August 22 - Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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** August 22 - Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary:**

Collect (Opening Prayer):
“O God, who made the Mother of your Son
to be our Mother and our Queen,
graciously grant that, sustained by her intercession,
we may attain in the heavenly kingdom
the glory promised to your children.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the HolySpirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

The memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary is annually celebrated on August 22, a week after the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. It was upgraded as a liturgical feast by Pope Pius XII on October 11, 1954, in his encyclical, Ad Caeli Reginam.

The compilation of thoughts presented below on this subject comes mainly from the following sources:
  1. Ad Caeli Reginam, (ACR), by Venerable Pope Pius XII, available from:
    www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P12CAELI.HTM
  2. More Mother Than Queen, (MMTQ), by Venerable Fr. Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, O.C.D.
  3. Mysteries of the Virgin Mary, (MVM), by Fr. Peter John Cameron, OP.
    (Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

**The Queenship of Mary is not a new truth presented to Christians **in 1954 because this title and its supporting arguments are already found in ancient Church documents, in Sacred Liturgy, in sacred art, in prayers of petition, litanies and hymns venerating Mary as Queen of Heaven.

Church Fathers, canonized saints and popes who clearly laud Mary’s praises as ‘Queen’ include St. Ephrem, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Jerome, St. Chrysologus, St. Andrew of Crete, St. John Damascene, St. Ildephonsus of Toledo, St. Alphonsus Liguori, Pope St. Martin I, Sixtus IV, to name a few. (ACR, 10-25.)

Why, then, was it upgraded as a liturgical feast on October 11, 1954? Venerable Pope Pius XII explains: The feast of the Queenship of Mary is being instituted "so that all may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and maternal sway of the Mother of God." (ACR, 51.)
(Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
continued:

We know that this glorious title of the Blessed Virgin Mary was hinted at by the Archangel Gabriel when, at the Annunciation, he spoke to Mary concerning her Son, Jesus: "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 of his kingdom there will be no end. (Lk 1:32-33.) Further on, Elizabeth addresses Mary as 'Mother of my Lord’ (Lk 1:43). Then, too, Isa 9:16 refers to Mary’s Son as 'the Prince of Peace’, and in Apoc 19:16, as ‘the King of Kings and Lord of Lords’.

The main basis then of the royal dignity of Mary is her Divine Motherhood. Thus, St. John Damascene writes: 'When she became Mother of the Creator, she truly became Queen of every creature.’

And Venerable Pope Pius XII notes: "When Christians reflected upon the intimate connection that obtains between a mother and a son, they readily acknowledged the supreme royal dignity of the Mother of God." (ACR, 8.) This royal dignity of Mary is indicated by her titles of ‘Lady’, ‘Ruler’, and ‘Queen’.
(Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

Our Faith reminds us that Jesus Christ is our King on two counts:

(1) Jesus Christ is our King by right of His divine nature. Jesus Christ is God, and as God, He brought us into existence. We are clearly reminded of this truth by the Psalmist:

… "Know that he, the Lord, is God.
… He made us, we belong to him.
… We are his people, the sheep of his flock." (Ps 100:3.)

By becoming Mother of Jesus, King by divine nature, the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes Queen!

(2) Jesus Christ is our King by right of conquest. Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus redeemed all of us from eternal death, thereby becoming our King by right of conquest. Thus, because of her close collaboration in the sufferings and struggles of her Son to bring about our redemption, the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes our Queen. And having shared so closely in her Son’s struggles against the enemy, Our Lady now shares in His decisive victory. In what way does Our Lady share in her Son’s decisive victory?
(Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

In what way does Our Lady share in her Son’s decisive victory?

Venerable Pope Pius XII explains: " … **from her union with Christ she receives the royal right to dispose of the treasures of the Divine Redeemer’s Kingdom, from her union with Christ … is derived the inexhaustible efficacy of her maternal intercession before the Son and His Father." ** (ACR, 39) (Emphasis added.)

In his encyclical on the Queenship of Mary, Venerable Pius XII gives two additional reasons why Our Blessed Mother is a queen. **"(3) She is Queen by grace. **She is full of grace, the highest in the category of grace besides her Son. (4) She is Queen by singular choice of the Father. A mere human can become King or Queen by choice of the People. How much greater a title is the choice of the Father Himself!" (From EWTN Saints and other Holy People, The Queenship of Mary.)(Emphasis added.)
(Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

