Full of Grace

This course is an invitation to better understand and come to love the person of Mary, the Mother of Christ, by cultivating intimate devotion to her. Special emphasis is given to Marian spirituality, with topics such as the Rosary, the practice of the presence of Mary, the practice of making reparation to her Immaculate Heart, and understanding her identity as Mother of Sorrows—especially in how we are called to unite our sufferings with hers at the foot of the Cross. The importance of coming to hear her maternal voice through her Marian apparitions and messages is also emphasized, even examining the mystical theology of visionary experiences and the process of Church investigation into claims of Marian apparitions. To gain a deeper appreciation of her person, seldom-discussed special roles of Our Lady are covered as well. We explore her role in spiritual warfare, exemplified in the important presence that she has in the ministry of exorcism, as well as her role in sharing Christ’s sufferings as the first stigmatic, a phenomenon in its interior manifestation (invisible stigmata) that she potentially experienced during the Passion. In the process, the course helps viewers to develop a deeper intimacy and relationship with the person of Mary by coming to a greater understanding of her suffering and love for Jesus and for us, her spiritual children.