Our Lady of the Dome

(1 Credit Hour) · Undergraduate

What does it mean to practice Marian devotion? What could it mean to love, honor, or place confidence in the woman whose image stands atop the golden dome? This course provides an introduction to Marian devotion by drawing upon the historical treasury of poems, prayers, sermons, and spiritual writings written by men and women of the Holy Cross and found in student, faculty, and alumni publications. With Bl. Basil Moreau, founder of the Holy Cross, students will contemplate the sorrows of Our Lady and her pondering, Immaculate Heart. They will reflect, with G.K. Chesterton, visiting professor in 1930, on how the Queen of Sorrows “has brought joy upon the earth.” They will read the charge of St. Mary’s president, Sr. Madeleva Wolff, to graduates: “You can take her to the world estranged from her. It has no greater need.” The purpose of this course is to offer an opportunity for students to explore and reflect on Mary, devotional practices, and life under the golden mantle of Our Lady of the Dome.