Has Mary Appeared on Earth

Q: We have some real devout Catholic friends who are really into Marian apparitions. Do Catholics have to really believe that Mary appears on earth?

A. You don’t have to pay the least amount of attention to Marian apparitions, even the ones that the Church has proclaimed are authentic and really did happen, and still be a perfectly good Catholic. You aren’t guilty of any sin.

It's not required of you to believe in these apparitions, but it is highly encouraged you do. There is some surprisingly credible evidence that many may (and the Church teaches did) really take place. Some of the most famous Marian apparitions are: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady of Fatima.

During the last Fatima apparition, October 13, 1917, there occurred an incredible phenomenon with 70,000 (and no, that's not a typo) witnesses present, where the sun began to whirl and dance in the sky. The sun then appeared to plunge toward the earth, and in effect vaporized all water, and moisture in the surrounding countryside. The only other thing that could have such an effect would be a nuclear bomb, and you can’t really deny what 70,000 witnesses saw, not with any logical explanation anyway.

Also keep in mind that not all Marian apparitions are authentic. There are many apparitions that the Church has not proclaimed to be genuine.

Christian

Mary's Yes

Q: Was Jesus dissing his mother by calling her “Woman” in John 2:4?

A. When Jesus addresses His mother as “woman,” He wasn’t referring to her as just any woman, but thee woman. She is the woman who made it possible for heaven to be open to us by saying “yes” to God. Through her came Christ and through Him came the salvation of man. They are referred to as the “new Adam and new Eve” because unlike the first Adam and Eve who disobeyed and blocked the way to heaven, the new Adam and Eve, Jesus and Mary, were faithful to God and made the way for us. “Woman” is a special name for Mary that both God and Jesus call her, because of her special part in the plan for saving the human race.

Amanda

Consecrating Oneself to Mary

Q: If you've already consecrated yourself to God or Jesus, is it necessary to consecrate yourself to Mary?

A: This is a very good question; it’s one that I’ve asked too. First off, I’d like to talk about who Mary is and, more importantly, what role she played and still is playing. Mary is the Immaculate Conception; meaning she was conceived without sin. In her obedience to bear God’s Son, she became the first Christian. At Cana, she spoke to Jesus on the behalf of the newlyweds who had run out of wine. On Calvary, by giving John to Mary as her son, Jesus gave all of humanity over to her as her spiritual sons and daughters. If this were not the case, what Jesus did would make no sense. John was not an orphan, so he needed no mother in the physical sense. Notice that in both events, Mary is the helper and motherly figure to humanity.

Some would still argue that these are not good enough reasons to consecrate one’s self to Mary and say that doing so would put her on the same level as God. I would ask that you reflect on the words Mary speaks in Cana: “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:5 Those don’t sound like the words of a woman who will try to lead us from God. By consecrating ourselves to Mary, we take the hand of Jesus’s mother and allow her to help us in our journey towards Christ.

Scott Hahn’s book Hail, Holy Queen is very informative on this subject and an excellent read! God bless!

Lorraine

Perpetual Virginity of Mary

Q: How do we know that Mary never had any kids after Jesus? Doesn’t the Bible talk about Jesus’ brothers?

A: We know that Mary never had any kids after Jesus because she was a virgin her whole life as many documents show, including the Bible. When the Bible talks about Jesus' brothers it is speaking about his brothers in the Holy Spirit, as in the apostles and other disciples. You may have heard the common saying among Christians, “You are my brother (or sister) in Christ.” This is the same thing. We are all members of God's family and are all brothers and sisters whether blood related or not.

Another possibility is that when translated the Aramaic word means cousins. So in the Bible when it mentions Jesus' brothers it could also mean cousins.

Karen

"And the Lord said to me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it: because the Lord the God of Israel hath entered in by it, and it shall be shut."
-- Ezekiel 44:2.

Mary As Role Model

Q: So what makes Mary so special? Isn’t she human just like you and me? Shouldn’t we be looking to Jesus for a role model instead of Mary?

A. There are a lot of reasons why Mary is special. Mary is Queen of Heaven, and protects us from evil. Through praying the holy rosary and wearing the scapular she can help us with our salvation. This is her mission, as Mother of the Universe, to protect and guide everyone. It is very important to have a relationship with your heavenly mother. She knows what you need and how to help you. Unlike our earthly mothers, she will never run out of patience. Mary’s patience is one thing that we can try to follow. That alone is a good reason to take her as a role model. We can also follow her in obedience to God. She could not have been more obedient and we should strive for that. There are many other things that we can look for to Mary. Mary and Jesus have what we need. Mary is only human like us, but she was sinless during her whole life as was Jesus, and we sin everyday. Take both for role models, and give your best to follow their example.

Amanda