Is the Time Ripe for a 5th Marian Dogma? (Mar. 1st, 2010)
Pope Urged To Define Fifth
Marian Dogma (Dec. 8th, 2009)
Papal Theologian
Affirms Mary To Be Co-redeemer! (May 29th, 2002)
There is a movement underway in the Catholic Church to have the Pope declare Mary the Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate of humanity as the fifth official Marian dogma (article of faith) for Catholics. Dr. Mark Miravalle of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, organizer of the "Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici" movement, has promoted May 31st as the appropriate date for the promulgation of the dogma, which was formerly the liturgical feast of Mediatrix of All Graces, established by Pope Benedict XV.
For more information see the article
Marian Feasts
in the EWTN library.
If proclaimed, the five Marian dogmas would then be:
1. that Mary is the "Mother of God"
2. that Mary was "Ever-Virgin"
3. that Mary was herself "immaculately conceived" (without sin)
4. that Mary was assumed into Heaven and crowned "Queen of Heaven and Earth"
5. that Mary is "Mediatrix of all Graces, Co-redemptrix and Advocate"
The August 25, 1997 edition of Newsweek magazine has a feature article on the petition drive to have the Pope make the formal definition of the fifth dogma. Apparently in response to the Newsweek article, a papal spokesman on the 19th of August said the Pope has no plans to proclaim or even to consider a new Marian dogma, and he stated that this was "crystal clear."
As an article of faith, the Catholic would be bound to believe an ex-cathedra declaration, and would risk loss of their salvation should they choose to reject the dogma. This would be because by doubting or rejecting the ex-cathedra pronouncements of the Pope, they would according to Catholic teaching, be rejecting the infallibly declared word of God, that has the same authority as if God himself had declared it in person.
By the titles of Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate, the Roman Catholic Church means that salvation for everyone would be obtained through Mary, and not directly from Jesus Christ. While this is in fact already taught by the Catholic Church, and has been for many years, it is not yet formally defined as binding dogma, though some Catholics feel it has already achieved that status. Here are examples of this teaching, the first two are papal encyclicals:
5. If in all this series of Mysteries, Venerable Brethren, are developed the counsels of God in regard to us -- "counsels of wisdom and of tenderness" (St. Bernard) -- not less apparent is the greatness of the benefits for which we are debtors to the Virgin Mother. No man can meditate upon these without feeling a new awakening in his heart of confidence that he will certainly obtain through Mary the fullness of the mercies of God. And to this end vocal prayer chimes well with the Mysteries. First, as is meet and right, comes the Lord's Prayer, addressed to Our Father in Heaven: and having, with the elect petitions dictated by Our Divine Master, called upon the Father, from the throne of His Majesty we turn our prayerful voices to Mary. Thus is confirmed that law of merciful meditation of which We have spoken, and which St. Bernardine of Siena thus expresses: "Every grace granted to man has three degrees in order; for by God it is communicated to Christ, from Christ it passes to the Virgin, and from the Virgin it descends to us."
Source:
IUCUNDA SEMPER EXPECTATIONE (ON THE ROSARY) Encyclical of Pope
Leo XIII promulgated on September 8, 1894.
21. ... At Cana in Galilee there is shown only one concrete aspect of human need, apparently a small one of little importance ("They have no wine"). But it has a symbolic value: this coming to the aid of human needs means, at the same time, bringing those needs within the radius of Christ's messianic mission and salvific power. Thus there is a mediation: Mary places herself between her Son and mankind in the reality of their wants, needs and sufferings. She puts herself "in the middle," that is to say she acts as a mediatrix not as an outsider, but in her position as mother. She knows that as such she can point out to her Son the needs of mankind, and in fact, she "has the right" to do so. Her mediation is thus in the nature of intercession: Mary "intercedes" for mankind.
Source:
REDEMPTORIS MATER (ON THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE LIFE OF THE
PILGRIM CHURCH), Encyclical of Pope John Paul II promulgated on March 25,
1987.
Mary's work was to be our co-redemptress, and to mediate for us together with Christ, but of course in subordination to Him. He is the one principle Mediator to whom we owe all. Do not be disturbed by this association of Mary with the redemptive work of Christ. If all Christians are members of Christ, and are called upon, as St. Paul says, to fill up what is wanting to the suffering of Christ, then you can be sure that as Mary, His Mother, was more closely associated with Christ than we are, so she is more closely associated with His redemptive work. By a special title, therefore, we call her co-redemptress. We call her "Our life, or sweetness, and our hope." For, in bringing forth Christ she brought forth us to life, she is the model of every virtue, and above all should be the glory of all women; and she is our hope as Eve was our despair. All this tells us what she is for. She is our spiritual Mother in heaven, and she fulfills the duties of a Mother, winning for us by her intercession that grace of Christ which is life to our souls and which, please God, will mean eternal life in the end.
