Blessed Among Women: Encounters with Mary and Her Message

Sparrow, a Protestant psychologist, takes a personal approach to understanding the importance of Mary in the lives of Christians today. His own visions of Mary led him to collect and interpret over 50 accounts of encounters with the Holy Mother. According to Sparrow, Mary has appeared mostly to Roman Catholic women, often when they were children. Their visions and dreams of a bright light or of the actual figure of Mary often occur in silence, but these encounters communicate a strong feeling of love and peace. Many visionaries also claim that Mary healed them or left some other tangible proof of her presence, such as a rosary or a scapular. Sparrow suggests that Mary often appears at times of great suffering--and, although she doesn't end the suffering, her presence helps people bear it. For non-Catholics, Sparrow includes accounts of the famous appearances of Mary at Lourdes and at Knock, as well as instructions for praying the rosary. Sparrow (I Am with You Always: True Stories of Encounters with Jesus) has written another provocative book that will appeal to many pilgrims on their spiritual journeys. (Dec.)