Advent retreat suggests following Mary to Christ

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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Fr. Joshua Santos, chaplain of St. Jerome Newman Center in Logan, presents the diocesan Advent retreat in English Dec. 7 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

DRAPER — The Blessed Virgin Mary is a loving mother and a powerful intercessor, but her greatest role is that of disciple to her son, said Father Joshua Santos, chaplain of St. Jerome Newman Center in Logan, as he presented this year’s diocesan Advent retreat in English.

Although it may seem strange to focus on Mary at Advent, which is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ, it was appropriate, Fr. Santos said, because “our study of Mary should lead us to a deeper understanding of Jesus.”

With the theme “Following Mary’s Footsteps in Advent,” the retreat drew almost 200 people to St. John the Baptist Parish on the morning of Dec. 7. Following a bilingual Mass, Fr. Javier Virgen, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, gave a retreat with the same title in Spanish to an audience of more than 250 people from throughout the diocese.

Fr. Santos began the retreat in English by outlining the references to Mary in Scripture and Church tradition. He also explained the Church’s four dogmas concerning the Blessed Mother: that she is the Mother of God, her perpetual virginity, her Immaculate Conception and her Assumption.

Each of these dogmas leads to a deeper understanding of Christ, he said. For example, the dogma of Mary as “theotokos” or God-bearer was promulgated after the heresy of Nestorianism questioned her role in salvation history. Nestorianism taught that Christ had two separate but loosely united personhoods, one divine and one human, rather than one true person with two natures – divine and human – as the Catholic Church teaches.

Catholics are often accused of worshipping Mary, which is true only in the sense that she is given the highest veneration, Fr. Santos said, emphasizing that worship in the true sense is given only to God.

”To make it simple, adoration belongs to God alone. God alone!” he said. “And highest veneration goes to Mary. Honor goes to Mary.”

In Scripture, Mary is the only one who is described as “full of grace,” he pointed out, but “everything about her is not because of her. Her grace, her dignity, her beauty is because of God, her relation to God and the role of God for her in our salvation. … Mary is a masterpiece of God.”

Continuing with the retreat, Fr. Santos reviewed the Old Testament verses that referred indirectly to Mary, and those in the New Testament that referred to her directly by name. He also described her roles as a mother, intercessor and disciple. He then outlined her virtues: humility, obedience, chastity and faith.

To end the retreat, Fr. Santos called for a few moments of silence, and asked those present to ponder whether, during this Advent, they would follow in the footsteps of Mary, and if so, how they would do so.

The presider and homilist at the Mass was Fr. Ken Vialpando, the diocesan vicar for clergy. Bishop Oscar A. Solis had been scheduled as presider, but had a conflicting appointment and was unable to attend.

In his homily, Fr. Vialpando referred to Fr. Santos’ presentation and  focused on the need for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A person cannot walk in the footsteps of the Blessed Mother if he or she is not willing to confess their sins, he said.

“There is no single way that you and I can prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his path, or make room for our Lord and Savior at his birth and second coming if our souls – yours and mine – are filled with unconfessed sins that we would rather take to the grave than bring to light,” Fr. Vialpando said.

Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he added, “you and I have the ability to listen and abide by the words of St. John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ, who proclaimed, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.’”