Blogs
Mary in the News: Jan. 3, 2020
By Michael Duricy
Read recent items about Mary in both Catholic and secular news. Also, see International Marian Research Institute as well as Marian Library news and updates.
Marian Library and International Marian Research Institute Features
Updates
2020 Annual Conference of the ESBVM USA Call for Papers
The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary, USA (ESBVM USA) was formed by Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Orthodox, and Presbyterian Scholars and is open to all Christians. The Society exists to advance the scholarly study of Mary, the Mother of Christ. By drawing on insights and perspectives from all traditions within the Christian household, the Society promotes increasing one's understanding of Christianity, furthering the effectiveness of the Christian mission, fostering academic interchange, and participating in inter-ecclesial prayer.
PROPOSAL DUE DATE: March 1, 2020
Conference Theme: "Mary, Mother of the Lord"
Conference Dates: July 22-25, 2020
Conference Location: Misericordia University, 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA 18612 (just outside Wilkes-Barre)
Submission Guidelines and Requirements:
The paper proposal should be in DOC or DOCX and must include: presentation title, your name, professional affiliation (e.g., university or church name), and status (undergrad, grad. student, Ph.D. candidate, faculty, pastor, etc.), contact information (e-mail address and daytime telephone), abstract (350-500 words), and equipment needs.
The general theme for the 2020 ESBVM USA Conference is "Mary, Mother of the Lord." This theme may be explored using a variety of methods appropriate to your field of study, personal interests, and particular Christian tradition. The following are some suggested topics to use for inspiration:
- Explorations of Mary's motherhood as gleaned from particular Scripture passages (Old Testament typologies and prophecies as well as New Testament texts);
- A study of Mary's motherhood as explored in the work of particular theologians and churchmen including the Early Church Fathers, Medieval Scholars, Protestant Reformers, and contemporary theologians;
- Mary's motherhood as it relates to and illuminates cultural and social justice issues, anthropological issues, sacramental theology, Christian anthropology, and/or soteriology;
- Conclusions drawn from or about ecumenical dialogues on the subject of Mary's motherhood;
- Historical, systematic, scriptural, or ecumenical explorations of Mary's motherhood as revealed by Marian titles such as Theotókos, Maria Lactans, or Mother of the Church and/or aspects of Mary's motherhood enshrined in Marian dogmas;
- Eastern and/or Western artistic depictions of Mary as mother of Christ, Christians, or the Church in the visual, literary and performing arts;
- Liturgical texts, prayers, and feast days in honor of Mary's motherhood; and
- The role that Mary's motherhood has played in Marian apparitions.
Please address your proposal for review to:
Christopher M. Carr, Ph.D.
ESBVM-USA, President
Misericordia University
301 Lake Street
Dallas, PA 18612
Mary in Media: Books, Films, Music, etc.
Media Coverage of the Marian Library
Catholic News Service produced a 3 1/2 minute video on the Marian Library’s collection of Nativities. Sarah Cahalan and Father Johann Roten, S.M., gave interviews about the collection.
Marian Events
Title: At the Manger: A Labor of Love
Dates: December 20, 2019 - January 12, 2020
Time: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. weekdays, through January 10, 2020
1–4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, January 11–12, 2020
(Closed January 4–5, 2020)
Location: University of Dayton, Roesch Library first-floor gallery and Marian Library, seventh floor
Free and open to the public
Since 1995, the University of Dayton’s Marian Library has presented a selection of its expansive collection of 3,600 Nativity scenes from more than 100 countries, celebrating how people around the world ponder and picture the birth of Christ through many different cultural lenses.
Join us during the Christmas season as we showcase the dedicated and inspiring volunteers of the Marian Library's crèche workshop. Each year, At the Manger is the product of approximately 6,000 hours of faithful service by dozens of volunteer craftspersons, carpenters and docents. The 2019-20 exhibit gives tribute to these volunteers who, together, curated it from their favorite settings.
Mary in the Catholic Press
FORUM: The Mystery of Mary, the Mother of God (Zenit), January 2, 2020
... While much of the world marks the new beginning of the calendar year, the Church commemorates the great solemnity of the Mother of God.
What does this mean?
That the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God means that the child--conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, carried in her body for nine months, and born into this world--is God. As such, this celebration highlights the pivotal truth of the Church's Faith--that God has, in Jesus Christ, accepted a human nature, chosen to be born into this world as we have all been born into this world, and has lived a real, human life.
In doing so, God has accepted the full implication of what is means to be human, including the experiences of suffering and death.
"Why" God did this is what the Scriptures are all about--from start to finish, from Genesis to Revelation. In fact, the Bible is not just some kind of spiritual "self help" book or just a collection of ancient literature--the Bible is the story of why God accepts a human nature in Christ....
Mary in the Secular Press
El Rey grocery store celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint (CBS 58) December 25, 2019
Many Catholics around the country celebrated Mexico's patron saint, Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019. Some of those celebrations took place right here in Milwaukee and even in a popular grocery store on the city's south side.
For the fourth consecutive year, El Rey supermarket on Cesar Chavez Drive had music, food, and dances.
According to tradition, an indigenous man was visited by an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1531. In his vision, he was told to build a church where he stood.
Thursday, that is where the Basilica of Guadalupe stands in Mexico. In honor of the saint's birthday, Catholics around the world celebrated with live music performances and a mass....