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The Marian Option: God's Solution to a Civilization in Crisis
“How can we save civilization?” It’s becoming a common question. As the world descends into chaos, Christians are thinking deeply about how to stem the tide. Many options have been presented to overcome Christian persecution and cultural decadence, but the The Marian Option is one that is already in motion…and has been for centuries.
Dr. Carrie Gress provides a thoroughly researched account of the significant cultural and military events where Mary interceded on behalf us, her children.
With a detective’s eye, Gress uncovers the fascinating details of Mary’s role in major geopolitical shifts, showing how instrumental Our Mother was in:
Freeing Spain from Islamic occupation
Igniting the largest mass conversion to Catholicism in history
Leading an unassuming priest to bring down the world’s most powerful empire without firing a shot
Stomping out heresies and false teachings from the Church
Beyond the battlefield, The Marian Option also highlights the link between Marian devotion and culture, showing how the arts flourish when devotion to her is strong.
If we want to protect our children and our faith—if we want to restore civilization to Christ—Mary is the key. Not only is she keenly interested in assisting Christians, she has the ability to do so, even in the face of the gravest odds. We just have to ask.
The Marian Option will leave you with a new perspective on the Blessed Mother, a renewed hope in the future of the Church and the world.
INCLUDES AN APPENDIX WITH A ROAD MAP OF PRACTICAL ADVICE AND EXAMPLES FOR EVERY CATHOLIC (INCLUDING CHILDREN) TO LIVE OUT THE MARIAN OPTION!
Dr. Carrie Gress provides a thoroughly researched account of the significant cultural and military events where Mary interceded on behalf us, her children.
With a detective’s eye, Gress uncovers the fascinating details of Mary’s role in major geopolitical shifts, showing how instrumental Our Mother was in:
Freeing Spain from Islamic occupation
Igniting the largest mass conversion to Catholicism in history
Leading an unassuming priest to bring down the world’s most powerful empire without firing a shot
Stomping out heresies and false teachings from the Church
Beyond the battlefield, The Marian Option also highlights the link between Marian devotion and culture, showing how the arts flourish when devotion to her is strong.
If we want to protect our children and our faith—if we want to restore civilization to Christ—Mary is the key. Not only is she keenly interested in assisting Christians, she has the ability to do so, even in the face of the gravest odds. We just have to ask.
The Marian Option will leave you with a new perspective on the Blessed Mother, a renewed hope in the future of the Church and the world.
INCLUDES AN APPENDIX WITH A ROAD MAP OF PRACTICAL ADVICE AND EXAMPLES FOR EVERY CATHOLIC (INCLUDING CHILDREN) TO LIVE OUT THE MARIAN OPTION!
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 22, 2017
198 people are currently reading
652 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Gress
16 books189 followersCarrie Gress is a Fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based think-tank, Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at Catholic University of America.
Carrie Gress has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America and was the Rome bureau chief of Zenit's English edition. She is the co-author with George Weigel of City of Saints: A Pilgrimage to John Paul II s Krakow and the author of Nudging Conversions, published by Beacon Publishing in 2015.
A mother of four, she and her family live in Virginia.
Carrie Gress has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America and was the Rome bureau chief of Zenit's English edition. She is the co-author with George Weigel of City of Saints: A Pilgrimage to John Paul II s Krakow and the author of Nudging Conversions, published by Beacon Publishing in 2015.
A mother of four, she and her family live in Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 2, 2017
Rod Dreher's book The Benedict Option certainly touched a nerve. Christians started talking volubly about how to stem societal chaos. A number of new books came out in response, many with critiques and their own solutions.
The Marian Option is also a response to Dreher's book, but not a refutation. It is is part history lesson, part explanation of Mary's role in Catholicism and the world, and part suggestion for how to live the "Marian option." Carrie Gress suggests that turning to Mary simultaneously with other "options" you may care to practice is a way to affect radical personal and societal transformation. Tracing Mary's intercession throughout history, Gress argues that venerating Mary makes cultures flourish.
I enjoyed the book and found a couple of concepts that were eye opening. First of all, I was fascinated by Maximilian Kolbe's insights into Mary as the Immaculate Conception and what that meant about her relationship with the Holy Spirit. It's been a long time since I've come across a concept that I pondered the way I did this.
Secondly, Gress's proposition that we are living in "anti-Mary" times was revelatory. I knew all the pieces she discussed but hadn't seen them through that particular focus.
The Marian Option is well written and interesting. Although Gress is making a case for Marian devotion, you could certainly read it simply for the history and theological insights. Though you may, as I have, find yourself dusting off your rosary and leaning on Mary for her motherly intercession.
The Marian Option is also a response to Dreher's book, but not a refutation. It is is part history lesson, part explanation of Mary's role in Catholicism and the world, and part suggestion for how to live the "Marian option." Carrie Gress suggests that turning to Mary simultaneously with other "options" you may care to practice is a way to affect radical personal and societal transformation. Tracing Mary's intercession throughout history, Gress argues that venerating Mary makes cultures flourish.
