Nameday
Happy Nameday to our #6!
Here are two prayers to our beloved St. Cajetan that are most needed for our current times.
O glorious St. Cajetan, you spent long hours helping the sick and worked yourself to exhaustion in helping victims of plagues which were frequent in your time. You cared for the sick not just to heal them, but to guide them to a happy death. You wanted their souls, not their bodies. Help us to understand that we have to prepare ourselves to a happy death. May we likewise see that the most terrible sickness is our sinfulness, and we always have to examine ourselves for the sins we commit daily. Inspire us to have repentant hearts that we may always be prepared to meet the Lord. Amen.
O humble St. Cajetan, you spoke with rulers and kings, but you never gave them much importance. You know that prestige, honor, and positions in society could only be good if they are use to help the needy and the poor. For this reason, you also confronted tyrants and stood against armies that looted, killed, and raped. Your humility did not prevent you from becoming a prophet. You only feared Jesus. Help us to remain humble and self-effacing, knowing that before God, we remain nothing. We can only be someone if we stand close to Jesus. Inspire us to follow your footsteps so that we, too, may fight for justice and help stop corruption in our government. Amen.
Nameday
Happy Nameday to our #6!
Here are two prayers to our beloved St. Cajetan that are most needed for our current times.
O glorious St. Cajetan, you spent long hours helping the sick and worked yourself to exhaustion in helping victims of plagues which were frequent in your time. You cared for the sick not just to heal them, but to guide them to a happy death. You wanted their souls, not their bodies. Help us to understand that we have to prepare ourselves to a happy death. May we likewise see that the most terrible sickness is our sinfulness, and we always have to examine ourselves for the sins we commit daily. Inspire us to have repentant hearts that we may always be prepared to meet the Lord. Amen.
O humble St. Cajetan, you spoke with rulers and kings, but you never gave them much importance. You know that prestige, honor, and positions in society could only be good if they are use to help the needy and the poor. For this reason, you also confronted tyrants and stood against armies that looted, killed, and raped. Your humility did not prevent you from becoming a prophet. You only feared Jesus. Help us to remain humble and self-effacing, knowing that before God, we remain nothing. We can only be someone if we stand close to Jesus. Inspire us to follow your footsteps so that we, too, may fight for justice and help stop corruption in our government. Amen.
Schoolroom Calendar
We’ve been using a lovely Liturgical Wall Calendar with a pocket chart for years in our homeschool. But it was on its last leg and I no longer had access to the original file. I figured that we would go without it this school year and find an alternative over time. My boys weren’t having it, they love traditions and routines.
I opted to create something in our eleventh hour before we begin the new school year to ensure that we continue to help our children live the liturgical year.
The traditional Catholic Liturgical Year is filled with great reverence, symbolism, and beauty just like the Latin Tridentine Mass. Each month and each day of the week is named for a special devotion. We can join in the richness of our Catholic faith by following the days, weeks, seasons and feastdays of the traditional calendar in a natural rhythm that brings us ever closer to God and our Holy Mother Church.
You may download this wall calendar kit for your personal use at your set price/offering. The details are shared in the link.
We desire that all families have access to the faith resources that we share.
Catholic Feastdays are days set aside to remember important people and events through the course of the Faith from the time of Mary’s birth all the way through today honoring the saints. This calendar follows traditional form of the Roman Rite, before many of the concillar changes.
Please share pictures of how you use this calendar in your home!
Homeschool Mission
Many ask what is the first step to home education. This post is a response to the #1 question that I hear.
Every year around this time we plan, reevaluate, and discern our homeschool plans. We cover it all in prayer, Home Education Novena.
There are practical things to do, planning that must be done, and items to acquire. But it can be fruitless if done without a clear homeschool mission to help guide your efforts.
Planning your homeschool without a mission can be done but the probability for chaos or unnecessary expenditures is much greater without one. Any good business would never dare to begin to invest time and money without having a clear mission and vision for their business. Why would we home educating families fall short of implementing such an effective tool?
There are a plethora of options to consider from education methods, daily routines, co-ops, classes, curricula, and extracurriculars. If you don’t have a solid direction set to help filter your options through, you will most likely end up wandering and become easily overwhelmed.
