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” I am the Immaculate Conception”

by Filed Under: 02 February Saints, Immaculate Conception, Marian, Our Lady of Lourdes

“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” ~ Revelations 12:1

THE APPARITION OF THE IMMACULATE VIRGIN MARY AT LOURDES

February 11

Traditional Calendar ~ Apparition of Our Lady at Lourdes

New Calendar ~ Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes

During the year 1858 our Blessed Lady appeared eighteen times from February 11 to July 16 to Bernadette Soubirous, the fourteen-year-old daughter of a destitute day laborer of Lourdes in France. Through this humble child, the Mother of God announced to the world her sublime title of the Immaculate Conception and a special message of penance and love.

Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the national patron of the Church in the United States of America, and so we should develop a special interest in helping to fill the treasury of graces that our compassionate Mother distributes so freely for the conversion of sinners to God.

Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary

It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise:…

Resources:

Crafts, Activities, Food and more:

A Day of Purification,Renewal, and Hope

by Filed Under: 02 February Saints, Candlemas, Chruching of Women, Marian, Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas) The Feast of Candlemas, which derives its origin from the local observance of Jerusalem, marks the end of the Feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the liturgy. It is perhaps the most ancient festival of Our Lady. It commemorates, however, not only the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Mosaic Law in going to Jersualem forty days after the birth of her Child and making the accustomed offerings, but also the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, and the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the old man Simeon — the Occursus Domini, as the Feast was originally termed. This is the principal theme of the liturgy on this day: Jesus is taken into the Temple "to present Him to the Lord." So the Lord comes to His own Temple, and is met by the aged Simeon with joy and recognition.
The procession on this day is one of the most picturesque features of the Western liturgy. The blessing and distribution of candles, to be carried lighted in procession, preceded the Mass today — a symbolic presentation of the truth proclaimed in the Canticle of Simeon: Our Lord is the "Light for the revelation of the Gentiles." The anthems sung during this procession, eastern in origin, well express the joy and gladness of this happy festival, and the honor and praise we give to our Blessed Lady and her Divine Son by this devout observance.

Lumen ad revelationem gentium: et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
   A light for the revelation of the Gentiles: and for the glory of Thy people Israel.

[CandlemasDay.jpg]Today we are celebrating the Purification of The Blessed Virgin Mary – Candlemas(Extraordinary form).  We are reflecting on the day of purification, renewal, and hope. 

Today is the end of the Christmas season in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.  We will be taking down our Christmas Tree and Nativities.

We were blessed to be able to attend morning Mass at a local Novus Ordo parish, as a family but are sad that we will not be able to  attend the evening High Mass (in the Extraordinary Form) at our Parish.  I posted a video below of a Candlemas Procession.  It is a beautiful tradition (that we will miss today).

Anthem sung During the Procession

Adorn thy bridal-chamber, O Sion, and welcome Christ the King: with loving embrace greet Mary who is the very gate of heaven; for she bringeth to thee the glorious King of the new light: remaining ever a Virgin yet she bearest in her arms the Son begotten before the day-star: even the Child, whom Simeon taking into his arms, declared to the peoples to be the Lord of life and death, and the Savior of the world.

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On this day, I’m are also giving special thanks for the blessed custom of Churching of Women. 

Churching of Women is imitative of the day, which we commemorate on 2 February (Candlemas), that Mary underwent her "purification” (ceremonially speaking and in obedience to the Old Law) and presented her Son in the Temple to Simeon.  ~ Fisheaters

June 4, 2010

Churching of Women Ritual ~ Baptism of Dragonfly

Churching of Women:

Churching is the woman’s way of giving thanksgiving to God for the birth of her child, and predisposes her, through the priestly blessing that is a part of the ritual, to receive the graces necessary to raise her child in a manner pleasing to God.

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The Ritual

The woman will make arrangements with her priest (ideally, the priest should know the women of his parish and make the offer to her).

At the appointed time, she will kneel in the Narthex, holding a lighted candle. The priest, wearing a white stole, will bless her with holy water, and say:

  • V. Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
  • R. Who made Heaven and Earth.

ANT. She shall receive.

Psalm 23 1

The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and all they that dwell therein.  For He hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.  Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in His holy place?  The innocent in hands and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbor.  He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Savior.  This is the generation of them that seek Him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.  Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of glory shall enter in.  Who is this King of glory? the Lord Who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle.  Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of glory shall enter in.  Who is this King of glory? the Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.  Glory be to the Father.

ANT. She shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God her Savior: for this is the generation of them that seek the Lord.

The priest places the end of his stole in the woman’s hand and leads her into the church while saying:

Enter into the temple of God, adore the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary, who gave you fruitfullness of offspring.

