Why Catholics Love Mary (And You Might Too)

May 14, 2025Farmer Ashley

If you're not Catholic, you might feel a little weird about how much Catholic Christians talk about Mary.

Believe me—I get it. I spent the first 41 years of my life without Mother Mary in my life (she was always there…loving me despite me ignoring her).

I used to wonder too (in a judgmental way, I’ll admit): Why are Catholics always bringing up Jesus’s Mother? That sure does seem like idolatry. Isn’t Jesus the only way to God?

Yes. Absolutely.

John 14:6 is clear: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

But here’s the part many people misunderstand: Catholics don’t believe Mary is the way to the Father. We simply believe she’s a tender, trustworthy mother who lovingly takes our hand and walks us to Jesus.

And on May 13, 1917, she showed up to do just that.

That’s when something extraordinary happened in the small village of Fatima, Portugal. Three shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta—were tending sheep when a woman appeared, brighter than the sun, robed in light. She came from Heaven with a message for the world: turn back to God, pray the Rosary, and repent.

This wasn’t a private or obscure vision. The Blessed Mother appeared to them six times over six months. And on the final visit, over 70,000 people witnessed what’s now known as the Miracle of the Sun.

Skeptics. Journalists. Curious bystanders. People of all faiths. They all saw it.

Fatima wasn’t the only time the Blessed Mother has come, either.

Throughout history, the Blessed Mother has appeared all over the world—Mexico (Our Lady of Guadalupe), France (Lourdes), Rwanda, Japan, Egypt, and more—always with the same motherly mission:To remind us what Jesus said in John 19:27: “Behold your mother.”And to draw us closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—with calls to repentance, prayer, and to return to His path.

Her message is never about herself.

It’s always: Follow Him.

That moment at the foot of the Cross wasn’t just for the Apostle John—it was for all of us in the Body of Christ.

I understand many people argue about this within the Church, and this is part of why the Blessed Mother has appeared again and again across the world—to help us understand what her Son meant.

I didn’t know about many of these historical truths before I became Catholic. And that’s what I’m sharing with you today—not a debate, but a factual story about Our Lady of Fatima.

And no—you don’t have to be Catholic to welcome her. She loves you and welcomes you.

We don’t pray to Mary as a replacement for God. We simply ask her to pray for us—to take our prayers to her Son, Jesus.

She is the first Christian—the first to say yes to Christ. When the Angel Gabriel appeared and told her she would bear the Son of God, she responded:

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”(Luke 1:38)

She carried Him. She raised Him. She followed Him all the way to the Cross.

No one knew Jesus better. No one loved Him more on this earth.

So today, on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, I gently invite you to consider:

What if Jesus, knowing the journey would get hard, gave us His mother as a reminder that we are never alone in Him?

She won’t pull you off the path. She’ll steady your step on it.

And if you’re feeling a little lost, or weary, or like your prayers are barely squeaking out—maybe just whisper:

“Mother Mary, help me find Jesus.”

She always knows the way to Him.

Thank you for taking the time to read. I invite you to pray over what you’ve learned today.

I know how topics like this can get heated among Christians. Please know that I’m not one of those people.

I’m simply sharing things I didn’t know or understand until more recent times—things that led to fullness of faith and deep inner freedom. Since welcoming the Blessed Mother into my life, I’ve witnessed miracles—gifts from her Son that came through direct petitions to His mama. It’s been so beautiful…and honestly, impossible to deny.

Jesus has asked me to share that peace with others—to minister gently, truthfully, and without fear.

Before I ever hit “publish” on an essay like this, I take it to Him first. I sit at His feet in prayer, right after receiving Him in the Holy Eucharist—having just come from Mass and Holy Communion.

It’s not something I take lightly. These aren’t just words—they’re offerings. I want them to be in step with His heart, not mine.

I believe, through the whispers of the Holy Spirit received during prayer, that Jesus would love to introduce you to His mother. Not with pressure. But with delight. Like a Son beaming with joy, saying, “Isn’t she wonderful?”

He wants us to be one Church—one Body of Christ. He’s calling us to repent—not just for what we’ve done, but for the walls we’ve built: for our stubbornness, judgment, division, and pride.

For context—I went to Mass weekly for six years (2018–2024) as a major skeptic. I don’t know many non-Catholics who would sit through that many incense-heavy homilies while still in the “just curious” phase. But I did. I prayed. I studied. I sifted through the noise to get to the root—and that’s where I found the peace.

It’s the same process I use when it comes to health. Whether it’s the gut, the brain, or hormones, I always go to the root—because that’s where the truth lives, and where real transformation begins.

The Christian faith is like a great tree. Whether we realize it or not, we’re all grafted into the same trunk. There is only one tree—the Church, the Body of Christ, established by Jesus Himself. And like any good gardener, He desires unity, fruitfulness, and deep, nourishing roots.

You are welcome to ask me questions anytime. Your questions will never be met with defensiveness, impatience, or anger.

Why? Because I love you. Ain’t nothing you can do to make me not love you. And I welcome your loving curiosity always.

Just in case you’re curious to learn more, here are just a few of the Blessed Mother’s most well-known appearances throughout history:

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico, 1531) – Appeared to St. Juan Diego and led to the conversion of millions
Our Lady of Lourdes (France, 1858) – A message of healing and grace through St. Bernadette
Our Lady of Kibeho (Rwanda, 1981) – A warning and a call to repentance before the genocide
Our Lady of Akita (Japan, 1973) – A powerful message about suffering and the Eucharist
Our Lady of Zeitoun (Egypt, 1968) – Seen silently praying by thousands, including non-Christians

Just like any good mama—she shows up when her children need her most.

With love,Farmer Ashley