Divine Mercy Parish, Rahway NJ

09/06/2026

Welcome to the Parish of Divine Mercy in Rahway, NJ. Please check o...

08/30/2026

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08/23/2026

Welcome to the Parish of Divine Mercy in Rahway, NJ. Please check o...

08/16/2026

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08/15/2026

WHY DO CATHOLICS CALL MARY THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN?

Have you ever wondered why Catholics call Mary:
"Queen of Heaven"?
Some people hear this title and immediately ask:
"Isn't Jesus the King? Why does Mary need a crown?"
Others wonder whether Catholics are giving Mary a position that belongs only to God.
So where did the title Queen of Heaven come from?
And what does the Catholic Church actually mean by it?

First, Mary Is Queen Because Christ Is King.
Mary's queenship cannot be separated from Jesus.
Catholics do not believe Mary is a queen because she possesses divinity.
She is a creature.
She is human.
Her queenship comes from her unique relationship with Jesus Christ, the King.
The Church sees Mary's royal dignity as flowing from her being the Mother of the King and from her unique participation in Christ's mission.

Second, Mary Is the Mother of the King.
In the Old Testament, the mother of a king could have an important royal position.
A particularly important example is the queen mother, known in Hebrew tradition as the gebirah.
In 1 Kings 2:19, Solomon's mother Bathsheba approaches him, and the king rises to meet her and gives her a place of honour.
Catholic tradition sees this biblical pattern as illuminating Mary's unique relationship with Christ.
Jesus is the King.
Mary is His mother.
Therefore, the Church speaks of her as Queen Mother.
This does not make Mary equal to Jesus.
It highlights the extraordinary dignity God gave her.

Third, Scripture Gives Us Images of Mary's Royal Dignity.
The Bible does not contain a sentence saying:
"Mary is the Queen of Heaven."
But Catholics see several biblical passages as fitting the Church's understanding of Mary's queenship.
In Revelation, we see:
"A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." (Revelation 12:1)
The woman in Revelation has a rich symbolic meaning connected with God's people, but Catholic tradition also sees Mary reflected in this image.
The crowned woman points us toward Mary's glorious place in God's plan.

Fourth, Mary's Queenship Is Connected to Her Assumption.
This is especially important today because we are celebrating the Assumption.
The Church teaches that Mary was assumed into Heaven body and soul.
And after being glorified with her Son, the Church venerates her as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Her queenship is therefore not a claim that she is another divine ruler competing with Christ.
It is a participation in the glory Christ gives her.

Fifth, Mary Does Not Replace Jesus as King.
This is perhaps the most important clarification.
When Catholics call Mary Queen, we are not saying:
"Mary is God."
We are not saying:
"Mary has the same power as Jesus."
We are not saying:
"Mary is a second saviour."
There is only one divine King and Saviour:
Jesus Christ.
Mary's queenship is completely dependent upon Him.
Everything she has received comes from God's grace.
Mary herself understood this.
She proclaimed:
"My spirit rejoices in God my savior."
(Luke 1:47)

Sixth, Mary's Queenship Is a Queenship of Service.
The word "queen" can make us think of earthly power, wealth, and authority.
But Mary's queenship looks different.
At the Annunciation, she called herself:
"the handmaid of the Lord." (Luke 1:38)
At Cana, she directs attention away from herself and toward Jesus:
"Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)
Mary's royal dignity is therefore inseparable from humility and service.
She does not draw people away from Christ.
She points them toward Him.

Seventh, The Church Officially Celebrates Mary's Queenship.
The title is not simply something Catholics invented recently.
Pope Pius XII taught explicitly about Mary's queenship in his 1954 encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam and established the liturgical memorial of the Queenship of Mary.
The Church celebrates Mary's Assumption and then her Queenship.
She is glorified with Christ and honoured as Queen.

Finally, why do Catholics call Mary the Queen of Heaven?
Because Mary's queenship is rooted completely in Christ the King.
She is His Mother.
She cooperated uniquely in His mission.
She was assumed into heavenly glory body and soul.
And the Church believes that God has given her a unique share in the glory of His Kingdom.
But Mary's crown does not compete with Christ's crown.
It points toward it.
Mary's greatest royal privilege is not that people look at her and stop.
It is that she continually directs us toward her Son.
As she said at Cana:
"Do whatever he tells you."

In simple words, why is Mary called Queen of Heaven?
Because Jesus is the King.
Because Mary is His Mother.
Because she has a unique place in God's plan of salvation.
Because she was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.
Because the Church recognizes her queenship as a participation in Christ's royal dignity.
Is Mary God?
No.
Is Mary equal to Jesus?
No.
Does Mary replace Christ as King?
Never.
Her crown ultimately tells us something about the greatness of the King who crowned her.