There are different ways of defining a vision, mission, objectives and goals. The vision is the “what” for home education and is often tailored per individual child, changing as needed. The goals and objectives help to achieve the vision and are often included in the actual vision set for each child.
While the mission is the “why” of home education. We know our ultimate “why,” all for the Glory of God. Our homeschool mission will expand upon this direction.
Creating the Mission
A mission statement will serve as your “why” for homeschooling. For most, this mission is ultimately a family mission since home education is a way of living.
It should be a short, meaningful summary or phrase that sums up the purpose of home educating your children. But there is really no must-have formula.
My family/home education mission statement is longer than a sentence as it’s full encompassing and we have added to it over the years. We also have a family motto that sums up our family mission & best expresses our charism.
In our earliest years, our mission was simply, …
God, Family, Education, (and everything else)!
We would cross-check all of our plans, activities, purchases with this mission to ensure that our priorities were being met and help us not to become discouraged if we never got to “everything else” or even education due to time, life circumstances (ie; mom’s health, new baby, …) or a lack of resources.
Creating your homeschool mission statement does not need to be overwhelming but it may take some time. I recommend that it be worked on with your spouse and children who are old enough to engage. Including your older children in this process is especially beneficial if you’re new to home education. It will help them become invested in their education as well as valuing the mission vs. seeing it as just words that mom/dad put together.
Once created, your home education mission will change very little if at all in the future. It is the compass that will help you navigate your home education journey, make effective decisions, and set solid goals. It is the rock that your homeschool will be built upon, helping you persevere through challenging times.
My husband has often had to redirect me to our mission when I pour out my heart of failure and frustrations to him. Often I can get blinded by all that is not just so and even fall into the worldly view of what our education and home should be. Reflecting on our mission in those times is like an immediate injection of proper perspective that helps to put my focus back on Christ.
Below are 6 steps to help you form your home education mission.
Step 1: Ask Questions
You may want to do this alone, with your spouse, a trusted mentor, spiritual director/priest, or even your children. The point is to start asking questions about what your home education does/will do and why.
Ask basic questions like these about your homeschool and family:
- What is our primary purpose to homeschool?
- What inspired us to homeschool?
- What is the end goal of our homeschool?
- What do we want our children to say at the end of the school year or at homeschool graduation?
- How do we define success of homeschool when it has all come to an end?
Take your time. You may even want to set aside two blocks of time to formulate your answers. For example, on one occasion you may want to review other homeschool mission statements or read about a particular saint that inspires you.
Then ask:
- How will our family live our call?
- What is the charism of our family?
- How could we improve upon other’s mission statements?
- Which mission statements resonate with us?
- Which maxim best serves us?
- What kind of description feels right for our family/homeschool?
The purpose of Catholic homeschooling is the teaching and training of children at home in order to preserve the Catholic Faith in the family and to preserve the Catholic Faith in our country.
Fr. John Hardon
Step 2: Brainstorm
Take the answers from the questions above and brain dump any words or short phrases that come to mind. Do not edit, just write. If you’re working
with family members, start sharing out loud. Some words or ideas may be off-the-wall while others may be real gems — write it all down and continue to share freely.
- Write down the words that pop into everyone’s head. Write exactly what is said. Do not re-word any ideas or you may miss something that would add value.
- This is only a gathering phase. You’ll end up with common feelings, words, or short phrases that make sense and resonate with you and your family.
Step 3: Shorten Your List
This step, as with the entire process of creating a mission, can serve as a fun family bonding activity. If you are working alone, simply edit the word list by crossing out the words that do not speak to your heart. If working with your spouse and/or children, make it fun! Give everyone a vote on each word or phrase. You can post the words on a board and let everyone give a star to the terms that they like best. Again, this will go a long way toward getting everyone invested in the mission.
This process will pare down that list of words to the ones that are most representative of your family and most important in what your home education will accomplish and why.
Step 4: Create a Rough Draft
This is the part of the process that the creative-writer of the family may want to take charge of. It is best done alone.
