Marian Apparitions
Marian Apparitions
Accounts of the Apparitions of Mary
Saint Louis de Montfort prophesized that in the Last Days,
Blessed Mother Mary would be like a Saint John the Baptist
announcing the Good News and much more.
Certainly we have many Marian Apparitions to discover and
discern what Our Lady and Jesus are trying to tell us.
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Marian apparitions are divine encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary that have shaped Catholic faith and devotion across centuries, often appearing in times of crisis with messages of repentance, prayer, and hope.
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The Catholic Church rigorously investigates reported apparitions to discern their authenticity, ensuring they align with Scripture and Tradition while inspiring genuine conversion and acts of charity.
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These apparitions consistently emphasize the importance of the Rosary and the Eucharist, with visionaries like St. Juan Diego and the children of Fatima serving as powerful examples of faith and obedience to Mary's call.
Marian Apparitions Through the Ages
In the vast, intricate tapestry of Catholic history, few threads shimmer with as much mystery and grace as the stories of Marian apparitions. These divine encounters—moments when the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to humble souls across centuries—carry a weight of wonder that transcends time. They are not mere folklore or dusty relics of a bygone era; they are living testimonies, burning with a call to faith, repentance, and devotion. From the windswept hills of Guadalupe to the quiet grotto of Lourdes, these apparitions have shaped the spiritual landscape of millions, offering solace, miracles, and a glimpse of the eternal.
At Journeys of Faith, we’ve spent over four decades walking the sacred paths where heaven has touched earth. Founded by Bob and Penny Lord in 1980 after their transformative encounter with the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, our ministry has been a beacon for Catholics yearning to deepen their faith. Through pilgrimages to holy shrines, books like This Is My Body, This Is My Blood: Miracles of the Eucharist, and countless programs on EWTN, we’ve sought to bring the mysteries of our faith into sharp, vibrant focus. Marian apparitions, with their profound messages and undeniable impact, are a cornerstone of that mission—a reminder of Mary’s enduring role as our intercessor and guide.
Think of these apparitions as divine dispatches, each one tailored to its era yet timeless in its urgency. They’ve appeared in moments of crisis and quiet alike, to peasants and visionaries, in places both remote and revered. Whether it’s the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe imprinted on a simple cloak in 1531 or the healing waters of Lourdes revealed to St. Bernadette in 1858, each encounter feels like a direct line to the divine—a call to prayer, to trust, to transformation. For modern Catholics, these stories aren’t just history; they’re an invitation to rediscover the power of faith in a world that often feels adrift.
Join us as we journey through the ages, tracing the footsteps of Mary’s appearances and the miracles they’ve inspired. At Journeys of Faith, we believe these moments are not just echoes of the past but living sparks, ready to ignite a renewed devotion in your heart. Let’s explore how the Mother of God has reached out across centuries, and how her messages still resonate with us today.
Understanding Marian Apparitions: Definition and Purpose
Let’s dive into the heart of what Marian apparitions really are, peeling back the layers of mystery with a mix of reverence and curiosity. At their core, Marian apparitions are reported supernatural appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, to individuals or groups, often carrying messages of faith, repentance, or hope. These aren’t just ghostly tales spun for campfire chills; they’re profound encounters, believed by millions to be direct interventions from heaven, piercing the veil between the divine and the mundane.
Think of them as celestial dispatches, urgent memos from Mary herself, often delivered in times of crisis or spiritual drought. Whether it’s a shepherd girl in a remote field or a crowd gathered in fervent prayer, these apparitions tend to happen when humanity needs a nudge—sometimes a shove—toward God. The purpose? It’s rarely just a “hello” from the other side. Mary’s appearances often come with calls to prayer, penance, or a return to faith, like a mother gently but firmly reminding her children to clean up their act. Take Fatima in 1917, for instance, where Mary’s message to three young visionaries wasn’t just a personal pep talk—it was a plea for the world to turn from sin, with warnings of consequences if humanity didn’t listen.
