Immaculate Heart of Mary Archives - The Mystery of Faith

The feast day of the Our Lady of Lourdes will be celebrated on February 11th by the Catholic Church. Why do Catholics ask Mary to pray for them? What is the meaning of this feast day? What do the saints say about Mary? The early church had great reverence for Mary, the Mother of God. Because she gave birth to Jesus, Mary was full of Grace…literally! Just as Adam and Eve were created without sin, it is believed that Mary also was created without the stain of original sin. Mary’s Heart was Immaculate….free from any stain of sin, both original sin and personal sin. Mary was not God, however. All worship goes to the Trinity…the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Mary was an instrument used by God to bring Jesus into the world. We know Jesus honored and loved His Mother. Are we not called to imitate Jesus? There are many prayers and quotes by the saints for us to learn about the beliefs of the early Church.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES Oh ever immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen.

Purer than heaven’s purest angels, brighter than its brightest seraph; Mary, after her Creator, God, made her and gave her all, the most perfect of beings, the masterpiece of Infinite Wisdom, Almighty Power and Eternal Love. To such a being we cannot reasonably suppose that a perfection was denied her which had been already gratuitously bestowed on inferior creatures; on the angelic spirits

St. John N. Neumann

Virgin Mary, Mother of God
Public Domain Image

The Most Holy Virgin places herself between her Son and us. The greater sinners we are, the more tenderness and compassion does she feel for us. The child that has cost its mother the most tears is the dearest to her heart.

St. John Vianney

Our Lady is rest for those who work, consolation for those who weep medicine for the sick, a harbour for those assailed by tempests, pardon for sinners, sweet relief for the sad, succour for those who implore.

St. John Damascene

Bl. Herman (likely author)

Why should we be astonished if the God who could work marvels in the scripture and through His saints should choose to reveal Himself even more marvelous by means of His Mother?

St. Bernard (Feast day August 20)

Most Holy Virgin Mary…Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, Lily of purity, Rose of patience, Paradise of delight, Mirror of chastity, Model if innocence…intercede for this poor banished pilgrim.

St. Peter of Alcantara (Feast day (October 19)

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Remember, O most loving virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O virgin of virgins, our mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful, O mother of the Word incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

The Virgin Mother’s heart remained perpetually inflamed with the holy love which she received of her Son.

St. Francis de Sales (Feast day January 24)

Blessed is he for whom Mary prays.

St. Peter Julian Eymard (Feast day August 1)

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Our Lady of Fatima Public Domain Image — Our Lady of Fatima
Public Domain Image

The Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated on May 13.

In 1917, an angel and Our Lady appeared six times to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. Jacinta (7 years old) and Francisco (9 years old) were brother and sister. Lucy Dos Santos (14 years old) was their cousin. Jacinta and Francisco both died several years after the apparitions.

Francisco was born on June 11, 1908. During the apparitions Francisco could see but not hear what was being said. He had a great love of praying before the Blessed Sacrament. He also had a great devotion to praying the Rosary. He received his first communion on the day of his death, April 4, 1919.

Jacinta was born on March 11, 1910. Jacinta could both hear and see what was said during the apparitions. She was profoundly affected when Our Lady told her that Jesus was very offended by sin. After seeing a vision of hell, she decided to offer herself completely to the salvation of souls. She offered her suffering to free souls from the fires of hell. A year after the apparitions she came down with bronchial pneumonia, an abscessed lung and then was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She offered all of her suffering to Jesus. She was rushed to a hospital in Lisbon. The Blessed Virgin visited her their three times. She died without the presence of her parents or Lucy on Feb.20, 1920.

Lucy was born on March 22, 1907. After the apparitions Our Lady told her that her cousins would soon be in heaven and that Lucy should spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady said “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which will lead you to God.” It was Lucy who requested a miracle so people would believe in the apparitions. During the investigations surrounding the apparitions, Lucy was harassed. She entered the Sisters of St. Dorothy as Sister Mary of the Sorrowful Mother. Later she became a Carmelite Sister taking the name Sister Maria Lucia. She had several more visions of Our Lady. Lucy died on Feb. 3, 2005 at the age of 97.

The children saw a brilliant flash of lightning. A beautiful Lady appeared clothed in white and she asked the children to return on the thirteenth of each month. She asked the children to pray the Rosary daily and for devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She also requested prayer for Russia. Our Lady of Fatima spoke of observing the first Saturdays of each month by going to confession and receiving Holy Communion as a devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

On the final visit, a dramatic “dance of the sun” took place. It was witnessed by thousands of people. The sun seemed to tumble from the sky.

During the apparitions in Fatima three secrets were revealed to the children.

After being promised they would go to heaven the children saw a vision of hell which was filled with fire and demons.
Mary instructed the children how to save souls from Hell and convert the world to Christianity. She asked them to spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart and to pray the Rosary. She asked them to pray for Russia.
The children had a vision of the assassination of the Holy Father.

Many believe the third secret was a prophecy of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II canonized Francisco and Jacinta Marto on May 13, 2000.

Several chapels have been built at the site.

Pope John Paul II gave thanks to Our Lady of Fatima for her intercession after he survived an attempted assassination. He reminded the faithful that “the message of Fatima is a call to conversion and repentance, the nucleus of the message of the Gospel”.

There is no queen like humility to make the King surrender. Humility drew the King from heaven to the womb of the Virgin, and with it, by one hair, we will draw Him to our souls.

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15