News Archives

We have received a number of emails from readers commending our institute and its website, The Mary Page.  Thank you all for your encouragement and support.  The following is a typical example.

Thanks for such a wonderful website.

Maria

In order to improve performance, the University of Dayton upgraded the server on which our website resided on Wednesday, September 19, 2012.  As a result, The Mary Page has experienced some technical difficulties since then (e.g. Prayer Corner).  Please report any problems by calling Michael Duricy at 937-229-1474.

Updates

It is with great sadness that we inform you that Bernie Riegel passed away on September 17, 2012.  He was a volunteer for The Marian Library.  His wife, Mary Jo, also serves as a volunteer with our crèche collection.  The Dayton Daily News posted his obituary online.

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Mary in Books, Films, and Music

Play About Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Maximilian has always been Saint Luke Productions' most modern and most requested live drama.  The play relates the story of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Catholic priest imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, who willingly volunteered his life in place of a fellow prisoner condemned to death.  Canonized in 1982, Saint Maximilian is a true example of heroism for the modern man, standing up to fight evil even at the highest cost.

An updated version, Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz is their most complicated multimedia production to date, employing live action, animation, historical footage, and a sweeping cinematic score to illustrate the story of this saintly hero.  It's scope reaches from the heavenly chaos of creation to the humble actions of one man pursuing daily holiness.  Using all elements of multimedia available to them, they have presented a story of good vs. evil on both a human and a cosmic scale.

Click here to see more information including a trailer.  Marian imagery is apparent in the sample video clip, as could be expected given Kolbe's Marian charism.

Suggested A/V material

Dr. Gloria Falcão Dodd, informed us that For Greater Glory, a successful, faith-focused, recent film contains Marian imagery and is now available on DVD.  Click to see more information or here to order from Ignatius Press [sample video clip included].

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Radio Maria from The Marian Library

Prayer of Blessed John Paul II for Radio Maria

Mary, guide us in our major decisions and give us strength in times of trial so that we may, with humble courage, follow the hidden ways of Heaven, keeping faith with God and mankind so that we can bring the joyful message of Christ, the Savior, to the hearts and minds of all.

Mary, guiding star of evangelization, be with us.  Be with Radio Maria as guide and be its protector.

Francesca Franchina, MS Ed., a long-time member of the Marianist Family, will be doing a series of Marian broadcasts through the local stations for Radio Maria WHJM (FM 88.7) in Anna, Ohio and WULM (AM 1600) in Springfield, Ohio.  Called "Francesca and Friends: Why Mary?," the program airs every Wednesday from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST focusing on what is going on in the world about Mary, how to speak with others about Mary, and Mary in Scripture.  CALL IN TOLL-FREE.  PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM (during the live show) 1-866-333-6279.

On Wednesday, September 26, 2012, Francesca Franchina and Dr. Doug Schoeninger, Ph.D., psychotherapist, past President of the International Association of Christian Therapists (ACT), and Editor of The Journal of Christian Healing discuss inner healing of negative beliefs about ourselves, (e.g. "I am defective/I am a failure/No one likes me"), healing memories of wounding, especially emotional wounding that broke trust, using Scripture, Psalms, words of Jesus, etc. for inner healing, and generational healing as part of the inner healing of one's soul, the Mission of The Association of Christian Therapists and its members in medical and health professions, and the ACT Annual International Conference to be held October 2012 in Schaumburg, IL. (cf. Romans 8:26–28)

Francesca and Friends with Francesca Franchina, National OSIA Trustee, is now being broadcast throughout the New York City metropolitan area at 11 pm on Friday nights on WSNR 620 AM, as well as on other local  Radio Maria USA frequencies,  and streaming on radiomaria.us.  This is the replay of the program originating on the preceding Wednesday at noon EST.  Give a listen every Friday at 11 PM; Mondays at 8:30 PM and LIVE on Wednesdays at noon EST.

The broadcast may also be heard on-line at radiomaria.us  The website also provides access to some previous broadcasts.  We'll keep you informed about future programs.  An encore of each show is broadcast Monday night from 8:30-9:30 pm EST one week after the original.

