God-Sent

May 1, 2000
"Before we puzzle over the X Files, let's read the M files," writes Varghese, claiming that such phenomena as UFO sightings may actually represent apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Varghese's exposition of 33 appearances of Mary to mystics, seers and saints throughout Church history is unlikely to convince anyone not already predisposed to believe. He asserts, for example, that a rosary prayer circle in post-World War II Austria was responsible for the Soviets pulling out of the country in 1955, an event for which there was no "humanly plausible explanation." (A decade of pressure from the Allies and a pledge of nonalignment from the Austrians suggests otherwise.) Still, anyone interested in contemporary religious experience will benefit from this book, which collects stories of Marian appearances in places such as Lourdes and Fatima along with some of the purported revelations given there. Despite the impact of secularism, reports of appearances by Mary exploded in the 20th century, so much so that many devotees believe we are living in a final "Marian age," standing on the brink of a "great chastisement" to be followed by Armageddon. Though Catholic leaders officially keep such ideas at arm's length, they are passionately held by millions of believers. Anyone who wants to understand popular Catholicism would be well served to study the material Varghese has gathered here.

June 15, 2000
With dedication and scholarship, Varghese makes an important contribution to the nearly 700 titles currently in print on Mary, mother of Jesus, with this unique compilation of 34 accredited and, in more recent times, scientifically investigated apparitions. Over 20,000 events have been reported over the centuries, and many more are believed to have occurred to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. In simple terms, and by profound manifestations, Mary's messages consistently call humanity to turn from sin, do penance, and pray, and they predict many cataclysmic events long before their time. Varghese, a leader in a Marian society, has edited volumes on the relationship between religion and the sciences (Cosmos, Bios, Theos; Cosmic Beginnings and Human Ends). In addition to the better-known apparitions of Lourdes and Fatima, he examines more recent stories and excerpted messages from Rwanda, Syria, Ukraine, Japan, Ecuador, Bosnia, and elsewhere while explaining the objective evaluation criteria employed. Recommended for most religious collections.--Anna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., NY

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2000
Varghese furnishes a comprehensive overview of all the accredited apparitions of the Virgin Mary through the ages. Although there have been more than 20,000 reported Marian sightings throughout history, the author confines himself to analyzing the 67 mystical appearances that have been investigated and validated by contemporary ecclesiastical and, in some cases, civil authorities. Divided into three main sections, this inquiry offers concise chronicles of all the major apparitions, examines the often profound historical impact of these apparitions, and provides an exquisite portrait gallery of the images of the Virgin as witnessed by individual or collective visionaries of various cultures and time periods. Also included are a chronology of the officially sanctioned apparitions and the exact text of the words spoken by the Virgin to the visionary during each individual visitation. What emerges as astounding are the parallels that can be drawn between many of these apparitions. This intriguing combination of the spiritual and the historical will appeal to both serious Marian scholars and the cross-section of readers ever fascinated by the subject of the miraculous. ((Reviewed May 15, 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)