The Queenship of Mary: A Commentary by Fr. Barron

“…when she [Mary] is the subject of preaching and worship she prompts the faithful to come to her Son…” (Vatican Council II, p. 420). Statues of Mary often have her depicted with Stars in her crown, an allusion, says Catholicism to Revelation 12:1-2, ” And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.”

***From the Vatican Council’s writings we can conclude that Mary is to be worshiped and A note to Rev 12:1-2. Labor Pain is part of the curse and Mary is not supposed to be under the curse. Therefore she would not have felt labor pains and this could not refer to her.

Lumen Gentium (the document you are quoting) was written in Latin, and the Latin word used is “colitur” (honor, respect, revere). This word can mean “worship” in the older English sense of simply giving reverence. “Adoro” is the Latin verb used for the worship of God alone. A more contemporary translation of that passage reads “as she is proclaimed and venerated, calls the faithful to her Son….” (This is the translation on the Vatican website.) So your misunderstanding is based on translation.

On the second point, Mary, being free from original sin, did not have to suffer, but that doesn’t mean she did not suffer. Any suffering was taken on willingly. And she did suffer greatly (e.g. “A sword shall pierce your heart”, Our Lady of Sorrows, etc.).

Robert Barron, you have read far too much into that small portion of scripture, about Mary. There is no other part of the Bible, that confirms the imagery you present. This is uniquekly Catholic teaching, and is a stumbling block to those who earnestly are seeking God, becaue it takes the FOCUS of worship, AWAY from Jesus, and transfers that reverence, that should be reserved for JESUS ALONE, to Mary. You are a brave man., because Revelation 22:18 says ‘I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book’. I beleive you genuinely love the Lord, as do many Catholics, but are misguided by your entrenched and uniquely Catholic teaching, which is not consistent with the Bible, which is the ONLY authoritative Word of God.. I urge all your readers to actually read the Bible for themselves, (and become involved in a regular Bible study group), to test whether or not the extra teaching which is uniquely Catholic, is consistent with what the rest of the Bible has to say.