Our Lady of Rosary , our Lady of Victory !

Feast of Our Lady of Holy Rosary

7 October, one of the most significant days in history.
On this day in 1571, near the Greek town of Lepanto, a joint navy of Christian states dealt a crushing defeat to the Turkish navy, preventing an invasion of Europe. The defeat was so crushing that it was considered miraculous. This miraculous defeat broke the back of Muslim domination of the Mediterranean and was attributed to the prayers and processions of the Rosary confraternity in Rome

The victory was attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope St. Pius V having urged all the Catholics in Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. Pope St. Pius V was a Dominican, and the Dominicans had long been the special custodians and propagators of the Rosary. Tradition says that the Rosary was given to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin herself, as a special weapon against heresy and other dangers. The victory at Lepanto reaffirmed the Rosary’s power. This feast day has also been known as the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary.

Let us remember that the Holy Rosary is a positive, definite form of armor against evil. It is not only the armor, but it is the best weapon anyone can use. It is even more than the weapon, it is the driving force that repels all evil. First, the Crucifix on the Rosary is of the utmost importance. It depicts how The
Son of God freed man. It also depicts God's Great Love for man. It also shows the truth of Christianity. It also portrays, without a doubt, the Final Consummation that was left with Holy Mother Church, the True Body and Blood of Christ.

This Crucifix also says many things to God's and man's enemy. The prayer in its very essence Honors God, tells about God, and commits the one who says it to sound belief in God, Our Heavenly Mother, the Virgin Birth, and all the important issues that the enemy of God and man, envies, hates, and fights against.

The Rosary is a powerful prayer, more powerful than people realize, for it is, in its continuity, in its content, that satan is cast aside and cannot enter. The power of the Rosary must be seen by all people throughout the world. It is a shield, it is a weapon, it is the greatest act of prayer man has. The Rosary is prayer in action, for every prayer in the Holy Rosary speaks of the Importance of God, the Greatness of God, and of course, the Magnitude in which Our Heavenly Mother stands.




Our Heavenly Mother, God's Mother, our Blessed Mother from the sorrowful moment of the Cross , Our Heavenly Queen , Our Lady of Rosary is Purity beyond what we can understand, what we know purity can be, and She has the Power to stomp out evil with a mere thought,and when Her children pay Honor to Her, She protects Her
children from the enemy.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Our Lady of La Salette - September 19

Invocation :
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.
~~Indulgence 300 days~~

On September 19, 1846, Our Lady appeared to two small shepherds, Maximin Giraud and Melanie Calvat. The beautiful lady, as the children called her, appeared in an attitude of profound sadness asking prayers and penance to help her prevent the arm of her Son from falling over humankind for its sins. Our Lady also revealed to the shepherd children a secret. Since this apparition took place on the mountain called La Salette in the Diocese of Grenoble, France, a new invocation of Our Lady soon spread throughout the world – Our Lady of La Salette.

Since the Assumption of our Blessed Lady into Heaven, she has often appeared to her children on earth. But Mary appeared on the mountain of La Salette, as she never appeared before.

1. She was seen in grief, with all the signs of the most profound sorrow; she shed abundant tears whilst speaking to the children; she carried on her breast the image of her Divine Son nailed to the cross, with the other tokens of His sufferings.

2. Nowhere had she ever invited her people to conversion with words so touching, and in so pressing a manner. Never before did she call sinning men back to Christ, by a living representation of the scene on Calvary, where she stood as the Mother of Sorrows at the feet of her expiring Son, all, doubtless, on account of the enormity of our sins in this age.

3. Again, how remarkable that the Apparition should have happened on the eve of the very day, which the Church has appointed to commemorate the Seven Dolours of our Blessed Lady.

