Category Archives: Our Lady

Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Queenship of Mary, Feast Day August 22

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The Coronation of the Virgin Mary by Pencz Public Domain Image
The Coronation of the Virgin Mary
by Pencz

The feast day of The Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22.

Why is Mary called a Queen? What other title would you give to the mother of the Prince of Peace?  A prince grows up to become a King.  Jesus is often referred to as our Lord and King.  The mother of a King is given the title of Queen.

The title of Queen began as early as the sixth century.  Mary has been referred to as Queen in several hymns since the 11th century.  The prayer Hail Holy Queen is the prayer which finalizes the Rosary which was begun by St. Dominic.

When we think of Mary as the Mother of Jesus, our King, we should also reflect on our spiritual family as well.  We are all children of God,  Our Creator.  The Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph did not wear earthly crowns, but they reveal to us a kingdom of another kind…the kingdom of God.    In the Our Father, we pray…thy kingdom come.  We are meant to be a part of this kingdom.  As children of God, we are royal children.  Our relationship with God is meant to be that of a family.   God is our Father, Lord and King.  Mary is our Queen Mother and we are called to be royal children who will live in the kingdom of God.

Communication is the key to a happy family.  Prayer is how we communicate with our spiritual family.  We are not alone!   Not only can God hear our prayers, but the angels and saints can also hear our prayers.  When we join our prayers together they become much stronger.  Mary’s prayers especially have special meaning and power.  After all, she is the Queen mother!

As we journey through this earthly kingdom, let us strive to earn a place in the kingdom of God…where the virtues of humility and love are seen in everyone.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria.

Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria.

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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Our life, our sweetness, here below,O Maria!

Our hope in sorrow and in woe, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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To thee we cry, poor sons of Eve, O Maria!

To thee we sigh, we mourn, we grieve, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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Turn then most gracious Advocate, O Maria!

Toward us thine eyes compassionate, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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The cause of joy to men below, O Maria!

The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria!

Angels, all your praises bring,

Earth and heaven, with us sing,

All creation echoing:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

Who can appraise the jewel that adorn Mary’s crown?

Quote of St. Bernard;  Feast day August 20

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Assumption of Mary, Feast Day August 15

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The Assumption of Mary by Palma il Vecchio Public Domain Image
The Assumption of Mary by Palma il Vecchio

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on August 15. While this is a belief which goes back to the apostolic age, it was proclaimed dogma on Nov. 1, 1950 by Pope Pius XII.

The word assumption means “to take up.” It is believed that Mary was assumed into heaven by the power of God. This is not the same as the Ascension of Jesus. Jesus ascended into heaven by His own power. The assumption of Mary into heaven gives glory to God by whose power she was taken into heaven.

Pope Pius XII in the papal document, Munificentimus Deus gives four reasons why we believe in the dogma of Assumption of Mary. He explained that the uninterrupted tradition about Mary’s death and assumption began in the first century. The belief is expressed in all the ancient liturgies of the Church. He added that the negative evidence is the absence of veneration of a tomb of Mary while most of the apostles have tombs.

In the Old Testament there is the possibility of bodily assumption in the cases of Enoch (Gen. 5:24), Moses (Deut. 34:5) and Elijah (IIKg. 2:1)

The theological reasons for believing in the Assumption of Mary are twofold.

First; Mary was “immaculately conceived”.  This means she was born without the consequence of “original sin” and is exempted from the postmortem decay of the body.   She is sometimes referred to as “The Second Eve“.

Second; Mary received the fullness of grace and holiness as the mother of Jesus. Her place is with her son Jesus, the redeemer in heaven.

 

Good Lady, bearer of our good Lord,

watch over us…lead us to the safe harbor

of God’s will.

 

Quote of St. John Damascene; Feast day December 4The Assumption of Mary in Art

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

 

Prayers Quips and Quotes Articles for the Month of August

 

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Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of the Snows, Feast day August 5

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Our Lady of the Snow

 

The feast day of Our Lady of the Snows is celebrated on August 5.  It is on this day the Basilica of Mary Major was dedicated.

A man by the name of John lived in the ancient city of Rome.  He and his wife were childless.  They chose to leave their fortune to Mary, the Mother of God.  Pope Liberius suggessted that they pray for a sign to guide them in what she wished them to do.

On the evening of August 5, Our Lady appeared to John, his wife and the Pope asking for a church to be built in her honor on the Esquiline Hill.  John and his wife asked for a sign .   She told them:

“Snow will crown the crest of the hill.”

Although it snows only on rare occasions in Rome the snow covered the hill during the summer night of August 5, 358.  The snow fell in a pattern showing the outline of the church soon to be built.

Mary soon became known as Our Lady of the Snows.  Snow symbolizes that Mary is as ‘pure as the driven snow’.  Her many blessings may be compared to the number and variety of snowflakes.

The church built is now known as Saint Mary Major.  It has since been enlarged and restored.  Other names it has been known as are Basilica of Liberius, Saint Mary of the Crib and finally Saint Mary Major.

A statue of Our Lady of the Snows is believed to have been produced by St. Luke the Apostle.

 

Mary is always performing these two movements:  absorbing grace from her most holy son, and pouring it forth on sinners.

Quote of St. Anthony Mary Claret;   Feast day October 24

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

Basilica of St. Mary Major

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Carmelite Saints, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Feast Day July 16

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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Public Domain Image
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is celebrated by the Catholic Church on July 16. It is on this day in about 1386 that Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock. She gave him a Brown Scapular saying,

“Take, beloved son this scapular of thy order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire.”

