Can Mary be called the second-born of the Father?

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Can Mary be called the second-born of the Father?

The Church teaches that Jesus is the only-begotten of the Father, yet Maria Valtorta writes in The Poem of the Man-God, that Mary is the “second-born” of the Father. Is this the smoking-gun heresy that proves that the Poem is a nothing more than a bad novel?

 

The POEM is to be avoided by mandate of Cardinal Ratzinger. We have avoided discussing this Valtorta work for that reason.

 

Pope Pius XII said it is OK to read it.

 

SEE: http://www.bardstown.com/~brchrys/Chrchval.html#Appendix II

There is however a more recent clarification on Valtorta's Poem, from Cardinal Ratzinger, in a letter of April 17, 1993, directed to Bishop Boland of Birmingham, Alabama, together with an analysis provided by Prof. Leo Brodeur, of the Valtora Research Center. For this clarification, see Appendix II below.

With regard to the publisher's statement that Valtorta's Work has never had an official "Imprimatur", it must be noted that this requirement was abrogated in 1966, by a Decree of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. The Decree, approved by Pope Paul Vl on October 14, 1966, was later published at the wish of Pope Paul and states as follows:

"IT IS NO LONGER PROHIBITED TO DIVULGE, WITHOUT IMPRIMATUR, WRITINGS REGARDING NEW APPARITIONS, REVELATIONS, VISIONS, PROPHECIES AND MIRACLES." (Acta Apostolicae Sedis: No. 58/16, October 14, 1966)

 

It’s questionable at best. You may think it’s okay to read it, but you are examining it and making it a basis for belief. Imho.
It is my understanding that the basis for the Valtorta work was her own thoughts, not supernatural revelation.

 

Yes, the Blessed Mother can be called such. She is, after all, called the Daughter of the Eternal Father, by the Saints and Doctors of the Church.

Bishop Ramon Danylak granted an Imprimatur to Saintly Maria Valtorta's Poem of the Man God around 20 years ago: "The above is a somewhat lengthy introduction to my original intent: to present a letter of commendation, a Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur and a testimonial to this website of a Catholic monk on the writings of Maria Valtorta. Not only am I saying that there is nothing objectionable in The Poem of the Man-God and all the other writings of Valtorta in so far as faith and morals are concerned, I commend the painstaking scholarship of this monk that has brought together an array of the writings of a variety of theologians, like Fr. Karl Rahner on the significance of private revelation, of countless others who have given testimonies and writings of Maria Valtorta, the theological commentaries to her writings of one of her early spiritual directors, Fr. Corrado Berti; and the numerous other testimonies and studies on various aspects of Maria’s writings. Biblical experts, geographers of the Holy Land, theologians, prelates and scientists, consistorial lawyers, who knew and visited Maria Valtorta in her lifetime. He adduces the testimony of the Blessed Fr.Gabriel Allegro, OFM, biblical exegete and missionary; and the painstaking scholarship of the present editor, and publisher of the works, Dr. Emilio Pisani, who has collated all the arguments, pro et contra, on the writings of Maria Valtorta. This is a website worth visiting many times both for those that have acquired the writings of Maria Valtorta, as well as for those who have not yet read this Life of Christ and the Blessed Mother, and especially for those who want to cast stones.

Dated Rome, Italy
February 13, 2002

+ Roman Danylak, bishop" Taken from: http://www.bardstown.com/~brchrys/Imprmatur.html

And Bishop Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum, India granted an Imprimatur to the Malayalam Translation of the Poem. Source below:

"
This dictated work of “The Poem of Man-God” by visionary Maria Valtorta consists of 5 volumes and a total of 647 chapters.


