How the glories of Mary can lead sinners to salvation

As the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (commonly known as the Redemptorists), St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) knew that if his mission preachers could not soften hardened hearts by a sermon on hell, they could do so by a sermon on the Blessed Virgin.

Many souls in 18th-century Italy had become so entangled in sin that they dared not even try to escape. Yet Mary, Alphonsus taught, was given to mankind precisely for this purpose. As long as someone repented of his sins and faithfully called upon the Queen of Heaven for help to live a Christian life, he was guaranteed to have his requests favorably answered and his last breath released in a state of sanctifying grace.

All for Mary

Some people, especially outside the Catholic Church, find Alphonsus’ Marian teachings exaggerated. The “Most Zealous” Doctor of the Church would reply that while God is the absolute master of all grace, He wills that everything His Son grants to the redeemed should be given through the Blessed Mother. As Jesus came to souls in general through her through the Incarnation, so afterward He comes to each soul in particular through her mediation.

This led Alphonsus to quote saints such as John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Bernard in offering praise to Mary beyond what they would to other holy people. Saint Germanus was cited as stating: “As breathing is not only a sign, but even a cause of life, so the name of Mary, which is constantly found on the lips of God’s servants, both proves that they are truly alive, and at the same time causes and preserves their life...”

Heart of the matter

The Blessed Virgin Mary had been chosen as the patroness of the Redemptorists under the title of the Immaculate Conception, the same later chosen for the United States by its bishops. It can be daunting to think of a human without any defects. But what God has done with Mary in a preeminent way, He intends to do with every human person in a more common way—that is, make their souls sinless and filled with grace.

Countless Marian books had been written by the 18th century, but Alphonsus had a specific purpose for his. The Glories of Mary, the crowning jewel of his Marian writings, was not for reflecting on the greatness of Mary in the abstract, but for showing how her greatness can be accessed by sinners in order to gain admittance to heaven.

By the 1960s, Alphonsus was cited by a Redemptorist as the most published author in history, with his books having gone through more editions (over 21,000) than anyone else’s.
 
The Glories of Mary was originally released in 1750, 22 years after Alphonsus’ first publication and 28 years before his last. Not only is the large Marian book near the chronological center of his writings, but it is also near the “cardiological” center: that is, study of and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary necessarily leads to study of and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Raised by the rosary

There is no greater distance than that from hell to heaven, and Blessed Bartolo Longo (1841-1926) is someone who traveled it. Like Alphonsus, Bartolo was a University of Naples-trained lawyer, but very much unlike Alphonsus, he became a satanic priest.

Bartolo was so thoroughly immersed in sin that he almost despaired of salvation. However, he was lifted from hell to heaven by the rosary. Daily prayer with the Mother of God brought about such a dramatic shift in the former satanist that he authored a book called Fifteen Saturdays of the Most Holy Rosary and is a candidate for sainthood.

Had Bartolo lived and been converted before the writing of The Glories of Mary, his story surely would have been included. It is the very epitome of the book: have a firm purpose of amendment, be actively faithful to the Blessed Virgin, and heaven awaits.
 
Indeed, Alphonsus believed that no one truly devoted to the Blessed Virgin is ever lost, because the Queen of Heaven lacks neither the power nor the desire to help sinners start to magnify the majesty of the Lord in this life and continue to do so throughout the next.

Saintly tips for Marian devotion

Advice from St. Alphonsus on keeping a devotion to the Blessed Mother, gleaned from his writings:

* Pray the Rosary daily

* Read at least a small portion of a Marian book daily

* Visit an image of Mary daily, asking for love of her Son and final perseverance

* Wear the (brown) scapular of Mount Carmel

* Fast or give up something tasty on Saturdays and vigils of Marian feasts