Our Lady of Fatima 05.13.2017

100 years = first apparition (13 May 2017, Saturday)

PRAYERS AT FATIMA

"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You." (3x)
- first apparition at Fatima
- taught by the Angel of peace

"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore you profoundly and I offer you the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences by which He is offended and through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, I ask you for the conversion of poor sinners." (3x)
- taught by the Angel of peace

"O Jesus, it is for love of You, and for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary!"

- taught by Our Lady

"O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need."
- taught by Our Lady


DEAR LADY OF FATIMA (song)
(song lyrics source: http://fatima-song.synthasite.com/)

Verse 1:
Dear Lady of Fatima, we come on bended knee
To beg your intercession for peace and unity.
Dear Mary, won't you show us the right and shining way?
We pledge our love and offer you a rosary each day.

Verse 2:
You promised at Fatima each time that you appeared
To help us if we pray to you to banish war and fear.
Dear Lady, on first Saturdays we ask your guiding hand
For grace and guidance here on earth and protection for our land.

Verse 3:
O Mother Immaculate, we come to you today
To honour and beg you: Teach us how to pray
For justice and holiness to permeate our lands
And grace from God our Father to follow His commands.

Verse 4:
O Virgin most holy to you we consecrate
Our lives, our possessions, and this apostolate.
O Queen of the heavens, invoke your glorious Son
To save us so that all of us will see His Kingdom come.

HOLY MASS READINGS (for 13 May 2017: Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima):
(Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter)
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 13: 44-52
Responsorial Psalm: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
...or... Alleluia.
Alleluia: If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
Gospel Reading: John 14: 7-14


OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE SHRINE OF FATIMA:
- http://www.fatima.pt/en
- Fatima prayers: http://www.fatima.pt/en/pages/fatima-prayers


JUBILEE PRAYERS FOR THE CENTENNIAL OF THE APPARITIONS OF FATIMA:
(source: http://www.fatima.pt/en/pages/jubilee-prayers)

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God,
the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of the saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Prayer for the Pope

O Lord,
Good Shepherd of Humanity,
who entrusted to Peter and his successors
the mission of strengthening the brothers in the faith
and to enlighten them in the hearing of the Word
– in this place where the little shepherds of Fatima
bore witness to a profound devotion to the Holy Father
and to an intense love for the Church –,
we ask You that Your Spirit of Wisdom
illumines Pope N in his mission as the Successor of Peter;
may Your mercy protect and comfort him;
may the testimony of Your faithful hearten him in his mission,
and may the tender presence of Mary be for him a sign of Your love;
may he be strong in faith, courageous in hope, and zealous in charity.
Who live and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory.

Prayer for Peace

O God, All-Holy Father,
who gave us Your peace through Jesus
and through Him you wished to lead us to Your Heart
– in this place where the Virgin Mary invites us to pray for peace in the world
and where the Angel of Peace exhorts us to adore God alone –,
grant us, we pray, that peace may reign among all peoples;
that the leaders of the nations find ways towards justice,
that we may all reach the peace of heart
and that, through the intercession of the Queen of Peace,
we may become builders of a more fraternal world.
Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.

Jubilee Prayer of Consecration

Hail, Mother of the Lord,
Virgin Mary, Queen of the Rosary of Fatima!
Blessed among all women,
you are the image of the Church dressed in the Paschal light,
you are the honour of our people,
you are the triumph over the mark of evil.
Prophecy of the merciful Love of the Father,
Teacher of the Annunciation of the Good News of the Son,
Sign of the burning Fire of the Holy Spirit,
teach us, in this valley of joys and sorrows,
the eternal truths that the Father reveals to the little ones.
Show us the strength of your mantle of protection.
In your Immaculate Heart,
be the refuge of sinners
and the way that leads to God.
In unity with my brethren,
In Faith, Hope and Love,
I surrender myself to you.
In unity with my brethren, through you, I consecrate myself to God,
O Virgin of the Rosary of Fatima.
And thus surrounded by the Light that comes from your hands,
I will give Glory to the Lord for ever and ever.
Amen.

