Spreading the Devotion

Since, therefore, it is clearly evident that this form of prayer is particularly pleasing to the Blessed Virgin, and that it is especially suitable as a means of defense for the Church and all Christians, it is in no way wonderful that several others of Our Predecessors have made it their aim to favor and increase its spread by their high recommendations. Thus Urban IV. testified that "every day the Rosary obtained fresh boon for Christianity." Sixtus IV. declared that this method of prayer "redounded to the honor of God and the Blessed Virgin, and was well suited to obviate impending dangers;" Leo X. that "it was instituted to oppose pernicious heresiarchs and heresies;" while Julius III. called it "the glory of the Church." So also St. Pius V., that "with the spread of this devotion the meditations of the faithful have begun to be more inflamed, their prayers more fervent, and they have suddenly become different men; the darkness of heresy has been dissipated, and the light of Catholic faith has broken forth again." Lastly Gregory XIII. in his turn pronounced that "the Rosary had been instituted by St. Dominic to appease the anger of God and to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary."


Moved by these thoughts and by the examples of Our Predecessors, We have deemed it most opportune for similar reasons to institute solemn prayers and to endeavor by adopting those addressed to the Blessed Virgin in the recital of the Rosary to obtain from her son Jesus Christ a similar aid against present dangers. You have before your eyes, Venerable Brethren, the trials to which the Church is daily exposed; Christian piety, public morality, nay, even faith itself, the supreme good and beginning of all the other virtues, all are daily menaced with the greatest perils.

Excerpts from Supremi Apostolatus Officio by His Holiness Pope Leo XII

The Blessed Mother and the Church

Mary believed in the fulfillment of what had been said to her by the Lord. As Virgin, she believed that she would conceive and bear a son: the "Holy One," who bears the name of "Son of God," the name "Jesus" (= God who saves). As handmaid of the Lord, she remained in perfect fidelity to the person and mission of this Son. As Mother, "believing and obeying...she brought forth on earth the Father's Son. This she did, knowing not man but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit."


For these reasons Mary is honored in the Church "with special reverence. Indeed, from most ancient times the Blessed Virgin Mary has been venerated under the title of 'God-bearer.' In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection." This cult is altogether special: it bears in itself and expresses the profound link which exists between the Mother of Christ and the Church. As Virgin and Mother, Mary remains for the Church a "permanent model." It can therefore be said that especially under this aspect, namely as a model, or rather as a "figure," Mary, present in the mystery of Christ, remains constantly present also in the mystery of the Church. For the Church too is "called mother and virgin," and these names have a profound biblical and theological justification.

The Church "becomes herself a mother by accepting God's word with fidelity." Like Mary, who first believed by accepting the word of God revealed to her at the Annunciation and by remaining faithful to that word in all her trials even unto the Cross, so too the Church becomes a mother when, accepting with fidelity the word of God, "by her preaching and by baptism she brings forth to a new and immortal life children who are conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God." This "maternal" characteristic of the Church was expressed in a particularly vivid way by the Apostle to the Gentiles when he wrote: "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you!" (Gal. 4:19) These words of Saint Paul contain an interesting sign of the early Church's awareness of her own motherhood, linked to her apostolic service to mankind. This awareness enabled and still enables the Church to see the mystery of her life and mission modelled upon the example of the Mother of the Son, who is "the first-born among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).
Excerpts from Redemptoris Mater by His Holiness Pope John Paul II (see and click link)

It can be said that from Mary the Church also learns her own motherhood: she recognizes the maternal dimension of her vocation, which is essentially bound to her sacramental nature, in "contemplating Mary's mysterious sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will." If the Church is the sign and instrument of intimate union with God, she is so by reason of her motherhood, because, receiving life from the Spirit, she "generates" sons and daughters of the human race to a new life in Christ. For, just as Mary is at the service of the mystery of the Incarnation, so the Church is always at the service of the mystery of adoption to sonship through grace.

