Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Day Three – 3 December

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Day Three – 3 December

By St Maximillian Kolbe OFM (1894-1941) Martyr

OPENING PRAYER

How fair you are, 0 Mary!
The original stain is not in you.
You are the boast of Jerusalem,
You are the joy of Israel.
You are the pride of our people.
You are the advocate of sinners.
0 Mary!
You are the wisest of virgins.
You are the kindest of mothers.
Pray for us.
Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Virgin, you were spotless
from the very moment of your conception.
Because you bore His Son, pray to the Father for us.
Through the spotless conception of the Virgin, 0 God,
You made ready a dwelling place worthy of Your Son.
In anticipation of Your Son’s death,
You preserved her from every stain.
Please purify us by her intercession,
so that we might find our way to You.
We ask this through Christ our lord.
Amen

Daily Readings and Meditations for each day of the Novena are given here, followed by two closing Novena Prayers for each day.

Day 3:  The Immaculata’s Place in God’s Plan of Creation and Salvationday 3 imm conception novena 3 dec 2019.jpg

Reading:
The Immaculata appears in this world, without the least stain of sin, the masterpiece of God’s hands, full of grace.   God, the most Holy Trinity, beholds the lowliness (i.e., the humility, the root of all her other virtues) of His handmaid and “does great things” for her (cf. Lk 1:49).   God the Father gives her, His own Son to be her Son, God the Son descends into her womb and God the Holy Spirit forms the Body of Christ in the womb of this most pure virgin.   “And the Word was made flesh” (Jn 1:14).   The Immaculata becomes the Mother of God.

The fruit of the love of God in His Trinitarian life and of Mary the Immaculata, is Christ, the God-man.   Henceforth, all the other sons of God must be modelled after this first Son of God, the God-man, the infinite One.   They must reproduce His traits, by imitating Christ, souls reach sanctity. . . .   This is the union brought about by the spousal love of the soul for Christ, through its resemblance to Him and by God’s action.

But if anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother. . . . Since the firstborn Son, the God-man was conceived only with the specific consent of the most Blessed Virgin, the same must hold true for all men, who must be conformed to their first model in all things (“Sketches for a book,” 1940).

Meditation:
From all eternity, God has designed a unique plan for each one of us, no two being identical.   His ultimate aim, is that we all be fully united to the Lord.   May the Immaculata, from her unique position in God’s plan, foster our growing conformity to Christ.

Closing prayers:

Novena Prayer to the Immaculata

I greet you, ever-blessed Virgin,
Mother of God throne of grace,
miracle of almighty power!
I greet you, sanctuary of the most Holy Trinity
and Queen of the universe,
Mother of mercy and refuge of sinners!
Most loving Mother,
attracted by your beauty and sweetness
and by your tender compassion,
I confidently turn to you
and beg of you, to obtain for me of your dear Son
the favour I request in this novena
………………………… (here mention you request).
Obtain for me also, Queen of Heaven,
the most lively contrition for my many sins
and the grace to imitate closely,
those virtues which you practised so faithfully,
especially humility, purity and obedience.
Above all I beg you to be my mother
and protectress,
to receive me into the number of your devoted children
and to guide me from your high throne of glory.
Do not reject my petitions, Mother of mercy!
Have pity on me and do not abandon me
during life or at the moment of my death.

Daughter of the Eternal Father,
Mother of the Eternal Son,
Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
Temple of the adorable Trinity,
pray for me.
Immaculate and tender Heart of Mary,
refuge of the needy and hope of sinners,
filled with the most lively respect, love and gratitude,
I devote myself forever to your service
and I offer you my heart,
with all that I am and all that belongs to me.
Accept this offering,
sweet Queen of Heaven and earth
and obtain for me of your dear Son, Jesus Christ,
the favours I ask through your intercession in this novena.
Obtain for me also a tender, generous, constant love of God,
perfect submission to His adorable will,
the true spirit of a Christian
and the grace of final perseverance.
Amen

Closing Prayer of Identification with the Immaculata

O Immaculate Conception, Mary, my Mother,
live in me, act in me, speak in and through me.
Think your thoughts in my mind,
love through my heart.
Give me your own dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide me to Jesus.
Correct, enlighten and expand my entire personality and life.
Replace me with yourself.
Incline me to constant adoration and thanksgiving,
pray in and through me.
Let me live in you
and keep me in this union always.
Amen

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, franciscan OFM, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY GHOST, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Day Two – 2 December

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Day Two – 2 December

By St Maximillian Kolbe OFM (1894-1941) Martyr

OPENING PRAYER

How fair you are, 0 Mary!
The original stain is not in you.
You are the boast of Jerusalem,
You are the joy of Israel.
You are the pride of our people.
You are the advocate of sinners.
0 Mary!
You are the wisest of virgins.
You are the kindest of mothers.
Pray for us.
Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Virgin, you were spotless
from the very moment of your conception.
Because you bore His Son, pray to the Father for us.
Through the spotless conception of the Virgin, 0 God,
You made ready a dwelling place worthy of Your Son.
In anticipation of Your Son’s death,
You preserved her from every stain.
Please purify us by her intercession,
so that we might find our way to You.
We ask this through Christ our lord.
Amen

Daily Readings and Meditations for each day of the Novena are given here, followed by two closing Novena Prayers for each day.

