A new report from the Center of Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) finds that when it comes to vocations, Mary really matters.
CARA surveyed 1,091 U.S. bishops, diocesan priests, permanent deacons, deacon directors, and major superiors of men’s and women’s religious orders. The questions aimed to ascertain what sort of impact Marian devotion has on both vocational discernment and living out a calling to the priestly or consecrated life.
Talking to Mary, visiting Mary
Most of the respondents (92%) were introduced to Mary as children, primarily (79%) by their parents, but also by their parishes and parish schools.
As they discerned whether God was calling them to the priesthood or religious life, many of them looked to Mary. Seventy one percent said that they privately recited the Rosary during that time and over half said they prayed it with others.
Interestingly, almost half (44%) of respondents said they visited at least one Marian apparition site before entering their vocation. Going to Tepeyac Hill where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared was the most frequent pilgrimage, followed closely by Lourdes, France.
When it comes to Marian devotions under titles based on Marian apparitions, Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Lourdes were the ones reported to have the greatest impact.
All in all, six out of 10 surveyed said that their devotion to Mary had an impact on “their original sense of a vocation to serve Christ and the Church.”
Devotion to Mary continues
Nine out of 10 living out ecclesial vocations say that they currently have a devotion to Mary, and 75% of them say that Mary has strengthened them in living out their vocation. It is not surprising then, that 80% of respondents say they turn to Mary for spiritual assistance.
More than a quarter of those surveyed say that they do one of the following at least weekly: recite the Rosary, engage in contemplative prayer with Mary, recite the Rosary with others, and take up spiritual reading about Mary.
Over 700 surveyed answered an open question to describe Mary’s presence in their lives. Some of the most common answers included the words, “companion”, “friend”, “guide”, “comforter”, “model”, “intercessor”, “mother”, and “vocation-inspirer”.
Mother of all
When it comes to Marian devotion, it is clear that priests, bishops, and religious relate to her in many ways. As just one example, when asked which title of Mary they find the most meaningful, there were 128 distinct titles mentioned! These ranged from theological titles such as Mother of God, to devotional ones, such as Undoer of Knots, to those related to a particular image or apparition, such as Our Lady of Perpetual Help or Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Similarly, respondents provided 31 different doctrine about Mary which held the most meaning for their vocations. They cited 107 different saints who have inspired their Marian devotion. St. Louis-Marie de Montfort was at the very top, and a lot of other familiar names were in the responses, including St. Pope John Paul II.
Respondents mentioned art, books, music, and movies that contributed to their Marian devotion. Naturally, many looked to Scripture for inspiration about the Mother of God.
One of the most popular passages among respondents is the Annunciation in the Gospel of Luke. Appropriate to men and women who have given their lives to Christ and the Church, in Luke’s account of the Annunciation Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