I enjoyed the book and found a couple of concepts that were eye opening. First of all, I was fascinated by Maximilian Kolbe's insights into Mary as the Immaculate Conception and what that meant about her relationship with the Holy Spirit. It's been a long time since I've come across a concept that I pondered the way I did this.
Secondly, Gress's proposition that we are living in "anti-Mary" times was revelatory. I knew all the pieces she discussed but hadn't seen them through that particular focus.
The Marian Option is well written and interesting. Although Gress is making a case for Marian devotion, you could certainly read it simply for the history and theological insights. Though you may, as I have, find yourself dusting off your rosary and leaning on Mary for her motherly intercession.
August 5, 2017
When you take a break from social media, you do things like finish books you've been trying to finish for months. Less than 24 hours after my declared break, I'm posting on GR with my first completed book. (As I type this, an email from FB came in reminding me how easy it is to return with "one click!" How did they know I'm on a break? I didn't cancel my account...)
I looked for background information on the book and author because it read like an academic paper or dissertation. The writing style had a grandiloquence usually found in higher education, and each chapter concluded with dozens of endnotes. I was right; it was based off a lecture the author gave at Acton University.
I enjoyed the final chapters and the reading list of classic theologians in the back of the book, but I said that about the last book I read. I'm going to take a break from reading modern Catholic authors and try my hand at the church fathers/mothers that inspired them.
It's not you--it's me.
I looked for background information on the book and author because it read like an academic paper or dissertation. The writing style had a grandiloquence usually found in higher education, and each chapter concluded with dozens of endnotes. I was right; it was based off a lecture the author gave at Acton University.
I enjoyed the final chapters and the reading list of classic theologians in the back of the book, but I said that about the last book I read. I'm going to take a break from reading modern Catholic authors and try my hand at the church fathers/mothers that inspired them.
It's not you--it's me.
October 22, 2017
This book is excellent in many ways. Carrie Gress provides detailed, well-written accounts that explain why Mary is so important in our lives. There is no preaching, just facts. Mary's role does not end with the birth of Jesus. Surprisingly (or not), she is our gateway to Jesus, and heaven. When you consider it, why would God create a sinless Mary to become the mother of Jesus, only to have her disappear afterward? His plan was to keep her involved in a most important role--as the new Eve, a most loving, supportive, humble, and accessive mother to us all. Most helpful is the Appendix: Daily Ways to Live the Marian Option. This is a very important book for our time. I plan on reading it again, and referring to it often.
November 15, 2024
ENGLISH: This book contains a good compilation of Marian themes and a good defense of the Virgin Mary and praying the Rosary as an aid to solve the problems of today's world, as opposed to simplistic solutions such as returning to family guilds; making us all Benedictines; returning to the technological level of the 19th century; or going back to the Tridentine Church.
This quote is a good summary of the book: [T]he Marian Option... means more than just picking one avenue to battling culture wars... We must decide when faced with the true reality of who Mary is whether we will embrace or reject her love... We must decide if we will go the way of Satan -and so many others who have trampled on her gifts- and reject her. Or we can allow her to love us; to give us peace, joy, and all the virtues, and most important, to bring us to her Son. Mary is the gate of heaven and we must decide if we will follow her.
I really liked Cardinal Sin's anecdote about Mary's intervention in the expulsion of Ferdinand Marcos from the Philippines, especially the final point.
The book is very good, but the author shows she is shaky on history. I have found a certain number of small historical problems that need to be corrected in future editions of the book:
- Chapter 3 says that St. Irenaeus lived in the third century. In fact, almost all of his work was done in the second century, although he died at the beginning of the third century.
- Chapter 4: The Spanish Reconquista had begun long before 1212. The battle of Navas de Tolosa opened the way into Andalucía. By then, more than half of Spain had been reconquered. Also, what she says about the Spanish conquest of Mexico is debatable, and she appears to think that pre-hispanic Mexico was populated exclusively by aztecs.
- Chapter 6: The ages of Francisco and Jacinta Marto are reversed. Jacinta was seven years old, Francisco was eight, about to turn nine. Her comments about the history of Russia, just before the Revolution, are also debatable.
- Chapter 7: The word "mariolatry" is mispelled as "mariolotry." "Lumen Gentium" and "Sacrosanctum Concilium" are not documents written by Pope Paul VI, as stated in the references to chapters 7 and 8. They are Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council. In chapter 10 the reference is correct.
- Chapter 11: The atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed directly about 100,000 people, not 500,000 as the book says. The Black Death took place in the 14th century, not the 13th.
- Appendix: The phrase The family that prays together stays together was originally used as a motto by Father Peyton in his Family Rosary Crusade, long before Pope John Paul II reminded it.
ESPAÑOL: Este libro contiene una buena recopilación de temas marianos y una buena defensa de la Virgen María como ayuda para resolver los problemas del mundo actual, frente a soluciones simplistas como volver a los gremios familiares; hacernos todos benedictinos; regresar al nivel tecnológico del siglo XIX; o retroceder a la Iglesia Tridentina.
