Category: MARIAN TITLES

Posted in ADVENT, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – The Memorial of St Juan Diego (1474-1548)

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – The Memorial of St Juan Diego (1474-1548)

“Let not your heart be disturbed.
Do not fear that sickness,
nor any other sickness or anguish.
Am I not here, who is your Mother?
Are you not under my protection?
Am I not your health?
Are you not happily within my fold?
What else do you wish?
Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.”

Our Lady to Juan Diego, 9 December 1531let not your heart be disturbed - our lady - guadalupe - 9 dec 2017

“The Virgin chose Juan from among the most humble
as the one to receive that loving and gracious
manifestation of hers which is the Guadalupe apparition.
The lay faithful share in the prophetic, priestly and royal role of Christ …..
You must be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.”

St Pope John Paul II at the Beatification of St Juan Diego, 6 May 1990the virgin chose juan - st john paul - 9 dec 2017

“Beloved Juan Diego, “the talking eagle”!
Show us the way,
that leads to the “Dark Virgin” of Tepeyac,
that she may receive us in the depths of her heart,
for she is the loving, compassionate Mother,
who guides us to the true God. “

St Pope John Paul II at the Canonisation of St Juan Diego, 31 July 2002beloved st juan - st john paul - 9 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, MARIAN TITLES, MIRACLES, SAINT of the DAY

St Juan Diego’s Tilma – 9 December

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St Juan Diego’s Tilma – 9 December

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the subject of numerous technical studies since 1751 and extensive scientific investigations in recent years, and none of the result offered any sound scientific explanation which, up to this very day, defies science and all human reasoning as it continuous to baffle scientists and even skeptics.

Below are only some of the findings that were drawn from the scientific investigations conducted on the image and the fabric itself which were commissioned by the authorized custodians of the Tilma in the Basilica, and in every case the investigators had direct and unobstructed access to it:

Read all about it here –  http://infallible-catholic.blogspot.co.za/2012/04/miraculous-image-of-our-lady-of.html

Star

Posted in ADVENT, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 9 December

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St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Optional Memorial)

St Adam Scotus
Bl Agustín García Calvo *
Bl Antonio Martín Hernández *
St Auditor of Saint-Nectaire
St Balda of Jouarre
St Bernhard Mariea Silvestrelli
St Budoc of Brittany
Bl Carmen Rodríguez Banazal *
St Caesar of Korone
St Cephas
Bl Clara Isabella Fornari
St Cyprian of Perigueux
Bl Dolores Broseta Bonet *
Bl Estefanía Irisarri Irigaray *
St Ethelgiva of Shaftesbury
St Gorgonia
Bl Isidora Izquierdo García *
Bl José Ferrer Esteve *
Bl José Giménez López *
Bl Josefa Laborra Goyeneche *
Bl Josep Lluís Carrera Comas *
St Julian of Apamea
Bl Julián Rodríguez Sánchez *
St Leocadia of Toledo
St Liborius Wagner
Bl María Pilar Nalda Franco *
St Michaela Andrusikiewicz
St Nectarius of Auvergne
St Peter Fourier
St Proculus of Verona
Bl Recaredo de Los Ríos Fabregat *
St Syrus of Pavia
St Valeria of Limoges
St Wulfric of Holme

Blessed Mercedarian Fathers – (10 beati): The memorial of ten Mercedarian friars who were especially celebrated for their holiness.
• Arnaldo de Querol • Berengario Pic • Bernardo de Collotorto • Domenico de Ripparia • Giovanni de Mora • Guglielmo Pagesi • Lorenzo da Lorca • Pietro Serra • Raimondo Binezes • Sancio de Vaillo

Martyred Salesians of Valencia – (5 beati)
Martyrs of North Africa – (4 saints): Twenty-four Christians murdered together in North Africa for their faith. The only details to survive are four of their names – Bassian, Peter, Primitivus and Successus.

Martyrs of Paterna – (7 beati)
Martyrs of Samosata – (7 saints): Seven martyrs crucified in 297 in Samosata (an area of modern Turkey) for refusing to perform a pagan rite in celebration of the victory of Emperor Maximian over the Persians. They are – Abibus, Hipparchus, James, Lollian, Paragnus, Philotheus and Romanus. They were crucified in 297 in Samosata (an area in modern Turkey).

Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War – (13 beati):
• Blessed Agustín García Calvo
• Blessed Antonio Martín Hernández
• Blessed Carmen Rodríguez Banazal
• Blessed Dolores Broseta Bonet
• Blessed Estefanía Irisarri Irigaray
• Blessed Isidora Izquierdo García
• Blessed José Ferrer Esteve
• Blessed José Giménez López
• Blessed Josefa Laborra Goyeneche
• Blessed Josep Lluís Carrera Comas
• Blessed Julián Rodríguez Sánchez
• Blessed María Pilar Nalda Franco
• Blessed Recaredo de Los Ríos Fabregat

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CONSECRATION Prayers, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception – 8 December, The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception 
On The Feast of the Immaculate Conceptionact of consecration - 8 dec 2017

In the presence of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and with heaven and earth as our witness, we prostrate ourselves at your feet, O Mary, Our Lady.

We acknowledge you as our Mother, as the Immaculate Conception, living tabernacle of the Divinity, as Queen of angels and of men, as Mother of the Church and of the Catholic priesthood and as refuge of the afflicted.   That is why, small and weak as we are, we wish to consecrate to you our families, our persons, our works, our future, all that pertains to us and is in us and which God, in His immeasurable goodness, has entrusted to us for our good use.

We also consecrate to you the value of our good actions, past, present and future, leaving to you the entire and full right of disposing of us and all that belongs to us.   Mary, be our Mother:  sanctify us, purify us, correct us, guide us, pray for us and protect us.

Help us to perfectly fulfill the duties of our state of life.
Extinguish in us all self-love, which prevents your Divine Son, King and Sovereign Priest, from reigning in and around us.

Cover abundantly with your maternal protection all the parishes, chapels, schools, works and missions and may you forever impede the devil from reigning, in any manner in the Church which desires to be entirely yours for the greater glory of God, the protection of our Holy Father and the exaltation of our Mother, the Holy Catholic Church and for the conversion of sinners. Amen.in the presence of god almight - act of consecration immaculate conception - 8 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOGMA, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Thought for the Day – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

In Luke 1:28 the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as “full of grace” (or “highly favoured”). In that context, this phrase means that Mary is receiving all the special divine help necessary for the task ahead. However, the Church grows in understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led the Church, especially non-theologians, to the insight that Mary had to be the most perfect work of God next to the Incarnation. Or rather, Mary’s intimate association with the Incarnation called for the special involvement of God in Mary’s whole life.

The logic of piety helped God’s people to believe that Mary was full of grace and free of sin from the first moment of her existence. Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus . Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God and the role of Mary in our salvation. And never forget, at Lourdes when Bernadette asked of the beautiful Lady ‘who shall I say you are’ she replied “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Pray for us!

