Religious Tradition of First Holy Communion Wednesday, May 24 2023 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and First Holy Communions and History and Midwest , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 12:08 pm

First Holy Communions are a big deal for Catholics. We dress in our Sunday best, attend Mass together as a family so we can witness our little one receiving the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time, and celebrate with good food and photos.

Traditionally, this momentous occasion occurs in the spring. My family just celebrated my granddaughter, Isabella’s, First Holy Communion in April and my grandson, Nathan’s, this month.

Following are First Holy Communion photos through six generations of my family from my great grandmother through to Nathan. I thought you might enjoy seeing these photos. Noted in parenthesis are the girls’ married names.

My maternal great grandmother, Clara Birnbaum (Hilleman). Don’t you love the crown?

My maternal grandmother, Florence Hilleman (McCarthy), with her sister, Louise, 1921.

My paternal grandmother, Rose Marie Marine (Doyle), and her mother, Maria Cuppicotto Pecho Marine. Great-grandmother, Maria’s, maiden name was Cuppicotto. That name was changed to Pecho by immigration in America. Note Great-grandma’s jewelry. It was the only piece she owned, a simple brass pendant which was passed down to me.

My father, John Doyle.

My mother, Patricia McCarthy (Doyle), 1937.

My sister, Patti; me/Mary; brother, John; and baby sister, Margaret, 1962.

My daughter, Lisa, 1984. I made Lisa’s dress and veil. I used the netting from my wedding veil for her veil.

Four generations – Me/Mary; my mother, Patricia; my grandmother, Florence, and daughter, Lisa, on Lisa’s First Communion Day, 1984

My daughter, Erin, wearing the same dress and veil that Lisa did, 1987.

Four generations

Back row: My grandmother, Florence; me/Mary; my ex-husband, Sam; my mother, Patricia; my father John,

Front row: My son, Joseph; daughter, Erin; daughter, Lisa,1987.

My son, Joseph, and our pastor, 1990.

My son Joseph, 1990. Joey wanted to wear a white suit. He thought he was so grown-up.

My grandson, Daniel, with his pastor and parish priest, 2021.

My grandson, Daniel, 2021. What a handsome guy.

My grandson, Tyler. 2021. Doesn’t he look relaxed with his hands in his pockets?

Family that could “attend” Tyler’s First Communion in a COVID year. We watched mass on our phones in the church parking lot.

Back row: My brother-in-law, Parke; boyfriend, Paul; me/Mary; daughter, Erin; son-in-law, Steve; ex-husband, Sam; daughter, Lisa; daughter-in-law, Ashley; son, Joseph.

Front row: Grandchildren, Isabella and Tyler. 2021.

My granddaughter, Isabella, 2023. What a sweet, little angel.

My granddaughter, Isabella, 2023.

And finally, my grandson, Nathan, 2023.

My grandson, Nathan, 2023. Throughout the day, Nathan said he felt blessed.

***Have you read, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, Grieving with Mary, Young in the Spirit, or Fatima at 100. Fatima Today?

 

One Gold Band. Twenty TONS of Waste. Thursday, May 11 2023 

Business and Culture and Everyday Life and Health and Nature and Perspective , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 9:54 am

We do love our luxuries and conveniences. Gold, silver, diamonds, and precious jewels make us feel sophisticated, elegant, and important. But how many of us are aware of the impact our adornments have on our planet and the people who live in the areas in which they are mined?

Until recently, I had no idea. One of the blogs that I follow by Barbara Crane Navarro has opened my eyes, and now I realize how much my jewelry has hurt people and our planet.

Most everyone owns at least one piece of gold jewelry, and yet, gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. The process displaces communities, contaminates land and waterways with mercury and cyanide, and causes injuries to workers. The national organization, Earthworks, states on their website that the production of one gold wedding band generates 20 tons of waste from digging and processing the ore.

All mining is damaging, but gold mining is particularly so because it uses a process called heap leaching which includes dripping a cyanide solution through huge piles of ore. This solution strips away the gold for collection and leaves behind 99.99% of what’s mined in piles that are nearly 300 feet high of toxic waste. Surrounding ground water also is contaminated with the cyanide and other dangerous chemicals.

Tailings dams are constructed to retain mine waste. However, according to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) there have been more than 221 major tailings dam failures. These failures displace people and contaminate the waters causing death to humanity and wildlife. And shamefully, out of the more than 2,000 major mining companies in the world, only one, BHP Billiton, is taking steps to avoid catastrophic destruction.