Day 2:   The Immaculata as Spouse of the Holy Spiritday 2 imm conception novena 2 dec 2019.jpg

Reading:
United to the Holy Spirit as His Spouse, the Immaculata is one with God in an incomparably more perfect way than can be predicated of any other creature.  What sort of union is this?   It is above all an interior union, a union of her essence with the “essence” of the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit dwells in her, lives in her.   This was true from the first instant of her existence.   It was always true, it will always be true.

In what does this life of the Spirit in Mary consist?   He himself is uncreated Love in her, the Love of the Father and of the Son, the Love by which God loves Himself, the very love of the most Holy Trinity.   He is a fruitful love, a “Conception.”   Among creatures made in God’s image the union brought about by married love is the most intimate of all (cf. Mt 19:6).   In a much more precise, more interior, more essential manner, the Holy Spirit lives in the soul of the Immaculata, in the depths of her very being.   He makes her fruitful, from the very first instant of her existence, all during her life and for all eternity (“Sketches for a book,” 17 February 1941).

Meditation:
To grow in daily awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us is a constant challenge that God gives to each and all of us.   May the Immaculata’s perfect life in the Holy Spirit, cause a sharpening, of our own attentiveness, to His presence at the core of our inner selves.

Closing prayers:

Novena Prayer to the Immaculata

I greet you, ever-blessed Virgin,
Mother of God throne of grace,
miracle of almighty power!
I greet you, sanctuary of the most Holy Trinity
and Queen of the universe,
Mother of mercy and refuge of sinners!
Most loving Mother,
attracted by your beauty and sweetness
and by your tender compassion,
I confidently turn to you
and beg of you, to obtain for me of your dear Son
the favour I request in this novena
………………………… (here mention you request).
Obtain for me also, Queen of Heaven,
the most lively contrition for my many sins
and the grace to imitate closely,
those virtues which you practised so faithfully,
especially humility, purity and obedience.
Above all I beg you to be my mother
and protectress,
to receive me into the number of your devoted children
and to guide me from your high throne of glory.
Do not reject my petitions, Mother of mercy!
Have pity on me and do not abandon me
during life or at the moment of my death.

Daughter of the Eternal Father,
Mother of the Eternal Son,
Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
Temple of the adorable Trinity,
pray for me.
Immaculate and tender Heart of Mary,
refuge of the needy and hope of sinners,
filled with the most lively respect, love and gratitude,
I devote myself forever to your service
and I offer you my heart,
with all that I am and all that belongs to me.
Accept this offering,
sweet Queen of Heaven and earth
and obtain for me of your dear Son, Jesus Christ,
the favours I ask, through your intercession in this novena.
Obtain for me also a tender, generous, constant love of God,
perfect submission to His adorable will,
the true spirit of a Christian
and the grace of final perseverance.
Amen

Closing Prayer of Identification with the Immaculata

O Immaculate Conception, Mary, my Mother,
live in me, act in me, speak in and through me.
Think your thoughts in my mind,
love through my heart.
Give me your own dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide me to Jesus.
Correct, enlighten and expand my entire personality and life.
Replace me with yourself.
Incline me to constant adoration and thanksgiving,
pray in and through me.
Let me live in you
and keep me in this union always.
Amen

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Day One – 1 December

Novena in Preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Day One – 1 December

By St Maximillian Kolbe OFM (1894-1941) Martyr

OPENING PRAYER

How fair you are, 0 Mary!
The original stain is not in you.
You are the boast of Jerusalem,
You are the joy of Israel.
You are the pride of our people.
You are the advocate of sinners.
0 Mary!
You are the wisest of virgins.
You are the kindest of mothers.
Pray for us.
Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Virgin, you were spotless
from the very moment of your conception.
Because you bore His Son, pray to the Father for us.
Through the spotless conception of the Virgin, 0 God,
You made ready a dwelling place worthy of Your Son.
In anticipation of Your Son’s death,
You preserved her from every stain.
Please purify us by her intercession,
so that we might find our way to You.
We ask this through Christ our lord.
Amen

Daily Readings and Meditations for each day of the Novena are given here, followed by two closing Novena Prayers for each day.DAY ONE IMM CONCEPTION NOVENA - ST MAXIMILLIAN KOLBE - TRINITY 1 DEC 2019

Day 1: The Immaculata’s Relationship to the Trinity

Reading:
From all eternity the Father begets the Son and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son.   This life of the most Holy Trinity is re-echoed in numberless and various ways, by the creatures that issue from God’s hands. . . .   Every act of love in God comes forth from the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God creates, maintains in existence, gives life and growth in the natural as well as in the supernatural order.   In His love, God supports in existence all His innumerable limited created resemblances and the love-reaction that is provoked in the creature, can return to the Father only through the Holy Spirit and the Son.. .
Among creatures, the summit of this love that goes back to God is the Immaculata, the one being totally without any stain of sin, all beautiful, all divine.   At no time did her will ever deviate from God’s will.   With all its strength, her will was always at one with His. In her there came about the marvellous union of God with creation.
(Kolbe’s “Sketches for a Book,” 1940).