Source: Radio Replies, Second Volume, by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble, M.S.C. and Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty, Copyright 1940, printed by Radio Replies Press, St. Paul 1, Minn., U.S.A., #674, page 162.
Cardinal Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII) said that:
"our souls were redeemed by the blood and sorrows of the Redeemer and by those of His Virgin Mother", − "... anime redente dal sangue e dai dolori del Redentore e della sua Vergine Madre."
Source: American Ecclesiastical Review, volume CXXI, number 5, Nov. 1949, 360.
Subsequent to the article in Newsweek, Pope John Paul said the following at a general audience in Vatican Square (emphasis is mine):
4. The heavenly Father wanted to place Mary close to Christ and in communion with him who can "save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25): he wanted to unite to the Redeemer’s intercession as a priest that of the Blessed Virgin as a mother. It is a role she carries out for the sake of those who are in danger and who need temporal favours and, especially, eternal salvation: "By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into their blessed home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix" (Lumen gentium, n. 62).
Source:
POPE JOHN PAUL II, GENERAL AUDIENCE, Wednesday, 24 September 1997.
At his October 1st general audience held in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said:
1. Among the titles attributed to Mary in the Church’s devotion, chapter eight of Lumen gentium recalls that of "Mediatrix". Although some Council Fathers did not fully agree with this choice of title (cf. Acta Synodalia III, 8, 163-164), it was nevertheless inserted into the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church as confirmation of the value of the truth it expresses. Care was therefore taken not to associate it with any particular theology of mediation, but merely to list it among Mary’s other recognized titles.
Moreover the conciliar text had already described the meaning of the title "Mediatrix" when it said that Mary "by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation" (Lumen gentium, n. 62).
...
4. ... In proclaiming Christ the one mediator (cf. 1 Tm 2:5-6), the text of St Paul’s Letter to Timothy excludes any other parallel mediation, but not subordinate mediation. In fact, before emphasizing the one exclusive mediation of Christ, the author urges "that supplications prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men" (2:1). Are not prayers a form of mediation? Indeed, according to St Paul, the unique mediation of Christ is meant to encourage other dependent, ministerial forms of mediation. By proclaiming the uniqueness of Christ’s mediation, the Apostle intends only to exclude any autonomous or rival mediation, and not other forms compatible with the infinite value of the Saviour’s work.
Source:
POPE JOHN PAUL II, GENERAL AUDIENCE, Wednesday, 1 October 1997.
Pope John Paul II said the following during the mass held in Turin, Italy:
Mary is our Mother and a true help for every Christian. ...
Trusting in her motherly love, we now ask her to intercede for us, for our families, for the sick and the suffering, for the Church and for the city of Turin, for Italy and for the whole world. ...
With her help, may the plan of divine salvation be fulfilled in each one of us, ...Source:
POPE JOHN PAUL II, REGINA COELI, 24 May 1998.
8. In the Church, the priest, alter Christus [another Christ], is the minister of the essential salvific actions. ... With Mary, Mother of the Eternal High Priest, the priest is aware that, with her, he is "an instrument of salvific communication between God and man", ...
c). The specific journey to holiness
13. ... the Blessed Virgin Mary, united with the Redeemer, comes to our assistance because “when we celebrate the Holy Mass, the Mother of the Son of God is in our midst and introduces us to the mystery of His redemptive sacrifice. Thus, she is the mediatrix of all the grace flowing from this sacrifice to the Church and to all the faithful.”
While not ex-cathedra declarations in themselves, these clearly show that Pope John Paul II presents Mary as a Co-redemptrix or Mediatrix who allegedly assists in everyone's salvation.
Please take time to visit this web page
Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici
See also:
On the verge of a Dogma?
Queenship Publishing.
Immaculate Mediatrix Online.
The Lady of All Nations
Pope John Paul II was very much a champion of Mary. On May 13, 1981 you will
recall, there was an assassination attempt made on John Paul II in St. Peter's
square. Interestingly enough, that date also commemorates the first appearance
of the apparition of
Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 in
Portugal. John Paul II credits his survival of the assassination attempt
to the direct intervention of Mary! On the following May 13th after his
recovery, in 1982, the Pope made a pilgrimage to Fatima to worship at the
shrine dedicated to Mary to express his thanks to her for saving his life!
It is quite likely, in my humble opinion, that this petition request to elevate belief in Mary as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate of humanity, to the level of dogma and an article of faith, will indeed succeed and be the crowning act of antichrist apostasy by the Catholic Church!
For more information on this topic, please go to my article
Salvation is
obtained from ... Mary?
