Catholics: Mary and salvation?

Question

Once again I am asking this respectfully. I really am trying to understand Catholicism and your specific beliefs. Not attack them.

I have read some quote recently, and no need to post them here, that seem to lead to the idea that Mary plays a role in salvation. I truly can't see this being the case and wanted your opinion on it. Does Mary play any role in our salvation? Is there a group pushing this idea in Catholicism? If the Pope declared this to be the case what would you think?

Just so people know where I stand. I believe my salvation is based upon Jesus and Him alone.

panglosswasright - actually this is the first time I asked this question. As to why I ask about Catholic beliefs, is it just possible I like to learn? I like to increase my knowledge? For some of us learning is a reward in and of itself.

cristoiglesia - Believe it or not now that I understand what you mean by praying to the saints I have no problem with it. I will admit I am uncertain of its effectiveness but that is not the point. If one is truly just asking a saint to pray to God for them I actually see no problem with it.

What I was asking is this. Does Mary specifically play a role in our salvation. In our individual salvation is what I meant which I guess I should have been clearer about. Which is not a question I have seen asked here a lot. Maybe I missed it.

Answer 1

Every true Christian shares in the redemption and salvation by uniting themselves to Christ. Do you not strive to convert others to your belief? You are then, in this way, a path to redemption, Christ within you so to speak. Don't make it more than it is. She did the most in that regard, and infact, continues, living in Christ, to do so, with the many apparitions that have occured around the world, she is AIDING our redemption and salvation by POINTING the way to Christ. We all try to do so for our fellow man.

"Take up your cross and follow me."
Invites us all to share in the salvation of everyone's souls

Answer 2

Do you mean Mary's role in salvation for man as a whole or for each individual? If you mean the Redemption for all mankind, Mary is the Mother of God. That's a pretty big role to play, don't you think? If you mean for each individual, I think that you can pray to Mary and ask her to help you by praying to her Son for you. If the Pope said that this was part of Catholic doctrine, then yes, I believe it because the Pope is infallible in all Church teachings. Thanks for asking the question without any Catholic bashing; it's so refreshing when there's no religious bigotry on this site. =)

God bless you!
A.F.

Answer 3

I was brought up Catholic (non-religious now) and I never heard nor thought that Mary has any role in salvation. I was always told that only Jesus did this.

Answer 4

Catholics believe that Mary and also the saints can pray on their behalf. Other people can pray on their behalf also to save their souls from purgatory after they die. I don't think they talk about salvation the same way Protestants do. Sacraments such as Reconciliation and Last Rites put them on the path to heaven. Baptism and Confirmation save them from the grasp of satan.

Answer 5

Mary gave birth to Jesus, plain and simple

Answer 6

Jesus Christ is our wellspring of salvation.

Mary has a unique role in our salvation because she provided the physical body of Christ and thereby became the "mother" of all those who would be saved. God has done great things for and through her.


Whereas our Lord Jesus Christ tells us there is no greater man to walk the earth than John the Baptist, both the Archangel Gabriel and the saintly Elizabeth confess to Mary, "Blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:28 and 42). She is the most blessed of women for several reasons, the greatest of which is that she conceived, carried, gave birth to, and nurtured the very Savior of our souls. The One who today occupies the heavenly throne of David, seated regally at the right hand of God the Father, entered the human race and became our Savior through her womb. She was sovereignly chosen by the Father to bear His only begotten Son. In that role, Mary is the first person in all history to receive and accept Christ as her Savior. You and I are called to enthrone the Lord in our hearts and lives-to follow her example in doing so. Early in Christian history she is called "the first of the redeemed".

While God certainly knew Mary desired to please Him, He did not take her service for granted. The angel explained how she would bear Christ. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest [God the Father] will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Now Mary had a decision to make. Was she willing? Hear her answer, for it is the doorway to the life of spiritual service for all of us. "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!" she said. "Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Even if we are totally sincere about wanting to follow God, He will never conscript us apart from our consent.

The Church has taught from the very beginning that Mary is the supreme example, or prototype, of what happens to a person who fully places trust and faith in God. Everything we aspire to become in Christ, she already is. We are all to "receive" Christ (John 1:12).Mary was the first human being who did receive Christ. Out of the millions of "decisions" made for Christ, Mary's was the first. Therefore, whatever promises the Holy Scriptures hold for us, Mary already possesses.

