The title of this article is rather bold. I don’t mean that I have the truth about Mary, but that it is possible to find the truth about Mary, especially through the use of Internet resources. The Marianists founded the University of Dayton in 1850. Based upon their communal Marian spirituality, in 1943 the Marianists founded the Marian Library at the university. With the resources of this library and especially with the electronic resources available at its Web site http://www.udayton.edu/mary/ readers can quickly discover the truth about Mary.

With the appropriate use of frame technology, users can easily move in and out of different sections of this large Web site without ever getting lost or confused. With the help of technology, the Marianists have decided, in their own words, "to present information about the Mother of Jesus and to lead people to a loving knowledge of her who is the first and most holy of the faithful. We call her Our Lady, Madonna, Notre Dame, Domina. Learning more about Mary, we develop a fuller knowledge of Christ who is the fulfillment of human existence." Their approach is the classic approach of Mariology, the study of Mary. Some express this reality in the expression "To Jesus through Mary."

An interesting section is Marian news from the secular press. These articles sometimes focus on the unusual and the unproven. So readers should be aware. However, there is also a section with official magisterial documents explaining the Church’s teaching on Mary. These teachings are arranged in themes and are easy to find and read.

The most prominent feature of this Web site is its search capability. The resources available through the search engine are essential both for the serious researcher as well as for the occasional reader seeking an answer to a particular question.

The University of Dayton does not limit itself to merely holding these great works. Marian research, even empirical research, is encouraged and published. For example, there is an extensive research project entitled "A Faceless Madonna" in which youth were polled to survey their understanding about Marian devotion with 28 different headings. Their responses are categorized in such a way that readers get a very clear view of the role of Mary in the lives of young people. Another interesting research project measures the impressions that people have about Mary based on their perceptions of art projects.

A wide assortment of Marian publications is available from this library. Most of these publications are the results of various research projects. For those who might simply be curious about Mary, there is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section. The answers to these questions give just enough information to whet the appetite to find out more. Those who want to know more about Mary can research the other sections of this Web site. Those with a particular question can submit the question to the university for an answer.

Devotion to Mary has long been a hallmark of our Catholic tradition. There are many, many prayers to Mary that have been passed down through the ages. The majority of the traditional prayers are posted here. However, there are also many newer prayers to Mary, especially those composed by Pope John Paul II. For example, one of the newer prayers is the Litany to Mary, Queen of the Family, and an example of an older prayer is the prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas to Mary, accompanied by a theological and historical explanation. All of this shows that the richness of our faith and traditions is not tied to any one historical period.

Whether you are well versed in Mariology or just a beginner, a visit to this Marian shrine of research and knowledge will help you to discover even more about the beauty and richness of Marian devotion.