Those Who Saw Her: Apparitions of Mary, Updated and Revised

by Catherine M. Odell

"...A treasure for those who seek to find Mary's presence, both in these astonishing appearances and in their daily lives." -- James Martin, author of My Life with the Saints

For almost the lifespan of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been returning to the world she left almost twenty centuries ago.

In its attractively redesigned and updated second edition, Those Who Saw Her brings readers the latest developments, updates, and Church statements on the apparitions of Mary -- the most famous apparitions at Guadalupe, Rue de Bac, La Salette, Lourdes, Pontmain, Knock, and Fatima, as well as the fascinating but less-known appearances at Akita, Japan; Kibeho, Rwanda; San Nicolas, Argentina; and Betania, Venezuela.

The book also now includes a complete chapter on the 17th-century appearance of Mary to the young Benoite Rencurel at Laus, France. The Laus apparitions, approved in 2008, were the first Marian apparitions approved by the Church in the 21st century.

Let Mary's prophetic messages bring comfort and hope to your life in this thorough and compelling presentation of the extraordinary visits of the Mother of God to her children around the world.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Catholic, Faith, Christian

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 1986

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was first published in 1985, was revised in 1995 and again in 2010. I am glad they changed the cover the last time it was revised as I would not likely have picked it up and looked at it with the red and black cover. The chapters in the latest edition of the book are:

Preface
1. Who Is Mary?
2. Why Does Mary Come?
3. The Church and Apparitions
4. The Apparitions at Guadalupe, Mexico, 1531
5. The Apparitions at Laus, France, 1664-1718
6. The Apparitions on the Rue du Bac, Paris, France, 1830
7. The Apparition at La Salette, France, 1846
8. The Apparitions at Lourdes, France, 1858
9. The Apparition at Pontmain, France, 1871
10. The Apparition at Knock, Ireland, 1879
11. The Apparitions at Fátima, Portugal, 1917
12. The Apparitions at Beauraing, Belgium, 1932-33
13. The Apparitions at Banneux, Belgium, 1933
14. The Messages of Akita, Japan, 1973-81
15. The Alleged Apparitions at Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1981-?
16. The Apparitions at Kibeho, Rwanda, 1981-89
17. The Apparitions at San Nicolás, Argentina, 1983-90
18. The Apparitions at Betania, Venezuela, 1984
Bibliography

Typically, when I look at a book on Marian apparitions I often look at the chapter on Knock first. I think in part this is because of my Irish heritage. And maybe because it is not as famous as Fatima or Lourdes, for some reason I have always been drawn to the story of Knock. This chapter is well written, and concludes with these words:

"On a dreary August night, during a sad century, the Virgin Mary had come to comfort the downtrodden Irish. It was a blessing, and the Irish had never concerned themselves with analyzing blessings. In Gaelic, they simply thanked heaven for it. "Cead mile failte!" as one believer said - "A hundred thousand thanks!""

One of the great things about this book is it gives equal weight to each of the apparitions. Each chapter is between 8-10 pages in length. I was surprised by the inclusion of Medjugorje, even the title of this chapter is 'The Alleged Apparitions at Medjugorje' And I know that in the late 80's and early 90's when I was in university I was fascinated with this apparent appearance. And know many people personally who have had experiences surrounding events there. But With the current pope and the previous two having reservations regarding this event, I was very surprised it made the list.

This book does a great job of introducing readers to 15 of the documented apparitions of Mary. They span from 1531-1984. For me it will serve as a jumping off point. There were a number of appearances I was unfamiliar with. It is very well written and is easily accessible. Catherine Odell has done a great job examining these events and devotions and presenting them to us. A great read.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the introduction to Marian apparitions but didn’t appreciate the stereotyping and racial language. Calling Juan Diego an “Indian” seven times in a fifteen page chapter was completely unnecessary. Calling the Rwandan genocide a bloodbath on both sides is just incorrect. Next time they update this book they should edit out the racial micro and macro aggressions.

[Christian Engler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the great joys of being Catholic (and there are many) is that there is a full acknowledgment, a recognition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ and the Queen of Heaven, among many other deserved titles. At her heart, however, she is a mom for all peoples, for all classes and for all backgrounds, irrelevant of social, economic, cultural and intellectual barriers. She is a mother, and she loves. And she urges and prods people, especially to those whom she appears to, to turn away from themselves and the materialism and ways of the world, instead to her Son, Jesus Christ. She is, in a way, a messenger, who carries forth the messages and insights of her Son and the Father; some are pleasing and others are less so. But they are powerful nonetheless, and in Catherine M. Odell's wonderfully written book, Those Who Saw Her, a reader will be comforted, alarmed and inspired to either reawaken their faith or to practice it more fervently through the rosary, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Holy Mass and receiving Jesus Christ truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