Let us faithfully pray the Prayer to Our Lady of La Salette:

Remember, Our Lady of La Salette, true Mother of Sorrows, the tears which thou didst shed for me on Calvary; be mindful also of the unceasing care which thou dost exercise to screen me from the Justice of God; and consider whether thou canst now abandon thy child, for whom thou has done so much. Inspired by this consoling thought, I come to cast myself at thy feet, in spite of my infidelity and ingratitude. Reject not my prayer, O Virgin of reconciliation, convert me, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus Christ above all things and to console thee, too, by living a holy life, in order that one day I may be able to see thee in heaven. Amen.
~~Indulgence of 500 days. ~~

Our Lady of Ransom novena

This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favor. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: rescue me from sinking in the mud; save me from my foes.

The Blessed Virgin appeared in 1218 in separate visions to St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymond of Penafort and James, king of Aragon, asking them to found a religious order dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the barbarous Saracens or Moors, who at the time held a great part of Spain. On August 10, 1218, King James established the royal, military and religious Order of our Lady of Ransom (first known as the Order of St. Eulalia, now known as the Mercedarian Order), with the members granted the privilege of wearing his own arms on their breast.

Therefore let us faithfully pray Novena to our Lady of Ransom ( may all our prayers be mercifully received ):

Blessed be Thou, O Mary, the honor and the joy of Thy people!
On the day of Thy glorious Assumption, Thou didst take possession of Thy queenly dignity for our sake; and the human race record all of Thy merciful interventions. The captives whose chains Thou hast broken, and whom Thou hast set free from the degrading yoke of the Saracens, may be reckoned in the millions.
We are still rejoicing in the recollection of Thy dear Birthday; and Thy smile is sufficient to dry our tears and chase away the clouds of grief.
And yet, what sorrows there are still upon the earth, where Thou Thyself didst drink such long draughts from the cup of suffering!
Thou alone, O Mary, canst break the inextricable chains, in which the cunning prince of darkness entangles the dupes he has deceived by the high-sounding names of equality and liberty. Show thyself a Queen, by coming to the rescue. The whole earth, the entire human race, cries out to Thee, in the words of Mordochai: “Speak to the King for us, and deliver us from death!” (Esther 15: 3)
(here we state our prayer request )
Let us Pray. O God, Who through the most glorious Mother of Thy Son wast pleased to give new children to Thy Church for the deliverance of Christ's faithful from the power of the heathen, grant, we pray Thee, that we who affectionately honor her as the Foundress of so great a work, may, by her merits and intercession, be delivered from the slavery of sin and the eternal flames of Hell. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.

Blessed Feast of our Lady of Sorrows

Today as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, it comes the day after the feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Even though we know that Our Lord has triumphed victoriously through His Cross and Resurrection, nonetheless, the pain and the anguish in which Our Lady would have been suffering as she stood at the foot of the Cross is certainly recognized and celebrated. It is celebrated for a very particular reason, first of all, because she became our mother at the foot of the Cross. "When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!'. Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!’" (Jn 19:26-27).


In the solemnity of this feast, we principally remember Mary on Calvary where she suffered the supreme sorrow of all sorrows that filled her life. Indeed, so great was Mary's grief on Calvary that, had it been divided among all creatures capable of suffering, it would have caused them all to die instantly.
Our Lord's suffering on the cross is magnified through our Lady of Sorrows. That is her role. She magnifies the Lord. As the Gospel of John dramatically presents her, Mary stands “near the cross of Jesus. Is there a greater pain than for a mother to witness the death of her son in public, under the atmosphere of shame and ridicule, under condemnation and after a grueling tortures beyond the imagination of men? Mary experienced such supreme pain, humiliation, loss and trials. And she did it with grace, courage, detemination and faith.
Once again our beloved and unforgettable Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater, commented:
Simeon's words seem like a "Second Annunciation" to Mary for they tell her of the historical circumstances in which the Son is to accomplish his mission, namely in misunderstanding and sorrow ... They also reveal that she will have to live her obedience of faith in suffering at the Saviour's side and that her motherhood will be mysterious and sorrowful.

