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You are here: Home / Archives for ZZDD / DD May 2021

May: Month of Our Lady The Blessed Virgin

May is Month of Mary

Month of Our Lady The Blessed Virgin

A Time of Grace

A Time of Grace

It is a centuries-old custom of Catholics to dedicate the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The month of May is always part of the Easter season, the fifty days we celebrate in the liturgy the Resurrection of Our Lord, a time also of awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The celebration of May as a Marian month fits well with the liturgical celebrations of Easter and Pentecost as we recall Mary’s great joy in her Son’s victory over death as well as her presence with the apostles in the upper room prayerfully awaiting the ...
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Mary and the Popes

Mary and the Popes

The Month of Mary and the Popes The pious practice of honouring Mary during the month of May has been especially recommended by the Popes. Pius XII made frequent reference to it and in his great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy (Mediator Dei) characterized it as one of "other exercises of piety which although not strictly belonging to the Sacred Liturgy, are nevertheless of special import and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way to be an addition to the liturgical cult: they have been approved and praised over and over again by the Apostolic See and by ...
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Feast of The Queenship of Mary 1 Coronation of Mary

Mary and Our Spiritual Life

In our observance of the Marian month we should take into account the season of the Liturgical Year which largely corresponds with the fifty days of Easter. Our pious exercises could emphasize Our Lady's participation in the Paschal mystery and in Pentecost with which the Church begins. The pious exercises connected with the month of May can easily highlight the earthly role played by the glorified Queen of Heaven, here and now, in the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The following practices which are recommended by the Magisterium are offered as suggestions for honouring Our Lady ...
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Stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus

Devotion to Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and therefore the example, as well as the guide and inspiration, of everyone who, in and through the Church, seeks to be the servant of God and man and the obedient agent of the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as Pope Leo XIII reminded us, is the soul of the Church: All the activity and service of the members of the Church, beginning with the supreme participation of the Blessed Mother in the work of the Church, is vivified by the Holy Spirit as the body, in all ...
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Month-Of-Mary

May dedicated to Our Lady Mary

The month of May is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world pray to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God's mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul VI: Encyclical ...
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 Download Daily Devotions for May 2022- Month of Our Lady the Blessed Virgin

Virtues of Mary

Parish Devotions this month
Pope Francis Jan 2019

Pope Francis Prayer Intentions May 2022 – faith-filled young people

Universal intention - For faith-filled young people We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service. For Faith-Filled Young People – May Reflection We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.  Our Church has been blessed with many young saints. And even more ... Read more here

Litany of Loreto

Ave Maria The Litany of the Blessed Virgin–also called the Litany of Loreto–is one of the many Marian litanies, or praises of Mary, composed during the Middle Ages. The place of honour it now holds, in the life of the Church, is due its faithful use at the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto, which, according to tradition, was the small cottage-like home where the Holy Family had lived and which was miraculously transported by angels, in 1291, from the Holy Land to its present location in Loreto. It was definitely recommended by Pope Clement VII and approved by ...
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The Brown Scapular

The Brown Scapular – The full promise of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Brown Scapular and other Scapulars The full promise of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to Saint Simon Stock July 16, 1251 “Accept this Scapular. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger and a pledge of peace. Whosoever dies clothed in this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.” Such is the extraordinary promise Our Lady makes to those who wear Her Brown Scapular. And this wonderful promise makes the Scapular the most powerful sacramental Heaven’s mercy has given us. Who could doubt Our Lady’s promise, as not to wear, with profoundest gratitude and reverence, this abbreviated ...
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Holy Rosary

Victory Through The Rosary

“You will be granted all you ask of me by recitation of the rosary.” Also called the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Rosary is one of the most excellent prayers to the Mother of God. Thus, "the Roman Pontiffs have repeatedly exhorted the faithful to the frequent recitation of this biblically inspired prayer which is centred on contemplation of the salvific events of Christ's life, and their close association with the Virgin Mother." Our Lady’s Action in History and Today Since the time of Saint Dominic, the Most Holy Rosary has been the weapon by which Our Lady has ...
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Miraculous Medal

