Prayer of Thanksgiving

 "Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly great."

Did you see the wonderful news from the Fraternity?  On February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the day of the consecration of the Fraternity of St. Peter to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pope Francis issued a decree concerning the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Traditional Mass.  The link is at the Fraternity website.

"The Holy Father Francis, grants to each and every member of the Society of Apostolic Life “Fraternity of Saint Peter”, founded on July 18, 1988 and declared of “Pontifical Right” by the Holy See, the faculty to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass, and to carry out the sacraments and other sacred rites, as well as to fulfill the Divine Office, according to the typical editions of the liturgical books, namely the Missal, the Ritual, the Pontifical and the Roman Breviary, in force in the year 1962..."

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May we remember to offer Our Blessed Lord and His Holy Mother prayers and penance of thanksgiving for the protection and help granted to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.  May we never take for granted this amazing gift we have been given.  May we also remember to pray for the Holy Father and all of the priests and bishops throughout the Church.  Attending Mass tomorrow on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter would also be a fitting way to offer thanksgiving.

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An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving 

 O Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; the beginning and end of all things, in Whom we live and move and have our being; prostrate before Thee in body and soul, I adore Thee with the most profound humility. I bless Thee and give Thee thanks for all the benefits Thou has conferred upon me, especially that Thou hast created me out of nothing, made me after Thine own image and likeness, redeemed me with the Precious Blood of Thy Son, and sanctified me with Thy Holy Spirit. I thank Thee that Thou hast called me into Thy Church, helped me by Thy grace, admitted me to Thy Sacraments, watched over me by Thy special Providence, blessed me, not withstanding my sins and unworthiness, with Thy continuing and gracious protection, and for all the innumerable blessings which I owe to Thy undeserved bounty. I thank Thee especially for having preserved me during the past night and for bringing me in safety to the beginning of another day. What return can I make to Thee, O my God, for all that Thou hast done for me? I will bless Thy Holy Name and serve Thee all the days of my life. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me praise His Holy Name. Amen.

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Litany of Salutations to Mary 

Hail Mary, daughter of God the Father. Hail Mary, Mother of God the Son. Hail Mary, Spouse, of God the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary, Temple of the Most Blessed Trinity. Hail Mary, Pure Lily of the Trinity, One God. Hail Mary, Celestial Rose of the love of God. Hail Mary, Virgin pure and humble, of whom the King of Heaven willed to be born. Hail Mary, Virgin of virgins. Hail Mary, Queen of Martyrs, whose soul a sword transfixed. Hail Mary, my Queen and my Mother, my life, my sweetness and my hope. Hail Mary, Mother most amiable. Hail Mary, Mother most admirable. Hail Mary, Mother of Divine Love. Hail Mary, Immaculate, conceived without sin. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. 

Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Blessed be your spouse, Saint Joseph, Blessed be your father, Saint Joachim. Blessed be your mother, Saint Anne. Blessed be your guardian, Saint John. Blessed be your holy Angel, Saint Gabriel. Glory be to God the Father, Who chose you. Glory be to God the Son, Who loved you. Glory be to God the Holy Spirit, Who espoused you. O Glorious Virgin Mary. May all people love and praise you. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and bless us, Now and at death, in the name of Jesus, your Divine Son. Amen.

--St. John Eudes

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Marian Prayer of St. Francis de Sales

Most Holy Mary Virgin Mother of God, I am unworthy to be your servant. Yet moved by your motherly care for me and longing to serve you, I choose you this day to be my Queen, my Advocate, and my Mother. I firmly resolve ever to be devoted to you and to do what I can to encourage others to be devoted to you. My loving Mother, through the Precious Blood of your Son shed for me, I beg you to receive me as your servant forever. Aid me in my actions and beg for me the grace never by thought, word, or deed to be displeasing in your sight and that of your most holy Son. Remember me, dearest Mother, and do not abandon me at the hour of death.

--St. Francis de Sales

God bless!

+JMJ+

Consecration to the Admirable Heart of Mary

 On August 22 Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With the words of St. John Eudes in mind, let us strive to honor our Lady's Immaculate Heart, consecrating ourselves to her, making reparation for offenses committed against her, and showing her acts of love and thanksgiving for all she does for us.  Through our daily Rosaries, our five First Saturdays, and many other devotions, may we always strive to honor the Mother of God.

