The Many Titles of Mary

Very Reverend Msgr. Matthew T. Long, Vicar General of the Diocese of Shreveport

AS A CONVERT TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH FROM A BAPTIST TRADITION, I BEGAN MY JOURNEY WITH MARY LATER THAN MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE CATHOLIC. This journey with her has been very enriching to my faith life. As I have learned to appreciate her wisdom, her faith, and her commitment to Jesus Christ, she has made me a better follower of her Divine Son. When I look back on my journey with her, it began in the Rosary. During my RCIA classes, we were encouraged to reflect upon the mysteries of the rosary through the eyes of Mary. This gave me a more personal connection with the Lord and His earthly life.

Every one of us have been blessed with a mother. We know that our pain is her pain, and our joys are her joys. And we know that her primary concern in life is that of her children, so it is very easy to understand the relationship between Mary and Jesus. Because of this, we could have a more personal and intimate relationship with Jesus whenever we know His Blessed Mother.

As I have made this journey, different titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary have reflected different phases of my life in Christ and my priesthood. The first title that gave me grounding in my Catholic faith was Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the patroness of the Americas, and I felt an immediate connection to her, because I knew that in a particular way she had not only appeared for the benefit of the people of Mexico, but to all the peoples of the Americas, those living at the time of her appearance, and all of us who would call the Americas our home. She reminded us that we were as important to her Son’s church as the peoples of other parts of the world.

The second title that I found great comfort in was the Immaculate Conception. When I began my work as Vocation Director, I kept hearing the word “Immaculata, Immaculata“ over and over again in my prayer and I knew that she was calling me to dedicate my work of assisting men to find their vocation in life to her patronage. I felt an even greater connection to her under this title, because it is under this title that she is the patron of our country and of our diocese.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor also played an important role in my vocation work as well. Making a pilgrimage to her national shrine in New Orleans each time I visited the seminarians at Notre Dame became a common practice. Every time that I traveled there, I would light a candle, and pray the prayer to Our Lady of Prompt Succor for an increase in vocations to the priesthood for the Diocese of Shreveport. And Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the patroness of Louisiana, did not let me down. Through her prayers we saw an increase in the number of Seminarians and ultimately an increase in priestly ordinations in our diocese.

The title that I hold most dear for Our Lady, however, is that of Honor of our Race. This is not a title that has been bestowed upon her by poets or saints, but by God. She is truly the exemplar of what it means to be a Christian. She is the greatest member of our race as human beings, and she reveals to all of us under this title of who we are called to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ, obedient sons and daughters of God, and willing temples of the Holy Spirit. And so, as we journey through the month of May, let us all call upon Our Lady to continue to guide us, to inspire us, and to help each and every one of us become better followers of her Divine Son.

The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast Sponsors Screening of The Five Priests Documentary at the Museum of the Bible

Cheryl H. White, Ph.D.

ON TUESDAY, MARCH 14, THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC PRAYER BREAKFAST SPONSORED

A NATIONAL SCREENING OF THE FIVE PRIESTS DOCUMENTARY FILM AT THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Following the film’s showing in the museum’s theatre that afternoon, there was a panel discussion featuring the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Bishop Francis Malone, Father Peter Mangum, Dr. Cheryl White, and the film’s director, Chris Charles Scott.

The Five Priests tells the story of our Shreveport martyrs of 1873 – Servants of God Father Isidore Quemerais, Father Jean Pierre, Father Jean Marie Biler, Father Louis Gergaud, and Father Francois Le Vezouet. The film has received much critical acclaim, winning over 30 separate laurels, including the Cannes World Film Festival for independent film makers, the Barcelona Film Festival, the Rome Prisma Independent Film Festival, the New York Film Awards, and many other national and international awards. The documentary attracted the attention of the organizers of the National Catholic

Prayer Breakfast, who wanted to use the event as an opportunity to share the message of the Shreveport Martyrs. The Museum of the Bible organized the panel discussion, incorporating the Biblical theme of “No Greater Love.” The books, Shreveport Martyrs of 1873 and Servant of God Father Louis Gergaud are also now featured in the museum gift store. Questions from the audience explored some of the historical significance of the 1873 Yellow Fever Epidemic, the details of the canonization cause, and how the lives of the five priests serve as contemporary models of sanctity today. Among the special guests at the film’s screening were members of the Museum of the Bible’s National Catholic Advisory Board.

On the eve of the Prayer Breakfast, the Apostolic Nuncio hosted a special reception at the Vatican Embassy in honor of the tenth anniversary of the election of Pope Francis. Bishop Malone, Father Mangum, and Dr. White were among the invited guests for the occasion.