Archbishop reflects on Blessed Mother’s role in Church at annual Morning with Mary event

Archdiocesan director of catechesis Ken Ogorek, left, and archdiocesan coordinator of catechetical resources James Wood process with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the archdiocese’s Morning with Mary event in Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, on Oct. 5. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)

By Natalie Hoefer

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS—Nearly 100 Catholics gathered at Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Oct. 5 to honor the Blessed Mother during the archdiocese’s Morning with Mary event.

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson shared about his own devotion to Mary. He also explained the Church’s teaching on Mary’s role as a means to Christ, reading from the Vatican II document “Lumen Gentium” (“Light of the Nations”), that she always points “to Christ, the source of all truth, sanctity and piety” (#67).

But for that pivotal role, Catholics can rightly venerate “the excellence of the Mother of God,” and be “moved to a filial love toward our mother and to the imitation of her virtues” (#67). Archbishop Thompson listed those virtues as “her courage, her humility, her obedience, her faith, her hope, her perseverance” as “ways Mary modeled Christ.”

While Mary holds great esteem in the Church, she “doesn’t get a whole lot of press in the Scriptures,” he noted.

“But the moments when she is mentioned are profound,” such as the annunciation when she models humble surrender to God’s will, or the wedding feast at Cana when Mary instructs to “Do whatever he tells you,” he said.

The event was held two days before the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Archbishop Thompson encouraged the praying of the rosary, noting that “reflecting on [its] mysteries, viewing Christ’s life through Mary’s eyes, remind us to be steadfast on our journey of faith.”

Through the rosary, Scripture and the esteem with which the Church holds Mary, he said, “we can see all that Mary’s done for us as a people of God through her intercession as the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church and our mother.”

Melissa and Guy Engbino of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Terre Haute brought their children to the Marian event.

The archbishop’s talk reminded Melissa “of growing up with my mother as a Marian devotee.” She said their family was praying the rosary each day during the month of October, with hopes to continue.

“It’s good to pass on the tradition of praying the rosary at home, because it’s fading,” she said. “I’m hoping to pass it on to [our children] and that they will carry it on.”

The Marian event included two additional witness talks, hymns and the praying of the rosary.

After the event, several participants enjoyed a tour of the Shrine of St. Theodora Guérin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, the eighth American saint and the first saint from Indiana. †