The Queenship of Mary

Picture source

O Virgin most pure, wholly unspotted,

O Mary, Mother of God,

Queen of the universe,

thou art above all the saints,

the hope of the elect and the joy of all the blessed.

It is thou who hast reconciled us with God;

thou art the only refuge of sinners

and the safe harbor of those who are shipwrecked;

thou art the consolation of the world,

the ransom of captives, 

the health of the weak, 

the joy of the afflicted, 

and the salvation of all.

We have recourse to thee, 

and we beseech thee to have pit on us.

Amen.

- St. Ephrem the Syrian

- The Prayer Book

The Assumption of Mary

by Peter Paul Rubens, picture via  Pinterest

"It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in the act of giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God's Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God."

Saint John Damascene

Source: Munificentissimus Deus

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe on the Miraculous Medal

Picture source

"...those who consent to wear the Miraculous Medal"

who come to love the Immaculata with all their

heart and fly to her in prayer in all their adversities and temptations,

will 

"quickly, and especially on her feast day, be prevailed upon

to make a confession.  There is much evil in the world,

but let us remember that the Immaculata is more powerful still."

- St. Maximilian Kolbe

Source:  Love One Another Catholic Magazine, 26th Issue

Become a member of the Militia Immaculata!

There are No Coincidences with God

The State of Hawaii was shut down on Friday in expectation of two hurricanes threatening the islands.  For the first time since I can recall, Holy Mass was also cancelled at most churches throughout the island chain. However, in the late afternoon a friend text-ed me that there would be a Holy hour of adoration as well as mass that evening, at nearby Star of the Sea Church.

For those who attend daily mass, it was a very strange feeling not being able to go to Mass.  A friend quoted Saint Padre Pio to remind us that it is a privilege to be able to attend Holy Mass: "It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass."

So off another friend and I went to adoration and Holy Mass.  We wanted to give thanks to God for once again sparing Hawaii from any devastation and to pray for the Iraqi Christians persecuted relentlessly for their faith.  Apparently, we were not the only ones as the small chapel was filled to capacity.

The reason I referred to no coincidences with God is because as I picked up a book to recite prayers the following prayers were what I found.

Come Lord Jesus

Come, Lord Jesus, into our hearts,

souls, and homes.

We love, welcome and need You.

So come, King of Kings,

Prince of Peace, 

and bring with You Your wonderful Mother, 

Mediatrix of Peace.  

In Your Mercy, please 

hold back, 

lessen the severity and shorten the duration of Your divine

Chastisement already in effect with

storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes.

Hear and answer our prayers 

so Your Sacred and Her immaculate Hearts may reign supreme, granting us and the World True Peace.  

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

(Never Found to Fail)

O Most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel,

Fruitful Vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin,

assist me in this my necessity.  

O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother.

Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth,

I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart,

to succour me in this necessity; there are none that can withstand your power.

O, show me herein you are my Mother, O Mary, 

conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (3 times)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3 times)

Then as I continue to pray for the suffering Iraqi Christians, I was reading about how to really pray the Our Father in the same little book and read the following:

"Thy Kingdom Come."  Actually, what could be better for the world than that the Kingdom, which Christ came on earth to establish, should be founded everywhere and should flourish wherever it would exist.  That by His peace, love and law it may reign supreme all over the world, especially in our own native land which is naturally so dear to all of us.

We must remember too, in our prayers those countries where religion is so cruelly persecuted by the enemies of God what prayer is the mightiest arm we can use against them.  If all the millions who would each send up to the Throne of God this burning petition "Thy Kingdom Come" what help would not all countries each receive that are now so cruelly treated!

By saying these words with devotion, we are actively spreading the Gospel in all nations, carrying on the every work of the Apostles.  By prayer and preaching, we can be apostles.  In fact by preaching without prayer, it is of no avail...

Thank you Lord.


Excerpts from Read Me or Rue it. by Father Paul O'Sullivan, O.P.

Aspirations - Before the Blessed Sacrament

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you, save souls.

Thy will be done!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.

Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on me.

Jesus, I love you.

Jesus, truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, guide my life.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

My Lord and my God!

I am drawn to You my Jesus, like a moth to the flame.

Jesus, may I never offend Thee on purpose.

My soul is in peace, in Your presence, O Lord.

You dear Lord, are the source of all my happiness.

May all the honor and glory be Yours!

O my glorious and magnificent Lord!

My sweet Jesus, teach me to love.

O, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord all the days of my life!

Lord, in Your I have my being.

I truly want to love you, my most sweet Jesus.

What do You want from me Lord?

