Marycast #8 ( 10min) Play – In this episode of MaryCast, Dr Mark Miravalle explores the different types of Our Lady in the Old Testament. He uses the famous papal encyclical, Ineffabilis Deus, written by Blessed Pius IX to show in terms of the Old Testament foreshadowings who Our Lady would be in the New Testament.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Father Powell puts his finger on the fear of many Catholics to speak the truth in the face of Protestant objections: “That we would flinch from speaking the truth because some might misunderstand simply means that we fear a negative response from our ecumenical partners.” I find this very true, for example, when discussing the meaning of the term “coredemption.” Many of the Catholic objectors to the dogma say that “coredemption” is an inherently confusing term because of the various ways in which “co-” can be used as a prefix. In English it means generally, as Father Powell points out, “with” and “equal to,” which is not the case in Latin. The point is that, yes, the term needs to be explained, but so what? Why don’t we just explain it?

A very similar problem arises from the use of the term “Mother of God.” Many “Bible Christians” think that the Catholic teaching on this point makes Mary equal to God; however, the problem is not that the term is inherently ambiguous, but that the explanation has either not been heard or has not been accepted, even though the term has been adequately explained by Catholics since the Council of Ephesus in 431. I do not think the fundamental problem here is deeply theological. On the contrary, it is a superficial assumption based on the bias that Catholic doctrine is anti-biblical and man made. Unfortunately, some Catholics seems to share this bias.

Father Powell also points out that Protestants have themselves felt free to unilaterally redefine Christian teaching, as the Anglicans have with respect to contraception and abortion:

The objection that the proposed fifth Marian dogma will damage ecumenical relations seems somewhat dubious in the harsh light of the ecclesial reality dropped into our Catholic laps without our consultation. Why this sudden need for Protestant approval of Catholic teaching?

Father Powell’s reply to this second objection is particularly outstanding where he points out the fear among astute Catholics of being tagged as “theologically unsophisticated”:

My guess is that this objection is really more about a certain sort of generational embarrassment with Marian dogma and devotion in general and rests on the need of some in the Church to please those they feel are more theologically sophisticated. How am I supposed to show my Catholic face at the next meeting of the American Academy of Religion when all of my more enlightened Protestant colleagues from Harvard and Yale know we silly Catholics have infallibly declared that Mary is Co-Redemptrix? How embarrassing! Such individuals are left with the choice of defending what appears to be another exercise of raw papal power and earning the pity of their more progressive betters or rejecting the dogma and winning the accolades of their more enlightened colleagues. Guess which one they choose over and over again.

In my opinion, some of the most basic reasons for Catholic hesitancy to defend Marian coredemption have more to do with cultural and social assumptions than they do to any fundamental theological problems. It seems to me that I have never really heard a “Catholic” reason for not defining the dogma. All the objections are essentially Protestant.

I do think it needs to be pointed out, however, that the contemporary controversy runs deeper than merely arguing over whether the Virgin’s free consent at the Annunciation can be in any way construed to have contributed to our redemption. Protestants and the Catholic objectors generally know that the content of the doctrine connotes more than that. In fact, Father Powell indicates that this is so at the beginning of his post when he defines very simply the meaning of Coredemprix:

. . .[T]he Holy Father is being asked to declare solemnly and infallibly that the Blessed Virgin Mary is a co-worker in the redemption of mankind through her initial assent to be the mother of God and through her suffering with Christ as he dies on the cross. [emphasis mine.]

But when Father Powell goes on to explain how Mary is Coredemptrix with Christ he does not mention how it is that She is His “co-worker . . . through her suffering with Christ as he dies on the cross”:

. . . Assuming Mary’s freedom to accept or reject Gabriel’s call to become the Mother of God, we can see that Mary’s assent made it possible for the second Person of the Blessed Trinity to become man—a step necessary in for the universal efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Without her consent, the Son would have not been incarnated. You might object here and say that Gabriel could have accepted her no and moved on to another woman with the same invitation. This is purely speculative, of course, but had he done so, any woman who said yes would be our spiritual mother and worthy of the title “Co-Redemptrix.”

The problem here is that no other woman was immaculately conceived or could be called the Immaculate Conception. Even if the objection Father Powell here answers is purely speculative, it needs to be pointed out that no other woman other than Mary was predestined by God to be His Mother. Only one is immaculately conceived, and only one is predestined to cooperate in this unique way in His plan.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, for example, points out that neither Adam, nor Eve, nor anyone else but Mary could be addressed with the title of Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is a prerogative that belongs to Mary alone by virtue of an eternal predestination.  Both the dogmatic declarations defining the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption refer to the joint predestination of Jesus and Mary in the divine plan. Here are the corresponding passages from the respective apostolic constitutions:

And hence the very words with which the Sacred Scriptures speak of Uncreated Wisdom and set forth his eternal origin, the Church, both in its ecclesiastical offices and in its liturgy, has been wont to apply likewise to the origin of the Blessed Virgin, inasmuch as God, by one and the same decree, had established the origin of Mary and the Incarnation of Divine Wisdom (Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, Apostolic Constitution defining the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, emphasis mine).

Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences . . . (Pope Pius XII, Munifentissimus Deus, Apostolic Constitution defining the dogma of the Assumption, emphasis mine).

So while one might speculate on the great mystery of the Virgin’s perfect freedom and how it was that God made so much contingent upon Her free cooperation, we still must affirm that there is much more unique about this one woman than that She happened to say “yes” as opposed to “no.”

I mention this because understanding it will help us appreciate that the free cooperation of the Virgin in the mystery of our redemption is extended to the foot of the cross. By virtue of Her predestination with Christ, Mary does contribute to our redemption “through her suffering with Christ as he dies on the cross.”

In fact, prior to the Second Vatican Council among theologians and during its sessions among the council fathers, when the question of coredemption was being debated, the doctrine was understood  not only to include, but to primarily refer to Mary’s compassion at the foot of the cross. Our Lady’s suffering was argued to have been coordinated with that of Her Son, not as the sufficient cause of our redemption, but as the predestined coefficient of His work.

In the Franciscan school, the argument for this would be similar to that of Duns Scotus for the Immaculate Conception. Both are based on the joint predestination of Jesus and Mary. Scotus argued that preservative redemption (complete freedom from original sin—Immaculate Conception) not only takes nothing away from the dignity of the Redeemer, but exalts it incomparably more than liberative redemption (the washing away of original sin already contracted). So in the same way, that one should be able to cooperate effectively in the very act of redemption, not only takes nothing away from the merit of the One Mediator, but exalts it incomparably more than would be the case otherwise. This is because Mary’s unique power is based on the fact that She has been redeemed in an incomparably more perfect way than anyone else. She is Coredemptrix because She is the perfect fruit of a perfect redemption.

Whether one buys this argument or not, it should be noted that our Protestant brethren object to the doctrine of the coredemption due of their understanding of the one mediation of Christ. That mediation takes place principally on the cross and it is there that the coredemption is primarily posited.

Again, upon close examination of this question it becomes apparent that the only objections against coredemption are Protestant. They will be the same ones that are used to reject tradition, the sacramental order, the priesthood and good works. Either we can cooperate with Christ or we cannot. And if we can, then it should not be hard to understand how the predestined Mother of God, prepared before hand by her Immaculate Conception, gives God a glory greater than which cannot be conceived by Her free and effective cooperation at the foot of the cross.

I would concur with Father Powell that the Catholic understanding of our own cooperation in the work of redemption reveals a logic consistent with that of the Coredemption.

In all of her titles, Mary is understood to be the perfected form of a human response to God’s invitation to live in union with Him in eternity (CCC 967-70). So, in every sense, we all participate in an imperfect way in all of Mary’s titles. We all mediate God’s grace to others—what are the corporeal works of mercy but our human use of divine gifts for the benefit of others? We all give birth to the Word made flesh—what is Eucharistic communion but the taking in of Christ so that we might become more and more the Word given flesh? We are all “co-operators” (operators with) God’s will for us when we assent to and make good use of His gifts for others (CCC 1996-2000).

What I would further point out is that this logic is consistent with the coredemption because the Mother of God stands in the first place (in primis from the Roman Canon) in the matter of that cooperation which is accomplished at the consummation of the mystery of redemption at the foot of the cross.

The post Insights into the Coredemption first appeared on AirMaria.com.

MaryCast Specials #66 ( 09min) Play – Mark Miravalle asks us to defend Pope Benedict and pray for the declaration of the Fifth Marian Dogma, relating Pope Benedict’s persecution to that of Jesus. He points out that it was not until Pope Pius IX was similarly persecuted and had to flee for his life from Rome in 1848 that he declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. The Papacy then enjoyed over a century of growing prestige. Yes, let us pray for this!!

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Defend Pope Benedict & Fifth Marian Dogma pt1 – Dr. Miravalle: Mcasts66 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

MaryCast Specials #67 ( 07min) Play – Mark Miravalle continues from his previous video where he asks us to defend Pope Benedict and pray for the declaration of the Fifth Marian Dogma, Mary as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate.  He notes how it was in a time of life threatening crisis that Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and how the Papacy then enjoyed over a century of growing prestige. Is it a coincidence, then, that as the persecution mounts against Pope Benedict he has started using the title “Mediatrix of Graces” for Mary. Yes, now is the time to pray for this declaration!!

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Defend Pope Benedict & Fifth Marian Dogma pt2- Dr. Miravalle: Mcasts67 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Marian Shrines of the World #17 –  ( 12 min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Quito, Ecuador is the destination for this episode of “Marian Shrines of the World” as Fr. Andre tells us more about the Apparition and Messages of Our Lady of Good Success.