The scapular symbolizes Mary’s protection and reminds those wearing it of the call to prayer and penance. It stands for a commitment to follow Jesus and imitate Mary as the perfect model of all disciples of Christ.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Public Domain Image
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Public Domain Image

A chapel was built near the Fountain of Elijah (northern Israel) which was dedicated to Our Lady. The hermits living there became known as the “Brothers of Mount Carmel”.  St. Simon Stock was a leader of the Carmelite Order. The Carmelites have a special devotion to Mary. Their saints and theologians have a special devotion to her and the mystery of the Immaculate Conception (the belief that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin).  St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and St. Terese of Lisieux are well known Carmelite saints.

Mt. Carmel is located north of Jerusalem along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a well known mountainous ridge in Palestine which is covered with caves. Hermits lived in the caves, living a life of solitude and prayer. Mt. Carmel is mentioned in the Old Testament many times.

The history of the Carmelites dates back to ancient times. It is believed to have been founded by the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The Carmelite Order is a contemplative order. Their spirituality follows the contemplative spirit of Elijah, living a spiritual life of contemplation and prayer. One of their goals is to “find God in the silence’. The rule of the Carmelites was written by St. Albert Avogadro in 1214.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
The feast celebrates the appearance of Mary to St. Simon Stock.It is a special feast day for those who have a special devotion to Mary and wear the Brown Scapular. The Apparition of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587.  The feast celebrates the appearance of Mary to St. Simon Stock.

 

 

 

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Public Domain ImageOur Lady of Mt. Carmel

Blessed is he for whom Mary prays.

Quote of St. Peter Julian Eymard; Feast day August 2

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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Faith, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Feast Day June 27

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help Public Domain Image
Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The feast day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is celebrated on June 27.

Many people believe the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was originally painted by St. Luke. It is presently in the Church of St. Alphonsus under the care of the Order of Redemptorists. Numerous miracles have followed the icon.

The icon is an authentic expression of Byzantine art from ancient times. The gold background reflects God’s glory. In the portrait are Mary, the Mother of God, the Christ Child and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Mary is gazing at the person who is looking at the icon moving everyone to love Jesus her son and Our Savior. The Christ Child is comforted in his mother’s arms. One of his sandals is almost lost indicating that we sometimes need to seek assistance in our troubles. It is Mary who protected Our Lord in his childhood. She will protect us also.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Icon
Chapel Bydgoszcz

The Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was first venerated in Crete. Tradition tells us however, that in 1480 the icon was smuggled from Crete to Rome by a thief! The smugglers asked Mary for protection during a storm at sea and God answered their prayers. After arriving in Rome, the merchant who had stolen the icon became very ill. He asked his caretaker to return the icon to the Church. The wife of the caretaker however insisted they keep the picture for themselves after the man had died. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared several times to the man and his wife requesting that the icon be returned to a church. When she was ignored, she began appearing to their six year old daughter, requesting that the icon be placed between the Churches of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. Eventually, the icon was returned and enshrined at St. Matthews in 1499. St. Matthews was destroyed when Napoleon’s army invaded Rome in 1798. The icon was believed to be lost.

In 1855, The Order of Redemtorists came to Rome. They were granted possession of the land on which St. Matthew’s previously existed to build a new church. A Redemptorist priest remembered that he had learned as a young boy that the holy icon was in an Augustinian monastery near Rome. The Redemptorists petitioned the pope to allow the image to be returned to the spot the Blessed Virgin had requested that it be placed.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Public Domain Image
Our Lady of Perpetual Help

On April 26, 1866 the icon was transferred in a solemn procession to the Church of St. Alphonsus. They were given permission to spread the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Prayer to Our Lady:

Mother of Perpetual Help, Woman of Eternal Hope, your wordless gaze tells us so much about you. Knowing eyes look upon us with tender love. The slight bend of your head reveals such maternal concern. While your left hand supports the Child, your right hand is ready to receive us, too. Just as He feels the beating of your heart, so you encourage us to lead a life of hope and holiness. Just as His sandal will fall on your lap, through your intercession may God pick us up as we stumble and fall. Never let us be parted from you and your son, Jesus.

Lady of love, you invite us to place our hand where His fingers touch yours — near a heart of endless hope — so that we may be united often in prayer here on earth and joined forever with you in heaven.     Amen.

 

Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much.  You can never love her more than Jesus did.

Quote of St. Maximilian Kolbe; Feast Day August 14

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

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Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Feast of the Visitation, Feast Day May 31

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The Visitation Public Domain Image
The Visitation

The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated on May 31.

We celebrate Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth while she was pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist. When they met, the baby lept for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.

Not only the baby, but Mary and Elizabeth were filled with joy. Elizabeth tells Mary:

“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”

Mary responds with the Magnificat which has become a beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving.

 

Magnificat

My soul does magnify the Lord:
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid:  for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty has done great things to me: and holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation until generations, to them that fear Him.
He has showed might with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He has received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy:
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

 

The Visitation Public Domain Image
The Visitation

As we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation let us reflect on how important our families are to us. Imagine the joy Elizabeth and Mary shared together as they anticipated the birth of their babies! It is important that we too, give thanks to God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us and our families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

God hugs you.

Quote of St. Hildegarde of Bingen; Feast day Sept. 17

 

May is the Month of Our Lady