Mary our Mother teaches us not to complain in the midst of trials as we know she never would. She encourages us to unite our sufferings to the sacrifice of her only begotten Son and so offer them as spiritual gifts for the benefit of our family, the Church, and all humanity.
May each one of us, precisely through the concrete reality of Mary's universal motherhood, fully acknowledge her as our own Mother, and trustingly commend ourselves to her maternal love.
Therefore let us faithfully pray and render our heartfelt consolation to our Sorrowful Mother Mary :

O Mother of Sorrows, thou,
who beneath the Cross of Jesus
were given to us as our Mother,
look down with pity on us,
thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears.
By that swords of sorrow which pierced thy Heart
when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son,
obtain for us that comfort
we so sorely need in our sufferings.

Thou were given to us our Mother
in the hour of thy greatest grief
that thou might be mindful of our frailty
and the evils that press upon us.
Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother,
we cannot gain the victory
in this struggle against flesh and blood.
Therefore, we seek thy help,
O Queen of Sorrows,
lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy.
We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother
amid the dangers that threaten our destruction.
Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea,
grant us by the memory of those sorrows
the strength to be victorious.

Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows,
for us and all who are near and dear to us,
that we may ever do the Will of thy Son,
and may direct all our actions to His honour,
and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows.
Amen.

Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us. Amen

Prayer for Tuesday

Knowest thou, sweet Mary,
Whereto I aspire?
It is my hope to love thee,
This is my desire.

I would ever be near thee,
Queen most fair and sweet!
Do not, do not drive me
From my Mother's feet.

Then, O Rose most lovely!
Let me hear from thee.
Loving Mother! tell me
What thou wilt of me.

More I cannot offer,
Lo! I bring my heart;
Lovingly I give it,
Never from thee to part.

Lady, thou didst take it,
It is no longer mine:
Long since thou didst love it,
And its love was thine!

Do not, then, forsake me,
Mother of sweet Love,
Till one day thou see me
Safe in Heaven above.

( prayer written by Saint Alphonsus Liguori)

Blessed Feast of Holy Name of Mary ( September 12 )

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary .
We venerate the Name of Mary because it belongs to her who is the Mother of God, the holiest of creatures, the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Mercy. The object of the feast is the Holy Virgin bearing the name of Mirjam (Mary); the feast commemorates all the privileges given to Mary by God and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation. It was instituted in 1513 at Cuenca in Spain, and assigned with proper Office to 15 Sept., the octave day of Mary's Nativity.( catholic encyclopedia New Advent )
To ponder the name of Mary is to meditate on all facets of our Redemption, from the still serenity of Bethlehem to the bitter sorrows of Calvary.
"When we talk on earthly subjects or politics, we grow weary," wrote St. John Vianney [+1859], "but when we talk of the Holy Virgin, it is always new."
Like a recitation of the Rosary, which keeps the historical particulars of salvation history ever before our minds and hearts, a meditation on Our Lady's name will bless us with peace and hope in God's endless Mercy .
Our Lord desires that we invoke Mary's Holy Name in our trials and necessities, as did John Sobieski and the Catholic warriors at Lepanto. He has proven this again and again, and the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary is yet another reminder that when we invoke this name, we call upon not only a Queen, not only a Mother , but upon an Intercessor, Advocate and Mediatrix:
"As wax melts before fire, so do the evils lose their power against those souls who remember the name of Mary and devoutly invoke it." [St. Bonaventure + 1274]