The Miracle of the Miraculous Medal

These are witnesses of faith and a sign of veneration of the Holy Mother of God, as well as of trust in her maternal protection. The Church blesses such objects of Marian devotion in the belief that "they help to remind the faithful of the love of God, and to increase trust in the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Miracle of the Miraculous Medal: Designed and Revealed by the Blessed Virgin The Medal of the Immaculate Conception, popularly known as the Miraculous Medal, is unique among all medals. The Miraculous Medal was created in response to a request from the Blessed Virgin Mary, ...
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The Regina Coeli

The authorship of the "Regina Caeli" being unknown, legend says the St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) heard the first three lines chanted by angels on a certain Easter morning in Rome while he walked barefoot in a great religious procession and that the saint thereupon added the fourth line: "Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia." — Fr. Gant, moderator, Catholic News The opening words of the Eastertide anthem of the Blessed Virgin, the recitation of which is prescribed from Compline of Holy Saturday until Afternoon Prayer of the Saturday after Pentecost inclusively. Substitute this prayer for the Angelus during the ...
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Opening Prayers
Start by making the sign of the Cross:

Start by making the sign of the Cross:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” ...
The Apostles Creed

Then recite the Apostle’s Creed:

” I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.” ...
Then say 1 Our Father:

Then say 1 Our Father:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” ...
Then say 3 Hail Marys (for the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity):

Then say 3 Hail Marys (for the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity):

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death. Amen." ...
Then say 1 Glory Be:

Then say 1 Glory Be:

GLORY BE to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.” ...
After each decade the Fatima Prayer may also be said (Pope Pius XII):

After each decade the Fatima Prayer may also be said (Pope Pius XII):

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.” ...
Feast of theGuardian Angels

Prayer to my Guardian Angel:

Angel of God's light, whom God sends as a companion for me on earth, protect me from the snares of the devil, and help me to walk always as a child of God, my Creator. Angel of God's truth, whose perfect knowledge serves what is true, protect me from deceits and temptations. Help me to know the truth, and always to live the truth. Angel of God's love, who praises Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who sacrificed His life for love of us, sustain me as I learn the ways of Divine love, of sacrificial generosity, of meekness and lowliness of heart. Thank You, my heavenly friend, for your watchful care. At the moment of my death, bring me to heaven, where the one true God, Who is light, Truth and Love, lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. ...

The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries

The AnnunciationThe VisitationThe NativityThe PresentationThe Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Luminous Mysteries

The Baptism in the JordanThe Wedding at CanaProclamation of the KingdomThe TransfigurationInstitution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries

The Agony in the GardenThe Scourging at the PillarThe Crowning with ThornsThe Carrying of the CrossThe Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries

The ResurrectionThe AscensionThe Descent of the
Holy Spirit
The Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
The Coronation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Virgin Mary banner prayer Concluding Prayers
Hail Holy Queen

Concluding Prayers

After the completion of five mysteries (5 decades), the following is customarily said:

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope.  To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!”

V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Holy Rosary

LET US PRAY (Closing Prayer):

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.


Divine Mercy Additional Prayers by Day

MONDAYS

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Litany of Blessed Virgin Mary

 

These consist of a long series of invocations to Our Lady, which follow in a uniform rhythm, thereby creating a stream of prayer characterized by insistent praise and supplication. The Roman Pontiffs have frequently expressed appreciation for the pious practice of “consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the formulas publicly used by them are well known. Louis Grignion de Montfort is one of the great masters of the spirituality underlying the act of “consecration to Mary”. He “proposed to the faithful consecration to Jesus through Mary, as an effective way of living out their baptismal commitment.”

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.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.

Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Grant, we beg you, O Lord God, that we your servants,
may enjoy lasting health of mind and body,
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,
be delivered from present sorrow and enter into the joy of eternal happiness.
Through Christ our Lord.

