The very public Marian Shrine outshines the offending cross in a Chapel
Ok… is there something very wrong with this picture?
A public university has placed its cross in such a way so that it does not offend chapel visitors. The reason for doing this is so the chapel is equally welcoming to one and all. Sadly, this is done because in all reality Jesus and what His ministry meant to the world, made him the most intolerant man who ever lived in regards to obtaining personal salvation that can only come through His name only - and His cross is a reminder of that. Of course it is an offense to non-Christian’s to see a cross and to be painfully reminded of their sin and their fallen state of humanity. They should realise and contemplate that by looking at that offending cross that each person has sinned and each person has effectively put Christ on that cross even though they are the ones deserving of it - myself included - not Jesus, as there was no sin found in Him, unless we repent of our sins there is no salvation. This is called the reproach of the cross, and it is extremely politically incorrect and offensive to see and even to discuss - Why? - because it convicts each and every one of us as sinners! (see John 14:6, Acts 4:12) Jesus’ ministry was that of saving souls firstly, He had no room for political correctness when it came to unrighteousness, idolatry and sin, He called sin, sin. He simply told the truth which is a truth for all of humankind which offers salvation as a free gift by His going to the cross having had His blood shed as a sinlesss sacrifice to pay for our sins. Dying and laying dead for three days and nights then conquering death by being resurrected as the first fruits - this truth has not changed since he walked the earth. It is the truth of salvation and I thank God for it. The cross is a reminder of what He went through so that I could be saved from eternal damnation because of my sin, this eternal damnation is the second death. To escape the second death you must have been born a second time. The cross is a direct assualt on my pride because it means that I cannot save myself through my good works, which by the way, all other religions focus on good works meaning that you can earn your place in whatever you regard as heaven, how ever you interpet it, or to a desired place however you define it.
But Mary, yes the all inclusive Mary on the other hand, now that is another story. There is a massive push for her to become the co-redemptrix for all humankind. Even John Paul II said that Mary is the co-redemptrix for the world, and that she redeems mankind along with Jesus (please be sure to read this article which is an interview conducted by ZENIT with Mark Miravalle who is professor of theology and Mariology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and president of Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici. Questions 1 and 3 are especially enlightening where in question 3 the promise of Fatima is mentioned - In question 1 it is made clear that one must not doubt John Paul II or the Catholic Church’s teachings even though this subject of Mary is not the language of scripture or indeed even the Church Fathers. Further, if one doubts it then you are doubting papal infallibility and to do so is to stop the futher development of papal doctrine).
The miracle of Fatima where Mary spoke to three children the three secrets and the miracle of the sun happened in front of up to 70,000 people in 1917 October 13, she said that the world will come through two hearts - one being hers and the other being Christ’s - this will bring in World Peace! These three secrets that Mary told the children have been documented and held at the Vatican and the last of the secrets was revealed, the outcome of this is that Mary spoke to the children and said that “My immaculate Heart will triumph“( note 12: the World Peace message is where this phrase comes from ). This Mary speaks not of salvation offered through Christ alone but instead offers two hearts combined that will lead to world peace. That is not scriptural but it is adding to the Word of God, it is teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. This Mary will have a shrine dedicated to her, for all peoples of all faiths to come and see and pay homage concerning to her in recollection of the secrets told. This shrine uses the title that the apparation of Mary disclosed to the three children.
The offence of the cross is hidden away in a small chapel so not to offend(and this chapel is one of many churches that have done away with the cross incidentally) while the Catholic Mary is built up, applauded and idolised. The Catholic Mary is not the Jewish Miriam - her name in Hebrew - far from it. The Catholic Church is right in calling their Mary the Queen of Heaven! The Queen of Heaven is a pagan goddess! The Israelites refused to listen to the prophet Jeremiah concerning their adopted Queen of Heaven. The women said that they would not stop burning sacrifices and giving her drink offerings in worship. Jeremiah said that because of their idolatry and their continuing to worship the Queen of Heaven, great calamity would befall them. This Queen of Heaven is being worshipped today in the guise of Mary.
