Plus, with this being the month of Mary, maybe it would also be good to have a thread like this in case someone isn’t devoted to Mary but still honors her…so he/she isn’t made to feel guilty for not praying the Rosary, etc…
Mary is like peanut butter and Jesus is like jelly; they are much better together… Tho one can survive on jelly alone… btw i mean no disrespect just trying to portray this thru an analogy
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LOL Love it!
Optional but OPTIMAL!
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Another good one. 😃
 
I just recently started to say the Rosary daily (on my way home from work). Hoping to increase my devotion to Mary and prayer life in general.
 
abon12 said:
Mary is like peanut butter and Jesus is like jelly; they are much better together… Tho one can survive on jelly alone… 🤷 👍 btw i mean no disrespect just trying to portray this thru an analogy
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Oh, no! I don’t like peanut butter! :eek:
 
Why on earth would someone not want to have a close relationship with the Mother of God?

The Church is a family, and God has given us all Mary as Mother of the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ.

We all pray for one another, and the prayers of Mary are very powerful.
 
Gabriel_Serafin said:
Why on earth would someone not want to have a close relationship with the Mother of God?
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I don’t know.
Just wanted to clear the air, because there are people that say you have to have devotion to Mary, and I’ve never seen/heard anything from a reliable source stating that.
 
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