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Pope makes pilgrimage to Mary statue in Rome, marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception
Catholic News Agency ^ | December 8, 2005

Posted on 12/08/2005 1:29:11 PM PST by NYer

Rome, Dec. 08, 2005 (CNA) - After the Mass celebrated in Saint Peters Basilica, Pope Benedict marked the feast of the Immaculate Conception, paying homage to the statue of Mary in Rome's historic Piazza di Spagna .

Thousands of Romans flocked to the square to greet the German pope, on his first 'pilgrimage' to the sculpture of the Virgin .

The tradition of the papal pilgrimage was brought back by his predecessor John Paul II more than 20 years ago .

"I deliver to the celestial mother of the Redeemer the anxieties and hopes of humanity," the 78-year-old pontiff said. He called on Mary to grace mankind with her spiritual presence "in every moment of our existence, above all during moments of darkness and trials." The statue of the Virgin Mary stands on a column in the northern section of the piazza, just around the corner from the famed Spanish Steps known to all tourists .

The column was erected by Pope Pius IX in 1854 after he declared the dogma of her immaculate conception, meaning that Jesus' mother was conceived without the stain of original sin .


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; Ministry/Outreach; Prayer; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: mary
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Pope Benedict XVI blesses faithfuls during his annual pray at the Immaculate Conception statue on the Spain piazza in Rome, 08 December 2005.

After 30 years in mothballs, the Holy Father has restored ermine to the papal wardrobe.

1 posted on 12/08/2005 1:29:12 PM PST by NYer
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To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...


There's Ganswein holding the umbrella.

2 posted on 12/08/2005 1:33:05 PM PST by NYer (“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion")
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To: All

"He called on Mary to grace mankind with her spiritual presence"

She's not omnipresent is she?


3 posted on 12/08/2005 1:49:00 PM PST by PetroniusMaximus
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To: NYer

Ever since he became pope, I believe the white looks so good on him...in both senses. Ermine! What will Peta say?


4 posted on 12/08/2005 2:13:06 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum (Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:8)
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To: NYer
After 30 years in mothballs, the Holy Father has restored ermine to the papal wardrobe.

Maybe it's time to pull out all the stops.


5 posted on 12/08/2005 2:30:22 PM PST by Oratam
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To: PetroniusMaximus

That was my question when I read this also. If that is not what is believed, how would the Pope's comment make any sense?


6 posted on 12/08/2005 2:54:25 PM PST by suzyjaruki ("What do you seek?")
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To: PetroniusMaximus
She's not omnipresent is she?

*************

Perhaps I misunderstood his words, but I didn't conclude that was his meaning.

7 posted on 12/08/2005 3:01:04 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: NYer

open car? God protect him.


8 posted on 12/08/2005 3:18:23 PM PST by Mercat (God loves us where He finds us.)
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To: PetroniusMaximus; suzyjaruki; trisham

Catholic teaching on this matter can be found, among other places, here: http://www.catholic.net/rcc/Periodicals/Faith/0910-96/articl10.html


9 posted on 12/08/2005 3:21:28 PM PST by Oratam
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To: PetroniusMaximus

Mary has told one of her,servants,St. Catherine Sienna,that she is the channel through which graces flow from ..and said,"those who ask graces of me, I shall grant".
God gave Mary this "power" to be helper of those who call on her,as a Mother,to help them! Simple as all that ! That is what the Pope means.


10 posted on 12/08/2005 4:26:16 PM PST by Rosary (Pray the rosary daily,wear the Brown scapular)
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To: NYer

Much better post! Thanks!


11 posted on 12/08/2005 4:27:05 PM PST by Rosary (Pray the rosary daily,wear the Brown scapular)
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To: Oratam
Maybe it's time to pull out all the stops.


12 posted on 12/08/2005 7:42:21 PM PST by murphE (These are days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed but his own. --G.K. Chesterton)
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To: NYer

I am waiting and watching this Pope. Oftentimes, I do not like the look the plays about his eyes. Also, Ganswein is handsome but the look about his eyes does not impress me. This is most unpopular for me to say. V's wife.


13 posted on 12/08/2005 8:32:53 PM PST by ventana
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To: ventana
Don't know if it's unpopular, but could you be more specific?

A lot of older guys get pouchy around the eyes, what is it that bothers you? He strikes me as a kindly sort, despite his reputation as a "Rottweiler" . . . but then I like Germans, especially Bavarians.

14 posted on 12/08/2005 8:43:37 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: Rosary

" Mary has told one of her,servants,St. Catherine Sienna,that she is the channel through which graces flow from "

That is absolutely anti-Christian against the teaching found in the Bible.

John says of Jesus:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ... And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

Grace comes to us through Jesus Christ.




It is also a direct contradiction of the teaching of the Lord. Look at this:

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." - John 7

He said, "Come to ME" not "Go to Mary".




"God gave Mary this "power" to be helper of those who call on her,as a Mother,to help them!"


Jesus, not Mary, is the person we should call on help us. Look at waht the scriptures say...


"This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant... he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." - Heb 7


Who do you think loves you more - Jesus or Mary?


