Blessed Mother. Our Lady. Stella Maris. Theotokos. Mama Mary. Our Lady of Victories.
Each of these are just a few of many different titles for the mother of our Lord.
One cathedral that we now mourn and long to be traditionally rebuilt is Notre-Dame de Paris. I used to think that whenever people referred to “Notre-Dame” it meant the Notre-Dame. The gorgeous French Gothic cathedral with the rose window, located on the Seine. But what I found when traveling, is that in France, almost every city has their own Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame de Reims, Notre-Dame de Beaune, etc. It’s spectacular, really. Notre-Dame simply means “Our Lady” and almost everyone wants to honor her in the naming of their cathedral or basilica.
Our Lady of Victories
Stepping into the Basilica of Notre-Dame des Victoires, “Our Lady of Victories,” in Paris, I especially felt the warmth of the Catholic faith. The foundations of the church were blessed on December 8, 1629, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and her presence and intercession are evident. In this special church stands the statue of Our Lady of Victories. She stands surrounded by literally tens of thousands of ex-votos left at the basilica. This church used to be on the route of the Camino de Santiago, and devotional pieces have been left in thanksgiving to Mary’s intercession for prayers being answered. Wherever you stand in this church, symbols of hearts bursting with gratitude are all around you.
A Family Devotion
There is a chapel dedicated to Saints Louis & Zélie Martin in the back of the church, and it is the first chapel in France under their patronage. This wasn’t done without meaning, as the Martin family had a very special devotion to Our Lady of Victories.
Louis implored her intercession while discerning his vocation and later, while living in his vocation as husband and father, he wrote to his wife Zélie,
“I had the happiness of receiving communion at Notre-Dame de Victoires, which is like a little earthly paradise. I also lit a candle for the whole family.”
Zélie too sought her intercession, making a written Christmas request to her brother:
“...you live very close to Notre-Dame des Victoires. Well! Enter it only once a day to say an Ave Maria to the Blessed Virgin”.
Their daughter Saint Thérèse of Lisieux shared in this devotion as well. While on pilgrimage in Rome to ask the Pope for permission to enter Carmel, her father and sister stopped inside the basilica. As she lay before the statue of Our Lady, she thought,
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Mama Mary (Header)
No matter where you pray, Our Lady of Victories wants to pray for you. She is waiting for you to call upon her. She hears you, and she hopes that you will consider her your own mother, just as little Saint Thérèse did.
In the Dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium, on the Church, promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI, there is a section written specifically on Mary as the Mother of Grace. Paul VI invites us to call upon her intercession, because through her we will experience her accompaniment and great maternal love:
The “motherhood of Mary in the economy of grace continues without interruption until the final consummation . . . In fact, after the Assumption into heaven, her role in salvation is not interrupted . . . Her maternal love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not complete, and who find themselves engaged in perils and trials until they reach their promised homeland.”
Sisters. Our pilgrimage is not complete. While we hope for a smooth journey, perils and trials may come our way, and this is right where Mary wants to meet us. When we find ourselves at the foot of the cross, she is right there with us, just as she was with her Son, Jesus. It is her mother’s promise that she will continue to be with us each and every day: In the suffering, the joys, and the simple moments of everyday life.
In the words of Saint Mother Teresa, “If you ever feel distressed during your day, call upon our Lady, just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit, this prayer has never failed me.”
How do you experience Mother Mary as your own mother?
Susanna Parent is a regular contributor to the BIS blog, speaker and a freelance writer. While a Wisconsin native, she now begins her mornings brewing French press coffee in the home she shares with her husband and children in the Twin Cities. When the sun sets, you’ll find her with friends enjoying a glass of red wine, preferably outside underneath twinkly lights. When not exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer, she is indulging her wanderlust spirit by brainstorming their family's next new adventure. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Susanna's posts here.
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