Hail , Full of Grace...the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus!

Learn more about Mary

For more than 2000 years, those who adore and follow Christ have held a special love for His mother. St. John’s Gospel directs us to a devotion of Mary:

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple, whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home.” (John 19: 26-27).

From His Cross, Jesus gave us His mother.

And as our mother, Mary prays for us. By her example, she shows us how to love and serve her Son. She cooperates with Him in our salvation by praying for us and with us. Devotion to her most Immaculate Heart always draws us closer to God.

“What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.”
~ The Catechism of the Catholic Church (487)

Sources of information about Mary, our Blessed Mother, are inexhaustible. Following are links to some of the information on this website.

Why Catholics Honor Mary-from More Than Silver and Gold, by Reverend Daniel J. Mahan, Executive Director of the O’Meara Ferguson Center for Catholic Stewardship at Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana

Mary Is Our Role Model-prayers and stories written by children

Marian Prayer of Blessed Pope John Paul II

How to Pray the Rosary-“To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ.”—Blessed Pope John Paul II (Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 3)

The Maternal Exchange

Prayer of Consecration to Mary

Gate of Heaven-music by Mary Oberle Hubley, a Church musician and composer who has written more than 40 post-Conciliar, authentically Catholic hymns. For more information on Mary and her music, visit Nicholas + Maria Publishers.

“Our Blessed Mother wears many crowns...
... and she answers to many names...”

Mary is called Mother of God; Virgin God-bearer; Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy); Mater Amabilis (Loving Mother); Ark of the Covenant; Cause of Our Joy; Comforter of the Afflicted; Co-Redemptrix; Destroyer of Heresy; Empress of the World; Mary, Favoured Daughter of the Father; Gate of Heaven; Joy of the Just; Health of the Sick; Help of Christians; Holy Mary Holy Mother of God; Holy Virgin of Virgins; House of Gold; The Immaculate Heart; Mirror of Justice.

She is called Mother of the Poor; Nyina wa Jambo (Mother of the World); Morning Star; Mother Inviolate; Mother Most Admirable; Mother Most Amiable; Mother Most Chaste; Mother Most Pure; Mother of Christ; Mother of Divine Grace; Mother of Good Counsel; Mother of Orphans; Mother of Our Creator; Mother of Our Redeemer; Mother of Perpetual Help; Mater Dolorosa (Mother of Sorrows); Mother of the Son; Mother Thrice Admirable; Mother Undefiled.

She is called Mystical Rose; Nova Eva (the New Eve); Our Lady of Confidence; Tabernacle of the Lord; Temple of the Most Holy Trinity; Treasure House of God’s Graces; Queen of Angels; Queen of Heaven; Queen of Patriarchs; Queen of Prophets; Queen of Apostles; Queen of Martyrs; Queen of Confessors; Queen of Virgins; Mary, Queen of All Saints; Queen Conceived Without Original Sin; Queen of the Most Holy Rosary; Queen of Peace.

She is called Ravisher of Hearts; Refuge of Sinners; Sedes Sapientiae (Throne of Wisdom); Singular Vessel of Devotion; Spiritual Vessel; Spouse of the Holy Spirit; Star of the Sea; Tower of David; Tower of Ivory; Untier of Knots; Vessel of Honor; Virgin Most Prudent; Virgin Most Venerable; Virgin Most Renowned; Virgin Most Powerful; Virgin Most Merciful; Virgin Most Faithful; Hodegetria (She Who Shows the Way).

Her titles include: Our Lady of Akita; Our Lady of Aparecida; Our Lady of Banneux; Our Lady of Beauraing; Our Lady of Bethlehem; Our Lady of China; Our Lady of Combermere; Our Lady of Covadonga; Our Lady of Fatima; Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn; Our Lady of Good Counsel; Our Lady of Grace; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Our Lady of Good Help; Our Lady of Good Health; Our Lady of Good Success; Our Lady of Ipswich; Our Lady of La Salette; Our Lady of La Vang; Our Lady of Laus; Our Lady of Lebanon; Our Lady of Loreto; Our Lady of Lourdes; Our Lady of Knock; Our Lady of Manaoag; Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal; Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Our Lady of Nazareth; Our Lady of the Pillar; Our Lady, Queen of Peace; Our Lady of the Rocks; Our Lady of the Rosary; Our Lady of the Snows; Our Lady of Sorrows; Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga; Our Lady of Victory; Our Lady of Walsingham; Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu; Our Lady of Tarumba; Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

She is Theotókos.

Other Links

We at Mary’s Touch adhere to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. We have pledged our obedience to the Holy Father, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, and our bishop, The Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Austin. As such, we provide the following links in good faith.

The Holy See (Vatican website)

Eucharistic Adoration—To find a site for adoration near you

Praying in the presence of our Lord...“We have come to do Him homage”—Pamphlet on Eucharistic Adoration from Our Sunday Visitor

Meditations on Mary—by Reverend Bertrand Buby, S M

The Mary Page—The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton

Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI on the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Blessed Mother at Lourdes—Delivered at the Torchlight Procession, Lourdes, Rosary Square, Saturday, September 13, 2008

The United States Council of Catholic Bishops—Daily readings, prayers, teachings of the Catholic faith

The Mariological Society of America—A Catholic theological association dedicated to studying and making known the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the mystery of Christ and in the Church and in the history of salvation

Mary in the Bible

Marian Commemoration Days—A calendar of the days each year devoted to our Blessed Mother

Marian Devotions and Traditions

What is a “feast day”?

To Jesus Through Mary—Handbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort

Marian Meditations and Reflections

The Hail Mary in various languages

Marian Apparitions

Marian Shrines

Popular Images of Mary

A new heresy

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin and my Mother Mary, to thee who art the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I have recourse today—I, who am the most miserable of all, I offer thee my most humble homage, O great queen; and I thank thee for all the graces thou hast obtained for me till now, particularly for having preserved me from hell, which I have so often deserved. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly forever and to do all that I can to make others serve thee also.

In thee, I place all my hopes; to thy care I confide my salvation. Accept me as thy servant and receive me under thy protection, O Mother of Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptation or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them till death. O my Mother, by the love thou dost bear to God, I beseech thee; help me at all times, but most of all, at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not until thou seest me safe in heaven; there to bless thee and sing thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.

O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.

“Mary is the virgin mother of Jesus Christ, the messiah (Mt 1:16; Mt 18-25; Lk 1:27). She is the Mother of the Church, and Queen of all Heaven and earth.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], nos. 484-507, 963-972, 26730-2677)

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that Mary “occupies a place in the Church that is the highest after Christ and also closest to us. She is the first and greatest of all the disciples of Christ.” (CCC LG, no 54)

“By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a ‘preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church’; indeed, she is the ‘exemplary realization’ (typus) (LG 53; 63) of the Church.” (CCC Article 9, 967)

“Mary’s function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it. (LG 60)....” (CCC , Article 9, 970 )