MARY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERVENTION

I think the Blessed Mother should make an appearance here in Los Angeles pronto. I think she should intervene in the configuring of the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. In times of crisis, she has been known to appear and to ask that a new edifice be erected in her name. Isn’t that what happened in Mexico City after Cortez had subdued the original Mexican settlers? There was a credibility problem for the Spanish administrators of the territory. Then the Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego, and asked for the Basilica which is still standing today. Her appearance, by my figuring, made possible for time and patience to reduce tension. It seems to me that the male clergy have a credibility problem currently and therefore an administration problem on account of the priest sex scandal. The tensions will be showing continually in small moments as well as in major confrontations during the next decade, starting right now. Why not manifest Mary’s softer and more loving doings even in the new Cathedral? A great many people are complaining about the starkness of the worship space that accentuates its immenseness. They are also saying that the outside slabs of concrete are banal and uninspiring. The look has been compared to a box-like warehouse.

Pardon me for bringing up all these questions at this time to you. Probably, you have enough mundane problems of your own and maybe you are not Catholic and never have been. Maybe you hardly ever go downtown. Well, I’m sorry. It seems to me that we are in need of a miracle or two in the now and in the local scene, as well as on the national scene. A number of people in high positions in the Catholic Church and in the secular area have thought of their position as a great operating platform for living in a Paradise on earth. Nobody is eager to publicly gainsay them. Nevertheless, the majority of people are apt to disagree, based on some kind of intuitive notions of the equality of man. We ask that those in superior positions transcend self gratification in their lives and job doings, and definitely keeping away from criminal doings. We ask that the laws which apply to the laity and ordinary men, apply to all men. Then power doings will not be corrupted by license. I think most of the world wants the powerful to lead simple lives that are transparent to the public as well as beneficient to all.

The spirit of the Jewish woman who was Mother of God is needed at this time to modify doings inside and outside the Church. Her history is fantastic. She has evolved over time and while she might not be given more power than God, she is always growing in popularity and influence. The current Pope has said "No" again and again to the entreaties of nuns for empowerment. They just can’t say Mass for even themselves. Yet, in many ways he has wanted to emphasize the Catholic Church as a feminist, woman-oriented society. It may be that the culture is stronger than the theology, certainly here in Los Angeles. The Latin and the Irish ethnic cultures seem to me to emphasize women’s spiritual power. Mother Mary looms in the imagination at times of crisis, more importantly than Jesus. Her pathway attracts nearly all. It may be imperative. We will maybe see.

Mary M. Gilvarry November 20, 2002