Total Consecration to Mary


TUESDAYS

Consecration of Ourselves to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, by the Hands of Mary

Consecration of Blessed Virgin Mary

O Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most Adorable Jesus!
True God and True Man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary always Virgin!
I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendors of Thy Father during eternity;
and I adore Thee also in the Virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine Incarnation.

I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself, in taking the form of a slave,
in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil.
I praise and glorify Thee for that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things,
in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But, alas! ungrateful and faithless as I have been,
I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism;
I have not fulfilled my obligations;


I do not deserve to be called Thy son, nor yet Thy slave;
and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse,
I dare no more come by myself before Thy Most Holy and August Majesty.
It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most holy Mother,
whom Thou hast given me for a mediatrix with Thee. It is by her means that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition,
and the pardon of my sins, the acquisition and the preservation of wisdom.

I salute thee, then, O immaculate Mary, living tabernacle of the Divinity,
where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden, and to be adored by Angels and by men.
I hail thee, O Queen of heaven and earth, to whose empire everything is subject which is under God.

I salute thee, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails to no one.
Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end, receive the vows and offerings which my lowness presents to thee.
I, (name), a faithless sinner, I renew and ratify to-day in thy hands the vows of my Baptism;
I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom,
to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.

In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress.
I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior,
and even the value of all my good actions, past, present, and future;
leaving to you the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me,
without exception, according to thy good pleasure, to the greatest glory of God, in time and in eternity.

Receive, O benignant Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in the honor of, and in union with,
that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to thy Maternity,
in homage to the power which both of you have over this little worm and miserable sinner,
and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity hath favored thee.
I protest that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honor and to obey thee in all things.

O admirable Mother, present me to thy dear Son as His eternal slave,
so that as He hath redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me.

O Mother of mercy, get me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God;
and for that end put me in the number of those whom thou lovest, whom thou teachest,
whom thou conductest, and whom thou nourishest and protectest, as thy children and thy slaves.

O faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator,
and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thy intercession,
and by thy example, to the fullness of His age on earth, and of His glory in the heavens. Amen.


WEDNESDAYS

Prayer to Saint Joseph

Prayer to Saint Joseph

To thee, St. Joseph, we have recourse in our tribulations,
and having implored the assistance of thy most holy spouse,
filled with confidence we now ask for thy patronage as well.

By the sacred bond of charity that united thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God,
and by the paternal love thou hadst for the Child Jesus,
we ardently beseech thee to cast a favorable gaze upon the inheritance that Jesus Christ conquered with His Blood,
and help us in our needs with thy powerful hand.

Protect, o provident custodian of the Holy Family, the chosen people of Jesus Christ.
Drive away from us, o most loving Father, the pest of error and vice.
Assist us from the heights of Heaven, o strongest bulwark in the struggle against the power of darkness;
and just as thou once saved the threatened life of the Child Jesus,
defend now the Holy Church of God from the ambushes of her enemies and from every adversity.

Support every one of us with thy constant protection so that, following thy example and sustained with thy help,
we may live virtuously, die piously, and obtain eternal blessedness in Heaven. Amen.


THURSDAYS

Prayers Before the Blessed Sacrament

Apostleship of Prayer

O God, I am listening. I desire a sacred dialogue with you that I may hear the call of deep relationship.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I hear the story that connects human history, from Egypt to Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
May I be a bond of connection in this story.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I acclaim the saving action of God through the Word, Jesus Christ.
May I be a herald of this news across the fields of my journey.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I feel my heart burning within me at the sound of your voice.
May I come to recognise the distinguishable quality of your voice wherever and whenever it speaks to me.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I am deeply affected by the words of mercy that come from rom your mouth.
May my listening give me the ability to distinguish voices and to know the caller.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I am open to the influence of the Word who has power to provide bread for the whole world.
May I be transformed by this Word and become a giver of bread.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

O God, I am listening. I receive on my table the Bread of your Word. With Mary,
I understand how this Word is the hope of our time, the river in the desert and I ask Mary to help me also to be a Christ-bearer.
Let me hear your voice, O God.