Meditation:
Cultivating a personal relationship with each member of the Holy Trinity is an obligation for every individual.   May the Immaculata’s love-response to each of the Three Divine Persons, serve as a model and stimulus for each of us.

Closing prayers:

Novena Prayer to the Immaculata

I greet you, ever-blessed Virgin,
Mother of God throne of grace,
miracle of almighty power!
I greet you, sanctuary of the most Holy Trinity
and Queen of the universe,
Mother of mercy and refuge of sinners!
Most loving Mother,
attracted by your beauty and sweetness
and by your tender compassion,
I confidently turn to you
and beg of you, to obtain for me of your dear Son
the favour I request in this novena
………………………… (here mention you request).
Obtain for me also, Queen of Heaven,
the most lively contrition for my many sins
and the grace to imitate closely,
those virtues which you practiced so faithfully,
especially humility, purity and obedience.
Above all I beg you to be my mother
and protectress,
to receive me into the number of your devoted children
and to guide me from your high throne of glory.
Do not reject my petitions, Mother of mercy!
Have pity on me and do not abandon me
during life or at the moment of my death.

Daughter of the Eternal Father,
Mother of the Eternal Son,
Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
Temple of the adorable Trinity,
pray for me.
Immaculate and tender Heart of Mary,
refuge of the needy and hope of sinners,
filled with the most lively respect, love and gratitude,
I devote myself forever to your service
and I offer you my heart,
with all that I am and all that belongs to me.
Accept this offering,
sweet Queen of Heaven and earth
and obtain for me of your dear Son, Jesus Christ,
the favours I ask through your intercession in this novena.
Obtain for me also a tender, generous, constant love of God,
perfect submission to His adorable will,
the true spirit of a Christian
and the grace of final perseverance.
Amen

Closing Prayer of Identification with the Immaculata

O Immaculate Conception, Mary, my Mother,
live in me, act in me, speak in and through me.
Think your thoughts in my mind,
love through my heart.
Give me your own dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide me to Jesus.
Correct, enlighten and expand my entire personality and life.
Replace me with yourself.
Incline me to constant adoration and thanksgiving,
pray in and through me.
Let me live in you
and keep me in this union always.
Amen

Posted in ADVENT QUOTES, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Devotion for December The Immaculate Conception

Devotion for December
The Immaculate Conceptiondecember-month-of-the-imm-conception-1-dec-2018 and 1 dec 2019.jpg

During Advent, as we prepare for the birth of Christ at Christmas, we also celebrate one of the great feasts of the Catholic Church.   The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (8 December-moved to 8 December in 2019) is not only a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary but a foretaste of our own redemption.

In keeping the Blessed Virgin free from the stain of sin from the moment of her conception, God presents us with a glorious example of what mankind was meant to be. Mary is truly the second Eve, because, like Eve, she entered the world without sin. Unlike Eve, she remained sinless throughout her life—a life that she dedicated fully to the will of God.   The Eastern Fathers of the Church referred to her as “without stain” (a phrase that appears frequently in the Eastern liturgies and hymns to Mary), in Latin, that phrase is immaculatus: “immaculate.”

The Immaculate Conception was not, as many people mistakenly believe, a precondition for Christ’s act of redemption but the result of it.   Standing outside of time, God knew that Mary would humbly submit herself to His will and in His love for this perfect servant, He applied to her at the moment of her conception the redemption, won by Christ, that all Christians receive at their Baptism.

It is appropriate, then, that the Church has long declared the month in which the Blessed Virgin not only was conceived but gave birth to the Saviour of the world, as the Month of the Immaculate Conception.

The star of Mary Immaculate shines down on the path of Advent….

What person is more luminous than Mary?

Who can be for us, better than her, the star of hope,

the sunrise that proclaims the day of salvation?

Pope Benedict XVI

Holy light on earth’s horizon,
Star of hope to those who fall,
Light amid a world of shadows,
Dawn of God’s design for all.mary immaculate conception december devotion - holy light on earth's horizon 1 dec 2019.jpg

Mary, Virgin of Advent, may we always walk with you in the light of the Lord, Jesus, the fruit of your womb!    Amenthe star of mary immaculate shines down on the path of advent - pope benedict - dec month of the imm conception 1 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOGMA, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Announcing a Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception – Begins 1 December

Announcing a Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception
Begins 1 December

As the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved forward by one day this year, from 8 to 9 December, due to the 8th being the 2nd Sunday of Advent, we will start the Novena a day later than usual.

This year we will use Reflections and Meditations from St Maximillian Kolbe.

See you there!

 

announcing a novena imm conception begins 1 dec by st Maximillian Kolbe 30 Nov 2019.jpg

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 21 November – Mary the Dawn

Our Morning Offering – 21 November – The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary the Dawn
By Fr Justin Mulcahy CP (1894-1981)
First Published in 1953
Morning Psalter: The Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day.
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine.
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread.
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose Blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood.
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord.
Mary the shrine, Christ the God Adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest.
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s Son.
By all things blest, while endless ages run.

