Category: The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene – Father and Doctor of the Church

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Our Morning Offering – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene – Father and Doctor of the Church

O Mary, my Hope!
St John Damascene 

I salute you, O Mary!
you are the hope of Christians:
receive the prayer of a sinner,
who loves you tenderly,
honours you in a special manner
and places in you the whole hope
of his salvation.
From you I have my life.
You reinstate me in the grace of your Son:
you are the sure pledge of my salvation.
I beseech of you, therefore, to deliver me
from the burden of my sins:
dispel the darkness of my mind,
banish from my heart the love of the world,
repress the temptations of my enemies
and so rule my whole life, that by your means
and under your guidance,
I may obtain everlasting happiness in heaven.
Amen (modernised)

o Mary my Hope - st john damascene - 4 dec 2017 - I salute you, O Mary

Posted in MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 21 November

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Our Morning Offering – 21 November

Prayer to Spend the Day Well
By Blessed James Alberione

Dear and sweet Mother Mary,
keep your holy hand upon me;
guard my mind,
my heart and my senses,
that I may never commit sin.
Sanctify my thoughts,
affections,
words and actions,
so that I may please you
and your Jesus, my God,
and reach heaven with you.
Jesus and Mary,
give me your holy blessing;
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.prayer to spend the day well no 2 - bl james alberione - 21 nov 2017

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 MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 24 October – The Memorials of St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870) and St Luigi Guanella (1842-1915)

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Quote/s of the Day – 24 October – The Memorials of St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870) and St Luigi Guanella (1842-1915)

“Although the sinner does not believe in Hell,
he shall nevertheless go there,
if he has the misfortune to die in mortal sin.”

“Christian perfection
consists in three things:
praying heroically
working heroically
and suffering heroically.”

“The Christian who desires to follow Jesus
carrying His cross must bear in mind,
that the name “Christian” means
“learner or imitator of Christ”
and that if he wishes to bear that noble title worthily,
he must above all do as Christ charges us in the Gospel –
we must oppose or deny ourselves,
take up the cross
and follow Him.”althought the sinner - st anthony mary claret - 24 oct 2017

“When I am before the Blessed Sacrament.
I feel such a lively faith that I can’t describe it.
Christ in the Eucharist is almost tangible to me…
When it is time for me to leave,
I have to tear myself away
from His sacred presence.”when I am before - st anthony mary claret - 24 oct 2017

“Lord, by the words of consecration,
the substance of the bread and wine is converted
into the substance of your Body and Blood.
All powerful Lord, say over me the word
which will change me into You.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870) lord by the words - st anthony mary claret 24 oct 2017

“The sun of our lives is the Eucharist.
…Live each day with the Eucharistic Christ.”

“Plant your heart in Jesus Crucified
and all the thorns will seem like roses.”the sun of our lives - st luigi guanella - 24 oct 2017

“Whoever finds Mary,
finds the way to Salvation.”

…Run, run to Mary, our dearest Mother.
Cling to her all-powerful arm.
Take shelter beneath her mantle,
invoke her with all your heart
and she will come full of compassion,
to sustain your wavering strength.”

St Luigi Guanella (1842-1915)whoeverfindsa mary - st luigi guanella - 24 oct 2017

Posted in MORNING Prayers, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

World Mission Sunday – 22 October – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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World Mission Sunday – 22 October – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

‘Mission at the Heart of the Christian Faith’

Pope Francis’ Message for World Mission Sunday 2017, which is focused on Mission at the Heart of the Christian Faith.WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 22 OCT 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Once again this year, World Mission Day gathers us around the person of Jesus, “the very first and greatest evangeliSer” (PAUL VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 7), who continually sends us forth to proclaim the Gospel of the love of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.    This Day invites us to reflect anew on the mission at the heart of the Christian faith.    The Church is missionary by nature; otherwise, she would no longer be the Church of Christ but one group among many others that soon end up serving their purpose and passing away.   So it is important to ask ourselves certain questions about our Christian identity and our responsibility as believers in a world marked by confusion, disappointment and frustration, and torn by numerous fratricidal wars that unjustly target the innocent.  What is the basis of our mission?   What is the heart of our mission?   What are the essential approaches we need to take in carrying out our mission?

