Catholic Apologetics Online

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750. What is her place in the Christian religion?: Mary's place in the Christian religion should be obvious. She is the morning star preceding the Light of the World, Christ. The only difference is that all her light is derived from the Son she heralds. By God's eternal decree Mary has been associated with the highest mysteries of the…; Mary's place in the Christian religion should be obvious. She is the morning star preceding the Light of the World, Christ. The only difference is that all her light is derived from the Son she heralds. By God's eternal decree Mary has been associated with the highest mysteries of the Christian religion, being the very instrument of the Incarnation of the Eternal Son of God, and, therefore, of our redemption. We have devotion to her both because of our admiration of her, and because of her interest in our eternal welfare. When we honor Mary, of course, we are but honoring Christ in her. Without Him, she would be nothing, and she would be the first to admit it. And the honor we show her cannot displease Christ. He was the best Son who ever lived, and would rather be displeased were His Mother ignored or slighted. Remember the bootblack's answer to the parson. Whilst having his boots polished, the parson saw a medal of the Virgin Mary hanging from the boy's neck on a string. "Sonny," he said, "why do you wear that?" "She is the Mother of Christ," said the boy. "But," objected the parson, "she's no different from your own mother." "No," replied the boy, "but there's a hell of a difference between the sons." We owe love and devotion to the Mother of Christ.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
1201. Nuns could do far more for humanity out amongst people than shut away in convents.: Firstly, the vast majority of nuns are engaged in teaching duties, nursing, caring for orphans, the aged, and the dying. In these activities they do an immense work for the human race. The time left over from these duties they give to prayer and the service of God, instead of…; Firstly, the vast majority of nuns are engaged in teaching duties, nursing, caring for orphans, the aged, and the dying. In these activities they do an immense work for the human race. The time left over from these duties they give to prayer and the service of God, instead of giving their leisure time to dances, theatres, worldly amusements and self-satisfaction. There are some orders, very few, which devote themselves almost wholly to prayer and the worship of God.Now, if we are Christians, we believe in prayer. St. James says "Pray for one another that you may be saved." Indeed prayer is one of the greatest forces in this world. Tennyson rightly said "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." Think of Abraham's prayer for Sodom and how God heard his constant plea for mercy on easier conditions. The Bible teems with instances, and I maintain that you can scarcely do a human being a greater service than to pray sincerely for him. Our Lord Himself gives the instance of Martha and Mary, Martha very busy attending to temporal needs, and complaining that Mary was not helping. Yet Jesus said "Martha, thou art troubled about many things, yet Mary hath chosen the better part."No. I do not think a nun could do more for the human race than by praying for those fellow human beings who are so forgetful of prayer themselves.

Topic: "Convent Life" in Vol 3.
1292. Catholics worship Mary and her Child; Hindoos worship Lankhria, Queen of Heaven, and her Son, Devi, King of Heaven.: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You understand neither the Catholic religion nor the Hindu religion. And you are not, therefore, in a position to compare them. It is true that we Catholics worship Jesus as God. We do not worship Mary as a goddess.Your statement of the Hindu…; A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You understand neither the Catholic religion nor the Hindu religion. And you are not, therefore, in a position to compare them. It is true that we Catholics worship Jesus as God. We do not worship Mary as a goddess.Your statement of the Hindu teaching is equally astray. The ancient Hindu or Vedic religion taught straight-out pantheism. In reality one alone exists-Brahman. The thought that anything else exists is illusion.Five centuries after the birth of Christ a new Hindu sect arose called the Tautrikas or Saktas. They taught a subordinate god named Siva, gave him a wife named Durga, and declared that she was identical with him and in no way different from him. She was worshipped as a goddess, though identical with Siva the god! The Hindu sect made her supreme, because they said she was the "power" of Siva, the active side of his nature. This Durga was called Devi, which means "the" goddess. How can you make Devi the King of Heaven, when the very word means "the" goddess? Any ordinary encyclopedia would tell you that, in Hindu mythology, Devi was regarded as a goddess, and not King of Heaven or of anywhere else. Nor have these Indian mythological characters any historical reality such as all the world acknowledges in the case of Christ and His mother, Mary.

