Dante and the Blessed Virgin

"Dante was a literary genius with a profound understanding of St. Thomas Aquinas and the philosophia perennis that structured and permeated the Divina Commedia. Who better to help us get beyond the (brilliant) surface to the depths of Dante than the most literarily genial of Thomas’ twentieth (and twenty-first) century disciples, the indefatigable Ralph McInerny? Dante needed guides, from Vergil to Beatrice, to reach the summit of Paradiso. Fortunately, we have Ralph McInerny to accompany us on the same journey." —Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., Founder and Editor, Ignatius Press

"Weaving together poetry, philosophy and theology, Ralph McInerny shows that 'the Blessed Virgin Mary is the key to Dante.' Starting with the Vita Nuova and the beginning of the Divine Comedy, this becomes ever more explicit throughout the great poem, till the magnificent closing cantos of the Paradiso. The book is beautifully written, making sense of every step, however complex at times, of the great journey to the gate of heaven described by Dante in the Commedia, drawing on Scripture, on Aquinas, on philosophers like Aristotle, on a medley of modern and contemporary writers, with immense learning, always worn lightly and made easily accessible. Dominant are themes that concern everyone, such as love or happiness, are treated with freshness and clarity so the reader is made to feel he or she is discovering them anew. The total effect is joy induced by the incredible wealth of content of this little book and by the light it sheds on so many vital issues." —Thomas De Koninck, Laval University

"The theme of this little book, Dante and the Blessed Virgin, provides a Catholic reader with a unique opportunity to respond to this central element of the great poet's work in a way that goes far beyond scholarly or aesthetic appreciation. . . . So it is that the Catholic can see Dante's devotion to the Blessed Virgin in warm continuity with his own beliefs and practices." —from the Prologue

“The book’s distinguishing feature is its focus on the role played by the Blessed Virgin in the Commedia’s account of Dante’s journey of salvation. . . . McInerny also gives careful and deserved attention to Dante’s depictions of Mary’s virtues that grace the terraces of the Purgatorio and provide the hope-sustaining counterpoint to the sins being expiated there. And he fittingly celebrates the glorification of the Virgin in canto XXIII of the Paradiso.” —America

“Serving as both a uniquely focused companion to the Divine Comedy and a treatise on the enigmatic, central role of Mary in the poem, this offering by the late Ralph McInerny, a noted philosopher, allows the Catholic reader in particular to recognize Dante’s ‘devotion to the Blessed Virgin in warm continuity with his or her own beliefs and practices.’ . . . Viewing Mary as the moral and philosophical key that unlocks the deepest criticism, McInerny writes with clarity, rigor, and élan.” —Choice

“The late McInerny’s final book provides an accessible, skillfully written, and erudite introduction to reading Dante for theological and philosophical content. …McInerny illuminates the religious and philosophical geography that surrounds the Commedia. In doing so, he provides the reader, especially the novice, with a veritable compendium to philosophy in the Commedia.” —Religious Studies Review

“’The Blessed Virgin Mary is the key to Dante’— thus begins the reader’s journey into this beautifully structured and compelling volume by the late Professor Ralph McInerny. Under his skillful guidance, the world of Dante’s creative output is lucidly explored . . . his prose style is captivating. . . . An epilogue to the volume, containing the searing and intimate revelation of Pascal’s mystical words in his Memorial, provides a fitting close to this exceptional and delightful book.” —Parergon

“Dante and the Blessed Virgin exemplifies the faith and scholarship of recently deceased Ralph McInerny. In it, he demonstrates how a prolific and highly respected scholar and professor can use his analytic skills to define the devotional elements in a centuries-old work of literature. Inherent in his study of Dante’s work is his ability to see beyond the purely literary and linguistic aspects of the Divine Comedy to make this often studied work an inspiration for prayer.” —Catholic Library World

“This is a joyful and moving book, highly readable and recommendable to all of Dante’s readers, from the beginner to the most sophisticated ones, who sometimes get lost in their own dark wood. McInerny shows a clear, meaningful path to the ascension of the mountain. The epilogue adds a note of intellectual, spiritual, and earthly joy all at once.” —Sixteenth Century Journal