She has been used as a reason for denying women their full dignity and equality with men. I hope I have shown some reasons why Mary does not need to have that effect. God chooses to be with us and works in the lives of ordinary people. When we celebrate our patronal festival we are celebrating our life together as a Church and opening our imaginations to the grace of God, which comes from meditating on the figure of Mary, our sister in the faith. Adrian Blanchard was until recently a member of the congregation of St Mary's Stoke Newington, London.
Most dioceses have their own local groups to undertake similar projects themselves.