Mary is Queen because Christ is King.

Now you know.

SOURCES

Sacred Scripture (Catholic Translation):
1 Kings 2:19, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:46-49, John 2:1-5, Revelation 12:1

Ad Caeli Reginam, Pope Pius XII (1954)

Lumen Gentium §§59, 62, 68

Catechism of the Catholic Church §§966, 971, 972, 1024

Roman Missal, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

© Catholic Dailies
Be Prayerful. Be Inspired.

08/15/2026

08/14/2026

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CAN LAY READERS READ THE SUNDAY READINGS FROM THEIR PHONES INSTEAD OF THE LECTIONARY?

A lector walks to the ambo on Sunday.
Everyone settles down.
He opens his phone, finds the day's Scripture reading, and begins:

"A reading from the Letter of St. Paul..."

But then someone quietly asks:
"Is a lector supposed to read the Mass readings from a phone?"

After all, the words are still from the Bible.

So does it really matter whether the reading comes from a phone or from the Lectionary?

The answer is important.

First, The Readings at Mass Are Meant to Be Proclaimed From the Lectionary.
The Church provides a specific liturgical book for the proclamation of Scripture at Mass: the Lectionary.
The Lectionary contains the readings arranged according to the Church's liturgical calendar.
Therefore, when the Sunday readings are proclaimed at Mass, the normal practice is to use the approved liturgical book rather than a personal phone.

Second, The Ambo Is Reserved for the Proclamation of God's Word.
The ambo is not simply a convenient place to read Scripture.
It is the place designated for the proclamation of the Word of God.
That is why the Church gives special importance to the book from which the readings are proclaimed.
The Lectionary is placed at the ambo so that the Word is proclaimed with dignity and reverence.

Third, A Phone Is Not a Liturgical Book.
A phone can display the Bible.
It can be extremely useful for personal prayer, Bible study, preparation, or even checking the readings before Mass.
But a smartphone does not become the Lectionary simply because it contains the same Scripture passage.
The Church's liturgical books have a specific role in the celebration of the Mass.

Fourth, This Is About More Than "Paper Versus Phone".
The issue is not that phones are evil or that technology has no place in the Church.
Technology can be very useful.
The question is what is appropriate for the liturgical celebration itself.
Using a personal phone at the ambo can also create unnecessary distractions and may make it appear that the lector is checking messages or other content.
The Lectionary clearly communicates:
This is the Word of God being proclaimed to the assembly.

Fifth, Lectors Should Prepare Before They Approach the Ambo.
A lector should not be searching for the reading when it is time to proclaim it.
The readings should be prepared beforehand.
The lector should know the text, understand its pronunciation and meaning, and proclaim it clearly and reverently.
This preparation helps the Word of God reach the congregation with the dignity it deserves.

Finally, can a lay reader read the Sunday readings from a phone instead of the Lectionary?
As the normal practice at Roman Catholic Mass, no.
The Church's liturgical norms call for the readings to be proclaimed from the approved Lectionary or another approved liturgical book.
A phone can certainly be used to prepare for the reading before Mass, but it should not normally replace the liturgical book at the ambo.
So the next time you see the Lectionary opened at the ambo, remember:
It is not simply a Bible placed there for convenience.
It is the Church's liturgical book for proclaiming the readings during the celebration.

In simple words, can a lector use a phone to prepare the Sunday readings?
Yes.
Can a lector use a phone for personal Bible study?
Yes.
But during the proclamation of the readings at Mass, the normal Roman Catholic practice is:
Use the approved Lectionary.
The ambo is the place of the proclamation.
The Lectionary is the liturgical book.
And the lector's task is to proclaim God's Word with reverence and clarity.

Now you know.

SOURCES

Sacred Scripture (Catholic Translation):
Nehemiah 8:1-8, Luke 4:16-21, 1 Timothy 4:13

Missal §§309, 349, 352

General Introduction of the Lectionary §§16-37

Code of Canon Law can. 760

© Catholic Dailies
Be Prayerful. Be Inspired.

08/04/2026

Memorial of St. John Mary Vianney , Patron Saints of the Priests 🙏

St. John Vianney, pray for our Priests 🙏

07/31/2026

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07/26/2026

On the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, we join Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin in prayer:

+ “Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28–30). Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us. Through their intercession, may all families be blessed with freedom from anxiety and deprivation.

+ Mary of Nazareth, you were a loving daughter to your parents, Saints Joachim and Anne. Teach us to honor, and care for, our parents and grandparents, especially as they age and become less independent.