Esta cita es un buen resumen del libro: La Opción Mariana... significa algo más que escoger un camino para luchar contra las guerras culturales... Debemos decidir, cuando nos enfrentamos a la verdadera realidad de quién es María, si abrazamos o rechazamos su amor... Debemos decidir si seguiremos el camino de Satanás -y de tantos otros que han pisoteado sus dones- y la rechazamos. O podemos permitirle que nos ame; que nos dé paz, alegría y todas las virtudes, y lo más importante, que nos conduzca a su Hijo. María es la puerta del cielo y debemos decidir si queremos seguirla.
Me gustó la anécdota del cardenal Sin sobre la intervención de María en la expulsión de Fernando Marcos de Filipinas, especialmente el detalle final.
El libro es muy bueno, pero la autora falla en algunas cuestiones históricas. He detectado pequeños errores que habría que corregir en futuras ediciones del libro:
- El capítulo 3 dice que San Ireneo vivió en el siglo III. En realidad, realizó casi toda su obra en el siglo II, aunque murió a principios del siglo III.
- Capítulo 4: La Reconquista española había comenzado mucho antes de 1212. La batalla de las Navas de Tolosa abrió el camino hacia Andalucía. Para entonces, más de la mitad de España había sido reconquistada. Además, es discutible lo que dice sobre la conquista española de México, y parece pensar que México, antes de la llegada de los españoles, estaba poblado exclusivamente por aztecas.
- Capítulo 6: Las edades de Francisco y Jacinta Marto están invertidas. Jacinta tenía siete años, Francisco ocho, a punto de cumplir nueve. También son discutibles sus comentarios sobre la historia de Rusia, justo antes de la Revolución.
- Capítulo 7: la palabra "mariolatría" está mal escrita. "Lumen Gentium" y "Sacrosanctum Concilium" no son documentos escritos por el papa Pablo VI, como aparecen en las referencias de los capítulos 7 y 8, sino Constituciones del Concilio Vaticano II. En el capítulo 10 la referencia es correcta.
- Capítulo 11: Las bombas atómicas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki mataron directamente a unas 100.000 personas, no 500.000 como dice el libro. La Muerte Negra tuvo lugar en el siglo XIV, no en el XIII.
- Apéndice: La frase La familia que reza unida permanece unida fue utilizada originalmente como lema por el Padre Peyton en su Cruzada del Rosario en Familia, mucho antes de que el Papa Juan Pablo II lo recordara.
This quote is a good summary of the book: [T]he Marian Option... means more than just picking one avenue to battling culture wars... We must decide when faced with the true reality of who Mary is whether we will embrace or reject her love... We must decide if we will go the way of Satan -and so many others who have trampled on her gifts- and reject her. Or we can allow her to love us; to give us peace, joy, and all the virtues, and most important, to bring us to her Son. Mary is the gate of heaven and we must decide if we will follow her.
I really liked Cardinal Sin's anecdote about Mary's intervention in the expulsion of Ferdinand Marcos from the Philippines, especially the final point.
The book is very good, but the author shows she is shaky on history. I have found a certain number of small historical problems that need to be corrected in future editions of the book:
- Chapter 3 says that St. Irenaeus lived in the third century. In fact, almost all of his work was done in the second century, although he died at the beginning of the third century.
- Chapter 4: The Spanish Reconquista had begun long before 1212. The battle of Navas de Tolosa opened the way into Andalucía. By then, more than half of Spain had been reconquered. Also, what she says about the Spanish conquest of Mexico is debatable, and she appears to think that pre-hispanic Mexico was populated exclusively by aztecs.
- Chapter 6: The ages of Francisco and Jacinta Marto are reversed. Jacinta was seven years old, Francisco was eight, about to turn nine. Her comments about the history of Russia, just before the Revolution, are also debatable.
- Chapter 7: The word "mariolatry" is mispelled as "mariolotry." "Lumen Gentium" and "Sacrosanctum Concilium" are not documents written by Pope Paul VI, as stated in the references to chapters 7 and 8. They are Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council. In chapter 10 the reference is correct.
- Chapter 11: The atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed directly about 100,000 people, not 500,000 as the book says. The Black Death took place in the 14th century, not the 13th.
- Appendix: The phrase The family that prays together stays together was originally used as a motto by Father Peyton in his Family Rosary Crusade, long before Pope John Paul II reminded it.
ESPAÑOL: Este libro contiene una buena recopilación de temas marianos y una buena defensa de la Virgen María como ayuda para resolver los problemas del mundo actual, frente a soluciones simplistas como volver a los gremios familiares; hacernos todos benedictinos; regresar al nivel tecnológico del siglo XIX; o retroceder a la Iglesia Tridentina.
