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Chief reasons that it is important to know the truth about Mary are that:
- Knowing the truth about the Blessed Mother helps us to know the truth about her Son, Jesus, the
Redeemer of mankind.
- Mary always leads us to Jesus.
- To help people, be they your children, other family members, students in your classes or programs, other
Catholics, non-Catholics, etc. deepen in the truth and can help them along on the path to salvation.

MARIAN SOLEMNITIES, FEASTS AND MEMORIALS

January 1: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God (Holy Day)
February 2: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 11: Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
March 25: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
May 13: Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
May 31: Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary
June/July: Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
July 16: Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
July 26: Feast of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim (Parents of Mary)
August 2: Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula
August 5: Feast of Our Lady of the Snows
August 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Holy Day)
August 22: Memorial of the Queenship of Mary
September 8: Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 12: Feast of the Holy Name of Mary
September 15: Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
October 7: Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
November 21: Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Holy Day)
December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Solemnity: Celebration of the highest ranking feast day commemorating the most important mysteries of the faith.
Feast: Celebration of the second degree commemorating a mystery or title of Jesus, Mary, or a particular saint of
historical importance.
Memorial: Celebration of a lesser degree, usually of saints, but may include an aspect of the life of Jesus or Mary.

THE FOUR MARIAN DOGMAS

1. Divine Motherhood
Church’s Teaching

Mary is the Mother of God (literally: God bearer). Since Jesus is God, and Mary is Jesus’ mother, Mary is the Mother of
God. This is neither a denial of God’s eternal nature nor of Mary’s human nature as a created being. This is a statement of
the integral reality of Jesus’ human and divine natures (fully God and fully man).3 Mary merely existed before God existed
in human form.
Dogma Defined
Council of Ephesus (431), further explained in the Council of Chalcedon (451)

2. Perpetual Virginity
Church’s Teaching:

Mary was conceived without original sin. God applied the salvific effects of the crucifixion to Mary before she
was conceived rather than, like most of us, after.1

St. Paul hints that no human is without sin (Romans 5:12). The Bible tells us of one, very distinctive post-Eden
exception to this suggestion, Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). If there is one exception, are there others? The Catholic
Church does claim one other, Mary.

“The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary’s real and perpetual virginity even
in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. In fact, Christ’s birth “did not diminish his mother’s virginal
integrity but sanctified it.” CCC499

Dogma Defined
Council of Lateran (649)
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3. Immaculate Conception
Church’s Teaching:

Mary was conceived without original sin. God applied the salvific effects of the crucifixion to Mary before she
was conceived rather than, like most of us, after.1

St. Paul hints that no human is without sin (Romans 5:12). The Bible tells us of one, very distinctive post-Eden
exception to this suggestion, Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). If there is one exception, are there others? The Catholic
Church does claim one other, Mary.

“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and
privilege of almighty God
and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”
-St. Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus

Dogma Defined:
Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus.
December 8th, 1854

4. Assumption
Church’s Teaching:

Mary was taken into heaven body and soul, assumed into heaven.

While the Bible does not speak directly to this point, it does suggest a rational for God taking Mary. Holy people
do not decay in the grave (Psalm 16:10). Mary was holy (Luke 1:28). Lest one think this logic is contrived, God has
taken others to heaven body and soul; consider Enoch (Genesis 5:18-24, Sirach 44:16; 49:14; Hebrews 11:5) and
Elijah (2 Kings 2:1, 11).

Dogma Defined:
Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus.
November 1st, 1950

Theological and Cardinal Virtues

Virtues are gifts from God that lead us to live in a close relationship with him. Virtues are like habits. They need to
be practiced; they can be lost if they are neglected. The three most important virtues are called theological virtues
because they come from God and lead to God. The cardinal virtues are human virtues, acquired by education and
good actions. Cardinal comes from cardo, the Latin word for hinge, meaning “that on which other things depend.”
Theological Virtues
Faith-Believe in God-total gift of self to God
Hope –Drives our desire to relate to God. Helps us when we are scared or lonely.
Charity (love)-Love God above all things. Greatest of all Virtues. Includes loving those you do not like.
Cardinal Virtues
Prudence-Think through a situation and determine the moral choice. (EX: study or hang out with friends)
Justice-Act fairly (EX: make a promise and keep it)
Temperance-Keep your desires and appetites in check. Draw a line between legitimate pleasure and indulgence.
(EX: one serving of chips or eating the whole bag/ Being on Social Media for 30 minutes or 3 hours)
Fortitude-Strengthens us to resist temptation (EX: just say “No”)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.”
2. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
3. “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”
4. “Honor thy father and mother.”
5. “Thou shalt not kill.”
6. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
7. “Thou shalt not steal.”
8. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
9. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”
10. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”
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An early contemplation on the Beatitudes came from St. Gregory of Nyssa, a mystic who lived in Cappadocia in
Asia Minor around 380 AD. He described the Beatitudes this way:
"Beatitude is a possession of all things held to be good, from which nothing is absent that a good desire may
want.
Perhaps the meaning of beatitude may become clearer to us if it is compared with its opposite.
Now the opposite of beatitude is misery. Misery means being afflicted unwillingly with painful sufferings."

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES OF JESUS

1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10

THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Wisdom is considered the first and the greatest of the gifts. It acts upon both the intellect and the will.
2. Understanding helps one relate all truths to one's supernatural purpose; it further illuminates one's
understanding of Sacred Scripture; and it assists us to understand the significance of religious ritual.
3. Counsel functions as a sort of supernatural intuition, to enable a person to judge promptly and rightly, especially
in difficult situations.
4. Fortitude is often identified with courage, but Aquinas takes its meaning to also encompass endurance. Describes
as a willingness to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse,
or physical harm. The gift of fortitude allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and
in enduring evil.
5. Knowledge is a gift to see things from God's perspective. It “allows us to perceive the greatness of God and his
love for his creatures” through creation.
6. Piety accords with reverence. A person with reverence recognizes his total reliance on God and comes before God
with humility, trust, and love.
7. Fear of the Lord is akin to wonder (or awe). With the gift of fear of the Lord, one is made aware of the glory and
majesty of God.