The Pope calls on Mary (again) mary, mary..

[Sing4Him]

Benedict XVI calls on Mary to assist Christians in becoming the ‘soul of the world’

The Pope in the Spanish Plaza

Vatican City, Dec 9, 2008 / 05:16 pm (CNA).- Yesterday, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Holy Father traveled to Rome’s Piazza di Spagna to pray at the statue of Mary Immaculate. Gathered in the square packed with thousands, the Pope prayed that Christians be given the courage to become “the soul of the world at this difficult moment of history.”

Upon arriving at the square, the Holy Father blessed a basket of roses and placed them at the foot of a column bearing Mary’s statue, according to tradition.

The Pope then spoke to the crowd about his visit last September to Lourdes, France for the 150th anniversary of the apparition of Mary to Bernadette Soubirous. The anniversary celebrations, which lasted throughout 2008, ended yesterday, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

"Belief in Mary's Immaculate Conception existed many centuries before the Lourdes apparitions," he explained, adding that the apparitions were a “divine seal” to Blessed Pius IX’s declaration of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854 as a dogma of the Church.

The Pope continued by reminding the audience that it is through Mary that we recognize "the 'smile of God',” and find “new hope amidst the problems and dramas of the world."

He went on to explain the significance of the roses. “All roses have their thorns which for us represent the difficulties, sufferings and evils that have marked and continue to mark the lives of individuals and of our communities. To a mother we present our joys but we also entrust our concerns, certain of finding in her the comfort not to lose heart and the support to continue our journey,” he added.

The Pope then entrusted to Mary "the 'smallest' of our city: first and foremost children, especially those who are seriously ill, the disadvantaged,” those in difficult family situations, the elderly who are alone, immigrants striving to make ends meet, and those who are unemployed.

He continued in prayer, “Mary, teach us to show solidarity towards those in difficulty, to bridge the ever-increasing social disparities; help us to cultivate a more lively sense of the common good, of respect for the common well-being, and to make our contribution for a more just and united society.”

"Your beauty," Pope Benedict said, "ensures us that the victory of love is possible, indeed that it is certain. It assures us that grace is stronger than sin and that hence redemption from any form of slavery is possible. Mary, you help us to believe in goodness more trustingly; you encourage us to remain vigilant and not to give in to the temptation of facile forms of evasion, to face reality with courage and responsibility.”

"Be a loving mother to our young people, that they may have the courage to be 'sentinels of the morrow'," the Pope concluded, "and.....

http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14568

[ihope]

So sad...

Mary was a recipient of God's Grace....that's it! "Mary is our enduring EXAMPLE for faith (since she stands first of the human race to accept Christ), service to God, and a life of righteousness."

[fracturedInfinity]

You know, if we fit the RCC into the story of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, I don't think the RCC would be playing the role of Elijah. I can see Elijah telling the pope, cry louder, maybe she's asleep or maybe she went on a trip.

[ihope]

You know, if we fit the RCC into the story of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, I don't think the RCC would be playing the role of Elijah. I can see Elijah telling the pope, cry louder, maybe she's asleep or maybe she went on a trip.

[Xenosjeff]

They don't pray to Mary? Who is he talking to?


Silly Pope.



Jeff

[Tres Wright]

Oh Great All Seeing Statue of Mary! Bring your bountiful harvest to Mother Earth! Bow peasants, bow and kiss the ring of the Great Pope of Earth! Bow I say! And now we will pass around the collection plate, please place your gold rings, necklaces and baubles in so we can fashion a beautiful golden calf! Wheeeee!

[FrankBeMe]

to face reality

How ironic.......

[turtle]

I am Jehovah; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images. (Isaiah 42:8)

that you not deal corruptly, and make for yourselves a graven image, a likeness of any figure, the form of a male or female, (Deuteronomy 4:16)

You shall not make a graven image for you, any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, and in the waters from under the earth. (Deuteronomy 5:8)

All who serve graven images are shamed, those who boast themselves in idols; all gods bow down before Him. (Psalms 97:7)

You shall not make idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a memorial pillar. And you shall not place any stone image in your land, to bow yourselves to it; for I am Jehovah your God. (Leviticus 26:1)


I think it is very clear from scripture that what they are doing is big time sin.
And has nothing to do with the one true God.

[twisty58]

After all these years I am still shocked by the whole adoration of Mary thing.

[Gabby]

I am Jehovah; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images. (Isaiah 42:8)

that you not deal corruptly, and make for yourselves a graven image, a likeness of any figure, the form of a male or female, (Deuteronomy 4:16)

You shall not make a graven image for you, any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, and in the waters from under the earth. (Deuteronomy 5:8)

All who serve graven images are shamed, those who boast themselves in idols; all gods bow down before Him. (Psalms 97:7)

You shall not make idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a memorial pillar. And you shall not place any stone image in your land, to bow yourselves to it; for I am Jehovah your God. (Leviticus 26:1)


I think it is very clear from scripture that what they are doing is big time sin.
And has nothing to do with the one true God.

EXACTLY. How on earth do they miss these verses? It's just mindboggling, actually.

[aquamarinebug]

I am Jehovah; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images. (Isaiah 42:8)

that you not deal corruptly, and make for yourselves a graven image, a likeness of any figure, the form of a male or female, (Deuteronomy 4:16)

You shall not make a graven image for you, any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, and in the waters from under the earth. (Deuteronomy 5:8)

All who serve graven images are shamed, those who boast themselves in idols; all gods bow down before Him. (Psalms 97:7)

You shall not make idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a memorial pillar. And you shall not place any stone image in your land, to bow yourselves to it; for I am Jehovah your God. (Leviticus 26:1)


I think it is very clear from scripture that what they are doing is big time sin.
And has nothing to do with the one true God.