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"Mary is truly admirable in all her perfections and in all her virtues. But what is most admirable in her is her virginal heart. The heart of the Mother of God is a world of marvels, an abyss of wonders, the source and principle of all the virtues which we admire in our glorious Queen: 'All the glory of the king's daughter is within.'"  He continues, "Her Heart is a vast sea of grace, a measureless ocean of perfections, an immense furnace of love.... O most holy Mary, Thy divine Son, Jesus, hath created thy Heart, and He alone knows the great treasures he has hidden therein. He it was who lit the fire burning in this furnace, and none but He can measure the heights reached by the flames which leap from its abyss. He alone can measure the vast perfections with which He has enriched the masterpiece of His all-powerful goodness, or count the innumerable graces He has poured into this ocean of grace..." --St. John Eudes

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Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!

Consecration to the Admirable Heart Of Mary

by St. John Eudes

0 most holy Heart of Mary, ever Immaculate, ever Virgin, holiest, purest, noblest, greatest,
inexhaustible fountain of goodness, sweetness, mercy and love; model of every virtue, image of the
Adorable Heart of Jesus Christ ever burning with the most ardent charity, who lovest God more than
all the Seraphim together. Heart of the Mother of the Redeemer, seat of peace, wherein mercy and
justice are allied, whence peace between Heaven and earth has begun to be treated, who didst feel our
miseries so deeply, who didst suffer so much for our salvation, who still lovest us so ardently and
who dost merit by all these rights, the respect, love, and confidence of all men: deign to accept my poor tribute of love.

Prostrate before thee I tender thee the most profound homage of which I am capable; I thank
thee for the feelings of love and mercy with which thou art so deeply moved at the sight of our misery;

I offer thee my humble thanks for all the gifts I have received from thy goodness, and I unite with all
the pure souls who delight in honoring, praising and loving thee. They have learned from the Holy
Spirit Who directs them, that it is through thee they must go to Jesus Christ, and offer to this God-
Man their need of adoration.

Therefore, O most loving Heart, thou shalt henceforth be the object of my veneration, of my
love and most tender devotion; thou shalt be the way whereby I shall go to my Saviour, as it is
through thee that His mercy shall come to me; thou shalt be my refuse in every need, my consolation
in every affliction; from thee I shall learn the purity, humility, meekness and above all, the love of
Jesus; I shall ask for these virtues through thy merits and so shall infallibly obtain them. I presume
to offer thee my heart sullied with a thousand sins; all unworthy as it is I trust that thou wilt not
despise it. Grant by thy powerful mediation that it may be purified and detached from every creature;
penetrate it with sorrow for my sins; fill it with the love of the Divine Heart of Jesus, thy Son, that
it may be eternally united with thee in Heaven, there to love God forever. Amen.

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"The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God's kingdom." 
 --St. Maximilian Kolbe

God bless!

+JMJ+

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

                                       

With August being dedicated by Holy Mother Church as the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it is a fitting time to make an act of consecration to her Immaculate Heart. Although the feast of the Immaculate Heart has been changed in the new calendar to the Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost, traditionally August 22nd, this Saturday, is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This beautiful consecration provided below reminds us of the importance of being united to Mary, for through her guidance we can more easily follow Christ's will and gain our heavenly reward.

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Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Heavenly Mother Mary , I come to thy most lovable and sweet Heart, refuge of sinners. I offer myself to thee and consecrate my entire life to thine Immaculate Heart. In this consecration of my total person, I offer thee my body and soul with all its miseries and weaknesses. I offer thee my heart with all its affections and desires, my prayers, works, joys and sufferings. I offer thee every temptation that comes to me so that my every thought and desire may be purified through thy holy intercession.

My Queen, my Mother, I offer thee in consecration all sufferings which come into my life, both physical and spiritual. I offer thee especially my death with all that will accompany it. I offer thee my last agony. Accept all this, my Mother, and take all into thy Immaculate Heart as I give to thee irrevocably all that I am and all that I have, together with all property and possessions. I offer thee my family and all who are near and dear to me. Take them all into thine Immaculate Heart and keep us ever one in thy Son Jesus Christ.

I renew today the vows of my Baptism and Confirmation. Keep me ever faithful to God and to Holy Church, and loyal in obedience to the Holy Father, the Pope. I desire to pray the Rosary properly, meditating on its mysteries. I desire to participate in the Sacrifice of thy Son perpetuated at Holy Mass and receive Him frequently, even daily in Holy Communion. I attach special importance to the first Saturday of the month in reparation to thine Immaculate Heart and I will work for the conversion of sinners. I will strive to live daily the spirit of Eucharistic reparation.

