Mary and the Saints

Catholic Basics: A Pastoral Ministry Series Many of the most touching images in the Catholic imagination are those of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of favorite saints. We imagine, for example, the young Mary facing an angel who asks her to make a choice not only for herself but for the world as well or the image of a sorrowful mother at the foot of the cross. We also imagine the saints and their heroic love for God and others: the joy of St. Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds; the sacrifice of St. Maximillian Kolbe giving up his life so another can live. This book gives a short outline of the origins of the devotions to Mary and the saints, the way in which saints are proclaimed today, and the place apparitions of Mary have in the context of the Church. --From the introduction