JUBILEE YEAR OF FATIMA: Concession of Plenary Indulgence
(source: http://www.fatima.santuario-fatima.pt/files/upload/subs%C3%ADdios/Plenary%20Indulgence_concession.pdf)

- by mandate of Pope Francis, it is granted a Jubilee Year, with the inherent plenary indulgence, from 27th November 2016 to 26th November 2017

The plenary indulgence of the jubilee is granted:

• to the faithful who visit to the Shrine of Fatima in pilgrimage and devotedly participate in a celebration or prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary, pray Our Father, the Creed, and invoke Our Lady of Fatima
• to the pious faithful who visit with devotion an image of Our Lady of Fatima solemnly displayed for public veneration in any temple, oratory or adequate place during the days of the anniversary of the apparitions (13th day of each month; May to October 2017), and devotedly participate there in any celebration or prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary, pray Our Father, the Creed, and invoke Our Lady of Fatima
• to the faithful who, due to their age, disease or other serious reason, are impeded of moving, if repentant of all their sins and having the firm intention of performing, as soon as possible, the three conditions mentioned below, in front of a small image of Our Lady of Fatima, spiritually unite in the days of the apparitions to the jubilee celebrations, offering with trust to God all-merciful through Mary their prayers and pains, or the sacrifices of their own lives. 

To obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful, truly penitent and animated with charity, must ritually fulfill the following conditions:

• sacramental confession
• Eucharistic communion
• prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

FEAST DAY: October 7
ABOUT:
- also known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
- the first prayer and the principal devotion of the faithful since the Rosary is composed of, principally and in substance, of the prayer of Christ and the Angelic Salutation, that is, the Our Father and the Hail Mary - has been in use all through the centuries, from the time of the apostles and disciples down to the present - it was only in the year 1214 that the Church received the Rosary in its present form and according to the method we use today. It was given to the Church by St. Dominic, who had received it from the Blessed Virgin as a means of converting the Albigensians and other sinners.
- The word Rosary means "Crown of Roses". Our Lady has revealed to several people that each time they say a Hail Mary they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is therefore the most important one. The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the awesome story of our salvation. With the Rosary in fact we meditate the mysteries of joy, of sorrow and the glory of Jesus and Mary. It's a simple prayer, humble so much like Mary. 

QUOTES: sources: http://www.theholyrosary.org/  and http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1161
- "Say the Rosary every day...
Pray, pray a lot and offer sacrifices for sinners...
I'm Our Lady of the Rosary.
Only I will be able to help you.
...In the end My Immaculate Heart will triumph."  - Our Lady at Fatima - “The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" - Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary

----------------------------------- NOVENA PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY source: https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/ol_rosary.htm
My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena:  (Mention your request).
I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God?s holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.
I offer you this spiritual ?Bouquet of Roses? because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.
----------------------------------- MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY source:  https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/how_to.htm

The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)

1. The Baptism in the Jordan
2. The Wedding at Cana
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom
4. The Transfiguration
5. Institution of the Eucharist

----------------------------------- SALVE REGINA (Hail Holy Queen)source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salve_Regina

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos

misericordes oculos ad nos converte;

Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

-----------------------------------
HAIL HOLY QUEENsource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salve_Regina

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,

Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To thee do we cry,

Poor banished children of Eve;

To thee do we send forth our sighs,

Mourning and weeping in this vale 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.

 
----------------------------------- LINKS/ SOURCES:  - "Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Novena Prayer" (source: EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/ol_rosary.htm - "How to Pray the Rosary" (source: EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/how_to.htm
- "The Holy Rosary" (source:The Holy Rosary):
   http://www.theholyrosary.org/ - "History of the Rosary" (source: The Holy Rosary):
   http://www.theholyrosary.org/rosaryhistory - "Our Lady of the Rosary" (source: Wikipedia):
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Rosary - "Our Lady of the Rosary" (source: American Catholic):
   http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1161
- "Litany of Loreto" (source: Catholic Encyclopedia):
   http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09287a.htm
- "Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (source: Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litany_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary
- "Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (source: EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/Litanies/Loreto.htm

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary / Maria Bambina / Holy Child Mary / Maria Niña

miraculous image of Maria Bambina

miraculous image of Maria Bambina

 

feast day: September 8

about:
- was first celebrated in the East by the Church of Jerusalem. A Byzantine church was erected there during the fifth century, on the spot where a tradition says the house of Saints Anne and Joachim once stood. The original church had been destroyed during the Crusades and was rebuilt later on. It has now become a center of pilgrimage.
- The modern canon of scripture does not record Mary's birth. The earliest known account of Mary's birth is found in the Protoevangelium of James (5:2), an apocryphal text from the late second century, with her parents known as Saint Anne and Saint Joachim
- The "Protoevangelium of James", which was probably put into its final written form in the early second century, describes Mary's father Joachim as a wealthy member of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. He and his wife Anne were deeply grieved by their childlessness.
- Pious tradition places Mary's birthplace in Jerusalem.
- is honored in Milan, Italy and Mexico City, Mexico
- relatively few Catholics in the U.S. and the Philippines know of this devotion