Thoughts will be summarized into one first-draft mission statement or a few first-draft mission statements can be created. The ultimate goal of this step is to get your mission statement(s) on paper. Editing can be done at a later time.
Step 5: Get Feedback
Have your spouse, children, mentor, or spiritual director review for their feedback. The mission should be easily understood and a good representation of your family. If you move forward without asking at least your spouse what they think, you may end up with something that inspired you but no one else. It is ultimately your family’s mission statement and should be reflective of your family.
Listen to the input given and do not take any critique personally.
Ask the following questions to get others to open up with honest input:
- How does this make you feel about our family/homeschool?
- What would you change in the wording?
- What is it missing?
Steps four and five may be repeated until you end up with something everyone can agree gives purpose to your family/homeschool and that they can internalize. Keep editing and getting feedback until all agree that it is complete.
Step 6: Finalize & Share
Once you’ve come to a consensus, it’s time to finalize your homeschool mission statement. This will be a consolation in itself.
Type out the final draft. I once wrote our mission statement out and did all the right things but long and behold it was lost during a move. Having a digital copy will help to ensure that you will never lose it.
Print out your homeschool mission and post in prominent places. Include it in your planners, children’s planners, give a copy to your husband, share it with tutors who help in your home, and whatever else to ensure that it is easily accessible and can be referenced on a regular basis.
Here is my family’s mission statement that serves all of our needs, including our homeschool.
Have you created a home education mission? What is your home education mission?
Additional Planning:
Once you have your family’s homeschool mission set, begin creating your vision. Remember, the vision is you your “what” for home education.
Pam Barnhill has provided a great step by step process for creating a home education vision and goal setting for each child. Click here to listen to her webinar and be on your way to creating a homeschool vision.
Homeschool Novena
Many are in planning mode or unknown territory, discerning education options due to the current times.
Years ago, two wonderful priests suggested that we (homeschoolers of the parish) pray a novena to St. Ignatius before our school year. St. Ignatius of Loyola is a patron of educators and education.
You are invited to join my family and many others in praying this novena for the discernment of God’s Will in our families, that we are able, as much as God will allow, to know which choices to make in all areas of our lives that will reflect His Holy Will and work always for His greater glory for this upcoming school year.
This novena is intended to help us discern God’s will for our vocation and education of our children, to form a communion of prayer, and to glorify God.
The novena starts July 22 and ends on July 30, the eve of the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US!
Below are words shared from a Catholic mom of nine who homeschooled all of her children (from start to finish) for 30+ years. Her words serve as an invitation for all the mothers/families out there, whether you’re a veteran home educator, a novice, or you’re discerning to homeschool.
Dear Homeschooling Families,
It seems that no matter, how many years one has been at this, the balancing of interests and needs of our families, while ever-changing never gets any clearer or even any easier. Each year we are faced with decisions about our children’s education, what grade, what subjects, what books along with trying to fit into a 24 hour day all the other things we do that are necessary to keeping our homes, like laundry, dishes, etc. We wonder how many outside activities we can reasonably take on, what to make sure we include and what we may have to omit. In the end each of us desires to do the Will of God, for ourselves and for our families, each and every member. The desire to do His Will does not necessarily always translate though into a clear understanding at all times what exactly His Will may be and so we try very hard to balance all the decisions that our multi-faceted vocation entails and discern what He is really asking us to do. ~G.M.
You can find more homeschool encouragement in the sermons shared below.
Let us form a communion of prayer to discern God’s will for our vocation & education of our children, Glorify God, and raise one another up.
Prayer for Christian Families
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.,
Lord Jesus, Mary, Mother of the Holy Family, obtain for all Catholic parents the grace to raise their children for a heavenly eternity. Teach us parents to do everything which your Divine Son tells us to do. If we do, we shall be reunited not only as families. We shall join the Holy Family of the Most Holy Trinity.
Make us parents courageous and firm and clear: that we are the primary teachers of our children to prepare them for that final graduation on the first day of a heavenly eternity.
Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Holy Family, obtain from your divine Son the graces which home teaching Catholic parents so desperately need in our day; The grace to see themselves as channels of grace for their children, and the grace to serve as the channels of grace, even at the cost of a living martyrdom in our day.
