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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Mary of Magdala	Kristin	Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Question: Dear Brother, Are there any historical writings about Mary of Magdala? Perhaps what happened to her after the death of Our Lord? Where she spent her life? What she did? Thank you for your time.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Kristen: There are many alleged theories, speculations, alleged biographies, movies, etc. about Mary Magdala. Most of the speculations about her come from the Gnostic writings. There is even a Gnostic Gospel of Mary Magdala. Steer clear of these Gnostic sources and non-Catholic sources. Gnosticism was and still is one of the most dangerous heresies the Church has known. There is no credible information to be had from such sources. The non-Catholic sources, even if not using Gnostic material, do not have truth as their motivation. From within the Church there have also been speculations and traditions from Popes and Saints. These sources are trying to know the truth and thus are worth looking at. Anyway, it is best to stay with what we do know and that is from Scripture. We really do not know any more than that. Even within Scripture there is some confusion about her. So stick with Scripture and with the Catholic Encyclopedia article on her, and on reliable and loyal Catholic scholarship. Fr. Williams Saunders has a good article, Who Really was Mary Magdalene? and the Catholics United for the Faith article, St. Mary Magdalene: A Model Penitent. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Mary of Magdala

Kristin

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Question:

Dear Brother,

Are there any historical writings about Mary of Magdala? Perhaps what happened to her after the death of Our Lord? Where she spent her life? What she did?

Thank you for your time.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Kristen:

There are many alleged theories, speculations, alleged biographies, movies, etc. about Mary Magdala. Most of the speculations about her come from the Gnostic writings. There is even a Gnostic Gospel of Mary Magdala. Steer clear of these Gnostic sources and non-Catholic sources. Gnosticism was and still is one of the most dangerous heresies the Church has known. There is no credible information to be had from such sources. The non-Catholic sources, even if not using Gnostic material, do not have truth as their motivation.

From within the Church there have also been speculations and traditions from Popes and Saints. These sources are trying to know the truth and thus are worth looking at.

Anyway, it is best to stay with what we do know and that is from Scripture. We really do not know any more than that. Even within Scripture there is some confusion about her.

So stick with Scripture and with the Catholic Encyclopedia article on her, and on reliable and loyal Catholic scholarship. Fr. Williams Saunders has a good article, Who Really was Mary Magdalene? and the Catholics United for the Faith article, St. Mary Magdalene: A Model Penitent.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum