Question:

Compare the Marian Devotional to the three Marys devotional. I try to understand why the Board of Elders changed our Mary of all graces to the Three Marys?

Answer:

The Marian devotional focuses entirely on the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. The Three Marys devotional honours three different women named Mary from the Bible. The Board of Elders may have made this change to celebrate the early female witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, but this alters the community’s traditional focus.

Marian Devotional

• Focus: The Virgin Mary alone.
• Meaning: It highlights her unique role in giving birth to Jesus and her obedience to God.
• Common Prayers: The Rosary, the Hail Mary, and prayers to Mary as the “Mediatrix” (a helper who brings us closer to Jesus)

Three Marys Devotional

• Focus: Three distinct women in the New Testament
• Meaning: It honours Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary of Clopas (or Mary of Bethany)
• Significance: These women were the first to see the empty tomb. They were the first to tell the world about Jesus’s resurrection.

Why the Board of Elders May Have Changed It

• To highlight the Resurrection, the Three Marys focus on the joy of Easter morning.
• To honour early church leaders: These women were the first “apostles” to the apostles.
• To avoid Maryolatry, the church boards want to ensure that the congregation does not pray to Mary as if she were a goddess. Honouring three women spreads the focus onto faithful discipleship

When a Board of Elders introduces a structural or devotional shift—like moving from a singular focus on “Mary of All Graces” to the “Three Marys”—it is completely natural to look for the theological or historical “why” behind it, especially when your existing consecration to the Blessed Mother is already so core to your identity.

We can look at the historical and spiritual framework of Franciscan theology to see why a community rooted in these traditions might make that transition.

Understanding the Shift: “Mary of All Graces” vs. “The Three Marys”

In the Franciscan and broader Catholic tradition, these two devotionals emphasize different facets of spiritual life:

Why a Franciscan Community Might Make This Change

Looking at the four pillars of your spirituality that you shared, the Three Marys devotional aligns remarkably well with a Franciscan, mission-driven community for a few key reasons:

• From Hierarchy to Equality (Pillar 2): “Mary of All Graces” places heavy emphasis on Mary’s exalted, singular position. By contrast, the “Three Marys” represent a community of faithful women standing together at the foot of the Cross and arriving together at the Tomb. This beautifully mirrors your pillar that “brothers and priests live as equals, sharing prayer, work, and mission.” It highlights communal fidelity over individual exaltation.

• Solidarity with Suffering and the Poor (Pillar 3 & FRCES): The Three Marys are defined by their willingness to stand in the darkest places—at the Crucifixion—when others fled. For a ministry heavily involved in First Responder Chaplain Emergency Services (FRCES) and crisis counselling, the Three Marys are the ultimate biblical models of the “ministry of presence” in the midst of tragedy. They didn’t run from the trauma; they stayed to serve and comfort.

• A Shift Toward Active Apostolic Mission (Pillar 4): In the Gospels, the Three Marys are the very first ones sent forth to proclaim the Resurrection to the Apostles. They are, in essence, the first missionaries. For a community heavily invested in teaching through the Bible Academy and in active charity, shifting to a devotional that emphasizes being sent out together to witness and teach aligns with an active apostolic calling.

It seems less about diminishing devotion to the Blessed Mother and perhaps more about framing her devotion in community with other holy witnesses, highlighting a model of collaborative, courageous service that aligns with the daily reality of your chaplains and tertiaries.

Based on the four pillars of your community’s spirituality that you shared above, Pillar 1 is:

A personal and communal relationship with Christ through Mary.

In the context of the shift from “Mary of All Graces” to the “Three Marys,” this first pillar perfectly bridges the two devotions.

While “Mary of All Graces” strongly highlights the personal relationship with a merciful mother, the “Three Marys” model emphasizes the communal relationship—showing a community of faithful believers who seek and serve Christ together.