other names for this feast:
- The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary 
- Holy Childhood of the Blessed Virgin
- La Natività della Beata Vergine Maria
- Natività di Maria Santissima
- Nascita di Maria
- Natividad de la Virgen Maria

other names for the Infant Mary:
- Holy Child Mary
- Maria Bambina
- Maria Niña

---
PRAYER TO MARIA BAMBINA (Baby Mary)
source: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1175 

Hail, Infant Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou forever, and blessed are thy holy parents Joachim and Anne, of whom thou wast miraculously born. Mother of God, intercede for us.

We fly to thy patronage, holy and amiable Child Mary, despise not our prayers in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, glorious and blessed Virgin.

V. Pray for us, holy Child Mary.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us Pray: O almighty and merciful God, Who through the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the Immaculate Infant Mary that she might be the worthy Mother of Thy Son, and didst preserve her from all stain, grant that we who venerate with all our hearts her most holy childhood, may be freed, through her merits and intercession, from all uncleanness of mind and body, and be able to imitate her perfect humility, obedience and charity. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

---
NOVENA TO MARIA BAMBINA
source: http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix3.htm

Holy Child Mary of the royal house of David, Queen of the angels,
Mother of grace and love, I greet you with all my heart.
Obtain for me the grace to love the Lord faithfully during
all the days of my life. Obtain for me, too, a great devotion
to you, who are the first creature of God's love.
Hail Mary, full of grace................

O heavenly Child Mary, who like a pure dove was born
immaculate and beautiful, true prodigy of the wisdom of
God, my soul rejoices in you. Oh! Do help me to preserve
the angelic virtue of purity at the cost of any sacrifice.
Hail Mary, full of grace................

Hail, lovely and holy Child, spiritual garden of delight, where,
on the day of the Incarnation, the tree of life was planted,
assist me to avoid the poisonous fruit of vanity and pleasures of the world.
Help me to engraft into my soul the thoughts, feelings,
and virtues of your divine Son.
Hail Mary, full of grace................

Hail, admirable Child Mary, Mystical Rose, closed garden,
open only to the heavenly Spouse. O Lily of paradise,
make me love the humble and hidden life;
let the heavenly Spouse find the gate of my heart always open
to the loving calls of His graces and inspiration.
Hail Mary, full of grace................

Holy Child Mary, mystical dawn, gate of heaven,
you are my trust and hope.
O powerful advocate, from your cradle stretch out your hand,
support me on the path of life.
Make me serve God with ardor and
constancy until death and so reach an eternity with you.
Hail Mary, full of grace................

---
PRAYER
source: http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix3.htm

Blessed Child Mary, destined to be the Mother of God and our loving Mother, by the heavenly graces you lavish upon us, mercifully listen to my supplications. In the needs which press upon me from every side and especially in my present tribulation, I place all my trust in you. 

O holy Child, by the privileges granted to you alone and by the merits which you have acquired, show that the source of spiritual favors and the continuous benefits which you dispense are inexhaustible, because your power with the Heart of God is unlimited.
Deign through the immense profusion of graces with which the Most High has enriched you from the first moment of your Immaculate Conception, grant me, O Celestial Child, my petition, and I shall eternally praise the goodness of your Immaculate Heart.

---
 LITANY IN HONOR OF THE HOLY INFANCY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN by Saint John Eudes
source: http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix3.htm

Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, Infant Jesus, hear us, Infant Jesus, graciously hear us, God the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the World, God the Holy Ghost, Holy Infant Mary, Infant Daughter of the Father, Infant, Mother of the Son, Infant, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, Infant, fruit of the prayers of thy parents, Infant, Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, Infant, riches of thy father, Infant, delight of thy mother, Infant, honor of thy father, Infant, honor of thy mother, Infant, miracle of nature, Infant, prodigy of grace, Immaculate in thy Conception, Most holy in thy Nativity, Most devout in thy Presentation, Masterpiece of God's grace, Aurora of the Sun of Justice, Beginning of our joy, End of our evils, Infant, joy of earth, Pattern of our charity, Model of our humility, Infant, most powerful, Infant, most mild, Infant, most pure, Infant, most obedient, Infant, most poor, Infant, most meek, Infant, most amiable, Infant, most admirable, Infant, incomparable, Infant, health of the sick, Comfortess of the afflicted, Refuge of Sinners, Hope of Christians, Lady of the Angels, Daughter of the Patriarchs, Desire of the Prophets, Mistress of the Apostles, Strength of Martyrs, Glory of the Priesthood, Joy of Confessors, Purity of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Infant, our Mother, Infant, Queen of our hearts, Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Infant Jesus, Infant Jesus,