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The post Video – Marian Shrines of the World #17: Our Lady of Good Success (Part 2) first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Month of Mary #4 ( 09min) Play – On this fourth day of May, Fr. Joachim presents us with the influence St. Louis de Montfort had on the Church and the approval the modern popes gave to his Marian teachings.
Today’s Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, living in Mary, prepare me for living out this true and solid devotion.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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The post Month of Mary 4 – Fr. Joachim – Popes on True Devotion first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Mariology for Everyone #16 ( 27min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle continues his complete course on Mariology with this episode here he covers the events leading up to the dogmatic proclamation of the dogma and then how controversies developed in the west regarding the Immaculate Conception of Mary during the golden age of Scholasticism.

– Events leading to Proclamation in 1854
– – Pius IX in dire situation proposes dogmatic proclamation
– – Results in in new unity and devotion in the Church
– – Miraculous medal Rue du Bac 1832
– – Millions of petitions to the pope.
– – Storm breaks when proclaimed
– 12th Century Objections
– – St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s objection
– – – Does not fit with way original sin was transmitted
– – St. Thomas Aquinas
– – – Universal redeemer not needed for Mary if Immaculate
– – Scotus’ Solutions
– – – To St. Bernard – Original sin is a privation of grace not infection from flesh
– – – To St. Thomas – Mary is saved Preservatively
– – – – Grace of Jesus’ future redemption pre-applied to Mary
– – – – Mud puddle analogy
– – – – Distinction between being saved and redeemed
– – – – Time-line of redemption, Immaculate Conception

This series is a complete 50 part introductory course on Mary presented by Dr. Miravalle, a theology professor specializing in Mariology, who has been teaching at the Franciscan University of Steubenville for over 25 years. General topics are as follows:

– Mary as revealed in the Sacred Scriptures, taught and explained by the Church Fathers, the Saints, and the Church’s documents
– the proper ways to show childlike love and devotion to the Blessed Mother of Jesus;
– Church’s official teaching on Marian apparitions over the centuries.

Also on:

http://www.mariantimes.com/category/mariology-for-everyone/

https://vimeo.com/user9740938

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – 16 – Immaculate Conception, Objections – Mariology for Everyone first appeared on AirMaria.com.

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec 09, 2019*), Fr. Josemaria explains the unique privilege of the Blessed Virgin Mary, recognized by the Church as a dogma of the true faith. Addressing misunderstandings perpetuated even today in popular culture, Father dismantles the objections to one of the “great things” that “the Almighty has worked in [her]” (cf. Lk 1:49), and invites us to be grateful to the Almighty for having such a Mother to love.

Ave Maria!

* Observed this year in the USA on Monday, Dec 09 since the traditional date of Dec 08 fell on the Second Sunday of Advent, which takes liturgical precedence.

References:

Pius IX’s Ineffabilis Deus: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9ineff.htm

– Typology: “Reading the N.T. in light of the O.T”  (Cf. CCC. 128-130). In particular:

The Church, as early as apostolic times, and then constantly in her Tradition, has illuminated the unity of the divine plan in the two Testaments through typology, which discerns in God’s works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in the fullness of time in the person of his incarnate Son (CCC. 128)

– Adam and Eve created “very good” (Gen. 1:31) (Hebrew tov meod).

– St. Paul calls Christ the New Adam (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:45);

– CCC 411: […] many Fathers and Doctors of the Church have seen the woman announced in the Protoevangelium as Mary, the mother of Christ, the “new Eve”. Mary benefited first of all and uniquely from Christ’s victory over sin: she was preserved from all stain of original sin and by a special grace of God committed no sin of any kind during her whole earthly life.

 – CCC 89: There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.

– For more on the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe: https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/articles/

Mass: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120919.cfm
1st: Gn 3:9-15, 20
Resp: Ps 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4
2nd: Eph 1:3-6, 11-12
Gsp: Lk 1:26-38

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/3096332650394195
and YouTube:

The post Immaculate Conception is Mary’s Privilege; To Love Her is Ours – Dec 09 – Homily – Fr Josemaria first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

As preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec 8th, we have read the encyclical, Ineffabilis Deus, during our Holy Hours in 5 segments. In this encyclical, Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception n 1854.  Part one covers:

Introduction
Reason: Divine Maternity
Liturgical Argument
Ordinary Teaching of the Roman Church
Veneration of the Immaculate

More on Ineffabilis Deus:
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ineffabilis_Deus
Catholic Encyclopedia: https://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi09id.htm
The Text: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9ineff.htm

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/IA9AyHLSIr8

YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9AyHLSIr8&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xiycm3qRvrfa8THI4Wio85

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The post 1 of 5 – Ineffabilis Deus Reading – Immaculate Conception first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

As preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec 8th, we have read the encyclical, Ineffabilis Deus, during our Holy Hours in 5 segments. In this encyclical, Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception n 1854.  Part two covers:

The Roman Doctrine
Papal Sanctions

More on Ineffabilis Deus:
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ineffabilis_Deus
Catholic Encyclopedia: https://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi09id.htm
The Text: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9ineff.htm

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/cpf0dP75P1w

YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9AyHLSIr8&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xiycm3qRvrfa8THI4Wio85

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The post 2 of 5 – Ineffabilis Deus Reading – Immaculate Conception first appeared on AirMaria.com.