Chosen by God above all other women, the Blessed Virgin Mary's faith and obedience paved the way for the Incarnation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines her unique role as being honored above all other saints, including the Apostles. She is the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.

Mary is mentioned in both the Apostles' and Nicene creeds. In the Mass she is included in the Eucharistic Prayer and referred to in some forms of the penitential rite. Of the Church's holy days of obligation, three are dedicated to her.

Our Lady has appeared to the faithful to bring hope and give warnings to turn away from sin. She gave us the Miraculous Medal, the rosary and the scapular.

The Blessed Mother has been depicted in statues, icons, sculptures and paintings. To honor her, prayers, songs and poems have been written, devotions practiced, shrines dedicated and flowers named.

Mary said all generations would call her blessed — not for her deeds — but because of the "greatness of the Lord." (Luke 1:46-48) In the end, those devoted to her are always led to her Son. For her wise counsel tells us, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)

Click on a headline below to read all the stories from Arkansas Catholic's May 20, 2006, special section on the Virgin Mary.

Marian titles chosen for one out of four churches in diocese

Titles for Virgin Mary are numerous as well as universal

Priest says his devotion to Mary has led him to her Son

Mary's greatest desire is we learn from and become more like Christ

Catholics do not worship Mary

Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe unites us

A garden of Mary's flowers

Meaning, manner of Mary's apparitions support devotion

Local woman helps others visit shrine

Resources to learn more about the Virgin Mary

The former Yugoslavian town of Medjugorje is not an ideal place for tourists to visit, but it is for many people who want to pray and develop a deeper relationship with the Virgin Mary.

Kim Holliday, a member of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, has made 10 trips to the Marian shrine on the Bosnian border with Croatia. Her first trip in 1996 was probably the most dangerous pilgrimage of all. From 1992 to 1995 the country was at war, leaving 270,000 people dead and 600 churches destroyed.

"There were still some bombings going on over there," she said of her trip in 1996.

Like countless other people, she read Wayne Weible's book, "Medjugorje: The Message," and had to go to see the site of countless Marian apparitions.

"I just knew Our Lady wanted me to go," she said.

In 1981, the Virgin Mary first appeared to six children. The apparitions have not been officially confirmed by the Church because three of the visionaries are still receiving daily messages. Official pilgrimages by parishes or dioceses are not allowed, but lay groups are permitted to organize trips.

Pilgrimages to Medjugorje include hikes to the top of Cross Mountain where Mary has appeared and Apparition Hill where the six visionaries first saw Mary. Pilgrims also attend Mass at St. James Church, pray the rosary and attend adoration. Lodging for pilgrims is often through private homeowners who had added annexes with bedrooms and bathrooms.

Holliday has returned to Bosnia-Herzegovina each fall and on occasion has been accompanied by her husband, Robert "Doc," and their three children. Each year she organizes pilgrimages through the Croatian Mir Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for other Catholics in Arkansas.

After each trip she said she returns "spiritually recharged."

Mary "is a daily part of our lives," said Holliday, who converted to Catholicism with her family in 1991. "She is my spiritual mother. She has just guided me throughout everything."

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In the Gospel of Luke, Mary, immediately after the Annunciation, sets off to visit Elizabeth (1:39-56) to proclaim God's goodness and mercy, and to assist Elizabeth. Through the centuries, and particularly in the past 150 years, many appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary to people around the world have been authenticated or approved by the Catholic Church; others have proven not to be of supernatural origin.

"When we ask "why" Mary would come to earth from heaven and communicate in miraculous ways, the answer is the same as Mary's visitation of Elizabeth — to proclaim the goodness and mercy of God, and to render some service to God's people, the Church and the world. Often this service is by way of a warning that humans are treading the path of sin and to point out the way of goodness and conversion for salvation.

Related terms

"Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia," explains some of the terminology associated with heavenly appearances on earth.

Apparition: The name given to various kinds of supernatural visions of heavenly beings and is frequently applied to the visions associated with Mary.

Private revelation: This comes from a vision and communication from Mary or other heavenly beings. "Revelation" is the body of truths found in the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition of the Church. "Private revelations" are not dogmas of faith and are open for selective acceptance and devotion of the faithful.