Esta cita es un buen resumen del libro: La Opción Mariana... significa algo más que escoger un camino para luchar contra las guerras culturales... Debemos decidir, cuando nos enfrentamos a la verdadera realidad de quién es María, si abrazamos o rechazamos su amor... Debemos decidir si seguiremos el camino de Satanás -y de tantos otros que han pisoteado sus dones- y la rechazamos. O podemos permitirle que nos ame; que nos dé paz, alegría y todas las virtudes, y lo más importante, que nos conduzca a su Hijo. María es la puerta del cielo y debemos decidir si queremos seguirla.
Me gustó la anécdota del cardenal Sin sobre la intervención de María en la expulsión de Fernando Marcos de Filipinas, especialmente el detalle final.
El libro es muy bueno, pero la autora falla en algunas cuestiones históricas. He detectado pequeños errores que habría que corregir en futuras ediciones del libro:
- El capítulo 3 dice que San Ireneo vivió en el siglo III. En realidad, realizó casi toda su obra en el siglo II, aunque murió a principios del siglo III.
- Capítulo 4: La Reconquista española había comenzado mucho antes de 1212. La batalla de las Navas de Tolosa abrió el camino hacia Andalucía. Para entonces, más de la mitad de España había sido reconquistada. Además, es discutible lo que dice sobre la conquista española de México, y parece pensar que México, antes de la llegada de los españoles, estaba poblado exclusivamente por aztecas.
- Capítulo 6: Las edades de Francisco y Jacinta Marto están invertidas. Jacinta tenía siete años, Francisco ocho, a punto de cumplir nueve. También son discutibles sus comentarios sobre la historia de Rusia, justo antes de la Revolución.
- Capítulo 7: la palabra "mariolatría" está mal escrita. "Lumen Gentium" y "Sacrosanctum Concilium" no son documentos escritos por el papa Pablo VI, como aparecen en las referencias de los capítulos 7 y 8, sino Constituciones del Concilio Vaticano II. En el capítulo 10 la referencia es correcta.
- Capítulo 11: Las bombas atómicas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki mataron directamente a unas 100.000 personas, no 500.000 como dice el libro. La Muerte Negra tuvo lugar en el siglo XIV, no en el XIII.
- Apéndice: La frase La familia que reza unida permanece unida fue utilizada originalmente como lema por el Padre Peyton en su Cruzada del Rosario en Familia, mucho antes de que el Papa Juan Pablo II lo recordara.
February 25, 2018
Read like a dissertation. But the writing style isn't why this book grated my nerves. The real reason: it is so unendingly Western/Euro/American centered, so dismissive of cultures that are not a very narrow definition of Western Christianity. Apparently no other cultures are civilized.
Yuck!
It seems the author does not see Christ in any other culture but her own.
Honestly the book disgusted me.
Yuck!
It seems the author does not see Christ in any other culture but her own.
Honestly the book disgusted me.
March 1, 2021
After reading the Introduction and first chapter of "The Marian Option" with a study group, I was excited and I checked out "The Benedict Option" to get more of the background that inspired this book. THAT book was excellent and so I came back to "The Marian Option" with high hopes that were quickly dashed.
The majority of the book was so basic - all wonderful things about Mary that I have read about straight from St. Louis de Montfort, St. Alphonsus Ligouri, and others - but I am sorry to say that it was not written in a fresh or engaging way that gave me new insights or inspired me.
Near the end of the book, Carrie Gress comes back around to how to live the Marian option which essentially boils down to: pray the rosary. Her book, "The Anti-Mary Exposed," which we get a tiny glimpse of in one chapter here, is much better.
Note: I do not agree with her statement that the consecration of Russia was carried out in 1984, a point Father Andrew Apostoli painstakingly tried to prove in "Fatima For Today," which is recommended further reading. I recommend "The True Story of Fatima" by John de Marchi instead.
The majority of the book was so basic - all wonderful things about Mary that I have read about straight from St. Louis de Montfort, St. Alphonsus Ligouri, and others - but I am sorry to say that it was not written in a fresh or engaging way that gave me new insights or inspired me.
Near the end of the book, Carrie Gress comes back around to how to live the Marian option which essentially boils down to: pray the rosary. Her book, "The Anti-Mary Exposed," which we get a tiny glimpse of in one chapter here, is much better.
Note: I do not agree with her statement that the consecration of Russia was carried out in 1984, a point Father Andrew Apostoli painstakingly tried to prove in "Fatima For Today," which is recommended further reading. I recommend "The True Story of Fatima" by John de Marchi instead.
August 9, 2017
The Benedict Option was coined by Rod Dreher after same-sex marriage was approved in the United States. He stated that Christians in post-Christian America needed to adopt St. Benedict as their guide and to try to strengthen the church if they wanted it to survive. Since the publication of this book there have been many books choosing other saints or saintly figures. However, Dr. Carrie Gress is the first to realize and point out that for any renewal to take place, we must have Christ's mother Mary at the heart of the renewal. That is why she penned The Marian Option.