Therefore let us faithfully pray the Litany of the Holy Name of Mary

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.
Heavenly Father, of Whom Mary is the Daughter,
have mercy on us.
Eternal Word, of Whom Mary is the Mother,
have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, of Whom Mary is the spouse,
have mercy on us.
Divine Trinity, of Whom Mary is the Handmaid,
have mercy on us.
Invocations and Response
1. Mary, Mother of the Living God, pray for us.
2. Mary, daughter of the Light Eternal, pray for us.
3. Mary, our light, pray for us.
4. Mary, our sister, pray for us.
5. Mary, flower of Jesse, pray for us.
6. Mary, issue of kings, pray for us.
7. Mary, chief work of God, pray for us.
8. Mary, the beloved of God, pray for us.
9. Mary, Immaculate Virgin, pray for us.
10. Mary, all fair, pray for us.
11. Mary, light in darkness, pray for us.
12. Mary, our sure rest, pray for us.
13. Mary, house of God, pray for us.
14. Mary, sanctuary of the Lord, pray for us.
15. Mary, altar of the Divinity, pray for us.
16. Mary, Virgin Mother, pray for us.
17. Mary, embracing your Infant God, pray for us.
18. Mary, reposing with Eternal Wisdom, pray for us.
19. Mary, ocean of bitterness, pray for us.
20. Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for us.
21. Mary, suffering with your only Son, pray for us.
22. Mary, pierced with a sword of sorrow, pray for us.
23. Mary, torn with a cruel wound, pray for us.
24. Mary, sorrowful even unto death, pray for us.
25. Mary, bereft of all consolation, pray for us.
26. Mary, submissive to the law of God, pray for us.
27. Mary, standing by the Cross of Jesus, pray for us.
28. Mary, Our Lady, pray for us.
29. Mary, Our Queen, pray for us.
30. Mary, Queen of Glory, pray for us.
31. Mary, glory of the Church Triumphant, pray for us.
32. Mary, Blessed Queen, pray for us.
33. Mary, advocate of the Church Militant, pray for us.
34. Mary, Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
35. Mary, consoler of the Church Suffering, pray for us.
36. Mary, exalted above the angels, pray for us.
37. Mary, crowned with twelve stars, pray for us.
38. Mary, fair as the moon, pray for us.
39. Mary, bright as the sun, pray for us.
40. Mary, distinguished above all, pray for us.
41. Mary, seated at the right hand of Jesus, pray for us.
42. Mary, our hope, pray for us.
43. Mary, our sweetness, pray for us.
44. Mary, glory of Jerusalem, pray for us.
45. Mary, joy of Israel, pray for us.
46. Mary, honor of our people, pray for us.
47. Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us.
48. Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.
49. Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us.
50. Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
51. Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
52. Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us.
53. Mary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us.
54. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
55. Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us.
56. Mary, Our Lady of Dolors, pray for us.
57. Mary, Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us.
58. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
59. Mary, Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
60. Mary, Our Lady of La Trappe, pray for us.
61. Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus.
Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.
I will declare your name unto my brethren.
I will praise you in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Us Pray:

O Almighty God, Who beholds Thy servants earnestly desiring to place themselves under the shadow of the name and protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, grant, we beseech You, that by her charitable intercession, we may be delivered from all evil on earth, and may arrive at everlasting joys in Heaven, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Gregorian Chant - Salve Regina

Salve Regina, mater misericordiae: vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen.
Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix.
Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Hail holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.Amen

Sep 08 - Homily - Fr Bonaventure: The First Rays of Redemption

For four thousand years many souls were born into to the world but only one of these would bring the Savior of mankind. The dawn of light appeared in the dark of sin, through the birth of the sinless Virgin Mary .

Happy Birthday Holy and ever Immaculate Mary , pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death , Amen

Joyful Feast of Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary ( September 8 )

Happy Birthday Holy and ever Immaculate Mother Mary !

Let us faithfully pray :

Sweet Child Mary, destined to be the Mother of God and our sovereign and loving Mother, by the prodigies of grace you lavish upon us, mercifully listen to my humble supplications. In the needs which press upon me from every side and especially in my present tribulation, I place all my trust in you.O Holy Child, by the privileges granted to you alone and by the merits which you have acquired, be merciful to me this day. Show that the source of spiritual favors and the continuous benefits which you dispense are inexhaustible, because your power with the Heart of God is unlimited. Deign through the immense profusion of graces with which the Most High has enriched you from the first moment of your Immaculate Conception, grant me, O Celestial Child, my petition, and I shall eternally praise the goodness of your Heart.

Most Holy Infant Mary, Pray For Us!

Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, chose the incomparable Virgin Mary from among all creatures to be His Mother and deigned to be nourished and governed by her.
In His infinite goodness, He also gave her to be our Queen, our Mother and our sure Refuge in all our needs.
He, therefore, wishes us to honor her as He honors her, and to love her as He loves her. Mary always held and will hold forever the first place in the Sacred Heart of her Divine Son; she always was and will never cease to be the first object of His Love after the Eternal Father; and so He wishes that, next to God, she should be the principle object of our devotion. For this reason, after the devotion , worship and love we owe to the Divine Majesty of God, we cannot render a greater service to Jesus Christ or do anything more pleasing to Him than to serve and honor and venerate His most worthy Mother!

Mary is Heaven's masterpiece, the Empress of Heaven Mary is Heaven’s masterpiece, the Empress of Heaven, its joy and its glory, in whom everything is heavenly. She is clothed with the eternal Sun of the Godhead and with all the perfection of the Divine Essence, which surround, fill and penetrate her to such an extent that she has become transformed, as it were, into the power, goodness and holiness of God. She has the moon under her feet to show that the entire world is beneath her. None is above her save only God, and she holds absolute sway over all created things. The heart of the Mother of God is a world of marvels, an abyss of wonders, the source and principle of all the virtues which we admire in our glorious Queen. Her heart is a vast sea of grace, a measureless ocean of perfection, an immense furnace of love. The heart of Mary is the spiritual part of the soul and the heart divine, for it is none other than the love of God.

Jesus is the principle of life in His most holy Mother. So it is that He is the Heart of her Heart and the life of her life. Every homage rendered to Mary is rendered to her Son, likewise he who dishonors her dishonors Him! Indeed every heart, every pen and every tongue should be employed in loving, in writing and in speaking of the incomparable Heart of Mary. The heavens are a special work of God’s Hands, but the Heart of the Mother of God is the unequaled masterpiece of His omnipotence, His unfathomable wisdom and His infinite goodness.

“The admirable Heart of Mary is the Heaven of Heavens,” says St. Bernard, “because it contains the entire Church as all the children of the Church receive through Mary the life of grace.” The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, like a good mother, carries all her children in her Heart. God resides more gloriously and works far greater wonders in the Heart of Mary than the sun in the universe. What is the throne of Christ, if not the Heart of His dearest Mother! It is the consolation of the suffering souls in Purgatory, the joy of the faithful on earth, the exaltation of the angels and saints in Heaven … the delight of the Most Blessed Trinity! Take away the Heart of Mary, the true sun of the Christian World, and what is left but darkness, the shadow of death and the night of the grave.

Therefore let us rejoice in the Nativity of Blessed Virgin and ever Immaculate Mary , through whom we received the gift of life and redemption , we became brothers and sisters with Jesus Christ and forgiven children of God !

Blessed Feast of Immaculate Heart of Mary

The devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is deeply connected with that to the Sacred Heart of Jesus .
The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are mentioned explicitly only briefly in the text of the New Testament. Nevertheless the many references to the love and compassion of Jesus and Mary, as well as implied references to their Hearts, provide a vivid revelation of the Two Hearts .
This Admirable Alliance of Hearts, which worked the salvation of the whole world : the Heart of Jesus, which suffered to the point of being pierced so as to pour forth upon all who believe in Him, the grace of the Holy Spirit, which makes them partakers of the Holy Eucharist in the communion of fellowship in the Catholic Church; and the Heart of Mary, always focused on Her Divine Son, which was predestined by God to suffer with Him for the salvation of mankind.
St. John Eudes (1601-1680) is the founder of the modern public devotion to the Two Hearts.
It was his mission to organize the scriptural, theological, patristic, and liturgical sources relating to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and to popularize them with the approbation of the Church. His chief writings on this topic were: The Admirable Childhood of the Most Holy Mother of God, The Admirable Heart of the Mother of God, the Life and Kingdom of Jesus, The Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Admirable Heart of Mary. Included among his works was a mass and office for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and one for the Admirable Heart of Mary.
He was the first to dedicate churches in the world to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
St John Eudes meditated awesomely :
"Jesus lives in her (Mary) soul and body..His Heart abides in Her heart, His Soul in Her soul .. His virtues, mysteries, and divine attributes are loving in Her heart.."
Their Hearts are One !