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Pray for us. Spare us, Infant Jesus. Graciously hear us, Infant Jesus. Have mercy on us, Infant Jesus. Hear us. Graciously hear us.

LET US PRAY
O almighty and merciful God, Who through the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the Immaculate Infant Mary that she might be the worthy Mother of Thy Son, and didst preserve her from all stain, grant that we who venerate with all our hearts her most holy childhood, may be freed, through her merits and intercession, from all uncleanness of mind and body, and be able to imitate her perfect humility, obedience and charity. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

---
links:
- "A Brief History of Maria Bambina (Holy Child Mary)" (source: Roman Catholic Sacramentals Foundation):
   http://www.sacramentals.org/MariaBambina.htm

- official page of Soure di Maria Bambina / Sisters of Charity known as "Holy Child Mary" (home of the miraculous image of Maria Bambina):
   http://www.suoredimariabambina.org/default_en.htm
- "Nativity of Mary" (source: Wikipedia):
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Mary
- "Birth of Mary" (source: EWTN):
   http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/MARYBRTH.HTM
- "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (source: About.com- Catholicism):
   http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Birth_of_Mary.htm
- "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" and "A Brief History of the Miraculous Image of Maria Bambina" by Rev. Dr. Ildefonso R. Villar (source: Salve Maria Regina):
   http://www.salvemariaregina.info/SalveMariaRegina/SMR-115.html
- "Novena and Litany to Maria Bambina (Infant Mary)" (source: The Most Holy Rosary):
   http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix3.htm
- "Devotion to the Holy Infant Mary" (source: The Mystical Rose Catholic Page):
   http://home.earthlink.net/~mysticalrose/infant.html
- "Of the Birth of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori" (source: Catholic Information Network):
   http://www.cin.org/ligbirmr.html 


links about the childhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary (apocryphal works):
(source: http://home.earthlink.net/~mysticalrose/infant.html)
- "The Protoevangelium of James" (source: Church Fathers):
   http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm
- "The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary" (source: Church Fathers):
   http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0849.htm
- "The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew " (source: Church Fathers):
   http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0848.htm

THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

feast day: August 22

-------

 SALVE REGINA (HAIL HOLY QUEEN)

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salve_Regina

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ, 
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. 
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ, 
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes 
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos 
misericordes oculos ad nos converte; 
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, 
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. 
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
In some cases, the following versicle, response, and collect are added:

℣ Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix. 
℟ Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus. 
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui gloriosæ Virginis Matris Mariæ corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu Sancto cooperante præparasti: da, ut cuius commemoratione lætamur; eius pia intercessione, ab instantibus malis, et a morte perpetua liberemur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟ Amen.

-------

 AUGUST QUEEN OF ANGELS

     O august Queen and our Lady of Angels, who received from God the power and mission of crushing the head of Satan, we humbly beg you to send us Heavenly Legions, with Saint Michael the Archangel as head so that under your orders they may chase the demons, combat them everywhere, repress their boldness, and drive them back into the abyss.

     “Who is like God?” 

     O good and tender Mother, you shall always be our love and our hope.

     O Divine Mother, send your Holy Angels to defend us, and to drive away from us the cruel enemy. Holy Angels and Archangels, defend us and guard us. Amen. 

-------

ACT OF CONSECRATION
source: http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/queenship-mary.htm

O Mary Immaculate Queen, glorious Queen of the Universe, most powerful Virgin, merciful Mother of a merciful God and refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thy Royal and Immaculate Heart.

It is through thee that Jesus Christ our King has come into the world to save it. It is also through thee that He is to reign over the world.

In order to obtain this great benefit for ourselves and all mankind, we come to thy feet to consecrate to thee our persons, our lives, all that we are, all that we have, all that we love. Keep us, enlighten us, dispose of us, reign over us.

