Category Archives: Blessed Virgin Mary

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows

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I said in this post that I’d write on devotions to Our Lady of Sorrows. 

The devotion to the sorrows of Our Lady dates at least from the Middle Ages, if not all the way back to the Early Church. This is likely, given that Mary was around for a few decades after Christ Ascended and taught the apostles and disciples and others much of Jesus’ life and teachings. (From where else did we get information on the Annunciation, Nativity and other details of His life?) The recipients of Our Lady’s teachings must have learned about her sorrows over the crucifixion of her Son, and in sympathy must have kept this in memory and passed it on to future Christians.

In recent years, it has seen an increase due to the approved apparition of Our Lady in Kibeho, Rwanda. During that apparition, Our Lady told the seers to pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows. You can read more about that here.

Tan Books offers a nice little devotional booklet on “Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother.” That introduced me to the devotion twenty years ago. EWTN Religious Catalogue offers the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, (which I say almost every day) as well as the excellent (and in my opinion, the BEST book on Mary after the Mystical City of God, the Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonse’s Liguori. 

The Glories of Mary is five complete books in one volume. The first book examines the words of the Salve Regina and shows how God has given Mary to mankind to be the Gate of Heaven. The second book explains Our Lady’s principal feasts and reveals fresh truths about these mysteries. The third book explains the Seven Sorrows of Mary and why Our Lady’s martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all other martyrs. The fourth book describes ten different virtues of Our Lady, and the fifth book provides dozens of famous prayers, meditations, and devotions to her.

Included are the theological proofs for the Immaculate Conception, explanations of the invocations in the Litany of Loreto, and a description of Our Lady’s death. The Glories of Mary is the greatest compendium of nearly eighteen centuries of teaching on Our Lady and seeks to lead many souls to a greater love of Jesus through a more intimate knowledge of Mary and her exalted role in our salvation.

Source: Tan Books 

Developing a devotion to Our Lady’s Sorrows comforts her. Yes, she is now in Heaven and doesn’t experience sorrow or pain as we know it. But she still recalls her Son’s sufferings and she observes our sufferings here in the vale of tears, our exile. So, in some way unique to Heaven, she still ‘is sorrowful,’ I suppose. Empathizing with her sorrows whilst she was still on Earth only endears you ever more to her Son, if you get my drift. 

This post included links to online shops where you can buy stuff, but I do not make any money from those sales. (If you wish to donate to me, you can PayPal me – my real name is on that link. Or buy a lot of my books, linked in the s paragraph below this! Either way, I appreciate it! Thank you!)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Our Lady of Sorrows

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September 15th is the the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It honors the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which are:

First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon

Our Lady and St. Joseph took the child Jesus as was customary under Mosaic Law after her 40 days of purification were over. They were to offer their first born to God, as was also in accordance with the Law. They really did not need to do this, given Our Lady’s perpetual virginity as was as that Jesus is God; nevertheless they did so out of Holy Obedience. This is an interesting lesson for today’s Christians who feel they can flout religious observance, dogmas, and doctrines.

While there, Simeon, a holy man and prophet was was foretold by the Holy Spirit that he will not die until he saw the Messiah, for witness that Jesus was this Messiah. 

Luke 2:34-35 And Simeon blessed them, and he said to his mother Mary: “Behold, this one has been set for the ruin and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and as a sign which will be contradicted. And a sword will pass through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 

Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt

Joseph is warned in a dream that Jesus’ life is in danger from Herod, who is intent on killing all males under the age of two based upon the testimony of the Magi from the East who were seeking the Messiah of the Jews. Threatened by this, he orders the murder of children in the area the holy Family is residing. Herod is an example of politicians and other elites who champion the cause of the pro-choice movement, i.e. the murder of unborn children through abortion. In many states of the USA this now includes ‘partial birth abortion’ and even the abortion of delivered babies. There’s a word for this: infanticide.

Matthew 2:13-18 And after they had gone away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: “Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and flee into Egypt. And remain there until I tell you. For it will happen that Herod will seek the boy to destroy him.”
And getting up, he took the boy and his mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt.
And he remained there, until the death of Herod, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt, I called my son.”
Then Herod, seeing that he had been fooled by the Magi, was very angry. And so he sent to kill all the boys who were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had learned by questioning the Magi.
 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying:
“A voice has been heard in Ramah, great weeping and wailing: Rachel crying for her sons. And she was not willing to be consoled, because they were no more.”