Messages: Often in an apparition, a message is given to the seer (the person who beholds the vision). It may be a warning about the need for prayer and penance to avert a coming war or disaster. After apparitions at Fatima, Portugal, Our Lady of Fatima told Sister Lucia de Santos that a pope would be shot. This prophecy was verified on May 13, 1981, when Pope John Paul II was shot in Rome.

Messages may also include a request that a church be built to honor Mary at the apparition site with the promise of blessing to all who come to pray there. For example, the basilicas in Lourdes, France, and Guadalupe, Mexico, were built in response to Mary's request and are visited by millions of pilgrims annually.

Studying Marian apparitions

Countless Marian apparitions have been reported. According to an International Marian Research Institute study at the University of Dayton, a Catholic college in Ohio, there were 386 reported Marian apparitions in the 20th century alone. Of these, the Church made no decision on 299, a negative decision on 79 and approved only eight.

The Church exercises great caution when it investigates alleged apparitions. The process of inquiry is similar to that of canonization. The local bishop becomes the first and primary authority, the gatekeeper who investigates and decides as to the veracity or falsity of a reported supernatural vision. A team of qualified experts in the spiritual and natural fields assists the bishop in interviewing apparition witnesses. Medical doctors, for instance, evaluate the physical and mental health of the seers, and any other persons who may claim miraculous cures connected with the apparition sites.

In all cases, the test of time is applied to the discernment process. Many questions are asked such as: Do the seers remain steadfast in the faith? Do the seers withstand opposition? Do they give proof of sanctity of life expected of someone graced with a visit from the Mother of God? Are prophecies fulfilled?

What apparitions signify

Faith does not reside solely in private revelations and apparitions, even those approved by Church authority. Apparitions are an aide in nourishing faith in the basic tenets of Catholicism — the Incarnation, the Trinity, the Eucharist.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops in their 1973 pastoral letter, "Behold Your Mother: Woman of Faith," called authenticated appearances of Mary "providential happenings which serve as reminders of basic Christian themes: prayer, penance and the necessity of the sacraments."

They thereby set the bar for Marian devotion based on approved apparitions, which can add to and deepen the spiritual life of believers, taking them further into the revealed mysteries of faith.

Marian pilgrimages

Many of the faithful have visited Marian apparition sites through the years. While the purpose of making this pilgrimage may be to honor God through Mary, those who go on journey to such holy sites find it easier to devote themselves to prayer and works of mercy.

Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald said he has gone on at least a dozen pilgrimages to Marian apparition sites, including Lourdes, Fatima, the Miraculous Medal Chapel on Rue de Bac in Paris and Knock, Ireland.

"A pilgrimage is a deeply moving experience," he said. "There is always a personal grace attached to the journey."

Bishop McDonald, who is now the chaplain of St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly in Palatine, Ill., said, "Lourdes is the most prayerful place in the world."

Although there are many instances of cures associated with Lourdes, "the greatest grace may be the use by thousands of pilgrims of the sacrament of confession," the bishop said.

"A pilgrimage isn't a tour," said Greg Wolfe, diocesan finance director. He coordinated Bishop McDonald's pilgrimages and went on several himself.

"We did see historic sites," Wolfe said, "but from beginning to end, the pilgrimage is a prayerful experience. We prayed on the bus and assisted at Mass every day, even in airports and hotel rooms. The full meaning of the pilgrimage became clear to many persons after returning, when we got together to share experiences, photos and feelings about the journey."

In May 2000, Brother Joseph Heath, OSB, of Subiaco Abbey accompanied Father Gregory Pilcher, OSB, pastor of Holy Redeemer Church in El Dorado, on a private pilgrimage to Lourdes.

"It was my first pilgrimage and I expected to see overt displays of tears, shouts and intense emotional outcries there," Brother Joseph said. "What I witnessed among fellow pilgrims, even the very sick, was a powerful calm, joy, contentment, even celebration of our solidarity together."

He said the defining personal benefit of his pilgrimage was "a strengthening commitment to my monastic vocation and a more profound, enlivening understanding of my Catholic faith."