Metal mining is destroying beautiful habitats in countries such as Miramar, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic as well as our own United States. In fact, Metal mining was the number one toxic polluter in the U.S. in 2010 releasing arsenic, mercury, and lead.

You can find out more about the destruction caused by mining from Earthworks and Barbara Crane Navarro’s blogs.

***Want to help a friend caring for someone with dementia? Offer them the books Navigating Alzheimer’s, The Alzheimer’s Spouse, and Inspired Caregiving for solid guidance, shared experiences, and inspiration.

 

Intriguing Iguanas Wednesday, Mar 29 2023 

Culture and Everyday Life and Nature and Travel , , , , Mary K. Doyle 9:44 am

On a recent trip to the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas, I became intrigued with the resident iguanas on the resort. Seeking them in the trees was a fun little challenge as they easily blended into the environment.

The lizards range from ones that could fit in our hands to ones that would fill our arms. However, I don’t recommend picking up an iguana or making any physical contact with them. We were warned that they can be deceivingly strong and aggressive and bite with their serrated teeth if approached or we try to feed them.

The iguanas on the property appeared to be familiar with people meandering around their habitat. One morning, I talked to the largest of the prehistoric looking creatures and saw its eyes looking back at me as if it was listening to what I had to say. Then I was encircled by three of them as they checked me out. I have to admit, it was a bit scary after seeing how quickly they moved when they wanted.

Iguanas are said to grow up to 70 inches in length, live as long as 60 years, and are herbivores. Like little lawn mowers, we watched as the reptiles chomped on the lawns of the resort.

According to Wikipedia, iguanas are native to areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. They have excellent vision. Amazingly, females can store sperm for several years from earlier encounters with males, then fertilize eggs when males are in short supply, and they are ready to lay them.

Iguanas can be found on the menus in countries such as Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico, and parts of the U.S. Their eggs are also consumed in some parts of Latin America.

**In the month of March we honor remarkable woman. St. Mother Theodore Guerin, also known as Saint Theodora, arrived in the Midwest in the 1800s, built elementary schools, and a college for woman. Read more about her in St. Theodora and Her Promise to God.

 

The Reality of Leprechauns Friday, Mar 17 2023 

Culture and Everyday Life and History and Holiday and Nature and Travel , , , , Mary K. Doyle 5:21 pm

Truly wee folk or folklore, leprechauns are entertaining—and sometimes—chilling to ponder.

While driving through Ireland in 2005, our guide pointed to a field, laughed, and said that is where the fairies live. I asked him to stop the car and let me walk there.

“No! We cannot do that! I told you, that is where the fairies live!” he said.

Initially, the driver may have been embarrassed to admit his concerns about fairies. But when it came down to the possibility of confronting the “mythical” creatures, he wasn’t about to take the risk.

Fairies are serious creatures in Ireland. In fact, 236 leprechauns believed to live in the caverns of Carlington Mountain are protected under EU law. The directive also protects their sanctuary including the animals and flora.

Protection was established after a man named P.J. O’Hare was tending his garden in 1989 and heard a scream. He rushed over to find small, charred skeletal remains, a tiny, green suit, hat, and several other items. O’Hare gathered everything and placed them in a glass box in his pub, and, except for the coins, the items remain there until today.

The coins went missing for a while and were later discovered in a purse in a stone wall under repair by a man named McCoillte. After the find, McCoillte had several encounters with leprechauns. On one occasion he met a leprechaun named Carriag who claimed to be the elder of 236 leprechauns living in the nearby mountain. Carriag said that millions of others died because people stopped believing in them.

McCoillte and a group of friends fought for the protection of the leprechauns and surrounding area. Protection was granted in 2009 since the court could not prove the “little people” did not exist.

The word “leprechaun” may come from the Gaelic luchorpan, meaning small body, or leath-bhrogan, for shoemaker. Leprechauns belong to the family of fairies living in forts or fairy rings under circular mounds of earth. In Ireland, more than 40,000 of these mounds can be found across the country and are not disturbed for fear of bad luck. Nor are hawthorn trees or holly bushes cut down in the event that fairies inhabit them. Numerous tales of misfortune serve to deter inquisitors from harming the wee ones.

Leprechauns, who are only males, may be the unwanted fairies tossed out of the fairy community and now live and work alone. Because their workmanship as shoemakers is in such demand among the fairies, they’ve accumulated great wealth, hence their pots of gold. They also are talented musicians who play whistles, fiddles, and Irish harps.