Raised in the RCC and I just copied this and sent it to my dad for his insight. I know he HATED RCC school - and was beat by nuns on a regular basis because he was "left handed" and it was a sign of the devil.

...needless to say, today he can write with BOTH hands VERY neatly, in fact.

anywho, it will be interesting to see if he responds...I told him I was a born again Christian (recently) and stuff, and I started asking him all kinds of questions and he is like "are you okay??"

My dad doesn't really practice catholicism - and I don't think he's been to a church in awhile. I asked if he was saved and he said yes, but I'm not sure..

Like, if someone accepts Christ at a young age and "grows up" - and away from Christ - is his salvation null and void?

...I am so confused about that.

I think he kinda shrugs off the RCC stuff because he saw how silly it was too - at times, but he followed it because of his very devout mother. I don't know if it matters to him one way or another - but I do know that he can speak in latin and all kinds of crazy stuff - but he never really would intentionally "demonstrate."

He gave me the choice of doing what I wanted - religion was NEVER forced upon me..and only recently have I became a BAC...I know he'd support me through anything - and I think the reason he didn't "force" me was because he WAS - and it made him miserable. (Writing with both hands, anyone? )

So anywho - I will see if he responds and let ya guys know.

In the mean time, if you could pray for him/his salvation..that'd be great.

[Tres Wright]

My dad doesn't really practice catholicism - and I don't think he's been to a church in awhile. I asked if he was saved and he said yes, but I'm not sure..

Dig a little deeper. My brother also told me he was saved, even went so far as to say that he had given his life to Christ and called himself a Christian. But I kept digging, asking questions about funny things he mentioned to me, and it turns out he has never touched the Bible, doesn't believe it and has built his entire "faith" on New Age books by Van Praagh. If you're not familiar with him, he's a con artist that is constantly on TV pretending to talk to people's dead relatives. His books are so filled with apostasy that another whole book could be written just about the evil he's perpetrating. My brother took it hook, line and sinker and believes that Praagh teaches the "real" Christianity. I share that just to let people know not to take someone's claim of Christianity at face value. Ask them. Dig. Find out where their real beliefs are and then if they're in the wrong place try to turn them to Christ's salvation.

In the mean time, if you could pray for him/his salvation..that'd be great.

You bet!

[aquamarinebug]

Dig a little deeper. My brother also told me he was saved, even went so far as to say that he had given his life to Christ and called himself a Christian. But I kept digging, asking questions about funny things he mentioned to me, and it turns out he has never touched the Bible, doesn't believe it and has built his entire "faith" on New Age books by Van Praagh. If you're not familiar with him, he's a con artist that is constantly on TV pretending to talk to people's dead relatives. His books are so filled with apostasy that another whole book could be written just about the evil he's perpetrating. My brother took it hook, line and sinker and believes that Praagh teaches the "real" Christianity. I share that just to let people know not to take someone's claim of Christianity at face value. Ask them. Dig. Find out where their real beliefs are and then if they're in the wrong place try to turn them to Christ's salvation.



You bet!

!

Thank you! I am gonna keep digging...such great advice. I really don't know what his beliefs are..which now that I think of it, is baaad. I've known him my whole life, he's my DAD!

[aquamarinebug]

...and you are now returned to your regularly scheduled post.

[Seabird]

Why can't they just stick to scripture.

[ZeldaCA]

So wrong, on so many levels......

[turtle]

Im going to pray for your Dad Aquabug ..


but check this out.

All who serve graven images are shamed, those who boast themselves in idols; all gods bow down before Him. (Psalms 97:7)

And many of them that sleep (That are Dead) in the dust of the earth (Buried) shall awake (Rise), some to everlasting life (Judged worthy to enter into Heaven), and some to shame and everlasting contempt.(Judged unrighteous and will enter into the Lake of Fire.)


This is the same word shame here.
Whenever the same word is used it is very scary.
These people who are worshiping Mary are in Deep trouble.
But i feel they have knowingly turned away from the truth.

[KaiafromBergen]

I am Jehovah; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images. (Isaiah 42:8)

Maybe they think that a conversation like this went on in Heaven (please realize this is all satire . . . not for a minute do I think anything like this ever happened!!! In fact, if Mary is aware of "adoration" heaped on her by the RCC, she is not happy in the least!!!!):

Jesus: I am Lord of All!!

Mary: Who conceived you and put up with the embarrassment of your step-father finding out that I was with child before we got married . . . who carried you for nine months, put up with morning sickness, went thru the pain of delivery, changed your diapers, etc . . . don't I deserve some credit???

I can't think of any other twisted (sin-filled) kind of logic that could account for such idol worship!!!

Now, there is a major flaw in human thinking that only another human can possibly understand what "we" go through, but this denies the humanity of Christ - Jesus was all Human and All God in the same Person!!

Frankly, I would rather believe in someone who had all the answers . . . not another flawed human!!!!

[Lvanett]

After all these years I am still shocked by the whole adoration of Mary thing.

Me too. It saddens me to hear the prayers and worship offered to Mary....I've tuned in to EWTN to see if they had anything worthwhile on, and just my luck they had on one of their many "Holy Rosary" programs followed by a long prayer to Mary (and God too) and gave her every title you could imagine. Queen of this, Mother of that, Virgin this, Lady that...and so on.

What I don't understand though, is why does it seem like God honors those prayers to not just Mary, but also Saints too? We as Christians know they are wrong, and you'd think that by His honoring and answering those prayers He's saying it's ok. But I know that ain't so.