The Editor, Sir:I read with great interest Peter Espeut's column in Wednesday's edition (March 26, 2008) written from Lourdes, France, and noted his arguments in defence of the 'special attention' given to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, by Roman Catholics the world over. In fact, Mary appears to be the reason he and thousands of others have journeyed to the French village.
Now, I should make a few things very clear: I am not anti-Catholic; I have the utmost respect for Peter and his lovely wife; and, I do not count myself among the intolerant fundamentalists of whom he speaks. But Peter's pronouncements triggered some questions in my mind - questions that were never answered in the five years I spent at a Catholic high school.
1) If Mary died and was never resurrected, and so remains dead, how can she ask Jesus to do anything? 2) The Prophet Samuel heard from God repeatedly. He also died as Mary did. Couldn't we also ask Samuel to intercede for us? 3) What's the major difference between the definitions of the words 'mediator' and 'intercessor' as understood by Catholics? The few sources I checked agreed that it involves intervention to bring about a desired result, which leads me to the next question. 4) Isn't intervention an action of which only the living are capable of effecting? 5) Since the Bible declares that Jesus loves us all, do Catholics believe that Jesus loved Mary more than the rest of humanity, thereby making him more accessible to her than Peter Espeut or any other Catholic? 6) Where is it written that Mary 'was given to us as our mother'?My final question has to do with a prayer I learned almost 20 years ago. "Hail Mary, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of deaths. Amen".
If we accept that prayer is a solemn address to God, or some other deity as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, why do Catholics pray to Mary? I await the answers.
I am, etc.,
STACY-ANN SMITH
swillsmith@hotmail.com
Kingston