But here’s the kicker: these apparitions aren’t just about doom and gloom. They’re beacons of hope, radiating a maternal love that cuts through despair. Mary often points to her Son, Jesus, urging us to cling to Him through the Eucharist and prayer. It’s as if she’s saying, “I’m here, but don’t stop at me—look to Him.” Each apparition, whether in Lourdes, Guadalupe, or Medjugorje, carries a tailored message for its time and place, yet the core remains the same: a call to deeper faith, a reminder of God’s presence, and an invitation to trust in divine mercy.
What’s fascinating—and what keeps theologians and believers up at night—is how these events challenge our understanding of the spiritual realm. Are they literal? Symbolic? A mix of both? The Church doesn’t rush to stamp every reported sighting as authentic; it investigates with a skeptic’s eye and a believer’s heart, often taking decades to discern. Yet for those who’ve witnessed or been touched by these moments, the reality is unshakable. Marian apparitions aren’t just stories—they’re lived experiences that reshape lives, turning ordinary folks into conduits of extraordinary grace.
Historical Overview of Apparitions Through the Centuries
Let’s take a step back and trace the arc of Marian apparitions across the centuries, a story woven with threads of divine mystery and human longing. These encounters, often raw and unpolished in their earliest accounts, carry the weight of faith in times of crisis, war, and spiritual hunger. From the shadowed hills of ancient Europe to the dusty villages of the modern era, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared to shepherds, children, and saints, her messages echoing with a call to prayer, repentance, and hope.
In the early centuries, reports of Marian visions were sparse, often whispered in local lore rather than documented in ecclesiastical records. One of the first widely acknowledged apparitions dates to the 4th century, when Our Lady of the Pillar is said to have appeared to St. James the Greater in Zaragoza, Spain, around 40 AD. Picture this: a discouraged apostle, struggling to spread the Gospel in a pagan land, suddenly beholds the Mother of Christ atop a pillar, urging him onward. It’s a moment of quiet, personal grace, yet it plants a seed that would grow into centuries of devotion.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, and the apparitions begin to take on a more public, urgent tone. Think of Our Lady of Walsingham in 1061, where a noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, received a vision to build a replica of the Holy House of Nazareth in England. This wasn’t just a private nudge—it was a call to create a physical space for pilgrimage, a beacon for a nation. These medieval encounters often came with a sense of mission, as if Mary herself was rallying the faithful during times of plague and feudal strife.
By the 16th and 17th centuries, the world was fracturing under the Reformation, and Marian apparitions seemed to double down on their role as spiritual anchors. Take Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531, appearing to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico. Her image, imprinted on his tilma, wasn’t just a miracle—it was a cultural bridge, speaking to the indigenous people in their own visual language while affirming the Catholic faith amidst colonial upheaval. This wasn’t a quiet whisper; it was a thunderclap of divine presence, still reverberating through millions of devotees today.
The 19th and 20th centuries brought a surge of apparitions, almost as if the modern world, with its industrial grind and secular drift, needed a louder wake-up call. Lourdes in 1858, where St. Bernadette Soubirous met the “Immaculate Conception” in a grotto, became a lifeline for the sick and suffering, a place where the tangible and the transcendent collide. Then there’s Fatima in 1917, with its apocalyptic undertones—three shepherd children receiving prophecies of war, peace, and the need for global consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart. These weren’t just personal revelations; they were warnings and promises for humanity itself, delivered through the unlikeliest of messengers.
What ties these moments together across nearly two millennia? It’s the way they cut through the noise of their respective eras. Whether it’s a Roman outpost, a medieval hamlet, or a war-torn 20th-century village, Mary’s appearances often arrive when hope feels threadbare. They’re not polished or predictable—they’re messy, human, and often met with skepticism before acceptance. Yet they endure, etched into the collective memory of the faithful, as signposts of a mother’s unrelenting care for her children.