Msgr. Scott Friend, diocesan vocations director, said he has made many pilgrimages, including some to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

A spirit of sacrifice is integral to making the pilgrimage to the shrine for many, who will walk for days to reach it, he said.

"As the people of God, we walk to God's house where Mary comes to listen to us, to attend to our aches and pains. Always, we experience on pilgrimage and after, the hospitality of Mary, God's ambassador and our mother," Msgr. Friend said. "Her presence is not complicated. It is simple."

A look at Marian apparitions

The following are among the most recognized apparitions of Mary that have Church approval for devotion of the faithful:

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico (1531): The Blessed Mother appeared four times to Juan Diego, an Indian convert to Christianity, on a hillside outside Mexico City. She proclaimed herself "the Mother of the true God who gives life" and left her image as a young indigenous pregnant woman on Juan Diego's tilma (or mantle). Pope John Paul visited the Basilica of Guadalupe several times and canonized St. Juan Diego in 2002.

Our Lady of Lourdes, France (1858): Just four years after the proclamation of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Blessed Virgin appeared in the grotto of Massabielle to a young shepherdess, Bernadette Soubirous. Our Lady told Bernadette, "I am the Immaculate Conception." She asked that a basilica be built on the spot, and prayer be offered for the conversion of sinners. St. Bernadette was canonized in 1933; her body is incorrupt.

Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal (1917): Three children, Lucia de Santos and Francisco and Jacinta Marto, reported apparitions of an angel while watching their sheep, and later saw the Blessed Virgin six times between May and October. Mary identified herself as "Our Lady of the Rosary," and asked for prayer and penance and the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. Francisco and Jacinta died young and have been beatified by the Church. Lucia became a Carmelite nun and died in 2005. Pope John Paul II placed the bullet that wounded him in 1981 in the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal in thanksgiving for his life being spared through Mary's intercession.

The following lesser-known apparitions also have Church approval for devotion:

Miraculous Medal (Paris, 1830);
Our Lady of La Salette (La Salette, France, 1846);
Our Lady of Knock (Knock, Ireland, 1879);
Our Lady of Hope (Pontmain, France, 1871);
Our Lady of the Poor (Beauraing, Belgium, 1932-33); and
Immaculate Virgin and Mother of God (Banneux, Belgium, 1933)

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A Mary garden can be a place to pray and meditate on her life and example.

For those who love to garden or are simply looking for a fun family project that honors Mary, consider planting a Mary garden.

A Mary garden is one dedicated to Mary with her image — a statue, plaque, holy card or icon — in the center of flowers or herbs with special significance to her through legends or naming. (See "Mary's Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations" Vincenzina Krymow, St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2002.)

Many know that roses, lilies and violets are linked to Mary symbolizing her glory, purity and humility, but what is often unknown is that hundreds of flowers and plants have been named for her.

This book explains the long tradition of seeing attributes of Mary in flowers and the legends associated with events in Mary's life. For example, it is believed the Angel Gabriel carried the Madonna Lily when he visited Mary at the annunciation.

The graphic above shows a few flowers named for Mary and in which season they bloom or grow. Soil, climate and personal preference can determine which flowers are used. For more information on Mary gardens, www.udayton.edu/mary.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Every Mexican child knows the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego, but time hasn't lessened the wonder of the details.

Juan Diego was a poor Indian born in rural Mexico almost 20 years before Columbus sailed for the New World. Christianity arrived during his lifetime when 12 Franciscans came to Mexico City in 1524. Juan Diego eventually converted to Christianity and, upon the death of his wife moved to his uncle's home near Mexico City.

It was in 1531 that Juan Diego's somewhat ordinary life became extraordinary. Juan Diego, who walked miles each weekend to worship, encountered the Blessed Virgin Mary on his walk one day. Through a series of appearances, she told the poor farmer she wanted a temple built on the Mexican plains. Juan Diego relayed the message to the local bishop who, perhaps understandably, wasn't sure if he should believe the peasant.

So Mary gave Juan Diego a sign as the bishop requested. She told him to go to a specific spot in the desert and pick the roses he would find there. It was winter and it was the desert so the ground should have been desolate, but Juan Diego found the roses, which he delivered to the bishop.