Outside the sanctuary, the mother kneels before the Altar and prays, thanking God for her child.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. (Now the Our Father is said silently)

  • V. And lead us not into temptation.
  • R. But deliver us from evil.
  • V. Save your handmaid, Lord.
  • R. Who hopes in Thee, my God.
  • V. Send her help, Lord, from the sanctuary.
  • R. And defend her out of Sion.
  • V. Let not the enemy prevail against her.
  • R. Nor the son of iniquity approach to hurt her.
  • V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
  • R. And let my cry come to Thee.
  • V. The Lord be with you.
  • R. And with thy spirit.
  • V. Let us pray.

Almighty, everlasting God, through the delivery of the blessed Virgin Mary, Thou hast turned into joy the pains of the faithful in childbirth; look mercifully upon this Thy handmaid, coming in gladness to Thy temple to offer up her thanks: and grant that after this life, by the merits and intercession of the same blessed Mary, she may merit to arrive, together with her offspring, at the joys of everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

The priest sprinkles the mother with holy water in the shape of a Cross.

The peace and blessing of God almighty, the Father + and the Son and the Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain forever.

R. Amen.

~~~

St. Catherine Laboure ~ Humility

by Filed Under: Humility, Immaculate Conception, Little Flowers, Marian, Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure

Our Lady of Miraculous MedalO Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

In this brief prayer we find the truth of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and Mary’s intercessory power with God for us who ask for her aid.

+++La Vierge de la rue du Bac

‘Lord, here I am, give me what You will.’  If He gives me something, I am very pleased and I thank Him. If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him because I do not deserve anything.  And then again, I tell Him all that passes through my mind; I recount my pains and my joys and … I listen.  If you listen to Him, He will speak to you also, because with the good God it is necessary to speak and to listen.  He will always speak to you if you go to Him simply and sincerely.

St Catherine Labouré

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This month’s Little Flowers meeting was on St. Catherine Laboure and Humility.  There were 29 girls in attendance.  I had initially planned to have the girls attend Mass with their family instead of as a group, due to the Rorate Mass*.  We ended up having a nice turn out for 9am Mass.

*The “Rorate Mass,” so called because it begins with the words “Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum…” (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One…), is a votive Mass offered within the season of Advent in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Celebrated by candlelight, and traditionally held before dawn.

The girls eagerly recapped last month’s saint, St. Cecilia.

stcatherinelaboure

We discussed the life of St. Catherine Laboure and focused on her humility and visions of Mary.  I gathered my info from the resources listed below.

Born in Fain-les-Moutiers on 2nd May, 1806, in the year 1830 Catherine became a seminary Sister with the Sisters of Charity (Rue du Bac); there she witnessed, a few months later, visions of Our Blessed Lady in the Chapel.
She later moved to Reuilly for a period of 46 years, helping the poor and elderly people. There, you may pray before her heart.

We used stations again to further instruct the girls.

MiraculousMedal

Station 1

Miraculous Medal story and coloring.

Did you know that the Miraculous Medal was first called? – Medal of the Immaculate Conception

Station 2

Craft – Miraculous Medal Ornament

Station 3

Outdoor social time and play

Station 4

St. Catherine Laboure Coloring Page and binder update (refer to handouts for complete links).

Father visited the girls and spoke about the purpose of Advent and true meaning of Christmas.  He instructed all the girls to put less focus on gift giving/receiving and more focus on giving gifts to Jesus.  Helping the poor-those in need, was an example of a gift for Jesus.  He gave the girls their usual blessing before departing.

St. Catherine Laboure, Ora Pro Nobis

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HANDOUTS:image

miraculous medal coloring page

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Miraculous Medal

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The Meaning of the Front Side of the Miraculous Medal

Mary is standing upon a globe, crushing the head of a serpent beneath her foot. She stands upon the globe, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent to proclaim Satan and all his followers are helpless before her (Gn 3:15). The year of 1830 on the Miraculous Medal is the year the Blessed Mother gave the design of the Miraculous Medal to Saint Catherine Labouré. The reference to Mary conceived without sin supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary—not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, and referring to Mary’s sinlessness, “full of grace” and “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28)—that was proclaimed 24 years later in 1854.

The Meaning of the Back Side of the Miraculous Medal

On the reverse side of the Medal we see a Cross, the symbol of Christ’s Redeeming Sacrifice on Mount Calvary for the salvation of the world.

The twelve stars can refer to the Apostles, who represent the entire Church as it surrounds Mary. They also recall the vision of Saint John, writer of the Book of Revelation (12:1), in which “a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.” The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church. The two hearts represent the love of Jesus and Mary for us. (See also Lk 2:35).

1st Apparition of the Miraculous Medal

1st Apparition of the Miraculous Medal

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Become Humble Like Mary

Saint Catherine, you kept secret the wonderful
grace of having seen the Blessed Virgin. Pray for me
when I put myself before others.
O Mary, Mother of God and Our Mother, you who
dislikes pride, bathe me with your humility.

Becoming Like Mary – Seven Daily Prayers

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RESOURCES:

humility craft page

RESOURCES FOR KIDS

