Our Lady Help of Christians Trivia Quiz

Answer: Roman Catholics and Anglicans

Our Lady is reported to have asked for a replica of the Holy Family's home in Nazareth to be built in Walsingham. The remains are still there. On touring Nazareth in Israel you will see that that the place venerated as the home of the Holy Family was in fact a cave. Our Lady at Walsingham was clearly using the word "home" in the spiritual sense and not just thinking in terms of bricks and mortar, or worldly material.

Roman Catholics clearly accept this site. They have a separate shrine from the Anglicans. Not all Anglicans recognize Walsingham. A large part of the Anglican Church do not believe in prayer to Mary. For them, only prayer to God is acceptable. Marian adoration was removed by Henry VIII in the Reformation. The Roman Catholics would answer that they do not pray to Mary, but ask for her intercession and prayers. They consider that Jesus is just confirming the ten commandments and asking all of us to honour His father and mother. Roman Catholics point to wonderful miracles to supplement their case. There are no well reported cases of Mary appearing in England since Walsingham. In many eyes, the English Roman Catholic Church's execution of Saint Joan of Arc would seem unlikely to have found Mary's favour. Some Anglicans may be aware of this!

Answer: 1531 in Mexico

Saint Juan Diego was an elderly widower who saw Mary several times. He said that she asked for a church to be built, and left her image on the tilma (cloak) that Juan Diego used to carry flowers back to his bishop. That image is still preserved today. When modern day scientists tested the tilma the eyes of Our lady revealed the reflection of Juan Diego.

Now the bishop took his time to accept the apparitions. The miraculous tilma eventually convinced him. The Roman Catholic Church now recognize the appearances at Guadalupe. The Reformation was starting in Europe, and millions of converts to Christianity were being made in America. Columbus discovered America in 1492, so Mary appears to be moving in quickly after both events. Noticeably we can today see the impact of Christianity in the U.S.A. (unlike the U.K., in the U.S.A. politicians are not scared to talk about God!). Was that part of Mary's mission? Aside from this, the immediate effect of her reported appearances were to stop the huge number of human sacrifices in the area where she appeared.

These are lesser-known reported apparitions of Mary, but devout Roman Catholics would know of them. The question is why the apparitions are not more widely known about.

Answer: the French authorities

This happened in 1858 in France. During the time that the visions were being reported and just afterwards, the French authorities tried to close the shrine, eventually deeming it an illegal place to worship. Their attempts failed. The local people ignored this warning, even when the site was declared unsanitary (the apparitions were reported in a place used, inter alia, as a garbage dump, and the spring of water being used for cures came from this ground), people kept coming to the site.

They broke down barriers erected by the authorities.

When the Governess of Napoleon's children arrived and saw the State's attempts to blockade the shrine, things changed. She reported back to Napoleon and the blockade of the shrine was lifted (it is believed that one of Napoleon's children was cured by water from a spring Mary had created at the shrine. That is why the Governess had ventured to go there). Even today masses of miracles, arising from Mary's spring, are reported, both of a spiritual and a physical nature. Very few in comparison are recognized as proven by the Roman Catholic Church. Often people appreciate the miracles, but do not want to go through strenuous tests of authenticity. On other occasions, however, when missing thigh bones are miraculously replaced etc., the proof is too obvious to be ignored by the Roman Catholic church.

The Roman Catholic Church are clearly very aware of powerful sectors in society who will ridicule any false claims of miracles. The shrine is still predominantly Roman Catholic only. Mary has been reported appearing many times in France, and the French State seems to recognize the right to pray in Lourdes and other shrines.

Answer: The local Prefect said that he would put them in a cauldron of boiling oil.

These visions happened in 1917. The three children were Jacinta (aged 7), Lucia (aged 10) and Francisco (aged 8). It is a remarkable feature of meeting Our Lady that this threat was of no concern to them. They wanted to go to Heaven. Jacinta and Francisco died a short time after the visions (both are now saints). Lucia eventually went into a convent and lived a very long life. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes Fatima as a shrine of devotion.

