b'The Mother Jof esusPHOTO: JOE ASPELLis HereA Marianist study program invites us to examine Marys life and how Marian influences can provide the Church a pathway to renewal and hope. By Jan D. DixonM ore has been written about Mary than Opposite page: Mary Seat ofPHOTO: JOE ASPELLany woman in history. Still, most of us Wisdom, a statue by formerstruggle to fully comprehend her. So Marianist Joseph Aspell; Left: Mary Waiting, also bythis story starts with a warning label: Proceed with Joseph Aspellcaution, for it is a risky venture, an exploration intothe very essence of who Mary is as Mother of Jesus,Mother of God, Queen of the Universe. To prepare, you will need to bring your spiritualimagination and an open heart as Mary invites youto see God through a feminine lens. You also mayneed to scrap that cloak of piety youve kept herwrapped in so you can fully see her: a woman ofboldness, strength and wisdom, as well as a humanbeing who taught us how to love with uncompromis-ing loyalty. This is a summons from Mary herself: Come, sitwith me, learn from me, and an invitation to honorfemale wisdom. We start this journey with the Divine Incarnationthrough Mary, which suggests there are feminine aswell as masculine influences that formed and definedJesus. What are Marys influences? And how can Marysattributesher giftsbring wholeness to the Church,battered by its own foolishness, and healing to a worldbadly in need of a mothers touch? What does it mean to be a Last year, the North American Center for Marianist Marian Church?Studies sponsored its second Marianist Studies Pro- Marianist Father Ted Cassidy recalls a talk by Popegram with a call for a year-long examination of the John Paul II in which he spoke about the differencestopic: The Mother of Jesus is Here: Building Todays between the Church of St. Peter (the Petrine Church)Marian Church. and Marian influences. The Pope emphasized that theThe subject opened a floodgate of questions. While link between them is tight, deep and complementary,10 people participated, yielding a diverse set of projects implying that both are necessary.and ideas, the topic itself led to a deeper and more One is not better than the other, says Father Ted.nuanced examination of Mary and what she has to While the Petrine Church emphasizes a fatherly,teach us. Here are four questions and some insights authoritarian style, Mary brings a motherly, morefrom MSP scholars to guide the way. collaborativeinclusive approach. In its day-to-daymarianist.com/donate 15'