Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter leads readers on a journey into the heart of Mary while reflecting on her virtues which they are called to imitate.
In her first book, Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter: Finding Yourself in the Blessed Mother, debut author Megan Madden reflects on the 10 principal virtues of Mary and leads Catholic women on a journey of faith aimed at imitation of Our Lady. With a unique view into Mary’s everyday life, this book illuminates the profound virtues, such as humility, obedience, and self-denial, that defined Mary’s life as a wife and mother while empowering Catholic women to learn from her example.
Based on her personal experience as a young mother, as a Catholic with a life-long consecration to Our Lady, and in theological studies in the areas of marriage and family life, Madden gives women a glimpse into how Mary lived as a daughter of God from the Annunciation to the Cross. This glimpse into Mary’s life is accompanied by an exploration of how imitating Our Lady’s virtues can draw women closer to her Son.
“All women are called to be mothers, be it a spiritual or physical reality. I wrote this book in light of my own spiritual poverty and desire to imitate and ponder Our Lady’s virtues along with the guidance of the saints,” writes Madden. “I hope that in pondering the life of Our Lady – veiled in so many ways and hidden in so much mystery and beauty – that we can begin to understand more fully the dignity of authentic femininity, virtuous womanhood, and our call to be a ‘little mother’ in imitation of our mother in heaven.”
Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter features Scripture stories about the life of Mary and the Holy Family, practical advice for applying what readers have learned to daily life, and discussion questions perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion. It is a resource for all Catholic women seeking to deepen their relationship with Our Blessed Mother and grow in virtue on their journey toward heaven.
Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter: Finding Yourself in the Blessed Mother is available now at www.AscensionPress.com/MaryTeachMe.
Praise for Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter
Nell O’Leary, author, speaker, wife, and mother, writes:
“Mary, Teach Me is more than a book: it’s a contemplative experience for women in any stage or season of life. Whether the Blessed Mother is close to you already or feels like a stranger, this book will deepen your relationship with her, drawing you closer to her Son, Jesus. Everyone needs at least two copies, one to keep and one to give. Prepare to have your heart opened wide and the balm of love poured in.”
Matthew Levering, James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology at Mundelein Seminary, also writes:
“St. John Henry Newman pointed out that in countries where Mary is loved, Jesus is loved. In this immensely practical and profoundly rewarding spiritual guidebook, we see how this Marian pattern works in individual lives and families. Grounding herself in the biblical mysteries of Mary, Madden illuminates the power of grace as it operates through the imitation of our Mother Mary. While this book is about attaining mature womanhood, there are wondrous spiritual consolations for both women and men on nearly every page.”
Chiara Finaldi, founder of the Catholic Mothers Apostolate, praises:
“A book written from the heart of someone who has truly been touched by the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Beautifully written, inspired by St. Louis de Montfort’s wisdom, the author touches each Marian virtue, guides the reader into Our Lady’s life and gives practical examples on how to grow in holiness with the Mother of all mothers. A book for every woman who is truly searching for the warm maternal embrace that only Our Lady can give.”
Dr. Roger Nutt, S.T.L., S.T.D., provost and professor of theology at Ave Maria University, shares:
“In the various forms of the examination of conscience, Christians pose many questions to themselves to learn which areas of life they may be falling short. One revealing question that we rarely ask is: ‘who is my guide?’ In this book, Megan Madden opens the way for Christian women to be taught by the Lord’s own Mother. Can there be a better guide for women seeking to do the will of the Lord than THE WOMAN whose counsel to the servants at Cana was: ‘do whatever he tells you?’ Thanks to Megan Madden, ‘imperfect women’ now have an accessible yet profound resource by which they can learn from the ‘perfect mother.’”
Joshua Madden, Ph.D., S.T.L., Lector in Catholic theology at Blackfriars in Oxford, writes:
“In our Lord’s final moments, He entrusted His mother to the beloved disciple, and Scripture tells us that he ‘took her into his own.’ It is no exaggeration to say that this book is a primer in learning how to do exactly that, learning how to invite the Blessed Mother into your own heart and home. Megan Madden has given the faithful a resource that is sure to stand the test of time as a well-spring of Marian piety steeped in the words of Scripture and the teachings of the saints.”
Rev. Dr. John Saward, author, theologian, and pastor of Saints Gregory’s and Augustine’s Church in Oxford also writes:
“Megan Madden writes from the heart and her own experience as a mother, but her beautiful reflections and practical suggestions rest on a solid doctrinal foundation: Our Lady’s plenitude of grace and the perfection of her virtues do not make her remote from us, but bring her close, for sin separates and divides, while from grace and charity come fellow-feeling and kindness. The perfect woman has boundless compassion for the imperfect woman who asks for her help: she turns away no one who asks this assistance from her, for she does not have the heart to resist.”
About the Author
Megan Madden is a homeschooling mother with a passion for writing and speaking on authentic femininity and virtuous womanhood. In 2017, she began graduate studies in marriage and family at the International Theological Institute in Austria. She enjoys serving the Church through her online ministry A Mother’s Lace, speaking, and writing. Megan lives outside of Oxford, England, with her husband, who is a lecturer in theology, and their five children.
See the full bio for Megan Madden here.
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