Eucharistic Miracles Linked to Marian Apparitions
Let’s dive into a fascinating intersection of Catholic spirituality: the profound connection between Marian apparitions and Eucharistic miracles. These divine events often weave together, revealing a deeper tapestry of faith that speaks to the heart of our devotion. Picture this—Mary, the Mother of God, appearing to humble souls across centuries, often pointing them toward the Real Presence of her Son in the Eucharist. It’s as if she’s guiding us, with a mother’s gentle insistence, to the very source of our salvation.
Take, for instance, the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. The three shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta—witnessed the Blessed Mother’s urgent call to prayer and sacrifice. But what’s less often discussed is the Eucharistic dimension of their experience. During one of the apparitions, an angel appeared to the children, holding a chalice with a Host suspended above it, dripping blood into the cup. The angel instructed them to adore and make reparation for sins against the Eucharist. This moment wasn’t just a footnote—it was a blazing neon sign pointing to the centrality of Christ’s Body and Blood in our faith. Mary’s message at Fatima wasn’t just about personal conversion; it was a cosmic reminder of the sacrifice on the altar.
Then there’s the lesser-known but equally gripping story of Our Lady of Knock in Ireland, 1879. On a rainy evening in County Mayo, villagers saw a silent vision of Mary alongside St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist, with an altar and a lamb at the center. That lamb, surrounded by angels, is widely interpreted as a symbol of Christ in the Eucharist. Though no words were spoken during the apparition, the message was deafening: the Eucharist is the heart of our worship, and Mary stands as its greatest advocate. It’s a quiet, almost haunting reminder that even in the silence of an apparition, the truth of the Real Presence echoes loud and clear.
These stories aren’t just historical curiosities—they’re a call to action. Marian apparitions often serve as a divine nudge, urging us to rediscover the miracle of the Eucharist in our own lives. Whether it’s through the dramatic visions at Fatima or the serene stillness of Knock, Mary consistently directs us to her Son, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. It’s a pattern that repeats through the ages, a spiritual breadcrumb trail leading us back to the altar. So, as we reflect on these moments, let’s ask ourselves: how are we honoring the Eucharist in our daily walk of faith?
Join Us on a Journey of Marian Devotion with Journeys of Faith
Hey there, fellow seekers of the divine! If the stories of Marian apparitions through the ages have stirred something deep in your soul, then let’s take this journey further together. At Journeys of Faith, we’ve been guiding Catholics like you since 1980, diving into the mysteries of our faith with heart and grit. Founded by Bob and Penny Lord after their life-changing encounter with the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, we’re here to help you experience the Blessed Mother’s presence in a real, transformative way.
Here’s how you can dive deeper with us:
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Embark on a Pilgrimage: Walk the sacred paths of Marian shrines across Europe and the Holy Land. Feel the echoes of Our Lady’s messages firsthand.
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Explore Our Resources: Grab a copy of our books, DVDs, or stream our content on EWTN—each piece is packed with authoritative Catholic teaching.
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Join a Retreat: Immerse yourself in faith formation and community, surrounded by others hungry for spiritual growth.
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Connect Online: Access ebooks, audiobooks, and digital media to keep Our Lady’s inspiration close, wherever you are.
Let’s uncover the miracles of Mary together. Visit Journeys of Faith today and step into a deeper devotion!
FAQs About Marian Apparitions
What is a Marian apparition?
A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, to one or more individuals. These encounters often carry messages of faith, repentance, prayer, and devotion, urging humanity to return to God. For centuries, these divine moments have inspired countless Catholics to deepen their spiritual lives, drawing them closer to the heart of the Church. At Journeys of Faith, we’ve explored these sacred events through our pilgrimages and resources, guiding believers to the very places where Mary’s presence has touched the earth.
Are Marian apparitions recognized by the Catholic Church?