May all hearts and all homes willingly proclaim thee as their Immaculate Queen.  
-------

PRAYER
source: http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/queenship-mary.htm
O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. Thou knowest our misery and our weakness. O Thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.

Jesus has confided to thee the treasure of His Grace, and through Thee He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, thy children come to Thee as their hope.

We recognize thy Queenship and ardently desire thy triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart. Thou art for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In thy clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, Thou Who didst crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. Amen.  

------- 

ANCIENT PRAYER TO THE VIRGIN MARY
source: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1491
We turn to you for protection, holy Mother of God.
Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs.
Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin.
------- 

about:
- "The purpose of the Feast is that all may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and motherly sovereignty of her who bore God in her womb" (Ven. Pius XII, Ad. Coeli Reginam).
- Queen of Heaven is a title that was originally given to a number of pagan goddesses and then later applied by Christians to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Christians mainly of the Roman Catholic Church, and also, to some extent, in Eastern Orthodoxy, to whom the title is a consequence of the First Council of Ephesus in the fifth century, in which the Virgin Mary was proclaimed "theotokos", a title rendered in Latin as Mater Dei, in English "Mother of God".
- The Catholic teaching on this subject is expressed in the papal encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam, issued by Pope Pius XII. It states that Mary is called Queen of Heaven because her son, Jesus Christ, is the king of Israel and heavenly king of the universe; indeed, the Davidic tradition of Israel recognized the mother of the king as the Queen Mother of Israel. The Eastern Orthodox Churches do not share the Catholic dogma, but themselves have a rich liturgical history in honor of Mary.
- The title Queen of Heaven has long been a Catholic tradition, included in prayers and devotional literature, and seen in Western art in the subject of the Coronation of the Virgin, from the High Middle Ages, long before it was given a formal definition status by the Church.
- The four ancient Marian antiphons of the Liturgy of the Hours express the Queenship of the Virgin Mary: the Salve Regina, the Ave Regina Caelorum, the Alma Redemptoris Mater, and the Regina Caeli. These are prayed at different times of the year, at the end of Compline.

SALVE REGINA:
Mary as Queen of Heaven is praised in the Salve Regina "(Hail Queen)", which is sung in the time from Trinity Sunday until the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. In the vernacular, as a prayer to the Virgin Mary, the Hail Holy Queen is the final prayer of the Rosary. A German Benedictine monk, Hermann of Reichenau (1013–1054), allegedly composed it and it originally appeared in Latin, the prevalent language of the Catholic Church until Vatican II. Traditionally it has been sung in Latin, though many translations exist. In the Middle Ages, Salve Regina offices were held every Saturday. In the 13th century, the custom developed to greet the Queen of Heaven with the Salve Regina, which is considered the oldest of the four Marian antiphons. As a part of the Catholic Reformation, the Salve Regina was prayed every Saturday by members of the Sodality of Our Lady, a Jesuit Marian congregation. The Hail Holy Queen is also the final prayer of the Rosary.

AVE REGINA CAELORUM:
The Ave Regina Caelorum (Hail, Queen of Heaven) is an early Marian antiphon, praising Mary, the Queen of Heaven. It is traditionally said or sung after each of the canonical hours of the Liturgy of the Hours. The prayer is used especially after Compline, the final canonical hour of prayer before going to sleep. It is prayed from the Feast of the Presentation (February 2) through the Wednesday of Holy Week. It used to be sung on the feast of the Assumption of Mary. The Ave Regina Caelorum dates back in a different musical intonation to the 12th century^. Today's version is slightly different from a 12th-century intonation. The Ave Regina Caelorum has four parts: Ave, Salve, Gaude and Vale (in English: hail, rejoice, farewell). It was used for processions in honour of the Queen of Heaven. The Ave Regina Caelorum received numerous musical versions, a famous one of which was composed in 1773 by Joseph Haydn.

ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER:
The Alma Redemptoris Mater (Loving Mother of our Savior) is recited in the Catholic Church at Compline only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (February 2). Continuing theological discussions exist as to the origin and exact timing of this Marian antiphon. It has two equal parts. The Virgin Mary is the loving Mother of the Savior, the ever-virgin with a very high position in heaven. May she listen to her people with mercy in their need for her help.

