The Life of Mary As Seen By The Mystics

This is a wonderful book written by Raphael Brown, who referenced the writings of four great mystics; St Bridget of Sweden, Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich, Ven. Maria of Agreda and St Elizabeth Schoenau.  There is no way one could intently read or listen to this book without experiencing a change within.

You can get the audiobook MP3 files here http://www.soulofmary.com/life.html.

Church-Approved Apparitions of Mary

The Lord loves us so much that He never leaves us alone in our troubles.

How do we know this?

Throughout the history of mankind, He has always communicated with us.  Telling us of miracles and giving us warnings.  In our more godly days, He even walked among us.  Remember the story of God and his two angels going to Abraham's tent to tell Abraham that he would have a son?  In those days, people prayed in groups everyday.  Their days began with prayers and ended with prayers.  They even made sacrifices.  Do we still do that now?  Maybe some of us...but not all.  

In more recent times, it has been Blessed Mary who has been coming with messages asking us to pray more, sacrifice more and love more.  

These are the nine major approved Marian apparitions of modern times as listed at www.theotokos.org.

The Apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in MexicoMary appeared four times to Juan Diego in 1531 at Tepeyac hill near Mexico City. She proclaimed herself the spiritual mother of all mankind and left her miraculous image on Juan Diego's outer garment, his tilma. To this day Mexicans have a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Apparitions at Rue du Bac, Paris, France Mary appeared to Catherine Labouré, in the chapel of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, at Rue du Bac in Paris, three times in 1830. She showed her the design of the the medal of the Immaculate Conception, the "Miraculous Medal." This medal, when propagated, helped to renew devotion to Our Lady, both in France and eventually around the world. The Apparition at La Salette, France Mary appeared to two children, Maximin Giraud, aged 11, and Mélanie Calvat, aged 14, in 1846, one afternoon while they were looking after the animals high up on the mountain. She appealed for penance and an end to Sabbath breaking and blasphemy in the region. This apparition is credited with a major revival of Catholicism in the area. The Apparitions at Lourdes, France Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, aged 14, a total of eighteen times at Lourdes in southern France, at the Grotto of Massabielle. She asked for penance and prayer for the conversion of sinners, and described herself as the "the Immaculate Conception." Lourdes is most famous for the miraculous spring which has been responsible for many cures accepted by the Church. The Apparition at Pontmain, France Mary appeared in the sky over the small town of Pontmain in north-western France to a group of young children for about three hours in January 1871, as the Franco-Prussian war was threatening the area. Her message appeared on a banner under her feet, and encouraged prayer while emphasising Jesus' love and concern. The village was spared invasion. The Apparition at Knock, Ireland Mary appeared at Knock, a small village in Count Mayo, Ireland in August 1879. A number of villagers of diverse ages saw a silent apparition, which lasted about three hours, outside the gable end of the local church. They saw three figures, Mary, Joseph, and St John the Apostle, as well as a lamb on an altar and angels. The Apparitions at Fatima, Portugal Three children, Lucia de Santos, aged 10, and her two cousins, Francisco Marto, aged 9, and Jacinta Marto, aged 7, saw Mary six times between May and October 1917. She described herself as "Our Lady of the Rosary," while urging prayer, and particularly the rosary, as well as penance for the conversion of sinners, and the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. The Apparitions at Beauraing, Belgium Mary appeared thirty-three times to a group of children in the winter of 1932-33 at Beauraing in Belgium, in a convent garden near a hawthorn tree. She described herself as "the Immaculate Virgin" and "Mother of God, Queen of Heaven," while calling for prayer for the conversion of sinners. The Apparitions at Banneux, Belgium Mary appeared eight times to Mariette Beco, aged 11, outside the family home at Banneux, a small village, in Belgium. She described herself as the "Virgin of the Poor," and promised to intercede for the poor, the sick and the suffering.

Our Lady of Sorrows Has Spoken...Why Don't Men Listen?

I was going through Scribd and found documents with messages from Our Lady.  Our Lady of Anguera, Our Lady of Knock, Our Lady of Akita, Our Lady of Fatima.... so many messages.  I started thinking, wasn't she tired of giving us messages?  She comes, talks, sees a sea of curious people.. religious people... some who disbelieve, some who mock her.. but many will convert after realizing that she truly is Our Mother of Perpetual Succour.

Then I noticed... there is a central theme to the messages she gives.

Our Lady of Fatima (message in July 1919), as she spoke to the three children :

"You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go.  To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: But if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. 

To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the communion of reparation on the first Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church.  The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be preserved."

But have her requests been heeded?

Our Lady of Akita

The third message on October 13, 1973, the actual anniversary of the final visions and miracle of Fatima is as follows:

"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead.

The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by my Son. Each day, recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and the priests. The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, and bishops against other bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their Confreres. The Church and altars will be vandalized. The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.  

The demon will rage especially against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will no longer be pardon for them." 

Our Lady of Anguera

Message 3259 from Our Lady of Peace, Anguera, Bahia, Brazil, 29/12/2009, Source [3A]

Dear Sons and Daughters, I am your Sorrowful Mother and I suffer because of your suffering. Bend your knees in prayer beseeching the mercy of The Lord for humanity. My poor children will carry a heavy cross. The crust of the earth will split in many regions of the earth. Energy coming from the interior of the earth will bring suffering to many of My poor children. Listen to what I am saying. Humanity is on the eve of the most terrible suffering and punishment. What I have already announced is going to happen. This is the message I transmit to you today in the name of The Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for permitting Me to reunite you here once more. I bless you in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit. Amen. Be at peace.

That's Message Number Three Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Nine.

And Blessed Virgin Mary appeared at so many other places...

She must be getting quite tired of meeting people and giving her warnings by now.  Warnings so many people don't heed.

Why We Pray To Mary, Queen Of Heaven

I find it somewhat amusing when someone begins trying to convince me that praying to Blessed Mary, Mother of Jesus is wrong.  I understand that person's worry that I would 'lose my way' or 'be damned'.  But frankly speaking, how would praying to Jesus' mother get me lost or damned? By this time in my life, my response to such people will be one of the following :

a) Praying to Blessed Mary gives me a wonderful feeling of peace within, for I know She carries my prayers to Her Beloved Son.  Why should I stop doing something that calms me so much?
or
b) I am a follower of Jesus.  I am praying.  If you want to evangelize, go after the godless and have faith that I am saved.

LOL.  Yes, I used (a) when a beau in university tried his best to 'save' me.  And (b) was very useful with the missionaries who came Bible-carrying and hearts-on-fire knocking on my door. 
 
After going through a religious crisis in my university days, I am pretty much stable in my faith.  Nothing strengthens you quite like a trial by fire.  

I'm no theologian or bible preacher, so I didn't waste any time in 'defending' my practice.  The others will never listen, anyway.  When people believe they are right, it is folly to try to change their minds.

But I'd always been on the lookout for a beautiful explanation and I think I've found one done by Donna Cori Gibson.