Mission and the transformative power of the Gospel of Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life

1. The Church’s mission, directed to all men and women of good will, is based on the transformative power of the Gospel.   The Gospel is Good News filled with contagious joy, for it contains and offers new life: the life of the Risen Christ who, by bestowing His life-giving Spirit, becomes for us the Way, the Truth and the Life (cf. Jn 14:6).   He is the Way who invites us to follow Him with confidence and courage.   In following Jesus as our Way, we experience Truth and receive His Life, which is fullness of communion with God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.   That life sets us free from every kind of selfishness and is a source of creativity in love.

2. God the Father desires this existential transformation of his sons and daughters, a transformation that finds expression in worship in spirit and truth (cf. Jn 4:23-24), through a life guided by the Holy Spirit in imitation of Jesus the Son to the glory of God the Father.   “The glory of God is the living man” (IRENAEUS, Adversus Haereses IV, 20, 7).  The preaching of the Gospel thus becomes a vital and effective word that accomplishes what it proclaims (cf. Is 55:10-11): Jesus Christ, who constantly takes flesh in every human situation (cf. Jn 1:14).

Mission and the kairos of Christ

3. The Church’s mission, then, is not to spread a religious ideology, much less to propose a lofty ethical teaching.   Many movements throughout the world inspire high ideals or ways to live a meaningful life.   Through the mission of the Church, Jesus Christ himself continues to evangelize and act; her mission thus makes present in history the kairos, the favourable time of salvation.   Through the proclamation of the Gospel, the risen Jesus becomes our contemporary, so that those who welcome Him with faith and love can experience the transforming power of His Spirit, who makes humanity and creation fruitful, even as the rain does with the earth.  “His resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world.   Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up.  It is an irresistible force” (Evangelii Gaudium, 276).

4. Let us never forget that “being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea but the encounter with an event, a Person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (BENEDICT XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 1).   The Gospel is a Person who continually offers Himself and constantly invites those who receive Him with humble and religious faith to share His life by an effective participation in the paschal mystery of His death and resurrection.   Through Baptism, the Gospel becomes a source of new life, freed of the dominion of sin, enlightened and transformed by the Holy Spirit.  Through Confirmation, it becomes a fortifying anointing that, through the same Spirit, points out new ways and strategies for witness and accompaniment.   Through the Eucharist, it becomes food for new life, a “medicine of immortality” (IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, Ad Ephesios, 20, 2).

5. The world vitally needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   Through the Church, Christ continues his mission as the Good Samaritan, caring for the bleeding wounds of humanity, and as Good Shepherd, constantly seeking out those who wander along winding paths that lead nowhere.   Thank God, many significant experiences continue to testify to the transformative power of the Gospel.   I think of the gesture of the Dinka student who, at the cost of his own life, protected a student from the enemy Nuer tribe who was about to be killed.   I think of that Eucharistic celebration in Kitgum, in northern Uganda, where, after brutal massacres by a rebel group, a missionary made the people repeat the words of Jesus on the cross:   “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” as an expression of the desperate cry of the brothers and sisters of the crucified Lord.   For the people, that celebration was an immense source of consolation and courage.   We can think too of countless testimonies to how the Gospel helps to overcome narrowness, conflict, racism, tribalism, and to promote everywhere, and among all, reconciliation, fraternity, and sharing.

