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Meet Mary
Who do you say Mary is? She's a simple peasant they call Queen of Heaven. She's the Lord's humble servant, yet an icon of female strength. She's mother of all, yet ever-virgin, lowly and exalted. Sinners fly to her but angels bow. Mary, mother of Jesus, is the most recog-nized woman in history . . . and the most misunderstood.
Non-Christians paint her as an earth goddess. Skeptics say she's a fictional projection of male psychological needs. Many Protestants grudgingly acknowledge that someone had to bear the Savior, but otherwise regard Mary as an ordinary, sinful woman in whom Christians have tragically misplaced the faith and devotion due only to her Son.
Even many Catholics don't know Mary as well as they should. Do you know the Church's five essential Marian doctrines, and how they're rooted in Scripture and Sacred Tradition? Can you explain the difference between the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Birth?
Non-Christians paint her as an earth goddess. Skeptics say she's a fictional projection of male psychological needs. Many Protestants grudgingly acknowledge that someone had to bear the Savior, but otherwise regard Mary as an ordinary, sinful woman in whom Christians have tragically misplaced the faith and devotion due only to her Son.
Even many Catholics don't know Mary as well as they should. Do you know the Church's five essential Marian doctrines, and how they're rooted in Scripture and Sacred Tradition? Can you explain the difference between the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Birth?
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2008
11 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Mark I. Miravalle
25 books14 followersDr. Mark Miravalle, husband, permanent deacon, and father of eight, earned his Sacred Theological Doctorate at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Dr. Miravalle has been teaching at the Franciscan University of Steubenville since 1986. He is President of the international Catholic movement, Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici (Voice of the People for Mary Mediatrix). Dr. Miravalle is known for his international lectures in Mariology. He has addressed several episcopal conferences, including that of South India, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. In addition, he has served members of the episcopal hierarchy with preliminary investigations for reported apparitions, and has made many conference appearances as well as several television appearances, for example on EWTN and Fox News. He also produces a biweekly Mariology television show for www.airmaria.com.
Dr. Miravalle is the author of numerous books and articles in the area of Mariology and Marian private revelation.
Dr. Miravalle is the author of numerous books and articles in the area of Mariology and Marian private revelation.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 7, 2017
It's been a great way to reconnect to our Mary, Mother of God.
February 3, 2019
About ninety pages of text, this short, but comprehensive volume on Mary is ideal for anyone who wishes to be introduced or re-introduced to the mother of Jesus. It is particularly of value to those exploring the Catholic Church or the honest challenger of all things Marian who wishes to get a brief, but solid, overview of the Church's understanding of Mary.
The five chapters cover Mary in the Bible and early Church, the Marian dogmas, her spiritual motherhood, Marian devotion, and Mary in private revelation.
The avid and interested reader can polish this off in two hours or less. He should consider this a jumping off point as the endnotes provide plenty of additional resources to go in-depth on any of the book's topics and more.
Mark Miravalle is a foremost expert in Mariology. One would expect a fine volume like this from him.
The five chapters cover Mary in the Bible and early Church, the Marian dogmas, her spiritual motherhood, Marian devotion, and Mary in private revelation.
The avid and interested reader can polish this off in two hours or less. He should consider this a jumping off point as the endnotes provide plenty of additional resources to go in-depth on any of the book's topics and more.
Mark Miravalle is a foremost expert in Mariology. One would expect a fine volume like this from him.
April 4, 2018
A good little book to read Would probably be a good book for non Catholics to read to understand why Catholics honor Mary
June 10, 2021
3.5 stars
August 28, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. I had been meaning to read a book on Mariology for a couple of years and this was the one I selected.
I'm a curious Protestant who keeps pushing the envelope and looking deeper into the "wrong " doctrines of the Catholic Church and the more I look, the more solid stuff I keep finding. The saints no loner freak me out, liturgy has become beautiful and I am over my aversion to priests and confession. Mary was the next thing to research.
I was super bummed that the author had not much to offer for some of the more illogical seeming beliefs about Mary. I was hoping for extra-biblical sources, historical contextual info or at least early witnesses to stories about her life. Instead he mainly supports the classic assertions about Mary with the official stances of various popes or church writers and sometimes with jumps of logic that seem unnecessary at best, painful at worst. I wanted there to be more there! Will keep reading but this book didn't have much that was fresh or intriguing or compelling for a cynic.
I'm a curious Protestant who keeps pushing the envelope and looking deeper into the "wrong " doctrines of the Catholic Church and the more I look, the more solid stuff I keep finding. The saints no loner freak me out, liturgy has become beautiful and I am over my aversion to priests and confession. Mary was the next thing to research.
I was super bummed that the author had not much to offer for some of the more illogical seeming beliefs about Mary. I was hoping for extra-biblical sources, historical contextual info or at least early witnesses to stories about her life. Instead he mainly supports the classic assertions about Mary with the official stances of various popes or church writers and sometimes with jumps of logic that seem unnecessary at best, painful at worst. I wanted there to be more there! Will keep reading but this book didn't have much that was fresh or intriguing or compelling for a cynic.
June 3, 2014
So happy I read this book! It's really made for anyone to read. A Catholic, Protestant, or non-Christian can gain a great deal personally from this book either spiritually or intellectually. It very short (just under 100 pages) and is extremely engaging for anyone even remotely interested in understanding Catholicism's devotion to Mary. Even if you finish and are utterly unconvinced by Marian Dogma, I doubt anyone would be genuinely disappointed in reading it.
November 24, 2014
Mary is the new Eve, and has a vital role in Salvation History. Miravalle reveals Marian dogma and details important Marian Apparitions. Easy to read, not lengthy, but is a powerful aid to understanding Mary and how she leads us to Jesus, today.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews