Blessed Virgin Mary Archives

Lady of Guadalupe well this is just too good not to share!

Be sure to click the “menu” button in the lower left corner of the screen to enlarge the presentation into “full screen”…it makes the view much easier and more enjoyable…don’t miss this….it’s really neat

History of Apparitions: Spotlight on Our Lady of Guadalupe

Rome Reports –

January 10, 2011. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most visited Catholic landmark in the Americas.

Every year more than 20 million people gather in this basilica located on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico, where the Virgin Mary appeared four times to native-indian saint, Juan Diego in 1531.

During the apparition, the Virgin asked him if he could make a shrine here. The bishop of the area summoned Juan Diego to see if he was indeed telling the truth and asked him to bring roses from the hill where Mary appeared.

Fr. Salvatore Perrella
Vice President, Pontifical Marianum Theological Faculty (Rome)
“The Tepeyac hill is very rocky and it’s very hard to find roses, especially in December. Nevertheless, the farmer Juan Diego found what the bishop had asked of him. He put the roses in his cloak and went to the bishop. He said ‘here is the proof that you need’ and opened his cloak, he discovered that in place of the roses was this beautiful image of the Virgin Mary, who appeared dressed like a native Indian, with native Indian features.”

The last vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe was on December 12th, the day the feast is celebrated. It’s a special day for the Americas, especially Mexico, whose patroness is the Lady of Guadalupe.

Fr. Salvatore Perrella
Vice President, Pontifical Marianum Theological Faculty (Rome)
“The Mexican identity owes a lot to Mary, because she made them discover this identity, this unity of the Mexican people.”

Perrella, who is an expert of apparitions, says that when the Virgin appears, she normally asks for the construction of a shrine.

Fr. Salvatore Perrella
Vice President, Pontifical Marianum Theological Faculty (Rome)
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a place of worship in honor of the Virgin. Mary asked the Indian Juan Diego to construct a church to worship the true God. Because of this, the shrine of Guadalupe is not just a Marian shrine, but it is also a sanctuary in which Christ is the center of focus.”

In 1990, during the second journey of John Paul II to Mexico, he declared the indian Juan Diego blessed. In 2002, he became a saint.

In all of the Catholic Church’s history, the Vatican has only recognized 15 apparitions of the Virgin Mary. And the Virgin of Guadalupe is one of these.

IP#48 Karen Edmisten – Through the Year with Mary on Inside the Pages

I can not imagine a better way of traveling through the year in prayer then with Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. It’s always a joy to talk with Karen Edmisten, especially talking about Our Lady. “Through the Year with Mary: 365 reflections” is a wonderful book that provides beautiful and compelling nuggets for our prayer that will lead us to directly to Christ, Our Lady’s precious child and our Savior.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

This book features one quote per day accompanied by a brief question or reflection designed to fuel prayer. Major Marian feasts will offer entries specific to the feast day, while other quotes will be more universally about Mary’s faith, life, example, and intercession. Quotes are from a wide variety of sources, including popes, the saints, spiritual writings, literature, and the Blessed Mother’s own words from approved apparitions. – from the Servant Book website

You can find Karen’s book here

Be sure to visit Karen’s fantastic blog site “Karen Edmisten”

Our Lady of Sorrows – Discerning Hearts

By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to a certain devotion.

September, the month dedicated to
Our Lady of Sorrows.

The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows takes place on September 15, the day after the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. We remember the suffering of Mary as she stood at the foot of the Cross and witnessed the torture and death of her Son.

Here is a mediation on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady that you may wish to join in daily in honor of the Blessed Mother this month…featuring Fr. Mark Cyza and Kris McGregor

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:56 — 10.9MB) | Embed

We also are reminded of Simeon’s words to Mary (Luke 2:34-35) at the Presentation of the Lord—that a sword would pierce her soul.

The following prayers can be incorporated into our daily prayers during the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows.

To the Mother of Sorrows

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolation for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

To Our Lady of Sorrows

O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen.

To the Queen of Martyrs

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.

Our Lady of Czetochowa, pray for us

IP#16 Fr. Donald Calloway – No Turning Back on Inside the Pages

The story of a modern day St. Augustine. Fr. Donald Calloway would blush at the comparison, but the power found in his story of conversion and transformation is life changing for many who hear or read about it. And add in the influence of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary and watch out, you to may be drawn deeper into the heart of Christ and His Divine Mercy. A great read and a wonderful interview, with Fr. Calloway there is “No Turning Back”!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:02 — 25.7MB) | Embed

Find Fr. Donald Calloway’s book or for more information go to www.fathercalloway.com

Here is another interview we had with Fr. Calloway concerning “Blessed Virgin Mary and the Theology of the Body”

May 13, 1917, the First Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima

“Say the Rosary everyday….”

CONGREGATION
FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

THE MESSAGE
OF FATIMA

INTRODUCTION

As the second millennium gives way to the third, Pope John Paul II has decided to publish the text of the third part of the “secret of Fatima”.

The twentieth century was one of the most crucial in human history, with its tragic and cruel events culminating in the assassination attempt on the “sweet Christ on earth”. Now a veil is drawn back on a series of events which make history and interpret it in depth, in a spiritual perspective alien to present-day attitudes, often tainted with rationalism.

Throughout history there have been supernatural apparitions and signs which go to the heart of human events and which, to the surprise of believers and non-believers alike, play their part in the unfolding of history. These manifestations can never contradict the content of faith, and must therefore have their focus in the core of Christ’s proclamation: the Father’s love which leads men and women to conversion and bestows the grace required to abandon oneself to him with filial devotion. This too is the message of Fatima which, with its urgent call to conversion and penance, draws us to the heart of the Gospel.

Fatima is undoubtedly the most prophetic of modern apparitions. The first and second parts of the “secret”—which are here published in sequence so as to complete the documentation—refer especially to the frightening vision of hell, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Second World War, and finally the prediction of the immense damage that Russia would do to humanity by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing Communist totalitarianism.

Read more

Regina Coeli – Queen of Heaven – Discerning Hearts

Regina Coeli – Queen of Heaven