Amen. ✠
Novena to St. Ignatius of Loyola
V. In the Name (✠) of the Father…
R. Amen.
Suscipe (Prayer by St. Ignatius)
V. Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty,
R. My memory, my understanding * and my entire will * All I have and call my own. * Thou hast given all to me, * To Thee, O Lord, I return it. * Everything belongs to Thee; * do with it as Thou wilt. * Give me only Thy love and Thy grace, * That is enough for me. Amen.
Anima Christi (Prayer by St. Ignatius)
V. Soul of Christ, R. Sanctify me.
V. Body of Christ, R. Save me.
V. Blood of Christ, R. Inebriate me.
V. Water from the side of Christ, R. Wash me.
V. Passion of Christ, R. Strengthen me.
V. O Good Jesus (☨), R. Hear me.
V. Within Thy wounds, R. Shelter me.
V. Separated from Thee, R. Let me never be.
V. From the evil one, R. Protect me.
V. At the hour of my death, R. Call me.
V. Into Thy presence, R. Lead me.
V. That I may praise Thee, R. With all Thy angels and saints, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Generosity (by St. Ignatius)
V. Lord, do Thou teach me to be generous.
R. Teach me to serve Thee as Thou deserves: * To give and not to count the cost, * To fight and not to heed the wounds, * to toil and not to seek for rest, * to labor and not to ask for reward, * save that of knowing * that I do Thy divine and holy Will. Amen. *
Novena Prayer
V. O glorious Patriarch, St. Ignatius of Loyola,
R. We humbly beseech thee to obtain for us from Almighty God, * above all things else, * deliverance from sin, * which is the greatest of evils, * and next, from those scourges * wherewith the Lord chastises the sins of His people.
V. And by thy glorious merits we beseech thy benevolent intercession before the throne of Almighty God, that He may grant us:
(Pause and state your intentions)
V. May thine example, O Loyal Knight of Our Lady, enkindle in our hearts an effectual desire,
R. To employ ourselves continually in laboring for the greater glory of God * and the good of our fellowmen; * obtain for us, likewise, from the loving Heart of Jesus (☨) Our Lord, * that grace which is the crown of all graces, * that is to say, the grace of final perseverance and everlasting happiness. * Amen.
V. Laudetur Jesus (☨) Christus! (Praise be Jesus Christ)
R. Nunc et in æternum. Amen. (Now and forever)
V. In the Name (✠) of the Father…
R. Amen.
Download Home Education Novena
St. Ignatius, ora pro nobis
HOMESCHOOLING MEDITATIONS:
- The Most Holy Rosary: A Spiritual Weapon for Homeschool Families in These Difficult Times
- Homeschoolers Come Out of Egypt
- Homeschooling and Restoration or here
- School System: Where Are Those Whom I Have Entrusted to You?
- Saint Michael and Homeschooling
- The Seven Sorrows of Homeschooling Mothers
- Sloth: The Vice of Homeschoolers – Audio
- Why Homeschool?
- Catechetical Nightmares: What Religious Books Should I Use?
DAILY MEDITATIONS: a prayer each day for mothers, adapted from “Mother Love, A Manual for Christian Mothers” by Pius Franciscus OFM, Cap (1888).
Prayer for the United States of America
Below is a prayer written by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. It was originally posted at the Remnant for the League of the Sacred Heart.
All who desire the following for our nation should pray it:
❤️peace
💙prosperity
❤️wise governance
💙the common good
❤️adherence to the Commandments
💙courage for the truth
❤️love of virtue
💙healthy (traditional) families
Prayer for a Resurgence of Christianity in America and the Re-election of Donald Trump
Almighty and Eternal God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords: graciously turn your gaze to us who invoke You with confidence.
Bless us, citizens of the United States of America; grant peace and prosperity to our Nation; illuminate those who govern us so that they may commit themselves to the common good, in respect for Your holy Law.
Protect those who, defending the inviolable principles of the Natural Law and Your Commandments, must face the repeated assaults of the Enemy of the human race.
Keep in the hearts of Your children courage for the truth, love for virtue and perseverance in the midst of trials.
