A Marian month or a Christian month?
In the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, the month of May is largely devoted to the veneration of Mary. The faithful are encouraged to recite rosaries, Marian prayers, and participate in Marian processions. The idea is that with the arrival of Spring, not only are the trees and fields in bloom, but also is the veneration of Mary in all aspects of Catholic church life. However due to the pandemic this year, the usual demonstrations and processions will not take place, but this will not detract from the pomp and circumstance with which Mary will be venerated and adored by the Catholic Church and its faithful.
May 1st the Catholic Church in Italy will dedicate the entire nation to Mary, demonstrating yet again how deeply rooted Marianism is in the DNA of Catholicism. This act of dedication is a clear demonstration of Catholic theology that indicates where the Church's loyalty lies in times of need. While the Church professes its adoration of the divine Trinity, it is actually to Mary that the church directs its attention and devotion, for it is Mary that is closer, more motherly, and more willing to listen to the supplications of the Church. This then begs the question: Where is Christ? What is His role? Is he not Emanuel, God with us? Is he not the only mediator between God and man? Being God himself in human form, is it not He that intercedes on our behalf? What about the Holy Spirit? Where is He and what is His role? Is He not the one who brings our prayers before the Father in the name of Christ? Is it not He that actively and constantly comforts and consoles the faithful?
The Catholic Church claims to be Trinitarian in the sense that it professes the Apostles "Creed," a creed that centers on a confession of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Church's Marian devotion, however, indicates that what truly envelopes the confessions articulated by the "Creed" is an altogether different theology, and that it is therefore only superficially Trinitarian. In reality, however, it is something altogether different. If the Church decides that it is necessary and/or desirable to devote itself to Mary, what does this suggest about the Trinitarian God of the Bible? It suggests that the Church does not consider Him to be the living God that He is, or the God that is always present with us. It furthermore indicates that we can't fully entrust our lives to His care. Devoting the month of May to Mary is a slap in the face of the biblical truths taught by the prophets and the apostles and revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture.
In light of the Marian month of May, Pope Francis sent a letter to Catholics worldwide inviting them to pray to Mary and suggesting two Marian prayers. These prayers contain titles for Mary that are very dear to the Pope. These include Mary, "salvation for the people of Rome," and ancient invocations such as, "Under your protection we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God." These prayers, however, are unacceptable to those who believe that God the Father himself hears our prayers, and that in Jesus Christ God himself gave his life for our sins, and that through the Holy Spirit God himself works powerfully in the lives of His people.
"Under your protection we seek refuge, oh Holy Mother of God. Don't ignore our prayers that we pray in the midst of trials, and free us from every danger, o glorious and blessed Virgin." This prayer attributes to Mary the biblical prerogatives that belong to God alone: providing refuge and protection, hearing prayers, and delivering from danger. If God is for us, who can be against us? With the utmost respect for the Mary of the Bible, we must ask ourselves this question: What sense does it make to dedicate a nation to Mary and entrust itself to her protection? Is this not a different gospel altogether?
-Leonardo De Chirico