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I was so  blessed to have given a talk this past Sunday (the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary) on the power of the rosary at an Altar Rosary Society Communion Breakfast. The fidelity of the women I met there and the testimonies they shared with me of how they have seen the power of the Rosary win battles in their own lives was inspiring and I was truly blessed to be among them. Part of my talk focused on the role of Mary as our Mother and Teacher, based on this powerful quote from Pope John Paul II. Click here to read my reflections . 

  May is Mary's month, but we celebrate "Our Lady of the Rosary" October 7th, which commemorates the naval victory of Lepanto over the Turks. The pope at the time, St. Pope Pius V, had asked the all of Europe to pray the rosary for victory because the Turks were poised to invade Italy. The victory was won, even though the odds were stacked against the Catholic forces, freeing many Christian slaves on board the Turkish ships. The Art of Anna Szmatuła . By 250 A.D. Christian Prayer to Mary was widespread, rising to the level of liturgical prayer. In a beautiful Coptic papyrus, dated circa 250 A.D., is inscribed the following prayer:  Under thy compassion we take refuge, Theotokos [Birthgiver-of-God]; do not disregard our prayers in the midst of tribulation, but deliver us from danger, O Only Pure, Only Blessed One. continue>

What would be the absolute worst thing that could happen to a nice Protestant girl? Madonna and child sculpture at the Vatican. Mary praising God Why Mary, the Blessed Virgin, would do a little interior house cleaning, then make a home for herself in the poor girl’s heart, that’s what! If that was not bad enough, this perplexed young woman’s belief system would stay staunchly anti-Catholic for oh, about another 10 years, even though she had converted to Catholicism. I mean, what choice did she have? Nobody but the Catholic Church even wants someone who craves the Eucharist and has a relationship with Mary, the Mother of Christ. Obviously this young woman was and is me. God has a peculiar sense of humor and now I can look back and laugh at my dilemma. At the time, though, I was shaken up. I was reluctant to turn to Mary.  continue>