What Can We Say About The Virgin?

[Observing4Grace]

**WARNING: If you’re not going to give a full reply but something short or if there’s an insult, please send me a private message instead. This is not intended for people who are only going to be here once. **

Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this:

Mary, Mary
Quite Contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silverbells and Cockelshells
And Pretty Maids All in a Row

Nobody dares to consider the thought until they apply this to what the Catholic Church teaches about Mary. According the various sources, all seems fairly unstoppable in the titles as the list continues to go on and on about her. I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

"Queen of heaven
Conceived without stain of sin
Ark of the Covenant
Door of heaven
Star of the morning
Healer of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints
Mystic Rose
Tower of David
Holy Mother of God
Holy Virgin of virgins
Mother of divine grace
Virgin worthy of veneration
Virgin worthy of praise
Powerful virgin
Merciful Virgin
Mirror of righteousness
Throne of wisdom
Source of our joy
Spiritual vessel
Venerable vessel"

And the list keeps going and going and going. Never in my life have I ever seen such names attributed to a saint. Sadly neither any of these titles should be rightly given to her because those titles belong to Jesus Christ himself. He’s the real one who’s the source of our joy and not Mary.

I know there’s a dire need to defend these claims but for the record, may add some more questions to your claims?

**If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

If Mary Knows Our Hearts, why isn’t she given an omniscient qualities?

If Mary can come in an out of heaven, does this mean she’s given the power to walk enter hell and preach salvation?

What about her ability of working in the office of salvation, how does she get a title like that?**

I’m not trying to offend Catholics by any means, (that’s why I over looked this carefully) but there hasn’t been any lights shed on these questions. My assumption is that, unlike the Mary of the New Testament whereas she’s portrayed:

**-Insignificant in role, shortly after the birth of Jesus
-Unknown about her life after Jesus’ resurrection, her teachings and his death
-To have very little significance Jesus’ teachings
-Not treated as a superior or equal to Jesus
-Had other kids **

The Mary Catholics portray is almost treated like a goddess. No wonder why protestants say they worship her, these titles imply as if she were. Now, don’t go thinking we’re idiots here but if strangers came and witnessed to a Catholic event where they might:

**-Parade around with a small statue of Mary
-Bow their knees to Mary
-Use the beads to meditate and call upon her for assistance on scriptures
-Make Holy Days Consecrated to the virgin
-Carry a picture around her house **

Someone will eventually conclude that they (the Catholics) actually do worship Mary. Even if they stopped and explained it, I’m sure it still amounts to idolatry because they make claims about Mary which seems as if she were a God. She’s without sin, ever virgin, didn’t have other kids, knows our hearts, I could keep adding because there’s a whole book that speaks as if she were. (For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, please read the glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguri)

I don’t know how we protestants could be wrong about this but I can assure you that this is sheer nonsense. Is it possible for you to show me other convicting evidences that this isn’t worship. I would also like you (Catholics) to show me where in the NT do we also see the classification of worship in such circumstances as yours?

Parker

 

[Tomster]

It is significant, that the Catholic people rose in protest against the heresy of Nestorius from the very momemt that he began to assail Mary’s divine maternity. Indeed Christianity has most intimately identified itself with this mystery. The mystery of the union of the divine nature with the human nature in one divine Person is most strikingly revealed in the formula: “Mary is the Mother of God; Mary has given birth to God.” The divine maternity of Mary was solemnly proclaimed at the General Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.). Her divine maternity is the source of all pererogatives that Catholics recognize in her.

 

[kell0618]

Hello!

I can see that this is a real sticking point for you and one that upsets you deeply. May I suggest that you read this page and perhaps you can refine your questions after you read about what the Catholic teachings actually are in regard to Mary? Then I will be more than happy to respond to each point you still have. And I must say, you have stated many things that just are not true and are common misunderstandings.

So, read the page I provided a link for (can’t quote more than two paragraphs on the CA forums) and then we can chat some more. If you really want to know the truth, you’ll read it.

