QUESTION AND ANSWER CATECHISM

QUESTION AND ANSWER CATECHISM
 
On the Canonical Coronation
Of Mary Help of Christians
Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan
 
 
Who is Mary Help of Christians?
 
Mary Help of Christians is the Blessed Virgin Mary herself. She has many titles like Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Manaoag. She has another title Help of Christians but she is the same Virgin Mary. Mary is the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
Why do we worship Mary?
 
We do not worship Mary. Only God can be worshipped but we revere Mary as Mother of God. Mary is a creature like us. In faith she is our mother. If we honor our parents, in the same way, we honor our spiritual mother. She is the Virgin Mary. We have two reasons for revering Mary—she is the Mother of the Lord Jesus and she is our spiritual mother.
 
Is it in the Bible that we should honor Mary?
 
Yes in the Gospel of Saint Luke 1:29 the angel greeted her Hail full of grace. When we honor Mary, we follow the example of the angel who was the spokesman of God. It was God who honored Mary first, not us human beings.
 
Is it sinful to make images of saints?
 
In the Old Testament, it is indeed forbidden to make graven images (Ex.20:4). But since God Himself took human form in the face of Jesus Christ, the prohibition against images was repealed in the New Testament. Because God has become man, God is no longer absolutely unimaginable.
 
Why is Mary called Help of Christians?
 
The first person to invoke this title of the Virgin Mary was Saint John Chrysostom recorded in the year 345. The title  Help of Christianscame to be identified with winning battles for Christianity most specially the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Pope Pius VII under threat of persecution and imprisonment by Napoleon invoked the protection of Mary Help of Christians. The Pope attributed the safety of the papacy from the attacks of Napoleon to Mary  Help of Christiansin 1815. 
 
Why is Mary called Helper?
 
Our first and only helper is God. Among all creatures, the Virgin Mother stands out from all the rest as the person who has received greatest help from the Creator. Her Immaculate Conception is through God’s help. Her virginity is a fruit of God’s help. Her motherhood is from God’s help. Her assumption to heaven is through the help of God. Mary can help because God has helped her. If God ignored Mary, she would not be any better than us, helpless sinners. All that Mary can do is because of God’s help. Mary is Help of Christians because God is the helper of all. 
 
What is the relevance of Mary Help of Christians today?
 
From the accounts of Church history, the Marian title  Help of Christiansis related to troubled times and distressful eras from which the Church had been spared. When anti-Christian forces intimidate the Church, Mary  Help of Christianscomes to our help. Those anti-Christian forces still attack the Church such as the culture of death, the destruction of family life, the loss of the sense of sin and many more. 
 
What is a canonical coronation?
 
It is a favor granted by the Pope to a particular Marian image in any part of the world that has contributed to the growth of Christian piety and devotion. The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments on the authority of the Pope mandates that a Marian image be decorated with a crown and diadems as a recognition of the role of the image in fomenting Christian devotion.
 
Is this the first time to happen in Pangasinan?
 
No. The first coronation of a Marian image held in Pangasinan was celebrated on April 21, 1926 when the Apostolic Delegate Guiglelmo Pianni canonically crowned on behalf of Pope Pius XI the image of Our Lady of Manaoag. The Archbishop of Manila, Michael O’Dougherty crowned the image of the Child Jesus in the arms of Our Lady. 
 
Where did the image of Mary Help of Christians come from?
 
Although the devotion to Mary  Help of Christiansis popularly connected to Saint John Bosco, the devotion of the Diocese of Lingayen in fact started formally in 1928 when Bishop Cesar Maria Guerrero received the image as a gift for the newly created diocese. Bishop Guererro initially wanted to put our seminary under the patronage of Saint Alphonsus Liguori but he later changed it to Mary Help of Christians.
 
When will the canonical coronation happen?
It will happen on August 22 this year at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist so that more people can witness the historic occasion. The Apostolic Nuncio who represents Pope Francis will preside at the coronation rites.
 
Where can we venerate the image after her coronation on August 22?
 
The image of Mary Help of Christians will be enshrined at the Mary Help of Christians Theology Seminary in Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan. We will put up a small shrine behind the seminary chapel so that pilgrims can come to venerate her without disrupting the seminary silence and discipline. Every year, the image will be transferred to the Cathedral every August 22 to celebrate the coronation fiesta.
 
Why do we need to crown Mary Help of Christians?
 
Mary does not need our coronation. God has already honored her and we cannot add more honors than God has bestowed on her. We crown her to remind us that humility is the crown of all virtues. The best way to show our love to the Virgin Mary is to imitate her. True Marian devotion is Marian imitation of her virtues.