The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-14

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A monument to Mary! 1t is due to
within the Kingdom of God, through
her immediate cooperation in the
work itself of the redemption, through
the power of her name and example,
as seen and studied adown the ages,
through the efficiency of her interces-
sion in favor of all those who draw
nigh to her in love and petition.
AS none other human agent Mary
had her part, intimately operative, in
the work of the redemption. Her
motherhood was necessary that the
Eternal Word be made man, in prep
aration to His suffering and death for
the salvation of mankind and this
Mary accepted of her own free will:
BE it done unto me according to thy
word" In His infancy and early hui
man life, the Incarnate needed devot-
ed guardianship: Mary it is who gave
it. She introduced Him into the world
of men in His public career, by peti-
tioning His first public miracle. She
was near Him, so far as the circum-
stances of His ministry allowed, in
the various incidents of His public
career, and in its closing hour she
stood by Him, at the foot of the Cross,
with Him, near Him on Calvary, as
she had been with Him, near Him in
Bethlehem and in Nazareth After the
Saviour Himself, Mary had the more
efficient part in the act of the re-
demption; after the Saviour Himself
Mary claims the gratitude, the honor
of the children of the Kingdom
How much has been done adown
the ages by Mary, through the won
drous power of her name and of the
example of her virtues! Next to the
name of Jesus that of Mary has been
the echo of all that is best and high
est, sweetest and most inspiring
breathing above the malices and the
errors of humanity the perfumed
breezes of the supernatural regions,
purifying this humanity, tempering it
to the beauties and the glories of the
sAies of Heaven Jesus and Mary
the two names marched together over
the earth, as one generation followed
the other, in warfare against sin, in
conquest of souls to purity and holi-
ness. The spiritual and moral vic
tories of Christendom were the
achievements of Jesus: in all of those
the name of Mary was associated with
that of Jesus-the name of Jesus tell
ing of an Incarnate God, that of Mary
telling of the creature, most like to
Him, most near to Him in virtue and
merit
And how much Mary is ready to do
for us to-day through her prayer and
intercession in our behalf! We know
of the Communion of Saints-how
saints in Heaven lift up their voices
toward the Saviour in favor of their
brethren on earth who seek their help,
in whom they bear interest. But none
among the saints bear interest in the
children of the Church Militant as
does Mary, who more than any other
had part in the work of the redemp-
tion. And none, so much as Mary,
has influence with the Saviour. She
is His mother: she pleads with the
persuasiveness of a mother: her whis-
perings, as once at the marriage feast
of Cana, are, as it were, commands to
be obeyed instantly. The prayer put
on our lips by the Church, together
with the "Our Father, is the Hail
Mary" Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us now and at the hour of
our DEATH" Let us, by paying to Mary
the tribute of our love and reverence,
make sure that she will pray for us,
''now and at the hour of our death"
Our appeal is to women-to the
Catholic women of the Diocese of St.
Paul. Near and dear to all Chris
tians, Mary is especially so to the
women of the Church. Mary was the
woman. In her elevation and grand
eur we see the elevation and grand
eur of womankind. We know that in
the elevation of womankind wrought
by the religion of Christ, the part al
lotted to Mary is wondrously large
Before the days of the Gospel, woman
was held in low rank. Since then she
rose to the dignity of queenhood, be-
cause in every woman, sister, daugh-
ter, wife, mother, the image of Mary
shone resplendent, and honor done to
woman was honor done to Mary
Mary is the pride of our womanhood,
our sister, our queen. To the women
of the Church comes the duty to show
to Mary special gratitude and love
to be the first in the march, when her
name is called, the first in generous
response when honor is to be done to
her.
Our Lady''-it is Mary's name, CIV
en- to her by the saints and the schol-
ars of the Church. Our Lady''-the
best, the sweetest, the holiest of
women-the one whom all women
should delight to salute, to love, to
| honor!
The Chapel of Our Lady! Who
among the Catholic women of the Di-
ocese of ST. Paul will not see in it
/ the sacred shrine of her own woman
hood? Who among them will not
hasten to enrich and adorn it? Who
among them will not hurry to the
/ task lest her more warm-hearted sis