While the roses appeared so beautifully, even more miraculous was the image of Mary that appeared in the tilma (cloak) Juan Diego wore. The bishop was persuaded and a beautiful church was built to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her image is preserved today in the modern Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which replaced the original 16th-century shrine.

The story of St. Juan Diego — who was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002 — is one cherished by Mexicans as well as all of Latin America.

Mexican native Lucy Morlet, Hispanic ministry/parish life coordinator for St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville, said many make pilgrimages annually to the basilica and to other churches around the world to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Some people walk for days to go to Mexico City for the Dec. 12 feast day, and it's common to see people crawling in gratitude for favors granted through the Virgin Mary's intercession, she said.

Lizzette Castonella, a member of St. Raphael Church in Springdale, said pilgrimages to the basilica also occur throughout the year from the various Mexican states.

Castonella said she is a native of the state of Chihuahua, and residents there know their usual pilgrimage month is July.

Another popular custom, Morlet said, is that "all the girls dress up like little Indian girls and all the boys dress as St. Juan Diego."

And, of course, "Everybody brings roses."

Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has also spread to the United States. In Arkansas many Catholic parishes now display the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and celebrations marking her feast day are common. In the month of December altars are overflowing with roses to honor her.

Sister Gisela Rivera, CMST, director of religious education for Hispanics at St. Raphael Church, said Hispanics are deeply devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe and are happy to share the devotion with Anglos. She is, after all, known as Our Lady of the Americas, patron of the entire North-American continent.

Sister Gisela, also from Mexico, said at the time Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego, Mexico was in disarray.

The people worshipped nature — the sun or the rain, for example — and human sacrifices were common. And while the Conquistadors came from Spain to evangelize, they, too, added to the misery by destroying temples in search for gold, which angered the native Indians who thought the true God wouldn't kill and ravage the people, Sister Gisela said.

The Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego four times, she said, and St. Juan Diego asked her to show herself to someone more important than he. Our Lady declined, telling him he was her choice.

"She came to give life to a new generation, saving them from slavery, and that is why she is very important to us," Sister Gisela said. "Our Lady came at the right time to help these people."

Mexicans turn to Our Lady in times of trouble, she said.

"Whenever the sufferings come, then the Blessed Mother is there, listening to prayers."

Castonella has lived in the United States for 10 years and speaks excellent English, but when it comes to expressing her devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, she hesitates, uncertain she'll find the proper words in English.

"I feel so proud and so thankful to my mother and father for teaching me devotion to Our Lady," she said.

Castonella said that every Hispanic household has an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a place of honor and it's common to pray the rosary daily.

Sister Gisela said when she saw the original tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe enshrined at the basilica it appeared more lifelike than any painting or other artwork.

"I was standing at the frame of the Blessed Mother and you can see something like a person is standing there," she said. "It's not like a painting. You can see it's like a body, like a person standing there."

She said she thinks the devotion is spreading.

"Little by little, we have invited Anglo people (to participate) because she is the mother of them and of our people, too," Sister Gisela said. "She came to show them our God wants us to love one another instead of hating each other."

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The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the honor of Mary, the Mother of God. There is probably no part of Catholic life so often misunderstood. Many claim devotion to Mary amounts to nothing more than worship that should be given to God alone. Of course, that is not the case but many Catholics are at a loss when it comes to explaining why.

I want to offer some help in why this is so difficult. One reason is because of the word "worship" itself. The experience of worship in many churches consists of a gathering to sing, pray and preach. If someone has the idea that such activities constitute worship then our actions do seem like worship.

In honor of Mary Catholics commonly sing, pray and preach. So, we can say we do not worship Mary and then engage in practices that most definitely seem like worship of Mary. It is easy to see why some would be confused.

The Catholic idea of worship, however, is something entirely different. When we gather on Sundays we do sing, pray and preach. Those actions are not worship by themselves, but rather serve to engage us more fully in worship. For Catholics, worship takes on the ancient and biblical understanding of offering sacrifice. The Mass is worship because the Mass is the sacrifice of the cross offered to the Father.

