Marian – Page 5

Our Lady of Fatima

May 14, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 05 May, 05 May Saints, FSSP, Marian, Our Lady of Fatima 2 Comments

May 13 ~ Our Lady of Fatima

On this day in 1917, Our Lady made her first appearance to three shepherd children, Jacinta (age 7), Francisco (age 9) and Lucia (age 10), at Fatima in Portugal. She appeared to them once a month from May through October. The lives of the three children of Fatima were entirely transformed by the heavenly apparitions. While fulfilling the duties of their state with the greatest fidelity, those children seemed now to live only for prayer and sacrifice, which they offered in a spirit of reparation to obtain peace and the conversion of sinners. They deprived themselves of water during the periods of great heat; they gave their lunch to poor children; they wore around their waists thick cords that even drew blood; they abstained from innocent pleasures and urged one another to the practice of prayer and penance with an ardor comparable to that of the great saints. ~more info can be found at Our Lady of the Rosary Library

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We were blessed to be able to celebrate Our Lady of Fatima.
The evening started with a procession.

A Mass followed.

Lastly, we were blessed to have a spiritually inspirational talk given by Fr. Berg, FSSP Superior General. He spoke of his travels around the world. He urged us to be thankful for what we have been blessed with at our parish because the times we live in are bringing many challenges. Fr. Berg sited his visit with Pope Benedict XVI. He emphasized the need for us to turn to Mary and heed her requests.

“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.”

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Marian Procession

May 10, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 05 May, 05 May Saints, Little Flowers, Marian, Procession 3 Comments

Mary, you are the joy of those in heaven, the help of those on earth, the consolation of those still burdened by their sins. Accept our May blossoms, accept each flower as a symbol of praise and thanksgiving! Thank you for your cooperation in the plan that changed the destiny of the world. Teach us, Mary, teach us, that we, too, may make the place where we are a little paradise for God.

~ based on the lament of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

My family participated in our Parish/Diocese May Procession through the streets of Downtown Sac. I coordinated the participation of my Little Flowers group. Dragonfly and Papi tagged along. Rose could not walk because she was required to be at the church for choir practice prior to the Solemn High Mass. I doubt she would have been able to walk, anyways. She is still recovering from a dislocated knee cap.

The Little Flowers led the procession. Each girl wore a blue hat in honor of Mary and held handmade paper basket filled with flower petals. They tossed the petals as they walked.

Papi was the honorary Little Flower. He would sneak flowers from the baskets and toss them from the stroller. Dragonfly had the best seat in the house, my back. He fell asleep within the first mile. Dad was part of the security patrol. He escorted the front of the procession.

The sacrament of Confession was offered on the procession.

The three mile procession led us to the Cathedral. A Solemn High Mass was held. It was followed by the May Crowning. A Little Flower (who will be receiving First Communion next week) was selected to crown Mary.

We add a blessed day.

ALL FOR JESUS THROUGH MARY!

Mary, you are a queen! The most Blessed Trinity has confidently placed the welfare of the Church into your powerful and gentle motherly hands, just as that same Church is entrusted to each of us at our confirmation. You will lead the pilgrim people of God home to his infinite loving heart. Giving you the crown is a symbolic way to entrust to you once more the full responsibility for this task.

~based on the lament of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Through Mary

May 5, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 05 May, 05 May Saints, Catholic Girl's Guide, Marian, Meditation 3 Comments

"Today, more than ever, we must take pains in choosing true devotion to our Blessed Lady." ~St. Louis de Montfort

Rose has taken the lead in our home for the month of May. She is coordinating the family’s spiritual meditations.

Here are her primary resources.

Catholic Girl’s Guide by Fr. F. X. Lasance & Maiden and Mother: Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout the Year

Rose has posted the list below, on our home altar. We are committed to adopting the prescribed practices for the month of May and beyond.

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Father Bowden, of the Oratory, in his Miniature Life of Mary, suggests the following practices in honor of Mary. They may be drawn by lot, or otherwise chosen, at the beginning of a month. ~Fr. Lasance

Practices in Honor of Our Lady
from Miniature Life of Mary by Father Bowden

1. Take a short time from your recreation to spend in solitude conversing with Mary, or in meditation on the mysteries of her life.

2. Rise punctually in the morning, invoking her as "the morning star."

3. Invoke her sixty-three times as " Virgin Mother " in honor of her sixty-three years.

4. Visit in spirit one of her great sanctuaries.

5. Mortify your will three times as an offering to Mary.

6. Say three Glorias in honor of the saints and Doctors who have explained and defended her pre-rogatives.

7. Gain indulgences for the soul in purgatory most devoted to the Blessed Virgin in life; offer Mass
and communion for this purpose.