Honouring Mary's Immaculate Heart is really just another way of honouring Mary as the person who was chosen to be the Mother of God, recognising her extraordinary holiness and the immense love she bestowed on Jesus as his mother, the person who was called to share in and co-operate in his redemptive sufferings.
The whole aim of this devotion is to unite mankind to God through Mary's forever Immaculate heart, and this process involves the ideas of consecration and reparation. A person is consecrated to Mary's Immaculate Heart as a way of being completely devoted to God. This involves a total gift of self, something only ultimately possible with reference to God; but Mary is our intermediary in this process of consecration.
The expression of St. Louis Grignion de Montfort applies here: Through Mary to Jesus!

In the strict sense of the word, we can consecrate ourselves only to God, and therefore to Jesus, who is not only true man but also true God. However, we consecrate ourselves to the Virgin Mary only in the wider sense of the word, which is in accordance with newer instructions of the Apostolic See, using the term 'commitment', or 'offering'.

With consecration to Mary we commit ourselves to Jesus:our souls and bodies, our spiritual progress, our prayers, sacrifices, good deeds, hidden spiritual struggles, our state of health, our families, acquaintances and friends, our profession and all our material goods.
A new life starts in us, formed after the hearts of Jesus and Mary . Happy and blessed feast for each one of you !

Let us faithfully pray and consecrate ourselves to Holy and forever Immaculate Heart of Mary :
Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus , we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world.
Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world.
O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully.

We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen.

Lourdes Hymn with words and descant - Immaculate Mary

Blessed Feast of Immaculate Heart of Mary

Salve Regina: Hail Holy Queen

Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and devotion to the Sacred Heart is tied closely to devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary—so closely, in fact, that the two feasts are celebrated a day after another .The Feast of the Sacred Heart falls 19 days after Pentecost, and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated the next day.
Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:33-34 paved the way and furnished devotion with one of its favorite formula and most popular representations: the heart pierced with a sword , the perfect description of forever Immaculate Heart of Mary .
Saint Luke's Gospel says that Mary kept all the sayings and doings of Jesus in her heart, that she might ponder them and live by them. Another great expression of loving Heart of Holy and Blessed Mother Mary .

Let us faithfully pray Novena for the Feast of Mary's ever Immaculate Heart :

O Most Blessed Mother,
heart of love,
heart of mercy,
ever listening,
caring, consoling,
hear our prayer.
As your children,
we implore your intercession
with Jesus your Son.
Receive with understanding and compassion
the petitions we place before you today,
especially..

( In your own words, make your special request here. Do not just mention a word. Speak to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as you would speak to another person, begging your Heavenly Mother to plea to Jesus on your behalf, that you be granted this special request.)

We are comforted in knowing your heart
is ever open to those who ask for your prayer.
We trust to your gentle care and intercession,
those whom we love
and who are sick
or lonely
or hurting.
Help all of us,
Holy Mother,
to bear our burdens in this life
until we may share eternal life
and peace with God forever. Amen

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today we celebrate both Memorial Day and the feast of The Visitation, the Second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary. They are beautifully tied together through the fruit, or virtue, of this mystery which is Love of neighbor.

The Blessed Mother embodies love of neighbor in her perfect charity. She is God's masterpiece of human creation, and her soul magnifies His presence through her perfect humility and charity.

"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me, and holy is His name" (Lk. 1:46).

The story of the Visitation teaches us an important lesson: when Christ is growing inside of us, we will be led to people, places and situations that we never dreamed of. We will bear words of consolation and hope that are not our own. In the very act of consoling others, we will be consoled. We will be at peace, recollected, because we know that however insignificant our life and issues seem to be, from them Christ is forming himself. The women of today’s Gospel show us that it is possible to move beyond our own little personal agendas and engage in authentic ministry.

Ministry is not simply doing things for others, loving difficult people, serving the poor, teaching others. Authentic ministers allow themselves to serve and be served, taught, cared for, consoled and loved. Such moments liberate us and enable us to sing Magnificat along the journey, and celebrate the great things that God does for us and our people.

