The Magnificat - otherwise known as the Canticle of Mary - is a beautiful, ancient, scriptural "song" of praise spoken by Our Lady. You may have heard the word thanks to the wonderful monthly publication that goes by the same name, but do you know the prayer, itself?...
The origin of the Rosary dates back to the year 800, but it has evolved throughout the centuries resulting in the Rosary we know today. The Rosary invites us to make a beautiful meditation about the life of Jesus and the Holy Virgin Mary. Whether we pray it alone or...
The Feast of Mary Help of Christians is celebrated every May 24. We often hear of the invocation “Help of Christians” in the Litany of Loreto, but how did it start and flourish? What To Know About The Feast Of Our Lady Help Of Christians 1. The Battle of Lepanto It...
How are you commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions at Fatima? How about enrolling in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady? By now, there's not much that hasn't been said about Fatima - and you'll hear no complaints from me on that front! Let Our...
It's no secret that a devotion to praying the rosary will help you grow in your faith. Mary is our Mother and our advocate. When we ask her to present our needs to Jesus, we can be confident that she will take our requests to her Son. If you've ever wondered how to...
Today, we resume our series on sacred art as an aid to praying the Holy Rosary. Sacred art makes sense, and it is just one more of the countless treasuries of our Catholic heritage. The Incarnation of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, would forever infuse humanity - human...
Prayer is intended to be our way of communicating with God. It is a gift, yet sometimes it becomes a task, a burden, or a mundane part of our daily routine. We may also experience dry spells in our spiritual life and begin to feel disconnected from the God who loves...
Did you know that these five mysteries were introduced by Pope John Paul II in 2002? His Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae established a Year of the Rosary - somewhat akin to this past year's Year of Mercy. For those who try to pray five decades daily, these...
Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Millions of faithful flock to Southern France every year to visit the Shrine, many seeking healing, while others travel as volunteer medical staff. Maybe you've never been, but most of us will...
When it comes to time, hard work and commitment, many of us are willing to push the envelope for the sake of our appearance. We'll resolve to hit the gym, join a fitness class, follow through on this or that workout resolution for the new year. And, in fairness,...
Far from a distraction away from God or - even worse, as some claim - idolatry, sacred art makes sense. Whether as a teaching tool, a meditative window or - on the part of the artist - an act of human participation in the creative impulse of God, beauty in art speaks...
On rare occasions, Saturday Night Live teaches us important lessons through the use of comedy. Earlier this month Emma Stone played the role of Mary in a Nativity scene. The skit shows Mary getting annoyed with the circumstances of Christ's birth, concerned about her...
The Assumption of Mary's body and soul into Heaven, celebrated on August 15th, is one of the dogmas of the Church. A dogma is a belief held by all Catholics. Yet, there is no mention of Mary’s Assumption in Sacred Scripture. How then, did we come to...
Today, August 5th, the Church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of St. Mary Major, which is also sometimes referred to as Our Lady of the Snows. So why is there a feast involving snow (in the Northern Hemisphere) in August? Read on to find out! 1. St. Mary Major...
Today, July 16th, is the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the patron of Chile and the Carmelite religious order. Here we present a few important things to know about Our Lady and the Brown Scapular, but if you wish to read a more detailed history, we suggest...
Though there may not be a perfect formula for obtaining the holiness required to become a Saint, there are a few common characteristics that many of the Saints seem to share. As you study the lives of the Saints, it becomes very clear that most had a true...
I wouldn't be the first blogger to point out that a song like "Let it Be" has certain Marian overtones, but I may be the first one to point out a certain reoccurring Marian theme known as the Stabat Mater in popular music. May is the month of Mary, so usually we are...
The Church recognizes how important our relationship with Mary is. In fact, She designates the entire month of May for us to honor her and grow closer to her. We know Mary is Christ’s mother and, by extension, she is each one of our mothers. But do you look to her for...
It was in Rome, towards the end of the eighteenth century, one fine evening in May. A child of the poor gathered his companions around him and led them to a statue of Mary, before which a lamp was burning, as is the custom in that holy city. There, these fresh young...
Thirty-three days doesn't seem like a very long time to do anything, yet alone change your life. However, it was this devotion that Pope St. John Paul II said was the "decisive turning point in my life". Our beloved JPII read (and re-read many times) St. Louis de...
Have you ever found yourself in a prayer rut? Perhaps you've been saying the same prayers for so long you no longer pay attention to the meaning behind the words. Your prayer routine has become just that, routine. Though it is good to be in the habit of...
The image we are reflecting on today is titled Mary and Eve. It is a crayon & pencil drawing created by Sr. Grace Remington, OCSO, of the Cistercian Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey. The image is featured on a greeting card and is available to...
Over the years, there have been many films about Mary. Most of them focus on Mary during the life of Jesus, or maybe one of her apparitions. Full of Grace covers a time period that is not frequently seen in films, taking place ten years after the resurrection of...
Back in December of 2015 National Geographic featured an amazing title. Our Mother, Mary, graces the front cover with the title "Mary, The Most Powerful Woman in the World". It's not often that the secular world bestows such a high title on the humble Mother of God...
A few weeks back we presented a post for those who don't feel to comfortable with the whole relationship with Mary. Today, we would like to continue to explain and dive into what our relationship with Mary is all about. As Mother of Christ, Mary is our mother as...