When Catholics say we do not worship Mary it is clear because we would never even consider offering sacrifice to Mary. Because of the difference in understanding of what worship is other Christians do not understand the way we honor Mary.

The misunderstanding has existed for a long time and will continue to be a source of contention for some.

In the end we should realize the great gift we have as Catholics. Honoring Mary seems natural to us. We honor our Mother in heaven as easily as we honor our mothers on earth.

From all mothers we learn a great deal. From Mary we learn the greatest thing, how to love God himself. During the month of May we pray with our Mother, that we may love Jesus as she does.

Father Erik Pohlmeier is the theological consultant for Arkansas Catholic and pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Hot Springs.

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It is often pointed out that Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, is mentioned rarely in the New Testament writings. Where she is presented, however, the Blessed Virgin is found at the heart of the mystery of Jesus Christ and the Triune God's mystery of salvation for all humanity. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church this is strikingly summed up by saying, "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 model of faith and charity." (967)

There are two scenes in the New Testament to fill out this catechetical statement. These scenes are very familiar and can be called family episodes. The first is the Annunciation in the house of Nazareth where the Angel Gabriel declares that the Lord is with her and that she is highly favored. She is asked to say yes to God's request that she be the human mother of his divine Son.

Her answer, "Let it be done to me according to your word," has sounded in the ears of Christians down through the centuries. The Lord's presence and Spirit overshadow her and she conceives God's Son in her womb.

Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Mother of the Redeemer" says that in a sense, Mary, as mother becomes the first disciple of her Son, the first to whom he seemed to say, "follow me." Mary is the first one to receive Jesus in her life and to follow him.

In reference to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, some of the Fathers of the Church have said, "She gave birth to Christ the Lord and all the members of his mystical body."

The second family scene is Mary standing at the foot of the cross with the beloved disciple, John. From Jesus' hour a new family is formed. Mary, his mother and first disciple, has followed him to the end. With her is the beloved disciple, who represents all those loved by Jesus. He loved his own to the end, completely in the total gift of himself.

After Jesus says, "It is finished," he bows his head and gives up his spirit. He breathes his last breath. John the Evangelist is saying that he not only gave up his natural life, but that he unleashed the Spirit into the entire world.

The Lord's presence and Spirit again overshadow Mary together with her new children, all those beloved by her Son. It is as if this episode is the final development of Jesus' saying, "Who are my mother, brother and sister? All those who do the will of my Father."

Vatican Council II points out that we are a pilgrimage people on the way to Eternal Life. It could also be said that it is a family pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem with the Virgin Mary as the model of faith, hope and charity

The rosary, without doubt, is the most popular devotion among Catholics to express their relationship and love for Mary, their mother. It is, in a certain way, a family pilgrimage with Mary in miniature. With her and as one of us we journey through and linger on the mysteries of Christ and Mary's role in them. The rosary is like a participation in the Blessed Virgin's own journey of faith.

No article on Mary our Mother can be complete without recalling her love and compassion toward all her children. There is a famous Russian icon called, "Our Lady of Vladimir," mentioned in "Mother of the Redeemer" that can serve as a concrete symbol of Mary's loving compassion.

As in so many icons and paintings of mother and child, Jesus' face is pressed close to his mother's face. In Jesus Christ we are all pressed close to her merciful love as mother, but, as first disciple of her Son, she is always going to teach us to say, "Fiat, Let it be done to me according to your word" and to tell us as she did to the servants at the wedding feast of Cana, "Do whatever he tells you." Mary's greatest desire is that her children be Christ-like, other Christs.

Father Raphael Kitz, OCD, is novice master at Marylake Monastery in Little Rock.

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CARLISLE — A bumper sticker on Father Thomas Keller's car window says, "If you can't find Jesus, look for his mother!"

Inside his Carlisle home, images of "Our Lady" are found in almost every room. An Our Lady of the Rosa Mistica statue is the dining-room table centerpiece. Our Lady of Fatima stands on his desk while Our Lady of Guadalupe hangs near the living room fireplace. Magnets hold pictures of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the kitchen refrigerator.