REGINA COELI:
The Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven) is an anthem of the Roman Catholic Church which replaces the Angelus at Eastertide (from Holy Saturday until the Saturday after Pentecost). It is named for its opening words in Latin. The Regina Coeli was the subject of numerous intonations throughout the centuries by known and unknown composers. Not all attributions are correct however, as an often quoted Regina Coeli by Joseph Haydn had other authors. Of unknown authorship, the anthem was in Franciscan use in the first half of the 13th century. Together with three other Marian anthems, it was incorporated in the Minorite Roman Curia Office, which the Franciscans soon popularized everywhere, and which by order of Pope Nicholas III (1277–1280) replaced all the older breviaries in the churches of Rome.




quote:
“Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69).


links/ sources:
- "Queen of Heaven" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_Heaven 
- "Queenship of Mary" (American Catholic):
   http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1115 
- "Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (Catholic Tradition):
   http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/queenship-mary.htm
- "Mary's Queenship" (EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marya6.htm
- "Ad Caeli Reginam" by Pope Pius XII - Encyclical on Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary (Catholic Encyclopedia):
   http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi12ac.htm 
- "Veneration of Mary in Roman Catholicism" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration_of_Mary_in_Roman_Catholicism
- "Queenship of Mary" (Catholic News Agency):
    http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=343 
- "Marian (Mary) Prayers" (Catholic Online):
   http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?s=31 

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY INTO HEAVEN

feast day (solemnity): August 15

about:
- is the oldest feast day of Our Lady, but we don't know how it first came to be celebrated
- informally known as the Assumption
- also called in old liturgical books Pausatio, Nativitas (for heaven), Mors, Depositio, Dormitio S. Mariae
- other names for the feast: The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The Assumption of Mary Into Heaven; The Dormition of the Theotokos; The Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century 
- This feast has a double object:
(1) the happy departure of Mary from this life;
(2) the assumption of her body into heaven.
It is the principal feast of the Blessed Virgin.
-  according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of Anglicanism, was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life.
- attributes: Mary assumed or elevated into Heaven with surrounding cherubs or saints
- The feast was originally celebrated in the East, where it is known as the Feast of the Dormition, a word which means "the falling asleep." The earliest printed reference to the belief that Mary's body was assumed into Heaven dates from the fourth century, in a document entitled "The Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God". The document is written in the voice of the Apostle John, to whom Christ on the Cross had entrusted the care of His mother, and recounts the death, laying in the tomb, and assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
- Tradition variously places Mary's death at Jerusalem or at Ephesus, where John was living.


the fact about the Assumption:
source: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm
 
Regarding the day, year, and manner of Our Lady's death, nothing certain is known. The earliest known literary reference to the Assumption is found in the Greek work De Obitu S. Dominae. Catholic faith, however, has always derived our knowledge of the mystery from Apostolic Tradition. Epiphanius (d. 403) acknowledged that he knew nothing definite about it (Haer., lxxix, 11). The dates assigned for it vary between three and fifteen years after Christ's Ascension. Two cities claim to be the place of her departure: Jerusalem and Ephesus. Common consent favours Jerusalem, where her tomb is shown; but some argue in favour of Ephesus. The first six centuries did not know of the tomb of Mary at Jerusalem.
The belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is founded on the apocryphal treatise De Obitu S. Dominae, bearing the name of St. John, which belongs however to the fourth or fifth century. It is also found in the book De Transitu Virginis, falsely ascribed to St. Melito of Sardis, and in a spurious letter attributed to St. Denis the Areopagite. If we consult genuine writings in the East, it is mentioned in the sermons of St. Andrew of Crete, St. John Damascene, St. Modestus of Jerusalem and others. In the West, St. Gregory of Tours (De gloria mart., I, iv) mentions it first. The sermons of St. Jerome and St. Augustine for this feast, however, are spurious. St. John of Damascus (P.G., I, 96) thus formulates the tradition of the Church of Jerusalem:

St. Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451), made known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened, upon the request of St. Thomas, was found empty; where from the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to heaven.

