What You Need to Know: Mary

 

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Catholic beliefs about the Blessed Virgin Mary include her immaculate conception, her freedom from personal sin, her perpetual virginity, the fact that she is the mother of God, her assumption into heaven, her role as intercessor and mediatrix, and more.

The richness of Marian study and devotion may be glimpsed in Mary’s unparalleled relationship with the Holy Trinity. She is the daughter of the Father, the mother of the Son, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit. But as is so often the case, it is best to turn to the Catechism of the Catholic Church in order to find a succinct treatment of the basics.

Beyond the Catechism, there are innumerable possibilities. For example, the famous 20th-century American bishop Fulton Sheen wrote a fine and very engaging book entitled The World’s First Love: Mary Mother of God which provides an outstanding chapter on how Mary’s maternity draws us to her Son.

Perhaps the most complete magisterial exposition of the role of Mary in salvation history was provided by John Paul II in his 1987 encyclical Mother of the Redeemer. But even this lengthy treatment is only the beginning of meditation about Mary.

If you only have time to look at three things, LOOK AT THESE.

  1. The Catechism: Born of the Virgin Mary
  2. Bishop Sheen: All Mothers Are Alike—Save One
  3. John Paul II: Mother of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Mater)
And if you've got more time...

There are so many fruitful lines of inquiry about Mary that we can only hope to offer some examples here:

Perhaps someday we’ll have WYNTK items on each attribute of Mary. For the time being, if you search our library on “John Paul II Mary” or “Benedict XVI Mary”, you’ll find that recent popes have focused frequently on the Mother of God in their weekly audiences. Each audience provides another meditation for Catholics wishing to go to Jesus through Mary.

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