Roman Catholic Maryology: Mary in Roman Catholicism, part 3 - A Review of Marian Dogma and Apparition Chronology

At a glance:
Apparitions of a being claiming to be Mary are a fairly recent matter. Contrary to popular Catholic belief and teaching, these apparitions have taught very un-Biblical teachings.

For the most part Catholic dogmas are claimed to be the original teachings of the Apostles and therefore, are assumed to be authentic. Catholic apologists often point out that traces of certain beliefs that are not found in the Bible nevertheless date back to at least a few centuries after Christ. However, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. explains,

^{It is no exaggeration that the hundred years from 1854 to the close of the Second Vatican Council were the most prolific in doctrinal development in Mariology}. Nothing like it was seen in any comparable period of Catholic history.”1

Some of the Chronology:
The Hail Mary “is the result of a gradual development from the sixth century to the sixteenth, when the present wording was adopted.” 2

The Rosary came into being in 1208 by an apparition.

The Brown Scapular of the Carmelites came into being in 1246 by an apparition.

The Church and all of mankind was consecrated to Mary by Pope Pius XII on 10-31-1942. 3

^{The apparition at Tepeyac, Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe, occurred around 1531 (the earliest narration of this event dates from 1649)} .

The Council of Trent declared that Mary was sinless throughout her whole life in 1547.

The apparition at La Salette-France occurred in 1846.

Pope Pius IX infallibly declared the Immaculate Conception on 12-8-1854.

An apparition proclaimed “I am the Immaculate Conception” on 2-11-1858 to 7-16-1858 at Lourdes, France.

The apparition at Fatima, Our Lady of Fatima, occurred in 1917.

The apparition at Amsterdam, Our Lady of All Nations, occurred from 1945 to 1959

Pope Pius XII infallibly declared the Assumption of Mary into heaven on 11-1-1950.

Fr. Hardon wrote that at “Lourdes, where ‘miraculous favors were granted them, which excited the admiration of all and confirmed the Catholic religion as the only one given approval by God.’” 4

Are we to ignore history, Scripture and reason in order to believe that the Catholic religion is the only one given approval by God because of a miracle? No, in fact, ^{Jesus explained that we have the Bible and if we will not believe that, then we would not believe even if an astounding miracle such as someone being raised from the dead occurred} (see Luke 16:31).

When Pope Benedict XVI was Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger—renowned theologian, Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the former Holy Office), which is the most important Vatican curial office, charged with the preservation and promotion of Catholic orthodoxy—he stated,

the Pope proceeded to reconsecrate the world (with a particular mention of Eastern Europe) to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, precisely in accordance with the exhortation of the Virgin of Fatima, and the same John Paul II, wounded by his would-be assassin, on May 13 – anniversary of the first apparition in the Portugese locality – went to Fatima in order to thank Mary, ‘whose hand (he said) had miraculously guided the bullet…
it is well known that for years, now, a village in Yugoslavia, Medjugorje, is at the center of world attention because of reported ‘apparitions’ which – whether true or not – have already drawn millions of pilgrims. But they have also provoked deplorable conflicts between the Fransiscans who govern the parish and the bishop of the local diocese…
The apparitions that the Church has officially approved – especially Lourdes and Fatima – have their precise place in the development of the life of the Church in the last century.” 5

Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.—a leading authority in his field, he is also a professor in the Institute for Advanced Studies in Catholic Doctrine—wrote:

There are other sacred places or spaces, too, which are characteristically Catholic. They are the numerous shrines in different parts of the world, where it is believed that God bestows special favors on those who come to pray there. Lourdes in France, Fatima in Portugal, Montserrat in Spain, Assisi in Italy, St. Anne de Beaupre in Canada, the Martyrs’ Shrine in the United States and Canada, Guadalupe in Mexico, Knock in Ireland, Banneux in Belgium, Czestochowa in Poland, and the holy places in Palestine are only some of the best known.”6

Note carefully that ^{Jesus was specifically asked regarding the most advantageous place on Earth to pray and gain spiritual blessings},

The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’ (John 4:19-24).

The answer is clear physical, geographical location is utterly irrelevant it is the state of the heart that is important.

