Blessed Virgin Mary

Rejoice and Prepare for Christ’s Advent

DVRodriguez2019-12-24T06:39:44-05:00

The great truth of Advent, which is our cause for rejoicing, is that Jesus Comes! He wants to come into our lives, to offer us His love and forgiveness, to redeem us from our sins. He comes in the Holy Eucharist, He comes at our death (particular judgment), and He will come at the General Judgment. The Church gives us Advent at the start of the year so that we will prepare well: now and throughout the year. The one who truly believes Jesus comes will prepare himself well, and his preparation is in proportion to how sincerely he believes. How do we [...]

Rejoice and Prepare for Christ’s AdventDVRodriguez2019-12-24T06:39:44-05:00

Mary is the Mediatrix

DVRodriguez2019-12-16T16:47:21-05:00

You may have heard that some are saying it is foolish to call Our Blessed Mother the Mediatrix of All Graces. Yet this teaching comes to us from many great saints, Fathers and Doctors of the Church! It makes perfect sense since Jesus chose to comes to us through Our Lady. We can also look to approved Marian apparitions like Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. St. Jerome taught, “death through Eve, life through Mary.” St. Bernadine of Siena professed that “every grace which is communicated to this world has a threefold origin: it flows from God to Christ, from Christ [...]

Mary is the MediatrixDVRodriguez2019-12-16T16:47:21-05:00

Special Graces of the Immaculate Conception

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:07:50-05:00

Pope Pius IX lists seven Old Testament types which support the great dogma of the Immaculate Conception. A natural question to ask is 'How does this dogma practically affect me?' Well, the practical applications are far more extensive than Catholics probably realize. Above all, this dogma draws one to turn to the Immaculate Conception with great confidence, whatever the need. Ask for her intercession in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Also, frequently request from her the special graces that are particularly linked to the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. For example, [1] An intense hatred for sin; [2] A [...]

Special Graces of the Immaculate ConceptionDVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:07:50-05:00

Our Lady Prepares Us

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:00:20-05:00

The Blessed Virgin Mary is completely victorious over Satan and sin; she crushes the head of the dragon. And this overcoming sin is a reason why devotion to Our Lady is given so much importance at the start of the Church Year; in Advent, as we look to the Day of Judgment. God is holy and only reposes in holy places. If we wish Him to come to us, we must united to Our Lady.

Our Lady Prepares UsDVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:00:20-05:00

Immovable Column

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T07:55:15-05:00

In a Roman piazza near the famous Spanish Steps, stands a high and beautiful marble column of the Immaculate Conception. It is fittingly located in front of the office of the Propagation of the Faith. Right away we see a connection. If we want to preserve our faith, then be devoted to this Woman. The column was dedicated to honor Pius XI's proclamation of the Immaculate Conception and its prophetic statues and base reliefs provide a deeper explanation of the Church's teaching on this dogma. Yet there is more, for in ancient times this column had been dedicated to Minerva, the [...]

Immovable ColumnDVRodriguez2019-12-15T07:55:15-05:00

Pierced with Thorns

wpengine2023-09-01T19:09:16-04:00

At Calvary there were two altars: the Body of Christ and the Heart of Mary. Our Lady suffered more torments than ever endured by any mortal on earth. And all the sorrows of her Heart are ultimately due to man’s sins. At Pontevedra (1925), Sr. Lucia was given a vision of men’s blasphemies and ingratitude piercing the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart at every moment. Our reparation may help console her Heart (especially the First Saturday devotion). Our Lady revealed her Heart as the way that, in our time, will lead us to God.

Pierced with Thornswpengine2023-09-01T19:09:16-04:00

Our Help in Mary and her Rosary

wpengine2023-10-05T16:51:23-04:00

A profound truth of our holy religion is the help that can only come from God. In particular, consider how this help comes through the Blessed Virgin Mary. No grace ever comes to us but through Mary’s mediation. No one goes to Christ except through His mother. In our present day, there is a signal necessity of special help from Heaven, particularly manifested in the many tribulations suffered by the Church. It is remarkable how great an emphasis Our Lady has placed on the Rosary in her approved apparitions. The Rosary helps us know the truth and live by it. Too many commit the grave error of living their life as they want and then adapting their “truth” accordingly. Instead, resolve [...]

Our Help in Mary and her Rosarywpengine2023-10-05T16:51:23-04:00

Heresy of Apollinarianism and the Tilma

wpengine2024-12-20T12:26:04-05:00

We have reason to rejoice in our Holy Mother: The Church and Our Lady. Mary is the perfect type of the Church. The miraculous tilma of Guadalupe points to numerous truths about the Church: She is divine, she is alive, Jesus lives in her, she is indestructible, she is sweet even as she corrects and reproves. We also recently celebrated Pope St. Damasus (+384), who battled an anti-pope, upheld the Sacred Scriptures, and condemned heresy. He defended the Person of Christ and His two natures. These truths dispel today's popular errors that animals may be resurrected, redeemed or have eternal souls.

Heresy of Apollinarianism and the Tilmawpengine2024-12-20T12:26:04-05:00

Say the word and Receive the Word

wpengine2024-12-21T11:02:20-05:00

The four advent candles represent four millennia and stand for the patriarchs, the prophets, the Precursor, and Our Lady. They also represent the 77 generations between Adam and Christ. At the Annunciation, Gabriel approaches Mary as her inferior subject. In this passage we see the truths of her sinlessness, her perpetual virginity, her divine motherhood, and her perfect mediation. The world alone was unworthy to receive the Savior directly. Yet Our Lady surpasses all the grace of the angels and saints together. Mary alone merited the Son of God becoming man by the power of her prayer and perfection of her [...]

Say the word and Receive the Wordwpengine2024-12-21T11:02:20-05:00

Our Lady of Lourdes

wpengine2025-02-09T12:43:29-05:00

Our Lady of Lourdeswpengine2025-02-09T12:43:29-05:00