Typically dressed in bright green, a white frilly shirt, and soft leather shoes with gold buckles, the little guys top their red hair with a three-sided hat. They also wear a brown leather work apron.

Leprechauns are nearly impossible to find and even harder to catch. Should you get your hands on one, don’t take your eyes off of him for one second! Leprechauns are intelligent, quick-witted, and cunning. They can distract you and be gone in a blink of an eye.

And don’t believe a leprechaun if he promises to grant you wishes or give you his pot of gold. He’s likely to use you purely for his entertainment.

Have you seen my Author Facebook page?

 

Healthy Planet, Healthy Us Friday, Jan 27 2023 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and Health and Perspective , , , , Mary K. Doyle 10:56 am

Would you like cleaner air, lower prices, and fewer catastrophic weather conditions? We can move closer to all of this with a few minor lifestyle changes.

There’s no denying that the whole earth is seeing troubling weather and events caused by that weather–fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and mud slides. The snowballing impact of these circumstances is tremendous. People are losing their homes, neighborhoods, and livelihoods. Crops are being destroyed, which results in higher food costs and shortages. And these conditions will continue to increase over time.

Some say the cause is due to global warming. Others say it’s normal weather cycles or our lack of faith. And there are those who say that’s nonsense. Whatever the cause, if we want it to stop, we have to look honestly at what we are doing as a nation and individually. At the very least, we can show respect and gratitude for our God-given gifts.

Consider some of the small things that can be done to improve conditions. Yes, these steps require some effort, and perhaps sacrifice. However, we will suffer one way or another. Why not do what we can to improve conditions and leave the earth in better condition than it is right now?

Take a look at this list and see what you can do. A few minor changes will make a big difference.

  • Reduce waste by making careful purchases of items that truly will be used.
  • Repurpose items rather than tossing them in landfills.
  • Donate items in good condition.
  • Consider shopping at resale shops rather than for new merchandise.
  • Use long-lasting lightbulbs.
  • Avoid plastic water bottles.
  • Raise air conditioning thermostat temperatures one degree.
  • Lower heating temps one degree.
  • Conserve water when cleaning, washing, playing outside, and watering lawns and gardens.
  • Clean-up rivers, ponds, forests, and parks.
  • Don’t dispose of medications and chemicals inappropriately. Check with your town and disposal company for their options.
  • Eat locally grown foods to avoid transportation waste.
  • Eat less meat, such as by serving meatless meals one or two days a week. Animals contribute greatly to carbon dioxide production.
  • Promote better environmental understanding.
  • Demand and vote for better environmental protection.
  • Pray for our planet.

*Our faith changes as we age, and for good reason. Have you read, Young in the Spirit?

*Photo: Wayne, IL

 

Undo and Redo Tuesday, Jan 24 2023 

Culture and Everyday Life and Family and History and Midwest and Perspective , , Mary K. Doyle 3:45 pm

As I sat at my sewing machine removing stitches for the third time from a quilt that I’d been working on, I thought about how much in my life has been about doing, undoing, and redoing. Stitch, rip out, stitch again, only to rip out and stitch again until it is right.

My profession is like that, too. I write once but rewrite over and over. I really don’t mind the undoing and redoing because I then have an opportunity to write it better the second or third or fourth or fifth time. I can step away and see what I’ve written from a different perspective. In the end, I have a product I’m proud to put my name on.

Looking back, I see that my education was sort of a redo, as well. I did not attend college after high school but instead married two years later. My parents actually discouraged a higher education for me. What was the point, they asked? Being a good wife and mother was the ultimate goal. It was the early 70s, the end of a period when women were raised solely to be housewives and mothers.

Both of my grandmothers worked while raising their families. But my mother, and most women of her generation, did not. During the first couple of decades after World War II, men returned home and back into the workforce replacing the women who took over for them while they were gone. The working mom was the exception, and she was often looked down upon by other women.

My mother attended college for three years and worked as a chemist for General Foods before marrying and giving birth to her firstborn, my brother. I never understood why my mother never returned to complete her college education or wanted to work again.

Nor did she understand my desire to do so. She agreed with my then-husband that returning to school was a waste of family money.

But I longed for more. My solution was to apply for every available scholarship. I ended up with much more money than needed for junior college. Progress was slow as I’d take one class at a time. It was 18 years before I’d completed an associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degree. During those years, I had three children, divorced, worked, and remarried. School had to be squeezed in between other priorities, my children being the most important. Most likely, earning those degrees immediately after high school would have been easier, but I was fortune to have the opportunity and perseverance to accomplish it later.