family prayerHard work produced much happiness in the Labouré family household ; the day finished with family prayer.

CRAFT:

miraculous medal ornament joy

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Prayer of Saint Catherine Laboure

Whenever I go to the chapel,
I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him
“Lord, I am here.
Tell me what you would have me do.”

If He gives me some task, I am content and I thank Him.  If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that.  And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart.  I tell Him about my pains and my joys, and then I listen.  If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen.  God always speaks to you when you approach Him plainly and simply.   ~ Catherine Labouré

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The Entire Miraculous Medal Story, told by Rev. Carl L. Pieber, C.M. from Madeline Stewart

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Holy Day of Obligation

by Filed Under: Immaculate Conception, Marian

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

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DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / WHITE
From all eternity Father, Son, and Holy Spirit chose Mary to be the Mother of the Word Incarnate. It was unthinkable that she be defiled by sin, in any way or for the least second of time. Therefore, in the instant of creating Mary’s person, the Trinity made her immaculate. This grace, like every other grace granted since the fall of Adam, was given her through the merits of Christ. She was truly saved, redeemed, not from an evil already present, but from an evil that threatened.

INTROIT Isa. 61:10I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God, for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation and covered me with the robe of justice, like a bride adorned with her jewels.
Ps. 29:2. I will extol You, O Lord, for You have upheld me, and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, by foreseen merits of the death of Christ, You shielded Mary from all stain of sin and preserved the Virgin Mother immaculate at her conception so that she might be a fitting dwelling place for Your Son. Cleanse us from sin through her intercession so that we also may come to You untainted by sin. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

EPISTLE Prov. 8:22-35The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning. I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made. The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out. The mountains, with their huge bulk, had not as yet been established: before the hills, I was brought forth: He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths: When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters: When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when he balanced the foundations of the earth; I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times; Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors. He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.

GRADUAL Judith 13:23; 15:10
By the Lord the Most High God you are blessed, O Virgin Mary, above all women upon earth. 
V. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you are the honor of our people.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Cant. 4:7
You are all fair, O Mary, and there is in you no stain of original sin.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 1:26-28
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."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Luke 1:28
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. Alleluia!

SECRET 
Accept this saving host, O Lord, which we offer you on the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We firmly believe that she was shielded from all stain of sin by Your prevenient grace; may we be freed from all our faults through her holy intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Glorious things are said of you, O Mary, for He who is mighty has done great things for you.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord our God, may the Sacrament that we have received heal in us the wounds of that sin from which blessed Mary alone was preserved by her Immaculate Conception. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

 

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“We ask the Virgin Mary in whose womb the Son of the Most High dwelt, and who we celebrate (next) Wednesday, Dec. 8, in the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to support us on this spiritual path, to welcome in faith and love the coming of the Savior.” ~ Pope Benedict XVI

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Marian Ornament

by Filed Under: Christmas, Crafts, Humility, Little Flowers, Marian, Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure

miraculous medal ornament joy   
This ornament was made for our last Little Flowers meeting.  It is in honor of Mary, the Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure and humility.
Supplies:
  1. Tacky Glue (it’s thick and will not run)
  2. Ornament Ball (we used plastic balls found at the Dollar Spot at target)
  3. Scissors
  4. Glitter
  5. Pencil
  7. Tape
  8. Sharpie (for free hand transfer)
  9. Ornament hook
  10. Ribbon
Directions:
prep glue JOY
Prep: 
  1. slightly cut the top of the glue tip.  do not expose the hole.
  2. stick a pin through the tip to create a small hole/opening for the glue.
this step will ensure that the glue will not come out too quickly or create blobs.
 transfer joy
  • tape transfer image, face down to ornament
  • rub pencil on back of transfer
  • trace over the transferred imaged to give you a more defined image
-OR-
free hand joy
  • freehand the image onto the ornament using a Sharpie
mm ornament joy

  • trace the transfer image with glue
  • generously cover the glue image with glitter (we used rolled painters tape to secure the ornament and prevent rolling while the girls glittered their ornament)
  • tap the ornament until all the excess glitter is removed
    let dry.  insert ornament hook.  embellish the ornament with a coordinating ribbon. 
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    Back Side of the Miraculous Medal (Ornament)
    The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church.
    “Now it must be given to the whole world and to every person.” ~ Blessed Mother

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