Another lesson from thins the plight of refugees and migrants. Today there are tens of millions of people who are displaced from their native lands because of war, poverty and oppression. Often they are unwelcome in the lands they end up in. Rather than ‘extending the table’ or ‘making room for guests,’ people propose to ‘build a wall!’ or otherwise spread hateful, ignorant lies about their character an intentions. But the globalist economic order and rising populist movements victimize and shun them.  The populists in Europe and North America are unfortunately ‘nativist’ in outlook, which is odd given that the migrants and refugees are the victims of the globalist order the populists object to; so these people should be allies.

Third Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus in Jerusalem

The Holy Family went off to Jerusalem for religious celebrations and on the way back home they lost their son, who happens to be the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God the Father, and King of the Universe. I know this was a massive trauma for the Holy Family. You’re the Virgin Mother of God, you love your son more than anything in the universe; private revelations such as The Mystical City of God by the Venerable Mary of Agreda tell us that Mary knew who Jesus was from the moment of the Annunciation; that He had full use of His faculties and powers of reason from His conception; and they were intimately united in thought and feeling from that moment onward. Furthermore, she knew the type of death He was to experience. Her love for Him was so intense that she was literally a lifelong martyr for Him. And she lost this kid. Imagine her thoughts throughout all of this.

Now think of St. Joseph. He also knew who Jesus was. And you’re the guy God the Father picked to be the guardian and protector of the Lady bore His Son, as well as that Son. And you lost this kid.

There have been no parents alive before or since who were as freaked out as Mary and Joseph. You are a parent? You had issues with your children? Dysfunctional? The Holy Family can be your guide. While obviously not dysfunctional in the slightest, nevertheless they knew of the trials of family life., even if it were for just three trauma-filled days. 

Luke 2:41-49  And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover.
And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day.
 And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this.
But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances.
 And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
 And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them.
 But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses.
 And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: “Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.”
And he said to them: “How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?”

Fourth Sorrow: Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother on His Way to the Cross

Recall what I had just written about the intimate union Mary and Jesus had. You suffer as He suffers, is happy as He is happy…. And now you see Him, the love of your life carrying a crucifix upon which He will be nailed to for the sins of the World. He is innocent, but is being offered as a propitiatory sacrifice to atone for the sins of others because the magnitude of the crime is so great the guilty cannot possibly pay it. 

You seen Him broken and bloodied, humiliated, with the crowds mindlessly shouting cruel epithets at Him. All these tear at your Immaculate Heart. You want to comfort Him but cannot. Your eyes meet His… you gaze at each other and wordlessly an understanding passes between you and Him. Love. Sympathy. The overwhelming love of a Mother so kind and tender…. And she cannot help Him. Then pagan soldiers whip him onward and insult you…

Fifth Sorrow: Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross

John 19:25 And standing beside the cross of Jesus were his mother…

… and some time later after you’ve made your way to the place of His execution, a hill called Golgotha (where thousands of years before Abraham was prevented from sacrificing his son Isaac, as a test of his faith) you see Him again, dying. His condition is horrible in the extreme. You kneel before Him and gaze up, tears flood your eyes and cascade down your face. This is empathy at its most intense: the love and sorrow of a mother towards her son as life ebbs from Him.

John 19:26-27 Therefore, when Jesus had seen his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son.” Next, he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” And from that hour, the disciple accepted her as his own.

This woman is now your Mother. After you were baptized you became His brother or sister; adopted children of God the Father. And therefore at your baptism, when you became a member of the Mystical Body of her Son, Jesus Christ, you became a child of Mary as well. You follow? Jesus is Mary’s Son; after baptism you become a member of His Mystical Body, therefore Mary is your mother, too. Mary is your Mother in a way even more so than your earthly mother is, for the latter only gave birth to your life in this transitory, temporal world. Mary ‘gave birth to you’ in the supernatural life through your baptism.