God bless you,

Kelly

 

[puzzleannie]

please do as forum guidelines suggest, read articles on the CA homepage such as those here
catholic.com/library/mary_saints.asp
then come here if you have further questions.

 

[Tomster]

The fundamental function of Mary, the “raison d’etre” of all others, is the divine maternity. According to common opinion, the divine maternity is the “raison d’etre” of her very existence let alone her other privileges; that is to say, Mary was created only in order to become the Mother of God. In fact, Pope Pius IX, in the Bull “Ineffabilis” defining the Immaculate Conception of Mary, teaches that “by one and the same decree the origin of Mary and the Incarnation of divine Wisdom were decided.” Consequently, the divine maternity explains all that there is in Mary, and without it nothing in her can be understood.

The exceptional importance of the divine maternity immediately creates the necessity of clearly comprehending its meaning; for to comprehend it poorly is to misunderstand all the privileges of the Blessed Virgin. On the other hand, more so than with any other glory of Mary, the mind here faces a mystery - the mystery of the Incarnation in all its depth. Therefore, the question extends beyond the domain of Marian doctrine strictly so called and reaches into the field of Chistology. For, as Cardinal Newman could well say, basing his assertion on the ancient and modern history of Christianity, “the Virgin Mary is the guardian of the Incarnation.” Indeed, here all the teachings relative to the Incarnation converge, as at their center. Mary’s divine maternity is the touchstone of Christological orthodoxy; and, to a certain extent, orthodoxy with regard to the divine maternity guarantees the orthodoxy even of our statements relative to the most Holy Trinity and to many other revealed truths.

What, then, is the exact meaning of this title of Mother of God which the Church gives to the Blessed Virgin?

Despite the claims of Nestorius in the fifth century and the accusations which certain protestants and rationalists make against us even today the title Mother of God does not signify, and never has signified in the minds of the faithful, that we consider Mary as Mother of the divinity, or as a sort of goddess after the manner of the goddesses of mythology. We affirm that Mary is the Mother of God, not that she is Mother of the divinity; she is Mother of a person who is God, and not Mother of that person inasmuch as He is God.

 

[Tomster]

To understand what we mean by the divine maternity, we must understand - as well as is possible when we are concerned with a mystery - the union of two natures, the divine and human, in the person of Jesus. For the sake of greater exactness, before I give the Catholic conception of this mystery, let me mention two inexact ideas which we meet in the history of the dogma.

The first of these false conceptions is that of a purely superficial union constituted by the temporary inhabitation of the divinity in the humanity of Christ. This was the idea of certain heretics of the first centuries of Christianity. For them, Jesus was nothing more than a man upon whom the Spirit of God descended at the moment of the Baptism in the Jordan and from whom this Spirit went out shortly before the Passion, leaving the man Jesus to suffer and to die. In this theory, Mary was the Mother of a man who was destined to be the temporary dwelling of God, but she was not the Mother of God.

The second concept is that of a very close moral union consisting not only in a perpetual indwelling of the divinity in the humanity of Christ, but also in the faithful co-operation of this humanity with the divinity. This seems to have been the doctrine of Nestorius, according to which the humanity in Christ would have been, from the very first moment of its existence, the temple of the divinity and the two natures would have always acted together in perfect harmony. Consequently, this humanity had a right to special honor. In the final analysis, however, the union so understood could be only a moral one, so that Mary could indeed have been called the Mother of Christ, but not the Mother of God.

 

[Tomster]

Still another union is possible between the humanity and the divinity, the union called hypostatic, that is, substantial or personal. The most exact notion of the nature of this union is given to us by the close bond which links body and soul in man. The soul and the body are two different principles, one spiritual, the other material. The one is unextended, is independent of physical or chemical laws, and is immortal; the other has extension, is subject to the laws of the visible world, and is destined to decompose. Yet, these two principles are united in such a way as to form only one whole, the human person, so that the qualities and the actions of the two component parts can be attributed to the whole, to the person itself. A man says: “I eat, I walk,” though actually it would rather seem that it is only his body which takes food or moves about. On the other hand, he says, “I think, I know myself to be free,” even though it is his soul and not his body which thinks and exercises freedom. And it is not merely to simplify our language that we speak in this way. We are so convinced that the two form but one whole, that we consider ourselves responsible for the actions of our body as well as for the thoughts, feelings, and resolutions of our soul. Just how these two elements, so diverse in themselves, can be so united to one another has remained a mystery for the greatest philosophers; but our own inner consciousness does not leave us the least doubt as to the reality of this union.

Now, a union, not identical but very similar to this one of body and soul, exists between the humanity and the divinity in our Lord. Not identical because in the course of events the human soul constitutes a person only in its union with the body; but the Son of God was a Person before His union with the human nature. These two natures form only one whole, a single person, in such a way that the actions of both natures can be attributed to this person. The same person could say: “Before Abraham came to be, I am,” and “My soul is sad, even unto death.” The person to whom all the actions of Christ belong is the divine Person. Therefore, all His actions, even those which were accomplished by the human nature, had infinite merit, since they were the actions of God. It can be said, then, in all truth, that God preached, God suffered, and God died. Consequently, it is just as proper to say that God is born. But the woman of whom a being is born is his mother, and God was born of Mary. Mary is, therefore the Mother of God.

 

[Tomster]

Someone may say that Jesus took only His body and not His divinity from Mary. This objection would be valid if this were merely a moral union, such as Nestorius posited, but not when the union is substantial. Since the body which she formed was, from the very first instant, the body of God, Mary herself became the Mother of God. We take only our bodies from our mothers, yet are we not in all reality their children?

It is true that the conception of a human body calls naturally for the creation and infusion of the soul, while the conception which took place in Mary does not call naturally for the union of the Son of God with the humanity which the Blessed Virgin conceived. It does not call for naturally, but it does call for it supernaturally, in a manner much more sublime and more worthy of God and of Mary than anything that takes place in the natural order. For it was a conception prepared for by unique virtues and privileges; it was a virginal conception which befitted only God; it was produced by the Holy Ghost, and, according to the explanation of the angel, would make the very Son of God the son of Mary; the Blessed Virgin consented to it only after having received the promise that this conception would have the birth of God as its term.

What can we say about the Virgin? What else would you like to know?

 

[Timidity]

He’s the real one who’s the source of our joy and not Mary

Jesus is not the source of our joy. He is our joy, making his mother the source.

My assumption is that, unlike the Mary of the New Testament whereas she’s portrayed: …

-Had other kids

Which New Testament are you reading? There isn’t a single passage that talks about Mary’s birth of anyone but Jesus. Amazing how many “Bible only” people insist on writing their own verses and treating them like Gospel.

 

[Tomster]

Mary is therefore truly the Mother of God, as any other woman is the mother of her own child. Yet, in a sense, she is even more a mother than other woman. In the first palce, she alone, without the co-operation of a father, formed this body which from the very first moment of its existence was the body of God. In the second place, she was called to co-operate in this function under unique conditions. Was ever another mother, like Mary, chosen by her future child and prepared by Him for her task? Did ever another mother, like Mary, receive from heaven the announcement of the mission reserved for her son and the invitation to consent to such a mission? Was there ever another mother who co-operated, as fully as Mary, with the designs of God on her child and on herself, and who submitted so completely to the painful consequences of this co-operation? At first glance, we may perhaps be tempted to think that calling Mary the Mother of God is a play on words. But, after careful consideration, we rather ask ourselves whether it is possible to conceive of a motherhood as true and as perfect as was that of Mary with regard to the Son of God.

