FAITH OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

  Our Lady  By Edward Matulanya  Major Marian Apparitions Recognized by the Catholic Church 1. Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico, 1531) Marian apparition at Guadalupe Seer: Juan Diego Location: Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City Date: December 9–12, 1531 Key Features: Mary appeared as an indigenous woman, spoke in Nahuatl, and left her image on Juan Diego’s tilma in Mexico . Significance: Promotes cultural and spiritual unity and conversion of indigenous peoples. Church Approval: Approved; feast day December 12 (Vatican News 2018). 2. Our Lady of Lourdes (France, 1858) Marian apparition at Lourdes Seer: Bernadette Soubirous Location: Grotto of Massabielle, Lourdes . Date: February 11–July 16, 1858 Key Features: Mary revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, requested a chapel, and healing waters emerged. Significance: Encourages devotion to the Immaculate Conception and prayer for the sick. Church Approval: Approved; feast day February 11 (Lourdes Volunteers n.d.). 3. Our Lady of...

Our Lady  By Edward Matulanya  Early Roots and Development The Rosary did not appear fully formed from the start; it developed gradually. Elements such as praying the Psalms, using physical counters (stones, knots, cords, beads), reciting short Marian prayers (especially “Hail Mary”) and the Lord’s Prayer, and meditating on Christ’s life predate what is today called the Rosary.  One early form was the “Psalter of Mary” (also called the Marian Psalter), which modeled itself on the 150 Psalms but substituted Hail Marys. This allowed the faithful, especially those unable to read the Psalms, to unite themselves to these prayers.  St. Dominic, Tradition, and the Dominicans Catholic tradition holds that St. Dominic (died 1221) received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave him the Rosary (or instructed in its use) and asked him to preach it, especially in context of combating heresy (e.g. the Albigensians). This story is longstanding in the devotional tradition....