Only You, O Mary

[GeorgeSword]

I was wondering about this quote I found. I can’t find where it’s from, or what context it was written in, but here is the text:

Pope Leo XIII

Every grace which is communicated to this world has a threefold origin: it flows from God to Christ, from Christ to the Virgin, and from the Virgin to us . . . Nothing comes to us except through the mediation of Mary, for such is the will of God. Thus, just as no man goes to the Father but by the Son, so likewise no one goes to Christ except through His Mother. Whosoever will not have recourse to her is trying to fly without wings . . . O Virgin Most Holy, no one abounds in the knowledge of God except through thee; no one, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee!

Did he actually say this? One of the things that makes me wonder this is that pretty much the only sites that have it are anti-Catholic, except for one. If so, what does he mean by ‘no one, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee!’ ?

 

[Saintlucy]

I don’t know. It certainly is not dogma. I think it is the opinion of a pope but not to be believed nor accepted by the Church.

 

[GeorgeSword]

Yes I know it’s not dogma, I just find it a bit hard to believe that he would have really said something like this, but I thought there might be more context to it that was missing from the quote (I.E. Christ was born through Mary and hence she has at least some part in the salvation of the world, indirectly).

 

[lil_flower_luv]

I do not know the answer to that question. But I do love that quote!!!
Mary, Mediatrix of all graces, pray for us!!!

 

[Eucharisted]

Yes he said. Yes it is dogma.

Mary gave the Redeemer, the Source of all graces, to the world, and in this way she is the channel of all graces. (Sent. certa.)

Since Mary’s Assumption into Heaven no grace is conferred on man without her actual intercessory co-operation. (Sent. pia et probabilis.)

Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces by her co-operation in the Incarnation. (Mediatio in universali.)

Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces by her intercession in Heaven. (Mediatio in speciali.)

Mary, the Mother of God, is entitled to the Cult of Hyperdulia. (Sent certa.)

Source: catholicfirst.com/thefaith/churchdocuments/dogmas.cfm

 

[GeorgeSword]

Neither co-rendemption or mediatrix have been formally declared dogma, though most Catholics (and myself) believe in them. This quote just seems like something anti-Catholics might grab hold of and I wanted to know how to respond to it if it were to be brought up.

 

[Marian_Devotee]

Hi George,

This was part of Leo XIII’s encyclical on the Rosary, dated Sept 5, 1895. papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13adiut.htm

Considered one of the best pieces of literature on Marian devotion, I encourage you to read “True Devotion to Mary”. Particularly, there is a quote given by Our Lady to Blessed Alan de Rupe: "Know, my son, and make it known to all, that lukewarmness or negligence in saying the Hail Mary, or a distaste for it, is a probable and proximate sign of eternal damnation, for by this prayer the whole world was restored."

A quote from St. Maximillian Kolbe: “Whoever does not wish to have Mary Immaculate as his Mother will not have Christ as his Brother.”

St. Alphonsus Liguori: “Such is the will of God that we should have everything through Mary”.

John Paul II: “From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!”

Taken in this context, we see Mary’s role in guiding us to Christ. It certainly does seem that this is what Pope Leo XIII was alluding to.

 

[judechild]

I was wondering about this quote I found. I can’t find where it’s from, or what context it was written in, but here is the text:

Pope Leo XIII

Every grace which is communicated to this world has a threefold origin: it flows from God to Christ, from Christ to the Virgin, and from the Virgin to us . . . Nothing comes to us except through the mediation of Mary, for such is the will of God. Thus, just as no man goes to the Father but by the Son, so likewise no one goes to Christ except through His Mother. Whosoever will not have recourse to her is trying to fly without wings . . . O Virgin Most Holy, no one abounds in the knowledge of God except through thee; no one, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee!

Did he actually say this? One of the things that makes me wonder this is that pretty much the only sites that have it are anti-Catholic, except for one. If so, what does he mean by ‘no one, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee!’ ?

The reason the co-redemptix is not yet declared dogma is because now is probably not the best time to declare it (ecumenism and all that). I think the Pope is saying that, if we look at salvation history, Mary’s role in bringing Christ to us means that all grace comes from God (Jesus), and then through her to us. He then sees this role perpetuated from that moment on through her intersession - who really knows how powerful prayer, and especially her prayer is?

 

[GeorgeSword]

Alright, thanks, I think that makes more sense now. And about True Devotion to Mary, I have been meaning to read that, as well as the Secret of Mary

 

[Mannyfit75]

Yes he said. Yes it is dogma.

No it isn’t. Pope Leo XIII isn’t dogmatic or infallible. There were only two infallible statements made by the Pope, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception. Mary, Mediatrix of all graces is NOT dogma. It is a belief not defined by the Church infallibly.

 

[Odell]

No it isn’t. Pope Leo XIII isn’t dogmatic or infallible. There were only two infallible statements made by the Pope, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception. Mary, Mediatrix of all graces is NOT dogma. It is a belief not defined by the Church infallibly.

how do we know then when the pope speaks infallibly? To me if he is imfalible then he would not say something that was not true. Are you saying even if what he said is true it does not have to be believed by everyone an therefore not dogma?

 

[Mannyfit75]

how do we know then when the pope speaks infallibly? To me if he is imfalible then he would not say something that was not true. Are you saying even if what he said is true it does not have to be believed by everyone an therefore not dogma?

It is a belief but not declared “EX CATHEDRA” by the Pope. A lot of Catholic Apologists say that the Mediatrix of all Grace concerning Mary is not an official Church dogmatic declaration.

In fact, there are Catholics who want the current Pope to make it a dogmatic declaration by petitioning. So far the Vatican have made no move to do so. It isn’t even neccessary because it is already believed by some theologians

 

[Mannyfit75]

If you are still confused let me site a source concerning this belief. A question was posted in Catholic Answers FAQ page.

The question ask deals with Mary being the Mediatrix of all Grace:

Q: I have heard that the teaching on Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces is official Catholic doctrine but not a dogma of faith. I am not clear on the difference between doctrine and dogma. Can you clear it up for me?

Catholic Answers Staff Replied:

In general, doctrine is all Church teaching in matters of faith and morals. Dogma is more narrowly defined as that part of doctrine which has been divinely revealed and which the Church has formally defined and declared to be believed as revealed.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains from;

catholic.com/thisrock/quickquestions/keyword/dogma

The Church’s magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these. (CCC 88)

Concerning the Church’s teaching that Mary is the Mediatrix of All Graces, while this doctrine has been divinely revealed, it has not yet been—although could be—elevated to dogma. In Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Dr. Ludwig Ott explains, “The doctrine of Mary’s Universal Mediation of Grace based on her co-operation in the Incarnation is so definitely manifest in the sources of the faith, that nothing stands in the way of a dogmatic definition” (215).

The doctrine of Mary is the Mediatrix of All Graces is part of the doctrine of the faith but it is not been elevated to a DOGMA.