Let us now look at some additional reflections from Mysteries of the Virgin Mary, by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. in the hope of better appreciating Our Lady as Our Queen-Mother:
  1. "Mary’s queenship is not something ‘added on’ to her motherhood but is rather the glorious result of it." (MVM, 94.) Quoting again St. John Damascene: "When Mary became the Mother of the Creator, she truly became the queen of every creature." As Arnold of Bonneval states: "the mother cannot be separated from the Son’s dominion and power …" Thus, union with her Son’s dominion and power makes Mary Queen in her Son’s Kingdom. Fr. Cameron adds: "Just as the Blessed Virgin is destined to be the Mother of God, so too is she to be heaven’s queen." (Emphasis added.)
    (Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

At this point, it will probably be appropriate to stress once again that **we **do NOT worship Our Lady but we do honor her as the Lord’s perfect Masterpiece whom He has singularly chosen to be the mystic channel through whom His saving graces pass on to us. Our high regard for Our Lady is one of deep reverence, not as though she were a goddess, but because she is the Lord’s beloved Masterpiece, the Lord’s Mother, and our Mother.

More on this topic from:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=10418730#post10418730

Following are additional quotes from various saints and holy people regarding the Queenship of Our Lady. These thoughts are worth meditating over and asking Our Lady what they mean.
  1. St. Louis de Montfort notes: "It is through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ came into the world; and it is also fitting that, through her, He should reign over the world" (True Devotion, p.1) (Cameron, 95).
  2. St. Therese of Lisieux writes: "We know very well that the Blessed Virgin is Queen of heaven and earth, but she is more Mother than Queen; I believe she’ll increase the splendor of the elect very much." (From Her Last Conversations, pp. 161-162.) Fr. Cameron comments: "Thus, as queen, Mary has the power to ‘increase the splendor of the elect’; and as mother, the loving determination to make sure it happens" ( (Cameron, 95). (Emphasis added)
  3. Saint John Paul II pointed out: "Taken up into heavenly glory, Mary dedicates herself totally to the work of salvation in order to communicate to every living person the happiness granted to her. She is a Queen who gives all that she possesses, participating above all in the life and love of Christ" (Theotokos, p. 211-212), (Cameron, p. 95). (Emphasis added.)
    (Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:
  1. Fr. Cameron writes: “The majesty of Mary saves us from the scandal of our sin …” Philip of Harveng, assures us of this. He says: "The Virgin has a certain affectionate feeling of deeper goodwill toward those whom she sees to be in need of someone stronger than themselves; … The Virgin loves … to move the weak toward stronger things with loving goodwill." (Cameron, p. 96.) (Emphasis added.)
  2. Fr. Cameron continues: “As queen the Blessed Mother exercises a special sovereign authority toward those who otherwise would be lost. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, 'Through Mary’s intercession, many souls are in paradise who would not be there had she not interceded for them, for God has entrusted her with the keys and treasures of the heavenly Kingdom.’ Even more, Mary the Queen, 'by support of her merits, … restores the repentant to the level of grace they had lost,’ according to St. Albert the Great.” (Cameron, p. 96.) (Emphasis added.)
  3. “United with Mary, the awareness of our own shame moves us all the more to claim her maternal compassion. 'The more you see yoursleves as guilty before the majesty of God,’ writes … bishop Fulbert of Chartres, 'the more you should look to the Mother of the Lord, for she is full of mercy.’” (Cameron, pp 96-97.) (Emphasis added.)
    (Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:
  1. "The Queenship of Mary bestows upon us a particular intimacy with the Blessed Virgin. As our queen, says St. Peter Canisius (+1597), Mary 'constitutes our protection; she keeps us close to Christ, and she faithfully takes the matter of our salvation into her charge.’ And as St. Louis de Montfort notes, if Mary ‘wills to come and take up her abode in you, in order to receive her Son, she can do so by reason of the sovereignty she possesses over the hearts of people.’ (True Devotion, 195.) Mary’s coronation in heaven guarantees her closeness in our earthly afflictions." (Cameron, p. 97.) (Emphasis added.)
  2. Remember James 1:12? It reads: "Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him"
**"The ‘crown of life’ is the reward of eternal life that Christ promises to his faithful followers. The Blessed Mother already wears that crown, and it is her joy and delight to share her royal dignity with all who call upon her in trust." (Cameron, p. 97.) (Emphasis added.)
(Pls read on for continuation of thought.)
 
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - continued:

Some of us may have consecrated ourselves to Our Lord through Our Lady, or at least, have developed a special devotion to Our Blessed Mother. And there may be times when we feel that our spiritual life is stagnant or getting nowhere. The Venerable Fr. Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, OCD has these encouraging words for us:

As our Mother and Queen, "Mary’s solicitude extends to all the details of our life. She follows maternally the progress of our soul. We may find our sanctification slow, but she knows that we are not strong enough to receive God’s light and love, and that God will give us time. Let us therefore surrender ourselves completely to her; let us ask her to intercede for us in everything … If we entrust to her our spiritual life, its growth will be faster and smoother." (More Mother than Queen, p. 23.) (Emphasis added.)​

O Virgin Mary, our Mother and Queen,
plead for us, and love us,
in time and in eternity. Amen.​

youtube.com/watch?v=V8hBYB42oWM&feature=related
 
I appreciate all the insights into our Holy Blessed Virgin Mother Mary.