 Amen!mary the dawn,christ the perfect day - lit of the hours - present of mary 21 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DEVOTIO, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MYSTICS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 19 November – St Matilda and the Devotion of the Three Hail Marys

Quote of the Day – 19 November – Tuesday of the Thirty Third Week of Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 19:1–10 and the Memorial of St Matilda/Mechtilde of Hackeborn (c 1241-1298)devotion of the three hail marys - st matilda of hackeborn 19 nov 2019

Devotion of the Three Hail Marys

St Matilda of Hackeborn
was distressed over her eternal salvation
and prayed that the Most Holy Virgin
would assist her at the hour of death.

The Blessed Virgin appeared to her
and reassured her, saying:

“Yes, I will!
But I wish, for your part,
that you recite three Hail Marys
everyday, remembering,
in the first,
the power received
from the Eternal Father,
in the second,
the wisdom received from the Son,
with the third one,
the love that has filled the Holy Spirit”.

The Blessed Virgin taught her to pray
and to understand especially,
how the Three Hail Mary’s,
honour, the three persons
of the Bles

the hail mary - 19 nov 2019.jpg
Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – St Odo of Cluny (c 880–942)

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – The Memorial of Saint Odo of Cluny (c 880–942) Monk and Abbot

“My Lady, Mother of Mercy,
who on this night gave birth to the Saviour,
pray for me.
May your glorious and unique
experience of childbirth,
O Most Devout Mother,
be my refuge.”my lady mother of mercy who on this night gave birth - st odo of cluny's prayer to mary 18 nov 2019.jpg

“Jesus took upon Himself the scourging,
that would have been our due,
in order to save the creature,
He formed and loves.”jesus took upon himself the scourging - st odo of cluny 18 nov 2019.jpg

“]This is the] sacrosanct mystery
of the Lord’s Body,
in whom the whole salvation
of the world consists.”

St Odo of Cluny (c 880–942)this is the sacrosanct mystry of the lord's body - 18 nov 2019 st odo of cluny.jpg

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 27 October – Adoro te Devote, latens Deitas!

Our Morning Offering – 27 October – Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Adoro te Devote, latens Deitas!
I Devoutly Adore You, hidden Deity
By St John Paul II (1920-2005)

We adore You, O wonderful Sacrament
of the presence of the One
who loved His own “to the end.”
We thank You, O Lord,
who edifies,
gathers together
and gives life to the Church.
O divine Eucharist, flame of Christ’s love
that burns on the altar of the world,
make the Church, comforted by You,
evermore caring, in wiping away,
the tears of the suffering
and in sustaining the efforts
of all who yearn for justice and peace.
And you, Mary, “Eucharistic” Woman
who offered your virginal womb
for the incarnation of the Word of God,
help us to live the Eucharistic Mystery
in the spirit of the “Magnificat.”
May our lives be a never-ending praise
of the Almighty who concealed Himself
beneath the humility of the Eucharistic signs.

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas. ..
Adoro te… adiuva me!

I Devoutly Adore You, hidden Deity
I Adore You, help me!adoro te devote latens deitas st john paul 27 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN Saturdays, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYER WARRIORS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the FAMILY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, To JESUS through MARY

Quote of the Day – 26 October – A Saint’s Prayer Corner – St John Henry Newman

Quote of the Day – 26 October – Saturday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Marian Saturdays

As we draw to the end of the Month of the Holy Rosary, let us listen to our newest Saint on the Rosary.and the special virtue of the rosary lies - st john henry newman 26 october 2019.jpg

A Saint’s Prayer Corner

“Now the great power of the Rosary lies in this, that it makes the Creed into a prayer – of course, the Creed is, in some sense, a prayer and a great act of homage to God but the Rosary gives us, the great truths of His life and death, to meditate upon and brings them nearer to our hearts.

And so we contemplate all the great mysteries of His life and His birth in the manger and so too the mysteries of His suffering and His glorified life.   But even Christians, with all their knowledge of God, have usually more awe than love of Him and the special virtue of the Rosary lies in the special way in which it looks at these mysteries, for with all our thoughts of Him are mingled thoughts of His Mother and in the relations between Mother and Son, we have set before us the Holy Family, the home in which God lived.

Now the family is, even humanly considered, a sacred thing, how much more the family bound together by supernatural ties and, above all, that in which God dwelt with His Blessed Mother.”

Below is part of Newman’s cell in the Birmingham Oratory.   One sees clearly the Rosary beads hanging on the wall, in a prayer corner with devotional images and items.

May he pray for us!st john henry's rosary and prayer corner - office deovotional images.JPG

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, HYMNS, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 26 October – Ave Maria, Amen

Our Morning Offering – 26 October – Saturday of the Twenty-ninth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and a Marian Saturday

Ave Maria, Amen
Traditional Catholic Hymn/Poem
Unknown Author

A song ascends from vale to heights,
from town to town a hundred times,
Ave Maria, Amen.

In every place the earth around,
at every bells resound,
Ave Maria, Amen.

All creatures, be they low or high,
send joyous songs up to the sky,
Ave Maria, Amen.

Stars near each other in their rays
and greet each other on their ways,
Ave Maria, Amen.

The angels at the throne of God
with harps and flutes the Highest land,
Ave Maria, Amen.

And all the blest in paradise
to joyous, happy praise give rise,
Ave Maria, Amen.