And St John Paul in 1998:

“We sang of this Mother in the Liturgy of the Word.  We beheld the Lord’s marvels.   In today’s liturgy, the first words of our hymn were “Tota pulchra es Maria”:  you are all beautiful, O Mary.   In the presence of this beauty, perhaps we find ourselves thinking of the words of the great Fyodor Dostoevski, who wrote that beauty can save the world: your beauty, Mary, which is expressed in the Immaculate Conception.   

We entrust our city, the Church and the whole world to you.   May you be the “Tota Pulchra” who guides us in all hope through the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 towards the future, because you, O Mary, are the Mother of hope.   Praised be Jesus Christ!

At the end of the prayer celebration at  Piazza di Spagna in Rome, the Holy Father added:

Let us conclude this contemplative celebration:  we have beheld your marvels, O Lord. Yes, the “Tota Pulchra” must save the world in the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. 
Praised be Jesus Christ!”mary of the immaculate conception pray for us

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, DOGMA, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, PAPAL MESSAGES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

“Mary, a Virgin,
not only not only UNDEFILED
but a Virgin whom grace
has made INVIOLATE,
FREE from EVERY STAIN of SIN.”

St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor, Sermon 22, in the year 338mary a virgin - st ambrose - 8 dec 2017

The Apostolic Constitution «Ineffabilis Deus», published on 8th December 1854, more 150 years ago, by Blessed Pope Pius IX on the theology regarding the privilege of the Immaculate Conception, in the following solemn proclamation of this Dogma of Catholic faith:

“To the honour of the holy and undivided Trinity, to the worthiness and splendid beauty of the Virgin Mother of God, to the upholding of the Catholic faith and to the furthering of the Christian religion, with the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, with that of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and with Our own authority, we declare, we pronounce and we define the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the very first moments of her Conception, through the singular grace of Almighty God and through the foresight of the merits of Christ Jesus, Saviour of the human race, was preserved immune from all stains of original sin.   We furthermore declare, pronounce and define that this doctrine has been revealed by God and, therefore, has to be strongly and always believed by all the faithful.”  Blessed Pope Pius IX

“As soon as she [Mary] had the use of reason, that is, from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception in the womb of St Anne, from that time she began with all her powers to love her God and thus she continued to do, ever advancing more in perfection and love through her whole life.   All her thoughts, her desires, her affections, were wholly given to God.   Not a word, not a motion, not a glance of the eye, not a breath of hers that was not for God and for His glory, never departing one step, nor separating herself for one moment from the divine love.”…Saint Alphonsus Ligouri  (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 December  – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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One Minute Reflection – 8 December  – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your strength and with all your mind ………………Luke 10:22luke 10 - 22

REFLECTION – Love for Christ pierced Mary’s heart in such a way that no part
of it was left unkindled.   Mary thus fulfilled the first commandment of love
in all its fullness and without the slightest imperfection…………St Bernardlove for christ - st bernard - 8 dec 2017

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help us to imitate Your Immaculate Daughter Mary in her love for You.   Grant us the grace to love You as much as she, all our lives and grant, that through her help and her prayers, we ourselves may come to You , cleansed from our sins. O Mary Immaculate, mother of our Lord, Pray for us! Amenimmaculate mary - pray for us

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Our Morning Offering – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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,
chosen from eternal ages,
you alone of all our race,
by your Son’s atoning merits
were conceived in perfect grace.

Mother of the world’s Redeemer,
promised from the dawn of time:
how could one so highly favoured
share the guilt of Adam’s crime?
Sun and moon and stars adorn you,
sinless Eve, triumphant sign;
you it is who crushed the serpent,
Mary, pledge of life divine.

Earth below and highest heaven,
praise the splendour of your state,
you who now are crowned in glory
were conceived immaculate.
Hail, beloved of the Father,
Mother of his only Son,
mystic bride of Love eternal,
hail, O fair and spotless one!
Fr Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

holy light on earth's horizon - for the solemnity of the Immaculate Con - 8 dec 2017

PRAYER OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE JOHN PAUL II
FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Tuesday, 8 December 1998

1. O Mary!
Here we are again at your feet on the day we celebrate your Immaculate Conception
and we beg you, as the beloved daughter of the Father,
during this year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000,
to teach us to walk in unity to the Father’s house, to make all humanity one family.

2. O Mary!
From the very first moment of life,
you were preserved from original sin
through the merits of Jesus,
whose Mother you were to become.
Sin and death have no power over you.
From the moment you were conceived,
you have enjoyed the unique privilege of being filled
with the grace of your blessed Son,
to be holy as he is holy.
For this reason the heavenly messenger,
sent to announce the divine plan to you, greeted you saying:
“Hail, full of grace” (Lk 1:28).
Yes, O Mary, you are full of grace;
you are the Immaculate Conception.
In you is fulfilled the promise made to our first parents,
the primordial Gospel of hope at the tragic moment of the fall:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman
and between your seed and her seed” (Gn 3:15).
Your seed, O Mary, is the blessed Son of your womb, Jesus, the immaculate Lamb who took upon Himself
the sin of the world, our sin. Your Son, O Mother, has preserved you, to offer all humanity the gift of salvation.
For this reason, from generation to generation, the redeemed ceaselessly repeat the angel’s words:
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28).

3. O Mary!
From East to West, from the very beginning, the People of God profess with faith that you are the all pure, the all holy, the sublime Mother of the Redeemer. The Fathers of the Church unanimously attest to it: pastors, theologians and the greatest confessors of the faith proclaim it. Then, in 1854 my venerable Predecessor, Pope Pius IX, officially recognised the truth of this your privilege.
In everlasting memory of that event, this column was erected here, in the heart of Rome, from where you watch over the city with a mother’s love.
Every year since then, on this solemn feast, the Church and the city of Rome come here with their Bishop to Piazza di Spagna, to honour you, a sign of sure hope for all men and women.
With this annual act of veneration, we profess that we want to return to the original, eternal plan of our Creator and Father, and with the Apostle Paul we repeat:
“Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph 13-4).

4. O Mary!
You are the witness to this primordial choice.
Guide us, O Mother, who know the Way!
Today the People of God and the whole city of Rome
entrust themselves to you, the Immaculate Conception.
Protect us always and lead us all on the ways of holiness. Amen!

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – Solemnity – 8 December

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The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – 8 December

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the solemn belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   It is a Solemnity and is universally celebrated on 8 December, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on 8 September.   It is one of the most important Marian feasts in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, celebrated worldwide.immaculate conception info

By Pontifical designation and decree, it is the patronal feast day of Argentina, Brazil, Korea, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, Spain, the United States and Uruguay.   By royal decree, it is also designated by as the Patroness of Portugal.   It is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church as well as a few other closely related Protestant Christian churches.

On this day since 1854, the Holy See through the Sacred Congregation of Rites grants the Spanish crown the expressed privilege of permitting blue vestments for their present and former territories.   Since 1953, the Pope as Bishop of Rome visits the Column of the Immaculate Conception in Piazza di Spagna to offer expiatory prayers commemorating the solemn event.