Topic: "Pagan derivations" in Vol 3.
1173. Why should a priest shirk family responsibilities, and lack experience of the needs of ordinary people?: A priest does not shirk the responsibilities of a family. He gives up the prospect of a personal family, but makes all mankind his family. Had I the obligation to devote myself to a wife and family, I could not give anything like the time I do to all who…; A priest does not shirk the responsibilities of a family. He gives up the prospect of a personal family, but makes all mankind his family. Had I the obligation to devote myself to a wife and family, I could not give anything like the time I do to all who claim my attention in their spiritual needs. But besides these, and other urgent considerations, the Holy Eucharist and the Mass demand celibacy. Those who have lost the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and who do not understand the Mass are scarcely likely to appreciate this point. But every Catholic heart understands that such contact with God at the Altar demands reserve, and that virginity is every bit as fitting and suitable to a priest as to Mary, the Mother of Christ. Meantime a priest experiences the needs of the ordinary people, through his spiritual duties towards them, and above all as their adviser and consoler in the Confessional. Few in this world have so wide an experience, and the very abnegation of the priest adds immeasurably to his power.

Topic: "Celibacy" in Vol 3.
778. Has everyone an equal chance of getting to heaven?: Not necessarily. The attaining of heaven depends upon the reception of actual Baptism in the case of infants, and upon Baptism at least implicitly by desire on the part of adults. But I take it from your letter that you are referring to adults, i. e., those who have come…; Not necessarily. The attaining of heaven depends upon the reception of actual Baptism in the case of infants, and upon Baptism at least implicitly by desire on the part of adults. But I take it from your letter that you are referring to adults, i. e., those who have come to the age of reason and responsibility. Yet even then, not all have necessarily an equal chance of salvation, although all, without exception, have a true chance. For example, Mary, the Mother of Christ, certainly received very special graces and helps which are not given to ordinary souls. But God gives to every adult sufficient grace for salvation. He has no obligation to give to every soul those extraordinary graces which, in His sheer generosity, He bestows upon some. The question of justice does not enter into the distribution of gratuitous gifts, although God is bound in justice to Himself to give sufficient grace that men may observe the commandments He imposes. And He does so.

Topic: "Grace and salvation" in Vol 3.
749. The glory does not rest with her but with God.: Mary herself said that. She gave the glory to God, saying, "He that is mighty hath done great things to me." But she did not deny that great things had been done to her which had not been done to others. And those who receive the greater gifts from God…; Mary herself said that. She gave the glory to God, saying, "He that is mighty hath done great things to me." But she did not deny that great things had been done to her which had not been done to others. And those who receive the greater gifts from God deserve the greater honor from us.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
754. Why did the Church define it?: Because it rightly expresses the truth concerning Mary as contained in God's revelation. That truth is that Mary was exempted from any trace of inherited original sin.…; Because it rightly expresses the truth concerning Mary as contained in God's revelation. That truth is that Mary was exempted from any trace of inherited original sin.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
759. You pick the plums out of Renan when it suits your case.: The fact that Renan, so radically opposed to the supernatural element in the Gospels, says so few things that suit our case immeasurably intensifies the value of his verdict when he admits that the Gospel text supposes that Jesus was the only child of Mary. All his inclinations would be…; The fact that Renan, so radically opposed to the supernatural element in the Gospels, says so few things that suit our case immeasurably intensifies the value of his verdict when he admits that the Gospel text supposes that Jesus was the only child of Mary. All his inclinations would be against making that admission. You are not happier in deluding yourself that Mary had other children than Renan, the rationalist, would have been, could he have brought himself to believe that the text permitted such a persuasion.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
693. Is it not true that there are no references to the Life of Jesus in the Gospels from the ages of twelve to thirty?: That is not quite true. St. Luke tells us that Jesus went down to Nazareth, and that He was subject to Joseph and Mary. The Greek word used by St. Luke implies that He was continuously subject to them.…; That is not quite true. St. Luke tells us that Jesus went down to Nazareth, and that He was subject to Joseph and Mary. The Greek word used by St. Luke implies that He was continuously subject to them.

Topic: "Nature and work of Christ" in Vol 3.
558. Science scouts belief in the Immaculate Conception of Mary.: It does not. And it cannot really deal with the question. Do you know what the Immaculate Conception means? It means that Mary the Mother of Christ was never contaminated by the stigma of original sin inherited from our first parents. You don't believe in original sin at all, nor…; It does not. And it cannot really deal with the question. Do you know what the Immaculate Conception means? It means that Mary the Mother of Christ was never contaminated by the stigma of original sin inherited from our first parents. You don't believe in original sin at all, nor in its derivation to mankind. Whilst, therefore, I believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, you believe in the immaculate conception of everybody; for you believe that nobody is contaminated by original sin.