Thus praises sound through space and time
in everlasting, glorious rhyme,
Ave Maria, Amenave maria amen - trad catholic hymn poem - 26 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 22 October – Be with Us, More and More

Our Morning Offering – 22 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

Be with Us, More and More
By St John Paul II (1920-2005)

Be with us, more and more.
Meet us more and more often
because we need it so much.
Speak to us by your motherhood,
by your simplicity and by your holiness.
Speak to us
by your Immaculate Conception!
Speak to us continually!
And obtain for us the grace–
even if we are distant–
of not becoming insensitive
to your presence in our midst.
Amenbe with us more and more - st pope john paul 22 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC TIME, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 19 October – An October Prayer

Our Morning Offering – 19 October – Saturday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and a Marian Saturday in October!

An October Prayer

Mother, at thy feet is kneeling
One who loves thee–it’s thy child
Who has sighed so oft’ to see thee,
Bless me, Mother, Mother mild.
And when storms are raging round me,
And when tempests hover near,
In thy own sweet arms enfold me,
Shield me, Mother, Mother dear.
Mother, when my Saviour calls me
From this world of sin and strife,
Clasp me upon thy spotless bosom,
Let me bid farewell to life.
Plead for me when Jesus judges,
Answer for me when He asks
How I’ve spent so many moments,
How performed so many tasks.
Tell Him I was weak and feeble,
Yes, that I so often strayed
From the thorny path of virtue
To the one with roses laid.
Yet, O Mother, tell my Jesus
That I loved Him fond and true
And, O Mother, dearest Mother,
Tell Him I belong to you.
Then He’ll place me (yes, I feel it)
Close to thee, O Mother dear,
Then I’ll praise and bless and thank thee
Thru eternity’s long years.
Amen

Catholic Telegraph Register, 4 October 1957an october prayer - 19 oct 2019 .jpg

 

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 12 October – O Mother of Jesus and my Mother

Our Morning Offering – 12 October – Saturday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Year C – a Marian Saturday

O Mother of Jesus and my Mother
By Bl John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

O Mother of Jesus and my Mother,
let me dwell with you, cling to you
and love you with ever-increasing love.
I promise the honour,
love and trust of a child.
Give me a mother’s protection,
for I need your watchful care.
You know better than any other
the thoughts and desires of the Sacred Heart.
Keep constantly before my mind
the same thoughts,
the same desires,
that my heart may be filled with zeal
for the interests of the Sacred Heart
of your Divine Son.
Instil in me a love of all that is noble,
that I may no longer be easily turned to selfishness.
Help me, dearest Mother,
to acquire the virtues that God wants of me,
to forget myself always,
to work solely for Him,
without fear of sacrifice.
I shall always rely on your help
to be what Jesus wants me to be.
I am His; I am yours, my good Mother!
Give me each day your holy and maternal blessing
until my last evening on earth,
when your Immaculate Heart
will present me to the heart of Jesus in heaven,
there to love and bless you
and your divine Son for all eternity.
Ameno mother of jesus ad my mother - 12 oct 2019 john henry newman .jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, PAPAL MESSAGES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – Our Lady of the Rosary

Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – Our Lady of the Rosary

“Never,
as in the Rosary,
do the life of Jesus
and that of Mary,
appear so deeply joined.
Mary lives
only in Christ
and
for Christ!”never, as in the rosary - st john paul - no 15 rosarium virginis  mariae 7 oct 2019.jpg

“By making our own,
the words of the Angel Gabriel
and Saint Elizabeth contained in the Hail Mary,
we find ourselves constantly drawn
to seek out afresh in Mary,
in her arms and in her heart,
the “blessed fruit of her womb.”

by making our own, the words of the angel gabriel - st john paul 7 oct 2019

“The centre of gravity
in the Hail Mary,
the hinge, as it were,
which joins its two parts,
is the name of Jesus.”

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

#15, 24 and 33 – Apostolic Letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae”the centre of gravity - st john paul rosarium virginis mariae 7 oct 2019.jpg

“Mary joins us, she fights at our side.
She supports Christians in the fight
against the forces of evil… through the Rosary.”mary-joins-us-in-the-fights-against-evil-opope-francis-7-oct-2018.and 2019

“Do you pray the Rosary each day?”

Pope Francisdo-you-pray-the-rosary-each-day-pope-francis-7-oct-2018.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Our Morning Offering – 7 October – Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary (Excerpt)

Our Morning Offering – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Bl Bartholomew Longo (1841-1926) – Apostle of the Holy Rosary and the Month of the Holy Rosary

Excerpt from the
Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii
also known as
Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary
By Blessed Bartholomew Longo (1841-1926)

O Blessed Rosary of Mary,
sweet Chain,
which binds us to God,
Bond of love,
which unites us to the Angels,
Tower of salvation
against the assaults of hell,
safe Port in our universal shipwreck,
we shall never abandon you.
You will be our comfort
in the hour of agony.
To you, the last kiss of our dying life.
And the last word from our lips
will be your sweet name,
O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii,
O dearest Mother,
O Refuge of Sinners,
O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted.
Be Blessed everywhere,
today and always,
on earth and in Heaven.
Amensupplication to the queen of the holy rosary by bl bartholomew longo 7 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Nine – 6 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Nine – 6 October