Mission inspires a spirituality of constant exodus, pilgrimage, and exile

6. The Church’s mission is enlivened by a spirituality of constant exodus.   We are challenged “to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium, 20).   The Church’s mission impels us to undertake a constant pilgrimage across the various deserts of life, through the different experiences of hunger and thirst for truth and justice.   The Church’s mission inspires a sense of constant exile, to make us aware, in our thirst for the infinite, that we are exiles journeying towards our final home, poised between the “already” and “not yet” of the Kingdom of Heaven.

7.  Mission reminds the Church that she is not an end unto herself but a humble instrument and mediation of the Kingdom.   A self-referential Church, one content with earthly success, is not the Church of Christ,hhis crucified and glorious Body.  That is why we should prefer “a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security” (ibid., 49).

Young people, the hope of mission

8. Young people are the hope of mission.   The person of Jesus Christ and the Good News He proclaimed continue to attract many young people.   They seek ways to put themselves with courage and enthusiasm at the service of humanity.   “There are many young people who offer their solidarity in the face of the evils of the world and engage in various forms of militancy and volunteering…  How beautiful it is to see that young people are ‘street preachers’, joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth!” (ibid., 106).   The next Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in 2018 on the theme Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, represents a providential opportunity to involve young people in the shared missionary responsibility that needs their rich imagination and creativity.

The service of the Pontifical Mission Societies

9. The Pontifical Mission Societies are a precious means of awakening in every Christian community a desire to reach beyond its own confines and security in order to proclaim the Gospel to all.   In them, thanks to a profound missionary spirituality, nurtured daily, and a constant commitment to raising missionary awareness and enthusiasm, young people, adults, families, priests, bishops and men and women religious work to develop a missionary heart in everyone.    World Mission Day, promoted by the Society of the Propagation of the Faith, is a good opportunity for enabling the missionary heart of Christian communities to join in prayer, testimony of life and communion of goods, in responding to the vast and pressing needs of evangelization.

Carrying out our mission with Mary, Mother of Evangelization

10. Dear brothers and sisters, in carrying out our mission, let us draw inspiration from Mary, Mother of Evangelisation.   Moved by the Spirit, she welcomed the Word of life in the depths of her humble faith.   May the Virgin Mother help us to say our own “yes”, conscious of the urgent need to make the Good News of Jesus resound in our time.  May she obtain for us renewed zeal in bringing to everyone the Good News of the life that is victorious over death.   May she intercede for us so that we can acquire the holy audacity needed to discover new ways to bring the gift of salvation to every man and woman.

From the Vatican, 4 June 2017
Solemnity of Pentecost

Mary, Mother of Evangelisation, Pray for the Church, Pray for us all – that we may go forth and make the Good News of Jesus resound in our time!MARY MOTHER OF EVANGELISATION - 22 oct 2017

Posted in franciscan OFM, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, Uncategorized

Quote/s of the Day – 20 October – The Month of the Holy Rosary

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 October – The Month of the Holy Rosary

“The Rosary is the prayer
that always accompanies my life:
it is also the prayer
of simple people and saints…
it is the prayer of my heart”.

“The Rosary lays before our eyes the beauty
of a simple contemplative prayer
that is accessible to everyone, great and small.”

Pope Francispope francis on the rosary - quotes - 20 oct 2017

“The rosary is a weapon against
depression and hopelessness.”

Servant of God Benedict Groeschelthe rosary is - benedict groeschel

“I am pleading with you to become apostles of the Rosary.
Promote the Rosary.
Urge the Rosary.
Teach the Rosary.
Shall I say, advertise the Rosary.
It is through the Rosary that we can bring countless souls
back to Christ from whom they have strayed.
It is through the Rosary that we can make them
lovers of Christ through the mediation of His Mother,
the Mother of Miracles since the marriage feast at Cana
even to the dawn of eternity!”

