Blessed Virgin Mary: A Mother in Time of Need
This month someone asked me, “Why do you Catholics pray to Mary?” I explained why we regard Mary as a mother and why the National Geographic once called her “the most powerful woman on earth.” At the Annunciation, when Mary conceived Jesus, she also conceived us in a sense. Jesus became our brother and his […]
Mother’s Day and Our Blessed Mother, Mary
This week I’ve been visiting religious goods stores and offering my latest book, “Heart to Heart with Mary: A Yearly Devotional,” in which Mary speaks to us personally each day. This book is perfect now for several reasons. It makes a nice gift for Mother’s Day. We are in the month of May, which is […]
Mary, May, Mothers, and Flowers
Well, spring is officially here! Despite the recent snow and cold weather, a few daffodils bravely appeared in front of my house. Did you know that a daffodil is called Mary’s star? In doing research for my book “The Catholic Companion to Mary,” I discovered that more than 700 flowers and plants have been named […]
A Review of Heart to Heart with Mary, Thanks to a Friend
http://catholicmom.com/2018/02/15/heart-heart-mary-lent/
Mary Calls Us to Lent
These days I am busy preparing to give a three-day parish mission on our Blessed Mother entitled “Mary Calls Us to Lent.” My aim is twofold: 1) to convince the parishioners to pray to Mary as their God-given loving mother and powerful intercessor and 2) to inspire them to imitate her as the first and […]
For Christmas: Heart to Heart with Mary
Do you like the popular book “Jesus Calling” in which Jesus speaks to you every day? My newest book, “Heart to Heart with Mary,” contains Mary’s words for each day of the year. She speaks as our mother who loves and cares for us. Each entry ends with a suggestion for continuing the conversation with […]
Roses, Mystical Rose, Rosary
My mother was very proud of her roses. She knew them by name: the American Beauty rose, the John F. Kennedy rose, and so on. When roses were in season, her kitchen table was never without at least one gorgeous rose from her garden gracing it. Roses are the most popular flower. We present them […]
Blessed Virgin Mary, the Color Blue, Tabby Cats, and Tears
The centennial year of Our Lady of Fatima is coming to a close. Therefore, for today’s blog, I offer a few frivolous facts about Mary. For meatier explanations, see my previous blogs about our Blessed Mother or read one of my bestselling books The Catholic Companion to Mary, which has theology as well as “tidbits” […]
In Honor of the Assumption of Mary
Because this week we celebrate Mary’s Assumption into heaven, I thought it fitting that this blog be the introduction from my book The Catholic Companion to Mary. Hope you enjoy it! . . . In Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club, four young women, who are estranged from their mothers to varying degrees, come […]
Mary, a Model of Mercy
We learn from and are inspired by other people. Olympians, movie stars, and sports figures often credit an older person who was a model for them. An African proverb is “No one sits by the fire without getting warmed.” Mary, the Mother of Jesus, serves as an excellent model of mercy for us. No doubt, […]