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How the Virgin Mary Blessed the United States
http://www.aleteia.org ^ | March 13, 2015 | Fr. Joseph Esper

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.


TOPICS: Apologetics; History; Religion & Culture; Worship
KEYWORDS: revisionisthistory
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To: SoConPubbie
They take something very simple, and muddy it all up. This is what happens when you let mortal, sinful men define your religion for you, rather than simply accepting the Word of God.

They are too concerned about doing good words ... to bother with truth.

81 posted on 03/16/2015 8:12:28 PM PDT by dartuser
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To: 9thLife

To 74.


82 posted on 03/16/2015 8:14:03 PM PDT by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a minister of the Gospel like Colonel Sanders is an Infantry officer.)
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To: NKP_Vet
Me too.

Not only our greatest president, but the American sine qua non. Without Washington, the America we know would not exist.

83 posted on 03/16/2015 8:16:20 PM PDT by FredZarguna ("He was, indeed, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good, and a great man." -- Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Talisker
Many of the ancient deities are female, and all of them are false gods.

Yeah because in the entire history of the human race, it is unthinkable that the infinite God would appear in female form to help or teach anyone.


How God chose to reveal Himself in terms of gender is not up to you or me.  Obviously God is beyond biological.  So there must be something beyond biological about Him being the Father.  If one accepts the Judeo-Christian Scriptures as the benchmark for how to think about God, there aren't any justifications for goddess worship, either small g or big g.  Of course, if one is into goddess worship, there are usually quite a few other points of difference from Christianity, so discussing His mode of self-revelation in terms of gender probably comes downstream from first deciding whether Christianity is true.

Peace,

SR
84 posted on 03/16/2015 8:18:44 PM PDT by Springfield Reformer (Winston Churchill: No Peace Till Victory!)
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To: ansel12

Mary saved no one. Only Christ saves. Mary herself needed a Savior. Thank God He provided One.


85 posted on 03/16/2015 8:19:13 PM PDT by Mom MD
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To: Defiant; EagleOne; Springfield Reformer; CynicalBear; Iscool
Wow! This OP was full of errors, wasn't it? I hate to say it but Roman Catholics seem to be some of the most gullible of all "religious" people. Attach Mary to a vision, a dream, a hallucination, a STAIN, a burn mark, etc., etc., and there will be no small number who will fall for it hook, line and sinker.

It's too bad the strictures Almighty God gave to the Jewish people to be able to know true prophets from false ones seems to be all but missing for this religion. Doesn't anyone find it awfully curious how there never are any specific prophecies given by these "visions"? Isn't it impossible to know for sure whether a catastrophe was averted if said catastrophe never happened? In Old Testament times, any person who claimed to be a Prophet of the Lord had to pass a very strict test else he was put to death for deception and blasphemy. Seems like we need to be far more discerning and less gullible.

One sure sign in this is the diversion of the glory AWAY from God and TOWARDS a created being. That is something we can KNOW is not of God no matter who she/he claims to be. Satan can present as an angel of light, we should never forget that.

86 posted on 03/16/2015 9:09:15 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: NKP_Vet

Does this ‘ironclad’ story rank higher than the story about the concrete frontyard staue of Mary that survived a housefire and gale force winds during the storm ‘Sandy’?

I never could understand how the roll of Bounty, that survived the fire and wind, was not enshrined as a miracle.

Let’s see....
light weight roll of paper fails to burn or blow away.
Concrete statue fails to burn or blow away.

Which one is more amazing?


87 posted on 03/16/2015 9:25:34 PM PDT by Zuriel (Acts 2:38,39....Do you believe it?)
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To: boatbums

Number three! Wow. I toss out the line and the loons don’t even bite. They just jump right in the boat!


88 posted on 03/16/2015 10:26:40 PM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: boatbums

So true...If Mary shows up in a spaceship, they will fall down at her feet and ‘venerate’ her...Apparently the bible is meaningless to the point of being history and nothing else...

All Godly revelation comes from Rome and specifically, apparently, from the apparition of Mary...

Can be a very dangerous religion...


89 posted on 03/17/2015 3:20:57 AM PDT by Iscool
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To: Talisker

It would be pointless to debate you. But for the benefit of any observers let the record show that this is opinion that thinks it’s fact.


