Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Mary: An Introduction

More comments tonight? Continuing with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Toward the end of the eighteenth century a zealous Jesuit priest, Father Lalomia, started among the students of the Roman college of his Society the practice of dedicating May to Our Lady. The devotion, which others had promoted in a small way, soon spread to other Jesuit Colleges and to the entire Latin church and since that time it has been a regular feature of Catholic life.

INVOCATIONS

Thou who wast a virgin before thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin in thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin after thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.

My Mother, deliver me from mortal sin.
Hail Mary (three times).

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou shalt stand before the face of the Lord, that thou speak favorable things in our behalf and that He may turn away His indignation from us.
Roman Missal

Thou art my Mother, O Virgin Mary: keep me safe lest I ever offend thy dear Son, and obtain for me the grace to please Him always and in all things.

FOR THE HELP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

THE SALVE REGINA

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Roman Breviary

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

O blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found
the way to restoration? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and, receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, 0 blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
Saint Augustine

PETITION TO MARY

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Magnificat Prayer
My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior,
For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed.
God who is mighty has done great things for me,
holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; Even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever.
(Lk 1:46-55)

Seen above is the Blessed Virgin Mary, portrayed as Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
It was she who was chosen by God, to provide His Son with His Sacred Humanity.
She did so in humble and total cooperation with the Holy Spirit and the Divine will of the Holy Trinity; providing God's Son with the Blood He shed for us on the Cross.

TO MARY, REFUGE OF SINNERS
Hail, most gracious Mother of mercy, hail, Mary, for whom we fondly yearn, through whom we obtain forgiveness! Who would not love thee? Thou art our light in uncertainty, our comfort in sorrow, our solace in the time of trial, our refuge from every peril and temptation. Thou art our sure hope of salvation, second only to thy only-begotten Son; blessed are they who love thee, our Lady! Incline, I beseech thee, thy ears of pity to the entreaties of this thy servant, a miserable sinner; dissipate the darkness of my sins by the bright beams of thy holiness, in order that I may be acceptable in thy sight.

FOR THE GRACE OF LOVE
O Mary, my dear Mother, how much I love thee! And yet in reality how little! Thou dost teach me what I ought to know, for thou teachest me what Jesus is to me and what I ought to be for Jesus. Dearly beloved Mother, how close to God thou art, and how utterly filled with Him! In the measure that we know God, we remind ourselves of thee. Mother of God, obtain for me the grace of loving my Jesus; obtain for me the grace of loving thee!
Cardinal Merry del Val

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FOR MAY

O most august and blessed Virgin Mary! Holy Mother of God! glorious Queen of heaven and earth! powerful protectress of those who love thee, and unfailing advocate of all who invoke thee! look down, I beseech thee, from thy throne of glory on thy devoted child; accept the solemn offering I present thee of this month, specially dedicated to thee, and receive my ardent, humble desire, that by my love and fervor I could worthily honor thee, who, next to God, art deserving of all honor. Receive me, 0 Mother of Mercy, among thy best beloved children; extend to me thy maternal tenderness and solicitude; obtain for me a place in the Heart of Jesus, and a special share in the gifts of His grace. 0 deign, I beseech thee, to recognize my claims on thy protection, to watch over my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of all who are dear to me; to infuse into my soul the spirit of Christ, and to teach me thyself to become meek, humble, charitable, patient, and submissive to the will of God.

May my heart bum with the love of thy Divine Son, and of thee, His blessed Mother, not for a month alone, but for time and eternity; may I thirst for the promotion of His honor and thine, and contribute, as far as I can, to its extension. Receive me, 0 Mary, the refuge of sinners! Grant me a Mother's blessing and a Mother's care, now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