The book begins by talking about the persecution Christians have faced since their origin. For 2000 years, there have been many tests and trials Christians have undergone. During these times, different people responded and reacted in different ways. St. Benedict, who is covered in this first chapter, experienced a crumbling Roman society much like we are facing a crumbling American society. Dr. Gress examines him more closely and discusses why he chose to retreat to the desert. She then spends the next two chapters explaining how Mary is considered the most important woman in human history and how we she has influenced art, architecture, music, literature, etc. The next three chapters focus on her geopolitical influence in three of her most famous apparitions - Guadalupe, Lourdes, and Fatima. The next four chapters are the meat of the book and focus on tough issues that Catholics have to always answer and defend. How much or how little devotion is Mary due? What is her relationship with the three Persons of the Trinity? How is she our Mother and the Mother of the Church? And lastly, why is it people are so anti-Mary? The final chapters of the book provide concrete ways to have Mary at the heart of our lives including practical and simple ways for a family to do this, such as praying the Rosary, going to Mass, wearing a Brown Scapular and/or Miraculous Medal, consecrating yourself to Mary, and many other easy things.
The Marian Option is a simple but brilliant book that walks us through not only the historical and cultural significance of Mary, but also her spiritual significance as well. I particularly enjoyed the case study at the end of the book on Pope John Paul II. If anyone in recent memory has shown us how to live a life devoted to Mary, it was this great man. What makes this book stand out from other books on Mary, apart from the message inside, is the beautiful presentation on the outside. It is a beautiful, blue hardcover with gold lettering on the cover, and a dust jacket to match. It is a worthy presentation for a book that you will want to read more than once. If you can read just one book on Mary this year, I recommend it be this one.
This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2018
This was an interesting read and a challenging one. Admittedly, I haven't read very many books on Marian theology. but I was blown away by some of the insights which Dr. Gress made. She manages to clearly explain aspects of Mary's role in salvation history which before had seemed very obscure. I think that, ultimately, this book has improved my devotion towards our Blessed Mother by helping me understand who she is and what she does. That alone is of incredible value.
However, I cannot claim that this book is a real page-turner. While Dr. Gress is certainly an eloquent writer, her style just doesn't appeal to me that much. I was interested in the content, but I had to fight to stay interested in the way that content was presented to me, and thus it took longer to finish than I would have liked. This may, however, be just a matter of personal taste; another reader may find her quite congenial.
As a side-note, bear in mind that Dr. Gress is not a historian, so take her generalizations of periods of history with a grain of salt.
In summary, the content of this book is very good. For anyone who desires to know more of who the Blessed Virgin Mary is or feels the need for some reinforcement in their understanding of her, I encourage them to pick up this book. Though I did not find her style very interesting (especially in the latter half of the book, now that I think about it), I don't think we should hold that too harshly against her. Who knows? Maybe you'll find Dr. Gress' writing style endearing.
4 stars for Stella Maris content (bad attempt at a pun/joke/whatever), but I can't quite give a full 5 stars because of the deficiencies in writing style.
However, I cannot claim that this book is a real page-turner. While Dr. Gress is certainly an eloquent writer, her style just doesn't appeal to me that much. I was interested in the content, but I had to fight to stay interested in the way that content was presented to me, and thus it took longer to finish than I would have liked. This may, however, be just a matter of personal taste; another reader may find her quite congenial.
As a side-note, bear in mind that Dr. Gress is not a historian, so take her generalizations of periods of history with a grain of salt.
In summary, the content of this book is very good. For anyone who desires to know more of who the Blessed Virgin Mary is or feels the need for some reinforcement in their understanding of her, I encourage them to pick up this book. Though I did not find her style very interesting (especially in the latter half of the book, now that I think about it), I don't think we should hold that too harshly against her. Who knows? Maybe you'll find Dr. Gress' writing style endearing.
4 stars for Stella Maris content (bad attempt at a pun/joke/whatever), but I can't quite give a full 5 stars because of the deficiencies in writing style.
May 18, 2021
This book opens with interesting and beautiful thoughts about culture. She describes true culture as "God's love made visible". It was an easy read.
Dr. Gress makes the point that art and beauty don't exist for their own sake, but are meant to point to something higher. They are meant to direct our hearts and souls toward God. She also makes a compelling case for Mary's historical importance and demonstrations how civilizations dedicated to her have flourished culturally. Roughly the first 70 pages follow in this vein and were intellectual brain candy. It is the type of material that you want to read with a glass of wine while pausing to ponder life.
She references that we live in a deeply fallen (arguably anti-catholic) world, but doesn't dwell there. Her writing is surprisingly hopeful and inspiring. And she describes Mary as "a woman, who in her silence, drowns out the shrill individualism toward which that rest of the city is lunging". Wow. What beautiful imagery. Powerful but pleasant. A paradigm shift from the modern culture.
After roughly 70 pages, the tone shifts as Dr. Gress dives into Mariology - the theological study of Mary, the mother of Jesus. I have so many thoughts after reading this! This would be a great book for catholics to read together and discuss. I could follow the majority of her theological arguments, but there were a few that were too deep/new for me to understand. I would love to own this book and study it over time. I did take it to adoration and received profound promptings by the Holy Spirit. The book starts as an interesting book on culture and civilization but evolves into deep spiritual writing. The later part of the book requires quiet reading and reflection, but in return, yields glimpses of eternal Truth and Beauty.
