Fidelibus
Well-Known Member
I've actually been to quite a few Masses myself, in different locations. The "Hail Mary" always bothered me, the turning toward her "image" to pray it bothered me even more.
Ever since my conversion to Catholicism a few years back, not once have I heard the Hail Mary prayer being recited. Our Blessed Mother may be mentioned in the prayers to the faithful, , but never has the Hail Mary been recited at any Mass I've attended.. For example, here are tomorrorws readings (7-23-17) at every Mass, at every Catholic Church, parish, Mission, or chapel, in every city, town or village throughout all of the world in the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 86: 5-6, 9-10, 15-16.
Second Reading: Romans 8: 26-27.
The Alleluia: Matt. 11:25.
Gospel: Matt. 13: 24-43.
Readings from Scripture are part of every Mass. At least two readings, one always from the Gospels, (3 on Sundays and solemnities) make up the Liturgy of the Word. In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung. In a three year cycle, the entire Bible is read at Mass. This unity in the Catholic Faith (something I never found in all the differnt Protestant/non-Denominational churches I attended) is one of the main reasons of my conversion to Catholicism. Praise be to God!
And the Catholic Church agrees. The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ is the one savior of the world. I believe author Ginny Kubitz Moyer explains it best.The Bible says we have One redeemer, one Saviour and that is not Mary, that is Jesus Christ.
As this shows, always take with a grain of salt what an anti-Catholic pastor may be teaching about in the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I suggest going directly to the source for the truth, as I did.You will sometimes hear people say that Catholics believe that Mary is the "co-redemptrix." There is a lot of misinformation around that, so here’s a quick explanation.
Over the last several years, many Catholics around the world have signed petitions urging the Pope to make a dogmatic declaration that Mary is the "co-redemptrix." They feel that this title will emphasize the unique and irreplaceable role that Mary played in the salvation of the world: namely, conceiving, giving birth to, and supporting Jesus in his mission. They do clarify (correctly) that she is subordinate to her Son, and that Jesus is the one and only Redeemer. So when they say "co-", they don’t mean "on equal footing with"; rather, they mean that she played a unique part in helping Jesus do his work of salvation.
What they say here is, in fact, nothing new. The Church has consistently taught that as the mother of Jesus, Mary did play a very unique and essential role in bringing the Savior into the world. At Vatican II, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church affirmed as much, saying, "[Mary] conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the father in the temple, and was united with him by compassion as he died on the cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Savior in giving back supernatural life to souls." ( Lumen Gentium 61; italics mine). In other words, no one else played the part that she did in bringing Christ into the world so he could save us. At the same time, the Church teaches that she is always subordinate to her son. As the Dogmatic Constiuation on the Church states a few lines later, "No creature could ever be counted as equal with the incarnate Word and Redeemer." (Lumen Gentium 62)
What is problematic to many both inside and outside the Church is that the very title "co-redemptrix" invites misunderstanding. It seems to put Mary on the same level as Christ (she isn’t), and seems to imply that she is divine (she isn’t). Those who are critical of the title also worry about its impact on ecumenical efforts with other Christian churches.
And in spite of the petitions signed by those who support the title of co-redemptrix, no pope has ever made a dogmatic declaration to formalize the title and make it official.
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