TO OUR LADY

Saint John Vianney, better known as the Cure of Ars, when asked how long he had loved Mary, said: "I loved her almost before I could know her." In this prayer he expresses that love.
O thou most holy virgin Mary, who dost evermore stand before the most holy Trinity, and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for us to thy most beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, combat for me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour; and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then do thou encourage me, make the sign of the cross for me, and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name a profession of faith; favor me with a testimony of my salvation, and never let me despair of the mercy of God. Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy. When I can no longer say: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands," do thou say it for me; when I can no longer hear human words of consolation, do thou comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged; and if I have to expiate my sins in purgatory, oh! pray for me earnestly; and admonish my friends to procure for me a speedy enjoyment of the blessed sight of God. Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily, and lead my soul into heaven with thee: that, united with all the elect, I may there bless and praise my God and thee for all eternity. Amen.
Saint John Vianney

ACT OF REPARATION

O blessed Virgin, Mother of God, look down in mercy from heaven, where thou art enthroned as Queen, upon me, a miserable sinner, thine unworthy servant. Although I know full well my own unworthiness, yet in order to atone for the offenses that are done to thee by impious and blasphemous
tongues, from the depths of my heart I praise and extol thee as the purest, the fairest, the holiest creature of all God's handiwork. I bless thy holy name, I praise thine exalted privilege of being truly Mother of God, ever virgin, conceived without stain of sin, co-redemptrix of the human race. I bless the Eternal Father who chose thee in an especial way for His daughter; I bless the Word Incarnate who took upon Himself our nature in thy bosom and so made thee His Mother; I bless the Holy Spirit who took thee as His bride. All honor, praise and thanksgiving to the ever-blessed Trinity, who predestined thee and loved thee so exceedingly from all eternity as to exalt thee above all creatures to the most sublime heights. 0 Virgin, holy and merciful, obtain for all who offend thee the grace of repentance, and graciously accept this poor act of homage from me thy servant, obtaining likewise for me from thy divine Son the pardon and remission of all my sins. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Memorare of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Virgin Mary

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary!

That never was it known
That anyone who fled to thy protection,
Implored thy help or sought thy intercession
Was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee!
O Virgin of virgins, My Mother!

To Thee I come before Thee I stand,
Sinful and Sorrowful,
Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy,
Hear and answer me.

Amen

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

Discovering Mary [Excellent New Book For Converts]
Beginning Our Lady's Month [Catholic Caucus]
Give it all to Mary [Catholic Caucus]
JESUS LIVING IN MARY: HANDBOOK, SPIRITUALITY OF ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT, ROSARY [Ecumenical]
Mary, Tabernacle of the Lord By Archbishop Fulton Sheen(Catholic Caucus)

A Protestant Discovers Mary
Mary is our Mother and Queen of the New Davidic Kingdom (Scriptures Agree With Catholic Church)
Hail Mary
Holy Water Silhouette (Virgin Mary -video))
How could Mary be the Mother of God?
Mary, the Mother of God (a defense)
Calling Mary “Mother of God” Tells Us Who Jesus Is
The Holy Spirit And Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Mary, Our Cause of Rejoicing
Mary in Byzantine Doctrine and Devotion (Catholic / Orthodox Caucus)

Radio Replies First Volume - Devotion to Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Catholic Discovery of America(Catholic Caucus)
Mary is the star that guides us to holiness, says Holy Father during Angelus [Catholic Caucus]
The Efficacy and Power of One Hail Mary [Ecumenical]
When Did Belief in the Virgin Birth Begin?
Mary, Motherhood, and the Home BY Archbishop Fulton Sheen
On Mary, Mother of Priests
Benedict reflects on Mary and the priesthood [Catholic Caucus]
Radio Replies First Volume - Mary
Scholar says Baptists neglect lessons from Virgin Mary

Mary and the Sword Continued Part #2 by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Mary and the Sword by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen(Catholic Caucus)
Why Did Mary Offer a Sin Offering? [Ecumenical]
Mary and Intercessory Prayer
Mary: Holy Mother
Mary not just for Catholics anymore
Pope concludes Month of Mary in the Vatican Gardens
Consecration to Mary(Catholic Caucus)
Mary’s Marching Orders
Praying the Hail Mary Like Never Before [Ecumenical]

Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Caucus: The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas - THE HAIL MARY
Our Jewish Roots: The Immaculate Conception [Ecumenical]
The Blessed Virgin in the History of Christianity [Ecumenical]
Archbishop Sheen Today! -- Mary and the Moslems
Mary Immaculate: Patroness of the United States [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
"The Woman He Loved": Fulton Sheen and the Blessed Mother(Catholic Caucus)
September 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary and Militant Islam
Catholic Devotional: Feast of the Holy Name of Mary
A Homily on the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary
Catholic Caucus: Mary, The Power of Her Name [The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

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"Never apologize for the

Blessed Virgin Mary!"

~~Mother Angelica

Pray the Rosary.

Pray without ceasing.

Foundation

Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Foundation: Apologetics Without Apology
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Foundation: An Incomplete Picture
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Foundation: Dearly Beloved Catholic Brothers and Sisters

Being Catholic and Christian: Faith and Salvation

The Church: A Biblical Portrait - A New Testament Apologetic

The Church: A Biblical Portrait - A New Testament Apologetic

Divine Revelation "By Letter" (2 Thes 2:15) The Bible

Divine Revelation "By Word of Mouth" (2 Thess 2:15): Handing On

Truth Handling and Teaching Authority

The Sacraments: The Life of The Christian

The Communion of Saints

Mary the Mother of Jesus: Saint

Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Mary the Mother of Jesus: Saint
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Mary: An Introduction

From a previous thread:

From the earliest of Church Councils (the Council of Rome, 993; defined by the Council of Trent) the distinction was made between worship and honor. Catholics believe that worship is due to God alone. Catholics honor those saints who have gone before us as a sign of faith and victory in living the Christian life.

And from this thread!

The truths about Mary are important because they are still truth, since they are based in the Bible. But they are not central to the primary gospel message of our salvation through Jesus Christ.

Praise Jesus And A Hail Mary Indeed!

The truths about Mary are important because they are still truth, since they are based in the Bible.

NOPE.

Was reading along . . . mostly out of curiosity to see if there was anything new . . . until I near tripped over that one, sitting down.

It still boggles my mind that anyone . . . much less more or less bright CHRISTIANS . . . and a whole huge "Christian" institution . . . expect folks to believe that! It's bad enough that y'all believe it!

You think of the following as "BIBLICAL?!!!"

p32
4 - She became Queen of Purgatory, where she exercises her power as mediatrix in behalf of these suffering souls.

"Just as a rock extracted from earth will precipitate into the abyss, so will man, left without Mary's help, quickly slide toward hell." --Richard of St Victor

p37
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come; Thy kingdom come through Mary!--Partial Indulgence

p41
"Mary is[=] the tree of life to those who grasp her, and he is happy who hold her fast." --Prov. 3:18

Do y'all REALLY BELIEVE Mary has a microscopic shred of anything to do with fulfilling, being spoken specifically, personally of in Prov 3:18??? Has y'all's train REALLY RAN OFF THE CLIFF TO THAT EXTENT?

Even I am finding that very hard to wrap my mind around. I still prefer to think of several of you as bright, earnest, authentic Bible-believing Christians. Such things sure don't make clinging to that perspective very easy at all, at this point.

p45
6 - To her was granted grace greater than that conferred upon all others, 'that she might vanquish sin in every respect.'

[Qx: I guess Christ's vanquishing sin was unnecessary--or ineffectual without Mary's assistance? GOD HAVE MERCY on such ghastly blasphemy! Wellll maybe not. Maybe HE NEEDS to have the opposite of mercy on such horrific stuff. May HE have HIS WILL with it.]

p46
9 - God loved Mary so much that He gave her the keys to His heart. 'No one can go to God without Mary drawing him.'