Unfortunately, we can’t completely redo every decision we make. Some have lifelong repercussions. Those are the times that require major alterations and adjustments. We often can get where we want to go, however it may be via the long and winding road.

***Have you read Young in the Spirit, Saint Theodora and Her Promise to God, or The Rosary Prayer by Prayer?

Please write a review on Amazon if you’ve read my books. I’d be most grateful.

 

The Measure of Success Tuesday, Jan 17 2023 

Books and Culture and Everyday Life and Family , , Mary K. Doyle 11:35 am

The definition of success is curious to me. Is it number based, such as our financial worth, how many boards we serve on, how much product we’ve sold, or how many children we have? Perhaps, it is title based, such as president, CEO, pastor, or doctor. Or is success the achievement of a personal goal, whatever that may be?

Most of us are critical of our self-assessment of success. For example, our goal may have been to become a professional singer. If our calendar is filled with dates does that indicate that we are successful? Or must we also consider how much we are paid for these bookings and the types of gigs we work?

One truth I found while interviewing hundreds of people through the years is that if someone has achieved greatness in a particular field, they likely have little to show in other parts of their lives. We only have so many hours in a day, so many days in our life to achieve this goal. If we devote 90% to one thing, we can’t put in more than 10% anywhere else.

While attending a television award ceremony years ago, I realized that those who received honors for their tremendous levels of success in a role on or behind the scenes honestly noted that they reached that level because of someone, mostly a spouse or life partner, who carried the load at home. They were able to focus entirely on their career because someone was behind them caring for the home, children, and even their personal needs. Their partner actually was equal in accomplishing that goal for one of them.

Some note that their personal success appears to be minimal to others yet is significant to them, such as maintaining sobriety, feeling positive or grateful, or regaining strength. Personal tragedy, injury, or illness may have robbed them of mobility, hope, or motivation. Getting back on track one minute step at a time may be a tremendous achievement for these people.

Perhaps, success is attaining a full package of work/family/life balance. We are doing well at work. We care for our family whole-heartedly. And we care for our personal needs considering what it takes to maintain a healthy body, mind, and spirit. That isn’t likely to put us at the top in any one particular position. But we are invested in all parts of our lives.

Recently, I was speaking with a wise, intuitive acquaintance. I told him that I was disappointed in my book sales. Several of my titles sold well, some are even considered best sellers at my publishing house. But none were going to cover my living expenses, much less the years it took to write them.

This new friend pointed out that books are written to fulfill a need in the author. Also, many of the books I’d written were helpful, even said to be life-changing, for readers. Those books helped more than I could measure because of the ripple effect—the number of people who were helped because of how the book affected that reader who then reached out to others. According to this acquaintance, that made a book successful.

It then appears that how we measure our success is a personalized assessment meaningful to us. Only we can set our goals and strive to attain them. Only we can honestly know if we are, and have done, what we’d hoped with our lives leaving behind a legacy of which we can hold our head up high.

***Here are a few of my “best-selling” and award-winning books: The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, Grieving with Mary, St. Theodora and Her Promise to God, Young in the Spirit, Navigating Alzheimer’s, The Alzheimer’s Spouse.

 

Our Best Self in 2023 Friday, Dec 30 2022 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Health and Perspective , , , Mary K. Doyle 8:51 am

The beginning of a new calendar year and birth year are good times to reassess where we are in our lives. For me, the timing is perfect. A May 31st birthday allows me to take note and make adjustments about 6 months apart every year.

The first step is to get in tune with our health because if we are not physically and emotionally balanced, we are less or totally ineffective. Think body, mind, and spirit, and ask ourselves questions such as the following.

