Glories of Mary

Alphonsus Liguori

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 1986
• eBook ISBN: 9781505133554
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Marian Theology

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, the Prince of Moral Theologians, was one of the greatest preachers in Church history. A religious founder, consummate theologian, and holy man of God, St. Alphonsus never failed to utter a stirring word that drew out a lively penitence and redoubled dedication to the work of God from his audience. He was also a great mariologist and a devout son of Our Lady (his congregation eventually gained custody of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help). In The Glories of Mary, he assembled the finest information on Our Lady from the many writings of the saints, holy authors, and Sacred Scripture.Included within these pages are the theological proofs for the Immaculate Conception, explanations of the invocations in the Litany of Loreto, and a description of Our Lady's death. The Glories of Mary is the greatest compendium of nearly eighteen centuries of teaching on Our Lady and seeks to lead many souls to a greater love of Jesus through a more intimate knowledge of Mary and her exalted role in our salvation. To this end, St. Alphonsus quotes many Fathers and Doctors of the Church, including Saint Bonaventure, who wrote, "No one can enter Heaven unless by Mary, as though through a door." Saint Alphonsus explains that Mary is the Gate of Heaven, the portal through which mankind meets the divine in Jesus Christ.The Glories of Mary is five complete books in one volume. The first book examines the words of the Salve Regina and shows how God has given Mary to mankind as the Gate of Heaven. The second book explains Our Lady's principal feasts and reveals fresh truths about these mysteries. The third book explains the Seven Sorrows of Mary and why Our Lady's martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all other martyrs. The fourth book describes ten different virtues of Our Lady, and the fifth book provides dozens of famous prayers, meditations, and devotions to her. "Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaketh," and St. Alphonsus's heart was only filled to the brim with a genuine desire for innocence and purity of heart in all his spiritual children, most especially through devotion to the Blessed Mother. Writing to defend her against impious attacks and diminishments of Marian devotion, St. Alphonsus shows that devotion to Our Lady is a most certain mark of eternal salvation. His words give profound encouragement and firm hope for eternal victory through Mary, the Mother of God, who can obtain from her Divine Son anything she asks.

Table of contents

• The Glories of Mary
• Copyright
• Notice
• The Author’s Protest
• Contents
• Publisher’s Note
• The Author’s Prayer to Jesus and Mary
• To the Reader
• Introduction Which It Is Necessary to Read
• Prayer to the Blessed Virgin to Obtain a Good Death
• Part the First On the Salve Regina
• Chapter 1 Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy
• Chapter 2 Our Life, Our Sweetness
• Chapter 3 Our Hope
• Chapter 4 To Thee Do We Cry, Poor Banished Children of Eve
• Chapter 5 To Thee Do We Sigh, Mourning and Weeping, in This Valley of Tears
• Chapter 6 O, Gracious Advocate
• Chapter 7 Turn, Then, Thine Eyes of Mercy Towards Us
• Chapter 8 And After This Our Exile Show Unto Us the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus
• Chapter 9 O Clement, O Pious
• Chapter 10 O Sweet Virgin Mary
• Devout Prayers Addressed by Various Saints to the Divine Mother
• Part the Second TREATING OF HER PRINCIPAL FEASTS AND HER DOLOURS
• Discourse 1 On Mary’s Immaculate Conception
• Discourse 2 Of the Birth of Mary
• Discourse 3 Of the Presentation of Mary
• Discourse 4 Of the Annunciation of Mary
• Discourse 5 Of the Visitation of Mary
• Discourse 6 Of the Purification of Mary
• Discourse 7 Of the Assumption of Mary
• Discourse 8 Second Discourse on the Assumption of Mary
• Discourse 9 Of the Dolours of Mary
• Reflections On Each of the Seven Dolours of Mary in Particular
• Of the Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
• Various Practices of Devotion in Honor of The Divine Mother
• Part the Third CONTAINING VARIOUS ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES APPERTAINING TO THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
• Various Additional Examples Appertaining to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
• Reply to an Anonymous Writer Who Has Censured What the Author of This Work Has Said, in the First Section of the Fifth Chapter, on the Salve Regina
• A Short Reply to the Extravagant Reform Attempted by the Abbé Rolli; a Reform Which Is In Opposition to the Devotion and Love We Owe to the Divine Mother
• A Sermon For the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• A Sermon on the Dolours of Mary
• Sermon For the Feast of Saint Joseph
• Novena of Meditations
• Prayers to the Divine Mother
• Little Rosary Of the Seven Dolours of Mary
• Little Rosary of Mary Immaculate
• Dedications and Prayers
• Endnotes