Do we say that all these explanations and comparisons can completely satisfy the inquiring mind? If they could, they would certainly be false, since they would cause the mystery to disappear. But it is no more difficult to admit that Mary is truly the Mother of God in having given Jesus His body, than it is to believe that Jesus has truly redeemed us in sacrificing that body for us on the cross, or to profess that He really unites us to His divinity in giving us that body as food. In all three instances, the mystery is the same: it is the mystery of the hypostatic union. Reason can explain its meaning up to a certain point; faith alone can make us assent to it.

 

[VociMike]

I know there’s a dire need to defend these claims but for the record, may add some more questions to your claims?

If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

Why do you assume this must be the case? The author of Revelation heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, but he wasn’t omnipresent.

If Mary Knows Our Hearts, why isn’t she given an omniscient qualities?

Mary knows what God allows her to know, nothing more and nothing less.

If Mary can come in an out of heaven, does this mean she’s given the power to walk enter hell and preach salvation?

I have no idea if God wills this for her or not.

What about her ability of working in the office of salvation, how does she get a title like that?

Again, I don’t know what this means, but it should be obvious that all Christians are called to be partners in God’s work of salvation. Heck, Protestants are forever talking about winning souls for Christ.

 

[Tomster]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=136786&page=3

112 and #113​

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

Never in my life have I ever seen such names attributed to a saint.

That is because Mary is the greatest of all the Saints. She is elevated above all the angels in Heaven.

If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

If Mary Knows Our Hearts, why isn’t she given an omniscient qualities?

She only knows what God reveals to her, just as it is with all the Angels and Saints of Heaven.

If Mary can come in an out of heaven, does this mean she’s given the power to walk enter hell and preach salvation?

Those in the hell of the damned have rejected eternally their salvation, so there is no use in preaching to them. Also, the very name of Mary causes them much pain, so you can just imagine how much they would dislike her presence.

What about her ability of working in the office of salvation, how does she get a title like that?

I assume you are referring to the title Co-Redemptrix. She gets that title by participating in the redemption of man - by her fiat.

My assumption is that, unlike the Mary of the New Testament whereas she’s portrayed:

Insignificant in role, shortly after the birth of Jesus

Yeah, if you consider nurturing and raising the Son of God insignificant. I cannot think of a bigger role to play in any child’s life than that of his/her mother and father.

Unknown about her life after Jesus’ resurrection, her teachings and his death

We know that after the Resurrection of Jesus that she lived in Saint John’s house and traveled with him to Ephesus until she ended her earthly pilgrimage there in Ephesus. She was then assumed body and soul into Heaven and crowned Queen of Heaven.

To have very little significance Jesus’ teachings

I am not certain what you mean by this? Are you implying that she didn’t influence His teachings? Well, I must have missed the part where He changed His stance in light of opinion polls.

Not treated as a superior or equal to Jesus

Why would she. Who is equal, let alone superior, to God?

Had other kids

No she didn’t. Mary is ever-virgin - a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. The mention of brothers and sisters of the Lord is due to the fact that Aramaic (the common language in Jesus’ time and place) did not have words for cousin or kin. The same word was used for brother, sister, cousin, kin, etc.

Parade around with a small statue of Mary

This is called a procession. It is found in almost every form of religion. For example, in every form of Protestantism I have encountered, when a person dies everyone processes from the church or funeral home to the cemetary.

Bow their knees to Mary

I have seen Protestants bow down in prayer in fields or before trees, but that doesn’t make them pantheists. This is just a normative posture for praying.

Use the beads to meditate and call upon her for assistance on scriptures

This is called a Rosary. The meditations are on Scripture - on the life of Christ.

Make Holy Days Consecrated to the virgin

We have days dedicated to all the Saints, not just Mary.

Carry a picture around her house

How many Protestants carry a picture of a family member in their wallets, or have a large portrait of someone over their fireplace or bed.

Someone will eventually conclude that they (the Catholics) actually do worship Mary. Even if they stopped and explained it, I’m sure it still amounts to idolatry because they make claims about Mary which seems as if she were a God.

