The celebration of the Birth of Mary seems to be eminently logical, as it is nine months after December 8, the commemoration of the day Mary was conceived by Saints Anne and Joachim. There is one slight problem, since the…
She was there at the birth of Christ. She was there at the birth of Christ’s Church. She is here, now, at Pentecost as the Church thinks of how to be reborn in a post-pandemic world. Mary, Mother of Jesus.…
The apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal in 1917 has been a source of inspiration, curiosity and intrigue for more than a century. The story of three children meeting a lady emanating glorious light and revealing three secrets…
Pope Francis consecrated the world to the Blessed Virgin Mary earlier this month, at Easter. Similarly, the Bishops of Latin America consecrated their peoples to Our Lady of Guadalupe on Easter. The Bishops of Canada and the United States are…
One can get lost in researching Catholic doctrine on Mary and the feast of the Annunciation. We only need to look to interpretations of this moment in fine art and music to appreciate its influence on our tradition and humanity. In this…
As a Catholic girl of Irish descent who grew up in rural Ontario, I didn’t grow up with Disney princesses. I grew up with apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. When I was around six or seven years old, someone my…
Many years ago, my co-worker – a priest from Czechoslovakia – and I were leading a group of candidates for initiation. It was Advent and we decided to explore some of the traditions of the season – one of which…
The Immaculate Conception is a relatively new feast (established universally in 1854), and so there isn’t a long tradition of devotions and customs for this day. Evidently in 1854 people put lit candles in paper lanterns to show their joy…
The month of May brings forth green grass, beautiful spring flowers, birds quietly building their nests, and gentle rains to liven up the fields and freshen the earth. It is a time of renewal, new life and hope for the…
By Natalia Kononenko, Editor of Living with Christ This month marks the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal. Much can be said of the event that began in 1917, but continued for months and…