The feast was first solemnized as a Holy Day of Obligation on 6 December 1708 under the Papal Bull Commissi Nobis Divinitus by Pope Clement XI and is often celebrated with Holy Mass, parades, fireworks, processions, ethnic foods and cultural festivities in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is generally considered a Family day, especially in many Catholic countries.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is the subject of a lot of misconceptions (so to speak).   Perhaps the most common one, held even by many Catholics, is that it celebrates the conception of Christ in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   That the feast occurs only 17 days before Christmas should make the error obvious!   We celebrate another feast—the Annunciation of the Lord—on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas.   It was at the Annunciation, when the Blessed Virgin Mary humbly accepted the honour bestowed on her by God and announced by the angel Gabriel, that the conception of Christ took place.557px-the_immaculate_conception_by_giovanni_battista_tiepolo_from_prado_in_google_earth

HISTORY OF THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in its oldest form, goes back to the seventh century, when churches in the East began celebrating the Feast of the Conception of Saint Anne, the mother of Mary.   In other words, this feast celebrates the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the womb of Saint Anne;  and nine months later, on 8 September we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The feast arrived in the West probably no earlier than the 11th century and at that time, it began to be tied up with a developing theological controversy.   Both the Eastern and the Western Church had maintained that Mary was free from sin throughout her life but there were different understandings of what this meant.the-immaculate-conception-after-anton-raphael-mengsimmaculate-conception-mosaic

What Is the Immaculate Conception?
DEVELOPMENT OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Because of the doctrine of Original Sin, some in the West began to believe that Mary could not have been sinless unless she had been saved from Original Sin at the moment of her conception (thus making the conception “immaculate”).   Others, however, including St Thomas Aquinas, argued that Mary could not have been redeemed if she had not been subject to sin—at least, to Original Sin.

The answer to St Thomas Aquinas’s objection, as Blessed John Duns Scotus (d. 1308) showed, was that God had sanctified Mary at the moment of her conception in His foreknowledge that the Blessed Virgin would consent to bear Christ.   In other words, she too had been redeemed—her redemption had simply been accomplished at the moment of her conception, rather than (as with all other Christians) in Baptism.

Who Was Born Without Original Sin?
SPREAD OF THE FEAST IN THE WEST
After Duns Scotus’s defense of the Immaculate Conception, the feast spread throughout the West, though it was still often celebrated at the Feast of the Conception of Saint Anne. On 28 February 1476, Pope Sixtus IV extended the feast to the entire Western Church, and in 1483 threatened with excommunication those who opposed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.   By the middle of the 17th century, all opposition to the doctrine had died out in the Catholic Church.immaculbimmaculateconceptionstatue

Posted in ADVENT, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Memorials of the Saints – 8 December

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Immaculate Conception (Solemnity)
Bl Alojzy Liguda
St Anastasia of Pomerania
St Anthusa of Africa
St Antonio García Fernández
St Casari of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
St Eucharius of Trier
St Pope Eutychian
St Gunthildis of Ohrdruf
Bl Jacob Gwon Sang-yeon
Bl Johanna of Cáceres
Bl José María Zabal Blasco
St Macarius of Alexandria
St Marin Shkurti
St Noel Chabanel
St Patapius
Bl Paul Yun Ji-chung
St Rafael Román Donaire
St Romaric of Remiremont
St Sofronius of Cyprus

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN TITLES

DECEMBER is the Month of the Immaculate Conception

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DECEMBER is the Month of the
Immaculate Conception

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) is not only a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary but a foretaste of our own redemption. It is such an important feast that the Church declared the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception a Holy Day of Obligation in most countries.

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: WHAT MANKIND WAS MEANT TO BE
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 IS A RESULT OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTION
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.december - the month of the immaculate conception

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Memorials of the Saints – 21 November

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin (Memorial): Commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child in the Temple where, according to tradition, she was educated.
The feast originated in the Orient probably about the 7th century and is found in the constitution of Manuel Comnenus (1166) as a recognised festival.   It was introduced into the Western Church in the 14th century, abolished by Pope Pius V but re-established by Pope Sixtus V in 1585. Its observance by the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the day of their origin led to the devotion of Mater Admirabilis.
Among the many masters who have represented this subject are: Alberti, Fra Bartolommeo, Biagio, Agostino, Carracci, Cima da Conegliano, Cossa, Holbein the Elder, Palma, Piombo, Tintoretto and Titian.Presentation of the blessed virgin - headerNov+21+Presentation+of+the+BVM+1presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-01Presentation of the blessed virgin

Mary Mother of the Church:  Bl Pope Paul VI explicitly proclaimed Mary Mother of the Church and asked that she honoured and invoked with this title by all the Christian people.   The title “Mother of the Church” thus reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ but also of the faithful.   She who is recognised as mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church.
Pope Paul VI would have liked the Second Vatican Council itself to have proclaimed “Mary Mother of the Church, that is, of the whole People of God, of the faithful and their Pastors”. He did so himself in his speech at the end of the Council’s third session (21 November 1964), also asking that “henceforth the Blessed Virgin be honoured and invoked with this title by all the Christian people” (AAS 1964, 37).   In this way, my venerable Predecessor explicitly enunciated the doctrine contained in chapter eight of Lumen gentium, hoping that the title of Mary, Mother of the Church, would have an ever more important place in the liturgy and piety of the Christian people. – St Pope John Paul II

mary mother of the church

Our Lady of Quinche: Also known as
• La Pequeñita
• Virgen de Monte del Sol
• Virgin of the Rock
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the image of a cedar statue in Quinche, Ecuador. About two foot tall, it was carved in 1586 by Don Diego de Robles, an artist who created many other images of Mary.   He carved it on order from the Lumbici Indians, who were unable to pay for it at delivery. Diego traded the statue to the Oyacachi Indians in exchange for a large load of cedar for future projects.
Legend says that the vision of Our Lady appeared in a cave to some of the Oyacachi, promising to the protect their children; the image Diego brought for trade looked just like the lady in the vision.   The Oyacachi asked Diego to stay and help them build a shrine for the statue; he declined and started home.   His horse threw him as they crossed a bridge and Diego was miraculously saved after he had prayed for Our Lady’s intervention;  he understood that this was a sign, went back to the Indian, and built an altar for the statue.
In 1604 the statue was moved to the local village of Quinche and a chapel was built for it. A new sanctuary was built in 1630 where the statue stayed until the church was destroyed in an earthquake in 1869.   The church was re-built and housed the image until moved to another new church in 1928; in 1985 the Vatican proclaimed the chapel to be a national sanctuary of Ecuador.   Many miracles, especially healings, have been associated with the image and there is a huge catalogue of songs in several languages that have been written in devotion over the centuries.
Patronage – Equador.Our Lady of Quinche

—
St Amelberga of Susteren
St Celsus the Martyr
St Clement the Martyr
St Demetrius of Ostia
St Digain
Bl Eoin O’Mulkern
St Pope Gelasius I
Bl Gelasius O’Cullenan
St Heliodorus of Pamphylia
St Hilary of Vulturno
St Honorius of Ostia
Bl Maria Franciszka Siedliska
St Maurus of Cesena
St Maurus of Porec
St Maurus of Verona
Bl Nicholas Giustiniani
St Rufus of Rome
—
Martyrs of Asta – 3 saints: Three Christians martyred together for their faith during the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them to survive are their names – Eutychius, Honorius and Stephen. They were martyred in c 300 at Asta, Andalusia, Spain.
—

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feasts of the Blessed Virgin and Memorials of the Saints – 16 November

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St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) (Optional Memorial) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LcMcv-bKDU
St Margaret of Scotland (1045-`1093) (Optional Memorial) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-xpWepZ8VY

Patronage of Our Lady:  Feast permitted by a 1679 decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites for all provinces of Spain, in memory of the victories obtained there over infidels. Pope Benedict XIII granted it to the Papal States and it may now be celebrated with due permission by churches throughout the world.

Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn/Our Lady of Ostra Brama:  is the prominent Catholic painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by the faithful in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, Lithuania.   The painting was historically displayed above the Vilnius city gate; city gates of the time often contained religious artifacts intended to ward off attacks and bless passing travelers.
The painting is in the Northern Renaissance style and was completed most likely around 1630.   The Virgin Mary is depicted without the infant Jesus.   The artwork soon became known as miraculous and inspired a following.   A dedicated chapel was built in 1671 by the Discalced Carmelites.   At the same time, possibly borrowing from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the painting was covered inexpensive and elaborate silver and gold clothes leaving only the face and hands visible.
In 1702, when Vilnius was captured by the Swedish army during the Great Northern War, Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn came to her people’s rescue.   At dawn, the heavy iron city gates of the gate fell crushing and killing four Swedish soldiers.   After this, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Army successfully counter-attacked near the gate.
In the following centuries, the following grew stronger and Our Lady became an important part of religious life in Vilnius.   The following inspired many copies in Lithuania, Poland and diaspora communities worldwide.   In 5 July 1927, the image was canonically crowned as Mother of Mercy.   The chapel was visited by St Pope John Paul II in 1993.   It is a major site of pilgrimage in Vilnius and attracts many visitors, especially from Poland.

Lady_of_the_Gate_of_Dawn,_Vilnius_Lithuania
Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
Gate_of_Dawn_Exterior,_Vilnius,_Lithuania_-_Diliff
The Gate of Dawn in Vilnius; the painting can be seen through the glass window

St Afan of Wales
St Africus of Comminges
Bl Agnes of Assisi
St Agostino of Capua
St Alfric of Canterbury
St Anianus of Asti
St Céronne
St Edmund Rich of Abingdon
Bl Edward Osbaldeston
St Elpidius the Martyr
St Eucherius of Lyon
St Eustochius the Martyr
St Felicita of Capua
St Fidentius of Padua
St Gobrain of Vannes
St Ludre
St Marcellus the Martyr
St Othmar of Saint Gal
Bl Simeon of Cava
—
Martyrs of Africa – (11 saints)

Martyrs of Almeria – (9 saints): Soon after the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the Communist-oriented Popular Front had all clergy and religious arrested and abused as they considered staunch Christians to be enemies of the revolution. Many of these prisoners were executed for having promoted the faith and this memorial remembers several of them killed in the province of Almeria.
• Adrián Saiz y Saiz
• Bienvenido Villalón Acebrón
• Bonifacio Rodríguez González
• Diego Ventaja Milán
• Eusebio Alonso Uyarra
• Isidoro Primo Rodríguez
• Justo Zariquiegui Mendoza
• Manuel Medina Olmos
• Marciano Herrero Martínez
Beatification – 10 October 1993 by St Pope John Paul II

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast of Our Lady Aparecida, Our Lady of the Pillar and Memorials of the Saints – 12 October

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Our Lady Aparecida:   Also known as – Our Lady Who Appeared
In October 1717, Dom Pedro de Almedida, Count of Assumar passed through the area of Guarantinqueta, a small city in the Paraiba river valley.   The people there decided to hold a feast in his honour and though it was not fishing season, the men went to the waters to fish for the feast.   Three of the fishermen, Domingos Garcia, Joco Alves and Felipe Pedroso, prayed to the Immaculate Conception and asked God’s help.   However, after several hours they were ready to give up. Joco cast his net once more near the Port of Itaguagu but instead of fish, he hauled in the body of a statue.   The three cast their net again, and brought up the statue’s head.  After cleaning the statue they found that it was Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.   Naming their find Our Lady Aparecida, they wrapped it in cloth and continued to fish; now their nets were full.
While we do not know why the statue was at the bottom of the river, we do know who made it. Frei Agostino de Jesus, a carioca monk from Sao Paulo known for his sculpture. The image was less than three feet tall, was made around 1650 and must have been underwater for years. It is a dark brown colour, is covered by a stiff robe of richly embroidered thick cloth and wears an imperial crown which was added in 1904. Only her face and hands can be seen.   Pope Pius XII proclaimed her principal patroness of Brazil in 1930.   The statue was vandalised by being broken into several pieces just prior to a visit by St Pope John Paul II but a group of dedicated artists and artisans carefully pieced it together again.
Patronages: • Aparecida, Brazil, diocese of • Brazil • World Youth Day 2013Our Lady Aparecida imageOUR LADY OF APARECIDA

Our Lady of the Pillar:  Tradition says that in the early day of the Church, Saint James the Greater was spreading the Gospel in Spain but making very little progress.   He was dejected and questioning his mission.   About 44, the Virgin Mary, who was still living in Jerusalem at the time, bi-located and appeared to him in a vision to boost his morale. In it, she was atop a column or pillar, which was being carried by angels.   That pillar is believed to be the same one venerated in Zaragoza, Spain today. Miraculous healings reported at the scene.
PatronageS: • Imus, Philippines, diocese of • Tagbilaran, Philippines • Zamboanga, Philippines, archdiocese of • Zamboanga City, Philippines • Zaragoza, Spain.


—
St Amelius of Mortara
St Amicus of Mortara
St Cyprian
St Domnina of Anazarbus
St Edisto
St Edistius of Ravenna
St Edwin of Northumbria
St Evagrius the Martyr
St Felix
St Felix IV, Pope
St Fiace
St Herlindis
St Juan Osiense
St Maximilian of Celeia
St Meinards
St Monas of Milan
St Pantalus of Basle
St Priscian the Martyr
St Relindis
Bl Roman Sitko
St Salvinus of Verona
Bl Thomas Bullaker
—
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Bartolomé Caparrós García
• Blessed Eufrasio of the Child Jesus
• Blessed José González Huguet
• Blessed Pedro Salcedo Puchades
• Blessed Rafael Lluch Garín

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DEVOTIO, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the day – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

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Thought for the day – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel.  The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection.  The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus’ Father is the initiator of salvation.  The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. T he Glory Bes remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.

The rosary appeals to many.  It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God.  We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever..(Fr Don Miller OFM)

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!our lady of the rosary pray for us 2017-2

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS OF THE ROSARY

“The Rosary, recited with meditation on the mysteries, brings about the following marvelous results:

1. It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ;
2. It purifies our souls, washing away sin;
3. It gives us victory over all our enemies;
4. It makes it easy for us to practice virtue;
5. It sets us on fire with love of Our Blessed Lord;
6. It enriches us with graces and merits;
7. It supplies us with what is needed to pay,
all our debts to God and to our fellow men
and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God.”

