MOTHER MARY IS BORN

Many years ago there was a very good man called Joachim.

He married a lovely lady in Nazareth called Anna, and they were happy together.

It was a joyful day for them when a little girl called Mary was born to them.

They called her Mary 
[in her language Maryām (מרים) ].

Mary means 'Strong'.

We love to call Mary 'Our Lady'.

Mary loved her mom and dad and was happy to help everybody,  and was kind to animals.

Mary learned to bake bread, clean the house, and to draw water form the well.

Mary also learned the Torah, the great Word of God.

Mary was a very good girl who received a great gift from God of a soul clean from all sin.

This grace has the name, 'Immaculate Conception'.

  

When Our Lady came to visit Saint Bernadette at the grotto in Lourdes, she told her that she was the Immaculate Conception.

 This meant that she was Mary from Nazareth with a soul clean of sin.

God and Mary loved each other very much.

God chose Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, His beloved Son.

This is the biggest honour in Heaven.

We love Mary and call her Our Lady because she was so kind to agree to be mom to Jesus.

We also call her Our Lady because people who lived long ago in a wonderful time called the Medieval period gave her this name.

Jesus came to save us all.

How happy we are to have Mary as God's Mother.

Our Lady is also called our Mother, because not only did she love Jesus - her little Boy - but she loves each and every one of us in a very special way.

Let us try to be kind and caring like Our Lady. Then she will be very happy in Heaven, and also very proud of us!