At the end of the book, Dr. Gress offers suggestions of how to integrate and honor Mary in your daily life. Some ideas that jumped out at me included:
-Place Marian art in your home
-Have your home blessed
-Visit Marian shrines
-Pray the Angelus at noon
-Wear a scapular and/or miraculous metal
-Plant 'Mary' flowers
Dr. Carrie Gress is banned on Facebook (really not sure why after reading this book - it was very beautiful and upbuilding). I was able to get the book through MelCat (a statewide inter-library loan system) but I would love to have a personal copy. There were many sections I wanted to highlight and revisit!
Dr. Gress makes the point that art and beauty don't exist for their own sake, but are meant to point to something higher. They are meant to direct our hearts and souls toward God. She also makes a compelling case for Mary's historical importance and demonstrations how civilizations dedicated to her have flourished culturally. Roughly the first 70 pages follow in this vein and were intellectual brain candy. It is the type of material that you want to read with a glass of wine while pausing to ponder life.
She references that we live in a deeply fallen (arguably anti-catholic) world, but doesn't dwell there. Her writing is surprisingly hopeful and inspiring. And she describes Mary as "a woman, who in her silence, drowns out the shrill individualism toward which that rest of the city is lunging". Wow. What beautiful imagery. Powerful but pleasant. A paradigm shift from the modern culture.
After roughly 70 pages, the tone shifts as Dr. Gress dives into Mariology - the theological study of Mary, the mother of Jesus. I have so many thoughts after reading this! This would be a great book for catholics to read together and discuss. I could follow the majority of her theological arguments, but there were a few that were too deep/new for me to understand. I would love to own this book and study it over time. I did take it to adoration and received profound promptings by the Holy Spirit. The book starts as an interesting book on culture and civilization but evolves into deep spiritual writing. The later part of the book requires quiet reading and reflection, but in return, yields glimpses of eternal Truth and Beauty.
At the end of the book, Dr. Gress offers suggestions of how to integrate and honor Mary in your daily life. Some ideas that jumped out at me included:
-Place Marian art in your home
-Have your home blessed
-Visit Marian shrines
-Pray the Angelus at noon
-Wear a scapular and/or miraculous metal
-Plant 'Mary' flowers
Dr. Carrie Gress is banned on Facebook (really not sure why after reading this book - it was very beautiful and upbuilding). I was able to get the book through MelCat (a statewide inter-library loan system) but I would love to have a personal copy. There were many sections I wanted to highlight and revisit!
June 1, 2019
Kind of a slow, dry start. Read like a dissertation. But the second half got better and spoke more to my heart than my intellect like the first half did. The "option" isn't really fully explained until the last few chapters. I really enjoyed reading the book, and definitely feel a pull to pray the Rosary more often. There were some very deep parts that were very uplifting, but also some very dry ones. Expect it to be slow going at first, but in the end it's worth it.
June 29, 2017
Mary is the key. :)
January 15, 2023
Very approachable book explaining Mary's role in the Church and in our lives, particularly showing the power of her miracles and her influence on saints. Gress offers devotion to Mary as the beginning of a solution to healing the crisis of our culture today, suggesting specific ways in the back of the book of how to live out a life devoted to Mary (Marian consecration, praying the Rosary, praying a Hail Mary when you hear a siren, wearing the Brown scapular, etc.) I liked how she tied in quotations from many different saints, popes, and church councils; it really showed the depth of her research.
Personally, I felt that it was mostly a reiteration of lots of things I had heard before - not that it wasn't good to hear them again - so I feel like this book will be appreciated more by people who are less familiar with Marian devotion. Solid theology, just not my favorite.
Personally, I felt that it was mostly a reiteration of lots of things I had heard before - not that it wasn't good to hear them again - so I feel like this book will be appreciated more by people who are less familiar with Marian devotion. Solid theology, just not my favorite.
April 5, 2022
Okay — the book is very much an overview on Marian apparitions and devotion to Mary. I was hoping the book would go in a lot deeper on Devotion to Mary, but it was more of an “intro” book.
November 8, 2024
Comprehensive and compelling book about devotion to Mary and how it has shaped history and culture. I already knew the stories in the book about apparitions, icons and saints, but they are told in a very pleasing manner.
