The Virgin Mary, the Mother of God: On-Line Resources   The Virgin Mary -- One thing that distinguishes Catholicism from Evangelical Protestant culture is the emphasis that Catholics (and Orthodox) place on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.  Sometimes it has appeared to Protestants that Catholics actually place more emphasis on the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and the Catholic Saints than they do on Jesus.   This sort of approach to the saints is not authentically Catholic.  In one of the most authoritative Church documents of the twentieth Century, the Second Vatican Council emphatically declares that in spite of the exceeding honor owed to the mother of Jesus, she, as well as all the Catholic Saints, are nonetheless creatures.  And "no creature could ever be classed with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer" (Lumen Gentium 62).  Catholics worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  They honor the Virgin Mary and the Saints.   There are marvelous devotional practices whereby honor and veneration is paid by Catholics to our mother Mary and our elder brothers and sisters, the Catholic saints.  But the greatest honor we can given them is to study and ultimately imitate their inspiring example.  Many of the saints of the Catholic Church have left us writings that can mark out the way to holiness and urge us on as we travel that difficult road.   What we've assembled here is certainly not an exhaustive list of resources about the Virgin Mary.  Rather, we've provided is a constantly growing collection of short readings about the Virgin Mary often by the saints or the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, readings that we believe will help us attain the ultimate goal that every Christian must make their own, namely to become a like Mary in faith and holiness.   For brief biographies of the saints who are listed below as authors, visit the author page of the Crossroads Initiative Library and click on the name of the saint that you'd like to learn more about.   Follow Us - Join us on Facebook     Join us on Twitter     For more Catholic resources to feed your faith, visit the Crossroads Initiative Homepage.   To sign up for our free weekly e-mail with Dr. D'Ambrosio's commentary on the Sunday readings, liturgical feasts, updates on where Dr. D will be speaking, a chance to WIN a FREE CD and MORE, CLICK HERE!

How Mary and the Rosary Can Change Your Life by: Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio Talk 1:  The Virgin Mary: Model of Faith Some Christians seem to neglect her; others seem overly preoccupied with her.  What is the true role of Mary in God's plan, her intended role in our lives now, and the proper form of devotion to her?  In this talk, Dr. D'Ambrosio provides enlightening and inspiring answers to these questions from Scripture, common sense and the teaching of the Church. Talk 2: A Fresh Look at The Rosary  There is something here for everyone-- those who have problems with the rosary, and those who've read every book on the subject.  Drawing from scripture, history, Church teaching and personal experience, Dr. D'Ambrosio shares insights in this talk that will forever change the way you look at and experience this traditional devotion.   Kitty Cleveland-The Miracle of Love Rosary Our hope is that The Miracle of Love Rosary CD will lead you into a deeper state of union with out Lord as you contemplate with Mary the face of Christ. We pray that the mediations will deepen you appreciation for the gift of life, which is truly a Miracle of Love, and strengthen your commitment to defend life in all its stages.     Personal Prayer - Pathway to Joy - CD Everyone knows that personal prayer is important. You can't expect to deepen a relationship with God talking with Him only once a week! But how, in the midst of the busy, noisy life we all lead, can we develop a pattern of daily prayer that really works? And if we are successful in carving out some moments for prayer, what do we do? How should we spend that time in way that would be most fruitful?