Consider the words of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) on this feast:

In the mystery of the Annunciation and the Visitation, Mary is the very model of the life we should lead. First of all, she welcomed Jesus in her existence; then, she shared what she had received. Every time we receive Holy Communion, Jesus the Word becomes flesh in our life – gift of God who is at one and the same time beautiful, kind, unique. Thus, the first Eucharist was such: Mary’s offering of her Son in her, in whom he had set up the first altar. Mary, the only one who could affirm with absolute confidence, “this is my body”, from that first moment offered her own body, her strength, all her being, to form the Body of Christ.

Blessed Feast of Visitation for every faithful , God bless you all !

Spouse of the Holy Spirit

Hail, most gracious Mother of Mercy, Hail, Mary, for whom we fondly yearn, through whom we obtain forgiveness! Who would not love thee? Thou art our light in uncertainty, our comfort in sorrow, our solace in the time of trial, our refuge from every peril and temptation. Thou art our sure hope of salvation, second only to thy only-begotten Son; blessed are they who love thee, our Lady! Incline, I beseech thee, thy ears of pity to the entreaties of this thy servant, a miserable sinner; dissipate the darkness of my sins by the bright beams of thy holiness, in order that I may be acceptable in thy sight. Amen

A hymn a day for our Heavenly Mother Mary

Ave Maria dear, garden of roses fair, Thornless white lily of Jesse's race.
At Angelus I greet with Gabriel's words so sweet:
Ave Maria, full of all grace.

Thou hast the Father's Son, Maria, Purest one,
In thy chaste womb given protection, Jesus the Holy Child,
Who sinners all defiled Himself has saved from their destruction

Therefore, O Mother mild, pray for us to thy Child,
Ask that our sins may be forgiven:
After this life of tears, Maria, through thy prayers,
gain us eternal joys of heaven. Amen

Solemnity Mary Help of Christians

Holy Mary , Mother of God , we invoke you as the Help of Christians
because you afford help to Christians even in all temporal needs.
If, without being asked, you do so much, what will you do if we invoke your aid?
Though you are now enthroned in Heaven,
you still take an interest in our misery and relieve our wants.
You are still the Mother of God in Heaven as you were on earth;
Jesus, Who is Omnipotence Itself, remains your Son for all eternity.
Your love for us is now even more intense and more compassionate,
because you know our misery better in Heaven than you did in this mortal life.
You obtain sweet rest for all who are laden with trouble and pain;
you give comfort to the afflicted and healing to the sick.
Help of Christians, give me an unbounded confidence in you.
You can help me, for your prayer is all-powerful with God,
and you will help me, for you are my Mother and you love me as your child.
Let me pray to you with a pure and penitent heart, for I cannot expect help from you if I continue to offend your dear Son and even crucify Him again by my sins.
I wish to beg your help with perseverance,
even though for some time I may receive no help.
I know you will grant my petition at the right time.
Teach me to pray with resignation to the will of God,
Who knows what is best for me.
Obtain for me at least the grace of bearing my cross with patience.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen

About this day Solemnity :

Holy Mary , blessed Mother of God , brings us help especially in our spiritual needs. She is a most merciful Mother who rejects no sinner, no matter how far he may have strayed. She lovingly assists on his behalf and tries to reconcile him to her Son. She assists us in temptations. She is continually crushing the serpent's head by breaking evil's plans to capture souls by sin.

God Himself has said to the proud evil one :
"I will put enmities between thee and the woman—she shall crush thy head" (Gen. 3,15).