  • Do we have chronic pain or ailments? We can begin by assessing our diet, exercise, and sleep patterns. If we are doing what we can to maintain good health and still suffering, it may be time to check in with a professional–a physician, chiropractor, or other healthcare provider.
  • Are we getting enough exercise? We don’t have to go from no exercise to running marathons. Start with gentle stretches, half hour walks, or walking back in forth in the house while swinging our arms.
  • Diet is critical to overall health. Food is fuel, and its quality is as important as quantity. Serving ourselves on small plates and in small bowls helps to reduce overeating. We also want to avoid processed foods. Processing breaks down the quality and adds high amounts of fat and sodium. Reading product labels on packaging is important in knowing what we are consuming. Best yet, eat whole foods. Think apple rather than an apple muffin and a piece of chicken rather than a breaded and fried chicken finger.
  • We want to ask ourselves how we are feeling emotionally? How often are we sad, impatient, frustrated, angry, or afraid. Sometimes it’s a matter of perspective. When we recognize our many blessings, we can see others’ needs and how we may assist them rather than wallowing in self-pity. If we feel these emotions regularly, then we might consider speaking with a counselor. We don’t function well when consumed with negative thoughts. And perhaps we should pass on watching the nightly news or watching television programs with violent or disturbing content. Our brain will continue to process those images and thoughts when we sleep. Listening to relaxing music or reading a fun book at bedtime is a better alternative.
  • Monitoring our financial health is also vital to mental health. Those impulse buys add up and can cause anxiety later when they need to be paid off. Taking a moment to ask ourselves if the item is something we need or will really use before purchasing can eliminate mounting debt and the stress of payments beyond our capabilities later.
  • Are we social? Connecting with other people is a basic human need and a key to longevity. Avoiding caustic relationships is just as important. Surrounding ourselves with healthy, and supportive friends promotes those same characteristics in ourselves.
  • Is our faith being fed? Trusting in a higher power alleviates us from believing we are in control of everything and therefore, responsible for all that goes wrong in the world. It also encourages us to understand how we are all connected and treat one another with love and respect no matter our station in life.
  • And perhaps the most important factor in well-being is recognizing our purpose. What’s our reason for getting up in the morning? Do we have meaningful people to care for and activities to occupy our time? Knowing our passions, such as gardening, playing a musical instrument, volunteering at a community center, food bank, or senior center; or drawing feeds our spirit with compassion, creativity, peace, and beauty.

Our list of needed self-improvements may be long, but we can’t change everything all at once. On the other hand, if we do nothing, nothing changes. Making one small change until it becomes a habit, and then moving on to another, moves us closer to a better, happier us one step at a time.

***If making prayer a part of your daily life is one of those steps you want to make this new year, I have a few books that may be of help. Check out The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, Grieving with Mary, Fatima at 100. Fatima Today, and Saint Theodora and Her Promise to God.

 

What Child is This? Tuesday, Dec 20 2022 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and Holiday , , , , Mary K. Doyle 9:50 am

Do you know this baby’s name? Most of you will recognize this ornament as a representation of Jesus, even though it’s unlikely that Jesus looked like this. (Jesus was of Middle Eastern descent and hid with his family in the African country of Egypt. He was probably darker complected with dark hair and had Middle Eastern features.)

Amazingly, we only require a hint to grasp the meaning of an image. And we have many that represent Jesus and Christianity. A star in the sky reminds us of the star of Bethlehem that led shepherds and kings to the newborn Christ child, the anointed one. See a cross and we contemplate the great sacrifice–Jesus’ offering of himself for our eternal salvation. Spot a simple fish symbol on a bumper sticker, and we know that driver is probably a believer in Jesus and professes to walk the talk of Christianity.  

In this season of hope, we have so many generally recognizable symbols in addition to those that are faith based. From evergreen trees, especially those in the spruce family, that trigger our thoughts to Christmas trees to reindeer reminding us of Santa’s sleigh, holiday cheer is everywhere.

May our holidays be rich in meaningful symbols, loving memories of the people who cared and supported us to this point, and enjoyable moments of sharing, giving, and humbly receiving. And may we all know peace in 2023.

***The holidays add extra burdens in managing loved ones with dementia. Reach out to your caregiver friends and relatives with an extra hug, note or text, or a plate of healthy food this season. They need more than you’ll ever realize. For more ways to help, see my books, Inspired Caregiving, Navigating Alzheimer’s, and The Alzheimer’s Spouse.

If you’ve read any of my books, I’d be honored if you wrote a short review on Amazon.

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Monday, Dec 12 2022 

Books and Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and History and Peace , , , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 10:26 am

Rich in symbolism and significance, this familiar image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is actually a self-portrait. The true story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is fascinating and intertwines cultures across continents and centuries right through to the present. Countless miracles have been attested to devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, including one incredible personal miracle I myself received in 2008.

Read on for more of this intriguing story.

* * *

In the late sixth century, Pope Gregory the Great gave a black Madonna statue to Archbishop Leandro of Seville, Spain. When the Arabs invaded the country in 711, the statue was buried in the mountains of Asturias along the Guadalupe River. (Burying sacred items was a common practice to prevent their desecration and theft.) The legend is that five centuries later, Mary appeared to a man named Gil Codero and instructed him to dig for the buried sculpture. Codero retrieved the statue and placed it in a shrine on that same spot. The Spanish people showed honor to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Spain, by journeying to the shrine to pray.

