Did JPII tell us to worship Mary?

[kib]

I have a book of prayers written by Pope John Paul II. Here is one that concerns me.

Help Us Respect Creation

O Mary
radiant with singular beauty
help us appreciate and respect creation
You who are so beloved
by the people of the mountains,
and in these valleys
are worshipped in so many sanctuaries
protect the valleys’ inhabitants,
so that they may be faithful to their traditions
and at the same time open and hospitable.
Help us to make our lives
an ascension toward God
and to follow forever Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who guides us to our goal,
where in the new Creation,
we will enjoy the fullness of life and peace.

I hope someone can shed some light on his use of the word “worshipped.” We work so hard to show non-Catholics that we do not worship Mary… it just upset me to read this. The book is called The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II: An Invitation to Prayer. It also says it was originally written in Italian.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The book is called The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II: An Invitation to Prayer. It also says it was originally written in Italian.

Then there is undoubtedly a translation issue. Even so, strictly speaking, use of the word, “worship,” in this context is not inaccurate. To this day, the word “worship” can be defined as:

Reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred (source).

It should be noted that in Great Britain, some magistrates are called “Your Worship” and English-language wedding vows once included the line, “With my body, I thee worship.”

That said, use of the word in this century has largely become restricted to the type of reverence given to God alone. Use of it in other ways may not be incorrect but it can be confusing, and so the translator of John Paul II’s prayers really should have chosen another word, such as “honored” or “revered.”