Yes, but not all reported apparitions receive official recognition. The Catholic Church approaches these phenomena with caution, conducting thorough investigations to ensure their authenticity aligns with Scripture and Tradition. Only a small number of apparitions are deemed worthy of belief by the Church, meaning they are not obligatory for faith but are approved for devotion. Journeys of Faith, with our longstanding commitment to authoritative Catholic teaching, helps illuminate the stories behind these approved apparitions through our books, DVDs, and immersive experiences at holy sites.
What are the most famous Marian apparitions?
Some of the most renowned Marian apparitions include Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico (1531), where Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, leaving her image on his tilma; Our Lady of Lourdes in France (1858), where she revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception to St. Bernadette Soubirous; and Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal (1917), where she delivered urgent messages of peace and prayer to three shepherd children. These events have shaped Catholic devotion worldwide, and at Journeys of Faith, we’ve walked in the footsteps of these visionaries through our pilgrimages, sharing their stories in our extensive media catalog.
Have Marian apparitions occurred in modern times?
Yes, Marian apparitions have been reported in modern times, though many await Church approval. One notable example is Our Lady of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where six visionaries have claimed ongoing apparitions since 1981. While the Church has not fully endorsed all aspects of Medjugorje, millions of pilgrims—including those journeying with Journeys of Faith—have visited the site, drawn by its profound spiritual impact. These modern encounters remind us that Mary’s maternal care for humanity remains active and urgent in our world today.
What criteria must an apparition meet for approval?
The Catholic Church employs a rigorous process to evaluate apparitions, guided by criteria established over centuries. These include the moral integrity and psychological stability of the visionaries, the theological consistency of the messages with Church teaching, and the spiritual fruits—such as conversions and miracles—that result from the event. Negative indicators, like contradictions with doctrine or evidence of fraud, can lead to rejection. At Journeys of Faith, we uphold the Church’s wisdom in these matters, focusing our evangelization on approved apparitions while fostering a spirit of discernment among the faithful through our resources and retreats.
What was the message of Our Lady of Fatima?
During the apparitions at Fatima in 1917, Our Lady delivered a powerful call to prayer, penance, and conversion to three young shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta. She urged the world to pray the Rosary daily for peace, warned of the consequences of sin, and revealed three “secrets” concerning future events, including a vision of hell and a plea for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. Her message remains a beacon of hope and urgency, a theme we at Journeys of Faith echo in our mission to inspire deeper faith through pilgrimages to Fatima and our extensive content on Marian devotion.
A Call to Journey with Mary and Deepen Your Faith
As we’ve wandered through the sacred history of Marian apparitions, from the comforting embrace of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the urgent messages of Fatima, we’re reminded of Mary’s unyielding presence in our lives. At Journeys of Faith, we’re not just recounting these divine encounters—we’re inviting you to experience them. Since 1980, Bob and Penny Lord have guided countless souls on pilgrimages to Catholic shrines, where the veil between heaven and earth feels whisper-thin. These aren’t mere trips; they’re transformative odysseys that echo the miracles of the Eucharist and the lives of the saints.
Mary calls us to listen, to pray, to act. Whether through our books like This Is My Body, This Is My Blood: Miracles of the Eucharist, our EWTN programs, or our immersive retreats, Journeys of Faith offers you the tools to answer that call. As a trusted voice in Catholic evangelization, we’re here to walk with you, to deepen your devotion, and to ignite your love for the Blessed Mother. Step onto this path. Explore our resources, join a pilgrimage, and let Mary’s apparitions guide your heart closer to Christ. Your journey awaits.
List of Marian Apparitions
Our Lady of Beauraing
Our Lady of the Cape
Our Lady of Loreto and the Holy House
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Our Lady of Peace La Conquistadora NM
Our Lady of Siuliai - Lithuania
Our Lady Gate of Dawn - Lithuania
From Bob and Penny Lord's Book "The Many Faces of Mary"
"SUDDENLY THE POPE FALLS, SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. HE IS INSTANTLY HELPED UP, BUT, STRUCK A SECOND TIME, DIES. A SHOUT OF VICTORY RISES FROM THE ENEMY, AND WILD REJOICING SWEEPS THEIR SHIPS!"