In the book, Those Who Saw Her, Odell profiles many apparition cases, from olden to modern times; she gives a brief background on all the visionaries for each case and what the times were like in which the Blessed Mother appeared. Sometimes it was to offer encouragement and on others it was to bring dire warnings. Yet, at the heart of each apparition message, is love, the love that God has for each created soul. The human condition, the terrible muck and mire that people entangle themselves in is not the fault of God, but rather, the arrogant actions of man, and that also seems to be a consistent truth in every Marian message. But arrogance and other sins can, if not be eliminated, then at least lessened with a return to the ultimate truth: Jesus on the Cross. What is startling about the assorted apparition cases is to whom the Blessed Mother appears to. Frequently her presence is made manifest to the unlikeliest of people, folks who are often illiterate, dirt poor, rude, rough in manner or sometimes not even faithful or practicing Catholics; generally, individuals whom society casts aside and bluntly states: You are nothing! are often the Little Ones who are the receivers of heavenly messages. It is not by their choice, and more often-than-not, the visionaries are themselves either frightened or doubtful (at first) of what it is that they are experiencing. But under the dominating spell of Mary's love, the visionaries do what is asked of them, despite the intense stress and mental agony that they must carry upon their shoulders during and long after the unexpected meeting with the Mother of God. Often, there is a request for the building of a church where there was not one before or the appearance happens in order to rekindle faith because it has seriously waned and sin has taken a firm foothold. Additionally, Mary might appear to deliver admonitions or prophetic warnings of global events yet to happen. At its foundation, however, is love, prayer and reconciliation, the Holy Eucharist, a desperate yet hopeful turning to her Son.

Each apparition case is represented by an individual chapter; some of those included are the well known ones: Guadalupe (Mexico) Rue du Bac (France) La Salette (France) Lordes (France), Pontmain (France), Knock (Ireland), Fatima (Portugal), Beauraing and Banneux (both in Belgium). The more modern and approved or partly approved ones (because the Church is still meticulously investigating it) are: Akita (Japan), Kibeho (Rawanda), San Nicolas (Argentina), Betania (Venezuela) and Medjugorje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). While all the apparitions are compelling in their own unique way, each have a common thread that unites them all, and they are reconciliation, prayer, the Holy Eucharist and the reformation of the soul, the turning away from behaviors that are not in accordance with God's wishes, for we should try to be perfect as He is perfect. As you read along, some apparitions may resonate better than others. But that is what is so beautiful about them, because there are so many validated appearances, no one can truly be left out of what is said by the Blessed Mother. You can't help but feel a certain attraction or connection to at least one of them. For me, I had at least five or six that touched me deeply.

If you are looking for a great reference read that will connect you to Jesus Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary, this is definitely one of them. It is scholarly, clearly written and to-the-point; it is not a gushy or too sentimentalized nonfiction work that sometimes does a disservice to the subject being written about. It is frank and fascinating, and you will enjoy the faith affirming and uplifting power that it wields.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was an excellent book, very thorough and well written. The author covers all of the apparitions to date - there were a few I was unaware of but thrilled/blessed to learn about. Will definitely be getting more books on those apparitions. The ONLY negative & problem I had was not with the author but was a mistake by the publisher or printer, there were 10 pages missing from the book, otherwise it was wonderful, uplifting & encouraging & stirs deeper devotion to Our Blessed Mother <3

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a radical shift in perspective from the previous book I recently finished, “Encountering Mary,” where the author has serious doubts as to the visions of those involved, atrributing the ecstasies of those involved to hallucinations by the seers. Catherine Odell, on the other hand, is a true believer. She begins with the historic fifteen year-old Miriam in Palestine. The first apparition covered is that of Guadalupe in Mexico. On December 12, 1531, Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian who had converted to Catholicism. She asked for a shrine to be built in Tepeyac. The local bishop was doubtful of Juan's claims until he saw his cloak with a beautiful image of the Virgin. Today, it is a major shrine. In 1830, Twenty-four year old Catherine Laboure, a nun at a Paris convent, told her confessor that she saw the Virgin Mary, and that Mary had requested that a medal be struck in her honor. A year later, the Miraculous Medal was struck. Millions have been made since and I am wearing my mother's around my neck. In 1846, two shepherd children in Rue du Bac were visited by Mary while tending their flocks. She warned of dire consequences for the people of France if they did not practice their faith. La Salette is another Catholic shrine.The Basilica of La Salette was built after Our Lady asked for one in 1846. The most famous and popular is Lourdes. Bernadette Soubirous, a poor fourteen year-old girl, reported visions of a lady who identified herself as the “Immaculate Conception”. The rest is history. Pontmain, also in France, was about to be invaded by Prussian soldiers in 1871, when the Virgin interceded, after having appeared to several children of the village. In 1879, the people of Knock, Ireland experienced a more elaborate vision. This time, the Virgin Mary was surrounded by St. Joseph and St. John. They floated in the sky during a rainstorm, and yet the three remained dry and never said a word. In 1917, Lucia dos Santos and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco, saw a lady in white in the sky. She identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary and told the children to pray the Rosary daily for the conversion of Russia. She asked for a chapel to be built and today Fatima is among the three most visited, along with Lourdes and Guadalupe. In Beauring, Belgium, four girls and a boy saw Mary above a bridge in December of 1932. The Lady in white asked them to pray. By the next month, thousands of pilgrims flocked to the site, with many cures claimed, and it remains a popular site for R.C.'s. At the same time, eleven year-old Mariette Beco told her mother that she saw a lady in white in their garden. This was in Banneux, Belgium in 1933. She called herself Virgin of the Poor and requested a small chapel be built in her honor. It was built after the war. A statue at a convent in Japan wept tears and displayed wounds of the stigmata and bled. It was in June of 1973 and Sister Agnes Sasagawa also suffered bleeding hands. The Virgin told her that God would send balls of fire to the earth unless men repented their sins. Sister Agnes prayed and was cured of her deafness. A short chapter on Medjugorje is included. Six teenagers received regular messages from Mary beginning in June of 1981. The Communist government of Yugoslavia attempted to slow the pilgrims, but it remains a popular visiation site. Also in 1981, Mary appeared to college students in Rwanda. Seven visionaries were shown images of destruction and told to pray. The apparitions ended in 1989 at the start of the Rwandan Civil War. Gladys Mata was a poor and uneducated housewife in San Nicolas, Argentina when she was visited by Mary from 1983-1990. She suffered the wounds of the stigmata and was told to pray. As with Medjugorje, the Church has not sanctioned these visions. The final appearance is in Betania, Venezuelain 1984 at a waterfall. One hunrded and eight people testified as to having seen Mary in a blazing white light. She called for prayer and peace, a theme common to all of the apparitions. After the recent death of my mother, I have prayed fervently for hours every day, but so far I have not experienced any visits from the great beyond, either by the Virgin Mary or my mother, also named Mary. As time passes, I am drifting further and further back in the direction of agnosticism. To honor my mother, I am trying, I am really trying.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I was 15 and Catholic and questioning my faith for the first time. I'd grown up in a family with a statue of the Virgin Mary almost literally in every room, always looking after us, watching over us. At 13, I'd wanted to be a nun - most definitely a nun like Bernadette , with her giant white-winged habit perched firmly on her head. If you'd have met me 2 years later at 17, I'd have told you I was agnostic and would have scoffed at the stories of Marian sightings that brought me so much comfort as a child.