If you attain Heaven, it’s because of Mary. For since Mary is your Mother, her maternal instincts cover you as well. And she is the best of mothers and wants you in Heaven with her. The saints teach that all graces come to us from God through Mary (with the Church teaching this as well, but stopping short of declaring it a revealed dogma. So far.) So if you know any better, cultivate a relationship with Mary. Ask her in your prayers that her intentions regarding your life and intentions come true. Entrust yourself to her. All good mothers dote on their children. You think Mary would be any less of a doting Mom? Most Earthly mothers boast if their sons and daughters become doctors or lawyers or some such thing. Mary wants you in Heaven, with her, for ever. 

How loving is that?

Sixth Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus from the Cross

John 19:38 Then, after these things, Joseph from Arimathea, (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews) petitioned Pilate so that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave permission. Therefore, he went and took away the body of Jesus.

Jesus is dead. His body is taken down from the cross and placed in Mary’s arms. She looks upon Him who they have killed, his tortured body practically unrecognizable. But she is His Mother, she know this body. The same one she gave birth to 33 years before, the same one she nursed at her breasts, the same one she clothed and fed and loved all these years. 

And now He is gone. Taken so cruelly. And all because of the sins of others, from the beginning to the end of time. Death is the most painful of separations because of its finality. Mary knew her Son would rise again on the third day; He had said so. Nevertheless, the pain of His death and loss was more real to her than for any other. Even knowing He’d return. This gives us some perspective on grief and how sensitive we must be towards ourselves and towards others when death takes someone away. 

Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

Luke 23:53 …and he placed him in a tomb hewn from rock, in which no one had ever been placed.

And with that, he was taken from sight and buried; now physically separated from Him. It bears repeating that although Mary knew her Son would rise again, the pain of His death and now separation by burial was a grief most intense. This told to us by the writings of countless saints and mystics; which means the original source of this information must have been passed down in part by an oral tradition they picked up as well as through private revelation. Some may feel this is silly, because if she knew He’d be back in a few days, why the grief? To love deeply means to grieve deeply. The greater the love, the greater the sorrow of loss; regardless of how temporary the loss is. That explains it. And that is why Mary is the best of all possible mothers. For she loves you, too, with a love greater than you could know. 

Mary’s love for you and her maternal interest in your salvation, could make up for a multitude of ‘issues’ you have with your own mother, or even the loss of your mother because she died. Mary’s love is eternal; and she desires your happiness with her in Heaven.

This post is long enough! Tomorrow, if I can, I’ll mention the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows. It’s a wonderful devotion, a part of the whole devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows (The Sorrowful Mother devotion, Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady…it has several names, it’s all the same.)

All Scripture quotes courtesy: The Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

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Annual Novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe begins

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An annual post:

August 5th begins a novena to St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, one of my favorite saints for a myriad of reasons. One of them, and not the primary one, even, is his patronage of addicts. He was not an addict himself, but the Church in Her thinking has anointed him for that role by virtue of his death, for he was executed by a lethal injection.

His Feast Day is August 14th.

The following are links to a novena to him I wrote near the time when I began this blog:

The Novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe for Alcoholics and Addicts:

Novena Day 1 Novena Day 2 Novena Day 3 Novena Day 4 Novena Day 5 Novena Day 6 Novena Day 7 Novena Day 8 Novena Day 9

If you’d prefer an ‘official’ Novena from the Militia of the Immaculata, then you can download this PDF of one from them: Solemn Novena in Honor of St. Maximilian Kolbe.

There are numerous posts on Sober Catholic about him, the archive of them is here: St. Maximilian Kolbe Post Archive.

Although I said above that the novena begins on August 5th, I personally begin it on August 6th so that it can be said simultaneously with a Novena to the Immaculate Conception, which I say in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Assumption is August 15th. Here is a novena for that: Novena in Honor of the Immaculate Conception with St. Maximilian Kolbe

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My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to St. Alphonsus Liguori begins July 23

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A novena to St. Alphonse Liguori, whose feast day is Aug 1st, begins Saturday, July 23rd. He’s the patron saint of arthritis sufferers and those with scrupulosity (sometimes related to obsessive compulsive disorder).

Here are two: Pray More Novenas  and Redemptorists.