O Queen of the Angels, my Queen and my Mother, I humbly prostrate myself before thee as I approach thee with my Guardian Angel. I desire all the holy Angels, and especially my Guardian, to venerate thee always as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Command my Guardian and all holy Angels to keep me always in thy love and in the union of grace with thy Divine Son. Send forth thy Angels to assist me in spreading devotion to thine Immaculate Heart so that through thine intercession there may be peace in the world and in the Church, and the Kingdom of Christ may come on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Chaplet in Honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Lady of Sorrows

 The following prayer is a fitting prayer to recite during the month of March.  The prayer draws upon the Annunciation of Mary, which Holy Mother Church celebrates as a solemnity on March 25.  It also brings to mind the sorrows Our Lady endured during her Son's crucifixion and death, perfect to meditate upon during the Lenten season and especially on the Friday after Passion Sunday (this next Sunday), on which we honor Our Lady with the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.  This chaplet would also be appropriate said as a novena.

Chaplet in Honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Lady of Sorrows

Incline unto my aid, O God! O Lord, make haste to help me!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, etc.

1. Immaculate Virgin, who, conceived without sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure heart to that God Who was ever the object of thy love, and who was ever most submissive to His will, obtain for me the grace to hate sin with my whole heart, and to learn of thee to live in perfect resignation to the will of God.

***repeat each time: Our Father [One], Hail Mary [Seven]. Heart transpierced with pain and woe, set my heart with love aglow!

2. I marvel, Mary, at thy deep humility, through which thy blessed heart was troubled at the gracious message brought thee by Gabriel, the archangel, that thou wast chosen Mother of the Son of the Most High, and through which thou didst proclaim thyself his humble handmaid. Wherefore, in great confusion at the sight of my pride, I ask thee for the grace of a contrite and humble heart, that, knowing my own misery, I may obtain that crown of glory promised to the truly humble of heart. ***

3. Blessed Virgin, who, in thy sweetest heart, didst keep as a precious treasure the words of Jesus thy Son, and pondering on the lofty mysteries they contained, didst learn to live for God alone, how doth my cold heart confound me! O dearest Mother! Get me grace so to meditate within my heart upon God's holy law that I may strive to follow thee in the fervent practice of every Christian virtue. ***

4. Glorious Queen of Martyrs, whose sacred heart was pierced in thy Son's bitter Passion by the sword, whereof the holy man Simeon had prophesied, gain for my heart true courage and a holy patience to bear the troubles and misfortunes of this miserable life, that so by crucifying my flesh with its desires while following the mortification of the Cross, I may indeed show myself to be a true child of thine. ***

5. O Mary, Mystical Rose, whose loving heart, burning with the living fire of charity, did accept us for thy sons at the foot of the Cross, becoming thus our tender Mother, make me feel the sweetness of thy maternal heart and thy power with Jesus, that when menaced by the perils of this mortal life, and most of all in the dread hour of death, my heart united with thine may love my Jesus then and through all ages. Amen. ***

Let us now turn to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, that He may inflame us with His holy love!
O Divine Heart of Jesus! To Thee I consecrate myself, full of deep gratitude for the many blessings I have received and daily do receive from Thy boundless charity. With my whole heart I thank thee for having, in addition to them all, vouchsafed to give me Thy own most holy Mother, giving me to her as a child, in the person of the beloved disciple. Let my heart ever burn with love for Thee, finding in Thy sweetest Heart its peace, its refuge, and its happiness. Amen.
--My Prayer Book

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Sea of Sorrow

Oh! on what a sea of sorrow

Was the Virgin-Mother cast,

When her eyes with tears o'erflowing

Gazed upon her Son aghast,

From the bloodstained gibbet taken,

Dying in her arms at last.

In her bitter desolation,

His sweet mouth, His bosom too,

Then His riven side beloved,

Then each hand, both wounded through,

Then His feet, with blood encrimsoned,

Her maternal tears bedew.

She, a hundred times and over,

Strains Him closely to her breast

Heart to Heart, arms arms enfolding,

Are His wounds on her impressed:

Thus, in sorrow's very kisses,

Melts her anguished soul to rest.

Oh, dear Mother! we beseech thee,

By the tears thine eyes have shed,

By the cruel death of Jesus

And His wounds' right royal red,

Make our hearts o'erflow with sorrow

From thy heart's deep fountainhead.

To the Father, Son, and Spirit,

Now we bend on equal knee:

Glory, sempiternal glory,

To the Most High Trinity;

Yea! perpetual praise and honor

Now and through all ages be.