If we who are called "holy brethren" (Hebrews 3:1) are commanded to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15, 16) and are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), is it so unthinkable that she whose holy body was the recipient of God Incarnate should be called "most holy" by the Church? If Saint Paul instructs us to "[pray] always . . . for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18), is it so outrageous to confess with the Church that Holy Mary (along with all the saints who have passed from death to life and continually stand in the presence of Christ) intercedes before her Son on behalf of all men? Mary volitionally relinquished her will to the will of God, thus cooperating fully with the purpose of God. So the original question, "Can Mary save us?" leads to another question: "Can we save others?" Again, the Holy Scriptures speak with resounding clarity. Here are some examples: "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:16). "Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20). "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire" (Jude 22, 23). Fire saves (1 Corinthians 3:15), prayer saves (James 5:15), angels save (Isaiah 63:9), baptism saves (1 Peter 3:21), preaching saves (1 Corinthians 1:21), the Apostle Paul saved (Romans 11:14). New life in Christ, or salvation, is both personal union with Him and an incorporation into the wholeness of the Body, the Church. Salvation is a Church affair, a Church concern, because we are all affected by it.

Everybody gets into the act, so to speak. Therefore, under Christ we each have a part to play in the corporateness of His saving act. We do not save alone; Mary does not save alone.

Answer 7

you will never get a answer . just like the question , where In the Bible does It say to pray to Mary.

Answer 8

The Roman Catholic Catechism and the Documents of Vatican II, call Mary the co-mediator, co-mediatrix and co-redemtrix.

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marya4.htm

http://www.marymediatrix.com/

http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ321.HTM

Pastor Art

Answer 9

Repentant,

That question has been answered a thousand times in the short time I have been here. Here it is again:

First of all it is disingenuous to state that the practice of praying for each other has no biblical foundation, we are instructed in Scripture to have a prayer life for others as it is part of God’s commandment to love one another.

(2Co 5:8 DRB) But we are confident and have a good will to be absent rather from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Catholic Church does not teach that it is absolutely necessary for one to ask for the intercession of saints for salvation. The Church does teach that prayer to God is necessary for salvation for all believers. For a Catholic it would be wrong to ignore the liturgical worship offered to God at feast days for the saints and the prayers asking for their intercession.

The Communion of Saints is a dogma of the ancient Church and is recorded in the apostles Creed. It simply states that the faithful because of their relationship with Christ are alive even after the death of their flesh and worship with us. To us the Church is made up of the Church militant who represents all those believers living out their hope in the flesh.

(Phi 2:12 DRB) Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but much more now in my absence) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.

(Phi 2:13 DRB) For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will.

It consists of the Church Suffering who are those who are temporarily in need of further purgation from sin so that they may enjoy the presence of God.

(2Ma 12:46 DRB) It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.

Lastly, the Communion of the Saints consists of those who have won the race:

(Phi 3:14 DRB) I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.

Their immortal souls are in heaven in God’s presence:

(Rev 5:8 DRB) And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

The universal stream connecting all of God’s creation is His love, which we take on in our baptism into our journey towards sanctification. This is not an emotional but a desire placed in us by the Spirit of God that endures as a desire for those other than ourselves and this love extends even to our enemies. This is truly a love that comes only from God and is a foreign concept and nonsense to those who have not received God’s salvific grace. This desire within our souls does not end with the death of our flesh but continues into eternity where the saints through their intercession in prayer encourage us in our race and assist us to endure unto our union with God.

I think that some people of faith, who do not understand the Communion of Saints, somehow believe that asking saints to pray for us is detracting from our love or our trust in God. In truth it is impossible, if we truly love as God commands and has given us the grace to understand, not to pray to those whom we love and in turn we expect them to return that same love to us by praying for us and presenting our prayers to God.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

It is through her obedience to God that she contributes to our salvation. I do believe that the Scriptures teach that St. Mary is the new Eve. This is the earliest of St. Mary’s titles in the Scriptures. This was the first prophesy when God said to the serpent:

(Gen 3:15 DRB) I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall cursh thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

This is the first prophecy that in the beginning was Eve and though she was disobedient she will be victorious over the evil one (CCC489)

This passage in Genesis is called the Protoevangelium or first Gospel announcing the Messiah and Redeemer of a battle between the Woman and the serpent. It is clear that the Woman announced in the Protoevangelium is St. Mary, the Mother of Christ and the new Eve, restoring mankind to their hope of eternal life through her yes to bear Christ. In doing so she reverses Eve’s disobedience with her own obedience in cooperation with Christ, the New Adam, who reverses Adam’s disobedience with His obedience “unto death on the cross”……

(1Co 15:21 DRB) For by a man came death: and by a man the resurrection of the dead.

(1Co 15:22 DRB) And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.

(1Co 15:45 DRB) The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.

(Phi 2:8 DRB) He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.

It cannot be denied and is recognized by the Church, “Death through Eve, life through St. Mary”. She is the New Eve.