I love this saint, although I have not read as much of his works as I’d like. I have read, and highly recommend The Glories Of Mary. The version that I linked to is from Tan Books and is the most complete volume (other publishers offer the Glories of Mary, but in an abridged form.) You read this book and you will end up loving Our Lady even more than before. This version is:

 

The Glories of Mary is five complete books in one volume. The first book examines the words of the Salve Regina and shows how God has given Mary to mankind to be the Gate of Heaven. The second book explains Our Lady’s principal feasts and reveals fresh truths about these mysteries. The third book explains the Seven Sorrows of Mary and why Our Lady’s martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all other martyrs. The fourth book describes ten different virtues of Our Lady, and the fifth book provides dozens of famous prayers, meditations, and devotions to her.

Included are the theological proofs for the Immaculate Conception, explanations of the invocations in the Litany of Loreto, and a description of Our Lady’s death. The Glories of Mary is the greatest compendium of nearly eighteen centuries of teaching on Our Lady and seeks to lead many souls to a greater love of Jesus through a more intimate knowledge of Mary and her exalted role in our salvation.

Source: Tan Books

 

Another book he wrote that I absolutely love is Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, which I often use in, well, visits to the Blessed Sacrament. It is thirty-one meditations, perfect for a quick fifteen minute visit to Our Lord.

A very good biography of him is right here: St. Alphonse Liguori.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

NOVENA ALERT!!!!!! Today begins the Sacred Heart Novena, and also …

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… the Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Technically, the Sacred Heart Novena began yesterday so that it ends on the day before the feast, but it’s all right if it ends on the day of. I forgot to begin it yesterday, but I think I’ve always said the two Novenas simultaneously, because of the Union of the Two Hearts. 

Sacred Heart Novena.( ETWN)

Sacred Heart Novena (Pray More Novenas.)

Immaculate Heart of Mary Novena(EWTN)

Immaculate Heart of Mary Novena (Pray More Novenas.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

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I wrote about Our Lady of Perpetual Help recently and how I’ve been experiencing ‘signal graces’ in the form of coincidental happenings. (I forgot to mention one: while in Adoration I had found a Rosary in the ‘free box’ with the OLPH image!) Anyway, in that post I also said that I’ll share with your some novenas to OLPH. The Novena begins this Saturday the 18th of June with the feast day on June 27th.  

Here’s one from EWTN: Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help | EWTN 

Here’s another from Pray More Novenas.

Here’s another nice one.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

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I have recently been the recipient of multiple odd ocurrences of the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH). The seeming randomness has gone beyond being mere coincidence; I think it has reached the point of being a ‘signal grace.’

I could be watching a Catholic YouTube channel and the host has images of the walls of his home and studio. I am looking up stuff on Catholic sites or blogs and there are references to her or the image. I go to Saturday Vigil Mass with my wife wants to sit in a particular pew, but there’s an AC unit blasting arctic air and so we move to a pew in the rear of the church right next to a huge image of OLPH. At home I find a random image of OLPH sticking out of a pile of books. I go to Facebook and search for OLPH, I get as far as typing ‘our’ and the search result start appearing…. OLPH is the first. (Granted Facebook tracks you away from itself, but I think I have enough addons to block that.) An image I forgot I had peeks out from a stack of books. I go to a med appointment and arrive early, leave early, and so have time to go to Mass. It’s the new Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. While not tied to the devotion to OLPH, in my mind I make theological and spiritual connections between my being called to go to Mass on that day and the feasts. (Mary is the Mother of the Church, and as we Catholics are members of the Mystical Body pf Christ, which is the church, she is the Mother of us. And under her title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, she is our Mother who will help us forever, regardless of space and time or any other situation, since the Church and Her teachings are applicable to anyone, anywhere, in any time.)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help is among the most descriptive titles of the Blessed Virgin in her role as our Heavenly Mother, and her maternal care over us. 

 Here’s the image:

CultofPerpetualHelpVetusImagoMiraculisClaraVenerata

From Wikipedia:

  • The original wooden icon measures 17″ × 21″ inches, and is written on hard nut wood with a gold leaf background. The image depicts the following symbols:
  • The Blessed Virgin Mary — wearing a dress of dark red, in Byzantine iconography the color of the empress, the Queen.
  • The subject shows Mary looking towards the faithful while pointing at her son, Jesus Christ who is frightened by the instruments of crucifixion and is depicted with a fallen sandal.
  • The left side is Saint Michael Archangel — carrying the lance and sponge of the crucifixion of Jesus.
  • On the right side is Saint Gabriel Archangel carrying a 3-bar cross and nails.
  • The Virgin Mary has a star on her forehead signifying her role as Star of the Sea while the cross on the side has been claimed as referring to the Greek monastery which produced the icon.

