The Vision of Mary Potter

From 1870, when Mary Potter returned home from the Mercy Sisters and until she suddenly took the train to Nottingham in 1877, these were considered the most spiritually important years of her life.

From the onset of her spiritual journey Mary Potter was influenced by reading St Louis Marie de Montfort’s “Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary”. She consecrated herself to Jesus through Mary and began to live and experience this “sure way of union with God”. She wrote the book the “Path of Mary” in 1876 which is a synthesis of “True Devotion”. She then began to promote Marian spirituality through the example of her life and writings.

In the midst of physical, mental and spiritual suffering Mary Potter opened herself completely to God and received Mystical Experiences over a period of time.

God revealed to her the path she was to follow and these revelations became the essence of the Little Company of Mary Charism and Spirituality. Accepting these visitations as God’s will brought Mary a sense of peace. She now knew that his will was for an Order in the Church whose spirit and model would be Calvary, a Congregation dedicated to prayer and presence for the suffering, sick and dying of the world.

Mary Potter’s vision of Calvary came from John’s Gospel 19: 25-27. “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus saw his mother there and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “This is your Son” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother”. From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” 

Mary Potter understood that as Mary stood beneath the cross of her crucified son, hearing from his dying lips “Woman behold thy son, son behold thy Mother,” at that moment Jesus gave us into the care of his mother who became our mother in faith and Mother of the Church.  Mary’s motherhood is Jesus’ gift to us.