Our Lady of Sorrows

Memorial (1969 Calendar): September 15
Double of the II Class (1955 Calendar): September 15

Today, the Church remembers the Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. This is in addition to the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in Lent, which occurs on the Friday before Good Friday. In the 17th century, the Servites celebrated a solemn feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, which in 1817 was extended to the whole Church for the 3rd Sunday in Lent by Pope Pius VII as "a memorial of his sufferings in exile and captivity and of his deliverance through the Blessed Virgin’s intercession." In the early 1900s, Pope St. Pius X moved the date and fixed it to September 15, effectively replacing the Octave Day of Our Lady's Nativity.

Mother Mary also suffered such anguish when she watched her Son's passion and death (Luke 2:35). But, what strikes me most is the wonderful moment when Our Lord - while dying - gives John the Disciple (symbolically the Church) to His mother so that we may have her aid.

In the words of St. Therese of Lisieux, "She has given us so many proofs that she cares for us like a mother." Take just a few moments to reflect on each one of these sorrows of Mary and say a Hail Mary in reparation for blasphemy against Jesus, Our One God, and Mary. Mary is the greatest of all saints.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
2. The Flight into Egypt.
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days.
4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
6. Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross.
7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb.

Dom Gueranger on the history of this feastday:

On perusing the register of the apostolic decrees concerning sacred rites, the reader is astonished to find a long and unusual interruption lasting from March 20, 1809, to September 18, 1814, at which latter date is entered the decree instituting on this present Sunday a second Commemoration of our Lady’s Dolours. 1809-1814, five sorrowful years, during which the government of Christendom was suspended; years of blood which beheld the ManGod agonizing once more in the person of His captive Vicar. But the Mother of sorrows was still standing beneath the cross, offering to God the Church's sufferings; and when the trial was over, Pius VII, knowing well whence the mercy had come, dedicated this day to Mary as a fresh memorial of the day of Calvary.

Even in the seventeenth century, the Servites had the privilege of possessing this second feast, which they celebrated as a double of the second class, with a vigil and an octave. It is from them that the Church has borrowed the Office and Mass. This honour and privilege was due to the Order established by our Lady to honour her sufferings and to spread devotion to them. Philip Benizi, heir to the seven holy Founders, propagated the flame kindled by them on the heights of Monte Senario; thanks to the zeal of his sons and successors, the devotion to the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, once their family property, is now the treasure of the whole world.

Litany of the Seven Dolors:

(Composed by Pope Pius VII but for private use)

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Mother crucified, Pray for us.
Mother sorrowful, Pray for us.
Mother tearful, Pray for us.
Mother afflicted, Pray for us.
Mother forsaken, Pray for us.
Mother desolate, Pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Child, Pray for us.
Mother transfixed with the sword, Pray for us.
Mother consumed with grief, Pray for us.
Mother filled with anguish, Pray for us.
Mother crucified in heart, Pray for us.
Mother most sad, Pray for us.
Fountain of tears, Pray for us.
Abyss of suffering, Pray for us.
Mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Rock of constancy, Pray for us.
Anchor of confidence, Pray for us.
Refuge of the forsaken, Pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, Pray for us.
Subduer of the unbelieving, Pray for us.
Comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, Pray for us.
Strength of the weak, Pray for us.
Harbor of the wrecked, Pray for us.
Allayer of tempests, Pray for us.
Resource of mourners, Pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, Pray for us.
Treasure of the faithful, Pray for us.
Eye of the Prophets, Pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, Pray for us.
Crown of Martyrs, Pray for us.
Light of confessors, Pray for us.
Pearl of virgins, Pray for us.
Consolation of widows, Pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble, in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us pray: Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love---sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.

Pray 1 Apostles Creed, 1 Hail Holy Queen, and 3 Hail Marys, in honor of the Most Immaculate Heart of Mary.

By St. Bernard:

The martyrdom of the Virgin is set forth both in the prophecy of Simeon and in the actual story of our Lord’s passion. The holy old man said of the infant Jesus: He has been established as a sign which will be contradicted. He went on to say to Mary: And your own heart will be pierced by a sword.

Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus – who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours – gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from his lifeless body, tore open his side. Clearly it did not touch his soul and could not harm him, but it did pierce your heart. For surely his soul was no longer there, but yours could not be torn away. Thus the violence of sorrow has cut through your heart, and we rightly call you more than martyr, since the effect of compassion in you has gone beyond the endurance of physical suffering.

Or were those words, Woman, behold your Son, not more than a word to you, truly piercing your heart, cutting through to the division between soul and spirit? What an exchange! John is given to you in place of Jesus, the servant in place of the Lord, the disciple in place of the master; the son of Zebedee replaces the Son of God, a mere man replaces God himself. How could these words not pierce your most loving heart, when the mere remembrance of them breaks ours, hearts of iron and stone though they are!

Do not be surprised, brothers, that Mary is said to be a martyr in spirit. Let him be surprised who does not remember the words of Paul, that one of the greatest crimes of the Gentiles was that they were without love. That was far from the heart of Mary; let it be far from her servants.

Perhaps someone will say: “Had she not known before that he would not die?” Undoubtedly. “Did she not expect him to rise again at once?” Surely. “And still she grieved over her crucified Son?” Intensely. Who are you and what is the source of your wisdom that you are more surprised at the compassion of Mary than at the passion of Mary’s Son? For if he could die in body, could she not die with him in spirit? He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since his.

FROM "VICTORIES OF THE MARTYRS"
By St. Alphonsus Liguori

MARY IS THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS, FOR HER MARTYRDOM WAS LONGER AND GREATER THAN THAT OF ALL THE MARTYRS.

Who can ever have a heart so hard that it will not melt on hearing the most lamentable event that once occurred in the world? There was a noble and holy mother who had an only son. This son was the most amiable that can be imagined - innocent, virtuous, beautiful, who loved his mother most tenderly; so much so that he had never caused her the least displeasure, but had ever shown her all respect, obedience, and affection; hence this mother had placed her affections on earth in this son. Hear, then, what happened. This son, through envy, was falsely accused by his enemies; and though the judge knew, and himself confessed, that he was innocent, yet, that he might not offend his enemies, he condemned him to the ignominious death that they demanded. This poor mother had to suffer the grief of seeing that amiable and beloved son unjustly snatched from her in the flower of his age by a barbarous death; for, by dint of torments and drained of all his blood, he was made to die on! an infamous gibbet in a public place of execution, and this before her own eyes.

Devout souls, what say you? Is not this event, and is not this unhappy mother, worthy of compassion? You already understand of whom I speak. This son, so cruelly executed, was our loving Redeemer Jesus; and this mother was the Blessed Virgin Mary; who, for the love she bore us, was willing to see him sacrificed to divine justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment that Mary endured for us - a torment that was more than a thousand deaths - deserves both our compassion and our gratitude. If we can make no other return for so much love, at least let us give a few moments this day to consider the greatness of the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of martyrs; for the sufferings of her great martyrdom exceeded those of all the martyrs; being, in the first place, the longest in point of duration; and in the second place, the greatest in point of intensity.

Collect:

O God, at Whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary: mercifully grant, that we who with devotion honor her Sorrows, may obtain the happy fruit of Thy Passion: Who livest and reignest.

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Through the Cross and in the Eucharist is our Hope

As I sat today working a thought came to mind I wanted to share with others: "If all the world would only for one moment glorify the Blessed Sacrament together then how great a moment for our world that would be as it is through this very Eucharist that all of our deficiencies become our perfections."

With today being the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I feel this is very appropriate. What does this say to you and how does it relate to your life in a practical way? "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And whosoever shall follow this rule, peace on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man be troublesome to me; for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen. " (Galatians 6:14-18, Douay Rheims)

For me this conveys an image of the Resurrection. Our Lord stands before us in His glory and calls to us as he called to Lazarus "Rise". Only if we take up our crosses and unite them to God through our offerings can we be part of the Resurrection. In baptism we all do become part of the Body of Christ and we must live our life everyday as if tomorrow Christ was to come and judge us then. I ask myself: "Would I be ready?"

