Mary

Thousands of pilgrims from across the country gathered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington Sept. 28 to honor Mary, the Mother of God, and her gift of the rosary.

If asked to list Marian feast days in August, most Catholics would respond with only “the Assumption.” But there are other feast days of Mary throughout the month that we don’t want to overlook.

Our Lady’s hands are said to have once repelled pirates from the small, secluded island of Corvo in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Every year, on the Aug. 15 feast of the Assumption, the people of Corvo, the smallest of nine islands in the Azores, celebrate their patroness, Nossa Senhora dos Milagres (“Our Lady of Miracles” in Portuguese), with Mass, a procession and a daylong feast in the village.

Coming with the recommendations of eight popes, “True Devotion to Mary” by St. Louis-Marie de Montfort was an obvious choice to explore the devotion to Our Lady.

“Mary has modeled for us the means of uttering a trusting ‘yes’ even when it comes with a hint of fear, or a breath of doubt.”

Here is a collection of notable quotes from Pope Benedict XVI from homilies, documents, messages and speeches from 2005 to 2013, the years he served as pope.

“This month, let us turn to Mary in a special way as a spiritual role model to emulate and as a loving mother who faithfully brings all of our cares and concerns to her Son, Jesus.”

The exhibition takes a look at the infamous story of two powerful queens bound together by their shared Tudor heritage, whose turbulent relationship dominated English and Scottish politics for 30 years.