Francesca is no longer doing her Tuesday program, Through the Tummy to the Heart on Radio Maria, but all programs and recipes are still posted in the Archives on the Radio Maria website at radiomaria.us.  She will inaugurate commentary and blog on www.credoapostolate.us in the near future.

Living with Mary Today! Live: Thursdays and Fridays 2:30-3:00 PM EST: From the Pontifical International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) at the University of Dayton Marian Library, internationally-known Mariologists Fathers Bertrand Buby, François Rossier, Johann Roten, and Thomas Thompson of the Society of Mary (Marianists), and other IMRI faculty; Michael Duricy, Jean Frisk, and others will discuss Marian themes such as The Blessed Mother and Ecumenism; Mary and The Family; Mary and Suffering, Marian Teachings and Writings of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI; Mary and Scripture from the Founder of the Marianists, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade; Mary and Vatican II, Marian Apparitions, and others.  The Marian Library at the University of Dayton houses the largest collection of Marian books and artifacts in the world, and IMRI is one of the two sites of post-graduate studies in Mariology for the STL and STD.  Find out more by visiting marypage.org.  The University of Dayton; The Marian Library, and IMRI are collaborators with the International Satellite Radio Maria Network and Radio Maria Ohio.  Click here for the schedule of future programs planned to date.  Click here for the audio archive!

This week's programs:

Dr. Gloria Falcão Dodd, Thursday, September 27, 2:30 PM on Introduction to Mariology III

Dr. Gloria Falcão Dodd, Friday, September 28, 2:30 PM on Introduction to Mariology IV

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From the Marian Treasure Chest

A Pro-Life Feast by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

Brother John sent us the following item posted on Facebook as A Moment with Mary.

In the year 2000, then-Holy Father John Paul II decreed that the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham, mediaeval patroness of England, and in modern times patroness of all English-speaking peoples, was to be celebrated on September 24 instead of March 25.

The feast of Our Lady of Walsingham was celebrated for the first time on the new date in 2001.  The feast of the Annunciation is increasingly celebrated as a pro-life feast, to call attention to the unborn.  Our Lady of Walsingham's feast asks us to contemplate the joy of the Incarnation in the simple family life of the Holy Family at Nazareth.  The new date and emphasis on this feast is timely considering how family life is under attack in Western culture.

It was in the year 1061, in the little village of Walsingham, that Our Lady appeared to a widow, Richeldis de Faverches.  It is said that she appeared three times in a vision, and each time showed to Richeldis the house in which the Holy Family had dwelt in Nazareth.

Mary requested that Richeldis build a replica of this house in Walsingham. Our Lady said: "Do all this unto my special praise and honor.  And all who are in any way distressed or in need, let them seek me here in that little house you have made at Walsingham.  To all that seek me there shall be given succor.  And there at Walsingham in this little house shall be held in remembrance the great joy of my salutation when Saint Gabriel told me I should through humility become the mother of God's Son."

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Last Chance to See Current Exhibit!

Moved by the Spirit: Artist Interpretations on the Life of Jesus

The University of Dayton's Marian Library Gallery will feature a group exhibit, curated by Louise Tessier, featuring works from twelve artists working in clay, wood, textiles, paper, glass, painting, jewelry and iconography. Each artist has interpreted an event in the life of Jesus within his or her own artistic style and through his or her own faith experience. The exhibit will run from Tuesday, September 4, through Friday, September 28, in the gallery on the seventh floor of Roesch Library.  Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or through special arrangement by calling 937-229-4214.  Click here to see more information or here to see a virtual exhibit.
Click here for information on our next exhibit, Faces and Flowers of Mary, which opens October 1.

We have a permanent crèche exhibit and a dedicated online giving page specifically for those who wish to support The Marian Library crèche collections.  There is also a general page to give to all areas of ML/IMRI and Roesch Library.

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Web Collaborators

Two important Catholic websites have added The Mary Page to their list of Media Partners.  CatholicWeb.com highlights items from The Mary Page in their section on Catholic News.  Catholic.net includes a Mariology section on their navbar with articles from The Mary Page.  Please visit these sites in return.  We expect continued collaboration with them in the future.