15 posted on 12/08/2005 9:08:48 PM PST by PetroniusMaximus
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To: NYer
One God in four persons?
16 posted on 12/08/2005 9:43:17 PM PST by onedoug
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To: ventana

Pope Benedict is a shrewd, introspective and brilliant man. I've noticed his eyes are very different from JP-2's, who exuded love and warmth openly. Benedict seems to be taking in everything around him, rather than expressing his own feelings. JP-2 was smart but more a man of the people, goodness and love seemed to flow from him. Benedict is not so personable, he's more guarded and an ultra-intellectual. Maybe that's what you catch in his eyes.

After reading some books, I believe the Holy Father is a very sincere man devoted to the Church. It's just that he can appear cold. But if you want to get some insights into his background and thoughts about the church today, you might like to read "Salt of the Earth."


17 posted on 12/08/2005 9:44:53 PM PST by baa39
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To: PetroniusMaximus; Salvation

If you want to take quotes from the Bible to justify your viewpoint, that can just as easily be done for Mary.

"The angel of the Lord appeared to her." That alone is amazing, as usually God sends his messages to people in dreams in the old and new testaments. But here, he sends a heavenly body.

"Hail Mary, full of grace!" That's not a Catholic made-up prayer, it's from scripture. Mary is the only woman who ever lived who is grace-filled, pure of defect, immaculate. This gives her a special place of honor among all humanity. This does not mean we worship Mary like we do God, but she is "blessed among women."

"Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." Mary and Jesus DO go together. You can't have one without the other. He chose her to be his tabernacle.

When Mary visits Elizabeth, and the latter cries "the baby leapt in my womb for joy." The future John the Baptist recognizes Jesus inside Mary. Could God choose to dwell in anything less that a perfect and pure vessel?

There have been only two perfect human beings on planet earth, Jesus and Mary. I don't see why some folks have such a problem with that. Mary herself has appeared in many parts of the world, not just in visions, but physically.

It's easy to dismiss Mary if you have never looked into Marian theology or the Church's teachings on Mary. Don't deprive yourself of your spiritual Mother. As Jesus said on the cross, "Here is your Mother."

And after his Resurrection, he glorified Mary by bringing her body and soul to Heaven. She is in the perfect state, as is Christ, which we may all attain someday.

We all agree Mary existed, that Jesus was born of a woman.
Besides the Bible, which can be twisted around to suit everyone, we also have 2000 years of history, revelations, mystics who spoke with Mary, Catholic doctrine which was revealed over centuries, not just made up on the whim of a pope.

But also, isn't it just common sense? This is the Mother of God! We know she has preceeded us to Heaven, we know that during his lifetime Jesus always honored and respected her, that as a child he was dependent on her for his every need. Should we not follow his example?


18 posted on 12/08/2005 10:03:01 PM PST by baa39
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To: baa39; Salvation
*******"That alone is amazing, as usually God sends his messages to people in dreams in the old and new testaments. But here, he sends a heavenly body."

Luke 1:11
And there appeared unto him [Zacharias] an angel of the Lord standing o­n the right side of the altar of incense.




*******"Hail Mary, full of grace!"

Believers are told that they are also "full of grace" [caritovw] by Paul in Ephesians...

Luke 1:28 And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one [caritovw] , the Lord is with you!

Eph 1:16 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted [caritovw] in the beloved.

 

*******"Mary is the o­nly woman who ever lived who is grace-filled, pure of defect, immaculate."

What do you base this belief o­n - becasue it isn't in the Scriptures.

 

*******"Mary and Jesus DO go together. You can't have o­ne without the other."

Jesus is Eternal God. I assure you that you can have Jesus without Mary. If Mary would have said "no" then God would have found someone else. What you are saying is borderline blaspheme.


*******"There have been o­nly two perfect human beings o­n planet earth, Jesus and Mary."

There are five explicit references to Jesus' sinlessness in the Bible. Regarding Mary there are none.

Paul said...
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Peter said...
1 Peter 2:22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

John said...
1 John 3:5
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Paul said...
Hebrews 4:15-16
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have o­ne who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin

Jesus said...
John 8:46
"Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?"

 

*******"Don't deprive yourself of your spiritual Mother."

The "mother" believers is the heavenly Jerusalem...

Galatians 4:26
"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

 


*******"Besides the Bible, which can be twisted around to suit everyone, we also have 2000 years of history, revelations, mystics who spoke with Mary, Catholic doctrine which was revealed over centuries, not just made up o­n the whim of a pope."

Every theological belief must be judged by it's argeement with the Scriptures! Even as Isaiah said...

Isaiah 8:20
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

And how can you be absolutely sure these appearances were really Mary? Remember, "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." - Galatians 4:26

 

*******"Jesus always honored and respected her, that as a child he was dependent o­n her for his every need. Should we not follow his example?"

Yes we should! Starting here:

"While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." - Matthew 12

19 posted on 12/08/2005 11:47:21 PM PST by PetroniusMaximus
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To: PetroniusMaximus

May the Lord add His blessing to your posts. Thank You for your care here.


20 posted on 12/09/2005 3:04:20 AM PST by .30Carbine (The Lord knows those who are His.)
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