Excerpts from Redemptoris Mater by His Holiness Pope John Paul II (see and click link)

Why the Blessed Mother is Queen

As We have already mentioned, Venerable Brothers, according to ancient tradition and the sacred liturgy the main principle on which the royal dignity of Mary rests is without doubt her Divine Motherhood. In Holy Writ, concerning the Son whom Mary will conceive, We read this sentence: "He shall be called the Son of the most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end," and in addition Mary is called "Mother of the Lord"; from this it is easily concluded that she is a Queen, since she bore a son who, at the very moment of His conception, because of the hypostatic union of the human nature with the Word, was also as man King and Lord of all things. So with complete justice St. John Damascene could write: "When she became Mother of the Creator, she truly became Queen of every creature." Likewise, it can be said that the heavenly voice of the Archangel Gabriel was the first to proclaim Mary's royal office. But the Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation. "What more joyful, what sweeter thought can we have" - as Our Predecessor of happy memory, Pius XI wrote - "than that Christ is our King not only by natural right, but also by an acquired right: that which He won by the redemption? Would that all men, now forgetful of how much we cost Our Savior, might recall to mind the words, 'You were redeemed, not with gold or silver which perishes, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb spotless and undefiled. We belong not to ourselves now, since Christ has bought us 'at a great price'." 

Excerpts from  Ad Caeli Reginam by His Holiness Pope Pius XII (see and click Queenship of Mary)

Rosary As A Prayer

The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which gradually took form in the second millennium under the guidance of the Spirit of God, is a prayer loved by countless Saints and encouraged by the Magisterium. Simple yet profound, it still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness. It blends easily into the spiritual journey of the Christian life, which, after two thousand years, has lost none of the freshness of its beginnings and feels drawn by the Spirit of God to "set out into the deep" (duc in altum!) in order once more to proclaim, and even cry out, before the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour, "the way, and the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6), "the goal of human history and the point on which the desires of history and civilization turn".

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. It is an echo of the prayerof Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer. 

(Excerpts from Rosarium Virginis Mariae by His Holiness John Paul II - see and click link in this page)

The Blessed Mother and Advent

The Blessed Virgin in the Revised Roman Liturgy

The reform of the Roman liturgy presupposed a careful restoration of its General Calendar. This Calendar is arranged in such a way as to give fitting prominence to the celebration on appropriate days of the work of salvation. It distributes throughout the year the whole mastery of Christ, from the Incarnation to the expectation of His return in glory,(10) and thus makes it possible in a more organic and closely-knit fashion to include the commemoration of Christ's Mother in the annual cycle of the mysteries of her Son.

For example, during Advent there are many liturgical references to Mary besides the Solemnity of December 8, which is a joint celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, of the basic preparation (cf. Is. 11:1, 10) for the coming of the Savior and of the happy beginning of the Church without spot or wrinkle.(11) Such liturgical references are found especially on the days from December 17 to 24, and more particularly on the Sunday before Christmas, which recalls the ancient prophecies concerning the Virgin Mother and the Messiah(12) and includes readings from the Gospel concerning the imminent birth of Christ and His precursor.(13)

In this way the faithful, living in the liturgy the spirit of Advent, by thinking about the inexpressible love with which the Virgin Mother awaited her Son,(14) are invited to take her as a model and to prepare themselves to meet the Savior who is to come. They must be "vigilant in prayer and joyful in...praise."(15) We would also remark that the Advent liturgy, by linking the awaiting of the Messiah and the awaiting of the glorious return of Christ with the admirable commemoration of His Mother, presents a happy balance in worship. This balance can be taken as a norm for preventing any tendency (as has happened at times in certain forms of popular piety) to separate devotion to the Blessed Virgin from its necessary point of reference-Christ. It also ensures that this season, as liturgy experts have noted, should be considered as a time particularly suited to devotion to the Mother of the Lord. This is an orientation that we confirm and which we hope to see accepted and followed everywhere.