Servant of God Fr John A Hardon SJ

(Father Hardon wrote and gave this conference before His Holiness, John Paul II, issued the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae that added five more mysteries (the Luminous Mysteries) to the Rosary.)i am pleading with you - john a hardon - on the rosary - 20 oct 2017

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 20 October

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Our Morning Offering – 20 October

Mary, I love you
St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

Mary, I love you.
Mary, make me live in God,
with God,
and for God.
Draw me after you, holy mother.
O Mary, may your children
persevere in loving you.
Mary, Mother of God and mother of mercy,
pray for me and for the departed.
Mary, holy Mother of God,
be our helper.
In every difficulty and distress,
come to our aid, O Mary.
O Queen of Heaven,
lead us to eternal life with God.
Mother of God,
remember me,
and help me always to remember you.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to you.
Pray for us,
O holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray to Jesus for me.
Amenmary i love you - st philip neri

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – Saturday 14 October

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Quote/s of the Day – Saturday 14 October

“Mary’s grace has given:
glory to heaven:
a God to earth:
and faith to the nations.
She has conferred:
death on vices;
order to life;
and a rule on morals.”

St Peter Chrysologus (406-450)mary's grace has given - st peter chrysologus - sat 14 oct 2017

“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 fulness
and without the slightest imperfection.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)love for christ pierced mary's heart - st bernard - sat 14 oct 2017

“She is flower of the field
from whom bloomed the
precious lily of the valley.”

St Augustine (354-430)she is the flower of the field - st augustine

Posted in DEVOTIO, MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 14 October – Saturday Devotion to our Mother

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Our Morning Offering – 14 October – Saturday Devotion to our Mother

Mary, let me love your Jesus
By St Ildephonsus (607-667)

Virgin Mary, hear my prayer:
through the Holy Spirit
you became the Mother of Jesus;
from the Holy Spirit may I too have Jesus.
Through the Holy Spirit
your flesh conceived Jesus;
through the same Spirit
may my soul receive Jesus.
Through the Holy Spirit
you were able to know Jesus,
to possess Jesus,
and to bring Him into the world.
Through the Holy Spirit
may I too come to know your Jesus.
Imbued with the Spirit,
Mary, you could say:
“I am the handmaid of the Lord,
be it done unto me according to your word”;
in the Holy Spirit,
lowly as I am,
let me proclaim the great truths about Jesus.
In the Spirit you now adore Jesus as Lord
and look on Him as Son;
in the same spirit,
Mary, let me love your Jesus.
AmenMARY LET ME LOVE YOUR JESUS - ST ILDEPHONSUS - 14 oct 2017 SAT DEVOTION

Posted in MORNING Prayers, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 13 October – “The Miracle of the Sun”

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Thought for the Day – 13 October – “The Miracle of the Sun”

Those who are very familiar with the apparitions of Fatima and those whose only knowledge is a fleeting memory from a long ago viewing of the 1952 movie are both familiar with the “Miracle of the Sun.”   This miracle took place on 13 October 1917, five months after Our Lady first appeared to the three young visionaries.   Our Lady had promised the children that a miracle would occur and approximately 40,000 of the devout and/or curious stood in a field outside of Fatima to await it.   The sun changed colours, whirled about and at times appeared to be zooming toward the earth.   A few people in the crowd claimed to have seen nothing but most were awestruck by the supernatural event that took place.

Rather than dwell on the possibility of secrets not thoroughly revealed or consecrations not properly done and other hot items of Catholic ‘gossip’, this 13 October is a good day to dwell on the coincidences that lead us to repentance and conversion.   The coincidences which point directly to that nucleus of the Gospel message.   And do remember the words of Paul’s letter to the Romans:  “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

The message of Fatima is simple:   Pray.    Unfortunately, some people—not Sister Lucia—have distorted these revelations, making them into an apocalyptic event for which they are now the only reliable interpreters.  They have, for example, claimed that Mary’s request that the world be consecrated to her has been ignored.   Sister Lucia agreed that Pope John Paul II’s public consecration in St Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984, fulfilled Mary’s request.   The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prepared a 26 June 2000, document explaining the “third secret.”

