Customer Reviews

The Catholic Companion to Mary

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Author and religious educator Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND, has chosen the perfect title for her latest work. The narrative is charmingly personal, and a wealth of supplementary material is offered in margin notes and offset sidebars containing quotations, trivia, short prayers, and references to web sites and scripture passages. The book is decorated with a dozen black and white silhouette-style renderings, many of them depicting Mary with the child Jesus.

The first 16 chapters, ranging from three to ten pages each, portray Mary's life from the immaculate conception to the assumption "as a flesh and blood person" based on research, theological study, and personal experiences of Catholics through the ages and around the globe. The sixth chapter recounts Mary's major appearances on earth, and the last four chapters treat devotion to the Blessed Virgin in terms of liturgies, medals, and "crownings"; the rosary; more than 25 prayers; and a Mary-themed concert.

Through it all, the author delivers on her promise to "bring Mary more into focus" so that readers may strengthen their relationship with her and with God.

Mary Kathleen Glavich gives us rich fare for expanding and our relationship with Mary. We are invited to reconsider Mary from many viewpoints--from the author's personal reflection and research, and stories and anecdotes from many sources throughout the ages. We are invited into a new intimacy with Mary, this woman of first century Palestine, Mother of Jesus, wife of Joseph, our sister, our friend, our source of Wisdom and comfort.... Each page invites reflection on this woman unique in the Christian story and a part of our own stories.

I purchased this book from the author, a delightful Sister of Notre Dame and read it while on vacation. The approach she has taken is to paint a picture of Mary's life; what she probably ate and wore, her spiritual life, her life at home, and how she may have dealt with experiences over her lifetime. This style slowly draws the reader back to biblical times and evokes even greater respect for Mary, the Mother of God. In addition, the margins of the pages are filled with "trivial tidbits", "fyi's", "quotes" and other short pieces of miscellany that are gems themselves. Obviously a well researched book. I highly recommend it to Catholics and non-Catholics alike!

A friendly, informal and interesting guide to Mary by a nun that remains thoroughly on target until the last third. Glavich's aim for most of the book is to imaginatively recreate the life that Mary lived and experienced, and by so doing to explicate who she is and what is her role in the Church's worship. Her very experiential slices of life, from what Mary would have worn to what her tasks would have been to a description of the places she lived, work a treat, putting us in Mary's place credibly and usefully. All the while Glavich weaves facts and factoids, sometimes with the aid of sidebars throughout the text. In the last third however the chapters get much longer and are given over to various legendary accounts of Marian apparitions that distract more than they edify. It's not that these accounts have no place here, but they seem disproportionate to the whole (and are definitely not my thing, anyway). Nevertheless, an easy to digest and at times insightful little book.

The book ties in history of the times, what we know about the world and civilization at that time and ties this to the knowledge we have about Mary from the Bible to paint a well rounded picture. Though some liberties are taken, the book holds to the scriptures as it's main source and also includes great trivia and information about the Holy Land, shrines,and other landmarks. Great book for anyone wanting to learn more about Mary.

Mary comes alive within the pages of Sister Glavich's new book. She is placed in context of the first century with details of daily life in that time period. Scripture, Tradition, and historical data support a clear biographical description of Mary's participation in some of the most important events in Christianity. Readers see Mary as a faithful Jewess, Mother of God, perfect disciple of Christ, and sorrowful mother.

The Catholic Companion to Mary also contains sidebars with tidbits of interesting Marian information, summaries of key apparitions, and ways to honor Mary in the liturgy and with flowers, Scapulars, and prayers. In addition the book includes instructions on praying the rosary. Interior art by Dan Paulos and Mary Jean Dorcy, OP adds a lovely touch to this excellent resource.