Saints Speak of the Virgin Mary
As Eve was seduced by the word of an angel and so fled from God after disobeying His word, Mary in her turn was given the good news by the word of an angel and bore God in obedience to His word. As Eve was seduced into disobedience to God, so Mary was persuaded into obedience to God; thus the Virgin Mary became the advocate of the virgin Eve. (St. Irenaeus of Lyons)
Without God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed. (St. Anselm)
As breathing is not only a sign but even a cause of life, so the name of Mary, which is constantly found on the lips of God’s servants, both proves that they are truly alive, and at the same time causes and preserves their life and gives them every succor. (St. Germanus of Constantinople)
My goodness, in deference to the Word, has decreed that anyone at all, just or sinner, who holds her in due reverence will never be snatched or devoured by the infernal demon. She is like a bait set out by My goodness to catch My creatures. It was in mercy that I did this. (Jesus to St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue)
Mary’s strongest inclination is to unite us to Jesus, her Son, and her Son’s strongest wish is that we come to Him through His blessed Mother. (St. Louis de Montfort)
Just those nations and countries have lost their faith in the divinity of Jesus who have given up devotion to His Mother.(St. John Henry Newman)
Have no fear of loving the Blessed Virgin too much; you will never love her enough, and Jesus will be pleased since the Blessed Virgin is His Mother. (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)
The key to understanding Mary is this: We do not start with Mary. We start with Christ the Son of the living God! The less I think of Him, the less I think of Her; the more I think if Him, the more I think of Her; the more I adore His Divinity, the more I venerate Her Motherhood; the less I adore His Divinity, the less reason I have for respecting Her. I am sure that I would resent even hearing Her name if I had become so perverse as not to believe in Christ the Son of God. You will never find that anyone who really loves Our Lord as a Divine Savior, dislikes Mary. (Venerable Fulton J. Sheen)