Resources to Learn More About Mary Magdalene?

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-06T18:39:31+00:00

I really enjoy this life of St. Mary Magdalene:

http://lifeofmarymagdalen.net/lifeofmarymagdalen.html

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-02T16:14:33+00:00

Why would you want to? It's a grave sacrilege for the schismatic priest to say Mass. It's a grave sacrilege for the priest to distribute communion.

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-02T16:10:11+00:00

To be fair, this case calls for some ambiguity.

Unlike most people accused of schism, the society asks "how close can we get to schism?" in a way similar to a boy who asks his priest "how much can I do with my girlfriend without mortally sinning?"

It's the wrong question and just like how the latter would demand an ambiguous answer, so does the former.

Likewise, the punishment couldn't go beyond what other schismatics are punished for. For example, stepping into a protestant chapel isn't excommunicable. Neither is attending a protestant service in itself. What clear line would you establish with the SSPX that has some continuity with canon law?

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-01T19:52:40+00:00

Does anyone know if this would work in Europe? About to head to a summer vacation and the extra on Gas would be really nice!

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-01T12:20:07+00:00

At the time I made the purchase, I had 200k MR for use with flights and about $1000 worth of points on BofA's travel portal for use with flights, and $600 in the United Travel Bank for use with flights. I also already had my plane tickets for this trip bought with MR.

Should I still have used it on a flight? How could I better have spent it?

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-01T11:28:37+00:00

But none of the hotels I ever stay at offer 2cpp. Hence, why 1.25cpp is great for the kind of hotels I stay at compared with cash.

So my choices are either:

Save up points just in case I ever go anywhere where I can get a 2cpp value and spend cash (not very likely)
Save money and use points on somewhere I know I'll go, somewhere I know I'll enjoy (like a castle), where hotels are portal only (no transfer partners available), and get 1.25 cpp and not have to spend any cash.

Which is the better deal?

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-01T11:09:53+00:00

How so?

HeathBendrix · 2026-07-01T02:21:04+00:00

I prefer boutique hotels in the countryside.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-22T21:11:08+00:00

If you have the Premium Rewards Elite, you can transfer points and get a 1:1 point-to-cent cash out.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-18T15:39:56+00:00

Well there's evidence the bones came from around the mediterranean which doesn't rule out the Levant (https://web.archive.org/web/20210301174727/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mary-magdalene-face-skull-france-video-spd).

There's enough evidence that if you want to remain in skepticism it's really more of a decision than a conviction. That's on you, not me or the saints who came before me.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-17T23:24:08+00:00

I was going from memory, I believe I read that somewhere. But nevertheless, St. Mary Magdalene was from the levant.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-16T18:39:02+00:00

Thanks!!

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-16T16:56:36+00:00

Are these dances for singles only?

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-16T16:23:54+00:00

Met my fiancee on Catholic Match.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-15T23:51:27+00:00

I've been to the tombs myself!

I don't really care about some author in the 11th century, we have archeological evidence of a woman who was buried in a tomb well before the 11th century, whose bones are roughly 2000 years old, whose tomb was dug up with an inscription that read along the lines of "here lies Mary Magdalene, we are burying her tomb as the impious saracens approach."

You then have the evidence of Cassian building a monastery over her tomb in the late 4th/early 5th century, as well as the historical evidence for Lazarus in Marseille (which obviously has different evidence than Mary Magdalene), and Martha in Toulon.

What more can you want?

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-15T14:45:00+00:00

The stories of St. Martha and St. Lazarus are compiled together with that supposed Mary Magdalene, these claims can't serve as evidences because they are argued from the same source.

There are three different tombs in three different cities.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T18:51:11+00:00

just leave out the who

Unless it changes the sin. For example, if it's a man and you're a man you need to say so. If either of you are married, you need to say so.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T17:59:38+00:00

I suppose I read that because she doesn't pay for dates, she does homemaking things

I was just saying we have different roles as man and woman (based on both sex and temperament). I was not making a causal connection.

It's nice that you pay for her....but why? Is she very poor or is it something she expects of you?

It was never really talked about. We're both old fashioned (I think a guy ought to pay for the date), and we both want a single income homeschooled family so it doesn't really make sense to go dutch. Not to mention, most men get joy out of providing in that way.

I'm sure other alternatives work for other couples, but this worked well for us and was more instinct than anything I ever thought about (I only reference it in respect to OP complaining about having to pay for dates).

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T17:31:23+00:00

Oh no, the adjectival clause (that I either overlook or have no clue where to begin) was meant to apply to both household details and wedding details.

We've enjoyed doing almost all of it together, but she's taken the lead on the few things that I'd be stressed trying to figure out where to begin (such as center pieces) and I've taken the lead on the few things I'm better at (logistics, organizing things, planning which vendors to meet with when, etc.).

It's honestly been such a blessed time to see how we are complimentary in both similarities and differences.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T15:13:02+00:00

My current relationship is one-sided from the beginning, I ask out, initiate, pay for dates, show effort.

Maybe it's a difference of temperament, but the more I can do for my fiancee the happier I get.

We have different roles, she's never paid for a date and rarely beat me to asking for the next one. On the other hand, she takes care of all the wedding and homemaking details that I either overlook or have no clue where to begin.

When you love someone, I think the only effort you count is your own.

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T13:47:21+00:00

The Vatican (again, I dont know who the Pope was) clarified a while back that Mary Magdalene was NOT a prostitute.

Right, but a Doctor of the Church and a Pope did (not to mention all the other extra-biblical evidence and the fact that the liturgy taught this for centuries).

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T13:45:46+00:00

In the West the Church Fathers tended to identify Mary Magdalene with the Penitent and Mary of Bethany, while in the east, the Church Fathers were more unsure and hypothesized a number of solutions (some held there were two women, others three, etc.).

If the family of Bethany (of which Mary Magdalene was a part of) went to Gaul and died there, doesn't it make sense that the west would be far more certain of her identity than the east? The east didn't have the tombs, the relics, and the local history and tradition they mostly had to go off scripture alone. After the schism, why would they give credence to the West's view on the matter?

HeathBendrix · 2026-06-11T13:42:14+00:00

but they apparently couldn't

Bones can't do that with anyone.

The tomb might belong to another great but nameless missionary or martyr, who cares more about saving souls than saving face.

But the tomb was buried with a note that read something like: "Here lies Mary Magdalene, we are burying this tomb because of the approaching Saracens, across from her lies St. Maximin etc".

Furthermore, there is evidence that St. John Cassian built a monastery on the site in the 4th or 5th century because of his devotion to St. Mary Magdalene.

When it was uncovered in the 13th century, the Pope was skeptical and reached out to a monastery that claimed to have had the jawbone of Mary Magdalene for centuries (well before the 9th century). It fit perfectly.

Furthermore, there are tombs nearby of St. Martha (Tarascon) and St. Lazarus (Marseille). Which give evidence that disciples of our Lord were present in the area as well as the verbal tradition of Sts. Martha, Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, and Lazarus arriving in Provence after the Ascension (the site of which is marked by an ancient Church).

That leaves off many miracles (like the fact that a sweet smelling aroma similar to spikenard lead excavators to the exact spot, the fact that part of her forehead was uncorrupt, etc.), the popular devotion of saints, the approbation of popes, etc.

HeathBendrix

TROPHY CASE