St Louis Marie Grignion De Montfort (1673-1716)the seven blessings of the rosary - st louis de montfort - 2017

The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way,
not mechanical and superficial but profoundly,
it brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation.
It contains within itself the healing power
of the Most Holy Name of Jesus,
invoked with faith and love,
at the centre of each “Hail Mary”.

Pope Benedict XVIthe rosary when it is prayed - pope benedict - 7 oct 2017

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DEVOTIO, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

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One Minute Reflection – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Open your petals, like roses planted near running waters...Sirach 39:13

REFLECTION – “To discover whether people are of God, I have found no better way than the following.
Observe whether they say the Hail Mary and the Rosary.”……St Louis Marie de Montfortto discover whether people - st louis de montfort 2017

PRAYER – Lord, open our hearts to Your grace. May we, who learned to believe through the angel’s message, in the Incarnation of Christ, Your Son, be brought by His Passion and Cross, at the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the glory of His Resurrection. Through Him who redeemed us in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, pray for us, amen.our lady of the rosary pray for us 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Our Morning Offering – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

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Our Morning Offering – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Queen of the most Holy Rosary

O Queen of the most holy Rosary,
in these times of brazen impiety,
show again your power,
with the signs which accompanied your victories of old
and from the throne where you are seated,
dispensing pardon and grace,
in pity watch over the Church of your Son,
His Vicar and every order of the clergy and laity,
suffering in grievous warfare.
Hasten, O most powerful destroyer of heresy,
hasten the hour of mercy,
as the hour of judgment is daily challenged
by innumberable offences.
Obtain for me, the lowest of men,
kneeling suppliant in your presence,
the grace which may enable me
to live a just life on earth
and reign with the just in Heaven,
whilst with the faithful throughout the world,
O Queen of the most holy Rosary,
I salute you and cry out:
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us! Amen.

prayer to the queen of the most holy rosary - 7 oct 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MIRACLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Saint of the Day – 7 October – Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary/Our Lady of Victory

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Saint of the Day – 7 October – Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary also known as Our Lady of Victory – Patronages – Rosary, United States, 9 diocese, 8 cities.   The Feast of the Holy Rosary, is celebrated on 7 October, the anniversary of the decisive victory of the combined fleet of the Holy League of 1571 over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto.

Our Lady of Victory
In 1571, Pope St. Pius V organized a coalition of forces from Spain and smaller Christian kingdoms, republics and military orders, to rescue Christian outposts in Cyprus, particularly the Venetian outpost at Famagusta which, however, surrendered after a long siege on 1 August before the Christian forces set sail.   On 7 October 1571, the Holy League, a coalition of southern European Catholic maritime states, sailed from Messina, Sicily and met a powerful Ottoman fleet in the Battle of Lepanto.   Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct materiel disadvantage, the holy pontiff, Pope Pius V, called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory and led a rosary procession in Rome.

After about five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Corinth, off western Greece, the combined navies of the Papal States, Venice and Spain managed to stop the Ottoman navy, slowing the Ottoman advance to the west and denying them access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Americas.   If the Ottomans had won then there was a real possibility that an invasion of Italy could have followed so that the Ottoman sultan, already claiming to be emperor of the Romans, would have been in possession of both New and Old Rome.

Pius V instituted “Our Lady of Victory” as an annual feast to commemorate the victory at Lepanto, which he attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Dedications to Our Lady of Victory preceded this papal declaration.   In particular, Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester built the first shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Victory in thanks for the Catholic victory over the Albigensians at the Battle of Muret on 12 September.

In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of the “Feast of Our Lady of Victory” to “Feast of the Holy Rosary” Dominican friar Juan Lopez in his 1584 book on the rosary states that the feast of the rosary was offered “in memory and in perpetual gratitude of the miraculous victory that the Lord gave to his Christian people that day against the Turkish armada”.

In 1671 the observance of this festival was extended by Clement X to the whole of Spain, and somewhat later Clement XI, after the victory over the Turks gained by Prince Eugene in the Battle of Petrovaradin on 6 August 1716 (the feast of Our Lady of the Snows), commanded the feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church, assigning it to the first Sunday in October.

A set of “proper” lessons in the second nocturn were conceded by Benedict XIII. Leo XIII raised the feast to the rank of a double of the second class and added to the Litany of Loreto the invocation “Queen of the Most Holy Rosary”.   On this feast, in every church in which the Rosary confraternity has been duly erected, a plenary indulgence toties quoties is granted upon certain conditions to all who visit therein the Rosary chapel or statue of Our Lady.   This has been called the “Portiuncula” of the Rosary.

In 1960 Pope John XXIII changed the title to “Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary”.oct 7 - our lady of the rosaryROSARY INFO

 

rosary and st dominic

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Prayers to accompany the Holy Rosary By Blessed Bartholomew Longo

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Prayers to accompany the Holy Rosary
By Blessed Bartholomew Longo

First Joyful Mystery:   The Annunciation.
O Mary, immaculate lily, through the joy you felt when at the Angel’s message you became the Mother of God:  obtain for me the virtue of purity and of humility, that I may become your worthy son/daughter and the brother/sister of Jesus.

Second Joyful Mystery:  The Visitation.
O Mary, Mother of grace and of charity, through the joy you felt when, upon visiting Elizabeth, you brought joy to the home of Zechariah and the Baptist was sanctified at the sound of your voice:   visit my soul, let it hear your Motherly voice and fill it with love of God and love of neighbour.

Third Joyful Mystery:   The Birth of Jesus.
O Mary, mirror of humility and of poverty, through the joy you felt when, turned away by the inhabitants of Bethlehem and forced to take refuge in a stable from the cold and darkness, you gave birth to the Divine Redeemer:  grant that by accepting scorn and poverty I remain faithful to grace and gain the reward of eternal salvation by means of good works.

Fourth Joyful Mystery:  The Presentation.
O Mary, the perfect model of obedience and of sacrifice, you who offered Jesus to the Eternal Father on our behalf:  place your Child upon my bosom, that, together with you, I may offer Him the sacrifice of my passions and of my whole being.

Fifth Joyful Mystery:  The Finding in the Temple.
O Mary, a shining example of patience, through the joy you felt when, after three days of anxiously searching, you found Jesus in the Temple:  grant that I too, seeking Jesus with love in every moment of my life in imitation of you, may find Him at last in your arms at the hour of my death, never to lose Him again.

First Sorrowful Mystery:  The Agony in the Garden.
O Grieving Virgin, through the anguish of that saddest of nights in which Jesus in agony in the garden sweat blood at the sight of my sins and, betrayed, was tied as a criminal: obtain for me the perfect sorrow of my sins and perseverance in prayer, that I may never again betray His most loving Heart.

Second Sorrowful Mystery:  The Scourging at the Pillar.
O most grieving Mother, through the pain you felt in knowing that your innocent and holy Son had been publicly stripped and bloodily scourged with biting whips:  obtain for me the spirit of true repentance and the virtue of chastity and of the mortification of the senses.

Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns.
O Mother of sorrows, through the atrocious torment which pierced your heart when you saw Jesus, the King of glory, then become the King of suffering, crowned with thorns and shame, with a reed in His hands, derided by the crowd:  ah!, encircle my intellect and my heart with these very thorns, that I may never offend Him again with evil thoughts and sentiments;  and obtain for me pureness in my thoughts and the right intentions in my actions.

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery:  The Carrying of the Cross.
O grieving Mother, through the martyrdom of your heart, when you met your Son weighed down beneath the heavy cross, staining the road to Calvary with His blood: grant that I, clinging to Jesus’ cross, follow behind, daily carrying the cross of my troubles with meekness and with perfect conformity to the will of God.

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery:  The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord.
O Queen of the Martyrs, through the extreme spasm of your heart when you witnessed Jesus dying on the cross in the midst of a thousand torments, forsaken and without comfort:  grant that I die to myself, to the world and to sin, and live in the heart of Jesus alone, having abandoned myself in His most holy arms.

First Glorious Mystery:   The Resurrection.
O Most Holy Mother of God, through the joy you felt in seeing Jesus risen from the dead and surrounded in glory:  obtain for me that I too rise from the death of sin to a life of grace and of faith and may persevere in it till my very last breath.

Second Glorious Mystery:  The Ascension.
O Queen of the Heavens, through the joy you experienced in seeing Jesus rising to Heaven triumphant as King of the Universe and as our Advocate by His Father:   obtain His blessing for me also, so that I be changed by Him from a sinner into a saint; moreover, by separating me from all earthly affection, through the virtue of hope may He kindle in me the desire of paradise.

Third Glorious Mystery:   The Descent of the Holy Spirit.
O Queen of the Universe, through the joy you felt when the Holy Spirit descended on you and on the Apostles:  grant that He come into my soul and fill it with His holy gifts and the heavenly fruits of charity, of joy, of patience and of peace.

Fourth Glorious Mystery:   The Assumption.
O Queen, Lady of the Angels, through the joy you experienced when you were taken into heaven body and soul: come with Jesus to assist me at the hour of my death and lead me with you to everlasting happiness.

Fifth Glorious Mystery:  The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
O Queen of all the Saints and the honour and delight of humankind, through the joy you felt when the Most Holy Trinity crowned you as Queen of Heaven and Earth: inflame me with your love and with the love of God, that I may love and serve you on earth and glorify you, O Queen of my heart, in heaven.

Bartolo Longo prayer cards

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DEVOTIO, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

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Thought for the Day – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

Before entering the Shrine to recite the Holy Rosary with you, I paused briefly before the tomb of Bl Bartolo Longo and, praying, I asked myself:  “Where did this great apostle of Mary find the energy and perseverance he needed to bring such an impressive work, now known across the world, to completion? Was it not in the Rosary, which he accepted as a true gift from Our Lady’s Heart?”   Yes, that truly was how it happened!   The experience of the Saints bears witness to it:  this popular Marian prayer is a precious spiritual means to grow in intimacy with Jesus and to learn at the school of the Blessed Virgin always to fulfil the divine will.   It is contemplation of the mysteries of Christ in spiritual union with Mary as the Servant of God Paul VI stressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus (n. 46) and as my venerable Predecessor John Paul II abundantly illustrated in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae that today I once again present in spirit to the Community of Pompeii and to each one of you.   You who live and work here in Pompeii, especially you, dear priests, men and women religious and lay people involved in this unique portion of the Church, are all called to make Bl. Bartolo Longo’s charism your own and to become, to the extent and in the way that God grants to each one, authentic apostles of the Rosary.

To be apostles of the Rosary, however, it is necessary to experience personally the beauty and depth of this prayer which is simple and accessible to everyone.   It is first of all necessary to let the Blessed Virgin take one by the hand to contemplate the Face of Christ:  a joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious Face.   Those who, like Mary and with her, cherish and ponder the mysteries of Jesus assiduously, increasingly assimilate his sentiments and are conformed to him.   In this regard, I would like to quote a beautiful thought of Bl Bartolo Longo:  “Just as two friends, frequently in each other’s company, tend to develop similar habits”, he wrote, “so too, by holding familiar converse with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary and by living the same life in Holy Communion, we can become, to the extent of our lowliness, similar to them and can learn from these supreme models a life of humility, poverty, hiddenness, patience and perfection” (I Quindici Sabati del Santissimo Rosario, 27th edition, Pompeii, 1916, p. 27: cited in Rosarium Virginis Mariae, n. 15).   POPE BENEDICT XVI – 19 October 2008

Queen of the Holy Rosary, Pray for us!queen of the holy rosary - pray for us - 5 oct 2017

Blessed Bartholomew Longo, Pray for us!bl bartholomew longo pray for us 2

 

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

“You, what have you done by taking Christ out of the schools?
You have produced enemies of social order, subversives.
On the contrary, what have we gained by putting Christ
into the schools of the children of criminals?
We have transformed these unfortunate ones into honest
and virtuous young people that you wanted to abandon
to their sad fate or toss into insane asylums! “YOU WHAT HAVE YOU DONE - bl bartholomew longo - 5 oct 2017

“The Rosary is the prayer dearest to Mary,
most loved by the Saints,
most frequently used by Christian peoples,
most honoured by God with astounding wonders,
most enriched with great promises,
by the Virgin.”

Blessed Bartholomew Longothe rosary is the prayer - bl bartolo longo - 5 oct 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

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One Minute Reflection – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord……Luke 1: 45.luke 1-45 - 5 oct 2017

REFLECTION – “Rosary in hand, Blessed Bartolo Longo says to each of us: “Awaken your confidence in the Most Blessed Virgin of the Rosary.   enerable Holy Mother, in You I rest all my troubles, all my trust and all my hope!” – St Pope John Paul II in his homily during the beatification ceremony for Blessed Bartholomewrosary in hand - st john paul - 5 oct 2017

PRAYER – And we exult you, O Mary Assumed into Heaven, as we contemplate you who have been glorified and, in the risen Christ, have become the co-worker of the Holy Spirit in communicating divine life to mankind. In you we see the goal of holiness to which God calls all the Church’s members.   In your life we recognise the clear sign of the path to spiritual maturity and Christian holiness.   With you, with Blessed Bartholomew Longo and with all the saints, we glorify God the Trinity, who sustains our earthly pilgrimage and lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen (by St Pope John Paul Nov 2000)bl bartolo longo pray for us - 5 oct 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Our Morning Offering – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

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Our Morning Offering – 5 October – The Memorial of Blessed Bartholomew Longo – Apostle of the Holy Rosary

In this prayer to Our Lady of the Rosary, we ask the Virgin Mary to help us to cultivate a habit of interior prayer through the daily recitation of the rosary. We pray this prayer, particularly during the month of October, as we daily cultivate the habit of praying the Holy Rosary. This is the object of all of our prayers: to arrive at the point where we can “pray without ceasing,” as Saint Paul tells us to do.

TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY

O Virgin Mary,
grant that the recitation of your Rosary
may be for me each day,
in the midst of my manifold duties,
a bond of unity in my actions,
a tribute of filial piety,
a sweet refreshment,
an encouragement to walk joyfully
along the path of duty.
Grant, above all, O Virgin Mary,
that the study of the mysteries may form in my soul,
little by little, a luminous atmosphere, pure, strengthening
and fragrant, which may penetrate my understanding,
my will, my heart, my memory, my imagination, my whole being.
So shall I acquire the habit of praying while I work,
by interior acts of admiration and of supplication,
or by aspirations of love.
I ask this of you, O Queen of the Holy Rosary,
through Saint Dominic and Blessed Bartholomew Longo,
your sons of predilection,
the renowned preachers of your mysteries
and the faithful imitator of your virtues. Amen

Queen of the Holy Rosary, pray for us

Bl Bartholomew Longo, pray for us.to our lady of the rosary - 5 oct memorial of bl bartholomew longo - 2017

 

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, Uncategorized

OCTOBER – The Month of the HOLY ROSARY

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OCTOBER – The Month of the HOLY ROSARYOCTOBER - THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY

The Feast of the Rosary is celebrated on 7 October and the month of October is traditionally the month of the rosary.  Without having to say, this is the month to commit to praying the rosary more regularly and if you can, every day.

Why did our Mother Mary ask us to pray the rosary at many of her approved apparitions such as at Fatima?   Why should we pray at all?

The rosary is a powerful prayer and weapon and can affect and benefit us significantly each time we pray it.  The most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the Rosary according to Pope John Paul II is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery;  the life of Jesus and Mary’s role in Salvation. Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus.

The rosary is not only a vocal prayer but also a meditative prayer.

The Devotion:

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Pope Leo XIII personally started the practice of devoting October to the Rosary devotion. In a letter of 1 September 1883, mindful of the Rosary’s power to strengthen faith and foster a life of virtue, he outlined the triumphs of the Rosary in past times and admonished the faithful to dedicate the month of October to the Blessed Virgin through the daily recitation of her Rosary in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in order to obtain through her intercession the grace that God would console and defend His Church in her sufferings.

Never mind if you’re a bit rusty, or if it’s been ages since you last prayed your rosary.   It’s never too late to begin again and everyone deserves to experience the power of the rosary.

Pope Benedict XVI in an address at the Basilica of St Mary Major where he prayed the rosary with the faithful said:

Today, together we confirm that the Holy Rosary is not a pious practice banished to the past, like prayers of other times thought of with nostalgia. Instead, the Rosary is experiencing a new Springtime.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most eloquent signs of love that the young generation nourish for Jesus and his Mother, Mary.

In the current world, so dispersive, this prayer helps to put Christ at the centre, as the Virgin did, who meditated within all that was said about her Son and also what he did and said.  When reciting the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are relived.   The various steps of Christ’s mission are traced.   With Mary the heart is oriented toward the mystery of Jesus.   Christ is put at the centre of our life, of our time, of our city, through the contemplation and meditation of his holy mysteries of joy, light, sorrow and glory.

May Mary help us to welcome within ourselves the grace emanating from these mysteries, so that through us we can “water” society, beginning with our daily relationships and purifying them from so many negative forces, thus opening them to the newness of God.

The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way, not mechanical and superficial but profoundly, it brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation.  It contains within itself the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, invoked with faith and love at the centre of each “Hail Mary”.

rosary - oct

 

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feasts of the Blessed Virgin and Memorials of the Saints – 24 September

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Lady of Mercy/Our Lady of Ransom:
Commemorates the foundation of the Mercedarian Order and the apparition of Our Lady of Ransom. In this appearance she carried two bags of coins for use in ransoming Christians imprisoned by Moors. On 10 August 1218, the Mercedarian Order was legally constituted at Barcelona, Spain by King James of Aragon and was approved by Pope Gregory IX on 17 January 1235. The Mercedarians celebrated their institution on the Sunday nearest to 1 August because it was on 1 August 1218 that the Blessed Virgin showed Saint Peter Nolasco the white habit of the Order. This custom was approved by the Congregation of Rites on 4 April 1615. On 22 February 1696 it was extended to the entire Latin Church and the date changed to 24 September.
Patronages –
• Bahía Blanca, Argentina, archdiocese of
• Barcelona, Spain
• Dominican Republic

0924 Our Lady of Ransom

Our Lady of Walsingham/Virgin of the Sea: In 1061 Lady Richeldis de Faverches, lady of the manor near the village of Walsingham, Norfolk, England, was taken in spirit to Nazareth. There Our Lady asked her to build a replica, in Norfolk, of the Holy House where she had been born, grew up, and received the Annunciation of Christ’s impending birth. She immediately did, constructing a house 23’6″ by 12’10” according to the plan given her. Its fame slowly spread, and in 1150 a group of Augustinian Canons built a priory beside it. Its fame continued to grow, and for centuries it was a point of pilgrimage for all classes, the recipient of many expensive gifts.
In 1534 Walsingham became one of the first houses to sign the Oath of Supremacy, recognizing Henry VIII as head of the Church in England. Dissenters were executed, and in 1538 the House was stripped of its valuables, its statue of the Virgin taken to London, England to be burned, its buildings used as farm sheds for the next three centuries.
In 1896 Charlotte Boyd purchased the old Slipper Chapel and donated it to Downside Abbey. In 1897 Pope Leo XIII re-founded the ancient shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and pilgrimages were permitted to resume. The statue of Our Lady was re-enshrined in 1922, beginning an era of cooperation at the shrine between Catholics and Anglicans. In 1981 construction began on the Chapel of Reconciliation, a cooperative effort between the two confessions, and located near the shrine. The feast of Our Lady of Walsingham was reinstated in 2000. In 2012 the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter for Anglicans joining the Church was given its patron as the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Walsingham.
Patronages –
• England
• East Anglia, England, diocese of
• Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter

walshingham
—
St Anathalon of Milan
St Andochius of Autun
St Anthony Gonzalez
Bl Anton Martin Slomsek – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5fi5lh0vQ
St Chuniald
Bl Colomba Matylda Gabriel
St Coprio
St Erinhard
St Felix of Autun
St Gerard Sagredo
St Geremarus
St Gislar
St Isarnus of Toulouse
St Lupus of Lyons
St Pacificus of Severino
St Paphnutius of Egypt
Bl Robert Hardesty
St Rusticus of Clermont
St. Rupert of Salzburg
St Terence of Persaro
St Thyrsus of Autun
St Ysarn of Saint Victor
Bl William Spenser
—
Martyrs of Chalcedon – (49 saints): Forty-nine Christian choir singers of the church in Chalcedon in Asia Minor who were martyred together in their persecutions of Diocletian in 304.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Antonio Pancorbo López
• Blessed Esteban García y García
• Blessed José María Ferrándiz Hernández
• Blessed Juan Francisco Joya Corralero
• Blessed Luis de Erdoiza Zamalloa
• Blessed Manuel Gómez Contioso
• Blessed Melchor Rodríguez Villastrigo
• Blessed Pascual Ferrer Botella
• Blessed Rafael Rodríguez Mesa
• Blessed Santiago Arriaga Arrien

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the day – 19 September – The Feast of Our Lady of La Salette

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the day – 19 September – The Feast of Our Lady of La Salette

“Do you say your prayers properly, my children?   Oh! my children, you must say them, morning and evening.
When you can do no more, say a Pater and an Ave Maria; and when you have the time to do better, you will say more.”