February 1, 2025
Contrary to the evident popular belief among the two people I received feedback from, I enjoyed The Marian Option. I must admit that it has a weak thesis; the Marian Option as opposed to the Benedictine Option is never explored beyond Chapter 1 at most, and most of the book could be transplanted to or from any generic Catholic book on Mary. That being said, the work is still good, and the content is solid. What I gained from my reading time was the sense that, where Catholics can get caught up in theological arguments and theories, most Mariology comes from an openness of heart and a mutual love of Christ with Our Lady. Honestly, given that it sometimes feels like the non-denominationals think about Jesus that way, I'm surprised more of them aren't Catholic. One's relationship with Mary is going to be limited if we can't develop past the written dogmas and irrefutable facts. At a certain point, the emphasis needs to shift from facts to relationship - being sure not to mis-order our loves or honors - but focusing on how we relate to Our Mother as a person, and not as a "teaching of the church." Sometimes we can forget that Mary, and to some extent Jesus, are real people - and if The Marian Option didn't supply a lot else, it still serves as a good reminder of that.
April 20, 2020
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book (and these are just personal opinions.) I tend to seek out books about our Blessed Mother, and very much enjoy reading about Our Lady and what others have to say. For the most part, the author offers some particularly unique and beautiful insights about Mary (especially at the end of the book.)
It was not my favorite book about Mary, although it got better as I read. However, there were some very bold and unsupported claims (quite frankly, they were ignorant jabs) made by the author. They made me feel uncomfortable. At the end of the day I felt challenged by them, but some things I read I was thinking "wow I cannot believe that comment was published in this book!" I should have known about the intense/ bold claims since I read the Anti-Mary/ Toxic Femininity book by Dr. Gress earlier this year. I have more quams about some of the bold claims/ strong opinions by the author in that other book actually.
The writing style is not my cup of tea. If you're into Church History and more of the academic and formal theology, this might be more up your alley. It literally reads like a dissertation. A refreshing challenge and brain flex for me since I don't read as many "proper theology" books.
It was not my favorite book about Mary, although it got better as I read. However, there were some very bold and unsupported claims (quite frankly, they were ignorant jabs) made by the author. They made me feel uncomfortable. At the end of the day I felt challenged by them, but some things I read I was thinking "wow I cannot believe that comment was published in this book!" I should have known about the intense/ bold claims since I read the Anti-Mary/ Toxic Femininity book by Dr. Gress earlier this year. I have more quams about some of the bold claims/ strong opinions by the author in that other book actually.
The writing style is not my cup of tea. If you're into Church History and more of the academic and formal theology, this might be more up your alley. It literally reads like a dissertation. A refreshing challenge and brain flex for me since I don't read as many "proper theology" books.
October 26, 2021
Unlike many readers who have bashed this book, I have actually read it from cover to cover, and I have gotten many treasures from it. I appreciate the simplicity with which this author wrote the book. What I liked most is that she drizzled so many bits of history and facts all over the book that I was forced to research them and look up many other authors which contributed to my over all learning. Finally, I much agree with her last point, which is pray the Rosary. She makes a good case based on sound historical data that attribute the victories of Catholics all over Europe and the Americas to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I for one, am Mexican. And I have a love for the blessed Mother because she pulled the Mexican people from the fangs of the demonic Aztec priests who were murdering hundreds of thousands of Native Mexicans as sacrificial offerings to the gods. With the coming of the Spaniards who also brought Christianity to Mexico, and the Virgen de Guadalupe, Mexicans were free from human sacrifice, cannibalism, and polygamy. From this book I learned that there is a Virgen de Guadalupe in Spain, that pre-dates OUR Virgen de Guadalupe. I much agree with the author, that the blessed Virgin Mary probably meant for the words in Nahuatl to sound like the Arab-Spanish word Guadalupe. As you can see, this book weaves together the cultures of many different regions of the world, cultures that have been touched by the little Jewish woman named Mary. Any person ignorant of Christianity and the Catholic Culture altogether, will easily chalk this book up as being " Euro/Western" centered and they will bash it. They will bash it also because they have been brainwashed to believe that anything European is evil. But just know they speak out of ignorance. You go ahead and read this book, and look up the historical facts sprinkled with in it. You will find yourself pleasantly surprised.
March 11, 2019
I was sorely disappointed with this book. It's not easy to read as it jumps around from one Marian apparition to another, examples of people's personal experiences and stories of her interventions in time of war with no clear storyline. Practical advice is not to be found until one get to the Appendix and I was already doing everything listed there! My advice is skip it and read the Benedict Option instead.
April 30, 2020
My exact thoughts when I finished this were “okay, cool, glad that’s done.” Rather than being spiritually formative, this book read like a mixture of scholarly articles strung together with a treatise on why everyone who doesn’t pray the rosary as often as Dr. Gress thinks they should is a terrible person. It just doesn’t read like a book showing love to Our Lady.
March 25, 2021
A beautiful, important book about how turning to Mary in our own lives can affect civilization change. We don't need to retreat into the hills--we need to learn from Mary!
January 1, 2020
Great book, really hoping to see the Marian Option concept developed further in the future. What I anticipated the entire book to be only started around page 150, but once I finished I realized this is, while perhaps not new conceptually, new in the sense of an explicitly defined model. Dr. Gress treated the Marian Option mostly as a scholarly work in her writing but manages to keep the language easily accessible and by the foundation she lays a reader of any faith even with a minimal understanding of Mary (as an historical or religious figure) will be able to pick this up and learn much. Highly recommend this book and I hope to see more works developing this concept in the near future.
