All Graces

[badsede]

I'm sure that many of you have heard the news that 5 cardinals have petitioned the Pope to make an ex cathedra pronouncement declaring a fifth Marian dogma, that Mary is Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces.

annabellissima and I spent yestserday evening doing a bunch of web-reading on the subject. We're both ok with the title of Co-Redemptrix when

Comments

[azinazelle]

thank you for this very detailed and insightful post. I know Mary is perhaps one of the biggest stumbling blocks for Protestants when they look at Catholics. I can't tell you how many times I was asked if I "worship" Mary when I tell them I'm Catholic. Perhaps I'm a bit strange as I always loved Mary and her spiritual motherhood of the Church. But that said, I really believe it's right to keep her in perspective and not elevate her into a goddess, getting more attention than Jesus through whom we all are redeemed.

Granted it was through her fiat that Jesus was conceived within her womb and born into this world. I alone can attest I have received many beautiful graces through her intercession, but as always we must keep in perspective where the graces come from - through Jesus. Mary does not create nor bestow these graces, she merely asks through her powerful intercession.

I wonder if this co-redemptrix idea stemmed from (God rest his soul) Pope John Paul II, who had a fervent devotion to Mary. Sometimes love, especially very powerful love, can skew things and I think naming Mary as co-redemptrix is a misguided and false idea, even if done out of love. I love my heavenly mother, but it was Jesus who redeemed the world, freed us from sin and opened the gates of heaven for humanity.

(sorry for long post)