More on the symbolism here. 

It is one of the most venerated images of Our Lady; largely due to its beauty and intricate design and deep symbolism, but also through the numerous miraculous cures and conversions rendered through it. Its history is sketchy and some parts contradict each other, but such is often the case when records are oral, lost or there are gaps within the various accounts. It is reputed to be a copy of a painting of Our Lady done by St. Luke, the author of the third Gospel and the Acts. That painting was destroyed by the Moslem invaders of Constantinople in the 15th Century. It had been copied numerous times and these made their way throughout Eastern Christendom. This particular copy, with some emendations by later artists, possibly dates from the 13th or 14th Centuries. It wound up in Rome in the 16th Century after being stolen or spirited out of Crete by a Cretan merchant. This is one of the contradictions. One story claims the merchant was a pious man who merely sought to protect the image from Moslems who were invading Crete; another story holds that he was hired by rich Italians who wanted spectacular eastern images to decorate the churches they sponsor, and thus reap the rewards of pilgrimages and such. At any rate, his piety, if not present when he brought the image out of Crete, was in evidence on his deathbed when he made a promise to Our Lady to find a suitable home for it. She appeared to him and mentioned a church in Rome in between St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major. This church was named after St. Matthew. It supposedly did not make it there right away. The merchant died and the image fell into the possession of his best friend, present at his death, who temporarily kept it. The story, which is rather complicated, goes that this man’s wife and father coveted the image because of her pride and his greed. Only after repeated apparitions of Our Lady to convince them to release it to the Church where she had wanted it, the image was finally transferred to St. Matthew’s, but not before initially failing to achieve that goal until after the predicted death of the merchant’s friend and the sheer terror of the wife and father upon realizing they were opposing the will of Heaven. Like I said, the story is complicated and you should really look it up. It would make a great movie by Mel Gibson or better yet, Leonardo Defilippis.

The image remained in St. Matthew’s for a few centuries until that church was destroyed by invading French in the 19th Century. It was spirited out to another church in Rome, where its initial identity became largely forgotten. Eventually, the Institute of the Most Holy Redeemer, an Order founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori, needed to build a headquarters in Rome, and they coincidentally built it on the site of the old St. Matthew’s Church (remember? the original desired home by Our Lady for the image!) Well, they wanted a suitable image for their HQ. And one day, one of the Redemptorists was looking through some old books and discovered the history of the area and found out about St. Matthew’s and that it was the home of the renowned image of OLPH. Some of its history was told, and the Redemptorists wondered about its current whereabouts. Then, through a series of coincidences, chance circumstances, and the fortuitous memory of an altar boy-turned-priest who was at the right place at the right time and heard the right thing said by the right person, the picture was retrieved from where it had been moved after St. Matthew’s was destroyed and the Redemptorists moved it to their Church, where it has been since the late 19th Century.

I think I got the details correct, I recalled this from memory after reading a little book on the history of the image and my short-term memory at times sucks. Come to think of it, Leonardo Defilippis could make a trilogy of the image’s history. 

Anyway, I’m writing all this just to let you know of this image. It is a devotion to Our Lady that I think should be popular amongst sober Catholics. Why I haven’t developed such a devotion before now is a mystery, but better late than never! Who else needs the assistance of such a Lady, but those of us who have struggled with alcohol and drugs; and oftentimes for years? Including spending years trying to get clean and sober? Any especially since many of us (like me) have been abandoned by their families? 

Look up Our Lady of Perpetual Help (sometimes called Mother of Perpetual Help.) Her feast day is June 27th. The Novena begins June 18th. I will post one or more just before. Also, try and get yourself an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help; it would make a nice addition to your prayer area or just your home. 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

On the Consecration of Russia AND Ukraine by Pope Francis on March 25, 2022

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This upcoming Friday, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. This is the latest in a string of Papal consecrations of Russia done by the Popes since the Virgin made this request in 1917. 

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding these consecrations; namely whether or not they were done properly. Many say that when Our Lady requested that Russia be consecrated, it was implied that only Russia should be mentioned. Well, let’s see what she actually said at Fatima:

You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace.

