There’s Something About Mary (Part 3)

7.  Why did the Catholic Church invent the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, and the Bodily Assumption in 1950?

The Catholic Church officialy defined the doctrines in 1854 and 1950, respectively.  She did not “invent” them at that time, any more than she “invented” the doctrine of the Trinity when she officially defined it in 325, or “invented” the New Testament when she officially determined the canon in 393 and 397.  The Catholic Church was merely codifying a belief which always existed in the Church, and was expressed in the writings of the early Church Fathers.

8.  Are Catholics required to believe in the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary?

Yes.  All Catholics are required to believe everything that the Church teaches.  Officially defined doctrines are called dogmas, which every Catholic must accept in order to be a faithful Catholic.  When these two doctrines were infallibly defined, they became binding dogmas of faith.

9.  Are Catholic required to believe in the Church-approved apparitions of Mary, such as Fatima and Lourdes?

No.  Catholics have the assurance of the Church that these revelations are orthodox and worthy of belief, but they are not doctrine or an addition to public revelation (which ended with the death of the last Apostle).  Therefore a Catholic is free to accept or reject these officially approved apparitions.

10.  Why do Catholics pray to Mary?  1 Timothy 2:5 says “there is ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Catholics ask for Mary’s intercession for the same reason that we ask for a fellow Christian’s intercession:  “the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects” (James 5:16)  Because Jesus is the one mediator between earth and heaven, we intercede for one another as members of Christ’s body.  If fellow saints praying for us on earth do not destroy Christ’s role as the one mediator, neither do glorified saints praying for us in heaven.  Mary is the greatest saint.  Why wouldn’t you seek her powerful intercession?

11.  Why do Catholics call Mary “blessed” and honor her with prayers and devotions, like the Rosary?

Scripture calls her “blessed” and promises that all generations will invoke her by that title (see question 1 in There’s Something About Mary Part 1).  We honor Mary because of her great privileges:  she was conceived without sin, became the mother of God while remaining a virgin, and was assumed bodily into heaven.  There she reigns as queen of heaven and earth, mother of the Church, God’s greatest creature, and mankind’s greatest boast.  We honor her because Jesus honored her-perfectly obeying the fourth commandment-and we are called to imitate Jesus.

12.  Is the “Hail Mary” scriptural?

Yes, the first part of the prayer is taken almost word-for-word from Scripture.

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28)
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42)-Jesus

The second part is based on Scripture.

Holy Mary–”you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30)
Mother of God–”mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43)
Pray for us sinners--(as we Christians pray for one another)
Now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

Continued later…