Resources for Marian Devotion

Our Blessed Mother has had a special place in the Catholic Church for millennia. Prayers such as the Hail Mary and devotions like the Rosary and Angelus have helped countless Catholics strengthen their connection to Christ through Mary. Here are some of the best books and free resources from Ave Maria Press to help you, your family, your parishes, your schools, and your ministries grow in your devotion to Mary. 

Take Your Devotion to the Rosary One Step Further

Discover a deeper level of devotion with The Ave Guide to the Scriptural Rosary. This beautifully designed hardcover book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to enrich their understanding and practice of the Rosary.

Each decade of the Rosary includes short scripture passages. This enables you to explore the scripture behind each of the four mysteries: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious. The book includes all the necessary directions, prayers, and Bible verses, making it easy to follow and pray a Scriptural Rosary for each mystery.

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With stunning biblical artwork throughout, The Ave Guide to the Scriptural Rosary allows you to see the life of Jesus through Mary's eyes and appreciate the Word Incarnate. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Mary

What does it mean to have a devotion to Mary?

A devotion to Mary is when we grow in relationship with her in order to grow closer to her beloved Son. We trust her intercession and guidance will lead us to Heaven.

“Our devotion to her, our love for her, is our response to Jesus, who when he told John the Beloved to behold his mother (see John 19:27) also told each one of us to behold our mother. Our love for Mary never detracts from Jesus because we cannot love the Mother of God more than God himself did and does” (Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, 41).

What are the main devotions to Mary?

Popular Marian devotions include the Rosary, the Miraculous Medal, the Scapular, and the Seven Sorrows.

The Miraculous Medal was revealed in a Marian apparition to St. Catherine Labouré. The Virgin told her that “all who wore this sacramental would receive great graces” (Virgin, Mother, Queen, 88).

Similarly, Our Lady gave St. Simon Stock a brown scapular. This scapular is two pieces of cloth attached by a rope that goes over one's chest and back. Our Lady promised that those who died faithfully wearing it, she would bring to Heaven.

The Seven Sorrows' devotion is similar to the Rosary. It focuses on Mary's seven sorrows, which are based on the prophecy of Simeon (Birthing the Holy, 105).

Why is the Rosary so important?

Though sometimes we feel it is mundane, the Rosary is a “beautiful means to invite Mary’s presence into our prayer journey in a regular way. As you pray each decade, you are invited to direct your attention to one of the Mysteries of the Rosary where events from Mary and Jesus’s life are recalled.

They are called Mysteries because they invite you to hold various tensions, such as Mary as both virgin and mother, Jesus as both human and divine, and the paradox of strength and resurrection found in the midst of vulnerability and death” (Birthing the Holy, 3–4). Through meditating on the Holy Rosary, we enter into the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Do Catholics worship Mary? Why do Catholics care so much about Mary? 

Worship is reserved for God alone. Mary is venerated as the Mother of Jesus. Catholics honor Mary, just as Jesus did. Catholics recognize that “it is by her and through her that we reach Jesus because it was by her and through her that we received him as our Savior and Redeemer” (Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, 46).

We acknowledge Mary's importance in Salvation History and Jesus' life. For this reason, we look to her with love, just as Christ did. 

Why ask for her intercession when you can just pray to Jesus?

“In the Old Testament, the mother of a king, the queen mother would advocate for the people, making their concerns known to the king. Then the king would act. (See 1 Kings 2:20.) The same dynamic is at play in Marian intercession and mediation of grace. Mary approaches the Triune God for us, and God chooses to dispense graces to us through her” (Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, 62).

“The difference is not in what God can do and what Mary can do. The difference is in the way they do it. God wills something and it happens. Mary prays to him for something and he does it. He will never say no to her” (All for Her, 79–80). We ask for Mary’s help because we know she will listen and plead our case to her son better than we can. Mary, through her intercession, always leads the devoted faithful closer to her Son. 

What is Marian consecration?

Marian consecration is our choice to accept Mary as our spiritual mother and to make her the queen of our life. We have decided to live with Mary, just as John did.

Mary will guide us in how to live, showing us her example of discipleship and virtue.

Through our devotion, we talk to her as our mother, she listens to us and brings our needs before Jesus, and we hear her subtle voice speaking to us (Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, 78). There are many different versions of this consecration from the examples of Marian saints, but ultimately it is choosing to bring her into our lives.

What are Marian Apparitions? 

Marian Apparitions are when Mary has appeared to an individual or individuals, often with a message or to offer consolation. “At different times and in different places, she has shown herself to her children in the way they most need her. Each and every time, she calls us to conversion and penance in order to draw us ever closer to her Son” (Virgin, Mother, Queen, x).

What is the Immaculate Conception?

Though often confused with the conception of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary—in the womb of her mother—without the stain of original sin. “As the Immaculate Conception, Mary is the woman who was predestined to be the all-holy and sinless mother of the Word Incarnate” (Virgin, Mother, Queen, 59). It was necessary that she be conceived without sin because no sinful person would be worthy of carrying the Messiah in her womb.

Was Mary really a perpetual virgin?

“The Church teaches dogmatically that Mary was a perpetual virgin, meaning she remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus” (A Heart Like Mary’s, 9). This may be confusing because scripture does mention Jesus having brothers, but the term used in the original Greek is often translated to near relatives as well as brothers. 

Scripture also backs this claim during Christ's crucifixion where “if there had been other sons of Mary, one of them would have taken care of her after his oldest brother died. Instead, in Jesus’s last moments on the Cross, he committed his mother to the care of his beloved friend John” (History’s Queen, xx–xxi).

Marian Podcast Episodes

Discover how the Blessed Mother can help you grow your faith and bring you closer to Jesus by listening to these special episodes of Ave Explores, Living the Word Bible, and Ave Spotlight.

Listen to more episodes of Ave Explores, Living the Word Bible, and Ave Spotlight.