Above is part of a dream experienced by St. John Bosco on May 30, 1862. He saw a large ship, with the Pope at the helm. Also, in his words,
"In the midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart, soar high into the sky. On the one side, a statue of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin, stands high above the sea. At her feet is a large inscription, which reads 'AUXILIUM CHRISTIANORUM', (Help of Christians). On the other side, and much higher, is a Giant Host, at the base of which is written 'SALUS CREDENTIUM' (Salvation of Believers). The two columns stand tall and strong, warding off the thrashing of raging winds."
St. John Bosco describes smaller ships surrounding the large
ship and the columns. Many of them attack the flagship, while
others defend it. No sooner is the Pope killed than he is
replaced by another pope. The battle continues. The new Pope
tries to steer his ship between the two columns, but is having an
extremely difficult time of it because of the constant pummeling
by the furious hurricane. Finally, he succeeds in bringing his
ship between the columns. He ties it up at each column. The
wind cries out a bloodcurdling shriek, heard round the world, and
dies. The enemy ships scatter in great fear, their battle lost,
while the defending ships sing out praises to Our Lord Jesus, as
they, too, tie up at the posts. A peaceful calm blankets the
sea.
We chose to open our book on Mary with this vision, or dream
of St. John Bosco, because we believe there is a strong
connection between that dream and the work the Lord has commanded
us to do. There was then, and is now, a great battle being waged
between the powers of good and evil for control of the world, and
destruction of two of the strongest powers we have in the Church
today,
THE EUCHARIST, AND OUR MOTHER MARY
In 1985, we had absolutely no idea of writing a book on THE
MIRACLES OF THE EUCHARIST, although we had gathered more than
enough material over a ten year period. We had used our research
to teach the Pilgrims we brought to the shrines in our Pilgrimage
Ministry. But the Lord was strong in His demand. In October of
1986, THIS IS MY BODY, THIS IS MY BLOOD, Miracles of the
Eucharist was published. But that was just the beginning.
There was a great misunderstanding of the documents of
Vatican II regarding Our Lady's role in the Church, during and
immediately after the Council convened. Because of this,
devotion to Mary went into a tailspin. Her best friends, the
angels and saints, were also affected. It was a complete sweep.
It was as if the whole world had gone crazy. This was not at all
what Pope John XXIII had in mind when he attempted to open the
windows of the Church to let the Spirit flow. The day before
convening Vatican Council II, he went in pilgrimage to the shrine
of Our Lady at Loreto, in Italy, celebrated Mass in the Holy
House of Nazareth, and prayed for Mary's protection of the
upcoming Council.
Long after the Council ended, the actual documents of
Vatican Council II found their way to the rank and file of the
Church. In reading them, it was very obvious that none of what
actually happened was meant to happen by the Council. Actually,
the praise of Our Sweet Mother Mary and the saints was a great
tribute to the Council and its Documents. But it took years
before anyone knew what they were actually saying. In 1954, Pope
Pius XII declared a Marian Year. In 1962, Vatican Council II
opened. In 1964, just ten years after the declaration of Mary's
special Marian year, Vatican Council II declared a teaching,
explaining Mary's place in the Church. In the same year, Pope
Paul VI declared Mary MOTHER OF THE CHURCH.
But the damage had been done. Devotion to Mary stopped;
novenas to Mary stopped; the Rosary stopped; magazines devoted to
Mary ceased publication. But Mary made a statement in 1917 at
Fatima, which was not meant just for Russia.
IN THE END, MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH
And triumph it will.
SHE IS DAUGHTER OF THE FATHER - forever obedient to Him
MOTHER OF THE SON - leading us to Him
AND SPOUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - moving men's hearts.