Day Nine: We Pray for the Virtue of Wisdom
and for our private intentions

At the end of this journey of prayer together,
Let us today, turn to Our Divine Father
and pray, so that we may be granted
the gift of wisdom and discernment,
to enable us to
Understand,
Distinguish,
Separate
and Decide between the good and evil.
We pray for the ability
to make the right judgement for
and about others, as well as for ourselves,
according to God’s Will.
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.day nine novena to our lady of the rosary no 2 6 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Eight – 5 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Eight – 5 October

day eight novna to our lady of the rosary 5 oct 2019

Day Eight: We Pray for the Virtue of Faith
and for our private intentions

Thank You, Jesus
You our Great Mystery,
For Your life
that transcends our understanding,
For Your presence
from which we can never flee,
for Your Resurrection
which is never defeated
and for the gift of faith
that enables us to trust
even in the midst of our doubts
and fears.
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 5 October – O Mary, My Mother

Our Morning Offering – 5 October – Saturday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, the Memorial of St Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) and a Marian Saturday

O Mary, My Mother
By St Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938)

O Mary, my Mother
and my Lady,
I offer You my soul, my body,
my life and my death
and all that will follow it.
I place everything in Your hands.
O my Mother,
cover my soul with Your virginal mantle
and grant me the grace
of purity of heart, soul and body.
Defend me with Your power against all enemies
and especially against those
who hide their malice
behind the mask of virtue.
O lovely lily!
You are for me a mirror,
O my Mother!
Amen

(Diary 79)o mary my mother - st faustina - 16 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Seven – 4 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Seven – 4 Octoberday seven novena to our lady of the rosary 4 oct 2019

Day Seven:  We Pray for the Virtue of Fortitude
along with our private intentions

Holy Spirit,
may we be granted today,
the virtue by which
we do the right thing,
even in the midst of hardship.
We ask Thee to consider our need
for courage and bravery,
so that we may stay strong,
to do what is good.
You alone know how often,
in our lives, many situations arise
in which it becomes difficult
to do the right thing,
even when we know what it is.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
Our Lord
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Six – 3 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Six – 3 October

Day Six:  We Pray for the Virtue of Meekness
along with our private intentions.

O Jesus,
our pride, stubbornness
and lack of faith labelled each thorn
as it pierced Your Sacred Head.
Our exclusion of spiritual realities
tightened the branches around Your Head.
Our lack of confidence in Your Mercy
and the lukewarmness of our love,
braided torture into a wreath of unspeakable pain.
O Jesus, let us NEVER forget Your love for us all
and the reparation You offered the Father for our sake.
Let our soul magnify the Lord by humility of heart,
purity of mind
and a gentle spirit,
so that we may overcome pride, vainglory and resentments
and look forward for an increase in faith.
Send Your beloved Mother and ours, O Lord,
to teach us meekness and humility.
Make us like unto Yourself, O Lord,
“for I am meek and humble of heart.”
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.DAY SIX NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY 3 OCT 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Five – 2 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Five – 2 October

Day Five – We Pray for Purity of Heart
and our personal intention:

The Ever-Virgin Mary was
and remains pure in charity,
chastity and love of truth and orthodoxy of faith.
And that purity is divine
because it is inspired by God!
Each of us benefits from the purity of Mary,
regardless of how difficult it is
to be pure in charity, chastity
and right belief,
IT IS POSSIBLE… We WILL be pure
when we adopt the attitude of Our Blessed Lady
and seek the divine purity
that even yet radiates from Her.
By abandoning ourselves to God as she did,
we open ourselves to fresh opportunities of achieving purity.
(The Virtue of Purity: An Undivided Heart by Msgr Charles M Mangan)

To Our most holy Mother.
To you do we pray first with heartfelt thanks
for your YES to the Father.
Grant us your guidance
and assistance to become as pure as you are.

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.day five novena to our lady of the rosary 2 oct 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Four – 1 October

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Four – 1 October

Day Four – We Pray for the Virtue of Humility
and our personal intention:

May Almighty God
give us compassion
and humility in our hearts.
Let us be kind, gentle, generous,
loving, giving and forgiving
wherever we may go.
Allow pride to never get the best of us
as You fulfil our dreams.
Help us not to have a boastful tongue
against our brothers.
Let humility invade our souls…
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.DAY FOUR - NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY 1 OCT 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Devotion for October, The Month of the Holy Rosary

Devotion for October,
The Month of the Holy Rosaryoctober month of the holy rosary 1 oct 2019

Current scholarship traces the development of the Rosary to the High Middle Ages period.   The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary.   This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated annually on 7 October.   It was instituted to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary by the faithful.

The feast was introduced by Pope St Pius V (1504-1572) in the year 1571 to commemorate the miraculous victory of the Christian forces in the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571. The pope attributed more to the “arms” of the Rosary than the power of cannons and the valour of the soldiers who fought there.

Legend tells us that the Rosary as a form of prayer was given to St Dominic (1170-1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, who entrusted it to him as an aid in the conflicts with the Albigensians.   The Dominican pope, St Pius V, did much to further the spread of the Rosary and it thereafter became one of the most popular devotions in Christendom.   It was the same Pope St Pius V, who in 1569 officially approved the Rosary in its present form with the Papal Bull, Consueverunt Romani Pontifices.   It had been completed by the addition of the second half of the “Hail Mary” and the “Glory be to the Father” at the conclusion of each mystery.