Make our families grow in the example that Our Lord has given us, together with His Most Holy Mother and Saint Joseph in the home of Nazareth; give to our fathers and mothers the gift of Strength, to educate wisely the children with which you have blessed them.
Give courage to those who, in spiritual combat, fight the good fight as soldiers of Christ against the furious forces of the children of darkness.
Keep each one of us, O Lord, in your Most Sacred Heart, and above all him whom Your Providence has placed at the head of our Nation.
Bless the President of the United States of America, so that aware of his responsibility and his duties, he may be a knight of justice, a defender of the oppressed, a firm bulwark against Your enemies, and a proud supporter of the children of light.
Place the United States of America and the whole world under the mantle of the Queen of Victories, our Unconquered Leader in battle, the Immaculate Conception. It is thanks to her, and through your Mercy, that the hymn of praise rises to you, O Lord, from the children whom you have redeemed in the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Summer Checklists
It’s officially Summer in my home — it has been for the past few weeks.
We shift gears a bit and continue to school. We almost always get on the same schedule for Summer. We all prefer to have checklists. It makes my job much easier — no constant reminding or fuss. Everyone knows what is required before any special privileges will be granted.
Here’s one of my favorite reflections for keeping order in my home:
Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers
“Let me call your attention to the advantages of a rule of life. First, it saves you from yourselves, so to speak; from the spirit of caprice which finds its way so easily into your actions, and robs you of the greater part of your merit. We all are tempted to do only what pleases us, and to avoid sacrifices as much as possible. An act needs but to take on the appearance of duty to become an object of aversion to us. The result is that unless you are bound by a rule, your lives will drift unceasingly; they will float along guided only by caprice, and the sense of duty will be almost entirely lost. In that case it is your own will that you have followed from morning until evening, and not the will of God…..”
You’re welcome to share & download any of the printables for your personal use.
**USAGE TIP**
Print on card stock
Laminate or use clear binder sleeve
Use wet or dry erase pen
Start new each day!
I’d love to see how you use the lists, share in the comments or tag me on IG – #joyffsummerlist
Regina Coeli
The Regina Coeli is an Easter hymn dedicated to Our Lady’s Queenship.
During this Eastertide, the Marian hymn used to conclude the Office of Compline is changed from the common Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen) to the joyful, Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven, rejoice!). The Regina Coeli also replaces the Angelus said three times a day (6am, 12pm, and 6pm).
Regina Coeli
V. Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia.
R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
Oremus.
Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Queen of Heaven
V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Below are images and a PDF that can be download for your personal use.
Click image to download PDF for print.
For use as wallpaper on your phone.
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Lessons
Lessons from The Church’s Year of Fr. Leonard Goffine.
Instruction on the festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Church on this day celebrates the commemoration of the day, ever memorable in the Book of Life, upon which the holy, angelically pure Virgin Mary received the glorious announcement that she was chosen to be the Mother of the Redeemer.
The Church in the INTROIT exclaims: All the rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance: after her shall virgins be brought to the King: her neighbors shall be brought to thee in gladness and rejoicing. (Ps. 44) My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King. Glory be to the Father, etc.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH O God, who wast pleased that Thy Word, at the message of an angel, should take flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary: grant us Thy suppliants, that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God may be assisted by her intercession with Thee. Through, etc.
GOSPEL (Luke 1:26-38) At that time, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
And the Angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And Mary said to the Angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the Angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.
Why does the Evangelist so minutely detail the announcement of the Incarnation?
That we may clearly impress upon our mind, believe in, and meditate upon the mystery of the Incarnation, upon which depends our eternal salvation.
Why was an angel sent to Mary?
To announce to her that it was God’s will that His divine Son, in order to redeem the human race by His sufferings and death, should take human nature from her, and because the human race, redeemed by Christ, was to occupy the place made vacant by the fallen angels.
Was the Incarnation necessary for our redemption?
Yes; for as God, Christ could not suffer; without an infinitely meritorious suffering a sufficient satisfaction could not have been rendered to God, had not the Son of God humiliated Himself before His heavenly Father, and suffered: this could only be effected by the Incarnation. This shows the enormity of sin, for which no man however pure, no, not even an angel, but only a God-Man could atone.