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS, AND WE HAVE BAD NEWS
The Good News is that Our Lady has been through this before,
and survived very well. This is not the first time that Mary has
been attacked in the history of the Church. From the very
beginning, she has been the target of jealousy and abuse. Every
time strong devotion to Mary has taken place, it has always been
followed by violent hostilities. Usually, these assaults begin
with the heresies denying the Real Presence of Jesus in the
Eucharist. They are almost always followed by onslaughts against
Mary. We call this the Good News because we and she have always
come out of it, eventually. The Bad News is that the eventually
involves a great deal of struggle and persecution, both on Mary
and her believers. We have been in such times of persecution
since Vatican Council II.
We're told that since the last approved apparition by Our
Lady at Banneux, Belgium, in 1933, there have been 130 claimed
visits from Mary prior to the reported apparitions in Medjugorje,
Yugoslavia in 1981, which we will talk about in this book. SINCE
MEDJUGORJE, we hear about the Lady from Heaven coming to places
like Africa, and Cairo, and Ireland, to name a few. It will be
some time before anyone properly analyzes what is happening in
our time. While we're not attempting to comment on the
authenticity of any of these claimed apparitions, we know one
thing for sure.
MARY'S BACK, AND SHE'S STRONGER THAN EVER
Two weeks after we had sent the manuscript of our book on
the MIRACLES OF THE EUCHARIST to the editor and typesetter, we
left to bring a group of pilgrims to the Holy Land, Medjugorje,
and the shrines of Our Lady in Europe. We had not considered a
follow up book. Remember, we knew absolutely nothing about
publishing, or selling a book. We were praying to the Lord to
show us how to get the book on the Miracles of the Eucharist
distributed.
During this Pilgrimage, Mary came to us in a very special
way, with a mandate. She showed us on many occasions, the
painting of that vision of Don Bosco's in 1862. She spoke
softly, gently to our hearts. She invaded our sleeping and our
waking hours. We knew, within two weeks of our departure for her
shrines, that this book had to be written. But it had to be a
very special book, for a special Lady, at a crucial period in the
history of the world.
When we began formulating a book on Mary, we needed a word
from her, a direction. Should it be another book on the
apparitions of Our Lady from our personal research? Should it be
our own experiences with Mary at different times in our lives?
Should it be our experiences at the shrines of Mary throughout
the world? Should it be about our feelings for Mary, our love
for her, how it came about, how it's manifested itself over the
years? Should it be about her love for us, and how she's
protected and guided us all our lives, how she's stood by us when
we rejected her? We needed guidance.
Who is Mary? Why is there such controversy surrounding this
Lady, the most loving, the most beautiful woman in the history of
the world? Why does she always visit us from Heaven? What does
she say to us that has so much meaning for us? Why do we listen
to her? Why do we not listen to her? Why is she under so much
attack? Why does she keep coming back, when people are so cruel
to her? Mary means so many things to so many people. What did
she want us to say about her? We had to find out.
Our Journey began. We had visited many of the shrines of
Mary over the years. We observed the effect Our Lady had on
other pilgrims who visited the same shrines. We tried to write
down our own feelings while we were at these holy places, but it
was near impossible. While we focus on Jesus and Mary on
Pilgrimages, at shrines like Lourdes and Fatima, we are so filled
with emotions that it takes time to sort it all out. Oftentimes,
we have to go off by ourselves to a quiet place to gather our
thoughts. We had written background on all these shrines for our
Good Newsletter, and for Pilgrims going on one of our Journeys of
Faith to Mary's shrines. But we had never put it all together.
We developed a hunger for Mary. We searched out and made
pilgrimages to lesser known shrines, such as Our Lady of the
Victories in Paris, Pontmain, Banneux, Beauraing, and others that
we had heard of. We looked for a theme, an overall message,
which would apply to all the apparitions. We thought that each
apparition was given for a particular person, or group of people,
for a specific time in the history of a given part of the world.
