Mary's Special Role for Those in Purgatory

Mary's Special Role for Those in Purgatory

Posted by Dr. Taylor Marshall 

Since November is the month in which we pray for the poor souls in Purgatory, I'd like to offer great hope and consolation to those who are eagerly praying for their departed loved ones. No doubt, our Protestant friends will be taken back a bit since both Purgatory and Mary are controversial for them - and now we are bring them together. Tradition and Scripture state that Mary has a special dominion over the faithful departed. The reason for this is that Our Lady was not required to die since she was preserved from original and actual sin. “The wages of sin is death,” writes the Apostle, and our Lady did not have sin. 

Tradition states that Our Lady begged Christ that she might be allowed to die in order to be more perfectly conformed to Him. This prayer was granted and so Christ gave her a special dominion over the faithful departed. 

Concerning the Blessed Virgin, the Scriptures speak of her rein over the departed. The following passages speaks of the "Mother of Fair Love":

For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning light, and I will declare it afar off. I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord. (Ecclus 24:44-45) 

Saint Peter Damian, Saint Ildefonse, and Saint Frances of Rome assure us that it is the feast of the Assumption of Mary (Aug 15) on which the most souls are released from Purgatory each year. Moreover, her role is especially confirmed by the Catholic Church’s teaching regarding the Brown Scapular give by Mary to Saint Simon Stock. Enrollment in the Brown Scapular and faithful living, Mary teaches, will lead to the delivery of a soul from Purgatory in less than a week’s time. 

Saint Bernardine of Sienna, a great preacher and reformer, taught that Mary was the “plenipotentiary” for souls in Purgatory. Saint Teresa received a vision in which the souls in Purgatory received a spray of cool water whenever the Holy Rosary is prayed for them. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, also a Doctor of the Church, confirmed that praying the Rosary is a great means to bring relief to souls in Purgatory. Saint Pio, when giving a Rosary to someone said, “Let us empty Purgatory.” 

So then, devotion to Mary and devotion to the poor souls are interlinked. Let us rely on our sweet and stainless Mother as the “plenipotentiary” for our brothers and sisters being refined for the eternal happiness of Heaven. 

Helpful and recommended links on this topic. Please visit:

What is Purgatory and is it in the Bible?

Why is Mary the Mediatrix of All Graces?

The Virgin Mary is an Intrinsic Element of Christianity

The Virgin Mary is an Intrinsic Element of Christianity

Posted by Dr. Taylor Marshall 

In his Apostolic Letter entitled Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI states "the Church's devotedness to the Virgin Mary is an intrinsic element of the Christian Religion." His Holiness even states that we "cannot be Christians without being Marian." Father Stefano Manelli of the Franiciscans of the Immaculate focuses on this passage from Marialis Cultus as a true summary of Catholic teaching regarding Marian devotion.

If a Christian refuses to see God's glorious election in choosing the Blessed Virgin Mary as the perfect Mother of His Divine Son, then that soul does yet see the beautiful plan of human salvation. The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ for our salvation requires that God the Son have a human mother. It is integral to every single Christian doctrine revealed by God.

I write "refuses" to see the beauty of Marian devotion because it is something that God disperses in the soul through grace. If I person says, "I love Jesus, but I don't love Mary," something disingenuous has occurred. 

The typology of Adam and Eve in relation to Christ and Mary is helpful here. One cannot credit Adam alone for God's curse over the human race. One cannot credit Eve alone. Certainly, Adam was chief and our fall from grace derives chiefly from him.

But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come. (Romans 5:13)

So then, Adam is the Peccator and Eve is the Co-peccatrix. Eve's role is relative, but integral.

The same is true for the New Adam and the New Eve. Christ is God. Mary is not. Nevertheless, Mary's role in the Incarnation and her consenting presence at the foot of the cross does not by itself merit human salvation (a finite human person cannot merit the salvation of anyone). Nevertheless, her role in the saving action of Christ is also relative and integral. One cannot imagine the sacrifice of Christ on the cross without her since she is the loving means by which God the Son gained a human body.

If you struggle with devotion to Mary, take the helpful advice of Saint Maximilian Kolbe. He says that we only gain knowledge and understanding of Mary "on our knees." It is something that cannot be learned in a book. This is yet another reason to pray the Rosary daily.

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What does the Holy Name of Mary Mean? Saints Jerome and Bonaventure tell us

Posted by Dr. Taylor Marshall 

According to tradition, God Himself named the infant girl who would become the Mother of God. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Saint Joachim and instructed him to name the girl "Mary." The Greek Mariam is usually thought to derive from the Hebrew Miriam, which means "bitterness."

Saint Bonaventure observes that Mary's name in in Hebrew is "bitter sea" (mara = bitter; yam = sea), in Latin it means "seas" and in Aramaic (the domestic language of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) it means "Lady" or "Sovereign."


Saint Bonaventure writes: "This most holy, sweet and worthy name was 'eminently fitted to so holy, sweet and worthy a virgin. For Mary means a bitter sea, star of the sea, the illuminated or illuminatrix. Mary is interpreted Lady. Mary is a bitter sea to the demons; to men She is the Star of the sea; to the Angels She is illuminatrix, and to all creatures She is Lady."

I like the Aramaic version the best: Lady or Sovereign. Saint Jerome, with his linguistic exposure to the Christian East noted this Aramaic interpretation of "Lady" for Mary as most appropriate.

In Aramaic or Syriac, the word Mar means Lord. In that tradition, both saints and bishops are given the title Mar. Incidentally, this is why the Church founded in India by Saint Thomas is called the Mar Thoma Church. Mar is akin to Dominus in Latin or Lord or Sir in English. Mary's name then is a regal title and this best expresses the message of Saint Gabriel to Saint Joachim and Saint Anne.

The Aramaic Mariam as Lady corresponds to Madonnain Italian (My Lady), Notre Dame in French (Our Lady). Hence, the Queenship of Mary is contained in her name.

"The name of Mary is a name of salvation for those who are regenerated; it is the insignia of virtue, the honor of chastity, the sacrifice agreeable to God, the virtue of hospitality, the school of sanctity, a name altogether maternal." - Saint Peter Chrysologus d. 450

Feast Day of the Name of Mary: September 12