But here I am, almost 50 and I have just read this book for the second time. I've identified as an atheist for longer than I was Catholic. I am sure that most who read this book are Catholic still and I apologize sincerely to any who may be offended by my take on the book. I mean no offense but have to be honest about where I am coming from with my review. I do not personally believe any more but I do have a deep affinity for Catholicism and there is still a soft spot in my heart for the stories, stories like these, of Mary.

It may simply be the comfort of a motherly figure who watches over you, listens to you with all her heart, cries tears with your tears. Or maybe it is the supernatural aspect, the idea that sometimes beings can and do move between heaven and our realm. Or perhaps it is that in a church so centered on the roles of men that a woman holds such a venerated role. As a girl growing up in a religion where women were always in the supporting role to the priests, the bishops, the Pope, to see a reflection of yourself in the one who has the ear of God and influence over him is a powerful thing indeed.

This book covers the basic stories of some of the most well-known Marian apparitions in Catholic history. I read an edition from the 1980's, so missed out on any content that may be in the revisions. The book wasn't particularly well-written, but was written well enough that I was content to continue reading to the end. The authors' attempt to walk the line between skepticism and belief was at times distracting.

The stories themselves are sweet in their familiarity and the patterns they follow. The Mother of God almost always appears to a child. She chooses the downtrodden, the voiceless to appear to - and in so doing gives them a voice. The people she appears to are almost always initially afraid, but then when she reveals her identity they find great joy and comfort in her presence. She reminds them - and us - what is expected of us, asks for a church to be built, and then leaves.

Personally, I wanted more. For each of these apparitions, the church did extensive interviewing of witnesses and research into the sighting and has taken a stance on their legitimacy. What did the Popes who passed judgement on whether these sightings were real have to say? Why did they rule the way they did? What other factors in the church may have affected those rulings? The stories as told felt comparably superficial. In some cases, the position of the church and controversy over the legitimacy of the vision was glossed over (especially in the case of the sighting in Knock). For the illegitimate visions mentioned briefly in the book, I would have loved to learn more about why the church opted to call them illegitimate.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid overview of Marian apparitions, many that are well known and others less so. All are covered well, providing key events and important messages from Our Lady. Despite differences in location and time, there are shared messages across nearly all these apparitions which create a nice continuity across the chapters. A good read for anyone interested in such events.

[Joaquin Pericas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The Virgin Mary is the best advocate and sponsor we could ask for! The many confirmed apparitions and miracles performed are a glorious confirmation that she is indeed the Mother of God.

[Maureen Geneste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

excellent synopsis of the recorded Marian Apparitions! Easy read. Very well written and inspiring. Insights to historical and individual events.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great primer and reference.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated, but great info on past Marian apparitions.

[Chris]

Much like the Bible, I won't rate this book, since it pertains to faith and therefore is incredibly subjective in what each person may or may not get out of it.

That being said, it was fascinating. However, I felt the writing was a tad too zealous - the cases are there to be made with a much more critical eye and language, and I think that would make the belief even stronger.

Still, overall, well worth the time.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in this book are amazing and the author did an excellent job of telling and compiling them. WOW!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

So awesome, and to finish the book on the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was an added bonus.