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Feast (1969 Calendar): September 14
Greater Double (1955 Calendar): September 14

Every Good Friday we enter into the mystery of the Passion and Death of the God-Man, the 2nd Person of the Divine Trinity, meditating in silence and remorse on the Cross, the instrument of torture. It was an instrument of torture that our Savior willfully deigned to take upon Himself so that all of our offenses to Almighty God could be paid by His Precious Blood. We accordingly offer the Supreme worship of latria to relics of the True CrossWe accordingly offer the Supreme worship of latria to relics of the True Cross.

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th), we recall the Cross not as an instrument of death but as a symbol of our Lord's triumph over sin, satan, and death. We recall that it is through Baptism that each one of us is baptized into the death of Christ, and by accepting our sufferings in this world, we too carry our crosses, in imitation of the Divine Redeemer, so that we may be brought to the Resurrection (Luke 9:23, 24)

The Servants of the Holy Family said of today's feast: "Originally, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated solely to honor the anniversary of the discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and the dedication of the Basilicas consecrated at Jerusalem on September 14, 335, on the very site of the Holy Sepulcher and of Calvary. But today's feast is also the commemoration of another event-the return of the Holy Cross by the Persians in 629. It had been carried off fifteen years earlier on the occasion of a Persian victory and only after the heroic and brilliant campaign of the Emperor Heraclius was it restored. In this sign of the Holy Cross will we, all and each, overcome the devil and his forces to reach our heavenly goal much like Constantine did when he followed the apparition which instructed him to engage in battle with the sign of the Cross as his insignia."

Indulgence Alert:

There are several special indulgences for today's Feast.  Click here to read.

The Collect:

O God, Who this day dost gladden us by the yearly feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: grant, we beseech Thee, that we who on earth acknowledge the mystery of Redemption wrought upon it, may be worthy to enjoy the rewards of that same Redemption in heaven. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Exaltation of the Holy Cross Novena

Jesus, Who because of Your burning love for us willed to be crucified and to shed Your Most Precious Blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us and grant the petition we ask for ... (mention here)

We trust completely in Your Mercy. Cleanse us from sin by Your Grace, sanctify our work, give us and all those who are dear to us our daily bread, lighten the burden of our sufferings, bless our families, and grant to the nations, so sorely afflicted, Your Peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying Your Commandments we may come at last to the glory of Heaven.

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Ohio Parental Consent Law, Women Three Times More Likely to Die After Abortions

Here are some recent pro-life news that I would like to share:

1. The Parental Consent law in Ohio has been upheld and will take effect Sept. 22. Also, Abortions in Ohio have dropped by 15 percent from 41,673 to 35,319 between 1993-2003.

"The law not only requires teens to get parental approval for an abortion, but it allows women considering an abortion to receive information 24 hours ahead of time about its risks and alternatives. Similar laws in other states have been responsible for significantly reducing the number of abortions." (Read More)

2. New Study: "Women are three times more likely to die after an abortion"

Image Source: Source Unknown

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Holy Name of Mary

Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): September 12
Greater Double (1955 Calendar): September 12

September 12th is the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary. The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and was extended to all of Spain and Naples in 1671. Following this, in 1683, John Sobieski, the king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna in an effort to stop the advancement of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV in Constantinople. Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he and his soldiers defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the Universal Church as a solemn thanksgiving for the relief of Vienna when it was besieged by the Turks in 1683.  Click here to read more of the attack.

This feast day, previously kept on the Sunday following the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, was moved to September 12 in the 1911 reforms of Pope St. Pius X. May this day be a blessing for all of us, and by God's Grace also a day in which we may learn to love in union with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Sermon of St Bernard of Clairvaux in the Office of the Most Holy Name of Mary:

In dangers, in difficulties, in doubts, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let Her not be away from thy mouth or from thine heart, and that thou may obtain the succour of Her prayers, turn not aside from the example of Her conversation. If thou follow Her, thou wilt never go astray; if thou pray to Her, thou wilt never despair; if thou keep Her in mind, thou wilt never wander. If She hold thee, thou wilt never fall; if She lead thee, thou wilt never be weary; if She help thee, thou wilt reach home safe, and so prove in thyself how rightly it was said, “And the Virgin’s name was Mary.” 