The only thread of an overall message we could determine is
that of Cana, her last recorded words in the Gospel, Do Whatever
He Tells You. She's been more specific over the years. She
calls for prayer, fasting, penance, reconciliation, and a return
to the Sacraments. Other than that, the message of each
apparition seems to be unique in itself. She never makes
reference to her previous apparitions.
At Loreto, Italy, inside the Holy House of Nazareth, I told
Penny I could feel a great closeness to Mary. I directed my
attention to her statue above the main altar. I focused on her
eyes.
I emptied my mind of everything but the vision before me.
Only she was clear. Everything on the outer edges of my vision
was blurred. I was at the brink of direct communication with
her. I could feel her trying to reach me. She was speaking. I
could almost hear her in my heart. But I lost it. The room
became crowded with pilgrims; my concentration was broken. It
was so frustrating. I knew she was trying to get through to me.
The feeling was there! It actually became stronger, burning
inside of me. But the words, breaking it down into human
language had not yet come. I couldn't explain to myself or
anyone else what had happened.
My mind traveled back to that warm summer day in 1983, when
my Penny, or now I wonder if it wasn't Mary through Penny, coined
the phrase, THE MANY FACES OF MARY. The late afternoon sun cast
its shadows from the buildings onto the pavement of the sleepy,
narrow Corso Boccalino, which leads to the Holy House of Nazareth
in Loreto. The shops lining either side of the streets were
still closed for their traditional Italian 3 1/2 hour lunch
period. It was warm. It was late July. The previous two week
excruciating heat wave was but a preview of what August would
bring.
As we walked down the street towards the famous shrine to
Mary, we praised and thanked her for the relief from the heat the
shadows afforded us. It was a lazy day, partly because of the
heat, and partly because of the conversation with our luncheon
guest. He was a young Italian manufacturer of religious
articles, Paolo Georgetti. He was eager to know why people
prayed to Mary under so many different names. He used the
pretext that he was interested in manufacturing plaques of Our
Lady, but we could tell from his conversation that he had been
seriously flirting with the Jehovah's Witnesses.
My wife Penny, who has a great love for Mary, rattled off
with great enthusiasm the various titles of Our Lady to which she
judged people had the greatest devotion. "Let's see, there is Our
Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Loreto, Our Lady of Fatima. Then
you definitely need Our Lady of Pompeii, Our Lady of Perpetual
Help..."
Young Paolo started to laugh. "But senora, how many ladies
are there?" The sound of his laughter ricocheted off the
buildings, assaulting the peaceful silence of the afternoon. It
was like a shriek against our ears. We felt as if he had
blasphemed.
Penny looked at him, her expression a combination of hurt,
anger and defensiveness. "How many people are you? To your wife,
you are Paolo, husband and lover. To your children, you are
daddy, pillar of strength, provider. To your father, you are
Paolo, son, successor to his business, learning your trade from
him. To your mother, you are the baby she held inside her womb
for nine months, and watched with pride as you grew up. To your
contemporaries, you are Paolo, the friend. To your employees,
you are Signor Georgetti, the patrone. Same Paolo, but different
people, addressing different needs.
It's the same with Our Lady, only multiplied ten thousand
fold. Mary has many faces. Each title of Mary answers a special
need in those who reach out to her. And she answers the needs as
a loving mother, an understanding friend, a trusting confidante,
whatever you need. She's available. Don't ever underestimate
the Many Faces of Mary". There it was!!
We went to Lourdes. Everyone who has spent any time at that
magical shrine has their own special place, their own special
relationship with Mary. Our particular place is the Basilica of
the Rosary. There is a mosaic of Mary inside the dome. She looks
absolutely breathtaking. She wears her crown as Queen of Heaven
and Earth. She's dressed in a white gown with a blue sash, and a
cloak of ermine. Her arms and hands are outstretched. The
expression on her face is very individual, very personal. It
says different things to different people at different times.
