Women in the Catholic Church In AD 431, the Council of Ephesus granted Mary the title of Mother of God. In 553, the Council of Constantinople, proclaimed that she was perpetually a virgin. In 863 AD, the pope pronounced the Feast of Our Lady to be equal to the feasts of Easter and Christmas. By the 12th Century, the Hail Mary prayer had become popular, which in turn led to the widespread use of the rosary. According to historian Geoffrey Blainey, Mary had become the "favoured intermediary through whom the ear of God could be reached". She had become an important subject for theologians and
National Catholic Prayer Breakfast a keynote speaker in the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 assemblies. Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke delivered the keynote address at the 2009 prayer breakfast, which also featured Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as guest speaker. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke at the 2016 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast event. National Catholic Prayer Breakfast The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is an annual event that takes place in Washington, D.C. It was created in response to Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. It was established in 2004 and its "founding circle" members included Joseph Cella, Leonard Leo, and Rick Santorum,