Why did God require Mary’s consent for the Incarnation of His Son?
To show us that God forces no one to good, much less to evil; that we might learn that our good intention and free assent are necessary even to good works, if we wish them to be meritorious. Venerable Bede says: that because of her consent God imparted to Mary all, even the greatest graces, greater than all creatures, angels as well as men, ever merited.
Why was Mary troubled at the angel’s message?
On account of her humility and modesty. She was so humble that she regarded herself as the least of all creatures, and could not comprehend how such an honor could be hers. She was so modest, and loved virginal purity so much that the presence of the angel and his message troubled her. From this all maidens should see that their loveliest adornments and most necessary virtues are modesty, humility and love of purity, which Mary so valued that she would not lose them even to become the Mother of God.
What is meant by the throne of David?
The kingdom of Christ, of which David’s government was a representation. (Ps. 131)
Why is David called the father of Christ?
Because Mary descended from the house of David, and, therefore, David according to nature was the forefather of Christ.
Who was the real father of Christ?
To answer this properly, we must observe that in Christ there are two natures, the divine and the human. According to His human nature He had indeed a mother, but no father, for Joseph was only His foster-father; according to His divine nature He had no mother, but only a father, the Heavenly Father.
How, then, was Christ conceived?
By the overshadowing and power of the Holy Ghost, who by His divine omnipotence effected the conception of Him whom Mary was to bring forth.
How should we be encouraged by the words: No word shall be impossible with God?
We should be encouraged to a great confidence in God, who can readily assist us in the most difficult circumstances, even when help seems impossible, and He will aid us, if it is beneficial, and if we ask Him. These words, moreover, admonish us to a firm faith which cannot be shaken by the most incomprehensible mystery in matters of faith.
Why does Mary call herself the handmaid of the Lord?
From humility, which next to her maidenly modesty was her most remarkable virtue, which causes St. Bernard to say: “By her purity she pleased God, and by her humility she conceived Him.”
Explanation of the “Hail Mary” or the Angelic Salutation
Why is the “Hail Mary” called the Angelic Salutation?
Because it commences with the words addressed to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel, when he brought her the message that she was to be the Mother of God.
Of what does the Hail Mary consist?
Of the words of the Archangel Gabriel; of St. Elizabeth’s salutation, when she was visited by Mary; and of words added by the Catholic Church.
What words did the angel say to Mary?
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women!”
What is meant by these words?
The word “Hail”, that is, “Salutation to thee!” “Peace with thee!” or, “Joy to thee!” expresses the reverence which the angel had for the Blessed Virgin, and which we should also cherish. The words: full of grace remind us that God bestowed more graces upon the Blessed “Virgin than upon all men and angels together.” We should for this reason always pray with confidence to her to obtain for us, by her powerful intercession, those graces which are most necessary for our salvation. By the words: the Lord is with thee, the angel intended to express, that the Lord was with this maiden not only in His reality, presence, and omnipotence as with all men, not only in His grace as with the just, but with the greatest and most extraordinary grace, love and familiarity.
St. Augustine observes: “The angel wished to say: The Lord is with thee more than with me; the Lord is with thee, so that He may be in thy heart, in thy body, may fill thy spirit, may fill thy flesh.” “Could God raise her higher!” St. Bernard here exclaims:
Ah, that the Lord might be with us also, and Mary by her intercession obtain graces for us! Finally, the words: Blessed art thou amongst women, mean: thou art the happiest of women, for thou of all thy sex art chosen to be the Mother of God, at the same time Mother and Maid.”
How much is contained in the salutation which one of the highest spirits surrounding the throne of God, addressed to Mary, and how much it behooves us to love and daily salute Mary, our most tender Mother!
What were the words used by St. Elizabeth, and what is their signification?
Elizabeth repeated the words of the angel: Blessed art thou amongst women, adding “and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” which signified that Jesus should be glorified, because through Him God would bestow all spiritual and heavenly blessings upon us.
Which are the words added by the Church?
They are: “Jesus”, who is the fruit of her womb, by which she wishes us to offer this prayer to God in the name of Christ; and then she adds the invocation to Mary: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
What do these words mean?