Topic: "The voice of science" in Vol 3.
436. Christ chose poverty.: And the Pope, too, must be poor in spirit. However vast the Vatican, which has been built during generations and to last for generations, the Pope must live a simple, humble, and Christ-like life within its walls. And he does so. Not for a moment does he regard the Vatican…; And the Pope, too, must be poor in spirit. However vast the Vatican, which has been built during generations and to last for generations, the Pope must live a simple, humble, and Christ-like life within its walls. And he does so. Not for a moment does he regard the Vatican as his own personal property; and he will make no attempt to will it away to people of his choice when he comes to die. When Pope Pius X. died in 1914, he was able to write, "I was born poor; I have lived poor; and I wish to die poor. I ask the Holy See to grant a monthly allowance-not to exceed 300 lire-to my sisters Anna and Mary." He had nothing to leave directly to them himself. One anti-Catholic paper grudgingly admitted, "The sum which Pius X. asked for his sisters is barely sufficient for food and clothing-less than five dollars a week; and even so, is subject to the approval of his successor. He regards all as belonging to the Church, nothing to himself personally."

Topic: "Holiness of the Church" in Vol 3.
1281. I would like to know if there is any reason for departing from Christ's teachings.: There is not. But do you understand Christ's teachings? Have you any reason for believing that you have clearly grasped them? You object to vestments and jewels valued at half a million being worn at a splendid and glorious procession in honor of Christ in the midst of a gathering…; There is not. But do you understand Christ's teachings? Have you any reason for believing that you have clearly grasped them? You object to vestments and jewels valued at half a million being worn at a splendid and glorious procession in honor of Christ in the midst of a gathering of over a million people. Will you object to the lavish display and the beautiful ceremonial which took place at the coronation of King George VI.? Yet is Christ, the King of Kings, worthy of less honor than an earthly sovereign? You may say that Christ neither wishes nor accepts such external demonstrations of honor. I have already answered that by showing that He did so when His disciples cast their garments in the way, and accompanied Him into Jerusalem midst shouts of joy and waving palms, all with His consent. He sanctioned exactly the same principle when Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed Him with very costly ointment in the presence of all there assembled. And Judas complained of the lavish expense in His honor. "Why was not the ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" cried Judas. He thought it a dreadful waste that 10 or 12 dollars in our present day money should be used in such an ostentatious display of reverence for Christ. And Jesus rebuked, not Mary, but Judas. In the past, as a Protestant, I shared your views on these matters, and had much the same outlook. I understand your attitude, therefore, and do not intend any reproach in all that I have said. But it is certain that you have not fully understood the spirit of the Gospels, nor the spirit of Catholic ceremonial. And for that reason, your comparison of the two is bound to be faulty.

Topic: "Glamor of ritual" in Vol 3.
472. We Protestants are Catholics, but you are Roman Catholics.: You do not say what type of Protestantism you profess. But no single type of Protestantism can possibly be Catholic. The Catholic Faith is one Faith believed universally. The Catholic Church means one world-wide united body. Protestantism as a whole is a conglomerate of conflicting bodies. And no single form…; You do not say what type of Protestantism you profess. But no single type of Protestantism can possibly be Catholic. The Catholic Faith is one Faith believed universally. The Catholic Church means one world-wide united body. Protestantism as a whole is a conglomerate of conflicting bodies. And no single form of Protestantism is world-wide in any sense of the word. You must face the difficulties of your position. Let us suppose that you are an Anglican. What are you going to do with the Greek Orthodox, Wesleyans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and others? Are they "Catholics"? Or will you call them Greek Catholics, Wesleyan Catholics, Presbyterian Catholics, etc? Are Anglicans alone to be straight-out Catholics? Or are each and all of these conflicting religions Catholic-Roman Catholics alone not being Catholics? Also, turn to history. It is said by Anglicans that the Pope had falsely usurped jurisdiction over the whole Church. England had to leave the Pope, but intended to remain Catholic. But if that were so, on its own principles it should have joined the Greek Church which had already renounced the Pope. Yet it did not. England separated from any kind of union with all other bishops in the world! Again, no Anglican will deny that the Church in England prior to the Reformation was the Catholic Church. If the present Church of England is the same why was the Mass abolished, and a new Prayer Book and Communion Service unheard of till then in Christendom introduced? Edward VI. abolished the Mass; Mary the Catholic restored the Mass; Elizabeth the Protestant abolished the Mass. The Church of England adopted the word Protestant; and the king has to swear that he is a faithful Protestant as opposed to the Catholic religion. James II. could have remained king had he ceased to be a Catholic. He was deposed and William of Orange was brought in to secure the Protestant succession. How can Anglicans turn round now and say that they are Catholics? You yourself now wish to remain a Protestant, yet be a Catholic. We are Roman Catholics. No one in Spain is a Catholic-all there are Spanish Roman Catholics. No one in France is a Catholic. They are French Roman Catholics. The "Catholics" in the United States are not Catholics. They are American Roman Catholics. Pure and undefiled Catholics are to be found only in Anglicanism. If you want to find a genuine Catholic, you must look for him in an English Protestant! No sane man in the world would admit this. But I have said enough. Those only are Catholics who belong to that Catholic Church which is discerned from the fact of its union with the Bishop of Rome.

