Why do I feel so connected to Virgin Mary?

[Jhende]

Hello all, first off I’d like to clarify that I was raised as a southern baptist, not catholic. My past with southern baptism led me to be very confused about my spirituality, as I felt it had a very aggressive approach with lots of frightening themes and an overall quite threatening nature, and I did not agree with a lot of what was said (I have not been to church in years, so I apologize if my terminology is incorrect or if I’m bad at explaining things). But recently I have felt a strong connection with the catholic faith. About two years ago I visited Italy, and while visiting many of the famous cathedrals I felt very drawn to them, like they were a place I would have belonged in a past life. This feeling was especially present in Assisi, everything was so beautiful and had such an aura of simplicity and purity that I felt extremely connected to it from the getgo. This isn’t what first sparked my fascination however, even when I classified myself as non-religious (still trying to find my path, through Catholicism or other means) I had always felt a connection to mother Mary. I knew of her through my past in the church, but as you probably know Christianity does not focus very much on her. I’m not sure if this is the answer, but I had a very difficult childhood that I’m still coming to terms with today, and I feel that maybe she has been protecting me during this time. I’m also a female, so I think it may be some sort of feminine connection as well. A few weeks ago I remember having a dream about her, although I don’t really remember what it was about, all I know is I woke up with her on my mind for at least a few days. I apologize if I didn’t word this very well, but does anyone know why I may be feeling this way? Could she have been watching over me all along? Any information is appreciated, thank you!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Hi Jhende, it’s great that you are feeling drawn to Catholicism.

Mother Mary watches over everyone. She cares about all her children, even those who reject her.
But sometimes Mother Mary does reach out to a person in a special way. Maybe she sensed that your heart was open to let her lead you closer to God.

It’s a wonderful thing to feel a connection to Our Holy Mother. I’d suggest you perhaps pray a simple prayer to her every day - a Hail Mary will do (It’s Scripture-based) - and ask her to lead you closer to Jesus. And see where it goes from there.

God bless.

P.S. “Christianity” in the Catholic Church does focus very much on Our Heavenly Mother.
Catholics are Christians. I know you meant Christianity in the sense of your Protestant background, but just making the point that Catholics are actually the original Christians, and do not see ourselves as excluded from Christianity.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Jhende, Benny12 is NOT Catholic and has made many posts critical of the Church.

Benny12 does not want you to be close to Mother Mary or possibly join the Catholic Church. That is just sad!

As I said, the Hail Mary is scriptural.

Please pray and allow the Lord to guide you in this matter. I will pray for you, and for those misguided Protestants who argue against Our Blessed Mother.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Off topic for this thread. If you would like to discuss Mary theology (Not that we haven’t had many threads already on the same topic you mention, you could easily find them with search), please start a thread in the Scripture section.

It is wrong, unfair, uncharitable, and disrespectful for you to come onto a Catholic forum and then start telling or insinuating to potential converts that they are going down a wrong path. On CAF, the rules require non-Catholics who post here to respect Catholic teaching and belief, and also to keep threads on topic. Please follow the rules.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Please see my response above. Thank you and have a blessed day.

 

[Fauken]

Now some may say this is It is wrong, unfair, uncharitable, and disrespectful. Not at all, just contradicts the Rosary prayers

Yet another tiring instance of a Protestant presuming to tell us what we believe or that we somehow don’t believe our hope and lives are in Christ. Because of “Scripture”. I know what I believe. You do not know what we believe. Do not presume to lecture us.

Jesus said obedience to God’s Word was more important than being the woman who gave birth to the Me.

And what did Mary do? Luke 1:38:

“And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

John 2:5:

“2:5 His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.”

That is why we praise her. That is why she is blessed because she did the will of God. If you would stop and ask why, we could explain this easily. But no, you apparently know what we believe. And yet you make these simple mistakes born of anti-Catholic myths perpetuated by those who didn’t know throughout history. You want to talk about Mary, go start another thread. But quit presuming to know what Catholics teach. It’s arrogant and offensive.

 

[DeniseNY]

From the Conduct Rules of the Forum:

Non-Catholics are welcome to participate but must be respectful of the faith of the Catholics participating on the board. Catholics must be respectful of the legitimate religious preferences and practices of their fellow Catholics.

This constant criticism of the Catholic church and our relationship with the Theotokos (and the constant misunderstanding of that relationship) is sad and IMO, against forum conduct rules.

 

[Fauken]

Was catholic for 35 years. I know exactly what you believe

I’m sorry, but no you don’t. We get many like you on this site who claimed to have been Catholic and then “saw the light in Christianity”, and then regurgitate the lies that Protestants believe about us.

I would know them. I was Protestant.

The poor catechesis over the last few decades is nothing short of a travesty and has resulted in many like you.

 

[Fauken]

Protestant is a broad word used today.

Just because someone claims to be a Protestant doesn’t mean they came from a bible teaching church.

You deny the authority of the Pope. You are in protest against the Catholic Church. You are Protestant in the purest sense of the word. And so was I. If you must know, my family was Baptist. Nominally, granted, but Baptist. I was Lutheran before I began RCIA.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Was catholic for 35 years. I know exactly what you believe

Doesn’t give you the right to hijack a thread from someone who is thinking of converting or having a devotion to the Virgin Mary, and try to convince that person they’re wrong.
That’s not only against the rules of the forum, it’s downright rude.
You’ve basically taken over the discussion here. You could have started your own thread, or read 1000 past threads about Marian theology, or (since you already “know” what we believe) you could have skipped the whole thing.

You came into this thread with an agenda, and it wasn’t in good faith. The moderators will handle it from here.

 

[Fauken]

So why do you say this prayer then if Christ is your hope and life?

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our Life, our Sweetness, and our hope.

You’ve already been told to make another thread about this. Please make another thread.

So you are upset because I use scripture?

Honest discussions do not rely upon strawmen. This is a strawman.

 

[Fauken]

Which one of my post is a strawman.

I’m curious, I post God’s Word…

I posted what I was referring to. Unless you’d like to tell me that these following words:

So you are upset because I use scripture?

Are from Scripture.

You have been repeatedly told to start a different post because

You’ve basically taken over the discussion here. You could have started your own thread, or read 1000 past threads about Marian theology, or (since you already “know” what we believe) you could have skipped the whole thing.

You came into this thread with an agenda, and it wasn’t in good faith. The moderators will handle it from here.

This thread is not about an apologetics discussion on Mary. You have been invited to make a different thread on it to discuss your arguments because they are not related to this topic. Instead you feign innocence that you’re just “quoting Scripture” when multiple people have told you on multiple different occasions that your beliefs are erroneous. You have been told that the rules forbid hijacking discussions just as you have done. And from that you take it as her objecting to you using Scripture. You’re not dealing with what she’s saying. That’s a Strawman: you’re attacking something easy and not the substance of what she’s saying.