Spain was in turmoil at the time and hostile to religion. The world was still in World War I. Mary correctly predicted to the children the end of World War I, and problems in the future, including World War II. On her final reported appearance she produced a promised miracle. The "miracle of the sun" is well documented. Thousands of people saw the miracle. The sun appeared to fall to earth and the soaking wet ground dried. Clearly, the sun did not fall to earth, but Mary in her apparitions is always reported as using visual imagery to give, or add to, her message. She is being shown by God as the Queen of Heaven in the eyes of Roman Catholics. This is a title she has long held with the Roman Catholic Church. The test of this miracle is that it happened on a day and a time that she predicted in advance.

The local Prefect was hostile to religion and this reflected the State in Portugal. Other groups in that Society attacked religion. The first church at the site (requested by Our Lady) was blown up and was left sadly smoking. Today the shrine is much respected throughout nearly all of Portugal, as well as the whole of the Roman Catholic Church.

Interestingly Fatima was the name of the Prophet Mohammed's daughter and a most respected name. Is Mary linking into the Muslim religion at Fatima? Our Lady is mentioned several times in the Koran (Q'uran) and known by Muslims as Saint Mary, or Marian.

Answer: No

In 1879 Our Lady was reported to have appeared in pouring rain to local people.The Roman Catholic Church now accepts these visions. As their hymn relates, there were people of all ages gathered round, poor and humble people and little children. Our Lady never spoke, but was pictured with Saint John the Teacher (the Saint John who Jesus spoke to from the cross - see the Catholic Press Bible published in the U.S.A., John 19:25-27, where Saint John is referring to himself as the disciple Jesus loves) and Saint Joseph (her husband) by her side. The Lamb of God appeared on an altar to the side. This was against the gable wall of the local Catholic Church. She portrayed a family scene and thus solidarity with the people. The good people prayed for hours in the rain. The significance for this part of Ireland was that the potato famine followed shortly after. Millions of local people died from famine, or were forced to go abroad.Families were split up and destroyed. Mary seems to be drawing people closer to Heaven to give them spiritual strength to weather future, unavoidable ordeals. Millions of Irish people were to be spread across the world to many countries. Miracles have occurred from Knock.

The Irish in this area are predominantly Catholic and welcomed this event. Since 1949 (U.K. Republic of Ireland Act, 1948) this part Ireland has been part of the Republic of Ireland (Eire).

Answer: No

The Catholic Church had not yet officially verified these visions fifty years after their occurrence. Neither had it denied their authenticity. The young girls produced miracles and conveyed many messages. The messages include the future chastisement of the world if mankind in general does not repent their sins. Mary also said that before this, God would come to every human being and make them aware of their status with God. How this might happen is explained in graphic terms, but all this leaves a lot to the imagination. The Old Testament talks of God's promise to Noah (The Catholic Press Bible as printed in the U.S.A., Genesis 9:12-17) and T.V. documentaries on Garabandal discuss this point) that no more deluges will destroy the earth. God's sign is the rainbow. Mary's future chastisement presumably does not include such a flood. However, Mary seems to be talking of a similar chastisement and mentions fire. This is a testing point of the authenticity of the message and its interpretation. It could be that Mary's message of chastisement is conditional and God's promise to Noah will save the world eventually from any devastation. Some think that God's message to Noah makes Mary's remarks hard to understand. The Bible's book of the Apocalypse seems one way to justify Mary's reported statements. There is a beautiful song sung by Nana Mouskouri called "Oh had I a golden thread", written at about the time of Garabandal. It was written not in Spain and presumably was written in Nana Mouskouri's home land of Greece. It is alleged by some to be connected spiritually to these visions' messages. Listen to it yourself and judge.

The Roman Catholic Church may often take a long time to accept such events as Garabandal. It will not help them that all the seers of Garabandal left the village and married. It seems as if the Roman Catholic Church fears the effect of anti-church sections of society that would influence future statements by the seers. Both Saint Bernadette (Lourdes) and Sister Lucia (Fatima above) went into convents and were under orders of obedience. Also, Mary is alleged to have spoken about perdition among many Cardinals, Bishops and Clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. No doubt the Pope's staff in the Vatican will complete their investigations in time and report to him.

