Blogs
In the News: Oct. 10, 2016
By Michael Duricy
Read recent items about Mary in both Catholic and secular news. Also see International Marian Research Institute news and updates.
Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute Features
Updates
Third Marian Congress of the Canadian Mariological Society
Conference Theme: "Mary, Sacrament of Mercy?"
Conference Date: Saturday, October 15, 2016
Conference Location: Shrine of Sainte Anne de Beaupre
Click here for details [in French].
Mary in Media: Books, Films, Music, etc.
Mary Calendar
In honor of the 100th anniversary of Fatima, the Marians of the Immaculate Conception bring you the 2017 Mary Calendar. It features beautiful Marian artwork and inspirational quotes and includes special Marian feast days, Fatima prayers, and "How to Pray the Rosary." Click here to order from the online catalog for the Marian Helpers.
From the Marian Treasure Chest
Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., sent us the text below with the following comments: "October 12 is the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. It is the oldest Marian shrine."
Our Lady of the Pillar: Patroness of all Hispanic Peoples, Woman for All Peoples by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.
She is important in the history and mission of several religious congregations and movements, especially the Marianist Family founded by Blessed William Joseph Chaminade in the nineteenth century. While in exile at Zaragoza at the end of the eighteenth century this French priest of Bordeaux experienced a vision of Our Lady of the Pillar while praying at her shrine. At that time she inspired him to found the Society of Mary and the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, popularly known today as the Marianists.
Her special relation with Hispanic America results from Columbus' discovery of America on October 12, her feast day.
Devotion to Mary is something that cannot be dismissed simply with psychological and sociological explanations. This devotion goes beyond collective pride, national identity, and the need to belong. It is something more mysterious, something that transcends time, cultures, and even reason itself.
We learn to live with the seeming contradiction between reason and faith, between believing Mary is our mother and thinking all this is unbelievable. After all, faith is about love, mystery, and life. And those are real, even if we cannot understand them. Just because we do not fully comprehend all this and cannot fully explain it, does not mean it does not exist.
Let the thought and the image of Our Lady of the Pillar be a forceful reminder that we walk in the footsteps of St. James and the early Christians of Hispania in following Christ. May she be for us a pillar of faith.
Perhaps the conclusion penned by Franz Werfel in his popular novel, Song of Bernadette, says it best: "For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible. For those who believe, no explanation is necessary."
Our Lady of the Pillar, pray for us!
TOPMarian Events
Mary and The Saints: A Celebration of Eastern Orthodox Iconography
Date: October 14-16, 2016
Where: Saint Paul, the Apostle, Orthodox Church, 4451 Wagner Rd, Dayton, OH 45440
Special Event: St. Paul's Second Icon Exhibition October 14-16
Weekend Schedule
Friday, October 14: 5-8 PM (Opening Reception; Greek Street Food Truck will be in the parking lot)
Saturday, October 15: 10 - 5 PM
Sunday, October 16: 12 PM - 5 PM
Admission is free. Both self-guided and docent-led tours will be available. Click here for Maps and Directions.
TOPMary in the Catholic Press
Walls of Jericho Fatima from the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization October 7, 2016
This mission is in response to Pope Francis' request in this Year of Mercy and is based on Joshua 6. As the walls of Jericho came down, the Israelites were freed to pursue God's will; so we pray that our walls--that obstruct us from fully living God's will in our lives--may also come down.
The mission of the Walls of Jericho Fatima project is to gather everyone from across the country and the world to pray at the same time, asking God to pour His Mercy upon us and to forgive us for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Select an area that you desire to dedicate to God. All week, these areas throughout the world will be in petition to God, connecting and praying!
We have groups formed in each and every USA state, and last May's Walls Of Jericho website reached fifty-five countries and was translated into twenty-five different languages, all Glory to God!
Click here to see more information.
Mary in the Secular Press
The director and editors of All About Mary under the auspices of the International Marian Research Institute do not necessarily endorse or agree with the events and ideas expressed in this feature. Our sole purpose is to report on items about Mary gleaned from a myriad of papers representing the secular press.
Twenty-fourth Marian International Congress Concludes in Fatima (University Libraries Grapevine) October, 2016
The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute was represented at the twenty-fourth Mariological/Marian International Congress held in Fatima, Portugal, September 6-11, 2016. Dr. Jason Bourgeois presented "Fatima and the Counterculture: the reception of the messages of Our Lady in the North American Voice of Fatima, 1962-1969," while Dr. Gloria Dodd spoke about "Why They Signed: Bishops in Support of a 1925 Petition for the Dogmatic Definition of Mary's Universal Mediation."