Collect:

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that Thy faithful people, who rejoice in the name and protection of the most holy Virgin Mary, may by her loving intercession be delivered from all evils on earth and be found worthy to everlasting joys in heaven. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Repose of the Soul of Susan Torres

Susan Torres, the little baby born to the mentally-disabled woman, has died at the age of 5 weeks. The doctors fought diligently to save her, but it is obviously the Lord's will for thus to have been done. Please say a prayer for her soul and for her mother that both of them may enjoy the unending bliss of Heaven with the Lord as their light. I hope and pray that she was baptized.

http://www.susantorresfund.org/

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Relying on Faith from Hurricane Katrina

I was reading a good article on how many people are now relying on faith because of Hurricane Katrina. I do hope that these people, though, know that many of us are praying for them. Many Churches have been destroyed but I certainly hope that God is put into the city and remain in these peoples' hearts.

As this article details, the Gospel is more than just going to Mass on Sunday; it is also loving others as Jesus loved us (John 13:40). And besides giving a few dollars anyone could and should offer a Rosary for these people. Anyone could work as a volunteer some way to help raise supplies or money. Remember, God didn't ask for us to be successful but He certainly asked for us to be faithful and try.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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After Cologne 2005

I received an email a few days back on a new blog, After Cologne 2005, and I wanted to share part of the email.

What is it?
This project aims to study the spiritual impact of the WYD on the lives of the young people who attended the World Youth Day in Cologne, 2005, through an Internet portal.

Impulse
This project started out as a voluntary project to get to know more people who came to Cologne for the World Youth Day 2005 through the help of an Internet portal that connects pilgrims and volunteers and everyone else who was involved in the WYD'05. This is my personal reasons:

1. I find that my own experience as a volunteer is quite different from most pilgrims, and I personally would like to learn from other pilgrims what they have experienced in WYD'05.
2. There was a huge mass of attendance in Köln (and Düsseldorf and Bonn), and it was not always possible for pilgrims (and volunteers), especially from different pilgrimage groups, to exchange contact information during the short while in Cologne.
3. There is a potential for establishing new friendships and communities based on shared experience in WYD'05 and common desire to extend the extraordinary experience onto our own homes and families and communities.

Specific Objectives of this Project
Bearing in mind that the medium of choice here is an Internet portal, the specific objectives of this project are as follow:
1. To help young people to get to know each other better: friends they have just met during the WYD'05, fellow pilgrims with whom they have come together to WYD'05, and new friends they may or may not have encountered personally.
2. To facilitate the sharing of experience, exchange of ideas that contribute to the development of Christian communities both in their own cities/countries and those that span over distance.
3. (A little bit too far--depends on resources and abilities) To measure the long-term spiritual impact of the WYD'05, whether in terms of what contribution it had to the youth ministry, or to the individual participant's involvement in the Church. I'd like to ask questions like: does WYD mark a turning point in many young people's lives? More regular attendance at Mass? Encourages vocations or joining of ministry? Grown in faith, etc? I can't think of more relevant questions, perhaps you can help?

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The Majesty of Our Lord

"My Lord, if you did not cover Your Greatness, who would dare to come to You so often to join a soul so full of misery with Your ineffable Majesty? May you always be blessed, O my God! The Angels, all creatures praise you for having adjusted Your mysteries to our weaknesses, so that we may enjoy Your riches without terrifying us with Your great power. Poor and fragile creatures that we are, we would never have dared approach you"

(St. Teresa of Jesus)

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Let Us Never Forget

Let us never forget September 11th, 2001, and the great people who died on that day. May God Bless America and may America praise and glorify God.

Image Source: Associated Press

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Good News with St. Blogs

St. Blog's Parish Hall recently announced it was closing down, but now someone has come forward and the website is currently in the process of changing webmasters. It looks like it will remain for some time to come and I'm very glad given the great amount of Catholic information there including an excellent list of Catholic websites.

Update: The new address is here

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Image of Pope Pius XII

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St. Francis's Final Words

Do you know what St. Francis's final words were?