Instead of capturing others, evil is himself made a captive by Mary; like a chained slave he must obey her commands.
Mary is the Protectress of the Universal Catholic Church , through her intercession calamities have been averted from Christendom, fierce persecutions have ceased to rage, and enemies have been humbled to the dust.
Many feasts are expressions of gratitude toward her for the frequent and wonderful deliverance of Christian nations from the invasions of enemies, from schisms and wars, and from other sufferings.
She confirms us in good and obtains for us the grace of making progress in the path of virtue, for she desires nothing more ardently than that we all become partakers of the fruits of redemption, won for us by her Son. In our efforts to reach holiness, she supports us and obtains for us the grace of perseverance.
We can ask nothing of her that will give her greater pleasure or that she will grant more willingly than the grace to do good. Above all, Mary assists us in the hour of death, which is the most important moment in our life because upon that moment our eternity depends.
As the exalted Queen of heaven she takes the souls of her faithful servants under her protecting mantle, accompanies them to the judgment seat of her Son, and there she becomes their intercessor.

In 1863, a vision of Our Lady appeared to Don Bosco asking him to build a Church to honor her as Mary Help of Christians. Mother Mary's request: "This is my house, from here My Glory shall shine forth."

Don Bosco built the church under miraculous circumstances with financial help coming from practically unknown devotees.
In 1868, Don Bosco completed the grand Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin Italy. It has become the center of devotions and Mother Church of over 150 shrines dedicated to Mary Help of Christians around the world .
Don Bosco asked the artist Thomas Lorenzone to paint the picture of Mary Help of Christians. After three (3) years of work, the painting was finished and put in its place over the main altar of the Basilica.

Don Bosco's description of the painting was: Our Lady stands out in the center bathed in light and majesty. She is surrounded by ranks of Angels, who are doing her honor as their Queen. In her right hand she holds a scepter, the symbol of her power, and on her left arm she carries the Child with his arms outstretched as a sign of the graces and mercy he offers to all who have recourse to his royal Mother. At each side and underneath are the Holy Apostles and Evangelists, exalted in ecstasy as though exclaiming: "Queen of Apostles, pray for us" while gazing in wonder at the Holy Virgin. At the lower part of the painting is shown a portion of the City of Turin, with the Sanctuary of Valdocco in the foreground and the Sanctuary of Superga in the rear.

Novena for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Join me in praying Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes . Let us to remember that on February 11, 1858, one of the most famous of all Mary's apparitions began. Our Lady appeared to a 14 year old peasant girl named Bernadette Soubrious. Our Lady told Bernadette "I am the Immaculate Conception." The Immaculate Conception means that Mary was created in her mother's womb and born without sin. Of course, anyone who was going to be the Mother of God, and carry Jesus in her womb would have to be without sin herself. Mary is the only person in the whole world, besides Jesus who was born without Original Sin.
Therefore let us faithfully pray :

Mary, Mother of God, I firmly believe in the doctrine of Holy Mother Church concerning your Immaculate Conception: namely, that you were, in the first instant of your conception, by the singular grace and privilege of God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

Alone of all the children of Adam, you were gifted with the fullness of sanctifying grace that made you the object of a very special love on the part of God. How wonderful were the workings of Divine power to make you a fitting dwelling for the Redeemer of the world! With no tendency to evil, but with a deep yearning for the highest virtue, you glorified God more than all His other creatures. At the very instant of your conception your mind was filled with the light of God, and your will was entirely conformed to the Divine Will. You were always intimately united with God.

I thank God with you for these wonderful blessings. Help me to imitate your holiness to some degree. Your holiness was not the result of the privilege of your Immaculate Conception and sanctifying grace alone, but followed from your gift of yourself to God and your constant cooperation with His graces. Help me to be generous with God by turning to good account the graces that He ever bestows on me, and by rising promptly when I fall, with renewed confidence in His Mercy.

Ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy, health of the sick, refuge of sinners, comfort of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Deign to cast upon me a look of mercy.

By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, from which you dispense your favors; and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession.

Obtain, O loving Mother, the granting of my requests. Through gratitude for your favors, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues that I may one day share your glory.

Through your loving compassion shown to thousands of pilgrims who come to your shrine at Lourdes, and through your special love for your devoted client Bernadette, I ask for this grace if it be the Will of God: ( prayer request)

Our Lady of Lourdes, aid me through your prayer with your Divine Son, to be a true child of yours, as Bernadette was, and to grow daily into your likeness. Amen