Is it possible to give Mary too much veneration?

[royal priest]

EDIT: You are in the Catholic Forum

I am a Protestant. As such, I have a huge problem with giving Mary any veneration beyond that of any ordinary person.
But my question has to do with a potential concern among the Roman Catholic Church. Does such a concern exist?

 

[MariaJLM]

No, not as far as I can see. The perfect woman who literally bore God himself inside her womb is worthy of immense respect from what I can see.

Edit: just realized this was the Catholic forum. Feel free to disregard this post.

 

[thecolorsblend]

I am a Protestant. As such, I have a huge problem with giving Mary any veneration beyond that of any ordinary person.
But my question has to do with a potential concern among the Roman Catholic Church. Does such a concern exist?

No.

Because veneration isn’t the same as worship. As long as all she’s receiving is veneration, it’s totally fine.

 

[TuxAme]

You can't "venerate" someone too much. Veneration (which is pious) and worship are two distinct things, and there's not a point where veneration becomes worship and remains veneration.

 

[royal priest]

No, not as far as I can see. The perfect woman who literally bore God himself inside her womb is worthy of immense respect from what I can see.

Edit: just realized this was the Catholic forum. Feel free to disregard this post.

I added a heads up as an edit

 

[chevyontheriver]

I am a Protestant. As such, I have a huge problem with giving Mary any veneration beyond that of any ordinary person.
But my question has to do with a potential concern among the Roman Catholic Church. Does such a concern exist?

Yes. There are rare people who do go overboard. But not the Catholics you are likely to meet here or in real life. We know better. We know Mary is not God and should never be worshipped.

 

[thecolorsblend]

EDIT: You are in the Catholic Forum

It’s okay to ask questions and discuss Catholic teachings here.

The main issue is not teaching against Catholicism even if you might disagree with us. I don’t think a thread like this one is a problem.

 

[Monk Brendan]

No.

Because veneration isn’t the same as worship. As long as all she’s receiving is veneration, it’s totally fine.

If there be any people who worship the Theotokos with the LATREIA that belongs to God alone, it is not because of the teaching of the Church, but in spite of it.

 

[royal priest]

It’s okay to ask questions and discuss Catholic teachings here.

The main issue is not teaching against Catholicism even if you might disagree with us. I don’t think a thread like this one is a problem.

I know from personal experience how easy it is to mistakenly post under 'new threads' because I failed to notice which specific section it actually belongs to.

 

[☦Marius☦]

EDIT: You are in the Catholic Forum

I am a Protestant. As such, I have a huge problem with giving Mary any veneration beyond that of any ordinary person.
But my question has to do with a potential concern among the Roman Catholic Church. Does such a concern exist?

She was more than a normal person however, Whether or not you believe she was immaculately conceived, she still sits at the right hand of Christ, is the mother of God, contained the un-containable, was perfect in submission to God's will, was the second holy of holies and the second ark of the covenant. The bush which the fire burned within and the woman crowned with twelve stars in revelation. The Bible talks about the queen of heaven. Who else could this be a reference to? It is not a negative thing but a human elevated to something special. When she carried Christ within her her spirit was widened to contain Gods, in other words in order for her to contain the un-containable her spirit itself had to be made un-containable.

She is the general of the Christian armys, the strength of the faithful. She is the helper of the sick and the begger of forgiveness for the sinful. She is the torment of demons and the helper of all in need. Christ gives her this power for his glory. Why? Because she loved him and he loves her as his mother and she is the first Christian of the new covenant.

Revelation 12:1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

I used to hate the blessed virgin back when I was baptist. I couldn't understand. Until I converted and had many personal experiences of her grace, and even saw miracles. The champion leader! Oh how everything she does is in Christ's name and by his power. Yet she fights faithfully for the faithful.

 

[ripple the car]

I think that some disagreement from Protestants springs from terminology used.

In English, "worship" can mean anything from the reverence due a god, to simply bowing in respect / deference to another, to being a really big fan of something or someone. Protestants see images of Catholics bowing in respect towards an image of Mary, and cry out "see, you *do* worship her!"

In Greek and Latin, the distinction is very, very clear. Worship is due to God alone. Veneration is due to the Saints. It is good and proper to venerate Our Lady. But we should never confuse her with God, or ascribe to her things that are untrue.

 

[Jonaitis]

I think that some disagreement from Protestants springs from terminology used.

In English, "worship" can mean anything from the reverence due a god, to simply bowing in respect / deference to another, to being a really big fan of something or someone. Protestants see images of Catholics bowing in respect towards an image of Mary, and cry out "see, you *do* worship her!"

In Greek and Latin, the distinction is very, very clear. Worship is due to God alone. Veneration is due to the Saints. It is good and proper to venerate Our Lady. But we should never confuse her with God, or ascribe to her things that are untrue.

Some of the notable early Protestants, particularly the Reformers, of the 16th century have discussed these differences and their disagreements with the way the terms were used by the Roman Catholics. Most Protestants today are unfamiliar with these semantics.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Some of the notable early Protestants, particularly the Reformers, of the 16th century have discussed these differences and their disagreements with the way the terms were used by the Roman Catholics. Most Protestants today are unfamiliar with these semantics.

They’re not semantics.

 

[royal priest]

If there be any people who worship the Theotokos with the LATREIA that belongs to God alone, it is not because of the teaching of the Church, but in spite of it.

How do you understand the RCC's notion of Theotokos to be?

 

[ripple the car]

Another big one is "worship" vs. "pray".

If I venerate an image of Our Lady, ask her to pray for me, and seek her help and intercession, I am still not confusing her with God, or worshipping her in the Grecco-Latin sense.

To pray to / petition someone in Heaven for help does not mean that we are ascribing deity to them. Just that we acknowledge that they are in Heaven, near to God, dear to God, that they still love us and care about us as Christians, and can, because God works through them, help us.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Some of the notable early Protestants, particularly the Reformers, of the 16th century have discussed these differences and their disagreements with the way the terms were used by the Roman Catholics. Most Protestants today are unfamiliar with these semantics.

Luther and Calvin would be shown the door of most Protestant groups with the opinions they had about Mary.

 

[Jonaitis]

Luther and Calvin would be shown the door of most Protestant groups with the opinions they had about Mary.

Oh, trust me, I've fought to figure out why and have succumb to see what they saw.

 

[royal priest]

They’re not semantics.

In some sense it is. Semantics are important. In some cases, the church had to invent new words in order to communicate very specific ideas. For instance, hagiology.

 

[Davidnic]

Marialis Cultus: For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by Pope Paul VI

Marialis Cultus (February 2, 1974) | Paul VI

 

[royal priest]

Marialis Cultus: For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by Pope Paul VI

Marialis Cultus (February 2, 1974) | Paul VI

Thanks for sharing this resource