His Holiness Pope Pius XII, February 26 1948:

"Publish this work as it is. there is no need to give an opinion about its origin, whether it be extraordinary or not. Who reads it, will understand." The names of the three Servite priests were listed the next day in l'Osservatore Romano as having had the private audience with the pope: Fr. R. Migliorini (Maria's spiritual director), Fr. C. Berti, professor of Dogmatic and Sacramental Theology at Marianum, Pontifical Faculty of Theology, in Rome, and Fr. A. Cecchin, Prior of the Servites International College. Fr Peter Mary Rookey, a well known healing priest based in the Chicago area, had a conversation with Fr. Cecchin in the 1990's who recalled that the pope did indeed order the work to be published, but that the pope also advised them to try to find a bishop who would give it an Imprimatur.


Bishop Soosa Pakiam M. of Trivandrum, India, granted an Imprimatur for the Malayalam translation of POEM OF THE MAN-GOD in 1992. Blessed Pope John Paul II made Bishop Soosa an archbishop after he issued his Imprimatur for POEM OF THE MAN-GOD.


William F. Buckley, Jr., was so impressed with Maria Valtorta's account of the Crucifixion of Jesus, that he included a long excerpt of it in his book: NEARER MY GOD (1998).


Archbishop Alfonso Carinci, Secretary of the Congregation of the Sacred Rites (1946):

"There is nothing therein which is contrary to the Gospel. Rather, this work, a good complement to the Gospel, contributes towards a better understanding of its meaning."


Fr. Dreyfus, of the French Biblical and Archeological School, Jerusalem (1986)

"I was greatly impressed on finding in Maria Valtorta's work the names of at least six or seven towns, which are absent from the Old and New Testaments. These names are known but to a few specialists, and through non-biblical sources... [...] Now, how could she have known these names, if not through the revelations she claims that she had?"


John Haffert, author, (1995)

"I have the 10 volumes of The Poem of the Men-God in Italian and French. It is the most wonderful work I have ever read and I consider it a blessing of God. I'm in my seventies. And in my entire life, among all the books I've read, The Poem of the Man-God is the one that has done me the most good in my spiritual life."


Msgr. Ugo Lattanzi, dean of the Faculty of Theology of the Lateran Pontifical University, adviser to the Holy Office (1951)

"The author could not have written such an abundant amount of material without being under the influence of a supernatural power."


Fr. Agostino Bea (future Cardinal), Jesuit, rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute and advisor to the Holy Office (1952)

"I have read in typed manuscripts many of the books written by Maria Valtorta [...] As far as exegesis is concerned, I did not find any errors in the parts which I examined."


Fr, Marco Giraudo, 0.P. Commissioner of the Holy Office in 1961, to Fr, Berti, representing the Order of the Servants of Mary, and made responsible for her writings by Maria Vallorta herself (1961)

"You have our complete approval to continue the publication of this second edition of Valtorta's Poem of the Man-God"


Sister Monica Foltier, Cincinnati, Ohio (1987)

"lt is fantastic. I could hardly let it out of my hands. After I finished it once, I immediately began to read it again. It is going to have a terrific impact on those who wish to live a more religious life."


Jean Aulagnier, specialist in ancient calendars, author of a book on Valtorta's work (1995)

"Having established a scientific chronolgy of all events and occurrences in Maria Valtorta's work, I cannot but say it remains unexplainable otherwise than by divine intervention."


Wayne Weible, International reporter and Christian preacher, South Carolina (1987)

"I must tell you that I consider this book to be the greatest book I have ever read outside of the holy scriptures. It is a full amplification of the gospel stories of Jesus. I am forever indebted to Maria [Valtorta] for this tremendous work. I am promoting it as the best source for details of the life of Christ and His Blessed Mother. Everywhere I speak I recommend it."


Roulie Stadelmen, Great Modowa, N.J, (1987)

"The Poem of the Man-God, I LOVE IT. My only regret is that I have not read it before."


David Ottman, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (1987)

"The Poem of the Man-God should be put into the hands of as many sincere people as possible [...] It is a wonderful book and I have been so deeply touched by the simple beauty of the account of Our Lord's Life."