And should we conclude that some Protestants worship nature or family members? How many Protestant men describe their spouse in terms of adoration and worship? So mere outward appearence isn’t absolute.

I don’t know how we protestants could be wrong about this but I can assure you that this is sheer nonsense.

Yes, thinking Catholics worship Mary is sheer nonsense.

Is it possible for you to show me other convicting evidences that this isn’t worship.

There are different levels of veneration. The lowest is called dulia - this is the veneration given to Saints, relics, etc. The second is called hyperdulia - this is the veneration due to the Ever-Virgin Mary. The third and highest is called latria - this is worship and adoration due only to God. Thus Catholics do not give the worship due only to God to Mary.

 

[LilyM]

**WARNING: If you’re not going to give a full reply but something short or if there’s an insult, please send me a private message instead. This is not intended for people who are only going to be here once. **

Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this:

Mary, Mary
Quite Contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silverbells and Cockelshells
And Pretty Maids All in a Row

Nobody dares to consider the thought until they apply this to what the Catholic Church teaches about Mary. According the various sources, all seems fairly unstoppable in the titles as the list continues to go on and on about her. I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

"Queen of heaven
Conceived without stain of sin
Ark of the Covenant
Door of heaven
Star of the morning
Healer of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints
Mystic Rose
Tower of David
Holy Mother of God
Holy Virgin of virgins
Mother of divine grace
Virgin worthy of veneration
Virgin worthy of praise
Powerful virgin
Merciful Virgin
Mirror of righteousness
Throne of wisdom
Source of our joy
Spiritual vessel
Venerable vessel"

And the list keeps going and going and going. Never in my life have I ever seen such names attributed to a saint. Sadly neither any of these titles should be rightly given to her because those titles belong to Jesus Christ himself. He’s the real one who’s the source of our joy and not Mary.

I know there’s a dire need to defend these claims but for the record, may add some more questions to your claims?

**If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

If Mary Knows Our Hearts, why isn’t she given an omniscient qualities?

If Mary can come in an out of heaven, does this mean she’s given the power to walk enter hell and preach salvation?

What about her ability of working in the office of salvation, how does she get a title like that?**

I’m not trying to offend Catholics by any means, (that’s why I over looked this carefully) but there hasn’t been any lights shed on these questions. My assumption is that, unlike the Mary of the New Testament whereas she’s portrayed:

**-Insignificant in role, shortly after the birth of Jesus
-Unknown about her life after Jesus’ resurrection, her teachings and his death
-To have very little significance Jesus’ teachings
-Not treated as a superior or equal to Jesus
-Had other kids **

The Mary Catholics portray is almost treated like a goddess. No wonder why protestants say they worship her, these titles imply as if she were. Now, don’t go thinking we’re idiots here but if strangers came and witnessed to a Catholic event where they might:

**-Parade around with a small statue of Mary
-Bow their knees to Mary
-Use the beads to meditate and call upon her for assistance on scriptures
-Make Holy Days Consecrated to the virgin
-Carry a picture around her house **

Someone will eventually conclude that they (the Catholics) actually do worship Mary. Even if they stopped and explained it, I’m sure it still amounts to idolatry because they make claims about Mary which seems as if she were a God. She’s without sin, ever virgin, didn’t have other kids, knows our hearts, I could keep adding because there’s a whole book that speaks as if she were. (For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, please read the glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguri)

I don’t know how we protestants could be wrong about this but I can assure you that this is sheer nonsense. Is it possible for you to show me other convicting evidences that this isn’t worship. I would also like you (Catholics) to show me where in the NT do we also see the classification of worship in such circumstances as yours?

Parker

Put it this way - we do a lot for Mary, give her a lot of titles, a lot of honour and so forth. I have no wish to deny that. It’s only fitting that we should give high esteem to the Mother of our Lord and Saviour.

