Page 563 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

“The Immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of Church, chap. 8, II, 62, pp. 382-383).
original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly Mary Is to Be Venerated with a Special Cult.
glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by “Mary has by grace been exalted above all angels and
the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be men to a place second only to her Son, as the most
the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords holy mother of God who was involved in the mysteries
(cf. Apoc. 19:16) and conqueror of sin and of Christ: she is rightly honoured by a special cult in
death” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the the Church. ... The sacred synod teaches this Catholic
Church, chap. 8, I, 52 ,53; II, 59, pp. 378, 381- 382). doctrine advisedly and at the same time admonishes all
Mary Is Queen of Heaven and of the Entire Universe. the sons of the Church that the cult, especially the
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all liturgical cult, of the Blessed Virgin, be generously
stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life fostered, and that the practices and exercises of
was finished, was taken up body and soul into devotion towards her, recommended by the teaching
heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over authority of the Church in the course of centuries be
all things, so that she might be the more fully highly esteemed, and that those decrees, which were
conformed to her Son” (New Catholic Catechism, 966). given in the early days regarding the cult images of
“She was exalted as Queen of the universe by the Lord, Christ, the Blessed Virgin and the saints, be religiously
so that she might be more fully conformed to her Son. observed” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the
Mary is Queen by grace, by divine kinship, by Church, chap. 8, IV, The Cult of the Blessed Virgin in
conquest, and by singular choice. And her domain is as the Church, 66,67, pp. 384-385).
vast as that of her Son and God, for nothing is exempt The fervor of Catholic Mary worship has increased in
from her dominion” (William Most, Our Lady After recent decades. Pope John Paul II was an ardent
Vatican II, pp. 16, 17, 34, 46). worshiper. Embroidered on his robes were the Latin
Mary is Co-Redemptress and Co-Intercessor. Mary words “Totus Tuus Sum, Maria” (Mary, I am totally
supposedly shared in Christ’s sufferings and thereby yours!). After his recovery from the attempted
shared in His work of redemption. It is believed that she assassination, John Paul gave the glory to Mary for his
has the power to answer prayers and assist Christians on survival. On his frequent travels, he always made a
earth. point of visiting the shrines dedicated to Mary. “In
“As St. Irenaeus says, she being obedient, became the addition to their pastoral aspect most of the Pope’s
cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human journeys have been pilgrimages, usually to shrines of
race. Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert the Virgin Mary; in Mexico to the sacred image of the
with him in their preaching ‘DEATH THROUGH EVE, Virgin at Guadalupe; in Poland to Czestochowa [to pray
LIFE THROUGH MARY’. THIS UNION OF THE before the national shrine of the ‘Black Madonna’]; in
MOTHER WITH THE SON IN THE WORK OF Ireland to Knock; in Turkey to Ephesus, where she is
SALVATION IS MADE MANIFEST FROM THE TIME OF believed to have spent her last years on earth” (British
CHRIST’S VIRGINAL CONCEPTION UP TO HIS
DEATH. She cooperated in the work of the Saviour in Visit 1982, a souvenir magazine sold prior to the pope’s
an altogether singular way to restore supernatural life visit to Britain).
to souls. As a result, she is our mother in the order of On June 6, 1987, to celebrate the end of the special
grace. Mary, sharing as she did even on Calvary, had a Marian Year John Paul II prayed the Rosary by live
part even in the once for all acquisition of the great television linkup with millions of Catholics around the
treasury. Now from this common sharing of will and world. The broadcast originated in the Basilica of St.
suffering between Christ and Mary, she ‘merited to Mary Major in Rome, the oldest church in the world
become most worthily the REPARATRIX [one who dedicated to Mary as the Mother of God. The pope led
makes amends or atonement] for a lost world,’ and
therefore, DISPENSATRIX [one who dispenses] of all the Rosary in five languages, and was responded to by a
the gifts which Jesus gained for us by His death and congregation of more than a million people linked
His blood (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the together by satellite from 16 Marian shrines on all five
Church, chap. 8, II, 56, pp. 380-381). continents. After saying the Mary prayers, the Pope
“Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving placed his own rosary on an image of the Catholic “Our
office but BY HER MANIFOLD INTERCESSION Lady” in the basilica. “With a smile from the Virgin
CONTINUES TO BRING US THE GIFTS OF ETERNAL Mary,” the Pope concluded, “the rosary will bring to our
SALVATION. By her maternal charity, she cares for the world the tender tones of God’s love for anxious
brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth humanity in the 20th century” (New Evangelization, Jul.-
surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are Aug. 1987, pp. 17-19).
led into their blessed home. Therefore the Blessed
Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of
ADVOCATE, HELPER, BENEFACTRESS, and
MEDIATRIX” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the

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