Session 1: Generations of Blessedness (Worldwide Growing Awareness and Appreciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Jan 15, 2015
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".