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St. Maximilian Kolbe's "Flowery" Marian Veneration Explained and Defended in Reply to a Sincere Protestant Inquirer

[15 January 2009]

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2...ery- marian.html
Dave Armstrong | Homepage | 01.15.09 - 6:45 pm | #

Hi Dave, Thank you for explaining St. Maximllian's Marian views.

This is a very frustrating topic to discuss with many Protestants. I am trying to address some of the same issues presently over at Beggars All concerning an article Carrie wrote about St. Louis de Monfort's "Secret of Mary." The problem is that many Protestants can't get past the effusive language to actually look at the theology being discussed.

Ironically, these same folks ignore or downplay similar Marian writings and prayers written by St. Anselm because it would upset their view that Anselm's writings about atonement makes him out to be some sort of proto-Protestant.

God bless!
Paul R. Hoffer | Homepage | 01.16.09 - 1:10 am | #

Yes, we must at any cost avoid any particularly "Catholic" motifs in Protestant patron saints Augustine, Athanasius, and Anselm! Tunnel vision all the way!
Dave Armstrong | Homepage | 01.16.09 - 1:51 am | #

It seems that when questions like this arise from Protestants there are always more fundamental issues in play which must provide a context. St. Maximilian's language is not merely devotional, but profoundly theological, based as it is on the Catholic notion of the one mediation of Christ. In that context his remarks make perfect sense.

The subordinately mediatorial role of the Blessed Virgin is, you might say, the basis for all the other forms of mediation which Catholics hold in contradistinction to that of many Protestants: sacraments, especially the priesthood; tradition; papacy; good works; etc.

St. Maximilian is not afraid of being "effusive," because he rightly has no fear of mariolotry. In fact, he honors her no where near as much as Jesus did by becoming her Son.

In any case, the specifics of Marian devotion, relative to the way Protestants see them, are always going to be related to more fundamental issues.

At a certain point the Marian skeptics will just need to open the door a crack to Our Lady. St. Maximilian said that such an act will work wonders.
frangelo | Homepage | 01.16.09 - 11:20 am | #

Hi Frangelo, you said: "St. Maximilian is not afraid of being "effusive," because he rightly has no fear of mariolotry."

I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment and tried to explain the same thing in defending St. Louis de Montfort's works on a Protestant blog. His writings focus on Mary's life and how he holds her up as the ideal model for Christans to imitate. St. Louis is intimately Christ-centered and holds up Mary and her example as the way to reach that center.

I, for one, am happy that Marian skeptics are even reading works on Mary. The more they read, the more that the graces that God distributes through Mary can work in them to effect the wonders that St. Maximilien references.

God bless!
Paul Hoffer | Homepage | 01.16.09 - 12:17 pm | #

Just a little note re: Who Are You, My Queen?
http://www.mariedenazareth.com/ 1...c8b482d3.1.html

I found the French counterpart (with a little help from Google translate):

Qui es-Tu, Souveraine ?
http://www.mariedenazareth.com/ 1...b634b10c.0.html


I also found part of Kolbe’s words on Google books (snippet view) but with a slightly different translation:

Immaculate Virgin, grant that I may sing your praise with my total commitment and my personal sacrifice. Grant that I may live, work, suffer, be consumed, and give my life for you.

Re: flowery language

Besides just the poetic and emotional reasons to use flowery language, I found in Fr. Jacobus Merlo's Paradise of the Soul an explanation of flowery prayers, to the effect that one was supposed to use each and every one of them as meditations and go through them very slowly, thinking about all the implications and trying to feel deep love and emulation of the sentiments and the subjects addressed.

Sorta the 17th century prayer equivalent of one of those videos with lots of explanatory pictures and music, broken up by occasional spates of Deep Meaningful narration in a soothing voice....

Of course, Fr. Merlo was also an exponent of spending so much time meditating on the phrases of one Our Father that one might actually not finish it during one's prayer time, so you can see how he might be biased in the direction of Deep Meaningful Musings.
Maureen | Homepage | 01.21.09 - 10:49 am | #

I like the analogy to videos. Great!
Dave Armstrong | Homepage | 01.21.09 - 12:57 pm | #