International Marian Research Institute graduate

Rare books, art, expertise

Sister Danielle M. Peters, I.S.S.M., earned her Doctorate of Sacred Theology with a specialization in Marian studies from the International Marian Research Institute in 2008, writing her doctoral thesis on the teachings of Pope John Paul II and Schoenstatt movement founder Father Joseph Kentenich about Mary, mother and educator. Now a research fellow at the Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, she speaks highly of IMRI and the Marian Library:

Hindsight, as is generally known, is 20/20. This holds true for my studies at the International Marian Research Institute (2001-08) — a time I did not fully appreciate the privilege of having access to the world’s largest holding of all things related to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I simply took it for granted to be able to dive daily into the volumes about Our Lady in many languages, reaching as far back as the printing press.

I appreciated the expertise of Brother Bill Fackovec, S.M., affectionately called “the embodied Marian Library” for his long history of service and his efforts to build the collections, and his competent associate Cecilia Mushenheim; they were invaluable assets to all of us students. Not only did they willingly and generously help us locate books, they went the extra mile by drawing our attention to related works and studies in progress.

Besides the written material, the Marian Library’s immense collections of paintings, sculptures, crèches, audiovisuals, stamps, coins and rare data bridge the gap between scholarship and life, between the study of Mariology and Mary as a person.

Ever since I left IMRI, I miss this jewel helping me with my scholarship.