The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 217relics, or any object which bears her image, or whichis associated with her name.Her natal day and other days of the year, sacredto her memory, are appropriately commemorated byprocessions, by participation in the banquet of theEucharist, and by sermons enlarging on her virtuesand prerogatives.As no one was ever suspected of loving his country and her institutions less because of his reveringWashington, so no one can reasonably suppose thatour homage to God is diminished by fostering reverence for Mary; for, as our in o!)ject eulogizingWashington is not so much to honor the man, as tovindicate those principles of which he was the champion and exponent, and to express our gratitudeto God for the blessings bestowed on our countrythrough him, even so our motive in commemoratingMary s name is not merely to praise her, but stillmore to keep us in perpetual remembrance of ourLord s Incarnation, and to show our thankfulness toHim for the blessings wrought through that greatmystery in which she was so prominent a figure.And experience sufficiently demonstrates that thebetter we understand the part which Mary has takenin the work of redemption, the more enlightenedbecomes our knowledge of our Redeemer Himself,and that the greater our love for her, the deeperand broader is our devotion to Him while ; experience also testifies that our Saviour s attributesbecome more confused and warpedin the minds of19