Mary is perfectly honoured when people generously imitate her response “Let it be done to me as you say” (Luke 1:38).   Mary can never be seen as a rival to Jesus or to the Church’s teaching authority, as exercised by the college of bishops united with the bishop of Rome.

Our Lady of Fatima, ora pro nobis!our lady of fatima - ora pro nobis - 13 oct 2017

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 JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – The Memorial of St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) and St Daniel Comboni (1831-1881)

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – The Memorial of St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) and
St Daniel Comboni (1831-1881)

“I am very sorry to lose the company of a man of your merit,
a shining light of counsel, a model in the exercise of the highest offices of State and,
because of your virtue and piety, a factor of edification for all my court.
But I recognise that it would be unreasonable to dispute over you with the Master you have chosen to serve.
It is, therefore, with sorrow that I grant you the permission you are requesting.
I authorise you to renounce your fiefs and titles in favour of your firstborn son.
The number of those who will envy you, will be greater than those who will imitate you, since it is easy to admire beautiful examples but difficult to follow them.
I recommend myself to your prayers and I count upon you,
to attract divine blessings over me, my States, and all Christendom.”

(King Charles V of Spain when he granted permission to St Francis to enter the novitiate of the Jesuits.)

“When you pray, hear Mass, sit at table, engage in business
and when at bedtime you remove your clothes—
at all times crave that by the pain which He felt when He was stripped
just before His crucifixion, He may strip us of our evil habits of mind.
Thus, naked of earthly things, we may also embrace the cross.”when you pray - st francis borgia - 10 oct 2017

“I have great doubts about the salvation of those
who do not have special devotion to Mary.”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)i have great doubts - st francis borgia - 19 oct 2917

“The same terrible crosses that oppress me
are also the greatest consolation
because Jesus suffered,
Jesus is a Victim
Jesus chose the Cross….
(therefore) I am happy with the Cross,
tbat borne willingly for the love of God,
generates triumph and eternal life.”

St Daniel Comboni (1831-1881)the same terrible crosses - st daniel comboni - 10 oct 2017

Posted in SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

9 October – Our Lady of Good Help and Memorials of the Saints

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Denis of Paris (Optional Memorial)
St John Leonardi (Optional Memorial) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykk3IFk3_7Y
—
Our Lady of Good Help:  “I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners.”   Such is the way the Mother of God introduced herself to a twenty-eight-year-old Belgian immigrant, Adele Brise, on October 9, 1859.   The pious young woman was on her eleven mile walk home to Robinsonville (now Champion), Wisconsin, after attending Mass in Bay Settlement.   Adele was traveling at the time with two companions, her sister and another woman, as well as a male guardian who was working for the Holy Cross Fathers at the Settlement.   Our Lady had appeared earlier to Adele the day before and, again, that same morning at the same spot, but she had not spoken.   Her companions did not see or hear anything.   The young woman was told by Heaven’s Queen that she must pray for the conversion of sinners, and warn them, for if they do not convert, her Son was going to punish them.   She was told to gather together the children in this remote area and teach them the truths they must know for their salvation; teach them the catechism;  teach them how to bless themselves with the Sign of the Cross; and teach them how to approach the sacraments. Our Lady ended by telling Adele, whose faith was strong but simple, to fear nothing and be confident in her help.  For the next thirty-seven years of her life, until her death in 1896, Sister Adele Brise was faithful to this mission. – Sr Adele’s life and mission here: http://catholicism.org/first-approved-marian-apparition-in-the-us-champion-wisconsin.html