Well, St. Francis, now nearly blind, as he lay on the cold ground, sang one verse from the Bible: "Lead me from my prison, that I might give thanks to Your name." (Pslam 142)

I think it's so beautiful that in such horrible conditions St. Francis still praised God. And we too should also praise Him through the greatness of creation and joy of life. Lift up a prayer now to Him and thank Our Heavenly Father for life. It is such a joy to know Our Lord and not just know about Our Lord. At the end of times we won't be given a quiz on theology or a test on IQ but will be asked one thing: how much did we love. Our mind and actions should come after our heart since it is through the love of a heart that Jesus Christ saved us from sin and through the love of a heart that all judgment rests.

Jesus Christ is Lord and worthy of all praise. It is truly amazing that the same Lord we pray to, the same one we hear of in epic stories, the same one that died on the Cross and was raised on the third day is present in the Eucharist...waiting for us.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Title Unknown

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What is a "Doctor of the Church"?

The title of "Doctor of the Church" is bestowed on certain individuals not only for their faith but for their skillful defense of it. The first saints given this title on September 20, 1295, by Boniface XIII included Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome, & Saint Gregory the Great. The next added was St. Thomas Aquinas and since then has grown to include thirty-three saints.

Traditionally, a Doctor of the Church was a male. After Vatican II, some women were added to this list which was a break with Tradition. Those still faithfully praying the pre-Vatican II Divine Office and saying the Traditional Mass do not generally accept these recent additions for good reason.

The Doctors of the Church:

St. Gregory the Great
St. Ambrose
St. Augustine
St. Jerome
St. John Chrysostom
St. Basil
St. Gregory Nazianzus
St. Athanasius
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Bonaventure
St. Anselm
St. Isidore
St. Peter Chrysologus
St. Leo the Great
St. Peter Damian
St. Bernard
St. Hilary of Poitiers
St. Alphonsus Liguori
St. Francis de Sales
St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
St. John Damascene
St. Bede the Venerable
St. Ephraem
St. Peter Canisius
St. John of the Cross
St. Robert Bellarmine
St. Albertus Magnus
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Lawrence of Brindisi

The following were added after Vatican II:

St. Teresa of Avila
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
St. John of Avila
St. Hildegard of Bingen
St. Gregory of Narek

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Grace from Mass

Grace is God's free gift given freely to others from God. One of the main differences between the some Protestants and Catholics is that Catholics know that in the Sacraments like Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, we receive additional grace from God. St. John Vianney even said that if we knew the true value of the Mass, we would die of joy.

Here are the graces we receive from attending Mass:

1. The Mass is Calvary continued.
2. Every Mass is worth as much as the sacrifice of our Lord's life, sufferings, and death.
3. Holy Mass is the world's most powerful atonement for your sins.
4. At the hour of death, the Masses you have heard will be your greatest consolation.
5. Every Mass will go with you to judgment and plead for pardon.
6. At Mass, you can diminish more or less temporal punishment due to your sins, according to your fervor.
7. Assisting devoutly at Holy Mass, you render to the sacred humanity of Our Lord the greatest homage.
8. He supplies for many of your negligence and omissions.
9. He forgives the venial sins which you have not confessed. The power of Satan over you is diminished.
10. One Mass heard during life will be of more benefit to you than many heard for you after your death.
11. You are preserved from dangers and misfortunes which otherwise might have befallen you. You shorten your Purgatory.
12. Every Mass wins for you a higher degree of glory in Heaven.
13. You receive the priest's blessing which Our Lord ratifies in Heaven.
14. You kneel amidst a multitude of holy angels, who are present at the adorable Sacrifice with reverential awe.
15. You are blessed in your temporal goods and affairs.

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What Does It Mean to Be "Born Again"?

The Following is from the article Are Catholics Born Again? from Catholic Answers:

Catholics and Protestants agree that to be saved, you have to be born again. Jesus said so: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

When a Catholic says that he has been "born again," he refers to the transformation that God’s grace accomplished in him during baptism. Evangelical Protestants typically mean something quite different when they talk about being "born again." 

For an Evangelical, becoming "born again" often happens like this: He goes to a crusade or a revival where a minister delivers a sermon telling him of his need to be "born again.""If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe he died for your sins, you’ll be born again!" says the preacher. So the gentleman makes "a decision for Christ" and at the altar call goes forward to be led in "the sinner’s prayer" by the minister. Then the minister tells all who prayed the sinner’s prayer that they have been saved—"born again." But is the minister right? Not according to the Bible.

