Resources for "Mary"

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In honour of the Feast of the Assumption on August 15^th it is useful to look at some websites that offer helpful resources on Mariology and the various feast days associated with the Mother of Jesus.

The BBC website is always an excellent starting point for any theme which you wish to explore. The website here gives the history of the Feast of the Assumption and the teachings of the Vatican on the Assumption. The layout and text is simple and straightforward and would be a useful teaching tool and basis for further inquiry and study, which can be found on the various articles on the Feast of the Assumption and Mary on the website of the Catholic Encyclopaedia.

The website of the The MarianLibrary/International Marian Research Institute in Ohio and this Mary Page offers resources covering a wide range of materials.  Information is provided on recent bibliography, references to Mary on magisterial documents, and gives access to the data files of the Institute on all aspects of Marian studies, such as Scripture, the Liturgy, Mary through History, the special relationship between Mary and women, Mary in ecumenism and World Religions such as Asian religions and Marian devotions. Make sure to have a look at the contemplation on a fifteenth-century Greek Orthodox icon as a reflection on the Feast of the Assumption.

The website of Loyola Press, the Jesuit publishing company provides excellent resources on various Marian themes and is a great starting point for anyone who wishes to increase their understanding and prayer life. The site provides a downloadable PDF book on the life of Mary, information on Marian Celebrations and Feast Days, guidance on praying the Rosary and some meditations on the Rosary itself. There are also various Marian prayers and some helpful articles on Mary in Scripture, the Holiness of Mary and the Immaculate Conception. There are also links to the large variety of books the publishers have available, from those which would be helpful to younger children, to those who wish to follow a more in-depth study.

The website of the publication Scripturefrom Scratch hosts an article by Daniel W. Casey, Jr., is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies. It is a very accessible piece on the “Magnificat" and would be an excellent resource for either personal information or for use in the classroom.