Our Lady of Good Help 1859

Bl Aaron of Cracow
St Abraham the Patriarch
St Alfanus of Salerno
St Andronicus of Antioch
St Athanasia of Antioch
Bl Bernard of Rodez
St Demetrius of Alexandria
St Deusdedit of Montecassino
St Domninus
St Dorotheus of Alexandria
St Donnino of Città di Castello
St Eleutherius
St Geminus
St Gislenus
St Goswin
Bl Gunther
Bl John Henry Newman
St Lambert
St Louis Bertrand
St Publia
St Rusticus
St Sabinus of the Lavedan
St Valerius
—
Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War – Martyrs of Astoria – (9 saints): Also known as Martyrs of Turon: A group of Brothers of the Christian Schools and a Passionist priest martyred in the persecutions during the Spanish Civil War. They are –
• Aniceto Adolfo
• Augusto Andrés
• Benito de Jesús
• Benjamín Julián
• Cirilo Bertrán
• Inocencio de la Immaculada
• Julián Alfredo
• Marciano José
• Victoriano Pío
They were martyred on 9 October 1934 in Turón, Spain and Canonised on 21 November 1999 by St Pope John Paul II.
—
Martyrs of Laodicea – (3 saints): Three Christians martyred together in Laodicea, but no other information about them has survived but their names – Didymus, Diodorus and Diomedes. They were martyred in Laodicea, Syria.

 

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 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

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

Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and Memorials of the Saints – 7 October

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Our Lady of the Rosary (Memorial) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IvhoSNf6Ls
—
St Adalgis of Novara
St Apuleius of Capua
St Augustus of Bourges
St Canog ap Brychan
St Dubtach of Armagh
St Gerold of Cologne
St Helanus
Bl Jean Hunot
St Julia the Martyr
St Justina of Padua
St Marcellus of Capua
St Pope Mark
St Martin Cid
Bl Matthew Carreri
St Osith
St Palladius of Saintes
St Quarto of Capua
St Rigaldo

Martyrs of Arima: Eight lay people Japan who were martyred together in the persecutions of Christianity in Japan:
• Blessed Hadrianus Takahashi Mondo
• Blessed Ioanna Takahashi
• Blessed Leo Hayashida Sukeemon
• Blessed Martha Hayashida
• Blessed Magdalena Hayashida
• Blessed Didacus Hayashida
• Blessed Leo Takedomi Kan’Emon
• Blessed Paulus Takedomi Dan’Emon
They were martyred on 7 October 1613 in Arima, Hyogo, Japan and Beatified on 24 November 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Mercedarian Nuns of Seville: Five Mercedarian nuns at the monastery of the Assumption in Seville, Spain noted for their piety – Sisters Agnese, Bianca, Caterina, Maddalena and Marianna.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War
• Blessed José Llosá Balaguer

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

 

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 MARIAN PRAYERS, MIRACLES, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Saint of the Day – 5 October – Blessed Bartholomew Longo (1841-1926)

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Saint of the Day – 5 October – Blessed Bartholomew Longo (Italian – Bartolo Longo) (1841-1926) Lawyer, Dominican Tertiary, Confessor, Apostle of the Rosary, Apostle of Marian Devotion, Papal Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.BL BARTOLO LONGO.2

Bartolo Longo was born into a wealthy family on February 10, 1841 in the small town of Latiano, near Brindisi, in southern Italy.   His parents were devout Roman Catholics.   In 1851, Longo’s father died and his mother remarried a lawyer.   Despite Longo’s stepfather wanting him to become a teacher, Longo was set on becoming a lawyer.   In 1861, Longo succeeded in convincing his stepfather and was sent to the University of Naples to study law.

220px-Bartolo_Longo_A_22_anni

In the 1860s, the Catholic Church in Italy found itself at odds with a strong nationalistic movement.   General Giuseppe Garibaldi, who played a key role in Italian unification, saw the Pope as an antagonist to Italian nationalism and actively campaigned for the elimination of the papal office altogether.   The Catholic Church in Europe was also competing with a growing popularity in Spiritualism and Occultism.   Because of this, many students at the University of Naples took part in demonstrations against the pope, dabbled in witchcraft and consulted Neapolitan mediums.   Longo became involved with a movement that he claimed led him into a Satanist cult.   After some study and several “spiritual” experiences Longo said that he was ordained as a satanic priest.