8. Ask Mary to be present with you during the day to drive away evil spirits.

9. Perform some act of kindness with inconvenience to yourself.

10. Say three Hail Marys in reparation for the blasphemies uttered against her.

11. Give an alms in honor of her poverty.

12. Invoke the saints who were related to her — Saints Joseph, Joachim, Anne, etc.

13. Mortify your sight, once or more, in honor of Mary’s modesty.

14. Burn a candle before her image or picture.

15. Recall with devotion her words recorded in the Gospel, remembering how many of your sins are committed in speech. Bear your sufferings and sorrows silently and patiently.

1 6. Say the litany for the conversion of a soul for Mary to offer to God.

17. Shun idleness during the day in imitation of Mary at Nazareth.

18. Say a Hail Mary in honor of St. Gabriel, who brought it to earth.

19. Practise some little mortification at meals.

20. Before going to sleep, place yourself with the infant Jesus in Mary’s arms.

21. Say seven Glorias with extended arms, in honor of her seven dolors.

22. Make a spiritual communion in union with her dispositions at the Annunciation.

23. Say a Memorare to obtain Mary’s help at the hour of death.

24. Keep silence for a short time, and with Mary ponder on God’s words in your heart.

25. Say a Hail Mary before going to bed, to prevent one mortal sin during the night.

26. Visit her altar or image in atonement for the desecration of her sanctuaries.

27. Say nine Hail Marys in union with the nine choirs of angels who are ever praising her.

28. Say a Salve for the spread of devotion to her.

29. Say fifteen Glorias, in honor of the last fifteen years of Mary’s life, for the grace of perseverance.

30. Kiss the ground, and say three Hail Marys for the virtue of holy purity.

31. Say a Hail Mary in reparation for your neglect of Mary’s service during this month.

32. Distribute leaflets in praise of Mary, scapulars, medals, pictures, and beads, to promote devotion to the blessed Mother of God.

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"It is impossible for a client of Mary, who is faithful in honoring and recommending himself to her, to be lost." ~St. Alphonsus Ligouri

I Dare You!

May 2, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: dress dare, Marian, Modesty

The month of May is dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary

My girls and I accepted a dare and we’re recommitting to wearing skirts for the month May.

We dare you to join the dress dare and wear dresses and skirts throughout the month of May.

check here for the official rules.

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ALL FOR JESUS THROUGH MARY

"the sins which bring most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh. Certain fashions are going to be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much… the Church has no fashions; Our Lord is always the same…" ~ Blessed Mother at Fatima to Bl.Jacinta Marto

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

March 25, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 03 March, Annunciation, Marian

"Ecce ancilla Domini; fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum." ~ Luke 1:38

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

New Calendar – Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
FIRST CLASS / WHITE
Every year this feast recalls anew Mary’s reply to God’s angelic messenger: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word." Every work of the Creator is called to perfection, and perfection consists in obedience. The heavens and the earth inevitably announce the glory of God, but to human beings alone God granted a free will to serve Him. At the Annunciation, the obedience of Mary brought Christ down on earth to save fallen humanity. we, too, are called upon to co-operate with the Creator. The glory of God awaits our human word of obedient consent.

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Colloquy:

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Not only is God the Son with you, to whom you gave your blood, but also God the Holy Spirit, by means of whose operation you conceived, and also God the Father, who generated from all eternity Him whom you conceived. The Father, who gives you His Son, is with you; the Son is with you, who, wishing to accomplish a prodigious mystery, conceals Himself in. your maternal bosom without violating your virginal integrity; the Holy Spirit is with you, who, together with the Father and the Son, sanctifies you. God is truly with you" (St. Bernard).

"0 Mary, my sweet love, you opened to the eternal Divinity the door of your will, and the Word immediately became incarnate within you. BY THIS YOU TEACH ME THAT GOD, WHO CREATED ME WITHOUT MY HELP, WILL NOT SAVE ME WITHOUT IT…but knocks at the door of my will and waits for me to open it to Him. (St. Catherine of Siena)

O Mother Mary, I beg you to teach me and help me always to open wide the door of my soul to every divine appeal, to every solicitation of grace. At each manifestation of the divine will, may I repeat with you a humble, prompt, " Ecce, fiat!"

~ Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen OCD (Divine Intimacy)

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"Like Mary, let us be full of zeal to go in haste to give Jesus to others. She was full of grace when, at the annunciation, she received Jesus. Like her, we too become full of grace every time we receive Holy Communion. It is the same Jesus whom she received and whom we receive at Mass. As soon as we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, let us go in haste to give Him to our sisters, to our poor, to the sick, to the dying, to the lepers, to the unwanted, and the unloved. By this we make Jesus present in the world today." ~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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