Dear God, help me to be holy.

May I accept everything in my day for love of You.

Jesus, may I see through Your eyes, may I hear through Your ears, may I love through Your heart.

O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, O praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment Thine.

My Lord, You are as radiant as the sun!

Forgive me, Jesus, forgive me!

May I overcome myself in order to love you completely.

May I embrace my littleness, my nothingness.

You must increase; I must decrease.

What joy it is to be in Your presence, O Lord!

May my love for You bring me peace.

God is love.

Lord, You called me and I came.

Thank you Lord!

THE LITANY OF LORETO

by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

What is a litany?

        A litany is a type of prayer in the form of a responsive petition.  This prayer form became popular in the Middle Ages.  A prayer leader proclaimed a series of invocations and the congregation alternated with responses.

        The litany form of supplication comes from the Litany of Saints, which was used in Europe as early as the seventh century.  In that litany Mary heads the list of saints and is invoked three times; these invocations are retained in her own litany. Over the centuries a number of litanies became popular prayers to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Name of Jesus, St. Joseph, and several directed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  These are still used today and are found in official prayer books.

        Several different Marian litanies appeared in the twelfth century and became popular devotional practices over the following centuries.  Their origins are often uncertain, and from time to time additions and improvements were made. Besides being recited prayers, many litanies are also sung or chanted.  And today new litanies are still being composed.

        The alternation of admiring tribute and confident supplication makes the litany a prayer both simple and replete.

Litany of Loreto

        Many Marian litanies are in use, but the best known Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is more commonly known as the Litany of Loreto.  Because this litany was adopted by the famous Marian Shrine of the Holy House in Loreto, Italy, as indicated by a 1558 shrine record, the pilgrims who visited the shrine took to their home countries around the world this popular name for the prayer.

        The origins of the Litany of Loreto are uncertain.  It may date from the fifth century, but more likely it was composed in its present form between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries and first printed in a prayer book influenced by St. Peter Canisius in 1551.  The original approval was granted in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. 

        The list of praises to Mary owes much to the Akathist Hymn of the Byzantine Churches.  As circumstances changed, invocations were added or dropped, and the litany is still being revised in our lifetime.

Newest invocations: Mother of the Church and Queen of Families

        In 1980 “Mother of the Church” was inserted into the Litany of Loreto after “Mother of Christ” and before “Mother of Divine Grace.”  At the close of the third session of the Second Vatican Council in 1964 Pope Paul VI officially declared this new Marian title: “For the glory of the Blessed Virgin and our consolation, we proclaim Mary most holy as ‘Mother of the Church,’ that is, of the whole People of God, both of the faithful and of the pastors who all call her their most loving Mother.”  Pope John Paul II explained that this “stresses the complete motherhood of Mary toward Christ and toward the Church, as Mother of the Head and Mother of the members of the Mystical Body.”

        Saint John Paul II authorized in 1995 the use of “Queen of Families” to be inserted after “Queen of the Most Holy Rosary” and before “Queen of Peace.”  This flows naturally from the fact that Mary is Mother of the Church, including the Domestic Church – the family.  The pope pointed out that “Mary called herself the ‘handmaid of the Lord’ (Lk 1:38).  Through obedience to the Word of God she accepted her lofty, yet not easy vocation as wife and mother in the family of Nazareth.  Putting herself at God’s service, she also put herself at the service of others: a service of love….  We invoke her as ‘Queen.’ For her to reign is to serve.  Her service is to reign.”

        Holy Mary, pray for us!

Portiuncula Indulgence - Feast of Our Lady of the Angels

Reminder: Requirements for plenary indulgence.

Bishop of Honolulu on Saint Mother Marianne Cope

Nice coverage by Father Daren.

From These Stone Walls - On the Fatherhood of Bishops With Disposable Priests

“Has Catholic culture in America become so comfortable with the notion of the last two decades that its priests should be little more than expendable targets with no ability or right for self-defense?” 

I recommend you read this post written by "Father Jim" on Father Gordon MacRae's blog and then share it with others.

 On the Fatherhood of Bishops With Disposable Priests

Saint Mother Marianne Cope Comes Home to Hawaii

Today was a festive day in Hawaii as Bishop Silva enshrined the earthly remains of our beloved mother of the outcasts in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.

Father Daren Z.

Our beloved bishop Larry Silva

Hawaiian Royal Societies 

Saint Marianne's remains enters the Cathedral Basilica

Procession of priests

Procession into the Cathedral Basilica for midday prayer

Media coverage as the faithful approached St. Mother Marianne's relic for veneration