In the Middle Ages it came into being in various medieval monasteries as a substitute for the Divine Office for the lay monks and devout lay persons, who did not know how to read.   Instead of the 150 psalms, they would pray 150 “Our Fathers” counting them on a ring of beads known as the crown or “corona.”   With the growth of popularity of Marian devotion in the twelfth century, the “Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary” developed now substituting 150 “Hail Marys” in place of the “Our Fathers.”

The 150 “Hail Marys” were subsequently subdivided into fifteen decades by the young Dominican friar, Henry Kalkar (1328-1408), with each decade referring to an event in the life of Jesus and Mary.   The Dominican, Alanus de Rupe (1428-1478) further divided the episodes in the history of salvation into the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.   He also attributed the origin of the Rosary, then known as the “Psalter of the Blessed Virgin” to St Dominic and thus spurred the Dominican Order to make the Apostolate of the Rosary their special concern.   The Dominicans have, since then, promulgated the Rosary with notable results.

The practice of dedicating the entire month of October to the Holy Rosary developed toward the end of the last century.   Pope Leo XIII (papacy: 1878-1903) strongly promoted the increase of devotion to the Blessed Mother by encouraging the constant use of the Rosary.   Beginning on 1 September 1883, with Supremo Apostolatus Officio, he wrote a total of eleven encyclicals on the Rosary, ending with Diuturni Temporis in 1898.

Many other popes have contributed to help increase devotion to the Rosary by their writings.   In the recent past, St Pope Paul VI ( papacy: 1963-1978) devoted the last section of his Apostolic Exhortation MARIALIS CULTUS to the Angelus and the Rosary (MC 40-55). In this document, he wrote that “the Rosary retains an unaltered value and intact freshness.” (MC, 41)

The Rosary is primarily a scriptural prayer.   This can be summarised by the traditional phrase used by Pope Pius XII (papacy: 1939-1958) that the Rosary is “a compendium of the entire Gospel” (AAS 38 [1946] p. 419).   The Rosary draws its mysteries from the New Testament and is centred on the great events of the Incarnation and Redemption.

St John Paul II called the Rosary his favourite prayer, in which we meditate with Mary upon the mysteries which she as a mother meditated on in her heart (Lk. 2:19) (Osservatore Romano, 44; 30 Oct. 1979) and, as we know, added the five Luminous Mysteries in his Encyclical, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, in 2002.

In this month of October, let us consider this beautiful prayer of the Rosary as a means that we too can use in order to draw closer to Jesus and Mary by meditating on the great mysteries of our salvation.

Adapted from an article by Father Matthew R Mauriello (1996)the seven blessings of the rosary - st louis de montfort - 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRAYERS for PRIESTS

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Three – 30 September

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Three – 30 September

Day Three – We Pray for the Priesthood and Consecrated Life
and our personal intention:

To Our most holy Mother.
To you do we pray first with heartfelt thanks
for those who have said YES to the Father.
Help them to trust in you and your son, Jesus,
in all the challenges that they face.
Teach them patience in all things
and to accept all that happens
and when it happens, in God’s time.
We join them in total consecration to you.
Reclaim us all as you own
and mould us in all ways necessary
to conform to God’s will.
We love you, Mother Mary,
Help us all!

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offences committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.day three NOVENA HOLY ROSARY 30 SEPT 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DEVOTIO, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Two – 29 September

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day Two – 29 September

Day Two – We pray for the Persecuted Church
and our personal intention:

The joy of the Spirit, which was in the heart of Jesus and Mary, is ours in the experience of sincere prayer.
1. We pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit for the leaders of the Church and all the baptised, that we may walk faithfully the way of Jesus Christ.
2. We pray for a deep devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus
and in our prayer to her know that we are primarily opening our hearts to the God of love.
3. We pray for those who are oppressed by war and poverty,that they
may take courage from God who loves us constantly and unconditionally.
Let us pray to the Lord.

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: ………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.day two novena to our lady of the rosary 29 september 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, Hail MARY!, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENA, NOVENAS

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day One – 28 September

Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Day One – 28 September

Day One – We pray for the Holy Church
and our personal intention:

To Mary, Mother of God and our Mother,
who sees how the Catholic Faith
is assailed by the devil and the world,
To Thy protection, we entrust ourselves .
Kindly offer to Thy Divine Son our resolutions and
obtain from Him the graces necessary for us
to keep them unto the end.
Amen

Daily Prayer along with our Daily Rosary:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet.
Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offences committed against your Immaculate Heart and for this special favour which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena:

………………………….. (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son.
If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused.
I know, dearest Mother, that you want me
to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request.
If what I ask for should not be granted,
pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you.
I put all my confidence in you,
since your prayers before God are most powerful.
For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus,
your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary,
pray for our Holy Mother Church
and for our country.

Our Lady of Fatima,
obtain for humanity a lasting peace.

Sweet Heart of Jesus,
be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary,
at the hour of my death,
lead me home.novena to our lady of the rosary day one 28 sept 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 28 September – What Can I Say, Merciful Lady?

