What signs for our times? - A Moment with Mary

* June 24 – Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (1st century) * What signs for our times? --- An initiative of the Association Mary of Nazareth  June 24 – Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (1st century) What signs for our times? Generally available Marian image created in the 1880s. The white circular text in the halo reads: "Je suis l'Immaculée Conception" (French for "I am the Immaculate Conception"). From Jtdirl's collection. Copyright long expired. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)   According to the French Mariologist Father René Laurentin, "apparitions remind us of both the transcendence and the familiarity of God." In this sense, it is good to have in mind the significant increase in apparitions recorded in the 20th century, especially in recent decades. Questioned on this issue in 1984 by the Italian journalist Vittorio Messori, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) replied: "One of the signs of our times is that the allegations of 'Marian apparitions' are multiplying all over the world." (The Ratzinger Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church, by Cardinal Ratzinger and Vittorio Messori, 1985.) English: Pope Benedict XVI  (Photo credit: Wikipedia) In this sense, on February 18, 1959, in a radio program broadcast from Lourdes, Pope and future saint John XXIII said: "We urge you to listen with sincerity of heart and honesty of mind to the salutary warnings of the Mother of God... The Roman pontiffs also made a point—when after mature examination they think it fit for the common good—to bring to the attention of the faithful these supernatural lights that God wills to dispense freely to certain privileged souls, so as not to propose new doctrines, but to guide our conduct." Aleteia Team www.aleteia.org Let’s pray together  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.   . Share A Moment with Mary and give your loved ones the opportunity to discover a new aspect of the mystery of the Mother of God each day.