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While She didn’t invite conversation I asked Her: Why black? “Black is the holding of all color white its release I am not one one or or the the other but one one yielding to to the the the other I I I am am am black to to the the the extent I I I am am am unknowable I I I am am am white to the the extent I I am am knowable I I am am your Mother you you are My child There is nothing else you need know ”
La Casa de Maria Santa Barbara California
A few years after my meeting with the Black Madonna in in Chartres I was leading a a a a a a a a a a a a a retreat retreat at at at La Casa de Maria a a a a a a a a a a a a a twenty-six-acre retreat retreat center on the banks of San San Ysidro Ysidro Creek in in San San Ysidro Ysidro CA Originally founded in 1955 by the the Sisters of of the the Immaculate Heart of of Mary and later reimagined as as as an interfaith retreat center La Casa was a a a a a a a a a a a refuge for me from 2001 until 2015 when it succumbed to the the devastation of the the Thomas Fire 17
The grounds of of La Casa are home to several statues of of the Virgin and one in particular a a a a a a a a a a statue of of Our Lady of of Guadalupe acted like a a a a a a a a a a magnet pulling me me me me toward Her every time time I visited Over time time it it became my practice to to rise around 2 AM and walk out of my room to to sit with Her It was during one of these early morning visits that She spoke to me “Do you know why I am called a a a a Perpetual Virgin?”
I knew the idea of of Mary as a a a a a Perpetual Virgin from my studies of of Catholicism The idea is is that Mary was a a a a a a a virgin before during and even after giving birth to Jesus Even when the New Testament tells us us that Jesus had both brothers and sisters 18 these are said to be from Joseph’s previous marriage I had assumed that the Church’s insistence of Mary’s Virginity placed Mary in in in in the the the lineage of the the the most important women in in in in the the the Book of of Genesis whose pregnancies were the result of of divine intervention:
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La Casa is rebuilding If you you want to learn more about the center and how you you can help with its rebirth please visit their website: www lacasademaria org/ 18 Mark 6:3
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