Holy Mary: Getting to Know and Love Our Blessed Mother Through Her Magnificent Titltes by Cornelius J. O’Connell (2016) Ex Libris Used Books

Every child loves his mother unconditionally. His heart’s devotion finds its expression not only in words, but in an untiring display of little feats and accomplishments. With each new day, he finds creative ways to impress on his mother how much he not only loves her, but how deeply he treasures her and desires her approval. Children never tire of repeating the praises of their mother. They cherish the tenderest affection for her, whose loveliness is ever present before their eyes. In the home, they gather around her. When absent, they think of her and long to return to her gentle smile and loving embrace. In their appreciation of her, she is the best, the fairest, the greatest, yes, the noblest, the most lovable, the most beautiful of all women. There is none comparable to her. She surpasses all others. They brag about her to their playmates, and resent the slightest criticism of her. Their life is entirely wrapped in hers.

As devoted children of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was our love for this incomparable Mother which caused us to write this book in her honor. And it is at the feet of this most admirable of mothers that we desire to lay our deed of homage. Even if every one of her children wrote a book, extolling her graces, there would still remain much more to be written in her honor. We cannot sing her praises too joyously, nor too often. The more we publish her perfections, her purity, her chastity, the more reason we will find to praise her many other virtues. God has raised her so far above all His creatures, that what all men, and even all nations, might do to her make her name grater would be, in comparison to His love for her, less than a raindrop compared to the waters of all the rivers and oceans of the world combined. If these pages will help even one mind know her better, one heart lover her more, or one more soul sing her praises, I shall deem my humble efforts well repaid. In writing this book about the Virgin Mother of our Redeemer, our own dear Mother, my soul’s desire is to draw others to be her devout clients. They will stand with all the saints and angels of God, proving by their praises the truth of her glorious prophecy: “All generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:18)