Mary was probably a nice person???

Greetings,

You asked: What are your thoughts about Marian Apparitions?

Response: Any Marian apparitions are in the field of private revelation. Public revelation ended with the death of Jesus and his last disciples. There is no more Public revelation. God communicated himself perfectly in his Son Jesus Christ.
Marian apparitions are private revelation and are not mandatory for belief. In fact, the church has always been leary of marian apparitions. We cannot deny that God may work in people's lives through private revelations. God will work as he wills. But they are NOT public and not required by anyone. Even apparitions like at Lourdes or Fatima are NOT mandatory for belief. They are said to contain to NO ERROR in the apparition, but are not mandatory.
Personally, I focus on Public revelation. Example: In some Marian apparitions it says to read scripture. Well, when teach I will NEVER say- Mary said that we should pray scripture in such and such an apparition. Rather I will say that Our church has always taught that Scripture is important and we should pray the scriptures. Even the scriptures themselves speak of their own importance.

You asked: Also, why does it seem that Catholics focus so much attention on Mary?

Response: Actually, I see more discussion on Protestant discussion boards about Mary than I ever see in Any Catholic Church. Example: in the seminary we have 21 credits every semester for 4 years of graduate school. Of the 168 credit hours of class only 2 credits are study of Mary in theology. Then Entire Mass(majority of Catholics spiritual life) is directed to the FATHER, through the SON, and in the HOLY SPIRIT. Mary is definitely important, but I think that protestants think there is more emphasis on Mary than there really is.

peace

 

Greetings,

You asked: where is your Scriptural support for asking a mortal person, now in Heaven, to pray for you?

Response: In the Book of revelations it has the people around the throne of God with bowls of incense, which is the prayers of the people. I don't have a bible with me or the exact quote, but you will find it.

These people around the throne of God are offering the prayers of the people. Pretty clear to me.

peace

 

Greetings,

Joseph, you have more marian prayers than any catholic I know. You must have a real devotion.

peace

 

Greetings,

All your prayers are very interesting. At the end of them them all it points to Jesus, Mary's son. Even though they talk up mary quite a bit, they all in the end point to Jesus.

Also, if you knew anything about Medieval Life, you would understand these prayers well. Look up poems of courtly Love. There is a genre of Medieval poetry all devoted to the ladies of the court. To flatter the King, you would write beautiful poems about the women of the court: How fair, how beautiful, how wonderful they were. They were Non-sexual poems about the women of the court in order to praise the King. This is called poetry of courtly love.
Most of the prayers to Mary you are referring to are written in the tradition of this courtly love tradition. They write extragently about the Mother of Jesus to Praise Jesus. It was part of the culture of the time. Understand the culture and you will understand the prayers. This is the problem with Sola Scriptura. You don't think history is important, but then you criticize eveything without understanding it.

peace

 

Greetings,

You said: Mary as a goddess.

Response: If you think this created being, Mary, could be conceived of as divine, then your idea of God and divinity is pretty low. God of all majesty, Glory and power, creator of all the universe, who holds all being together in himself in what God is. Mary is one of his creations, granted a very important part of creation but simply a creation. My thought wouldn't be that we see Mary as to high, but that people on this board see God to low.

By the Way: The catholic church teaches that mary is a creation, NOT a goddess. No matter how many times you assert that we believe she is a goddess, I will respond that that is wrong. Goddess worship is idolatry and the Catholic church forbids it. Please deal with what we really teach and not what you want to imagine that we teach.

peace

 

Greetings,

You asked: Did Mary need a Saviour, TP?

Response: Yes, Mary needed a savior. God saved her at her conception rather than at her death, so that she would be prepared to Carry God within her. He created the perfect tabernacle for Jesus. Mry was a type of Ark of the covenant, carrying the presence of God. Everyone know that the ark was holy, so was Mary made Holy. Christ saved her in advance.

If there is quick sand there are two ways save someone: 1. If they are sinking into the muck we pull them out. 2. Or we stop them before they fall into the muck. Mary was stopped in advance to be Holy Vessel needed to carry God within her.

peace