Each time we go to Lourdes, she says something new. Even if we
visit the Church a few times during one trip, she'll give us a
variety of messages. She has a smile on her face, and an
expression in her eyes that is so young, so happy, so full of
hope. Her eyes follow us all over the church. No matter where
we walk, if we turn to look at Mary, she's watching us. The
message we received this last time was You're getting close.
Don't stop searching. Keep your attention on me. You'll get the
message soon.
I came back to California after two pilgrimages to the
shrines of Mary. Penny had to remain in Europe, waiting to bring
the next group of pilgrims to the shrines. After each
pilgrimage, I seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough. But
it still had not happened. I returned on September 6. Mary's
birthday is September 8, and mine is September 9. I received the
message from Mary in our Parish Church.
I attended Mass in our parish on September 8. I had
completely forgotten it was the Birthday of Mary. Our Parish
priest had been in the Room of the Apparitions in Medjugorje with
me in July, but I hadn't seen him since we had returned from that
Pilgrimage. On this day, he gave a homily in honor of Mary on
her birthday. He said many things, but the one that stood out to
me, THE MESSAGE that Our Lady was trying to give me, came
through. I'm paraphrasing what he said, but the essence is as
follows:
"In preparing this homily, I went through the Litany of
Mary. It gives the various titles of Mary, some of which are
STAR OF THE SEA, GATE OF HEAVEN, MYSTICAL ROSE. I thought to
myself, she's not a star, or a gate, or a rose. These are the
words of poets, and while they're very poetic, very inspired, and
they attempt to place Our dear Lady in her proper position in
Heaven, way above us, they don't tell us anything about who she
really was, and is. She's a woman, a very special woman, a very
strong woman, an obedient daughter, a loving wife, an unselfish
mother, a friend, a confidante, and all love. It's good to put
Mary on a throne, because she is our queen. But if we put her
out of reach, we've made a mistake, because she is above all,
TOUCHABLE."
Mary is Touchable! I had to travel 9,000 miles, and 60 days
searching, struggling, praying for a word, only to come back to
my parish in California. The speaker was not famous. He was not
Fr. John Powell, or Fr. Ken Roberts or Fr. Richard Rohr. He was
a simple parish priest, much like St. Jean Vianney, the Cure of
Ars. The church was not a great shrine. It was our little
parish church Our Lady used to give me my word. And the word I
received is Touchable."
In all Marian apparitions, Mary reaches out to us, to help us.
She becomes vulnerable; she allows herself to be touched. Battle
lines are drawn. Attacks from the fallen angels are a guarantee.
They hate her more than any human being the Lord has put on this
earth. Good people are made to do bad things. Unbridled anger,
pure hatred spews out of their mouths in denunciation of her.
But then good things happen. "In the end, my Immaculate Heart
will triumph". Mass conversions come about. There are Healings
of body and soul, reconciliation, return to her Son Jesus in the
Eucharist. All of this happens because she is willing to be
Touchable.
Our goal in this book is to make Mary touchable for you, as
she is to us, as she was to the people she chose to visit on
earth. We will try, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to
make her for you what she is for us. She is our friend. She can
be your friend, too. We want to share with you the freedom to
call on her the way you would your very best friend. When you
reach out to her for help, or solace, have the confidence that
she will take your hand, listen to you, console you, and lead you
to her Son, Jesus. If she can reach you through our writing, she
will have accomplished her goal, which is our mission.
We come back to the vision of St. John Bosco in 1862. What
was Mary called in that dream? HELP OF CHRISTIANS. Our Lady
wants to touch you. She wants you to touch her. She has used us
to bring you closer to her, to give you the freedom to allow her
to get closer to you. She has been waiting for you. Go to her
now. She is your mother. Remember how you loved your mother as
a child, and how she loved you. Happiness is just around the
corner. Reach out and touch her.
Marian Apparitions Media