This morning I researched a
third book written in Latin by Albertus Magnus, Marialae super missus est. In
it he argues that the Blessed Virgin Mary is higher in the ecclesiastical hierarchy
than any priest, bishop or pope; and that she, therefore, would merit Holy
Orders if she had need of them. He
further argues that the Blessed Virgin Mary was an apostle, prophet, evangelist
and pastor. He admits that women were cursed
by the original sin of Eve, but so too were men. However, the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son ushered
in a new life that eradicated that curse for women as well as for men. To reinforce his point, he argued that if
women were unworthy to receive the Holy Orders because of original sin, they would
also be unworthy to receive the Sacrament of Communion since receiving the Sacrament
is of greater merit than giving it.
Therefore, Albertus Magnus effectively rejects the argument that women ought
to be prohibited from the Holy Orders. This image above is from a mosaic in the
Oratory of San Vincenzo near the Lateran Baptistery in Rome, dated 6th century. Mary wears the white pallium over a dark
chasuble that signifies her rank as a High Priest interceding with God for the people.