His largest Marian collection, however, is kept at the Life Center in Little Rock, which was built in 1995 to be a place of prayer for the unborn and to house the Arkansas Right to Life state offices.

" Father Keller, 73, pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle and Holy Trinity in England, loves to display images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but he loves to talk about her even more.

He is nearly a walking encyclopedia on all things Marian. In fact during the interview with Arkansas Catholic, he resisted talking about himself: "I want it to be about Our Lady," he said.

Father Keller's deep devotion to the mother of Jesus is clear to anyone who knows him, but he admits it wasn't always that way.

As a boy he was an altar server for Bishop John Morris. He attended the former St. Andrew School in Little Rock and later was valedictorian of the Catholic High School Class of 1950. After two years at Villanova University, a Catholic college near Philadelphia, he gave up a Naval ROTC scholarship to attend St. John Seminary in Little Rock where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1958. Since then he has served in several parishes around the state. His longest assignment was as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Little Rock for 14 years.

While growing up Catholic and in the early days of his priesthood, he said he knew the Church's teaching on Mary and her role in God's plan for salvation, but he really didn't have a relationship with her.

"When I was at Jonesboro for instance, there was a statue of Our Lady of Fatima; I didn't even know what it was," he said.

Father Keller said he was a product of his time. In the years following the Second Vatican Council Mary was left out of much of the theology being taught. "It left Mary out of everything. The rosary was dropped. It was just really sad."

A trip to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in 1989 changed everything for him. That was where "Our Lady whipped me back in line," he said.

A priest friend who once served in Arkansas, Father Henry Bordeaux, OCD, from Oklahoma City, invited him to go to the site where a group of teenagers have reported regular apparitions of Our Lady since 1981. Father Keller didn't want to go, so Father Bordeaux told him not to think of it as a pilgrimage, but just a sightseeing trip.

"So I went to Medjugorje and got zapped by Our Lady with so much fantastic, beautiful faith," Father Keller said. "Then I picked up the rosary. … That was a blessing for Desert Storm a year later."

He is referring to his six months on active duty during the Gulf War in Iraq in 1990-91. He was pastor of Good Counsel at the time.

Father Keller had joined the Navy Reserve at 17 and in 1969 he joined the Arkansas National Guard. He was chaplain of the 39th Infantry Brigade for two years before being assigned to the 148th Evacuation Hospital at Camp Robinson and Booneville. In all, he served for 29 years in the Navy, guard and reserves.

"Now I know why Jesus went into the desert," Father Keller said. "It is one very difficult place to live. We were frozen in January and burned up when it got to March."

Father Keller held religious services for the troops in and around the evac hospitals he served in Saudi Arabia.

"We always said the rosary every night," he said.

When he returned to Little Rock, he brought the rosary with him. He started a monthly rosary and Benediction at Good Counsel. A few years later he added perpetual adoration at the parish, the first in the diocese to do so, he said.

Then in what seems like a natural progression, he added the devotion of the Alliance of the Two Hearts in 1993, not long after making a pilgrimage to holy sites in Europe.

On the trip he was introduced to the fairly new devotion, which honors the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mass, prayers for the reparation of sins, adoration and confession on the first Fridays and the first Saturdays of each month.

"I didn't understand the theology, I didn't understand what they were doing," he said. But, "I knew it was right. It's like anything in the Church, you don't understand everything about the teachings of the Church, but you accept them."

Through prayer, research and the realization that the Church approved this devotion, he said he was led to offer it in his parish.

Since then Father Keller has started the alliance in every parish in which he has served. He offers it now at St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle.

Father Keller said his relationship with Mary has automatically brought him to Jesus. He understands the Scriptures better, he prays more and appreciates the rosary in a more profound way.

"The basic point of all of it is holiness, to try to increase our personal holiness, our relationship with God, and honor of Our Lady and the saints and the angels."

Father Keller said he wants people to understand that Mary's job is to lead everyone to her Son.

"It is Mary being the catechist showing us how to love her Son," he said. "She shows us how to adore him, how to understand him. She shows us how to go to one another, how to love."

