Mary
in Christian Tradition
Catholic
Devotion to Mary from the Reformation to Today
Within
the Catholic world of Europe and America, devotion to Mary flourished
from the 17th century until the time of the Second Vatican Council in
the 20th century. Devotion to Mary during this time strongly influenced
every aspect of Roman Catholic culture and piety. Among Eastern and
Orthodox Christians also, devotion to Mary continued to be strong.
In
the Western church, numerous religious communities and societies, such
as the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Marists, the Sisters of Notre
Dame, the Legion of Mary, were founded under her patronage. They sought
to imitate Mary's motherly concern to bring the message of her Son to
all peoples through their mission work in schools, hospitals and missions
throughout the world.
The
Second Vatican Council
The
Second Vatican Council, in its Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium),
summed up the church's belief about Mary and devotion to her:
"We
turn our eyes to Mary who shines forth on the whole community of believers
as a model of virtues. Faithfully meditating on her and contemplating
her in light of the Word made man, the church enters more intimately
into the great mystery of the Incarnation.
"For
Mary unites in herself the great teachings of faith, and so she calls
believers to her Son and his sacrifice and to the love of the Father.
"Seeking
the glory of Christ, the church becomes more like her and progresses
in faith, hope and love, seeking and doing the will of God in all
things . . .
"Just as the Mother of Jesus, glorified in body and soul in heaven,
in the image and beginning of the church as it is to be perfected
in the world to come, so, too, does she shine forth on earth, until
the day the Lord comes, as a sign of sure hope and solace to the People
of God during its sojourn on earth." (Lumen
Gentium 65, 68)
Feasts
of Mary
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