Topic: "Catholicity of the Church" in Vol 3.
1132. No human being has the right to make such laws affecting the marriages of other people.: The Queensland Marriage Act of 1864 declared that no marriage would be deemed valid unless celebrated between 8 o'clock in the morning and 8 o'clock in the evening. If the state can thus legislate in the matter for civil purposes the Church can certainly do so for ecclesiastical purposes. And…; The Queensland Marriage Act of 1864 declared that no marriage would be deemed valid unless celebrated between 8 o'clock in the morning and 8 o'clock in the evening. If the state can thus legislate in the matter for civil purposes the Church can certainly do so for ecclesiastical purposes. And it makes no difference whether validity is made to depend upon the hour of 8 o'clock or the year 1908. The one difference between the two cases is that, in this matter of the Sacrament of Marriage, it is the legislation of the Catholic Church which binds before God rather than the legislation of civil authority.

Topic: "Marriage Legislation" in Vol 3.
747. Why does the Catholic Church give so much honor to Mary when she was just an ordinary woman selected for a great purpose?: Firstly, I deny that Mary was just an ordinary woman. She was a human being, but amongst human beings there are degrees of dignity. And she was no ordinary woman to whom God thought fit to send an Archangel with the salutation, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with…; Firstly, I deny that Mary was just an ordinary woman. She was a human being, but amongst human beings there are degrees of dignity. And she was no ordinary woman to whom God thought fit to send an Archangel with the salutation, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." Nor was she an ordinary woman to whom Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Ghost, cried out, "Blessed art thou amongst women; and whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me." Had any ordinary woman come to visit Elizabeth, no such exclamation would have fallen from her lips.Secondly, you yourself say that Mary was selected for a great purpose. Selected by whom? By God. Now God has ever fittingly prepared those whom He has deigned to call to great duties. We see that in the case of the Prophets, and above all, in the case of that greatest of all the Prophets, St. John the Baptist. Yet not one of these had so close a relationship to Jesus as she who was destined to be His Mother.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
748. Some female had to be selected, and it just happened to be Mary of Nazareth.: If one who professes to be a Christian and to believe in the Bible thinks to please Christ by speaking contemptuously of His Mother, he is very much mistaken. I do not know whether you hold your own mother in reverence and esteem. But I will presume that you do.…; If one who professes to be a Christian and to believe in the Bible thinks to please Christ by speaking contemptuously of His Mother, he is very much mistaken. I do not know whether you hold your own mother in reverence and esteem. But I will presume that you do. And I will merely say that Jesus was a far better Son to His Mother than you ever have been to yours. If you would resent any attempt to belittle your mother, you have a faint indication of what Christ thinks of such words as yours. As for your remark that "it just happened," a moment ago you said that Mary was selected for a great purpose. Selection by an infinitely wise God is not a haphazard proceeding. There were reasons for the selection of Mary rather than others, and those reasons had to do with her holiness and fitness above all others for the immense dignity.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
751. Scripture accords no attributes of deity to Mary, and outside the grace of God, she was as helpless as any other woman.: The Catholic Church forbids anyone to ascribe any attributes of deity to Mary, whether inside or outside the grace of God. However holy she might be by grace, she still remains a creature. Mary would be the first to say that, but for the grace of God, she would have…; The Catholic Church forbids anyone to ascribe any attributes of deity to Mary, whether inside or outside the grace of God. However holy she might be by grace, she still remains a creature. Mary would be the first to say that, but for the grace of God, she would have no privileges beyond those of other women. The Catholic Church teaches the same. But she certainly did receive graces that no other woman ever received or ever will receive, and in supernatural dignity and power surpasses them all. In bringing forth Jesus Christ she brought forth the life of my soul, and she is as much my mother in the supernatural order as my earthly mother in the temporal and natural order. And I for one hope ever to retain a child's devotion to my heavenly Mother till the day of my death and for all eternity. I know that as Eve was the mother of all the living, yet brought us forth to suffering, misery and death, so Mary, the second Eve, between whom and Satan God promised to put enmity, brought me forth to the happiness and life of God's grace.Eve listened to Satan, disobeyed God, gave us to eat of the tree of evil, left us miserable and driven from the paradise of the grace of God.Mary listened to an Angel, obeyed, gave us to eat of the tree of life, restored happiness to us and us to God's grace, and she is enthroned in heaven with Christ. And there she is my Mother and my Queen. I can only wish she could be as proud of me as I am of her.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
752. In what way did Mary take her part in the redemptive work of mankind, which was accomplished by Christ alone?: Christ was the principal Author of our redemption, but there were many secondary cooperators in the work. We even find St. Paul saying that we are to fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ. The explanation of this, however, would demand a treatise on the mystical body…; Christ was the principal Author of our redemption, but there were many secondary cooperators in the work. We even find St. Paul saying that we are to fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ. The explanation of this, however, would demand a treatise on the mystical body of Christ as comprising all the members of the Church, and I can scarcely do justice to it now. All I can say is that Mary cooperated in the redemptive work in a way quite special to herself.As Jesus is the second Adam, so Mary is the second Eve. As our first Mother Eve brought us forth to misery and suffering, so our second Mother Mary, in bringing forth our Savior, brought us forth to happiness and salvation. Mary's consent was asked by God when the time for the Incarnation was at hand; she consented to the full work of Christ from the cave of Bethlehem to the Cross of Calvary. She provided the very blood that was shed for us. In union with Christ she had her own passion, and Simeon rightly predicted to her, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, "Thy own soul a sword shall pierce." With, in, and through the work of Christ her sufferings also contributed secondarily towards our redemption. And she was given to us from the Cross as a mother for a mother's work. To all of us Christ said, in the person of St. John, "Son, behold thy Mother." We Catholics, therefore, regard Mary as our spiritual Mother, entertaining towards her the love and devotion of children. Every Christian woman, above all, should regard Mary, the Mother of Christ, as the glory of her sex.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
755. At what date did the Roman Catholic Church adopt the idea of the Immaculate Conception by Jesus' Mother?: I am afraid you are confusing two different doctrines. The Immaculate Conception is a term referring to the conception of Mary herself by her parents, Joachim and Anne. When Mary herself was conceived, her soul was preserved immaculate, or free from inherited original sin. But when Mary herself conceived Jesus,…; I am afraid you are confusing two different doctrines. The Immaculate Conception is a term referring to the conception of Mary herself by her parents, Joachim and Anne. When Mary herself was conceived, her soul was preserved immaculate, or free from inherited original sin. But when Mary herself conceived Jesus, it was under the influence of the Holy Ghost, and not through any relations with man. This could be called the miraculous conception of the child Jesus. Usually it is referred to as the Virgin Birth, since it implies that Mary remained a virgin even though she gave birth to Jesus. Both the doctrine that Jesus was born of a virgin, and that that virgin was herself immaculate from the very moment of her own conception are taught in the Gospels. But the latter doctrine is not so clearly recorded as the former. That Jesus was born of a virgin Mother has been explicitly taught by the Catholic Church from the very beginning. So in the Apostles' Creed itself we say, "born of the Virgin Mary." That the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary herself is also part of the Christian revelation was defined by the Catholic Church in 1854. The Church did not invent a new doctrine then. She merely defined that such was the original Christian teaching of the New Testament.

