The remains of this Irish church remind me of praying hands, pointing Heavenward. The Irish have for centuries, since the days of Patrick, shown a fiery example of devotion to prayer, through hardship and persecution.
In a 1950 Catholic Truth Society of Ireland booklet called Our Mother of Good Counsel, the Augustinian Fr. Colman O'Driscoll talks about devotion to the Blessed Virgin under this title, which is celebrated every April 26th.
"In these days of chaos, when evil counsel so universally prevails, let us find hope once again in turning to our Good Mother. But, when invoking Mary, let us remember that her bounty depends on the loving goodness of Her Divine Son. It is to Him she must turn to obtain the graces which we need. Of course, He never refuses a favor for which His Mother asks. but will she ask favors for those who invoke her while at the same time they despise the Law of Her Son? Did she not in Cana of Galilee lay it down as a condition for receiving her Son's favors that all things whatsoever He would command should be done? It is only by fulfilling this condition, by carrying out this first and best good counsel given by Mary, that we can have the interior peace and holiness which most of all she wishes us to possess."
Every devotion offered to Mary is because of her Son, and to lead us to her Son. When we say she is wonderful, she immediately responds, "HE is wonderful". When we say we admire her, she says, "Together we admire HIM!" When we say, "Blessed art thou," she says, "My soul doth magnify the Lord!" She brings us to Her Son.
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