What we do for her, however, absolutely pales in comparison to the titles, the honour, the Holy Days and Feast Days and Eucharistic Processions and Adorations we have in honour of Christ, and the fact that every Mass (our supreme prayer and act of worship) is directed at God and him alone, through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Do you know that in the Philippines each Easter people NAIL THEMSELVES TO CROSSES in honour of his Crucifixion? Who ever does anything remotely like this in regard to Mary??? Not half!

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Observing: If I may, I would like to request that, rather than bring up many, many, many items you would like explained and put them in ONE thread like this, please, deal with one thing at a time!

IOW, start with the list you first gave:

I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

“Queen of heaven
Conceived without stain of sin
Ark of the Covenant
Door of heaven
Star of the morning
Healer of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints
Mystic Rose
Tower of David
Holy Mother of God
Holy Virgin of virgins
Mother of divine grace
Virgin worthy of veneration
Virgin worthy of praise
Powerful virgin
Merciful Virgin
Mirror of righteousness
Throne of wisdom
Source of our joy
Spiritual vessel
Venerable vessel”

which I believe that earlier posters gave you explanations of by linking to sites here at Catholic Answers. Read the answers. That will answer your first question. Then you can come back, thank the posters for explaining to you where the titles came from, and then go on to:

If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

which was answered by JMJ here:

She only knows what God reveals to her, just as it is with all the Angels and Saints of Heaven.

Etc.

Please, take one thing at a time, respond to the one thing, and then go on.

Other posters, please may I request this of you: Let the OP come back after he has read the first links given and understands the titles and tells us he knows where they came from, even if he doesn’t personally agree. Then let him move on to those many, many, questions one at a time, otherwise this thread will be so chaotic it will close for sure. . .until the next thread full of many, many questions in a single post. . .

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

Queen of heaven
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints

Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and of Earth (Rev 12:1) May I suggest reading Ad Caeli Reginam on this topic and also highly recommend Hail, Holy Queen by Scott Hahn.

Conceived without stain of sin

The title is “Queen, Conceived Without Original Sin”. This is the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. This teaching was definitively defined by Pope Pius IX in the encyclical Ineffablilis Deus.

Ark of the Covenant

Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant. She gains this title by having bore Christ in her womb. The original Ark contained three items, the Law which was the word of God on stone tablets, the manna (the bread come down from heaven), and the rod of Aaron (a symbol of priestly power). The new Ark contains the Incarnate Word of God, the Bread of Life, and the Eternal High Priest. And just as King David danced in front of the Ark, so did John the Baptist dance in front of the new Ark.

Door of heaven

You mean “Gate of Heaven”. This is in conjunction with her Motherhood of Jesus Christ.

Star of the morning

More properly put “Morning Star”. The morning star precedes the sun, just as Mary precedes Jesus. Also known as the “Star of the Sea”, Mary guides souls in the turbulent waters of life in the port of Paradise. True devotion to Mary always points to and leads to the Son.

Healer of the sick

This title is “Health of the Sick”. What mother refuses to tend to her ill children?

Refuge of sinners

This is in reference to the enormous benefit we gain by Mary’s intercession.

Mystic Rose

This is “Mystical Rose”. Mary is the most beautiful flower in God’s garden (Carmel). This is a mystical title that deals very much with the spiritual and spirituality. This is one of my favourite titles and I have to refrain from giving a dissertation here.

Tower of David

We get this from Canticles 4:4 The towers which David built soared above all the other buildings of Jerusalem, just as Mary surpasses all the Angels and Saints.

Holy Mother of God

What’s the problem with this. Mary is holy - God wouldn’t have chosen an evil woman to be His mother. Mary is God’s Mother. Jesus is God, Mary is His Mother - therefore Mary is the Mother of God.

Holy Virgin of virgins

Mary is ever-virgin. She was the first and the most pure of all Christian virgins.

Mother of divine grace

This deals with both the fact that enormous and singular graces were bestowed upon Mary even from the first moment of her conception and that throught the will of God all graces are given unto earth through Mary.