Msgr. Macchi. private secretary of Pope Paul VI, to Fr. C. M. Berti OSM, in an hour long interview (1963)

"When His Holiness (Paul VI) was Archbishop of Milan, he read one of the books of The Poem of the Man-God. He told me how he appreciated it, and had me send the complete work to the Library of the diocesan Seminary."


Msgr. Gianfranco Nolli, director of the Vatican Museum, author (1971)

"Whoever reads The Poem of the Man-God is favored with spiritual blessing and inner peace."

Taken from: https://www.emmanuel-maria.com.sg/index_files/Page3873.htm

 

There is a great divide over this work. At some point, I’ll find the time to post a few very questionable quotes from this work. Just as many clerics have not condoned the reading of it. Even the title has a questionable meaning for me and for others.

 

Dear friend, try reading the post that leads off this thread. https://divinefiat.blogspot.com/2022/06/can-mary-be-called-second-born-of-father.html

 

Frank, I’m really not interested in jumping off this bridge. Peace be with you.

 

I truly believe it is the Voice of Christ that speaks in the Poem. A Church Imprimatur means the work is safe for us to read. Since it has Imprimaturs in multiple places, all Catholics are free to read and profit spiritually from the Poem.

Christ's Introduction: "1. Introduction. 22nd August 1944. Jesus orders me: « Take a completely new notebook. Write down on the first page what I dictated on August the 16th. She will be spoken of in this book. » I obey and I write. ------------------ 16th August 1944. Jesus says: « Today write only this.

Purity has such a value, that the womb of a creature can contain the Uncontainable One, because She possessed the greatest purity that a creature of God could have. The Most Holy Trinity descended with Its perfections, inhabited with Its Three Persons, enclosed Its infinity in a small space. But It did not debase Itself by doing so, because the love of the Virgin and the will of God widened this space until they rendered it a Heaven.

And the Most Holy Trinity made Itself known by Its characteristics: The Father, being once again the Creator of the creature, as on the sixth day of Creation, had a real, worthy daughter fashioned to His perfect image. The mark of God was impressed so completely and exactly on Mary, that only in the Firstborn was it greater. Mary can be called the Second-born of the Father because, owing to the perfection granted to Her and preserved by Her, and to Her dignity of Spouse and Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, She comes second after the Son of the Father and second in His eternal thought, which ab aeterno took delight in Her.

The Son, being also “Her Son”, did teach Her, by the mystery of Grace, His truth and wisdom, when He was but an Embryo, growing in Her womb. The Holy Spirit appeared amongst men, for an anticipated prolonged Pentecost: Love for “Her Whom He loved”, Consolation to men because of the Fruit of Her Womb, Sanctification on account of the Maternity of the Holy One.

God, to reveal Himself to men in the new and complete form, which starts the Redemption era, did not select for His throne a star in the sky, nor the palace of a powerful man. Neither did He want the wings of angels as the base of His feet. He wanted a spotless womb. Also Eve had been created spotless. But she wanted to become corrupt of her own free will.

Mary, Who lived in a corrupt world – Eve was in a pure world – did not wish to violate Her purity, not even with one thought remotely connected with sin. She knew that sin exists. She saw its various and horrible forms and implications. She saw them all, including the most hideous one: deicide. But She knew them solely to expiate them and to be, forever, the Woman who has mercy on sinners and prays for their redemption.

This thought will be the introduction to other holy things that I will give for your benefit and the welfare of many people. »

 

I am no expert in the , 'Poem of the Man God'. But Pope Benedict when he was prefect of the Holy Office condemned her works. I would not be happy to quote her as a reliable source of Wisdom. I am no fan.

I have never heard of Mary called , 'Second Born of the Father ' before. If you can quote from a Father of the Church, a Pope or Saint or Doctor of the Church who also said such a thing before I would be happy to let it go.

I am suspicious of novelties. Better to rely on Tradition, the Truth as passed down from the Fathers.. If no reliable source has ever written or said such a thing before....then better not to write such a thing.
Second Born of the Father...mmm... strange.