Radio Maria originated east of Milan, Italy in 1983, and is now heard in fifty-four countries.  The main USA station is in Alexandria, Louisiana with affiliate stations across the USA [including FM 88.7, WHJM,  in Anna, Ohio (north of Dayton) and AM 1600, WULM, in Springfield/Dayton, Ohio.  All USA Radio Maria stations regularly air live Marian talks from UD's Marian Library every Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 pm EST and on Thursday and Friday from 2:30-3:00 pm EST, as well as local programming originating from many other affiliated Radio Maria stations in the USA.

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International Marian Research Institute Course Schedule

IMRI courses for the Fall 2012 semester will commence on October 8, 2012.

The Pontifical Academic Program leading to STL and STD in theology with a specialization in Marian Studies offers courses in three year-round sessions.  See our course offerings for Fall 2012.

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In keeping with the season, we suggest September Poetry.

Material on international stamps with images of Mary exists on The Mary Page (also available in French). The latest updates were Angola, Chad, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rhodesia, and Rwanda.

We have revised and expanded our material in Chinese.  This is a work in progress, so expect more content soon.  Feel free to let us know what you think of this section.

We have posted the Call for Papers for the 2013 annual meeting of the Mariological Society of America (MSA) and Marian Thoughts of Benedict XVI through 8/27/2012.

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Theology on Tap!

Title: Walking in the Light

Date: October 4, 2012, 7:30-9 pm

Location: Oregon Express, 336 E Fifth St, Dayton, OH

IMRI Professor, Dr. Gloria Dodd, will present A Sacramental Meditation on the Luminous Mysteries.  Click here for more information.

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Holy Father to Make a Pastoral Visit to the Shrine of Loreto
Source: VIS (Vatican City) September 20, 2012

The Holy Father is to make a pastoral visit to Loreto, Italy, on October 4, marking the fiftieth anniversary of Blessed Pope John XXIII's visit to that Marian shrine.

Benedict XVI will depart from the Vatican by helicopter at 9 am, arriving at the John Paul II Center at Montorso an hour later.  At 10:20 am he is due to visit the Holy House contained inside the shrine, where he will adore the Blessed Sacrament and pray to Our Lady of Loreto.  At 10:30 am he will celebrate Mass and pronounce a homily on the Piazza della Madonna di Loreto.  After having had lunch at the John Paul II Center, he is due to depart at 5 pm and to arrive back in the Vatican at 6 pm.

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The director and editors of The Mary Page under the auspices of the International Marian Research Institute do not necessarily endorse or agree with the events and ideas expressed in this feature.  Our sole purpose is to report on items about Mary gleaned from a myriad of papers representing the secular press.

Sister Angela Ann Zukuowski, M.H.S.H., a religious studies professor and director of the University's Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, received the 2012 Catechetical Award May 9 from the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership for her innovative, Internet-based learning initiatives in the areas of adult faith formation and catechesis....

The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation is among Zukowski's most significant contributions to the church in the digital age. Alumni can participate through vlc.udayton.edu.

N.B. The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) at the University of Dayton offers a course titled Mary in Scripture and Tradition.  Fathers Johann Roten, S.M., and Bert Buby, S.M., two professors at the International Marian Research Institute, and Sister Jean Frisk, an expert in catechesis, designed this course on Mary to foster an appreciation of the place which the Virgin Mary occupies in the history of salvation and in the life of the Church.  They also hope to build awareness of the Marian dimension of Catholic life.  This advanced level course is enhanced by its link to The Mary Page of the Marian Library at the University of Dayton that contains ecclesial documents, iconography, a listing of apparitions, and practical answers to questions raised about the role of Mary in the Church today.  To learn more about this course, call 1-888-300-8436.

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Marian Commemoration Days

To celebrate the month of September with Mary:

• Our Lady of Ransom (September 24)

The Mary Page offers a variety of resources inviting study, reflection and meditation.  We also list important Marian dates for each month of the year.  Please see Marian Commemoration Days for the month of September.

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You are invited to help us pray for our Prayer Corner intentions.  Please take a look!  This site has been updated and enhanced and now allows users to submit prayer requests directly or to volunteer as a prayer partner for these intentions!

Please note that we are currently experiencing technical difficulties with these sections of our site.

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The Mary Page website is updated frequently. Please stop in again and see what's in the news.

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