Strengthen Your Spiritual Relationship with Mary

On May 13, 1917, Lucia Santos, just 10 years old, was tending sheep with her seven- and nine-year-old cousins, siblings Jacinta and Francisco Marto, in a little town outside of Fatima, Portugal. Suddenly, they saw a brilliant light, and a woman dressed in a pure white mantle appeared before them. Though they didn’t understand right away who she was, they came to know that she was our Blessed Mother. She told the children not to be afraid.  

Mary spoke with the children and said she wanted them to return to that same spot on the 13th of each month for the next five months. She then asked them to learn the rosary and to pray it every day “to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war [in Portugal].” Mary also told them to pray for sinners and for the conversion of Russia.

Each month, the children did as Mary asked. They returned to the spot where she appeared and talked and prayed with her. She told them secrets about the world, helped them understand the evils of sin, and showed them a vision of hell. On October 13, 1917, tens of thousands of people gathered and witnessed the incredible miracle of the sun dancing in the sky.

As we ponder our Blessed Mother’s appearance to the children, we can’t help but also ponder her love for us and her yes to God that made her the mother of Christ and our mother as well.

Just as she watched over and protected the children at Fatima, she now watches over and protects us. And so we can go to her with our troubles, with our worries, and even with our joys. That’s what mothers are for! They want to share everything with us.

Mary desires a relationship with all of her children, but she will never force it on us. Just like any relationship, it must be two-sided. We have to foster it through prayer, by reading scripture, and through holy books. The more we learn about Mary, the more we come to understand the wonder of her love and why she appeared in places like Fatima, Lourdes, Knock, Guadalupe, and even here in the US at Champion, Wisconsin. She came to draw us closer to her Son and to encourage us to remain faithful.  

One of the greatest ways we can honor her is by strengthening our relationship with her and strengthening our children’s relationship with her. The staff at the Culture of Life Studies Program understands this, which is why we created two beautiful downloadable booklets that help children grow in this relationship as they learn to not only see her as our heavenly mother but learn to emulate her. By becoming more like Mary, our children help build the culture of life that St. John Paul II defined.

In Honoring the Blessed Mother, children will learn the story of the Annunciation and Mary’s yes to God to become the mother of our Savior. Through her example, we learn how to love, affirm, and respect every human being as a gift during every stage of life.

And in Our Lady of Guadalupe: Honoring the Patroness of Preborn Children, children will learn the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, examine the deep symbolism of the miraculous image on Juan Diego’s tilma, read about why we should turn to Our Lady as our mother, and discover why she is the Patroness of Preborn Babies.

Both of these booklets offer incredible opportunities for parents and children to learn more about Mary and to grow closer to her. But they also afford us the opportunity to emulate her as we interact with those around us. If we truly want to build a culture of life, where all people are respected and cherished, we must model our lives after holy men and women. And who better than our mother Mary? She is the epitome of kindness, of gentleness, and of devout faith. Her unwavering trust in God, even when she didn’t quite understand the angel’s message, illustrates how we too should trust in God, for He is our loving Father.

So as we celebrate this special feast day today, and as we celebrate Mary all month long, let us strive to become more like Mary and to allow her to bring us closer to our Lord and Savior.