This war will end, but if men do not refrain from offending God, another and more terrible war will begin during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night that is lit by a strange and unknown light [this occurred on January 28, 1938], you will know it is the sign God gives you that He is about to punish the world with war and with hunger, and by the persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.

To prevent this, I shall come to the world to ask that Russia be consecrated to my Immaculate Heart, and I shall ask that on the First Saturday of every month Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world. If my wishes are fulfilled, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, then Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, bringing new wars and persecution of the Church; the good will be martyred and the Holy Father will have much to suffer; certain nations will be annihilated. But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and the world will enjoy a period of peace. In Portugal, the faith will always be preserved…

Source: EWTN

Where in that does it say that Russia alone must be mentioned? It doesn’t. Previous consecrations do not mention Russia, but they mention the World; well, is not Russia a part of the world? If the World was consecrated, and Russia is located on the World, then Russia was consecrated. If you are married with children and tell them that you love them, is your spouse excluded from that declaration just because you didn’t mention them? Yes, of course, your spouse probably would like it if you specifically mention them from time to time, but still, I doubt they’ll feel excluded. 

THERE IS NOTHING IMPLIED in her words that invalidates consecrations if they include things other than Russia, or even that Russia has to be mentioned if it is a part of the thing being consecrated. Admittedly, it ‘would be nice’ if Russia was specifically mentioned, but insisting on that is hair-splitting legalism which I think impugns God’s Mercy and Providence. 

But mercy exalts itself above judgment. James 2:13. 

Source: Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

If a Papal consecration used words that effectively consecrated Russia, then it’s good, even if Ukraine was mentioned, the World was mentioned, Humanity was mentioned, or whatever else.

And if you want to bring up, “Well, where is the period of peace promised by her, if past consecrations were valid?” Where is it implied that this would begin immediately afterward? Also, the peace promised was the prevention of what was to be World War II, if you read her words above carefully. “To prevent this…” Russia is to be consecrated. To prevent what? The war she referred to in the previous paragraph, which was World War II. 

SINCE the consecrations were all too late (I think the first was in 1942) the effects were limited. The 1942 one probably ended WW2 earlier than it otherwise would have ended; the 1984 one terminated the USSR (key events leading to the breakup of the USSR occurred on or near Marian feast days.) For the consecration to have had total effectiveness, it should have been done before Hitler’s rise to power, or at least before he re-armed Germany.

I have this alternate history theory that if Pope Pius XI did the consecration before 1933 (when Hitler took power,) or before 1936 (when he announce Germany’s re-armament) then ‘something’ would have happened which would have prevented World War II. Whether that would have been Hitler’s assassination or something else that would have kept Germany from invading her neighboring countries and starting that War is debatable. In this theory, with no European war, the USSR’s military would not have achieved the level of readiness that it did. This means that quite possibly it would have been a target of Imperialist Japan, which had invaded and occupied China in the 1930s. Once Japan consolidated its grip on China, it might have turned north to Siberia. Japan’s military could have easily defeated the Soviet military; this would have embarrassed the Soviet government, and quite possibly stirred a rebellion. I think in the confusion over the loss of eastern Siberia, and unrest at home, certain individuals in the Soviet military would have assassinated Stalin, the Soviet dictator. There is no reason to believe that they would have retained the Communist Party, given that it would have served as an organized opposition to military rule. The Communist Party would have been liquidated. And there you have it, no more would Russia be spreading her errors throughout the world.

The full text of Pope Francis’ Consecration prayer is found on the CNA website. 

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Four things to help you get through difficult times

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I am going through some ‘stuff’ right now; some personal issues as well as the usual anxieties about world and national events. The latter are bothersome, but I’ve gotten to realize that there’s not much I can do about them apart from prayer. The personal stuff is very worrying and those worries intrude on my limited personal time (evenings and a short weekend.) 

This post is on “Four things to help you get through difficult times” and although they are not new to me nor probably to you, I have been reacquainted with them in my recent spiritual readings and recollections. They are beginning to help me cope with the difficulties that are besetting me.

