Worship of BV Mary

[John655]

This may not be the right place for this, but I hope someone can help me.

I always thought that the Catholic Church taught that we should venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary - that she is not worshipped - since worship is reserved for God alone.

Today, I read My Ideal: Jesus, Son of Mary by FR. Emil Neubert, S.M. I loved the book, and was very excited to read of the beautiful concepts in the book - until I got to the very last pages. In the “Collective Act of Consecration” (on p. 109 of the Tan publication) it says,

“Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, at the foot of thine throne, where respect and love have unchained our hearts, we offer thee our homage of service and praise, we consecrate ourselves to thy worship, . . . . Would that our zeal for the honor of thy worship and the interests of thy glory were able to make amends to thee for all the assaults of heresy, the outrages of unbelief, and the indifference and neglect of the generality of mankind.”

The act of consecration is addressed to the Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, the Blessed Virgin Mary - why would those making this consecration agree to consecrate themselves to worship of the BVM? Later in the consecration, the person praying wishes that by more zealous worship of the BVM that she might be guarded for the pain of the insults of unbelievers - so there are two references in this brief consecration to the worship of Mary.

The book has a Nihil Obstat and Impramatur. . . I am a devout member of the Church, and this is confusing. Am I missing something here?

 

[VBibleSociety]

This may not be the right place for this, but I hope someone can help me.

I always thought that the Catholic Church taught that we should venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary - that she is not worshipped - since worship is reserved for God alone.

Today, I read My Ideal: Jesus, Son of Mary by FR. Emil Neubert, S.M. I loved the book, and was very excited to read of the beautiful concepts in the book - until I got to the very last pages. In the “Collective Act of Consecration” (on p. 109 of the Tan publication) it says,

“Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, at the foot of thine throne, where respect and love have unchained our hearts, we offer thee our homage of service and praise, we consecrate ourselves to thy worship, . . . . Would that our zeal for the honor of thy worship and the interests of thy glory were able to make amends to thee for all the assaults of heresy, the outrages of unbelief, and the indifference and neglect of the generality of mankind.”

The act of consecration is addressed to the Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, the Blessed Virgin Mary - why would those making this consecration agree to consecrate themselves to worship of the BVM? Later in the consecration, the person praying wishes that by more zealous worship of the BVM that she might be guarded for the pain of the insults of unbelievers - so there are two references in this brief consecration to the worship of Mary.

The book has a Nihil Obstat and Impramatur. . . I am a devout member of the Church, and this is confusing. Am I missing something here?

It is possible that the book your reading is a translation from Latin to English. The meaning of the prayers is often changed, sometimes considerably when this happens.

 

[Fidelis]

If this means Catholics worship Mary:

“Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, at the foot of thine throne, where respect and love have unchained our hearts, we offer thee our homage of service and praise, we consecrate ourselves to thy worship, . . . . Would that our zeal for the honor of thy worship and the interests of thy glory were able to make amends to thee for all the assaults of heresy, the outrages of unbelief, and the indifference and neglect of the generality of mankind.”

The act of consecration is addressed to the Soveriegn Mistress of heaven and earth, the Blessed Virgin Mary - why would those making this consecration agree to consecrate themselves to worship of the BVM? Later in the consecration, the person praying wishes that by more zealous worship of the BVM that she might be guarded for the pain of the insults of unbelievers - so there are two references in this brief consecration to the worship of Mary.

Then does the following mean that Protestants consider it a good thing to worship each other?:

From the King James Bible: Luke 14:7-14

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Neither one of them mean nothing of the kind. Both are examples of proper, though archaic, usages of the word “worship” and in both cases are clearly meant to express the bestowal of great honor and veneration on a person, far short of that worship that is given to God alone.

These days, with our impoverished English, “worship” always means the honor given to God alone, but when these previous works were written, people knew what their proper meanings. See this Catholic Answers tract for more info:

Saint Worship?

 

[John655]

Thanks so much for the CA tract - that makes complete sense.