An Open Question to Catholic Bloggers

In my blog reading I visit various blogs and web sites that espouse views and ideas that I am not in agreement with in an attempt to be pseudo-well read and exposed to other views. In doing that, I sometimes visit a Catholic blog whose tag line is, quoting part of 1 Peter 3:15 “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you.”

On this particular blog, the Irish-Catholic and Dangerous blog, the author, Danny Garland Jr., posted the following quote as the “Quote of the Day” for yesterday.

“Mary continually builds the Church and keeps it together. It is difficult to have devotion to our Lady and not feel closer to the other members of the Mystical Body and more united to its visible head, the Pope.”

-St. Josemaria Escriva¹

In an effort to try and understand the Roman Catholic doctrine about Mary, I submitted a question in the comments field of that entry, but it was never posted. Whatever the reason, my question and request for clarification still stands. Here is what my comment was to the above quote:

Hey Danny, I just happened by your blog and I had a quick question about this post. It is not my desire with this question to rehash old discussions; I simply want to know how this works. This quote, "Mary continually builds the Church and keeps it together" seems contradictory to "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." (Matt 16:18)

It seems contradictory insofar as much as Christ says "I will build my church..." and St. Josemaria Escriva says "Mary continually builds the Church...."

Furthermore, how does this same person say "Mary...keeps [the Church] together." when we see that "[Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."(Col 1:17)

Again, I understand that we differ on how best to understand the passage from Matthew, but the portion that we dispute is with the “rock” not with who will do the building. I guess my question is how does this quote from St. Josemaria Escriva jive with Holy Scripture?

I truly hope that you and your wife are doing well.

My goal, as I hope was evident, is not primarily one of seeking an argument or fight, but only of seeking an answer. Also, I hope that it was evident that I was not attacking the author or angry in any sort of way. I simply, and genuinely, do not see how Scripture and St. Josemaria Escriva’s comment about Mary fit together. If they do fit together in Roman Catholic theology, I would like to understand how it does. I await any light that my Catholic friends can shed on this subject.

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¹ http://irishanddangerous.blogspot.com/2007/05/quote-of-day_21.html