Scripture confirms the significance of Mary from the very first book of the Bible to the very last. In Genesis we read of the Promised Redeemer:

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." Gen 3:15 (Douay-Challoner)

and in Saint John's Apocrypha, or Book of Revelations, we are told of his vision of the Woman and the Dragon:

"And a great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." Rev: 12:1 (Douay-Challoner)

As the Mother of God, Mary is our Mother too and, like any mother, is there for us as an advocate to Her Divine Son and our Heavenly Father with the Holy Spirit as our guide. The minute Mary said Yes to the Archangel Gabriel to become the Mother of God, the Tabernacle for Jesus, She became our Co-redemptrix. Christ was our Redeemer, Mary His Mother made it possible for God to allow the God-Man to come to earth for our sins. She became mediator on our behalf. So then, Mary is co-redemptrix,mediatrix and advocate.

Over the centuries we hear of reported Apparitions of the Virgin Mary - some of the more well known and the officially Church-recognised ones are listed on Approved Apparitions. We have looked closely at the approved apparitions of Our Lady at La Salette, Fatima and Amsterdam and tied in the important messages being given to the world since the 19th century to date from them and also from Garabandal, and more recently Medugorje. Both of these are among the others not yet recognised by the Church

Why is She still apparently appearing on earth? I firmly believe that, just as the prophets of the Old Testament were used by God to talk to His people, so too are modern-day prophets or visionaries being used by God and that Mary the Blessed Mother is the heavenly emissary sent by The Father requesting a change in the hearts of men and a return to Him. She and Her Beloved Son are giving us all every chance to alter our ways and turn our hearts back to God through prayer. For this reason devout and good-living people are used as Their 'voice' bringing us messages of peace, repentance, a return to prayer and fasting, etc.

Many, many people, strong in their love of God and His Blessed Mother, have been priviledged to receive visions or inner locutions from both Jesus and Mary. One such is a gentleman from County Cork, Denis O'Leary, who since 1992 has kept a journal of messages given to him by the Lord. His booklet - "Come Let Us Adore Him" allows us to hear what Jesus is asking of us in these turbulent and troubled times. In February 1994 He said:

"My people! Let the caring voice of My Immaculate Mother enter every niche of your hearts. Heed Her every word as she gently instructs you and leads you along the saving way. Through the Mercy of My compassionate Father, the Immaculate Heart has been permitted to visit humanity on the final pilgrimage. This shall become the pilgrimage of Triumph. All that is holy shall Rejoice!".

Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear can see that our world is in a very sorry state indeed and that humankind goes from one depravity to another, heedless of the evil involved and the damage being caused to themselves and others. Satanism and Cult religions are on the rise, death and destruction abound, war and pestilence surround us, legalised murder sees 50 million babies A YEAR scraped from or slaughtered within the womb, yet still we do not heed the warning signs, much less pay heed to our modern-day prophets as they cry out in the wilderness just as John the Baptist did.

Where are the shepherds? Look at the scattered flocks! Our churches are divided, even within themselves, and secret organisations with a focus on anything but God have infiltrated the highest echelons of the Catholic Church, and indeed probably many of the other churches too. Scandals abound and Satan has little work to do within some church organisations, they do it all themselves willingly. We have become politically correct in our attitudes! Our Priests shy away from preaching on sin! Liberalism is taking a strong hold and only to the detriment of the very souls which need proper guidance and instruction.

I believe Our Lady is here among us and begging us, as any Mother would do to their own child - please change your ways! She asks only that we turn away from sin and return to a life of prayer, peace, reconciliation, repentance and increased devotion to Her Beloved Son in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.