Continue Reading...

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God Bless, Rehnquist

I want to salute William Rehnquist, an excellent Court Justice who stood for the good of all people from conception to natural death. God Bless you, Rehnquist. May you enjoy the delight of the angels and the saints in Paradise.

On September 7, 2006, funeral services were performed for William Rehnquist at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington D.C. Although Rehnquist was not Catholic, his family has gotten permission to use the Cathedral (1). He received Lutheran funeral services. I do not support Catholic buildings being used by other denominations; however, I will not argue about that. Justice William Rehnquist will be missed. May God bless him.

Photos:



Photo Sources: Arlington National Cemetery

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Mysteries of the Rosary

 Our Lady of the Rosary by A. Ciampelli

The following Rosary Mysteries correspond to a specific virtue.  As you pray the mystery, beseech our Lord through our Lady to grant you that virtue.

Joyful (Monday, Thursday, and Saturday):

• The Annunciation: Humility 
• The Visitation: Charity 
• The Birth of Our Lord: Poverty, or detachment from the world 
• The Presentation of Our Lord: Purity of heart, obedience 
• The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple: Piety 

Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday):

• The Agony in the Garden: Contrition for our sins 
• The Scourging at the Pillar: Mortification of our senses 
• The Crowning with Thorns: Interior mortification 
• The Carrying of the Cross: Patience under crosses 
• The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord: That we may die to ourselves 

Glorious (Wednesday and Sunday):

• The Resurrection: Conversion of heart 
• The Ascension: A desire for heaven 
• The Coming of the Holy Ghost: The Gifts of the Holy Ghost 
• The Assumption of our Blessed Mother into Heaven: Devotion to Mary 
• The Coronation of our Blessed Mother: Eternal happiness

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Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast (1969): September 8

Double of the II Class (1955 Calendar): September 8

Today we recall a very important day in the life of Mary – her birth. Unlike the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary, today is not a Holy Day of Obligation where we as Catholics must attend Mass. However, the birth of Mary is certainly an important part of our faith since Mary was the one who consented to become the Mother of God and bring our Savior into the world. 

A Prayer for Today's Remembrance of Mary’s birth written by St. Ambrose:

Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O sacred Virgin; give me strength against thine enemies, and against the enemy of the whole human race. Give me strength humbly to pray to thee. Give me strength to praise thee in prayer with all my powers, through the merits of thy most sacred nativity, which for the entire Christian world was a birth of joy, the hope and solace of its life. When thou wast born, O most holy Virgin, then was the world made light. Happy is thy stock, holy thy root, and blessed thy fruit, for thou alone as a virgin, filled with the Holy Spirit, didst merit to conceive thy God, as a virgin to bear Thy God, as a virgin to bring Him forth, and after His birth to remain a virgin. Have mercy therefore upon me a sinner, and give me aid, O Lady, so that just as thy nativity, glorious from the seed of Abraham, sprung from the tribe of Juda, illustrious from the stock of David, didst announce joy to the entire world, so may it fill me with true joy and cleanse me from every sin. Pray for me, O Virgin most prudent, that the gladsome joys of thy most helpful nativity may put a cloak over all my sins. O holy Mother of God, flowering as the lily, pray to thy sweet Son for me, a wretched sinner. Amen.

Collect:

Bestow upon Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace: that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the solemn feast of her Nativity may bring us an increase of peace. Through our Lord.

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Gay Marriage in California?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California just recently announced this Wednesday night that he will veto a bill that would have made California the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through its elected lawmakers 

Update: He has thankfully vetoed the bill!

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Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows

Please start the Novena today up until the 15th of September for the Feast of our Lady of sorrows. (Novenas are prayers said for nine days in a row like Mary and the apostles prayed for nine days for the Holy Spirit)

Image found at Recta Ratio.

The Novena:

Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on men, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.

Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, though the merits of his own most sacred Passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse if my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.

Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain from Jesus (mention your request) if it be for his honor and glory and for my good Amen.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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