The Christmas season is a prolonged commemoration of the divine, virginal and salvific motherhood of her whose "inviolate virginity brought the Saviour into the world."(16) n fact, on the Solemnity of the Birth of Christ the Church both adores the Savior and venerates His glorious Mother. On the Epiphany, when she celebrates the universal call to salvation, the Church contemplates the Blessed Virgin, the true Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, who presents to the Wise Men, for their adoration, the Redeemer of all peoples (cf. Mt. 2:11). On the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (the Sunday within the octave of Christmas) the Church meditates with profound reverence upon the holy life led in the house at Nazareth by Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, Mary His Mother, and Joseph the just man (cf. Mt. 1:19).

In the revised ordering of the Christmas period it seems to us that the attention of all should be directed towards the restored Solemnity of Mary the holy Mother of God. This celebration, placed on January 1 in conformity with the ancient indication of the liturgy of the City of Rome, is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation. It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this mystery brings to the "holy Mother...through whom we were found worthy to receive the Author of life."(17) It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewing adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels (cf. Lk. 2:14), and for imploring from God, through the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace. It is for this reason that, in the happy concurrence of the Octave of Christmas and the first day of the year, we have instituted the World Day of Peace, an occasion that is gaining increasing support and already bringing forth fruits of peace in the hearts of many.

Excerpts from Marialis Cultus by His Holiness Paul VI (see and click the link)

PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE

"ETERNAL FATHER, I OFFER THEE THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THY DIVINE SON, JESUS, IN UNION WITH THE MASSES SAID THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TODAY, FOR ALL THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY, FOR SINNERS EVERYWHERE, FOR SINNERS IN THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, THOSE IN MY OWN HOME AND WITHIN MY FAMILY. AMEN."

(Our Lord told St. Gertrude, the Great, that this prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory eachtime it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well.)

Maligayang Pasko!

Maligayang Pasko! Sa araw na ito - 25 Disyembre - ating ginugunita at ipinagdiriwang ang pagsilang sa ating Panginoong Hesukristo. Sa pamamagitan ng Banal na Misa, panalangin, pagkakawang gawa, pagreregalo, pagsasalu-salo, pagbisita sa mga may sakit, naglilingkod sa simbahan, pagdarasal sa mga Banal na kaluluwa, at iba pang gawaing maka-Diyos na magmumula sa puso, naibabahagi natin ang tunay na diwa ng pasko. Wika nga kahit hindi araw ng pasko, tayo ay manatiling nagbibigayan. Ating isinasabuhay ang pagdating ng ating Panginoon sa tuwinang tayo ay gumaganap ng mga gawaing maka-Diyos. Dahil dito tama lamang na ang bawat araw ay gawing pasko.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

When people react, they manifest either their conformity or objection to a belief embraced by another. But even if people are looking at the same picture, the interpretation of each varies, whether favorable or otherwise. As the saying goes, "a picture paints a thousand words". Imperfect as we, human beings, are, we can still manage to go along with others through compromises, reconciliation of beliefs and sharing in values as well as principles.

But when it comes to spiritual and religious beliefs, reactions can be too subjective that may elicit equally charged emotions. This is because there can be no ifs or buts in the spiritual realm. It is either one believes in the truth or harbors what is not true. Hence, when confronted with something that does not conform to one's belief, it is deemed offensive, and retaliation comes in the form of criticisms or cut-out verses, to be taken literally. For that person, the discussion is closed.

When it comes to our Catholic faith, we have learned that there is always a room for conversion, an opportunity to change, and the gift of embracing what is true, of choosing what is right and in glorifying God in Jesus' Most Holy Name.

In other words, we always keep an open mind. We endure and we persevere. We remain humble and peaceful. We are neither arrogant, self-righteous nor do we condemn people for not believing in what we treasure for our salvation. We merely continue to be consistent in our ways and steadfast in the faith.

The rules remain the same. For over 2,000 years the Church has survived and it continued to flourish and spread touching the hearts of people and working for the conversion of sinners.