Alliance of the Two Hearts

For information about the Alliance of the Two Hearts, contact the Alliance of the Holy Family International based in Dover, Del., at (302) 678-3246. Father Edgardo M. Arellano is the spiritual director.

The alliance publishes educational resources through the Two Hearts Media Organization, including "A Definitive Covenant: The Magisterial Stand on the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary" and "Alliance of the Two Hearts: The Core of Our Faith."

The alliance of Jesus and Mary devotion includes adoration of Blessed Sacrament; confession; the Nine Choirs of Angels Prayers; the entire rosary; the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary; two Masses (one on Friday and one on Saturday); litanies including those for Mary and Jesus; and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. At St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle the devotion is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Friday of each month and from 7:30 to 9 a.m. the next morning. Confession is offered throughout the devotion.

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The Gospel of John simply calls her the mother of Jesus, while the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke call her Mary. Through the centuries she has been given numerous titles such as Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady and even Mother of God, to educate and show devotion.

According to "100 Names of Mary: Stories and Prayers," more than 6,000 titles have been given to Mary, probably "Miriam" or "Miryam" in Hebrew, which comes from "mar" meaning "bitter, bitterly or bitterness." She may have been named after Miriam, the sister of Moses, whose name means, "fat, thick, strong" or "princess."

In April Dolores T. Florez, a graduate of St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver, presented a women's retreat called the "Names of Mary" at the Benedictine Spirituality Center in Fort Smith.

Florez leads workshops and retreats all over the United States focusing on leadership, community organization, grief and lose and domestic violence. Florez is a member of St. Anne Church in Arvada. Colo., and is a senior coordinator for the Denver Housing Authority.

"Do you know Mary has over 100 names?" she asked in an interview.

Much of her research came from the book, "100 Names of Mary" by Anthony F. Chiffolo (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2002).

At the retreat 15 different images of Mary were displayed. "We went through the whole gamut; it was a wonderful experience," she said.

Florez said she has a special devotion to Mary and decided to present the "Names of Mary" retreat because she had much success with this theme in Denver.

"Many people don't know that Our Lady of Lourdes is another name for Mary or Our Lady of Fatima is another name for Mary," she said. "They just think Mary, mother of Jesus."

The book describes the origin and meaning of Marian names such as "Ark of the New Covenant," "Morning Star," "the New Eve," "Queen of All Saints," "Seat of Wisdom" and "Virgin of Tenderness." It also describes names given to Mary through her apparitions around the world. Each description includes both traditional and contemporary prayers written by popes, saints and unknown authors throughout the Church's history.

The book includes this traditional prayer by an unknown author to Our Lady of the Highways:

"May my traveling be to the honor and glory of your divine Son. Enlighten my way and protect me on this journey. Bring me back home safe in mind, body and soul. Through Christ, your Son. Amen."

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If one wonders how important Mary is in the Church, one can clearly see that she has a place of prominence in our parishes. One out of four Catholic churches in Arkansas is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Thirty-one churches or 25 percent are called St. Mary or some other name for Jesus' mother. Most common, of course, is the simplest title. Twelve churches from Altus to Plum Bayou are named St. Mary.

Why are so many churches named after the Blessed Mother? Msgr. David LeSieur, pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock, said because Mary is a mother and comforter is probably the reason many churches chose a Marian name over one dedicated to Jesus or a saint.

"We have always looked at Mary as a mother figure who can mediate for us," he said. "We call the Church mother. Mary is the mother of the Church. Jesus is a masculine figure. Mary kind of brings a feminine aspect into the faith."

While Mary is a common name for Catholic churches, probably most parishioners don't know about how the parish name was chosen or what the title means.

For example, Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock apparently is the only church named after this title in the United States. It was certainly the first when the mission was established in 1927. Bishop John B. Morris chose the church's name.

"Bishop Morris chose to make the new mission a memorial to his lifelong devotion to the holy souls in purgatory and to the Blessed Virgin Mary and he named it Our Lady of the Holy Souls (in Purgatory)," according to the parish's history.

Many longtime parishioners admitted they didn't know about the parish's name or how it was chosen. A shrine inside the church to Our Lady of Confidence is more easily identified by members.