[Qx: I guess Holy Spirit has been relegated to a 'Walter Mitty' role as spouse of Mary--per some of the outrageous assertions in John Ferraro's devotional that these are from. That's SOME POWER to cancel & take over HOLY SPIRIT'S role to draw men to God! And ANYONE REALLY *BELIEVES* !!!!THAT'S!!!! ????BIBLICAL???? Oh, right--in the land of daffynitions.]

p47
10 - "As Noah's Ark saved all the animals that entered it, so Mary saves all the souls that entrust themselves to her care."

[QX:Doesn't ANYONE of y'all find your spirit grieving when reading such UNBIBLICAL heresy, blasphemy, idolatry? Don't any of you feel like rending your clothes and running out into the street or standing up in church screaming !!!!NO!!!! A THOUSAND TIMES !!!NO!!!!?? GOD HELP US!]

p50
4 - "By becoming Mother of God, Mary belongs to the order of hypostatic union; hence she participates IN the infinite sanctity of God."

[QX: Don't any of you kind of quake or shiver with awesome abject reverential awe and fear at tempting ALMIGHTY GOD with such an outrageous assertion??? Perhaps THAT'S HOW WE NEED TO PRAY. That GOD ALMIGHTY, BY HIS SPIRIT WILL GIVE Y'ALL A VISION, A VISITATION OF HOW HE AND HOW THE AUTHENTIC MARY AND HOW CHRIST FEEL ABOUT SUCH AN OUTRAGE!
.
Clearly these are the END TIMES. It seems like every time I read these lines I get shocked to a new, deeper level. I'll ask the END TIMES prayer team to pray as they feel led according to that issue. GOD HAVE MERCY. GOD PLEASE HAVE MERCY!]

Within 2-6 months we could easily be up to our necks in a hell driven WWIII . . . and folks are running around loose at horrendous spiritual vulnerability for believing that kind of blasphemy. GOD HAVE MERCY.

Slippery daffynitions and mangled dictionaries are NO HELP to authentic BIBLICAL Christianity.

Additional proof that Roman Catholicism is pagan to the core.

I’m beginning to reluctantly agree.

Horrific.

Thanks for your kind reply.

Have a blessed weekend.

Where are you from the ash cloud? Evidently a bigger one is headed y’all’s way.

BTW, I assume you are still not hearing any WWIII/Israel Iran war rumblings?

They seem to be getting louder and more frequent in various places.

That pagan aspect might help explain the rather rabid and almost instant compulsion to KILL THE MESSENGER observed in so many of them . . . a kind of “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS” mentality so common in Islamic and other pagan religious & tribal contexts.

Authenic Christians are much more ready and given to “COME LET US REASON TOGETHER.”

And though some of them may even quote that verse, when I cite the evidence they insis doesn’t exist—they run away from the point(s) and either virtually never reply to them at all or only reply with assaultive ‘kill the messenger’ hostility.

That’s happened to me probably 100’s of times at this point hereon—certainly many dozens of times. I’ve just accepted it as the norm. If the shoe had been on the other foot—they’d have hounded me all over FR relentlessly for a submissive, “I’m sorry, I was wrong,” reply. I know better than to expect that from virtually any of them. In fact, I can’t recall an “I’m sorry, I was wrong,” from any of them.

Somehow, I think that’s very telling. I’m not sure WHAT it tells but it’s very telling.

And THEY are always the ones screaming about humility. Go figure.

Just one question here... What page numbers are you referring to? Is it the catechism book, or something else? Honestly, growing up my respect for Mary was as the woman whom was honored to raise Jesus.

This might sound a little strange because I don’t know if I can explain this well enough — it’s something that I “heard” during the time following my vision back in 2002...

Anyway, here goes...

The Holy Family a representation of the Holy Trinity that we have on Earth. Father, Mother, and Child - the miracle of creation - replicated in families throughout the Earth. The way God intended it to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a “replacement” for the Holy Trinity in any way shape or form. There’s more to what I’m saying, but I can’t find the words for it right now. There is a deep truth in there somewhere that I just can’t articulate... It was such a beautiful “zen-like” moment of understanding, peace and love at the time, maybe that is why I can’t find words to express it...

One note: It was clear to me that a family is not two women raising children as a “couple”, and not two men raising children as a “couple”. God is NOT “cool” with that, at all. [That was made abundantly clear to me in the days following... I was out with my husband during the time that I still felt like I was in the state of grace described by St. Teresa, and I saw two men (who seemed like a couple) with a small child, and I instantly felt sick to my stomach, and literally started crying and I said to my husband - quietly - that it was NOT right, and our Lord and Savior did not look kindly on that, it actually hurts His “heart” that children are not being properly raised with the direct role models in their life that they need. We actually had to leave the restaurant as I was so bothered by it during that time. And, I still have gay friends to this day, and I don’t feel ill, or cry over it anymore even though it does make me sad, and I pray for those children — just in the days, like I said, that I was still feeling that “state of Grace” was the feeling so overwhelming and powerful.]

Anyway, in all my years in the Catholic Church I never once heard anyone saying that Mary was above God. I do know of her being referred to as the mother of God, but only in the way that Jesus was God in the flesh here on Earth — only being recognized as the human mother of Jesus, and chosen and blessed by God to carry His son and care for him here on Earth. She was truly blessed to have been chosen, and if all women were as Mary this world would be a much better place...

I have a healthy respect for Mary, as I believe we all should. I see her as a role model for mothers, and Joseph as a role model for fathers. Of course, Christ remains the Ultimate “Role Model” for our lives, but in looking at the Holy Family there are things for all of us to draw strength from. In my case I “heard” that my Mother and Father were in Heaven and my parents here on Earth were not as important as recognizing our “family” in Heaven — and there was definitely an emphasis on looking to God our Father as our REAL Father — especially for people like me who did not have a decent fatherly influence here on Earth.

I’m very interested in this subject as I’m always examining the beliefs I grew up with versus the things I’ve learned in searching for truth on my own over the last 20 years...

Anyway, I know I probably didn’t explain this clearly enough, so please bear with me! I’m still working on writing my experience down, but this is one part that I’m stuck on as it’s really hard to explain to others. I don’t know if it was the Holy Spirit helping to heal my soul from the damage done by my earthly father and from my dysfunctional family - or whether it’s something that I will be able to explain to others, or that others will benefit from if I can find the words to explain it clearly (I don’t know if it was a way God was explaining a concept to me personally or if it was a “broad” truth that we should all be aware of...).

I personally have no problem honoring Mary, as I explained above. However, to place her ABOVE God our Father in Heaven, or above Jesus (God in the flesh) is not right, IMHO. You don’t get to Heaven THROUGH Mary, Christ Himself said the only way to the Father is through Me (Jesus).

Anyway, like I said it’s hard to explain my exact beliefs on this, and especially hard to express what I learned about these issues during that soul-searching (fighting for my soul) experience I had.

Thanks for your kind and interesting reply. I have no great problem with anything you wrote.

The page numbers are from

John Ferraro’s

TEN SERIES OF MEDITATIONS ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY.

I just wanted to say a quick thank you for taking the time to put up all of these links to information. As a technically “non-practicing” Catholic (was confirmed, but have not been to a Catholic Mass in a VERY long time), I appreciate it because it gives me an opportunity to examine my beliefs now as an adult, and compare them to what I was taught (and perhaps did not understand) as a child.

Thanks, I appreciate that alot. It’s still rather scary to speak about it all, but I’m getting more comfortable putting it “out there” so to speak.

As for the quotes, that is very interesting... Some of those comments made are VERY disturbing, frankly. And like I said, I don’t ever recall anything like what is espoused in those comments being taught to me growing up in the RCC.

I’m going to have to look up information on the author as well... I was scared you were going to tell me that that is what Pope John Paul II wrote in his book!!! LOL I’ve got that around here somewhere, and I think I’ll get it back out again and compare notes.

Luther, Calvin and Zwingli disagree with you.

Within 2-6 months we could easily be up to our necks in a hell driven WWIII

WWIII; which apparently you were not a participant in, was the Cold War and we've been fighting WWIV ever since.