In the following years, Longo’s life became one of “depression, nervousness and confusion”.   Bothered by paranoia and anxiety, he turned to a hometown friend, Vincenzo Pepe, for guidance.   It was Pepe who convinced him, in Longo’s account, to abandon Satanism and introduced him to the Dominican Father Alberto Radente who led him to a devotion to the rosary.    On October 7, 1871, Longo became a Dominican tertiary and took the name “Rosario”.   Around this time, he reportedly visited a séance and held up a rosary, declaring, “I renounce spiritualism because it is nothing but a maze of error and falsehood.”   He also came to know some Franciscans with whom he helped the poor and incurably ill for two years.   Bartolo also kept up his law practice, which took him to the nearby village of Pompei.   He went to Pompei to take care of the affairs of Countess Marianna Farnararo De Fusco.

In Pompei, Longo later recounted, he was shocked at the erosion of the people’s faith.   He wrote, “Their religion was a mixture of superstition and popular tradition. … For their every need, … they would go to a witch, a sorceress, in order to obtain charms and witchcraft.”   Through talking to the citizens, Bartolo came to recognise their severe lack of catechesis.   When he asked one man if there was only one God, the fellow answered, “When I was a child, I remember people telling me there were three. Now, after so many years, I don‘t know if one of them is dead or one has married.”

Longo wrote of his personal struggles with mental illness, paranoia, depression and anxiety.   At one point, he noted struggling with suicidal thoughts but rejected them by recalling the promise of Saint Dominic, “he who propagates my Rosary will be saved.” Longo wrote that this promise is what convinced him to encourage public devotion to the rosary.

With the help of Countess Mariana di Fusco, he inaugurated a confraternity of the Rosary and in October 1873 started restoring a dilapidated church.   He sponsored a festival in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary.   In 1875, Longo obtained as a gift a painting portraying Our Lady of the Rosary, with Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena. Sister M Concetta de Litala of the Monastery of the Rosary at Porta Medina had been holding it for the Dominican priest Alberto Radente.   Radente had acquired it from a junk-shop dealer in Naples for a very small sum.   The painting was in bad condition and Longo wrote of his immediate distaste of the poor artistic quality when he first saw it. However, he accepted the gift to conserve funds and to not insult the Sister Concetta. Longo raised funds to restore the image and placed it in the church in an effort to encourage pilgrimages.  Miracles began to be reported and people began flocking in droves to the church.   Longo was encouraged by the Bishop of Nola to begin the construction of a larger church—the cornerstone being laid on May 8, 1876.   The church was consecrated in May 1891 by Cardinal La Valletta (representing Pope Leo XIII).   In 1939, the church was enlarged to a basilica, known today as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompei.1200px-Pompei_duomopompeii altarpompeii shrinepompeii

At the suggestion of Pope Leo XIII, Bartolo Longo and the Countess Mariana di Fusco were married on April 7, 1885.   The couple remained chaste and continued to do many charitable works and provided for orphaned children and the children of prisoners which for its time was revolutionary.

In 1906 they donated the entire property of the Pompeii shrine to the Holy See.   Longo continued promoting the Rosary until his death on October 5, 1926, at the age of 85.   The piazza on which his basilica stands has since been named in memory of Longo.   His body is encased in a glass tomb and he is wearing the mantle of a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a papal order of knighthood.

blessed_bartolo_longo_at_pompei

On October 26, 1980 he was beatified by Pope John Paul II, who would call him the “Apostle of the Rosary” and mentioned him specifically in his apostolic letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae” (The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).

On October 7, 2003 Pope John Paul II prayed for world peace at the Basilica.   More than 30,000 people were waiting to greet him as he flew in by helicopter.

