Tuesday, October 03, 2006
I'm sorry to hear Neil's taking a break. I won't be picking up any slack, however. I picked up a few huge tomes on European history from the library yesterday. In addition, our daughter is heading to the hospital for a minor surgical procedure next week, so I'll be spending less time on the blog. I've finished up the Lumen Gentium series, and the posts are all queued up and ready to go. I'll give you the next one tonight, and I'll pop in daily or so to post the others. Meantime, play nice.
Why did Vatican II address Mary and her role? Here's what the bishops hoped to accomplish:
Wherefore this Holy Synod, in expounding the doctrine on the Church, in which the divine Redeemer works salvation, intends to describe with diligence both the role of the Blessed Virgin in the mystery of the Incarnate Word and the Mystical Body, and the duties of redeemed (hu)mankind toward the Mother of God, who is mother of Christ and mother of (human beings), particularly of the faithful.
And here's what Lumen Gentium did not intend to do:
It does not, however, have it in mind to give a complete doctrine on Mary, nor does it wish to decide those questions which the work of theologians has not yet fully clarified. Those opinions therefore may be lawfully retained which are propounded in Catholic schools concerning her, who occupies a place in the Church which is the highest after Christ and yet very close to us.(Cfr. Paulus Pp. VI, allocutio in Concilio, die 4 dec. 1963: AAS 56 (1964) p. 37.)