The Catholic Mary can offer salvation like Jesus can as a co-redemptrix, although the bible says that through one name only and that being Jesus Christ one is saved, the Catholic Mary is a perpetual virgin, although the bible never mentions that. The Catholic Mary was supposed to be perpetually sinless according to Catholic tradition, although the bible says that she called God her saviour and she even brought a sin offering according to Jewish law after the birth of Christ!
The cross removed:
To some, that empty space marks the triumph of diversity over exclusivity. To others, it represents unchecked political correctness at the expense of free expression.
College President Gene R. Nichol decided in October to remove the Wren Chapel cross, unless its display is requested. Responses have been passionate, from campus discussions and newspaper editorials to an online petition and a debate this week between William & Mary religion professor David Holmes and conservative pundit Dinesh D’Souza.”I modified the way in which the cross is displayed in the ancient Wren Chapel seeking to assure that the marvelous Wren — so central to the life of the college — be equally open and welcoming to all,” Mr. Nichol told roughly 400 students, alumni and faculty packed into the college’s Commonwealth Auditorium.
Mr. Nichol said the decision has received wide support but “many, many have seen it otherwise” and have asked him to reconsider. @Washtimes article “Bow to diversity leaves alter empty“
Yet… now here’s the clincer. A shrine called the ‘Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary’ that is over 70 stories high is going to be constructed on the eastern shore of Lake Erie, on the headwaters of the Niagara River and adjacent to downtown Buffalo, New York - A very public place… wouldn’t you say?
Mary’s Shrine:
This great Project is undertaken further with an implicit belief in the pastoral importance of sacred shrines, their great value for spiritual edification, and their well-chronicled ability to prompt conversions, as articulated in an article by Bro. John M. Samaha, S.M., in the May/August 2000 issue of The Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto. Approximately 40% of visitors to Catholic shrines are non-Catholic, and many such visitors have deep spiritual experiences.
Measuring 700 feet to the top of the golden cross that will surmount it (seven being the mystical number of perfection), the Arch of Triumph will be truly a world-class shrine, attracting annually millions of both Christian pilgrims and ordinary tourists from around the world.
The Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the International Shrine of the Holy Innocents, through their rapid attraction of national, and even global attention, will quickly equal or surpass the renown — and therefore, the potential pastoral utility — of any other Catholic shrine, in the world. With God’s sustaining help, the Arch and Shrine will inspire thousands, growing to millions of individuals to yearn for God, and for renewal of their spiritual lives. Further, it is a major goal of this Project to host permanent displays of other Catholic shrines, encouraging visitors to avail themselves also of the unique spiritual benefits that every great shrine holds for its pilgrims.
By serving thus as a global signal call to conversion and repentance, the Arch of Triumph and the Holy Innocents Shrine will invaluably contribute to the “New Springtime” of the Church, ardently hailed by Pope John Paul II, while also marking and symbolizing the entry of the Church and the world into a new period of history.
The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, prophesied by Herself at Fatima in 1917 as following upon the upheavals of the 20th Century and ushering in “an era of peace,” which has come to be called The Reign of the Two Hearts,[...]It would therefore seem more than acceptable and appropriate, but even necessary and inevitable that the grandest triumphal arch ever constructed be built to commemorate the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which is the glorious triumph also of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and of His Holy Cross.
The architectural goal, if impossible to realize fully, is to create a truly fitting tribute to the Queen of Queens, commemorating the Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart predicted by Herself at Fatima in 1917, which is believed to be already in our midst by faith, and will be fully realized with the coming inception of the Reign of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and the Era of Peace Mary predicted also at Fatima.
Ideally, it will be possible to say of Mary’s Arch of Triumph, as its great architect Eero Saarinen had said of the Gateway Arch, that it is built to last 1,000 years — Pope John Paul II having entrusted the world on October 8, 2000, to Our Lady for the next millennium (see The Mary Page). @Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Here is the artists impression of what the shrine will look like:
For personal testimonies:
- A Testimony Of God’s Soverign Grace - From The RC Priesthood To Christ
- Deliverance from Darkness Posing as Light
- Rev Ed Barclay’s Testimony
All of the above testimonies found at Moriel’s site. Of special interest is the flash media presentation called “There is something about Mary” which is just above the “Testimonies” section found here:
