Posted on 03/16/2015 1:40:04 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
I was recently given a fascinating little book called American History You Never Learned; it contains much information showing that the discovery of the New World, and the founding of our nation, occurred within a direct context of divine guidance and blessing. In particular, Our Lady (who, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is still today our national patroness) played an important role in the establishment of the United States.
For instance: The earliest explorers of North America—sent by the Catholic king of Norway in the 14th century—left behind a carving in modern-day Minnesota in what became known as the Kensington Stone. Dated 1362, it read: “Hail Virgin Mary; save us from evil” (making it the oldest historical record found in the U. S.).
Christopher Columbus dedicated his voyage of discovery to Mary, changing the name of his flagship from Gallega to Santa Maria, and led the crews of all three vessels in hymns to Our Lady each evening. Upon discovering the island of San Salvador (named after the Savior), Columbus and his men went ashore and sang the Salve Regina in Our Lady’s honor; they taught the natives there the Ave Maria (“Hail Mary”) and other Catholic prayers.
Columbus’ three ships were named the Santa Maria (“Saint Mary”), the Pinta (“Paint”), and Nina (“Girl”)–which, put together in a sentence, reads “Holy Mary paints girl.” This refers to the miraculous event which occurred 49 years later, when Mary “painted” an image of herself as a young Indian maiden on St. Juan Diego’s tilma, or cloak—a scientifically-inexplicable image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which still exists in all its beauty today, and which prompted the conversion of nine million Mexican Indians to Catholicism in just one decade’s time.
The French explorer Fr. Jacques Marquette named the greatest river in North America the “River of the Immaculate Conception” (though its name was later changed to the Mississippi). The Spanish and French introduced Catholicism to many Native Americans, but the One True Faith wasn’t welcome in the English colonies. Catholic settlers established themselves in Maryland (the first colony to allow freedom of religion); they were able to name their colony after Our Lady only because they claimed to be honoring the English Queen Henrietta Maria.
It’s believed Our Lady’s intervention may have saved the life of General George Washington on several occasions; it’s also recorded that she encouraged him at the most trying time of the American Revolution, appearing to him at his headquarters in Valley Forge during the terrible winter of 1777-78. He later described her as a “woman of singular beauty,” and related how she said, “Son of the Republic, look and learn!” In the vision of the future he was then given, Washington saw the colonies take root and thrive, only to be fiercely attacked and dreadfully scourged on three different occasions—the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and a future conflict (World War III?) still to take place.
Has the United States remained true to its founding ideals? In particular, are Jesus and His Mother afforded a place of honor in our nation’s culture, politics, and economy? The answer to these questions is obviously a negative one—and so you and I are called to pray, fast, and sacrifice for the moral and spiritual renewal of the United States, and for the mitigation or prevention of any future war involving our country (a very appropriate theme for the remainder of Lent). America is still very dear to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart; our Heavenly Mother will gladly obtain her Son’s blessing and protection for our homeland, if only enough of us humbly beseech her for this grace.
Reverend Joseph M. Esper is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Anchorville, Michigan. He is the author of numerous books, including Saintly Solutions, More Saintly Solutions, After the Darkness, Lessons from the Lives of the Saints, and Why Is God Punishing Me? In addition to Amazon, many of his most recent books are available through Queenship Publishing. This article was first published on Catholic Journal.
Probably caucus this before the loons show up?
Oh, me.
**Has the United States remained true to its founding ideals? In particular, are Jesus and His Mother afforded a place of honor in our nation’s culture, politics, and economy? **
Mary gas promised to protect the United States if the Bishops do only one thing....in fact, 9-11 may not have happened if this had been done.
Very simple — Enshrine Our Lady of America in a niche in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D. C. It needs to be done soon!!!! (See the links in the next post.)
Mary didn’t appear to George Washington.
Read the links.
America’s First Mass [Ecumenical]
George Washington’s Return from Service to Mount Vernon, Christmas Eve, 1783
Remember, Remember (George Washington and Guy Fawkes Day)
A Tea Party Thomist: Charles Carroll
America’s Catholic Colony [Ecumenical]
The Catholic Church in the United States of America [Ecumenical]
Catholic Founding Fathers - The Carroll Family [Ecumenical]
Charles Carroll, founding father and "an exemplar of Catholic and republican virtue" [Ecumenical]
CITIZEN JOURNALISM: Founding Catholic [Father]
"How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization" ( Book Review )
Followed by a bunch of general discussion on FR. That is called being a little less than specific.
Maybe I will regret having asked this, but what could a shrine to Mary at that location do which all the other shrines to Mary all over the USA have failed to do?
I say it is a problem with shrines to Christ not being in hearts!
Means such an encounter is not recorded. George was not ignorant of Catholic claims and seemed like a more than fair man.
>Are you truly serious about this Salvation?<
Sadly I think catholics really believe this.
And they claim they don't worship Mary......
Yeah, poor dead Mary can not do a thing but Jesus can and does.
Mary is viewed as an essential for getting to the “softer side” of God.
Such a claim is essentially unfalsifiable. Point to an ancient witness of tender mercies like David of the Psalms, and you get told what, that Mary was watching over him too? And if every evangelical prayer to Jesus got granted... Catholics would say it was because they had asked Mary.
How does such a thesis get tested.
Mary has no more power to “bless” anything than my Great Aunt Fanny has. Sheesh! Idolatry run rampant.
Washington would probably have mentioned it, as it is, the story is fake.
I do not know a lot about who takes care of that cathedral. It isn’t viewed as all that important by most evangelicals. To me it is a mere building.
If they can work out a way to put a Mary shrine in it in order to make Catholics happier, far be it from me to stop them. However I think we would straightway get shrines to Buddha, etc. in it too. We should be careful what we ask for.
The prayers are supposed to be for Mary to pray for us to be Blessed by God the Father, not to bless us herself. And she (or her image) is not to be worshipped (idolatry), only honored.
On the other hand, though she was virgin at Jesus' birth, he had siblings, and in Jewish tradition, IIRC, an unconsummated marriage is no marriage at all. That has never been adequately explained, to me anyway.
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