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 SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast of Our Lady of San Nicolás, Argentina and Memorials of the Saints – 25 September

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Our Lady of San Nicolás, Argentina: An ordinary housewife, a mother and grandmother who had no formal education and no knowledge of the Bible or theology claimed that she was visited by the Blessed Mother daily for a period of over 6 years.   She reportedly additionally received 68 messages from Jesus Christ.   Numerous healings, including the cure of a boy with a brain tumour, have been documented.

our-lady-of-the-rosary-san-nicolas-argentina
—
St Anacharius of Auxerre
St Aurelia of Macerata
St Caian of Tregaian
St Ceolfrid
St Cleopas
St Egelred of Crowland
St Ermenfridus of Luxeuil
St Finbar
St Firminus of Amiens
St Fymbert
St Herculanus the Soldier
Bl Herman the Cripple
Bl Marco Criado
St Mewrog
St Neomisia of Mecerata
St Paphnutius of Alexandria
St Principius of Soissons
St Sergius of Moscow
St Solemnis of Chartres
St Vincent Strambi
—
Holy Bishops of Milan: Commemorates all the holy men who have served as the bishop of the ancient diocese, and sometimes city-state, of Milan, Italy. They include –
• Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster
• Blessed Andrea Carlo Ferrari
• Pope Pius XI
• Saint Ambrose of Milan
• Saint Ampelius of Milan
• Saint Anathalon of Milan
• Saint Antoninus of Milan
• Saint Auxanus of Milan
• Saint Benedict Crispus of Milan
• Saint Benignus of Milan
• Saint Calimerius of Milan
• Saint Castritian of Milan
• Saint Charles Borromeo
• Saint Datius of Milan
• Saint Dionysius of Milan
• Saint Eugene of Milan
• Saint Eusebius of Milan
• Saint Eustorgius II of Milan
• Saint Eustorgius of Milan
• Saint Gaius of Milan
• Saint Galdinus of Milan
• Saint Geruntius of Milan
• Saint Glycerius of Milan
• Saint Honoratus of Milan
• Saint John Camillus the Good
• Saint Lazarus of Milan
• Saint Magnus of Milan
• Saint Mansuetus of Milan
• Saint Marolus of Milan
• Saint Martinian of Milan
• Saint Mirocles of Milan
• Saint Mona of Milan
• Saint Natalis of Milan
• Saint Protasius of Milan
• Saint Senator of Milan
• Saint Simplician of Milan
• Saint Venerius of Milan
—
Martyrs of Damascus: A Christian family of six who were tortured to death in a persecution by Roman authorities. They were: Eugenia, Maximus, Paul, Rufus, Sabinian and Tatta. They were tortured to death in Damascus, Syria, date unknown.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Jose María Bengoa Aranguren
• Blessed Josep Maria Vidal Segú
• Blessed Juan Agustín Codera Marqués
• Blessed Julio Esteve Flors
• Blessed Pedro Leoz Portillo
• Blessed Rafael Pardo Molina
• Blessed Tomás Gil de La Cal

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

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

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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 EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, Uncategorized

Quote/s of the Day – The Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)

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Quote/s of the Day – The Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)

“Do not be daunted by the cross.
The surest test of love consists in suffering for the loved one
and if God suffered so much for love,
the pain we suffer for Him becomes as lovable as love itself.”

“The greater your sufferings, the greater God’s love for you.”the greater your sufferings - st pio - 23 sept 2017

“Do not fear!   Jesus is more powerful than all hell.”do not fear

“In all the free time you have,
once you have finished your duties of state,
you should kneel down and pray the Rosary.
Pray the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament
or before a crucifix.”in all the free time - st pio no 2 - 23 sept 2017

“Do you not see the Madonna always beside the tabernacle?”do you not see - st pio - 23 sept 2017

“When you gossip about a person it means
that you have removed the person from your heart.
But be aware, when you remove a man from your heart,
Jesus also goes away from your heart with that man.”

St Padre Pio (1887-1968)when you gossip - st pio 23 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

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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

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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