God I'm Listening


FRIDAYS

At the dawning of each day we give you thanks O God

Holy Cross

At the dawning of each day we give you thanks O God,
for the victory of light, for new beginnings.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the morning hour we give you thanks, O God, for parents and grandparents, teachers and guardians
who directed our first steps and our first words to your love and protection.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the evening of our lives in the setting of the sun
we give you thanks O God, for the miles we walked together.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the moment of opportunity in the vision of the dream we give you thanks O God, for the colours,
shapes, sounds and smells that awaken our senses to life.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the ninth hour when fear and sickness bring down the night,
we give you thanks O God, for carrying us through the darkness.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the season of joy and celebration we give you thanks O God,
for health and happiness and laughter and song.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the times of achievement and victory we give you thanks O God,
for good health, creative skill and perseverance.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At the hour of death and departure we give you thanks O God,
for the journey accomplished, for the promise of going on.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

At every step of life’s journey we give you thanks, O God,
for family, friends, neighbours and workmates,
who light our way with friendship and hope.
I thank you forever, my Lord and my God.

My Lord and my God, you know what I am made of.
You know the limitations of my mind and heart.
You know how hard it is for me to collect my scattered
thoughts and give you my full and steady attention.

My mind is like a balloon constantly floating up to the clouds
and having to be brought back again and again from its wanderings.
And yet, with all my scatteredness – Here I am!
My wish is to be more and more here as the time of my visit unfolds.

Let the realisation of your presence dawn on me ever more vividly.
Let the mystery of your everlasting love embrace me.
Let the tenderness of your mercy reassure me.
Let the smile of your delight in me brighten the darkness of my soul.

I will say over and over the word you have given me to answer your call:
Lord, here I am! Lord, here I am!

Forgive whatever is sinful in me. Heal whatever is unhealthy in me.
Calm whatever is agitated in me. Soften whatever is hard in me
And fill me with your peace. Lord, here I am.

Mary Our Mother


SATURDAYS

Oh Mary, Sweet Refuge of Miserable Sinners;

Prayer to overcome temptation

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord,
the queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners,
I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day.

I venerate thee, great queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day;
in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins.

I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can
to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation;
accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy.

And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations,
or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death.
From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death.

My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God,
I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life.
Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity.
Such is my hope. Amen.

Prayer to Mary for Sinners

OH Mary, sweet refuge of miserable sinners;

At the moment when my soul departs from this world, my sweetest Mother,
by the grief that thou didst endure when thou was present at the death of thy Son upon the Cross,
then assist me with thy mercy.

Keep far from me my infernal enemies, and come Thyself to take my soul
and present it to my Eternal Judge.
Do not abandon me, oh my Queen.

Thou, next to Jesus, must be my comfort in that dreadful moment.

Entreat thy Son that in His goodness, He will grant me the favor to die clasping thy feet,
and to breathe out my soul in His sacred wounds, saying:
Jesus and Mary, I give you my heart and my soul. Amen


Additional Prayers
Stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary for England:

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy “Dowry” and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in you. By you it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given you to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us your children, whom you did receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother. Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the Chief Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home. Amen.

PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel:

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly Hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Mother Teresa and Priests

Mother Teresa’S Prayer for Priests:

Mary, Mother of Jesus,
throw your mantle of purity over our priests.
Protect them, guide them, and keep them in your heart.
Be a Mother to them,
especially in times of discouragement and loneliness.
Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus.
Like Jesus, they, too, are your sons,
so keep their hearts pure and virginal.
Keep their minds filled with Jesus,
and put Jesus always on their lips,
so that he is the one they offer to sinners and to all they meet.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, be their Mother,
loving them and bring them joy.
Take special care of sick and dying priests,
and the ones most tempted.
Remember how they spent their youth and old age,
their entire lives serving and giving all to Jesus.
Mary, bless them and keep a special place for them in your heart.
Give them a piece of your heart,
so beautiful and pure and immaculate,
so full of love and humility,
so that they, too, can grow in the likeness of Christ.
Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus. Amen.

