Coffee and Catechesis

The Month of May and the Glories of Mary

Opening Prayer: Memorare

Attempt with Coffee and Catechesis to recall the fundamentals of our faith.

Since it is May, it’s the perfect opportunity to do a review of Mary’s role in salvation history.

Mary’s humble role as dependent upon Christ.

Walkthrough of Mary’s role in our salvation.

Mary’s Involvement in Salvation History: Genesis 3:15

Prophecy of a “new Eve” and proto-evangelion

Birth of Christ: Matthew’s Gospel quotes Isaiah’s prophecy – a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and his name will be Emmanuel.

Immaculate Conception and Perpetual Virginity

While conceived in a natural way by Joachim and Ann, Mary was at the moment of her conception freed from the stain (macula) of original sin on her soul.

“The blessed ever-virginal and immaculate Mary conceived, without seed, by the Holy Spirit, and without loss of integrity brought him forth, and after his birth preserved her virginity inviolate.”

These work together as logical counterparts based on the effects of original sin.

In the early Church, there were two errors that were spreading: Pelagianism and Nestorianism.

Pelagius: Jesus was a really super guy, but not God.

Nestorius: there was no union between the human and divine natures, and Mary bore only the human nature.

Council of Nicaea: Christ was fully God and fully human

Council of Ephesus: hypostatic union – “consubstantial with the Father”

Therefore: Mary was the Mother of God Incarnate (Theotokos)

Assumption of Mary

Based on Revelation 12:1-2, “enmity,” and Psalm 132 & the ark being restored to Jerusalem

“Having completed the course of her earthly life…” – did she die?

What we know: God brought Mary body and soul into heaven.

Other teachings not solemnly defined

Queen of Heaven

Mediatrix of all graces

Mother of the Church

[Co-redemptrix]

Marian Devotion

• Catacombs in the 250’s, Mother of God in Jerusalem in 350


• Churches erected after Ephesus in 431 to defend her title


• Carmel – 12th Century hermits in the Holy Land


• European bent: Bernard of Clairvaux (13th Century)


• Protestant Reformation and Our Lady of Guadalupe in 16th Century


• 16th Century official endorsement of the Rosary (Our Lady of Victory, Oct. 7)

Three Levels of Marian Devotion (Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange)

1. Occasional Prayers (Hail Mary, Salve Regina, Memorare)


2. Daily devotion (devout recitation of the Rosary)


3. Total Consecration (gained popularity in 18th Century through de Montfort’s book)

The Secret of the Rosary

The Spirituality of Mary