Our Morning Offering – 28 September – Saturday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – A Marian Saturday and nearly the end of the Month of The Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin

What Can I Say, Merciful Lady?
St Anselm (1033-1109)
Doctor of the Church

My most merciful Lady,
what can I say about the fountains
that flowed from your most pure eyes
when you saw your only Son before you,
bound, beaten and hurt?
What do I know of the flood
that drenched your matchless face,
when you beheld your Son, your Lord
and your God,
stretched on the cross without guilt,
when the flesh of your flesh
was cruelly butchered by wicked me?
How can I judge what sobs
troubled your most pure breast
when you heard,
“Woman, behold your son,”
and the disciple,
“Behold, your Mother,”
when you received as a son
the disciple in place of the Master,
the servant for the Lord?
Amenwhat can i say merciful lady - st anselm - to the sorrowful mother at the foot of the cross 28 sept 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Announcing a Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary

Announcing a Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary
Begins 28 September
The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is on 7 October.

Please join me in praying a Novena in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary for the nine days preceding her Feast on 7 October and, of course, October is the month of the Holy Rosary.

This feast was instituted to commemorate the victory of Christianity over the forces of Islam at the battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571.   The victory was brought about through the recitation of the Rosary.   In thanksgiving for another victory over the same foes in Hungary in 1715, the feast was extended to the entire Church.
In the course of centuries the Rosary has been a source of abundant blessings.   In her apparitions at Lourdes, France, in 1858 and again at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, Mary urged Catholics to pray the Rosary daily in order to bring about the conversion of sinners and a lasting world peace.   Resolve to say your Rosary every day.   Besides being a beautiful tribute of love to your Heavenly Mother, it will be your support and joy in life and your consolation at the hour of death.announcing the novena to our lady of the rosary 28 sept to 6 october - 26 sept 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUEENSHIP of MARY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 25 September – “O element, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!”

Thought for the Day – 25 September – The Memorial of Blessed Herman of Reichenau/the Cripple OSB (1013–1054) the Author of the Salve Regina

THE “SALVE, REGINA”
RECEIVES AN ADDITION

In the year 1146 Saint Bernard, the illustrious doctor of the Church and abbot of Clairvaux, was travelling through Germany and by the power of his eloquence was rousing the people of that country to the necessity of entering upon another crusade, a spirited one, in order to wrest from the iron grasp of the heathens those places in Palestine that had been sanctified by the footsteps and moistened with the blood, of our holy Redeemer.

Passing from Switzerland, by way of Strasbourg, Saint Bernard sailed down the river Rhine and landed at Spire, on Christmas Eve, 1146.   In a grand procession, composed of the civic societies and trades unions, with their banners waving in the air and holding lighted tapers in their hands, followed in turn by the clergy with their bishop clad in pontifical robes, Saint Bernard was conducted, amid every sign of respect from the multitudes who lined the streets of the city, to the majestic cathedral.

Here, amid the chant of the choristers and the joyful pealing of the bells, the great preacher of the holy wars was met by the Emperor Conrad and all the royal princes of the court, who tendered to their illustrious guest the welcome of their realm.

It was a scene of great magnificence as the saint crossed the threshold of the sacred edifice.   Thousands had to remain outside the building, for the saint’s great reputation for sanctity and the fame of the wondrous miracles that he had wrought, as well as his renowned eloquence, had drawn vast crowds from far and near, eager to get a glimpse of his venerable person.

As the solemn procession, preceded by the cross and other standards, marched slowly up the grand aisle of the cathedral, a choir of a thousand voices chanted the hymn, “Salve, Regina,” or “Hail, holy Queen.”   The lofty vaults of the sacred edifice spanning many altars ablaze with a thousand lights, the soldierly form of the emperor, the venerable mien of the holy bishops, the long files of white-robed priests, the vast crowds of admiring people, the inspiring strains of the music and all this but the expression of truly Catholic hearts, over-powered the soul of Saint Bernard with emotions of intense gratitude to God and His blessed Mother.

The altar was reached as the singers’ voices repeated the last words of the “Salve, Regina.”    A profound silence ensued as the words, “Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exilium ostende” – that is, “Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus,” died away. In a moment of inspiration, and overwhelmed with the loftiest sentiments of piety towards the Blessed Virgin, the great Saint Bernard, in thrilling tones, exclaimed spontaneously,
“O clemens, O pia, O dukis Virgo Maria!”
that is, “O element, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!”

From that moment the “Salve, Regina” continued to have a new ending.   The love-breathing words of Saint Bernard, the honey-tongued doctor, as holy Church styles him, were universally adopted and added, with a will by all, to the “Salve, Regina” originally composed by Blessed Herman the Cripple.

They form a beautiful and fitting ending to a beautiful apostrophe to the Mother of God. In the cathedral at Spire, every day, from that time till our day, the “Salve, Regina” is sung solemnly in memory of the events so sacred which led to the inspired composition of its present ending and in memory of the saint who uttered the beautiful words.

Salve Regina, Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God!

V Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
℟ that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.

Blessed Herman, Pray for Us!
St Bernard, Pray for us!salve regina pray for us - mary 27 march 2019.jpg