Several centuries later, on December 9, 1531, across the ocean on the hills of Tepeyac, Mexico, a young peasant named Juan Deigo was drawn to a bright light. There Juan found within a cloud a beautiful woman dressed in vivid colors. The woman spoke to him in his native Aztec tongue of Nahuatl. She said she was the Ever-Virgin, Holy Mary, Mother of the God of Truth. The Lady instructed Juan to go to Bishop Zumarraga of Mexico and tell him to build a chapel on the hill. However, it took Juan three attempts and a miracle before he convinced the bishop that this message indeed came from Mary.

In the midst of winter, Mary provided what Juan thought was a sign for the bishop. It consisted of an exceptional bouquet of flowers, including Castilian roses, that he gathered from snow-covered hills per Mary’s instructions. Mary arranged the flowers herself and wrapped them in Juan’s own modest cloak, known as a tilma. However, it was a much more impressive sign than the beautiful flowers that Mary gave the bishop. Upon opening the cloak to present the bouquet, the exact image of Our Lady as revealed to Juan was printed on his tilma. The shocked bishop humbly dropped to his knees in tears.

The apparition was important to the indigenous people as well because it struck some significant correlations between the natives and their pagan gods:

  • Mary was shown in bright, bold colors standing in the rays of the sun on a crescent moon. The indigenous people considered the goddess Coatlicue the mother of the sun and the moon.
  • Mary told Juan that her name in his native tongue was Tlecuauhtlacupeuh, which means “the one who crushes the serpent.” One of the native gods, Quetzalcoatl, was a feathered serpent to which people sacrificed women and children.
  • The natives soon learned that while the serpent god required human sacrifice, Mary’s son, Jesus, sacrificed himself for all people.

Not only did Mary speak to the people in their language, she reached out to Juan as his friend and protector. She told Juan not to let anything discourage or depress him. She said he should not fear any illness or pain, because she was his mother. She promised to protect him in the folds of her mantle in the crossing of her arms. After the apparitions millions were drawn to this special woman and her message, thereby converting to Christianity.

The Spaniards in Mexico were touched by the miracle, as well. Tlecuauhtlacupeuh, the name Mary used to address herself in the language of Nahuatl, sounded like the word “Guadalupe” to the Spaniards. The Lady even wore stars on her cloak as found on the ancient statue of Guadalupe, so the Spaniards believed she was their own Lady of their native land of Guadalupe, Spain.

In addition, Mary’s relation with Juan forced the Spaniards to reconsider their perceptions of the indigenous people, whom they considered inferior. Mary honored the native culture with her presence. Consequently, the Spaniards had to recognize and respect them equally as children of God.

Scientists made several studies on the tilma to verify its authenticity. The scientific consensus consistently found that the icon truly is a heavenly creation. There are no brush strokes. Nor are the rich colors the result of any paint of dye known to humankind (with the exception of some flourishes added later).

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe illustrates Mary’s love for all people. However, she is most present to the poor, sad, sick, and lonely because that is where she is most needed. She is with us in our grief and human pain. Mary’s motherly concern is that everyone is treated justly and strives to live a life in a way that is pleasing to God. Her message always is to pray more and live peacefully.

Today, Juan’s tilma is displayed in the world’s busiest Marian shrine, Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica, located in Mexico City. Millions of pilgrims travel worldwide each year to see the magnificent piece firsthand. From a moving walkway only a few feet below, pilgrims can see the image of Mary exactly as Juan saw her nearly five hundred years ago. The reality of the privileged opportunity to brush so closely to this self-portrait of our Blessed Mother is evident in the stream of awe-struck faces of the pilgrims beneath it. The experience is life-changing for the many people who claim they receive personal miracles in its presence.

After five centuries, it is extraordinary that the tilma exists today unharmed and without deterioration of the cloth or colors. Made from the fibers of a cactus plant, it typically would disintegrate within twenty years. Also, a bomb exploded beneath it in 1921 ripping apart the marble in the sanctuary but without causing any damage to the tilma or its glass cover. The tilma’s incredible survival alone is an inspiration to patrons praying before it.

—Excerpt from my bestselling book, Grieving with Mary

***

You can order Grieving with Mary from Amazon and ACTA Publications. You also might be interested in The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, also available from Amazon and ACTA.

 

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