February 26, 2021
While the topic is very wholesome and the author did a lot of research (though most seemed to come from one place: UDayton's site), it was very difficult to read because there was a quote in almost every sentence. It seemed more like a research paper or a presentation. There was one chapter that had only a few quotes, allowing for more of the author's words, which ended up being my favorite chapter. Sadly, I finished the book not knowing what the Marian Option is... Though, it did seem that The Benedict Option, which I have not read, was made out by this author to be a prerequisite for this book. I really wanted to love this book!
September 17, 2025
In my limited experience of reading just two of her books, I can honestly say, Dr. Gress does not miss.
This was an instant favorite and easily one of my favorite Marian books. Not only is an explanation of Marian dogmas, and an exploration of many of Our Lady's apparitions, but it also plainly shows Mary, by God's grace (she is Full of Grace, after all) working throughout history., and thereby shaping it .Always lovingly pointing the faithful toward her Divine Son and interceding for us with her prayers when needed.
So good. Will definitely be re-reading. Recommended for all Christendom and even for Muslims who honor her as "Maryam " n their Quran.
This was an instant favorite and easily one of my favorite Marian books. Not only is an explanation of Marian dogmas, and an exploration of many of Our Lady's apparitions, but it also plainly shows Mary, by God's grace (she is Full of Grace, after all) working throughout history., and thereby shaping it .Always lovingly pointing the faithful toward her Divine Son and interceding for us with her prayers when needed.
So good. Will definitely be re-reading. Recommended for all Christendom and even for Muslims who honor her as "Maryam " n their Quran.
September 22, 2018
Hope in Troubled Times
I read the Kindle version of this book although I really prefer to read a book with pages I can flip and feel. Just my preference but it is convenient to have digital versions of books.
This was a great read for me as it really laid out the history and the benefits of Marian devotion. As a convert to Catholicism, it was informative and enlightening. It was also a great companion as I went on a Pilgrimage to various Marian Shrines in Europe.
Praying the Rosary and Consecration to Jesus through Mary is truly our Hope for these troubled times.
I read the Kindle version of this book although I really prefer to read a book with pages I can flip and feel. Just my preference but it is convenient to have digital versions of books.
This was a great read for me as it really laid out the history and the benefits of Marian devotion. As a convert to Catholicism, it was informative and enlightening. It was also a great companion as I went on a Pilgrimage to various Marian Shrines in Europe.
Praying the Rosary and Consecration to Jesus through Mary is truly our Hope for these troubled times.
May 23, 2019
A refreshing rejection of peak wokeness. Gress talks about Christianity, culture, etc in traditional ways that contrast with our ultra-PC atmosphere and I am here for it. My only criticism is that there is very little practical “option” here - there is an appendix of suggestions for personal devotions and so on, but I would have liked more on that and on the way that Mary can combat our rotten culture today (I’m guessing that may be reserved for her other book).
If it makes the SJWs mad, it’s probably legit. Lol
If it makes the SJWs mad, it’s probably legit. Lol
February 3, 2018
Loved it!
Direct, clear. Inspirational, and full of interesting facts and stories. I've always had trouble reciting the rosary. But knowing it's proven power as the strongest and most powerful weapon we have against the evil one, I'm more determined than ever to keep it up and get kids to say it and teach them why it's so important. God bless
Direct, clear. Inspirational, and full of interesting facts and stories. I've always had trouble reciting the rosary. But knowing it's proven power as the strongest and most powerful weapon we have against the evil one, I'm more determined than ever to keep it up and get kids to say it and teach them why it's so important. God bless
March 12, 2019
I loved this book. Gress gives a wonderful summary of the history of Marian devotion and how that devotion has influenced culture and history itself. As a covert to Catholicism I’ve always struggled with Mariology and this book really helped me put Mary into perspective. The Marian Option is the answer to the brokenness of the world today.
July 2, 2019
Very enriching & well crafted. Marian devotees will find this little book very helpful. Looking forward to reading more books on religious topics by Gress in the near future. The Bibliography & page wise footnotes are treasures of extra reading material on Mother Mary & those who were devoted to the Marian Way. God bless !
February 10, 2020
This book was very educational. Well researched & cited, it goes through various Marian apparitions and miracles throughout history, and how Mary has influenced the world, as well as saints like JPII who had particular devotions to Mary. Overall very interesting!
If you know a lot about this topic already it might be helpful to use the many texts cited in this book for further reading.
If you know a lot about this topic already it might be helpful to use the many texts cited in this book for further reading.
September 1, 2021
I’m a hard rater, so take the two stars with a grain of salt. It was just…”meh.” I didn’t really learn anything profoundly new. Mostly just expounding on how amazing the Blessed Virgin is and how she is always with us and has done incredible miracles to which I say: duh! Cradle-Catholics…well, *this* cradle Catholic was hopefully not the target audience 😂
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