Catholic Marian devotion is presented as veneration, not worship

What the study found: The study found four main forms of Marian devotion practiced by Catholics in Indonesia: statues used as aids to prayer, pilgrimages to Marian sites, Montfort-style Marian consecration, and the rosary as prayer with Mary that emphasizes praise, imitation, and prayer. It also presents Marian devotion as veneration (dulia), not worship (latria).

Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that these findings matter because the practices can deepen faith and lead believers closer to Christ without replacing divine worship. They also say sound catechesis, grounded in Scripture and Church Tradition, is essential for authentic and balanced Marian devotion.

What the researchers tested: The study used a descriptive qualitative approach with a Systematic Literature Review guided by the PRISMA framework. The researchers identified 200 articles through Google Scholar and screened them by relevance, recency, geographical context, and methodological criteria, leaving four studies for analysis.

What worked and what didn't: The review reports that the four forms of devotion were identified as part of Catholic practice in Indonesia, and that these practices deepen faith and orient believers toward Christ. It also reports challenges, including external religious intolerance toward devotional symbols and limited theological understanding among believers.

What to keep in mind: The analysis was based on only four eligible studies from an initial pool of 200 articles, so the available summary describes a limited literature base. The abstract does not provide additional detail about the individual studies beyond the screening criteria and reported themes.

Key points

• The study describes Marian devotion as veneration, not worship.
• Four forms of Marian devotion were identified in Catholic practice in Indonesia.
• The authors say these practices can deepen faith and lead believers closer to Christ.
• Challenges noted include intolerance toward devotional symbols and limited theological understanding.
• The review analyzed four studies selected from 200 articles found on Google Scholar.