Today, the belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is universal in the East and in the West; according to Benedict XIV (De Festis B.V.M., I, viii, 18) it is a probable opinion, which to deny were impious and blasphemous.


quote:
“In the bodily and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the Mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as she is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Peter 3:10), as a sign of certain hope and comfort for the pilgrim People of God” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 68).


links/ sources:
- "Assumption of Mary" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary
- "The Feast of the Assumption" (Catholic Encyclopedia):
   http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm
- "The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (About Catholicism):
   http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Assumption.htm
- "The Assumption of Mary: A Belief Since Apostolic Times" by Father Clifford Stevens (EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/AOFMARY.HTM
- "Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary" (American Catholic):
   http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1108 
 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

feast day: July 16

about:
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel was seen in the apparitions at Fatima to Lucia dos Santos during the miracle of the sun and also appeared to St. Simon Stock to whom she gave the Brown Scapular.
- "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order and the Discalced Carmelite Order, and the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (also known as the Brown Scapular), is the habit of the two Orders. In its small form, it is widely popular within the Catholic Church as a religious article and has probably served as the prototype of all the other devotional scapulars. The liturgical feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, is popularly associated with the devotion of the Scapular.
- According to the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship, the Brown 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."
- A traditional formulation of the Scapular Promise is "Take this Scapular. Whosoever dies wearing it shall not suffer eternal fire. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger and pledge of peace."
- This feast was instituted by the Carmelites between 1376 and 1386 under the title "Commemoratio B. Marif Virg. duplex" to celebrate the victory of their order over its enemies on obtaining the approbation of its name and constitution from Honorius III on 30 Jan., 1226 (see Colvenerius, "Kal. Mar.", 30 Jan. "Summa Aurea", III, 737). The feast was assigned to 16 July, because on that date in 1251, according to Carmelite traditions, the scapular was given by the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock; it was first approved by Sixtus V in 1587. After Cardinal Bellarmine had examined the Carmelite traditions in 1609, it was declared the patronal feast of the order, and is now celebrated in the Carmelite calendar as a major double of the first class with a vigil and a privileged octave (like the octave of Epiphany, admitting only a double of the first class) under the title "Commemoratio solemnis B.V.M. de Monte Carmelo". By a privilege given by Clement X in 1672, some Carmelite monasteries keep the feast on the Sunday after 16 July, or on some other Sunday in July. In the seventeenth century the feast was adopted by several dioceses in the south of Italy, although its celebration, outside of Carmelite churches, was prohibited in 1628 by a decree contra abusus. On 21 Nov., 1674, however, it was first granted by Clement X to Spain and its colonies, in 1675 to Austria, in 1679 to Portugal and its colonies, and in 1725 to the Papal States of the Church, on 24 Sept., 1726, it was extended to the entire Latin Church by Benedict XIII. The lessons contain the legend of the scapular; the promise of the Sabbatine privilege was inserted into the lessons by Paul V about 1614. The Greeks of southern Italy and the Catholic Chaldeans have adopted this feast of the "Vestment of the Blessed Virgin Mary". The object of the feast is the special predilection of Mary for those who profess themselves her servants by wearing her scapular.
- Mount Carmel (Hebrew: הַר הַכַּרְמֶל, Har HaKarmel ISO 259-3 Har ha Karmell (lit. God's vineyard); Greek: Κάρμηλος, Kármēlos; Arabic: الكرمل‎, Kurmul or جبل مار إلياس Jabal Mar Elyas 'Mount Saint Elias') is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. The range is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a number of towns are located there, most notably the city of Haifa, Israel's third largest city, located on the northern slope.
- Mount Carmel is considered a sacred place/location for Christianity and other religions

--------
Teaching of the Catholic Church about the Brown Scapular:
Carmelite scholar Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD summarizes the Catholic Church's official position about the Brown Scapular thus:

With regard to the scapular as a conventional and sacred sign, the Church has intervened at various times in history to clarify its meaning, defend it, and confirm the privileges.

From these Church documents there emerges with sufficient clarity the nature and meaning of the Carmelite scapular.

1. The scapular is a Marian habit or garment. It is both a sign and pledge. A sign of belonging to Mary; a pledge of her motherly protection, not only in this life but after death.

2. As a sign, it is a conventional sign signifying three elements strictly joined: first, belonging to a religious family particularly devoted to Mary, especially dear to Mary, the Carmelite Order; second, consecration to Mary, devotion to and trust in her Immaculate Heart; third an incitement to become like Mary by imitating her virtues, above all her humility, chastity, and spirit of prayer.

This is the Church's officially established connection between the sign and that which is signified by the sign. No mention is made of the vision of St. Simon Stock or of that of Pope John XXII in relation to the Sabbatine Privilege, which promises that one will be released from Purgatory on the first Saturday after death.

