Session 1: Generations of Blessedness

(Worldwide Growing Awareness and Appreciation

of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

The modern age = AGE OF MARY

"A grassroots revival of faith in the Virgin

is taking place worldwide.”

Time cover story on Mary,

December 1991

1. SECULAR INTEREST

2. PROTESTANTS

3. MUSLIMS

4. SECOND SPRING

5. APPARITIONS OF MARY

6. POPE JOHN PAUL II

1. SECULAR INTEREST

"The Mystery of Mary"Cover story, Life, Dec 1996

"A Mary for All" The Economist Dec 2003

"Hail, Mary" Cover story, Time, March 2005

March 21, 2005 Vol. 165 No. 12

"She was there at the Cross. Yet Protestants seldom talk about Jesus' mother at Easter – or at most other times. But they are starting to now."

He brings forth a variety of data to support his

claim

Time’s David Van Biema's basic thesis is that after years of Silence among Most Protestants,Mary is making a comeback.

2. PROTESTANTS

3 significant developments in the area of Marian doctrine and devotion: * non-polemical studies of the New Testament

* the formation of ecumenical groups and

* the pilgrimage to historic Christianity undertaken by many

Articles favoring new attention for Mary have appeared in“Christianity Today” (evangelical Protestant) and “The Christian Century” (mainline or liberal Protestant).

Protestant Perspectives on Mary

Beverly Roberts Gaventa ,

New Testament professor ,Princeton

Theological Seminary

“In the stories where Mary appears, she is deeply connected to

primary motifs about the gospel.”

In Matthew's story, she's deeply

connected to the threat that hangs over Jesus' life, the opposition to him even before

he's born.

In Luke's Gospel, she's deeply connected to the motif of God's favor for the outsider, the marginalized, the poor.

In John's Gospel,

she's connected

to the abundant

gift of Jesus' life.

“So even to understand fully what those Gospels

are about, which is so much what

Protestants prize, we have to pay more attention

to her.”

We can't just bring her out for Christmas Eve and

put her back away on Dec 26th.”

3. MARY & MUSLIMS“Mary is Islam’s

most honored woman.”

“She’s the only one to have an entire chapter

named after her in the Koran.”

"Christians and Muslimssee in Mary an affirmation

that there is no limit to proximity of God

that any human can attain."

4. SECOND SPRING

Shortly after Vatican II

*a period of Marian Silence

*vacuum of faith

* "dechristinization" of Europe

Karl Rahner: "Many Catholics today are going through a winter of belief…When the new springtime of faith comes…the cult of Mary the Mother of God, will return."

The last The last century-and-a-halfcentury-and-a-halfhas seen numerous has seen numerous

accounts of accounts of appearances of the appearances of the

Blessed Virgin Mary.Blessed Virgin Mary.

5. APPARITIONS OF MARY

APPARITIONS OF MARY

The messages coming from these reported appearances are generally consistent with each other-- they repeat the Gospel themes of

conversion, repentance, fasting and

prayer.

No pontiff in the entire

history of Catholicism has had so strong and articulate a devotion

to Mary.

His papal coat of arms

-- the letter “M” under a cross

His motto -- “Totus Tuus”

(“All Yours”)

He had mentioned her

in virtually every major

document.

In one country after another he visited he sought out

the Marian shrines and there spoke at great length

on the Mother of God.

On May 12, 1982 Pope John Paul I made a pilgrimage to

Fatima and expressed thanks to Mary for saving his life during an assassination attempt the

previous year.

On May 12, 1982 Pope John Paul I made a pilgrimage to

Fatima and expressed thanks to Mary for saving his life during an assassination attempt the

previous year.

Incorporated into the crown

of the statue of Our Lady of

Fatima is the bullet removed

from the Pope after

he had been shot.

Incorporated into the crown

of the statue of Our Lady of

Fatima is the bullet removed

from the Pope after

he had been shot.

On May 13th of 2000, the Pope again visited Fatima and this time

revealed that part of the so-called "third secret of

Fatima" was that Mary had prophesized the 1981

assassination attempt and revealed this in her

apparition to Lucia in 1917.

"This woman of faith,

Mary of Nazareth . . . has been given to us

as a model in our pilgrimage of faith.”

"From Mary, •we learn to surrender

to God's will in all things.

•we learn to trust even when all hope seems

gone. •we learn to love

Christ, her Son and the

Son of God.

For Mary is not only the Mother of God, she is Mother of the

Church as well.“

Pope John Paul to a gathering of priests in

Washington, D.C., 1979.

"As the Mother of God, "As the Mother of God, she is raised above…she is raised above…

the whole of humankind" the whole of humankind" and "has no equal".and "has no equal".