Blogs
In the News: December 16, 2015
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
Dr. Annamaria Poma-Swank, who taught many courses on Mary and Art at IMRI, recently published a book about the sinful woman mentioned in Luke 7 called Maria detta "la maddalena" la donna senza nome [Mary called "the Magdalene"--the Unnamed Woman]. This new book is available in Italian from Edizioni Polistampa. Click here for details (in Italian). Dr. Swank is also preparing another book, The cult of Mary Magdalene in Florence: Loci memoriae (places and memory), for publication.
Mary in Media: Books, Films, Music, etc.
On November 21, 2015, Father Antonio Larocca, S.M.C., and Father Javier Alson, S.M.C., presented talks in Spanish during a Marian Day at Saint Charles parish in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their talks were videotaped and have been made available on YouTube: María, Familia y Evangelización (32 minutes); and Ser y Hacer Iglesia con María (26 minutes).
TOPFrom the Marian Treasure Chest
Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., sent us the text below along with the following comments: "Interesting ideas in this article from Father Landolfi"
Happy New Year 2016 -2017 by Father Paul Landolfi, S.M.
The next two years are very important for the Marianist Family. It was 200 years ago that the Venerable Adle de Trenquelleon and Blessed William Joseph Chaminade founded the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (2016) and a year later (2017) with the seven first Brothers founded the Society of Mary. Both of these religious congregations arose from the Sodality of Bordeaux.
Throughout these coming two years there will be much shared regarding our Marianist heritage and our Marianist spirituality. We pray these bi-centennials of the Marianist Family will do much to bring us back to our roots. These two years must be filled with intense prayer that God will grant us many favors through the intercession of our Marianist 'saints'.
We highlight this New Year with a summary of Blessed Chaminade's basic principles, which though written as he considered the religious orders, really apply to the entire Marianist Family.
Basic Principles of the Marianist Family
1. The Marianist Family is the Family of Mary. All the members are her children.
2. The divine life of Christ is the basis for all spirituality in the Marianist Family. It is the all-inclusive principle.
3. Jesus Christ was born of Mary--natus ex Maria Virgine. This sums up everything.
4. By faith and baptism we are conceived by the Holy Spirit, but we must be born of the Virgin Mary.
5. In Mary, Jesus Christ formed Himself to us. In Mary, we must form ourselves to Christ.
6. Mary cooperates with the Holy Spirit to form us as she formed Jesus.
7. Members of the Marianist Family ponder the mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ to grow in their union with Him.
8. Mary found joy in her spiritual motherhood which began at the Annunciation and was proclaimed on Calvary.
9. Devoted to Mary and formed by her, members of the Marianist Family grow in the likeness of Christ. On Calvary, Jesus properly forms His Church.
10. The Marianist Family receives from its mother the life it communicates to all whom it serves in the apostolate.
11. The Marianist Family has a high ideal because of its relationship with Mary, its mother.
12. According to this principle, everything in the Marianist Family must be understood. All the rules of the Marianist Family flow from this principle.
Marian Events
The Shrine of the Holy Relics in Maria Stein will display a wide variety of of nativity scenes from all of the Anericas, collected through travels and shared by Tim and Kathleen Nealeigh for your holiday spiritual enjoyment, throughout Advent and Christmas. The exhibit is open daily through January 6, 2016, with the exception of December 24-25, 2015 and December 31, 2015 - January 1, 2016, when the shrine will be closed. For more information, call, 419-925-4532 or email a.mcguire@mariasteinshrine.org.Mary in the Catholic Press
The Pope to visit Guadalupe on February 13 from VIS (Vatican City) December 13, 2015
Yesterday, on the liturgical solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, patroness of Latin America, the Holy Father celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The celebration was preceded by the Holy Rosary and hundreds of people, mostly from the American continent, where the devotion to Our Lady extends from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. In the homily he pronounced, the Pope emphasized Mary's mercy, asking that we might understand how much God loves us through her.
Francis began by citing the phrases of the prophet Zephaniah in the first reading: "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one Who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; He will exult over you with loud singing." These words, addressed to Israel, can also be referred to the Virgin Mary, the Church, and every person, all of whom are loved by God's merciful love. Yes, God loves us so much that He even rejoices and takes pleasure in us. He loves us with gratuitous love, love without limits, and without expecting anything in return. This merciful love is the most striking attribute of God, the synthesis of which is condensed the Gospel message, the faith of the Church....
Click here to read the complete article.
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.
Author discusses writing National Geographic cover story on the Virgin Mary (National Catholic Reporter) December 9, 2015
For the second time in five months, the cover story for the iconic National Geographic magazine highlights a foundational aspect of the Catholic faith. In August, for the first time ever, a pope graced the cover of the magazine. This month's cover story is on Mary, the mother of Jesus, titled, How the Virgin Mary Became the World's Most Powerful Woman.
National Geographic paired the accomplished and award-winning writer, Maureen Orth, with photographer, Diana Markosian. Orth, a Catholic and a former Peace Corps volunteer, is a Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, and founder of the Marina Orth Foundation, which promotes advanced learning in technology, English, and leadership for over 3,200 students in Colombia. She traveled over several months to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, France, Mexico, Portugal, and Rwanda. National Catholic Reporter spoke to Orth by telephone about her experience writing this story …
Click here to read the complete article.