Blessed Virgin Mary A Guide to Resources in Mount Angel Abbey Library

Someone interested in researching a topic could begin with articles in the New Catholic Encyclopedia or with O'Carroll's Theotokos, both of which would give directions for further research. The articles in The Way give a first orientation to ecumenical discussion of the topic. Current theology is surveyed in Tambasco. Very recent articles can be located in the Religion Index (paper or CD version) and the Catholic Periodical Index. The most thorough bibliographical source is the annual survey of Mariological studies in Marian Studies, the annual publication of the Mariological Society. There are any number of studies on Mary in art; see the subject catalog, "Mary, Blessed Virgin--Art."

• Anderson, H. George, et. al., eds. The One Mediator, the Saints and Mary. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1992. (BX 8063.7 C3 L8 v.8)
• Brennan, Walter T. The Sacred Memory of Mary. New York: Paulist, 1988. (BT 611 B73)
• Brown, Raymond, et. al., eds. Mary in the New Testament. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1978. (BT 611 M37)
• Buby, Bertrand. Mary the Faithful Disciple. New York: Paulist, 1985. (BT 613 B85)
• Carroll, Eamon R. Undestanding the Mother of Jesus. Wilmington: Glazier, 1979. (BQT 1006.2 C236)
• Cunningham, Lawrence. Mother of God. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1982. (N 8070 C917)
• Flusser, David, et. al. Mary : Images of the Mother of Jesus in Jewish and Christian Perspective. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986. (BT 597 M33713)
• Graef, Hilda C. The Devotion to Our Lady.. New York: Hawthorn, 1963. (BX 880 T9 v.45; cf. BT 610 G75613 1985p).
• McHugh, John. The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament. Garden City: Doubleday, 1975. (BQT 1013 M3)
• National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Behold Your Mother, Woman of Faith. (1973 Pastoral Letter) (BQT 1020 N3)
• O'Carroll, Michael. Theotokos: A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wilmington, DE: Glazier, 1982. (BT 602 O23)
• Rahner, Karl. Mary, Mother of the Lord. New York: Herder, 1964. (BT 613 R3513)
• Ratzinger, Joseph. Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1983. (BT 613 R3913)
• Schillebeeckx, E. H. Mary, Mother of the Redemption. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1964. (BT 613 S373)
• Stacpoole, Alberic, et. al., eds. Mary in Doctrine and Devotion. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1990. (BT 595 E23)
• Tambasco, Anthony J. What Are They Saying about Mary? New York: Paulist, 1984. (BT 613 T151 1984p)

• Brown, Raymond E. "Mary, the First Disciple." St. Anthony Messenger 104 (May 97) 10-13.
• Carroll, Eamon. "Mary in the Apostolic Church: Work in Progress." One in Christ 25 (1989) 369-80.
• Daly, Brian. "Born of a Virgin" Tablet 246 (Dec 19-26) 1598-1603.
• Daughters of Sarah 17 (October 1991) 28-41 (Articles on Mary).
• John Paul II, Pope. "Mary's Cooperation in Jesus' Sacrifice." Christ to the World 42 (July/Aug 97) 259-64.
• LaVerdiere, Eugene. "The Annunciation to Mary: a Story of Faith" Emmanuel 101 (Dec 95) 580-89.
• The Way, Supplement 25 (l975); 45 (1982); 51 (1984).

Synopsis:
Pope John Paul II's first encyclical letter to the church, Redeemer of Man (1979), explained the leading theological ideas of his papacy: Christ -- God and man -- came to restore human beings to the freedom and dignity of which sin had deprived them. In Rich in Mercy (1980) and Lord and Giver of Life (1986) he continued to examine the trinitarian basis of Christian life and service. As Christ is the center of Pope John Paul's theology, so Christ's life is the center of the Christian year, which revolves around Advent-Christmas and Easter-Pentecost. To the mysteries of Christ are added the Marian feasts like the Immaculate Conception, Annunciation and Assumption. To the annual cycle of these feasts corresponds a wider cycle: as the year 2000 is the anniversary of Christ's birth, so the Marian year of 1987-1988 commemorates the anniversary of Mary's birth. Pope John explains the meaning of this Marian year in his encyclical, Mother of the Redeemer ( Redemptoris Mater , 25 March 1987), which is divided into three parts.

(1) Mary in the Mystery of Christ. Mary was given the fullness of the life of grace by him to whom she gave life in the order of earthly birth. She received the grace of Christ through her faith, even before she conceived Christ in her virgin womb. Her faithful reception of the angel's message at the Annunciation was the beginning of her life-long pilgrimage of faith, which Pope John outlines beautifully, as he meditates on what the Scriptures tell us about Mary's life. As Mary was present at her Son's birth and death, so, too, she was present, praying for the coming of the Spirit, at the birth of the Church on Pentecost.

(2) The Mother of God at the Center of the Pilgrim Church. Mary is present in the church as we journey through time and space. The theology of the church and the theology of Mary are two areas of disagreement among many Christian groups. However, the Eastern churches share with Catholic tradition a deep devotion to Mary. Moreover, Mary, the humble daughter of Sion, proclaimed in her Magnificat the gospel of freedom and liberation for the poor, which is the special concern of many churches today. She is the perfect model of a truly free person.

(3) Maternal Mediation. By accepting her calling to be the Lord's handmaid, the virgin Mary became the mother of the Redeemer. Her mother's care for him grew into a burning charity for all those to whom his mission was directed. As virgin, she is a model of fidelity to the Word; as mother, a model of fruitful mission. Bodily assumed into heaven, she expresses the fullness of grace which is the goal of the church's pilgrimage, and she embraces each member of the church in her love.

Web Sites

The Mary Page
http://www.udayton.edu/mary/
A page is maintained by The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Medjugorje Web
http://www.medjugorje.org/
This site is dedicated to providing information about the apparitions of Mary appearing in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Last updated March 1999