WelCom February/March 2025
Reviewed by Michael Fitzsimons
ne in our midst, Honouring Mary in the 21st Century, is a new book of spiritual reflections from well-known Wellington author, Fr James Lyons.
The book is a refreshing take on the Litany of Loreto, which dates back to 1531. It was officially approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587 and since then has had a number of invocations added.
However, as Fr James notes in the introduction, the popularity of litanies has waned in recent times. ‘This book is an attempt to reignite interest.’
The Loreto Litany is named after a town in Italy where it was first prayed in the local Basilica. It actually contains six litanies, two of which are the focus for this book: ‘Symbols of Mary’ and ‘Mary the Helper’.
These two litanies contain 18 intercessions. They are varied in nature, using many traditional descriptors for Mary not commonly used today, such as House of Gold, Morning Star, Refuge of Sinners, Seat of Wisdom, Mirror of Justice.
Fr James takes each of these invocations, outlines their biblical context and references, and then makes connections with our experience of faith today. His great gift as a writer is in taking these ancient images and breathing fresh life into them. Each reflection offers information and inspiration.
The cumulative effect is to flesh out the person of Mary – her humanity, her humility, her profound faith. She is a model of faith for us today just as she has been for generations before us. She is one of us. In Fr James’ words: ‘In her life among us she knew joy and sorrow, excitement and disappointment, love and loss. There is much about her to be honoured and admired. There is much she can teach us from yesterday; there is much she can tell us today.’
Like all litanies, the Litany of Loreto is a series of invocations or intercessions, ideally suited for public participation. I can vividly remember praying many litanies during my long-ago days as a seminarian. The numerous intercessions followed by ‘pray for us’ had an hypnotic effect, image piled upon image, a multi-dimensional meditation. Saying a litany is a different way of praying with its own ability to nourish the interior life. It would be our loss if this tradition was allowed to fade away.
Fr James is doing his best to stop that from happening. In his trademark accessible prose, he unpacks these traditional images used to bestow honour on Mary.
One in our midst, Honouring Mary in the 21st Century is available from Pleroma.