As we have shown throughout the articles under Mary in Roman Catholicism it is commonly claimed that while we do not find these Marian dogmas in the Bible, or while we at best find hints, Catholics have believed these things from a few centuries after Christ. One thing to consider is that someone could have made a mistake a long time ago; however, chronology does not correct the error. In fact building on errors could be detrimental to proper theology. And we find that even while Jesus was still alive, people were already falling into error (John 21:20-25). Another important thing to consider is that even 100 years is a long time because “It is thought she [Mary] died in Jerusalem c. A.D. 48.” 7
Thus, if we trace Marian dogmas back to 200 or 500 years after Christ we are dealing with a great deal of time. To put this into perspective consider that the United States of America has been a country just over two centuries. Keep in mind that in just over two centuries America has become a world power, and that in just over two centuries we have experienced wars, and vast technological advances.
The skeptic might state, that the same thing applies to Jesus then, after all many doctrines such as the Trinity and the deity of Christ were invented by church councils centuries after Jesus’ death.
The difference is that ^{we can look into the Bible and find clear teachings regarding the Trinity and the deity of Jesus (although the word Trinity is not there, the concept is). Sad to say that in their zeal in favor of Marian dogma some Catholic apologists have actually claimed that the Trinity is not explicitly taught in the Bible either} (find thorough refutation of such a notion see God’s Nature and Trinitarian Doctrine).

Feast of Mary: “A day set aside to commemorate some title or event in the life of the Blessed Virgin. Some of these feasts are of regional nature, others are universal.” 8
Those observed in the USA are listed as: Jan. 15, Feb. 2, Feb. 11, Mar. 25, May 31, July 2, July 16, Aug. 5, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Sept. 8, Sept. 12, Sept. 15, Sept. 24, Oct. 7, Oct. 11, Nov. 21, Dec 8, Dec. 12.
“Three years after defining the dogma of the Assumption, Pius XII called on the Catholic world to join in the observance of a Marian Year.” 9
Month of Mary: “The month of May which is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Processions and special devotions take place in this period.” 10
And so we see that within Catholicism you could count on having your attention deviated from Jesus at least once a month by a feast for Mary. Also note that not attending these Feast Days or Holy Days of Obligation is a mortal sin (one which causes eternal damnation is not forgiven by confession to a priest).

1. 1. Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.; a leading authority in his field, he is also a professor in the Institute for Advanced Studies in Catholic Doctrine, The Catholic Catechism, A Contemporary Catechism of the Teachings of the Catholic Church (New York: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1966) Nihil Obstat: Daniel V. Flynn, J.C.D., Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: James P. Mahoney, D.D. Vicar General Archdiocese of New York 12-13-74. p.155
2. 2. Alan Schreck; Associate Professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, Catholic and Christian, An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs (Ann Arbor, MI.: Servant Books, 1984), Nihil Obstat: Monsignor Joseph P. Malara-Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Most Reverend Albert H. Ottenweller-Bishop of Steubenville. p. 182
3. 3. His Holiness Pope Paul VI; Signum Magnum, Letter on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Promulgated on May 13, 1967 given in Rome, at St. Peter, on the fourth of our pontificate. PAULUS PP. VI —PART II: Devout Imitation of the Virtues of the Most Holy Mary quoting discourses and radio messages of Pius XII, volume IV, pp. 260-262; cf. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 34, 1942, pp. 345-346 and Apostolicae Sedis, 56, 1964, p. 1017
4. 4. Fr. Hardon, p. 157 & 160-161 quoting Pius XII, encyclical Fulgens Corona, 3-4
5. 5. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger; now Pope Benedict XVI, with Vittorio Messori, The Ratzinger Report, An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 1985), pp. 110-111
6. 6. Fr. Hardon, pp. 551-552
7. 7. Albert J. Nevins, M.M., ed., The Maryknoll Catholic Dictionary (New York: Dimension Books, 1965), Nihil Obstat Rt. Rev. Msgr. James T. Clarke, Censor Librorum 11-27-64. p. 358
8. 8. Nevins, p. 358
9. 9. Fr. Hardon, p. 162
10. 10. Nevins, p. 358