I am Patty García and I have been Daughter of Mary since always, but only recently I have been part of the Vincentian Family in Mexico in Vincentian Marian Youth, Sons and Daughters of Mary.

Mary has always been in my life, even when I did not believe in God and although I was not fully aware of her sweet presence, something made me feel that she was with me. On December 26, 2006 (I was already married and had two girls, one of 5, and another of 3 years) I received a call from an acquaintance, offering me to receive the Virgin in my house, to which I said yes. In a few minutes she was at my house with the image; Mary not only entered the four walls, she entered the house of my soul, my life, my plans and entered not only the image, but the living presence of this Tender Lady and my Mother. There was a peace in my soul that began the moment I received her, and that became greater in the three days that lasted her visit. There was a “weird” sense of well-being, something not human, not of this world, that anyone who came into my house felt, and I did not want that feeling to ever end. I did not want to separate myself from the image: I prepared the food at her side, I did not go shopping, I did not go out to do anything while she was a guest of this family. It is worth mentioning that when Mary arrived, I lived very sad and depressed despite having had many achievements in my life, having a great husband, healthy and beautiful daughters, having my parents, my brothers and friends. She brought life to my life. How could it not be so, if he showed me his Son! I was totally in love and surrendered to Her, I just wanted to see Her, but she, sweet and tender, made me meet Jesus. He taught me to talk to Him, to look for Him and to let me be looked, to let myself be loved by The Two; she left in my soul a burning desire to know God and to serve Him.

In a few days, many earlier events of my life began to have Marian sense and of encounter with Christ, and I began to recognize their constant and uninterrupted presence in my life. I remembered that statue that my brother Richard took to my mother: it was the one of the Miraculous Medal. When it arrived we did not know who she was, there was no internet and we knew nothing about her, but it was the “little Virgin” and that was more than enough to prepare a place worthy of Her.

I married in the Parish of the Miraculous Medal in Mexico City, without living near it. The human mediations that acted to make this happen were a couple of members of the Miraculous Medal, my husband’s grandmother and a friend. At that moment, I received from the Vincentian Fathers the first —from many others— sign of affection. And from there, my “conscious relationship with Her” has never been interrupted, my formation, my apostolates, my Marian activities have not stopped, wherever I go I take little Medals of the Immaculate. A week ago I met some friends and I said, “Let me give the baby and his little sister —daughters of one of them— a medallion; I think I bring some here.” And they said to me: “You may not bring money, but you never miss the medallions;” and it’s true, I did not realize that: The day before I did not carry a weight in my bag and I could not pay for the parking of my car, but there were Medallions in my purse. I always give medallions with a frank and authentic smile (this is how She has always seen me). I love Miraculous Mary, I can not be without Her.

I end by saying, with Psalm 116 (115): “What shall I repay to the Lord for all the good that he has done to me?”

Patty García

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