Mary-is-God Heresy Part I by Bro. Marwil N. Llasos, O.P.

The Virgin Mary... Handmaiden of God

I had a chat with a lady from Cebu who claims to be following my blog The Knight of Mary (www.bromarwilnllasos.blospot.com). She paid me compliments for the work I am doing for the Lord, His Blessed Mother and the Church. At first, I did not know what her intention was. As I always accommodate all forms of communications to me and take the time to answer queries about the faith, I entertained her questions through chat and email. It was only after a series of exchanges did I realize that she is into a group that exalts Mary as a goddess, the incarnation of Wisdom (which to her is the Holy Spirit) and the “divine feminine.”

I was aghast to know that she believes in downright heresy. It is lunacy to ever think that Mary is a goddess! No sane Catholic would ever think that way. The Church, in her more than 2000-year history, has never taught the Blessed Virgin Mary to be divine. Though exalted by grace, Mary remains to be a human being. Mary’s humanity is the guaranty of the true humanity of Christ who took flesh from her.

The lady later on identified herself to me as Elizabeth R. Halican of No. 14 Holy Family Village I, Banilad, Cebu. She is adamant in her belief that Mary is the divine feminine, the personification or the incarnation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, to Ms. Halican, is the Old Testament Wisdom. This is rank heresy.

In my recent email to Ms. Halican, I told her that I will respond to her concerns publicly through my blog. So here it is. This is the first in a series of articles that will critique the heretical (and obviously crazy) doctrine that Mary is God.

In an email to me last 12 December 2010, Elizabeth R. Halican complained against my calling her views heretical. I was merely stating a fact – and restating the pronouncement of Church authorities.

In February 2009, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, then Archbishop of Cebu, warned all the Catholic faithful “to guard against the teachings of a religious organization that reportedly elevates Mary as the third person of the Holy Trinity.” The Cardinal exhorted the faithful to “beware of this group” and further said that the group commits the doctrinal error of defining the Holy Trinity as the “Father, the Son and the Mother,” with Mary taking the place of the Holy Spirit. This is precisely the heretical doctrine that Ms. Halican believes and promotes.

The Archbishop of Cebu said that that “if a Catholic indulges oneself in believing DEO's idea, he or she will be unable to receive the sacraments of the church.” Hence, Ms. Halican cannot receive the sacraments of the church. That is to say, she (along with the adherents of this pernicious heresy) is no longer a Catholic in good standing.

Cardinal Vidal expressed the hope that our “devotion to Mary will be based on the sound doctrine of the one, holy, apostolic and Catholic Church.” He reminded us that “Mary is the same young woman of Nazareth, who obeyed God's will in delivering Jesus into the world and taking good care of God's beloved until His death on the cross.”

It is not yet too late for Ms. Elizabeth R. Halican and others like her situated to repent and abjure their heresy. As the good Cardinal Vidal himself said, “Let's not be ashamed to confess our sins because although our sins are big, God will forgive us as He is merciful.” He added, “Mary is always praying that we may repent from our sinful ways.”

Reference:

Ador Vincent Mayol, Guard against group’s heresy – Vidalhttp://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20090223-190538/Guard-against-groups-heresy--Vidal>