Feast of theGuardian Angels

Prayer to my Guardian Angel:

Angel of God’s light, whom God sends as a companion for me on earth, protect me from the snares of the devil, and help me to walk always as a child of God, my Creator.
Angel of God’s truth, whose perfect knowledge serves what is true, protect me from deceits and temptations. Help me to know the truth, and always to live the truth.
Angel of God’s love, who praises Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who sacrificed His life for love of us, sustain me as I learn the ways of Divine love, of sacrificial generosity, of meekness and lowliness of heart.
Thank You, my heavenly friend, for your watchful care. At the moment of my death, bring me to heaven, where the one true God, Who is light, Truth and Love, lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

O salutáris hôstia:

O salutáris hôstia:

O salutáris hôstia
Quae caeli pandis óstium
Bella premunt hostilia
Da robur, fer uxilum
Uni Trinóque Domino
Sit sempitérna gloria
Qui vitam sine término
Nobis donet in pátria.
Tantum ergo Sacraméntum
Venerémur cérnui:
Et antiquum documéntum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides suppleméntum
Sénsuum deféctui.
Genitori, Genitoque,
Laus et jubilatio.
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio;
Procedénti ab utroque;
Compar sit laudátio.

You have given your people bread from heaven.
The bread which is full of all goodness.

Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful sacrament has left us a memorial of your passion,
Help us so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your body and blood that we may always experience in our lives the effects of your redemption.
Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

The Eucharist

The Divine Praises:

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints

Eucharist, sacrament of communion

O Sacrament most Holy:

O Sacrament most Holy,
O Sacrament Divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving,
Be every moment Thine. (3x)


Download Daily Devotions for May 2022- Month of Our Lady the Blessed Virgin



Filed Under: DD May 2021, DD2022, Menu Widget Monthly Devotion, Monthly Devotions Tagged With: Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Marcin Drabik, Prayer to Saint Joseph, St Swithun's RC Church

Pope Francis Prayer Intentions May 2021 – The world of Finance

Universal intention – The world of finance

Let us pray that those in charge of finance will work with governments to regulate the financial sphere and protect citizens from its dangers.

Economic development needs to have a human face, so that no one will be excluded.
– Pope Francis

The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man in Luke chapter 16 may appear distant to us due to its graphic description of dogs licking the sores of Lazarus. Today, we live in a world in which we do not encounter abject poverty or if we do, we have become desensitized to it. We may recognize the problem, but we feel that the problem is too big for us to solve.

Global prosperity in terms of material wealth is the highest it has ever been in the history of humanity. Technological advances and global trade have created the wealthiest society in terms of cumulative wealth of nations. We have wealth in the stock market, we have comfortable homes, we have a wide choice of food in our kitchens, we have sleek gadgets that entertain us, and we have nice cars to take us around town. Life in the 21st century is a blessing from God.

However, inequality between the rich and the poor has been rising rapidly for the past several decades. More recently, the working-class and middle-class have been squeezed by the economic uncertainties brought by COVID-19, while the upper-class has largely been unaffected. Over the long-term future, technology is forecast to eliminate numerous jobs for the working-class which will further preclude them from participating in the economy. The environment is suffering from our over consumption of resources and lax attitude toward keeping our land, air, and water clean.

At this critical time, we reflect on our role as stewards of God’s creation and as messengers of the kingdom of God. How is God inviting us to live the Gospel message that exhorts us to care for the least among us? How can we model our lives on the lives of the early Christians, who distributed goods fairly among all? How can we be prophetic voices that inspire positive changes in our political and financial systems?

  • Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ
    Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (United States)

This month’s focus

  • The situation caused by COVID-19 in India is increasingly desperate. Please help our sisters and brothers in need. Find out more here>>
  • May is National Walking Month. So we’re inviting you to take time to walk in the footsteps of the Pilgrims of England and Wales. Find out more here>>
  • In May Pope Francis is calling for a Rosary Marathon, to pray for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please join us to pray. Our Mission Rosary can be found here>>
  • As this is the month of Mary, why not set aside some space in your home or school to create a mini shrine to Our Lady? Decorate with flowers and use it as a focal point to ask Mary our Mother to pray for us. We’d love you to share your shrines and prayers with us on our Social Media channels!

Prayer

Daily Offering Prayer

Here I am Lord; words many have said to you.
Here I am, is what you say to me at the beginning of the day.
Thank you for love, grace and protection in life.
In return I offer you the prayer, joys, loves, sufferings and hopes of this day.
May all I do and say be for your greater glory.
I pray this with our Lady in this month of May,
Hail Mary……..

With Jesus in the Night

Thanks Lord God for this day
For all that was good in it.
Thanks for help in getting through difficulties.
Keep safe and well in your love all I care for, near and far.
Look after with love all who have no place to rest tonight
Or who go to rest hungry.
May I help them as best I can tomorrow.
Hail Mary…

WHAT IS THE POPE’S WORLDWIDE PRAYER NETWORK?

The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) addresses the challenges facing humanity and assists the mission of the Church. We pray and work to meet the challenges of the world identified by the Pope in his monthly intentions, while walking a spiritual path called the “Way of the Heart.”

What is the process in the preparation of the prepared prayer intentions?

The faithful from around the world suggest papal prayer intentions in each country to their national office, which selects some of them and sends those to the international office of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network in Vatican City. Through prayerful discernment the international office selects a large number of them and submits them to the Pope to help his discernment. After his prayer and discernment he entrusts to the International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network the official set of monthly prayer intentions, which are then translated into the major world languages and published in print and digital formats.

Filed Under: DD May 2021, NL Prayers Post 2021 May Tagged With: Pope Francis, Universal intention - The world of finance

May dedicated to Our Lady Mary

Month-Of-Mary

The month of May is the “month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady,” and it is the occasion for a “moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world pray to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance” (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1).

Many of us grew up participating in May crowning processions where a crown, sometimes fashioned out of flowers, was placed on an image or statue of Mary. But out of all of the months in the year, why was May chosen to celebrate Our Lady? First, the month of May usually falls within the fifty days of Easter. This liturgical season is a great time of rejoicing and the whole church celebrates with Our Lady the resurrection of her Son by praying the Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven):

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia: For he whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen, as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia!

This Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize the secular feasts which were wont to take place at that time. In the 16th century, books appeared and fostered this devotion. The practice became especially popular among the members of the Jesuit Order — by 1700 it took hold among their students at the Roman College and a bit later it was publicly practiced in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the whole Church. The practice was granted a partial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary indulgence by Pius IX in 1859. With the complete revision of indulgences in 1966 and the decreased emphasis on specific indulgences, it no longer carries an indulgence; however it certainly falls within the category of the First General Grant of Indulgences. (A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding — even if only mentally — some pious invocation.  Excerpted from Enchiridion of Indulgences.

Filed Under: DD May 2019 Headlines, DD May 2020 Headlines, DD May 2021 Headlines, Monthly Devotions, NL 01052022 Headline Posts, NL 02052021 Headline Posts, NL 09052021 Headline Posts, NL 16052021 Other Posts Tagged With: Akathistos, Blessed Virgin Mary for England, Cardinal John Wright, Enchiridion of Indulgences, Jesuit Order, Louis Grignion de Montfort, Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May no. 1, Pius IX, Pius VII, Regina Caeli, The Litany of Loretto

