Mary, patroness of Glenmary, reveals her love for rural people in a French apparition that took root in modern North America. By Brother Thomas Nguyen
One of Glenmary’s lesser-known treasures is our devotion to Our Lady of the Fields. But who is she? Why is she the patroness of the Glenmary Home Missioners?
It was St. Denis who first established the chapel to Our Lady of the Fields around 250 AD in what eventually would be Paris, France. At least that’s the story. Legend has it he established a chapel in honor of Mary after taking over a pagan chapel. In modern-day Paris there is still a chapel dedicated to her. It seems that the North American Martyrs, Glenmary’s patrons, some of the first Catholic missioners to this continent, brought the devotion of Our Lady of the Fields from France.
An alleged apparition of Our Lady of the Fields to Ottawanta (now site of Emmitsburg, Maryland) is at the heart of her American story. I say alleged because it is unclear if this apparition actually happened. More important is how it ingrained Mary into American Christianity. Our Lady of the Fields resonated with Native American spirituality because she represented beauty in creation.
This apparition effectively sowed Mary into American soil in another way too. She resonated with farmers and those associated with the fields.
The story about this apparition was spreading around Emmitsburg, Maryland, during the 1800s and 1900s. Father William Howard Bishop would have been a diocesan priest near this area (in Clarksville, about 60 miles away).
Modern connections
There are no official records about why Father Bishop chose Our Lady of the Fields as Glenmary’s patroness (he was near death when he did so), but it seems likely the apparition was behind it.
Most likely Father Bishop was looking for a patron who would resonate with the farmers in rural America. He wanted an image of Mary that could speak to the field workers, the poor.
Just as Our Lady of the Fields made a connection with Native Americans, she continues to speak to the immigrants, field workers, and day laborers in America. Our Lady of the Fields represents all that is beautiful with creation.
Our Lady represents the poor and working class of our society rather than the sophisticated. She speaks to those who dedicate their lives to the fields, working the soil.
She continues to resonate with the Hispanic field workers in our missions. In her there is familiarity because in this image Mary is not depicted as an elevated figure but rather as very human.
Our Lady of the Fields represents a spirituality that is down to earth rather than elevated. She speaks to those who toil in the fields and are forgotten but are an important part of our beautiful nation.
What I find amazing about Our Lady of the Fields is how she truly is an American icon. By this I mean that America is seen as a home to immigrants. We are built by immigrants. Our Lady of the Fields is an immigrant too. She continues to sow the seed of Christ into many people’s hearts.
She continues to inspire many missionaries to come from foreign lands to preach the Gospel to those who are on the fringes of society in the United States. Devotion to her mends divisions of class and prejudice that are still present in our nation.
Especially around the Christmas holiday, Our Lady of the Fields can till the tough soil of our hearts so that we can have a home for Christ. Then we’ll be ready, in the spirit of the season, to bring Christ to others.
Glenmary Brother Thomas Nguyen is nearing his final profession, ministering in Martin County, North Carolina.
This article first appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Glenmary Challenge.