"She is our second patron, I guess you could say," Msgr. LeSieur said of the medallion brought to the parish from Rome by longtime pastor Msgr. Francis Allen in 1954.

"Our Lady" is a common title to give to Mary as a sign of respect and honor. In French she is called Notre Dame and in Spanish she is Nuestra Señora.

Our Lady of Good Counsel in Little Rock gets its name from a painting in Italy named "Our Mother of Good Counsel" created in the 1400s. The image shows the child Jesus resting in his mother's left arm. A similar image is also linked to the Catholic heritage in Albania. The people there even celebrate two feast days each year in her honor although April 26 is most commonly celebrated as the feast day. Several popes are credited with having special devotions to Our Lady of Good Counsel.

In Little Rock the first pastor in 1894 also had a similar devotion and named the church after it.

Our Lady of Good Hope was chosen as a way to link the church in Hope to one of the oldest Marian devotions dating back to Mezieves, France, in 930.

According to the Mary Library at the University of Dayton, in 1871 Our Lady of Hope appeared as the "Madonna of the Crucifix" in Pontmain, France. There she gave a message of "hope through prayer and the cross."

In Arkansas there is also Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Village and Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow.

While there is only one Our Lady of Fatima Church (and School in Benton) in Arkansas, many parishes take the name of the popular Marian apparition. Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three children six times in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.

As one of the newest churches in the state, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Glenwood, reflects a devotion common to most of the newest Catholics in the state. Before Hispanics moved into the area, there was no Catholic church in Glenwood. When the decision was made to open a mission church, Our Lady of Guadalupe was an obvious choice.

In Mexico she is honored under this title after she appeared to St. Juan Diego outside of Mexico City in 1591. Her image appeared on Juan Diego's garment and that tilma is displayed today in the basilica in Mexico City for millions to see each year.

St. Mary

Many of the churches named St. Mary do not have records of why that name was chosen over other saints or devotions.

In St. Vincent, the first church was named Our Mother of Perpetual Help in 1880.

"In 1931 when the church, as we know it today, was completed, the cornerstone was printed with the name St. Mary's on it, which covers all titles for the Blessed Virgin. I would think that is why people began shortening the name and calling it St. Mary's," secretary Linda Shoelen said.

Tara Piatt, secretary at St. Mary Church in Paragould, said the parish's first name in 1890 was Maria Einsiedeln based on the first pastor's hometown of Einsiedeln, Switzerland, and his education at Maria Stein Abbey. The name then later officially was changed to the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In Batesville, the Catholic community was first under the patronage of St. Fideles in 1910 and then was changed to Blessed Sacrament in 1935. When a former Protestant church was bought in 1965, the parishioners decided to rename the parish St. Mary in honor of the Blessed Mother.

Other St. Mary churches are in Altus, Arkadelphia, Helena, McCrory, McGehee, Mountain View, North Little Rock, Plum Bayou and Siloam Springs.

Some churches chose to elaborate on the St. Mary name, relating the church to the geography in the area. There is St. Mary of the Mount in Horseshoe Bend and St. Mary of the Lake in Horseshoe Lake.

"St. Mary of the Springs in Hot Springs is so named because of the many mineral springs in this National Park," said Charles McDowell, parish secretary.

Other names

Churches named for the Assumption are located in Atkins and Booneville.

Immaculate Conception churches in Fort Smith and North Little Rock are the largest parishes in the state dedicated to Mary. Another Immaculate Conception is located in Blytheville.

Mary Mother of God, located in Harrison, refers to an often misunderstood title for Mary. As the mother of Jesus, she is also the mother of God. Since 431 AD, Mary has been recognized as "Theotokos," or "Godbearer" in Greek.

Sacred Heart of Mary is located in Barling. It refers to the veneration of the heart of Mary started in the ninth century but became more popular when the Miraculous Medal was given to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830.

Immaculate Heart of Mary is the name parishes in Magnolia, Marche and Walnut Ridge chose. The name has some association with the Sacred Heart of Mary, but takes its exact title from the words of Mary when she appeared in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. She told the visionaries in order "to save poor sinners, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart." On the 25th anniversary of Fatima, in 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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