When we say Holy Mary, we mean to express that Mary is God’s holy and wonderful work, Daughter of the Heavenly Father, Mother of the Son, and Bride of the Holy Ghost, and has all her sanctity, beauty, and that great veneration from the fruit of her womb, Jesus Christ. The glorious title of Mother of God is given her, because Mary bore not an ordinary man, but Jesus Christ who is both God and Man. Therefore from her was born the Son of God, the incarnate God, not a man who appeared like God, but God in flesh. She is, then, really and truly the Mother of God, our Lord’s Mother.
The Fathers who had assembled in the holy Council of Chalcedon, to refute Nestorius, who sought to deprive Mary of the title of Mother of God, called her “Holy Mary, Mother of God.” Of herself Mary is not holy, and cannot of herself help us, therefore we say: pray for us, by which we ask for her powerful intercession; and conscious of our poverty and sinfulness, call ourselves poor sinners, who turn to Mary, the Mother of mercy, because we feel ourselves too unworthy to pray to Christ Himself, and, therefore, entreat this loving mother to obtain for us amendment of life, remission of sin, consolation in affliction, remedy in sickness, assistance in need, increase of grace, preservation, perseverance, and the crown; and may Mary pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
Now, that is, while the divine mercy is given us, and especially in the hour of death, when the weapons for battle against the enemy fall from our hands, and the evil one tempts us the more violently, because he knows that his time is short, (Apoc. 12:12) in that hour on which depends our eternal welfare or grief. By the word Amen we affirm that we remain true venerators of the Virgin Mother of God, and at all times expect grace from God through her intercession. “Yes,” says St. Bernard, “let us venerate Mary as sincerely, heartily, and confidently as we can, for such is His will who desired that we should have all (salvation and redemption in Christ) through Mary.” The Son will assuredly hear the Mother, and the Father the Son. Let us, then, strive to rise by her to Him who by her came down to us!
Through thee, who hast found grace with God, Mother of life! Mother of salvation! we have access to the Son, who accepts us from thee, who was given us by thee—to Jesus Christ, eternally blessed.
On the “Angelus Domini,” the Angel of the Lord
Who introduced the angelic salutation into the Catholic Church?
Pope Urban II, who at the Council of Clermont, France, in 1095, ordered that the bells be rung every day in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, and that at each time the angelic salutation be repeated. His special intention was to obtain Mary’s protection for the Crusades of the 11th century, which had for their object the rescuing of the Holy Sepulcher from the hands of the infidels.
These wars are now ended, but the life of the whole Church, of every Christian, is a crusade against sin and temptation. We always need Mary’s protection; and, therefore, the custom of repeating the salutation is still retained in the Church. Formerly at the ringing of the Angelus, all the faithful fell on their knees, and even now pious Catholics do the same. St. Charles Borromeo, an archbishop, did not hesitate to kneel in the open street and repeat the angelic salutation.
Of what does the “Angelus Domini” consist?
It consists of three Hail Marys:
before the first is said: “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived of the Holy Ghost”;
before the second: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word”;
before the third: “and the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us.”
Why and how often is the “Angelus Domini” said?
It is said in order to remind us of Christ’s Incarnation and in thanks for it; to ask the Blessed Virgin’s maternal protection against all enemies visible and invisible; to recollect at least three times in the day, morning, noon and evening, like David, to give praise to God, and take a little time expressly for prayer, for which purpose the bells are rung three times a day.
How should we say the “Angelus Domini”?
With respect, that is, slowly and kneeling (except on Saturday evenings and Sundays, and during the time of Easter, when it is said standing); contritely, since Christ became man because of our sins; devoutly, that is, heart and lips should be in accord.
Salutation to Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace! I rejoice and congratulate thee, because thou wert chosen to be the Mother of the Most High and Queen of heaven and earth. With thee is the Father who from all eternity begot Him whom thou didst bear; with thee is the Son whom thou didst carry in thy virginal womb; with thee is the Holy Ghost, overshadowed by whose power thou didst become the Mother of God. Thou art blessed amongst women, thou art the joy of heaven and the ornament of the Church of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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