I have a two-hour Holy Hour on Friday evenings and the one on February 18th spurred much of this. I read a lot of what St. Maximillian Kolbe wrote on ‘suffering’ during that Holy Hour and it summarized or synthesized the entirety of traditional Catholic teachings on it. So here is the first thing:

Suffering. It shows that God is pruning you of pride and self-love; that bearing up with suffering in the spirit of ‘taking up your Cross’ will give you greater glory in Heaven; in a related note, that God is preparing your soul for special graces and this will mark you in a special way when your Earthly exile is over. Now, I had known this, and have even blogged this before, but I needed a reminder. St. Maximilian’s simple and unadorned way of writing helped to knock some sense into me and in presenting these time-honored truths in his simple style, brought them to me as if I was being introduced to them for the first time! That was an amazing Holy Hour. It was as if Jesus knew I needed a primer on suffering and got St. Max to teach me.

The next three things grew from that Friday.

The Present Moment is the second. St. Max didn’t write about this (or at least I can’t recall at this time,) but Mother Angelica of EWTN did write and talk about it a lot, and since I closely associate St. Maximilian with Mother Angelica (there are a lot of parallels in the development of their evangelical ministries), reading St. Max made me think of her and naturally her doctrine of the Present Moment. To describe it briefly, all we have is now. The past is left to God’s Divine Mercy, the future to His Divine Providence; leaving only the here and now to His Divine Grace. God does not give you His special helps (graces) for the past. Nor does He give it to you for the future. His graces are given to you for what is going on right now. This may help with things done in the past, such as healing from trauma and addiction and such, and He may give you a grace now that will develop into something for a future issue, but it is still given to you for where you are now. (The ‘Now’ could be regarded as the intersection of the past with the future; so that may help with understanding the previous sentence.) Anyway, being too worried about the future may cause you to not receive and cooperate with the graces being given to you now. In a way, it’s like you’re driving down a road, craning your neck out the window of your car to see something going on farther down, and a truck coming up from the right that you didn’t see collides with you. You would have seen it had you been paying attention. Ok, a little graphic, but it paints the picture. Naturally, since thinking about St. Max’s writings lead me to think about Mother Angelica, she got me to think about St. Faustina Kowalska, the “Apostle of Divine Mercy,” since Mother’s EWTN is the major promoter of the Divine Mercy devotion. St. Faustina wrote in her diary about the Present Moment:

2 “When I look into the future, I am frightened, But why plunge into the future?

Only the present moment is precious to me, As the future may never enter my soul at all.
It is no longer in my power,
To change, correct or add to the past;
For neither sages nor prophets could do that.

And so, what the past has embraced I must entrust to God.

O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire.
I desire to use you as best I can.
And although I am weak and small,
You grant me the grace of your omnipotence.

And so, trusting in Your mercy,
I walk through life like a little child,
Offering You each day this heart Burning with love for Your greater glory.

Trust in Jesus is the third thing. Since Max lead me to Angelica, and she lead me to Faustina, the big thing about the latter is the whole ‘Jesus I Trust in You’ theology of the Divine Mercy message. Trust in Jesus. He’s got your back, so to speak. He knows more than you do what’s going on with you, and why. Trusting in Him gives Him great delight; it allows Him to operate more freely within your soul, granting you the graces needed to help you get through ‘stuff.’ And it is a soothing balm to comfort you in trying times. All that is within your reach you can deal with; beyond that (the past, the future, and contemporary trials that are beyond your control) is in God’s hands. If your relationship with God has developed where you believe it’s now a personal one, then this should not be too hard. You love God, you know He loves you, it’s not hard to trust in the ones you love. I know, (trust me, I know!) that it is difficult at times to take that ‘leap of faith’ and believe that Jesus will ‘take care of the matter,’ but when this happens, think about all the times in the past when Jesus rescues you from a situation. Why would He abandon you now?

Trust in the Blessed Mother is the fourth thing. You have to have a pretty good devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary to get this. But it does bring things to a full circle; Maximilian took me to Angelica, who took me to Faustina who took me back to Maximilian. Not surprising since Faustina and Max were Polish contemporaries and their teachings parallel each other. St. Maximilian wrote that “Whatever does not depend upon our will is surely the will of the Immaculata.” This takes some meditation to get. In essence, he means that whatever is beyond the grasp of our will, falls within the grasp of Mary’s. It is his teaching, as well as that of many other great Marian saints, that Mary’s will is identical to that of God’s. Since Our Lady was conceived with Original Sin, she didn’t suffer concupiscence. She never sinned. Sin is essentially turning your will away from God’s. Therefore, her will was always united to God’s. So, we can conclude that since Our Lady is in Heaven watching over us and interceding on our behalf, what she wants for us is the same as what God wants. Trusting in the Blessed Mother and her maternal intercession is complementary to trusting in Divine Providence and Jesus. Our basic trust in Our Lady is evident in the Hail Mary prayer:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace; 
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners, 
now, and at the hour of our death.