90 posted on 03/17/2015 4:32:20 AM PDT by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Pope Francis)
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To: boatbums
>> I hate to say it but Roman Catholics seem to be some of the most gullible of all "religious" people.<<

And these are presumably intelligent people. It's really sad to watch.

>>One sure sign in this is the diversion of the glory AWAY from God and TOWARDS a created being. That is something we can KNOW is not of God no matter who she/he claims to be.<<

That can not be repeated enough.

91 posted on 03/17/2015 5:41:26 AM PDT by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: Salvation; HiTech RedNeck; Syncro; ealgeone; Elsie
Read these again.

You will find none of that nonsense here...

Mary is dead!!!


92 posted on 03/17/2015 5:49:09 AM PDT by WVKayaker (Impeachment is the Constitution's answer for a derelict, incompetent president! -Sarah Palin 7/26/14)
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To: goodwithagun
Probably caucus this before the loons show up?

Too LATE!!!


 
 
 
Bernadine: …all gifts, all virtues, and all graces are dispensed by the hands of Mary to whomsoever, when, and as she pleases. O Lady, since thou art the dispenser of all graces, and since the grace of salvation can ONLY come through thy hands, OUR SALVATION DEPENDS ON THEE.

Bonaventure: …the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God, for the knowledge of THEE is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of ETERNAL SALVATION . Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven , serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find ETERNAL LIFE.

Ephem: …devotion to the divine Mother…is the unlocking of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Blosius: To the, O Lady, are committed the KEYS and the treasures of the kingdom of Heaven.

Ambrose: …constantly pray ‘Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its KEYS.

Fulgetius: …by Mary God descended from Heaven into the world, that by HER man might ascend from earth to Heaven.

Athanasius: …And, thou, O Lady, wast filled with grace, that thou mightiest be the way of our SALVATION and the means of ascent to the heavenly Kingdom.

Richard of Laurence: Mary, in fine, is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and ADMITS whom she wills.

Guerric: …he who serves Mary and for whom she intercedes, is as CERTAIN of heaven as if he were already there…and those who DO NOT serve Mary will NOT BE SAVED.

Anselm: It suffices, O Lady, that thou willest it, and our SALVATION is certain.

Antoninus: …souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are NECESSARILY JUSTIFIED AND SAVED.

93 posted on 03/17/2015 6:10:13 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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Comment #94 Removed by Moderator

To: ansel12; teppe; StormPrepper; Normandy
Mary didn’t appear to George Washington.

But...

...did George Washington appear to Joseph Smith, Jr.?


http://www.josephsmithacademy.org/wiki/eminent-spirits-appear-to-wilford-woodruff/

95 posted on 03/17/2015 6:16:14 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
How do you know?

Quite MORMONish...

"Did GOD really say...

96 posted on 03/17/2015 6:17:07 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

Number #4! Catching loons here is easier than fishing with dynamite.


97 posted on 03/17/2015 6:20:55 AM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: MamaB
Yeah, poor dead Mary can not do a thing but Jesus can and does.


Joseph:  Mary; are you asleep?
Mary: You bozo; you KNOW I have to do my prayers.
 
Joseph:  I was just wondering if....
Mary: You hornytoad;  you KNOW I have had this HEADACHE for nigh unto these 12 years or so!
 
Joseph:  A fella can HOPE eternally; can't he?
Mary: Hope all you want; you ain't gettin' it:   I HAVE to remain a VIRGIN for my FOLLOWERS!!
 
Joseph:  What 'followers'?
Mary: The ones who will be bombarding me forEVER with their heartfelt requests!!!
 
Joseph:  I may as well be dead...
Mary: Waht you just mumble?  I ain't DEAD; just FRIGID.  Now roll OVER and go to sleep.

98 posted on 03/17/2015 6:25:18 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Boogieman

fake but accurate


99 posted on 03/17/2015 6:28:37 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Syncro

I have published a novena (which has NEVER been known to fail) that Mary would keep rampaging elephants from trampling thru my garden each year.

The Blessed Lady has DONE so!

What do you mockers think of THAT?!?!

(You HATERS!!!)


100 posted on 03/17/2015 6:31:43 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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