October 27, 2017

Letters to the Editor

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Mary is, indeed, path to her Son and the gateway to heaven, reader says

I was thrilled with Archbishop Charles C. Thompson’s column in the Oct. 13 issue of The Criterion about Mary showing us the way to her Son. This is exactly how I became his follower and a member of the Catholic Church 57 years ago.

When I was 18 and headed for college, I read an article about a little saint, a young girl of great perseverance, who saw Mary on a rough hillside near Lourdes, France. People scoffed at her “tales” of seeing this “beautiful lady,” but she never backed down even through the scorn of Church officials. Her name was Bernadette.

Having grown up in a home with no religion, no connection to God or Jesus or any other belief, I’d always felt something was missing. This young girl was so sure of the lady she saw. She had such faith in her, and such love for her. I had to find out who this lady was.

And so I met Mary. Her love drew me to her instantly. She showed me a faith I didn’t know I had, layered under years of fear and ignorance. And she led me to her Son, to his love and welcome.

From there, I took classes and was received into the full communion of the Catholic Church. At last, that sense of something being missing was gone. I felt like I was home.

I was introduced by Bernadette, but Mary walked with me on my journey, enlightened me to my faith, and brought me home.

She is indeed the path to her Son and the gateway to heaven.

- Claudia Pfeiffer | Indianapolis

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