AMEN

There, she is praying for us now, and at some future time when we die. If you are consecrated to her in some manner, such as by the method of St. Louis de Montfort or St. Maximilian Kolbe, then you belong to her and are under her special protection as well as guidance. Entrust your problems, your ‘stuff’ to her and her Son. Using inspiration, graces, including perhaps signal graces, Jesus and Mary will lead, guide, console, and intervene. Patience is necessary since Heaven’s Time is not ours. But then we go back to the first thing, suffering, which we can offer up in redemption for our sins, those of others, and for the general intercessory powers of Heaven.

Now, regarding that quotation from St. Maximilian, “Whatever does not depend upon our will is surely the will of the Immaculata.” There is a tricky thing about that. Our will is that tricky thing. If our will is united to God’s will, to the best of our ability to discern that, then anything beyond that is the will of the Virgin Mary. And what depends upon our will is helped by God’s grace. That’s great. Solutions to the ‘stuff’ are in the works. But, if our will is mostly self-willed pride, and therefore divorced from God’s will, then there lies a problem. What depends upon our will is going to be a great struggle, a tremendous burden, and a trial. We may begin to doubt ourselves, our pride is wounded or we get angry and aggressive. Perhaps the ‘stuff’ that you are going through is the result of your self-willed pride. Perhaps not. (This is what I am attempting to discern about my ‘stuff.’ Am I doing God’s will? Or I’m not and I’m suffering as a result? Or I am and His will is for me to suffer the ‘stuff’ right now? Who knows? (And neither do you since I haven’t identified the ‘stuff’ I’m going through 😉 )

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Immaculate Conception Novena begins today

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Today begins the Immaculate Conception Novena (November 29 through December 7th. It’s all right if you get this too late and begin it on November 30th, it’ll end on December 8th, the actual Feast Day.)

The Church teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary was exempt from Original Sin by virtue of the anticipated merits of the death and resurrection of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is entirely fitting with the prerogatives of God the Father, for Whom all things are possible. And it is perfectly in keeping with what Scripture says regarding the Fall of Adam and Eve and the subsequent tainting of our human nature with Original Sin. Everyone is born with Original Sin which is cleansed from us by Baptism, and all those who are not baptized are essentially subject to the Devil’s rule. If Mary was subject to Satan from contracting Original Sin, then so would Jesus when He was conceived. This is untenable and thus Mary was preserved from that Sin. Given that Jesus only had genetic material from Mary, this gets around the obvious counterpoint that well, why wasn’t just Jesus preserved? That is possible, but only if He had also received genetic material from Joseph, as well. But Joseph was not His biological father. The Holy Spirit ‘fathered’ Jesus. How could the Holy Spirit espouse Himself to a person enslaved by Original Sin? That is as untenable as the idea of Jesus being under Satan’s rule! Therefore, unless Jesus was the biological son of both Joseph and Mary, His Mother had to be preserved from Original Sin. To think otherwise is blasphemy and anathema! 

An additional point is also made that wouldn’t God, Who knew from all Eternity His plan of Salvation, and decided that His Son would be born of a woman rather than Incarnate as a mighty king and lord fully grown, wouldn’t He have taken great pains to decide upon the formation of she who would bear His Son? If YOU had the opportunity to design your own mother, wouldn’t YOU insist that she the among the most beautiful, intelligent, and talented of all? One of the Ten Commandments holds that we should “Honor our Father and Mother,” well, wouldn’t God also follow that? Even one was to declare that He is not subject to His own Commandments and laws, why wouldn’t He follow that one at least, to provide an example?

EWTN has a nice Novena. You can find it here: EWTN Immaculate Conception Novena.

As sober Catholics, we should have a particular devotion to Our Immaculate Mother. What better person to unite our prayers and suffering to than a wholly pure and stainless one? Especially considering the depth of our own sins? Our loving Mother care for us and like any good Mama, dusts us off, washes us clean with her prayers and intercessions and present us to her Son. 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)