 Our Lady of la Salette

Pope John Paul II wrote about La Salette on 6 May 1996.
“The message of La Salette was given to two young shepherds in a period of great suffering.   La Salette is a message of hope – a hope sustained by the intercession of her who is the Mother of all peoples… At La Salette, Mary clearly spoke of the constancy of her prayer for the world:  she will never abandon the people created in the image and likeness of God, those to whom it has been given to become children of God.   May she lead to her Son all the nations of the earth.”

St Pope John Paul 6 May 1996she will never abandon - st john paul - la salette - 19 sept 2017

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 September – The Memorial of Our Lady of La Salette

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One Minute Reflection – 19 September – The Memorial of Our Lady of La Salette:  Special Readings for the Feast of Our Lady of La Salette (First Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14  Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.   We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God….2 Corinthians 5:20

REFLECTION – “Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need — the need of others and God, the need of His forgiveness and His friendship.”…Pope Benedict XVI (2010)conversion to christ, believing in the Gospel - pope benedict = 19 sept 2017

PRAYER – Holy Virgin of Reconciliation, do not reject our prayers but intercede for us, obtain for us the grace to love our Lord Jesus above all else. May we console you by a holy life and so come to share the eternal life Christ gained by his cross.   Our Lady of La Salette, pray for us, amen.our lady of salette pray for us

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, MIRACLES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast of Notre-Dame de la Salette / Our Lady of La Salette – 19 September

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Feast of Notre-Dame de la Salette / Our Lady of La Salette – 19 September (French: Notre-Dame de La Salette) is a Marian apparition reported by two children, Maximin Giraud and Mélanie Calvat to have occurred at La Salette-Fallavaux, France, in 1846.

The shepherd children Maximin and Melanie

On 19 September 1851, Pope Pius IX formally approved the public devotion and prayers to Our Lady of La Salette, referring to its messages of apparition as “secrets”.   On 24 August 1852, Pope Pius IX once again mentioned the construction of the altar to La Salette.   The same papal bull granted the foundation of the Association of Our Lady of La Salette, formalised on 7 September.
On 21 August 1879, Pope Leo XIII formally granted a Canonical Coronation to the image at the Basilica of Our Lady of La Salette.   A Russian style tiara was granted to the image, instead of the solar-type tiara used in its traditional depictions of Virgin Mary during her apparitions.

La Salette is celebrated as the place where, the Blessed Virgin appeared to two little shepherds and each year is visited by a large number of pilgrims.   On 19 September, 1846, about three o’clock in the afternoon in full sunlight, on a mountain about 5918 feet high and about three miles distant from the village of La Salette-Fallavaux, it is related that two children, a shepherdess of fifteen named Melanie Calvat, called Mathieu and a shepherd-boy of eleven named Maximin Giraud, beheld in a resplendent light a “beautiful lady” clad in a strange costume.   Speaking alternately in French and in patois, she charged them with a message which they were “to deliver to all her people”.   After complaining of the impiety of Christians and threatening them with dreadful chastisements in case they should persevere in evil she promised them the Divine mercy if they would amend.

Finally, it is alleged, before disappearing she communicated to each of the children a special secret.   The sensation caused by the recital of Melanie and Maximin was profound, and gave rise to several investigations and reports.   Mgr. Philibert de Bruillard, Bishop of Grenoble, appointed a commission to examine judicially this marvellous event;   the commission concluded that the reality of the apparition should be admitted.   Soon several miraculous cures took place on the mountain of La Salette, and pilgrimages to the place were begun.  The miracle, needless to say, was ridiculed by free-thinkers but it was also questioned among the faithful and especially by ecclesiastics.   There arose against it in the Dioceses of Grenoble and Lyons a violent opposition, aggravated by what is known as the incident of Ars.   As a result of this hostility and the consequent agitation, Mgr. de Bruillard (16 November 1851) declared the apparition of the Blessed Virgin as certain  and authorised the cult of Our Lady of La Salette.   The first stone of a great church was solemnly laid on the mount of La Salette, 25 May, 1852, amid a large assembly of the faithful.   This Church, later elevated to the rank of a basilica, was served by a body of a religious called Missionaries of La Salette – who were founded in 1852 by Bp. Philbert de Bruillard, Bishop of Grenoble, France, and presently serve in some 25 countries..   In 1891 diocesan priests replaced these missionaries, driven into exile by persecuting laws.

LaSalette005Our-Lady-of-LaSalette

As said above, the Blessed Virgin confided to each of the two children a special secret. These two secrets, which neither Melanie or Maximin ever made known to each other, were sent by them in 1851 to Pius IX on the advice of Mgr. de Bruillard.   It is unknown what impressions these mysterious revelations made on the pope, for on this point there were two versions diametrically opposed to each other.   Maximin’s secret is not known, for it was never published.   Melanie’s was inserted in its entirety in brochure which she herself had printed in 1879 at Lecce, Italy, with the approval of the bishop of that town.

” If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son.   It is so heavy and weighs me down so much I can no longer keep hold of it.”

“I have suffered all of the time for the rest of you!   If I do not wish my Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually.    And the rest of you think little of this.   In vain you will pray, in vain you will act and you will never be able to make up for the trouble I have taken over for the rest of you.” – Our Lady of La Salette

Maximin Giraud, after an unhappy and wandering life, returned to Corps, his native village, and died there a holy death (1 March, 1875).   Melanie Calvat ended a no less wandering life at Altamura, Italy (15 December, 1904).  (From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright © 1913 by the Encyclopedia Press, Inc)lovely - la saletteour-lady-of-lasalette (1)

The message of the visionaries of La Salette focuses on the conversion of all humanity to Christ.    St John Vianney, St John Bosco and writer Joris-Karl Huysmans were all influenced by La Salette.   The spirit of La Salette is said to be one of prayer, conversion, and commitment.

Pope John Paul II stated: “As I wrote on the occasion of the 150th anniversary, ‘La Salette is a message of hope, for our hope is nourished by the intercession of her who is the Mother of mankind.”

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

Our Morning Offering – 19 September – Feast Day of Our Lady of La Salette

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 19 September – Feast Day of Our Lady of La Salette

MEMORARE to OUR LADY of LA SALETTE

Remember, Our Lady of La Salette,
true Mother of Sorrows,
the tears you shed for us on Calvary.
Remember also the care you have taken
to keep us faithful to Christ, your Son.
Having done so much for your children,
you will not now abandon us.
Comforted by this consoling thought,
we come to you pleading,
despite our infidelities and ingratitude.
Virgin of Reconciliation, do not reject our prayers
but intercede for us,
obtain for us the grace to love Jesus above all else.
May we console you by a holy life
and so come to share the eternal life
Christ gained by His cross. Amen

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners,
pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to you.memorare to our lady of la salette - 19 september