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As a former Protestant minister, Dr. Scott Hahn knows very well the common objections non-Catholics have to the Catholic Faith. In this informative talk, he tackles the tough issue of the Papacy and defends our belief that the Pope[…]
A Commentary for Beginners on St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort’s
True Devotion to Mary
St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort’s Treatise on the True Devotion to the Holy Virgin has influenced innumerable Christians since its discovery in 1842. These[…]
It is very fitting that each year we gather at St. John the Evangelist and Apostle in St. Louis to pray the rosary and the novena to Our Lady of Knock. The apparition was unique in that on her right hand was St. John the Evangelist dressed like a bishop with a small mitre and a missal or book of the Gospels in his left hand. He appeared to be preaching. St. John’s left hand was pointed to the altar in the center of the gable under the window. On the altar was a lamb about eight weeks old in size and a cross behind the lamb. St. Joseph was seen on the Holy Mother’s right hand dressed in white. This scene recalls to us the Holy Family. Remember the scene of the crucifixion:When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. 1
The Blessed Mother's appearance to a humble poor people is a reminder that we are adopted sons and daughters of the Father. Donel Flanagan writes of Knock that prior to the apparition it “was insignificant, consisting of a handful of thatched whitewashed cottages, inhabited by the plain, humble, hard working people of the place... Knock was poor, peaceful, and unknown, dead to the outside world. The surrounding area was poor and the farms were small.” After the apparition “Knock, in Gaelic ‘Cnoc’ meaning ‘Hill’, would never be the same again. This great happening changed the name from ‘Cnoc’ to ‘Cnoc Mhuire’ - ‘Mary’s Hill.’ It is the hill of the Mother of God. Calling to mind Christ's humble birth, the apparition at Cnoc Mhuire of the Holy Family sends a beautidul message to all families. We will be updating this article to include the various interpretations of the apparition. Also, Michael has written a short reflection on Our Lady of Knock entitled Knock Its Important. For some more basic information:
The Official Knock Web Site
Knock Shrine Association of America
The Meaning and Message of Knock
Let us not love the roadway rather than the homeland lest we lose our eternal home; for we have such a home that we ought to love it... Therefore let this principle abide with us, that on the road we live as travellers, as pilgrims, as guests of the world...singing with grace and power, 'When shall I come and appear before the face of my God?
In a book edited by Donal Flanagan the significance of Knock is broken into three categories Pilgrimage, Healing and Reconciliation. When on pilgrimage we separate ourselves from the ordinary and bond with new people, deepening our perceptions of reality. The pilgrimage broadens our perception of mystery and has a healing effect. But why? The popular author on Christian spirituality Esther De Waal writes about pilgrimage, or those on pilgrimage called the perregrini in her book The Celtic Way of Prayer. This concept refers to an inward journey undertaken out of love for God. We encounter Christ in the undertaking of pilgrimage. It is not a matter of leaving home to find Him elsewhere. Rather, on pilgrimage we encounter Christ alongside us and with us. Esther De Waal quote of St. Columbanus to the left illustrates this point.
The pilgrimage spoken of here has no specific ending place but rather reflects the open ended journey of everyone of us towards our destiny. The holy sites such as Lourdes and Knock call us to this pilgrimage and the apparition of Knock certainly points to the heavenly end of our journey.