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IN THE GARMENT OF THE CONCEPTIONISTS ABOVE: Shown in the garment of the Conceptionists. Attributes: Medallion of the Immaculate Conception, a rosary around her neck. Book and pen. Also often shown holding a crucifix. + MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD She was born Maria Coronel y Arana *April 2, 1602, in Agreda, Spain and died in 1665. In her remarkable time on earth, she accomplished more than most would in several lifetimes. She is probably best known for her book THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD. +
'In it', Marilyn Fedewa shares, 'she portrays an inspiring and devotional treatment of the life of Our blessed Mother Mary, and Mary's experiences throughout the life of her Son, Our Lord.' + Through this book and along with Ann Catherine Emmerich, Mel Gibson was deeply inspired to produce his film, 'THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.' Through this new awareness, the world is again wanting to know more about her. *Marilyn also noted + 'Interesting that the Pope (JP II), passed away on Sor Maria's birthday' for more information
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*NEW MEXICO* |
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Here we concentrate a moment on over 500 spiritual flights to a foreign land where she is believed to have evangelized the indians of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas from 1620 to 1631. (during the time the pilgrims were landing at Plymouth Rock). But is there any proof to these legends of the South West? + MARIA IN NEW MEXICO
+ EXPANSION OF THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONS Yes. In 1625, Fray Alonso de Benavides left Mexico along with the new territorial governor, Felipe de Sotelo Osorio. They traveled 1500 miles by foot to Santa Fe NM arriving on Feb. 6 1626. Fray Benavides job would be custodian (for conversion and expansion of the Franciscan Mission) in the new territories (New Mexico and Texas). And for the next 3 years he traveled the pueblos along and near the Rio Grande River. (He established many convents including Santa Clara de Copa and Taos.) + INDIANS MET THEM ASKING FOR BAPTISM He wrote that he was astonished when the indians from the Isleta Pueblo came up to him asking to be baptized, that the indians knew about this Salvation God through a 'lady in blue' who came to them. She had encouraged them in their own language to be baptized with special water when the Friars came. (Some accounts, including that of Sor Maria, share that she gave them rosaries and that the priests were baffled by the beads they showed them.) The indians shared that she had also helped them make crosses, which they carried when they came to meet the Friars. (Locally the lore of Agreda in New Mexico grew as often happens and although there is no evidence of this, it is told that she instructed them on how to make a nourishing soup that anglos now call 'chili'. We were surprized to discover that chili does not originate in Mexico) + RETURNING TO SPAIN In 1630, on his return to Spain, Fray Benavides wrote a 'Memorial' report about his experiences to King Philip IV. He spoke of the huge conversions among the indigenous people. He confirmed accounts of the spiritual visits to New Mexico of Sor Maria de Jesus de Agreda after visiting her at the convent in Spain. She assured him she indeed had been 'miraculously carried on the wings of angels from Spain to the land of Jumano' (Spanish for Humans) to teach them about Jesus. She was able to give descriptions of the terrain and of the people including the times and dates of her visits. She was even able to describe the chieftain who asked for baptism and was followed by the whole village. Names of areas were also given of which she would not have known anything about. + Father remembered too, the indians identifying a picture of Mother Luisa de Carrión, a popular Spanish stigmatist whose image was carried by the Franciscans. She wore the same creamy-white Conceptionist habit under a mantle of blue but was much older than the one who visited them. (Maria was only 18 when these flights began.) + AND THEN TO ROME Father Benavides traveled to Rome from Spain (1633-34) to give his handwritten Memorial of these miraculous events to Pope Urban. When King Philip 1V heard of Sor Maria, he visited and befriended her. And for the rest of their lives the king called on her for political and spiritual direction through a collection of over 600 letters. Sor Maria is buried at Conceptionist Convent, where she had lived. Her body is incorrupt and she has been declared Venerable by the Catholic Church. |
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*MYSTICAL CITY of GOD* |
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THROUGH DIRECT REVELATION The Mystical City of God is about Mary. The manuscript was received through direct private revelations of Mary and is the story of Mary's life. It so upset the hierarchy of the church that the book was placed on the Index Libroum Prohibitorum in 1681, but the ban was lifted in 1747." + Marilyn Fedewa, an American liaison with the vice postulator of Sor Maria's cause for sainthood in Agreda, Spain says that Sor Maria 'wrote voluminous works based on private revelations' The Mystical City of God tells the life of the Blessed Mother in 8 books (now available in 4 volumes) |
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*IMMACULATE CONCEPTION* |
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AN 'AFFAIR OF THE STATE' +
AND OFF TO THE HOLY SEE Marilyn shared in an article Cloistered Spanish Nun Wields a Quiet Power: 'After the king read Mystical City of God, María de Ágreda urged King Philip IV to approach Pope Alexander VII on behalf of the Immaculate Conception. The king formed a special council headed by a prestigious Spanish bishop whom he named as ambassador to the Holy See. “The king made it an affair of state,” said Father Thomas A. Thompson, SM., PhD., (director of the Marian Library, and faculty member at the International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton in Ohio.) “He kept sending emissaries to Rome about it.” + TURNING POINT - 1661 To this day, Marian scholars credit María de Ágreda and King Felipe IV with favorably influencing Pope Alexander VII on the doctrine. According to Father Thompson, Alexander VII’s 1661 decree is considered the “turning point” in the evolution of the Immaculate Conception. Many consider it the definitive statement on the doctrine until it was fully established by Pope Pius IX in 1854' |
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*RESOURCES* |
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MYSTICAL LADY IN BLUE + FOR MORE INFORMATION
+ A DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY Maria of Agreda: Mystical Lady in Blue is now available through the University of New Mexico Press (UNMP). This book is a definitive biography of the intriguing 17th century abbess who wrote Mystical City of God, advised King Felipe IV of Spain from behind the walls of the cloister, and indelibly influenced the history of the American Southwest. |
"Sor Maria's incorrupt body lies in state within a glass enclosed coffin in her convent's church in Agreda, Spain. Since her death in 1665, her casket has been opened to medical and ecclesiastical examination 14 times, and each time (most recently in 1989) certified as in tact and sweet smelling. "As the viewer can see in the photograph, her face is protected with a mask, but her hands are in view for all to see, and appeared to me perfectly in tact. Unfortunately, for all my photographic contortions, I was not able to capture an image of her hands on film. Maybe during my next visit!" Marilyn H. Fedewa Author and Photographer |
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*ROSARIES* |
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BY THE 17C SPANISH MYSTIC
in "SEARCH BOX" in SHOPPING STORE This
series of rosaries is dedicated to Sor Maria de Agreda, a 17th century
Spanish mystic who became a cloistered Franciscan Conceptionist nun. As
cloistered, she did not leave her convent, yet spoke of teaching 'natives
and savages' about Jesus in a far distant country, not just once but over
500 times. This began when she was only 18 years old. In 1627 she became
abbess of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Agreda where she
spent the rest of her life. So how could this be possible?
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MISSION STATEMENT Our vision is to provide the finest handmade rosaries, chaplets and other fine religious art forms for personal worship we can make using the best supplies available. The Guild believes the work of our hands should give visual Glory to God, therefore for us, the best for you is very, very important. ++++++
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