Today is the feast day of Mary, Mother of the Church. Get "The Church Is Our Mother: Seven Ways She Inspires Us to Love" for just $3.00!
Dear John, Today is another wonderful day to celebrate our Blessed Mother! This is a fairly new feast day, which is celebrated annually the day after Pentecost. Pope Francis approved the celebration because he thought it might “encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.” I love that the pope intentionally decreed a new feast day to encourage everyone's maternal growth. And it is not limited to mothers or even women, but rather a challenge and prayer extended to all of us. As I think about this feast day I think about characteristics of this maternal sense that the pope was talking about. It is a powerful and necessary way of approaching our faith and each other. So why is this so essential for all of us to have this sense in order for the Church to grow in God's plan and direction? Gina Loehr actually wrote a book about this very topic, and it is excellent! If you're interested in diving into Mary's maternal sense and the importance it has in the Church as well as in our daily lives, then this book is for you. I have marked it down to just $3.00 for a limited time. I am sending you a motherly "virtual" hug today! Somedays we just need one, you know? God bless you, Patty Crawford Director of Marketing, Products Franciscan Media |
Loehr asks, “Why do we refer to the Church as 'she' or 'Mother Church'? And what does this reveal about the nature of the Church and the nature of motherhood?” Each chapter of The Church Is Our Mother explores one theme mothers and Mother Church have in common: creation, caring, teaching, acceptance, sacrifice, healing, and celebration. |
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