As this LifeSite story points out, since the film portrays Mary giving natural, painful birth to Christ it denies a central teaching of the Catholic Church.
Here is the reference in the current Catechism on the dogma of Christ’s miraculous birth . . .
499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.154 In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin".
The ‘miraculous birth’ so to speak is a dogmatic teaching of the church since it is an integral part of the dogma of Mary’s perpetual virginity. But rather than have my word on it, here it is from Pope John Paul II:
Pope John Paul II, on May 24, 1992 at the conclusion of the International Study Conference that commemorated the 16th Centenary of the Plenary Council of Capua which considered Mary's Perpetual Virginity, commented: "... some Church Fathers set up a significant parallel between the begetting of Christ ex intacta Virgine (from the intact Virgin) and His resurrection ex intacto sepulchro (from the intact tomb).. . the Church proclaims as factually true that Mary... truly and virginally gave birth to her Son, for Whom she remained a virgin after birth; a virgin—according to the holy Fathers and Councils which expressly dealt with the question . . . also in everything which concerns the integrity of the flesh . . . ." (L'Osservatore Romano (English edition), June 10, 1992, page 14).
For a more complete treatment of the issue here is the esteemed Msgr. Charles M. Mangan, an official of the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
5 comments:
How else is a birth portrayed? How was Christ born if not like this?
Joseph and Mary bore a second son later. James Thus, Mary was not a virgin forever.
JMJ
Joseph and Mary had no son named James. Jesus was the only Son born to this Blessed Couple--and both His Conception and Birth were miraculous. Yes, Our Lady Mary was and is a Virgin forever. She is "The Ever-Virgin." Chuck
That's ridiculous, Chuck. Open your Bible. Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, among others... This is truly one of the silliest catholic doctrines, all to defend the "godhood" of Mary. Better check the Scriptures on this one.
You need to wake up and smell the truth for a change, there was no Joseph, no Mary no Jesus. The church needs to set their bases on myth which equals faith. God's son is the sun (symbolism), if there's no mistery there's no faith, if there's no faith there are no churches. All they want is to take our energy so we won't know our real us, for us to surrender it through faith; Why do You think they call us as children "kids" which means sheep? So we can be like sheep. Why didnt't they clone a mouse or a guinea pig instead of a ewe (eve, -eve&aries=ovaries, mazda, ram memory (instead of temporary memory), the list goes on and on in symbolism). It's easier to controll the masses that way. That's it. And try to find the truth on your own and don`t watch T.V. or MTV (empty v.)
Αρрle has unѵeіled an Ipad Mini that's designed to compete with the likes of Appleipadmini and Google Nexus 7. Apple is holding an event Wednesday and has hinted that it will not support the downloading of these files.
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