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.
756. How can you say that Mary was ever a virgin when the Bible speaks of the brethren of the Lord?: The expression, "brethren of the Lord," is no argument whatever that Mary had other children besides Jesus. For the Jews used that expression of any near relatives, without intending necessarily the first degree of blood relationship. It was enough for people to be descendants of the same tribe to be…; The expression, "brethren of the Lord," is no argument whatever that Mary had other children besides Jesus. For the Jews used that expression of any near relatives, without intending necessarily the first degree of blood relationship. It was enough for people to be descendants of the same tribe to be called brethren. James was called the brother of Jesus. Yet we know that he was the son of Alphaeus, and Mary was certainly never the wife of Alphaeus. This James, also, was the blood brother of Jude. And Jude begins his epistle with the words, "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James." Here he is using the word brother in the strict sense, and knows that he cannot in that sense call himself the brother of Jesus Christ. Yet in the broad sense of the word, he is ranked amongst the kinsmen of Christ, as we know from Matthew XIII., 55, where the Gospel speaks of "His brethren James and Joseph, and Simon and Jude."

Topic: "Mary, the mother of God" in Vol 3.

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"The hardest thing to find in the world today is an argument. Because so few are thinking, naturally there are found but few to argue. Prejudice there is in abundance and sentiment too, for these things are born of enthusiasms without the pain of labour. Thinking, on the contrary, is a difficult task; it is the hardest work a man can do - that is perhaps why so few indulge in it."
- Mgsr Fulton Sheen in Preface to Vol 3 (1942)

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