Devotion to Mary

Stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus
Stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and therefore the example, as well as the guide and inspiration, of everyone who, in and through the Church, seeks to be the servant of God and man and the obedient agent of the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as Pope Leo XIII reminded us, is the soul of the Church: All the activity and service of the members of the Church, beginning with the supreme participation of the Blessed Mother in the work of the Church, is vivified by the Holy Spirit as the body, in all its activities, is vivified by its soul. The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, Advocate, and Comforter which Christ Himself sent to be our consolation in the sorrowful mysteries of life, our source of moderation in the joyful mysteries of life, our added principle of exaltation in the glorious mysteries of life. So He was for the Blessed Mother; so also He is for the least of us; so also He is for the rest of the Church, even for those who are its unconscious but conscientious members. Wherever there is faith there is the example of Mary, because she lived by faith as the Scriptures remind us….

If, then, piety is the virtue which binds us to the sources of all life, to God, to our parents, to the Church, to Christ, certainly Christian piety binds us, in grateful love, to Mary — or our acceptance of Christ and of the mystery of our kinship with Him is imperfect, partial, and unfulfilled. — Cardinal John Wright

Filed Under: DD May 2019 Headlines, DD May 2020 Headlines, DD May 2021 Headlines, Monthly Devotions Tagged With: Blessed Virgin Mary for England, Cardinal John Wright, Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May no. 1, Pius IX, Pius VII, Regina Caeli, The Litany of Loretto

Mary and Our Spiritual Life

Feast of The Queenship of Mary 1 Coronation of Mary

In our observance of the Marian month we should take into account the season of the Liturgical Year which largely corresponds with the fifty days of Easter. Our pious exercises could emphasize Our Lady’s participation in the Paschal mystery and in Pentecost with which the Church begins. The pious exercises connected with the month of May can easily highlight the earthly role played by the glorified Queen of Heaven, here and now, in the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The following practices which are recommended by the Magisterium are offered as suggestions for honouring Our Lady during Her month.

The following practices which are recommended by the Magisterium are offered as suggestions for honoring Our Lady during Her month.

The Regina Coeli
The ecclesial community addresses this antiphon to Mary for the Resurrection of her Son. It adverts to, and depends on, the invitation to joy addressed by Gabriel to the Lord’s humble servant who was called to become the Mother of the saving Messiah.

The Rosary
Also called the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Rosary is one of the most excellent prayers to the Mother of God. Thus, “the Roman Pontiffs have repeatedly exhorted the faithful to the frequent recitation of this biblically inspired prayer which is centered on contemplation of the salvific events of Christ’s life, and their close association with the Virgin Mother.”

Litanies of the Blessed Virgin Mary
These consist of a long series of invocations to Our Lady, which follow in a uniform rhythm, thereby creating a stream of prayer characterized by insistent praise and supplication.

Consecration and Entrustment to Mary
The Roman Pontiffs have frequently expressed appreciation for the pious practice of “consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the formulas publicly used by them are well known.

Louis Grignon de Montfort is one of the great masters of the spirituality underlying the act of “consecration to Mary”. He “proposed to the faithful consecration to Jesus through Mary, as an effective way of living out their baptismal commitment.”

The Brown Scapular and other Scapulars
The scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer.

Medals
These are witnesses of faith and a sign of veneration of the Holy Mother of God, as well as of trust in her maternal protection.The Church blesses such objects of Marian devotion in the belief that “they help to remind the faithful of the love of God, and to increase trust in the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

The “Akathistos” Hymn
In the Byzantine tradition, one of the oldest and most revered expressions of Marian devotion is the hymn of the “Akathistos” — meaning the hymn sung while standing. It is a literary and theological masterpiece, encapsulating in the form of a prayer, the universally held Marian belief of the primitive Church.

Filed Under: DD May 2019 Headlines, DD May 2020 Headlines, DD May 2021 Headlines, Monthly Devotions Tagged With: Blessed Virgin Mary for England, Louis Grignion de Montfort, Magisterium, Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May no. 1, Pius IX, Pius VII, Regina Caeli, The Litany of Loretto

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August: Month of The Blessed Sacrament & Immaculate Heart of Mary "Hail Mary full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
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blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners
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