The Catholic Register - Readers Speak Out

Written by Guest Contributor,

Comparison misleading

I am not disputing the veracity of the statistical data put out by the Vatican (“Muslims outnumber world’s Catholics,” April 13) but it is a bit misleading. Muslims are not a monolithic group, as this report might tend to convey, but like Christians consist of various sub-groups like Sunnis, Shia, Ismailis, etc. A fairer comparison would be to compare the number of Catholics — a Christian group — to the number of Sunnis, or Shias etc. — a Muslim group.

I suppose that the Vatican has traditionally considered all Muslims as constituting one entity and this latest report is a mere continuation of such tradition. If nothing else it should add stimulus to our ecumenical efforts.

J.E. Sequeira
Oakville, Ont.

Mary’s death

Recently you have published letters of different opinions on the subject of whether the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the end of her earthly life, did in fact die. Pope John Paul II explicitly addressed this issue in his catechesis at the General Audience of June 25, 1997. He begins by noting that Lumen Gentium, n. 59, quoted Pius XII’s Bull, which “made no pronouncement on the question of Mary’s death. Nevertheless, Pius XII did not intend to deny the fact of her death, but merely did not judge it opportune to affirm solemnly the death of the Mother of God as a truth to be accepted by all believers.”

The Holy Father acknowledges that some theologians “have in fact maintained that the Blessed Virgin did not die and was immediately raised from earthly life to heavenly glory. However, this opinion was unknown until the 17th century, whereas a common tradition actually exists which sees Mary’s death as her entry into heavenly glory.” He asks the question, “Could Mary of Nazareth have experienced the drama of death in her own flesh? Reflecting on Mary’s destiny and her relationship with her divine Son, it seems legitimate to answer in the affirmative: since Christ died, it would be difficult to maintain the contrary for His Mother.”

Pope John Paul II goes on to examine the writings of the Fathers of the Church “who had no doubts in this regard,” and quotes several who acknowledged that Mary did in fact die. He goes on to observe that while in revelation death is presented as a punishment for sin, the fact the church proclaims Mary free from original sin does not mean she also received physical immortality. “The mother is not superior to the Son who underwent death, giving it a new meaning and changing it into a means of salvation. Involved in Christ’s redemptive work and associated in his saving sacrifice, Mary was able to share in His suffering and death for the sake of humanity’s redemption.”

I hope the above catechesis from Pope John Paul II clarifies this issue for your readers.

Fr. Edward Koroway
Pastor, St. Mark’s
Toronto, Ont.

More proof on Mary

Here we go again! In the April 13 edition of The Catholic Register, Alexander Roman rebuffs my letter of March 23 in your paper in his letter “No mistake made.” To recap: The Catholic Register in the March 2 edition declared that “rather than dying, Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven.” That was followed by my letter that was partially printed in the March 23 edition denying the veracity of that statement.

Roman is indeed correct when he states that the actual wording of the dogma as proclaimed at the end of the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus makes no reference to the death of the Blessed Virgin.

Such an omission cannot be interpreted as an affirmation that the Mother of God did not die. However, throughout the document Pope Pius XII availed himself of copious references of saints and writers throughout the ages who spoke of the “death” of the Blessed Virgin.

One example: Pope Adrian I is quoted: “Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death.”

Another is the Byzantine Liturgy: “God, the King of the universe has granted you favours that surpass nature; as he kept you a virgin in childbirth, thus he has kept your body incorrupt in the tomb and has glorified it by his divine act of transforming it from the tomb.”

I would heartily recommend to your readers the studying of this apostolic constitution, especially among others, paragraphs 39, 40 and 46.

Fr. J. Basil Breen
Toronto, Ont.

Insight revealed

I was impressed by the “Speaking Out” column by Carine Lee in The Register’s April 13 issue. The writer showed thoughtful self-evaluation and deep insight. It was worth a second read.

Anne Fischer
Kitchener, Ont.

Recommend this article...