-------- 
AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

source: a very old carmelite prayer book which i never really read... (the book was created by a Carmelite community)

O  Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel, I come today to consecrate myself entirely to you. To you as the Mother of Grace I owe all that I am and all that I have, and my whole life is a very small return for the many graces and blessings that have come from God to me through your hands. Since you regard with an eye of special kindness those who wear your scapular, I implore you to strengthen my weakness with your power, to enlighten the darkness of my mind with your wisdom, to increase in me faith, hope and charity, that I may render, day by day, my debt of humble homage to you.

May your scapular keep your eyes of mercy turned towards me always and bring me your special protection in the daily struggle to be faithful to your Divine Son and to you. May it separate me from all that is sinful in life and remind me constantly of my duty to behold you and to clothe myself with your virtues. From henceforth I shall strive to live in the sweet companionship of your spirit to offer all to Jesus through you and to make my life the mirror of your humility, charity, patience, meekness and prayerfulness.

I dearest Mother, support me by your never-failing love so that I, an unworthy sinner, may come one day to exchange your scapular for the wedding garment of heaven and dwell with you and the saints of Carmel in the Kingdom of your Son. Amen.

--------
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY 
source: a very old prayer leaflet (usually attached to the Brown Scapular); a prayer by the Third Order Carmelite

Most Holy Virgin Mother of God, I now consecrate to thy Immaculate Heart forever my body and my soul with all my thoughts, words, deeds and affections leaving to thee the entire right of disposing of me and of all that belongs to me for the greater glory of God and for all the intentions of thy Immaculate Heart. May the holy Scapular of Carmel inspire me to live in the spirit of true devotion to thee all the days of my life. May it be for me a lesson in modesty and simplicity, a symbol of unceasing prayer and the special sign of my consecration to thy Immaculate Heart.

When my last hour comes may this “Sign of Salvation” save me from the fires of hell and the pains of Purgatory, according to thy gracious promises, so that as soon as possible, I may join thee, my Mother and Queen, in the everlasting joys of Paradise. Amen.

 
--------
PRAYER TO THE BLESSED MOTHER OF MOUNT CARMEL
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel#Prayer_to_the_Blessed_Mother_of_Mount_Carmel

"O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Sweet Mother I place this cause in your hands. Amen."

--------
FLOS CARMELI
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flos_Carmeli
- a Marian Catholic hymn and prayer. Flos carmeli literally means "Flower of Carmel". In the Carmelite Rite this hymn was the sequence for the Feast of St. Simon Stock, and, since 1663, for the Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel. It is said to have been written by St. Simon Stock himself (c1165 - 1265). The prayer is taken from the first two stanzas of the hymn.

(Latin hymn)
Flos Carmeli, vitis florigera, splendor caeli, virgo puerpera singularis.
Mater mitis sed viri nescia Carmelitis esto propitia stella maris.
Radix Iesse germinans flosculum nos ad esse tecum in saeculum patiaris.
Inter spinas quae crescis lilium serva puras mentes fragilium tutelaris.
Armatura fortis pugnantium furunt bella tende praesidium scapularis.
Per incerta prudens consilium per adversa iuge solatium largiaris.
Mater dulcis Carmeli domina, plebem tuam reple laetitia qua bearis.
Paradisi clavis et ianua, fac nos duci quo, Mater, gloria coronaris. Amen. (Alleluia.)

(English translation):
FLOWER of Carmel, Tall vine blossom laden; Splendor of heaven, Childbearing yet maiden. None equals thee.
Mother so tender, Who no man didst know, On Carmel's children Thy favours bestow. Star of the Sea.
Strong stem of Jesse, Who bore one bright flower, Be ever near us And guard us each hour, who serve thee here.
Purest of lilies, That flowers among thorns, Bring help to the true heart That in weakness turns and trusts in thee.
Strongest of armour, We trust in thy might: Under thy mantle, Hard press'd in the fight, we call to thee.
Our way uncertain, Surrounded by foes, Unfailing counsel You give to those who turn to thee.
O gentle Mother Who in Carmel reigns, Share with your servants That gladness you gained and now enjoy.
Hail, Gate of Heaven, With glory now crowned, Bring us to safety Where thy Son is found, true joy to see. Amen. (Alleluia.)


--------
links/ sources:
- "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel
- "Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapular_of_Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel
- "Mount Carmel" (Wikipedia):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Carmel
- "Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel" (EWTN):
   https://www.ewtn.com/faith/carmel.htm
- "Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel" (Catholic Encyclopedia):
   http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10604b.htm
- "Prayers to Our Lady of Mount Carmel" (Catholic Tradition):
   http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/carmel1.htm