Virgin worthy of veneration

The title is “Virgin Most Vernerable” and deals with the fact that she is higher than all the Angels and Saints.

Virgin worthy of praise

I can only assume that you mean “Virgin Most Renowned” and agains deals with her being higher than all the Angels and Saints.

Powerful virgin

The title is “Virgin Most Powerful” and deals with the fact that she is powerful in her intercession to God.

Merciful Virgin

The title is “Virgin Most Merciful”. Mary can have mercy just like anyone can have mercy on another. (Note: This is not of the same magnitude as the Mercy of God) Since she is highest above all the Angels and Saints, her mercy exceeds all others. She has compassion on her children and interceeds for them.

Mirror of righteousness

The title is “Mirror of Justice”. Mary reflects the Love of God.

Throne of wisdom

The title is “Seat of Wisdom” and deals with the fact that she bore Him Who is the Wisdom of God.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Source of our joy

The title is “Cause of Our Joy” and Mary is the cause because she brought forth from her womb Jesus, Who is our joy.

Spiritual vessel

This title means that Mary was a perfect vessel to receive the Holy Spirit.

Venerable vessel

The title is “Vessel of Honor” and means that she is worthy of veneration.

A few that you missed:

Holy Mary - Mother of Christ - Mother Most Pure - Mother Most Chaste - Mother Inviolate - Mother Undefiled - Mother Most Amiable - Mother Most Admirable - Mother of Good Counsel - Mother of Our Creator - Mother of Our Savior - Mother of the Church - Virgin Most Prudent - Virgin Most Faithful - Singular Vessel of Devotion - Tower of Ivory - House of Gold - Comforter of the Afflicted - Help of Christians - Queen of Prophets - Queen of Apostles - Queen of Martyrs - Queen of Virgins - Queen Assumed into Heaven - Queen of the Holy Rosary - Queen of Families - Queen of Peace

May I suggest this site and this site for more information on the meaning of these titles.

 

[Tom]

Hello brother.

** Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this: ** And you surmise this pertains to the Virgin Mary exactly how? Simply by the name “Mary”?
Observing4Grace;1974436:

Nobody dares to consider the thought until they apply this to what the Catholic Church teaches about Mary.

Apply what? You’re making absolutely no sense!

According the various sources, all seems fairly unstoppable in the titles as the list continues to go on and on about her. I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

Don’t keep me in suspence, what “sources” and what do “they”say?

 

[Tom]

Hello brother.

** Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this: ** And you surmise this pertains to the Virgin Mary exactly how? Simply by the name “Mary”?
Observing4Grace;1974436:

Nobody dares to consider the thought until they apply this to what the Catholic Church teaches about Mary.

Apply what? You’re making absolutely no sense!

According the various sources, all seems fairly unstoppable in the titles as the list continues to go on and on about her. I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

Don’t keep me in suspence, what “sources” and what do “they”say?

"Queen of heaven
Conceived without stain of sin
Ark of the Covenant
Door of heaven
Star of the morning
Healer of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Tower of David
Mirror of righteousness
Throne of wisdom
Source of our joy
Spiritual vessel
Venerable vessel"

And the list keeps going and going and going. Never in my life have I ever seen such names attributed to a saint.

Sadly neither any of these titles should be rightly given to her because those titles belong to Jesus Christ himself. He’s the real one who’s the source of our joy and not Mary.
Ark of the Covenant
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints
Mystic Rose
Holy Mother of God
Holy Virgin of virgins
Mother of divine grace
Virgin worthy of veneration
Virgin worthy of praise
Powerful virgin
Merciful Virgin

These titles should be given to “Jesus”?

 

[NotWorthy]

Observing4Grace,

I’d like to tackle just one.

Why do you think Mary should not be called the Ark of the New Covenant?

You are refuting a title that she has held for almost 1900 years. Would you care to enlighten us as to how you are more in tune with God then the Church has been ever since Jesus built it?