The Blessed Virgin Mary was given the great privilege to be the Mother of God, and God entrusted his infant Church to St Peter and the apostles under the guidance of Mary, Mother of Divine Grace. Since that time Mary has watched over us as a mother would watch over a tender child on a tempestuous night, and because of her patronage there are many titles of Mary by which she is known. (More titles of Mary are found in the Marian Calendar section of this website.)

The Blessed Virgin was still living on earth when she appeared to St James the Apostle at Zaragossa. It was in the year 40, and St James was having a great deal of difficulty converting the native population on the Iberian Peninsula, a land now known as Spain. He was praying along the banks of the Ebro River when the Blessed Virgin stood before him upon a pillar supported by angels. Speaking to the fortunate apostle, she encouraged St. James by revealing to him the great faith that the people of Spain would possess in the future due to his sacrifices on their behalf. She is thus known as Our Lady of the Pillar at her shrine in Spain, but it is only the first of the titles of Mary based on the location of her appearance.

The Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared in every age and at various places on earth ever since that time. It is as if to show us that she is the mother of all men, and that as the Mother of Hope she is here to inspire us in the virtues and draw us ever onward toward her Divine Son.

Many beautiful titles have been given to the Mother of God over the centuries, and these titles have been given to her to honor her and for the helps she has given to us. These would include titles such as Mother of Good Counsel and Comforter of the Afflicted. She is also addressed as the Immaculate Conception and the Mother of God because the Church has recognized these truths. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary gives us many other titles, such as Mother most pure, and Mother most chaste, among many others. Finally, as noted above, Mary has been given titles based on the locations of her numerous apparitions, such as Our Lady of the Pillar in Spain, and Our Lady of Lourdes in France.

Most certainly she is the Gate of Heaven, and this calendar of her feasts brings to mind one of Our Lady’s titles each day, and the constant help she has been to Christians since the founding of the Church.

A masterpiece that combines the visions of four great Catholic mystics into one coherent story on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Based primarily on the famous revelations of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Ven. Mary of Agreda, it also includes many episodes described in the writings of St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Elizabeth of Schenau. To read this book, therefore, is to share in the magnificent visions granted to four of the most privileged souls in the history of the Church.

In complete harmony with the Gospel story, this book reads like a masterfully written novel. It includes such fascinating details as the birth and infancy of Mary, her espousal to St. Joseph and her Assumption into Heaven where she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

For young and old alike, The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics will forever impress the reader with an inspiring and truly unforgettable understanding of the otherwise unknown facts concerning Mary and the Holy Family.

Source: Catechists of St. Francis Xavier