Blogs

In the News: May 17, 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
Michael Duricy presented Interpreting Marian Allusions in Film on April 19, 2016, at the University of Notre Dame. This lecture was part of the academic course Know Your Catholic Faith: Mary in the Movies, offered through the Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. Click here to view the entire 140-minute talk [which also includes a number of film clips]. Click into the following links for texts related to his talk: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Marian Symbols; and Semiotics, Snow White and Mary. Click here for a related article in French by Françoise Breynaert.
He was also interviewed about Our Lady of Montserrat and other Black Madonnas by Michael O'Neill on Relevant Radio during an episode of The Miracle Hunter broadcast on May 1, 2016. Click here to listen to the entire program (45 minutes with 15 minutes of Mr. Duricy starting around minute 8).
TOPMary in Media: Books, Films, Music, etc.
Executive director, Susana Garza said, "This award acknowledges years of hard work and the dedication of our Mary's Touch radio team who continue to play an intricate role in the New Evangelization."
Gabriel-worthy programs "affirm the dignity of human beings and recognize and uphold universally recognized human values such as community, creativity, tolerance, justice, compassion and the dedication to excellence." (Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals)
From the Marian Treasure Chest
Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., sent us the article below.
Honor Mary
In May the Church encourages us to renew our attention to honoring Mary. Here are the reasons of one author to honor Mary in May.
1. Mary is Jesus' mother.
2. Mary is the first and most perfect disciple.
3. She is your spiritual mother.
4. She loves you more than you can imagine.
5. In addition to being our mother, she is also advocate, helper, benefactress, and mediatrix.
TOPMarian Events
The 67th Annual Meeting of the Mariological Society of America is being held from May 17-20, 2016 at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This year's theme is: Devotion to the Heart of Mary: Theological Foundations. Click here to view the Conference Program.
Mary in the Catholic Press
Mass of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from Zenit April 26, 2016
Q: June 27 is the feast day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), whose miraculous icon is enshrined in Rome. Copies of the icon are found in almost every Catholic parish throughout the world, and many parishes practice the weekly OLPH devotions. The Redemptorists, who are the custodians of the icon, have a proper Mass of OLPH, which is used on June 27 in their parishes and communities. This Mass is found in their liturgical supplement and is not included in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are other parishes, either diocesan or staffed by other religious orders, which are under the patronage of OLPH or practice the weekly OLPH devotions. Would it permissible for these parishes to use the proper Mass of OLPH on June 27 as well?
A: This is quite a thorny question from the legal point of view. Indeed, while the question of the celebration of the blesseds and saints has been clarified, that of Masses for universally popular Marian invocations is not so clear.
It must also be pointed out that this celebration coincides with the optional memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria in the universal calendar and is not even included in the calendar of the Diocese of Rome....
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.
Friday Frivolity: Our Lady of the Tardis (Restless Pilgrim blog) April 1, 2016
Okay, this is a bit of a weird one, but I think it says a lot about the way my mind works. Besides, it’s April 1, and if I can't post a tongue-in-cheek article on this day, when can I?!
I would like to begin by asking a question: what do these two things have common? ...
Vehicle of the (Time) Lord
So what is the similarity between Mary, the Mother of God (Theotokos), and the Tardis from the TV show Doctor Who? ...
Click here to read the complete article.