--Ascribed to the Servite, calusto Palumbella

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer of Intercession to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 I just wanted to say thank you for all of the prayers offered for our family after my miscarriage.  May God bless you for your kindness.  Will you also please pray for the Snodgrass family, who recently lost their toddler, the Harkins family, whose mother and unborn child recently died, Jessica and her family from Shower of Roses who also recently suffered a miscarriage, and all other families who are either blessed with the news of a new life or working to cope with the loss of that new life?  Thanks!

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+The following beautiful novena asks Mary to intercede for us. The prayers remind us of Mary's perfect acceptance and fulfillment of God's will and encourages us to strive to imitate her virtuous life. Through the novena we are also reminded how powerful is Mary's intercession. This novena could be prayed at any time, but it would be especially appropriate to pray for nine days during the month of August, which is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.+

Prayer of Intercession to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O God, come unto my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father.....

I. Immaculate Virgin, who being conceived without sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure heart toward God, and wast always submissive to His divine will, obtain for me the grace to hate sin with all my heart and to learn from thee to live in perfect resignation to the will of God. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

II. O Mary, I wonder at that profound humility, which troubled thy blessed heart at the message of the Angel Gabriel, that thou hadst been chosen to be the Mother of the Son of the most high God, the while thou didst profess thyself His lowly handmaiden; ashamed at the sight of my own pride, I beg of thee the grace of a contrite and humble heart, so that, acknowledging my misery, I may come to attain the glory promised to those who are truly humble of heart. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

III. Blessed Virgin, who didst keep in thy heart the precious treasure of the words of Jesus thy Son and, pondering over the sublime mysteries therein contained, couldst live only for God, how I am confounded by the coldness of my heart! Ah, dear Mother, obtain for me the grace of meditating always on the holy law of God, and of seeking to follow thine example in the fervent practice of all the Christian virtues. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

IV. O glorious Queen of Martyrs, whose sacred heart, in the Passion of thy Son, was cruelly pierced by the sword foretold by the holy and aged Simeon, obtain for my heart true courage and holy patience to bear well the tribulations and trials of this wretched life; may I show myself to be thy true child by crucifying my flesh and all its desires in following the mortification of the Cross. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

V. O Mary, Mystic Rose, whose lovable heart, burning with the living fire of love, adopted us as
thy children at the foot of the Cross, becoming thus our most tender Mother, make me experience the sweetness of thy motherly heart and the power of thine intercession with Jesus, in all the dangers that beset me during life, and especially at the dread hour of my death; in such ways may my heart be ever united to thine, and love Jesus both now and through endless ages. Amen. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

Prayers Honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the Month of August

 Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love and of her virtue. All of the faithful are encouraged to imitate this love and virtue and are encouraged to make an act of consecration to the Heavenly Queen. We should attempt to live out that consecration by imitating Jesus and Mary, by being dependent upon them, and by obeying them. By encouraging us to consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart, the Church also asks us to make reparation for the sins committed against her. Every sin of ours brought her grief and suffering in union with her Divine Son since sin caused the terrible suffering of Calvary in which her heart was torn with pain. Two prayers intended for these purposes follow: an act of consecration and an act of reparation.

St. Louis De Montfort's Consecration 

I, N., a faithless sinner-- renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day, for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.
(from The Secret of the Rosary)

Reparation for Blasphemy Against the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Most glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, turn thine eyes in pity upon us, miserable sinners; we are sore afflicted by the many evils that surround us in this life, but especially do we feel our hearts break within us upon hearing the dreadful insults and blasphemies uttered against thee, O Virgin Immaculate. O how these impious sayings offend the infinite Majesty of God and of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ! How they provoke His indignation and give us cause to fear the terrible effects of His vengeance! Would that the sacrifice of our lives might avail to put an end to such outrages and blasphemies; were it so, how gladly we should make it, for we desire, O most holy Mother, to love thee and to honor thee with all our hearts, since this is the will of God. And just because we love thee, we will do all that is in our power to make thee honored and loved by all men. In the meantime do thou, our merciful Mother, the supreme comforter of the afflicted, accept this our act of reparation which we offer thee for ourselves and for all our families, as well as for all who impiously blaspheme thee, not knowing what they say. Do thou obtain for them from Almighty God the grace of conversion, and thus render more manifest and more glorious thy kindness, thy power and thy great mercy. May they join with us in proclaiming thee blessed among women, the Immaculate Virgin and most compassionate Mother of God. Amen.
(from the Raccolta)