And also the quotes of many saints.

Thank you!
 
On the 11th of October, 1954, Pope Pius XII established the Feast of the Queenship of Mary to be celebrated throughout the world. In the future the Feast came to be celebrated on August 22nd.
Why was the date of October 11 originally selected?
In what year was the day changed to August 22?
Why was August 22 chosen as the new Feast day?
 
7_Sorrows said:
Thank you for posting this.
Click to expand...
Dorothy said:
I appreciate all the insights into our Holy Blessed Virgin Mother Mary.

And also the quotes of many saints.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
Hi 7 Sorrows and Dorothy,
It’s a real pleasure to share what our Faith teaches about our Blessed Mother! I’m glad you found the thread helpful. May Our Lady deepen your love for her, and inevitably deepen your love for Our dear Lord!
 
CyrilSebastian said:
On the 11th of October, 1954, Pope Pius XII established the Feast of the Queenship of Mary to be celebrated throughout the world.
In the future the Feast came to be celebrated on August 22nd.
Why was the date of October 11 originally selected?
In what year was the day changed to August 22?
Why was August 22 chosen as the new Feast day?
Click to expand...
Hi Cyril,

October 11, 1954 is the date of Venerable Pope Pius XII’s encylical, Ad Caeli Reginam. In this encyclical, the feast of The Queenship of Our Lady was set for May 31st (ACR # 47). My guess is that May 31st was originally chosen to celebrate the feast because the month of May is Our Lady’s month, and in many Catholic countries, there is a devotional practice of crowning Our Lady in a special way as the month of May ends.

After the post-conciliar reform of the liturgical calendar, the feast was re-set from May 31st to **August 22nd **“to emphasize the close link between Mary’s royal nature and her glorification in body and soul beside her Son” (words of then Pope Benedict XVI, On the Queenship of Mary".)

For the full text of Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI, pls see:
www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=10037
 
For those of us who feel drawn to Our Lady, here’s a beautiful prayer by the French Jesuit theologian, Fr. R. P. Leonce de Grandmaison (+1927):

Prayer for the Heart of a Child

"*Holy Mary, Mother of God,
preserve in me the heart of a child,
pure and transparent as a spring.

Obtain for me a simple heart
that does not brood over sorrows;
a heart generous in giving itself,
quick to feel compassion;
a faithful, generous heart
that forgets no favor
and holds no grudge.

Give me a humble, gentle heart,
loving without asking any return;
a great indomitable heart
that no ingratitude can close,
no indifference can weary;
a heart tortured by its desire
for the glory of Jesus Christ:
pierced by His love
with a wound that will heal
only in heaven*."
 
Amiciel said:
For those of us who feel drawn to Our Lady, here’s a beautiful prayer by the French Jesuit theologian, Fr. R. P. Leonce de Grandmaison (+1927):

Prayer for the Heart of a Child

"*Holy Mary, Mother of God,
preserve in me the heart of a child,
pure and transparent as a spring.

Obtain for me a simple heart
that does not brood over sorrows;
a heart generous in giving itself,
quick to feel compassion;
a faithful, generous heart
that forgets no favor
and holds no grudge.

Give me a humble, gentle heart,
loving without asking any return;
a great indomitable heart
that no ingratitude can close,
no indifference can weary;
a heart tortured by its desire
for the glory of Jesus Christ:
pierced by His love
with a wound that will heal
only in heaven*."
Click to expand...
Thanks again. An extraordinary prayer!
 
Did Pope Pius XII choose the October 11 date for his encyclical, Ad Caeli Reginam because the month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary?
 
CyrilSebastian said:
Did Pope Pius XII choose the October 11 date for his encyclical, Ad Caeli Reginam because the month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary?
Click to expand...
Ad Caeli Reginam gives us a hint on why October 11 was chosen as its issue date:

ACR #34 reads:
“…the main principle on which the royal dignity of Mary rests is without doubt her** Divine Motherhood**…” (Emphasis added.)

ACR then closes with the following text:
“Given at Rome, from St. Peter’s, on the feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the eleventh day of October, 1954, in the sixteenth year of our Pontificate. Pius XII.” (Emphasis added.)

It appears then that October 11 serves to highlight the link between Our Lady’s “royal dignity” and her “Divine Motherhood”.

Here’s some information on Our Lady’s Divine Motherhood:
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2014-10-11
 
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