When engaged in your battle for the truth, put up a good fight of faith. Be strong, all for the glory of God.

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (For Youth)

Virgin of Fatima, my dearly beloved Mother,
I who belong to the Marian Movement, consecrate myself today, in a very special way, to your Immaculate Heart.

By this solemn act, I offer my whole life to you;
my heart, my soul, my body and especially this time of my youth in which I am now living.

Guide me along the way that Jesus has traced out for us: the way of love, of goodness and of sanctity.

Help me to flee from sin, from evil and from egoism and to resist temptations to violence, to impurity and to drugs.

I promise you to go to confession often and to receive Jesus into my heart as my spiritual food of life, to observe the commandments of God, to walk along the road of love and of purity, and to recite the holy rosary daily.

I want to be a witness of unity by my great love for the Pope, for my Bishop and for my Priests.

I love you, O sweetest Mother of mine, and I offer you my youth for the triumph of your Immaculate Heart in the world.

Source - http://www.mmp-usa.net/consecrate_eng_youth_print.html

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (For Religious & Laity)

Virgin of Fatima, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Refuge of Sinners, we who belong to the Marian Movement of Priests consecrate ourselves in a very special way to your Immaculate Heart.

By this act of consecration we intend to live, with you and through you, all the obligations assumed by our baptismal consecration. We further pledge to bring about in ourselves that interior conversion so urgently demanded by the Gospel, a conversion that will free us of every attachment to ourselves and to easy compromises with the world so that, like you, we may be available only to do always the Will of the Father.

And as we resolve to entrust to you, O Mother most sweet and merciful, our life and vocation as Christians, that you may dispose of it according to your designs of salvation in this hour of decision that weighs upon the world, we pledge to live it according to your desires, especially as it pertains to a renewed spirit of prayer and penance, the fervent participation in the celebration of the Eucharist and in the works of the apostolate, the daily recitation of the holy rosary, and an austere manner of life in keeping with the Gospel, that shall be to all a good example of the observance of the Law of God and the practice of the Christian virtues, especially that of purity.

We further promise you to be united with the Holy Father, with the hierarchy and with our priests, in order thus to set up a barrier to the growing confrontation directed against the Magisterium, that threatens the very foundation of the Church.
Under your protection, we want moreover to be apostles of this sorely needed unity of prayer and love for the Pope, on whom we invoke your special protection. And lastly, insofar as is possible, we promise to lead those souls with whom we come in contact to a renewed devotion to you.

Mindful that atheism has caused shipwreck in the faith to a great number of the faithful, that desecration has entered into the holy temple of God, and that evil and sin are spreading more and more throughout the world, we make so bold as to lift our eyes trustingly to you, O Mother of Jesus and our merciful and powerful Mother, and we invoke again today and await from you the salvation of all your children, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
(with ecclesiastical approval)

Source - http://www.mmp-usa.net/consecrate_eng_laity_print.html

OPENING PRAYER LAUNCHING SANTO ROSARYO

All Glory, Adoration, Honor and Praise be to Our God, the Almighty Father ! We give Him thanks and humbly seeks His forgiveness as we are so deeply sorry for our sins and transgressions.

Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, we offer you this website to Honor and Praise your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. We have chosen your Most Holy Rosary to be our means of reaching out to God Our Father. So that in Jesus Most Holy Name, His Mercy and His Love will be upon us and made manifest by His generosity in providing us our daily bread, and in granting us our petitions and intentions which we now humbly ask... and we know they shall be given, if they be for our good and salvation.

Oh Blessed Mother, Our Mother Dear, thank you for taking care of and loving Our Lord Jesus. You have experienced the joys, pains and sorrows of being a mother. You have always wished and done what is best for your Son. You are a true mother.

Though your intercession, may we be blessed with patience, strength, and commitment to pray the Most Holy Rosary regularly and propagate the devotion to it for the greater glory of God.

Amen.