Searching for Mary

Thousands of people are flocking to sites where apparitions of the Virgin Mary are said to be appearing. This growing phenomenon has become more than just a following. Searching for Mary is a personal account of Mark Garvey's travels to nine sites across the United States-from Bayside, New York, to Conyers, Georgia, to California City, California-where the visions have been seen. Through conversations with those attending the events, the mystery, spectacle, uncertainty, and absurdity that is often a part of this Marian worship is revealed. Casting a critical, journalistic eye on the thriving congregation, Garvey puts the cults of Mary in psychological and historical perspective. Providing the intellectual background necessary for a full understanding of what draws believers in, Garvey also discloses the questionable validity of the apparitions and the disapproval of the Catholic Church. Searching for Mary is an enlightening look at a fascinating phenomenon nearly as old as Christianity itself. • This is an ever-growing phenomenon; apparitions continue to be reported all over the world. • Mark Garvey's unique, worldly, personal approach is witty and endearing, appealing to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. • Searching for Mary is the only book of its kind. • Garvey visits nine sites throughout the United States, giving this book regional appeal.