Answer: 1968

Our Lady is reported to have appeared from 1968, for two or three years, in different visions. She appeared as an apparition over a Coptic Church, appearing at a place which allegedly the Holy Family stayed on their flight into Egypt. The Coptic Orthodox Church recognize the apparitions, as do the Roman Catholic Church.

Moreover, the Egyptian government also investigated them and found them to be genuine. Muslims do recognize Mary as a saint and her Son as a prophet. Apparently these visions calmed the violent situation in the area (between Muslims and Christians) for the period of the apparitions.

Some say that millions of people saw the visions, and this included President Nasser. Pictures of Mary's apparitions are available in different places on the internet.

Answer: yes, but it hasn't lasted to today

Medjugorje was in old Yugoslavia, which was part of the Soviet Union at that time. The country was Communist and its authorities were quite hostile to the children and the reported visions. The local books report a hidden hand that seemed to control events and magically protect the six children/seers involved. Today, Medjugorje is in a country called Bosnia Herzegovina, and is a beautiful village. Miracles are still regularly reported here. Millions of pilgrims visit each year. The Roman Catholic Church has not yet recognized the site. It did not help the Roman Catholic Church that all six seers subsequently married (as the effect of anti-church influences in society may be seen as possibly affecting future statements by seers). It may be that Mary, as a mother, sees much holiness in the sanctity and challenges of marriage. The strength of a church is often measured by the faith of its lay congregations, and its children in particular. This is an argument heard much in Medjugorje, when you visit. The Roman Catholic Church are clearly worried about the regular visions still being reported by several of the seers. In Roman Catholic tradition only the Pope speaks for God. Messages from Mary may worry his Vatican committees. Her reported statements are often most revealing. They are strikingly similar to those made at Garabandal approximately 20 years previously. Amazingly, in the war that followed in this region, the village was not damaged by bombing.

Interestingly I have seen Muslims praying at, or at least near this Shrine. Mary is mentioned several Times in the Koran (Q'uran) and is known as Saint Mary, or Marian to Muslims.

Answer: an adult male

It was a man called Bruno Cornacchiola (age 33). He had bought a dagger to kill the Pope. It is suggested (please read Donal Anthony Foley, "Marian Apparitions, the Bible and the Modern World", published by Gracewing, pages 320-324) that his wife's prayers persuaded Our Lady to intervene and stop the murder attempt. He did have his three children with him. They too reported that they saw the apparition.

It is a very regular feature of most reported apparitions that children are involved. Mary, by her actions, not surprisingly, is reported to prefer working with children. Remember the words of Jesus, "Let the little children be, and do not hinder them from coming to me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Catholic Press Bible, printed in the U.S.A., Matthew 19:13). Mary, as a Mother, is shown usually in reports as portraying children as the best way to communicate with the world.

Answer: silent tears that Mary's pleas to the world are being ignored

This is what it seemed like to the Pope.

There have been many other reported appearances of Our Lady (some recognized by churches and some not). Will she continue to be reported as appearing in apparitions? There are some reports that she is changing her approach to the world. Clearly, these reports show God approaching to contact the world and not just the Christians. The reported Egyptian apparitions above were in an area with a large Muslim population. The Jews in their contribution to developing our understanding of the relationship of God and humanity are integral. Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism before being acknowledged as a separate religion. The Old Testament is an integral part of Christian and Jewish faith in God. Our Jewish Forefathers, by their responses to God's revelations, must make many proud. The crusades, with mass genocide across Europe against Jews, as well as Muslims, were a shameful disgrace caused by Christians. The Jews may well lead the way for us at the end of time. All Christians should remember that Jesus's last reported meal before crucifixion was the Last Supper (part of the Jewish celebration of Passover).

In compiling this quiz I have checked details given from many sources. Donald Anthony Foley's "Marian Apparitions, the Bible, and the Modern World", published by Gracewing, is one source to check facts on Roman Catholic approved visions (not Our Lady of Egypt however). Other visions may be checked by going to the shrines and buying the local books and personal investigation at these sites. For the casual observer Youtube carries most of this, but please don't accept anything on Youtube as Gospel! There is much fake news around. God bless all who keep an open mind in future years. At death we may all be surprised at the real truth. Please be prepared. The thin veil between this world and the next is breaking down fast, and all these reported visions increase this feeling, don't they?