England to be re-dedicated as "Dowry of Mary"

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MariaChristi

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Great news, from article in the Catholic Herald:
Mgr John Armitage announced the plans while promoting a new prayer booklet encouraging Catholics to pray a novena to Our Lady of Walsingham.

Mgr Armitage, who became rector in 2014, helped to update the booklet. He told Independent Catholic News: “This novena in honour of Our Lady of Walsingham is the beginning of a National Novena of Prayer for our country which will help us prepare spiritually for the re-dedication of England as the Dowry of Mary in 2020 on the Solemnity of the Annunciation.”

England has been called the “Dowry of Mary” since around the 11th century. The title means that she acts in a special way as the nation’s protectress.

After the Reformation, the title was used by recusants and Catholics in exile. In 1893, Pope Leo XIII told English pilgrims in Rome of “the wonderful filial love which burnt within the heart of your forefathers towards the great Mother of God.”…Full text of the article HERE
For more information and details on the novena for the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham , see HERE
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Dear Bruised_Reed,

Yes, it blessed my heart to read the article too! If you read the additional Info about the Novena to Our Lady you probably read the words of Pope Leo XIII:
Let us remember the famous Prophecy of Pope Leo 13th when he signed the rescript for the Restoration of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in 1897: “When England goes back to Walsingham, Our Lady will come back to England”
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May God fulfill those words of Pope Leo’s prophecy – and bring authentic devotion to Mary back to England and beyond England to all the world. 🙂
 
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Thanks for your reply, Nelka! It is great news, and may we hear of more countries returning to the devotion they once showed to the Mother of God, given to us by Jesus from His Cross.
 
MariaChristi said:
May God fulfill those words of Pope Leo’s prophecy – and bring true devotion to Mary back to England and beyond England to all the world.
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Hear Hear! This is about the true England! Catholic England! The England that produced Shakespeare, Belloc, Chesterton and Newman! I pray daily this prayer:

O blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy “Dowry” and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother. Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home.
Amen.
 
Dear Saxum,

Thanks so much for your reply and for the beautiful prayer you pray daily. May the Lord answer that prayer for you, and for All England, and for all who love the Lord, with Mary and through her intercession, praying with you, everywhere!
 
Dear StarMapp,

I’m not sure of your meaning for the title “protector of the Faith” – but certainly there is no “problem” between Mary as “protectress” and any “protector” who is Holy; for our Holy Mother Mary is in union with God who protects all.

Mary is Mother and Model for the Universal Church and she is united with the whole Body of Christ, with all the saints in heaven or on earth who are “protectors of the faith”. The Protector and Protectress work in a union of Love. At least that is how I would understand and answer your question. 🙂
 
As I understood it, the head monarch is automatically and officially the protector of the faith for England post reformation.
 
Dear StarrMapp,

I’m a bit surprised. I checked your profile and you are a Catholic and so I assumed you were asking or speaking in terms of our Catholic Faith. I’m surprised you seem rather to recognize the definition of “protector of the faith” as “the head monarch automatically and officially” – as post Reformation England intended it to mean.

We’re you then asking seriously or in jest: "How does the “protector of the Faith” feel concerning this endeavour? I’m not sure now exactly what your purpose was in asking.

Saxum replied above that “Sadly, it’s still illegal for a Catholic to be the Monarch”. If a Catholic were to become Monarch I would hope he would recognize God as Supreme Protector over all. Maybe God will accomplish that one day. But for me, now at this point in time, I choose to “see” things in the light of the Catholic Faith and Mary’s role in God’s Plan is so beautiful and unique, according to the teachings of the Church I see only Love in the union of God with His Mother and with all His children. God has called us all to holiness in union with Him in the perfection of Charity.
 
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Thanks Maria:
Hence the question. The official “defender of the Faith” is also the Royal head of the nation. The world knows this is a broader issue, ie: conflict of interest, but we need just deal with the Catholic context here. The position makes it a royal jurisdiction like it or not. The British drove home to stubborn subordinates the disadvantages of usurping royal jurisdictions for over 500 years, some to their dismay. I guess I see British Catholics as being in a precarious way, and this proclamation surprises me, at least without the follow up precautions to ensure feet aren’t being stepped on. I think it is a realistic concern, given the hostile Catholic climate even today. One would expect a Catholic to feel out the field first lest some reformation die-hards
are offended, ensuring as always our ecumenical attitudes prevail.

Anyway, the question is a valid one, and should bring to the forefront as to just what
encompasses the limits to this self imposed Royal privilege.

I’m not taking a stance here, just trying to see some consistency in British legal thought. Nothing is clear cut on religious matters with the Brits since the reformation.

But if some see that the jurisdiction only innocently applies to the reformist religions, does “the defender of the faith” also zealously submit to it’s non defense of said faith if a truth in a disagreement sides with the opposite Faith?. Realizing this untruth, does the Monarch automatically decide to switch and defend the more truthful faith.? If so, does it oust Mary now the Defender? If that’s not enough, if Catholics are indeed part of that jurisdiction, what constitutes treason in the usurping the Royal position to another.?

I’m not trying to jump the topic, but to explain why the fascination with these people.
 
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I’ll finish off by answering your questions.

It is an inquisitive post, and explains why, and yes I’m Catholic. 😀

"Saxum replied above that “Sadly, it’s still illegal for a Catholic to be the Monarch”. If a Catholic were to become Monarch I would hope he would recognize God as Supreme Protector over all. Maybe God will accomplish that one day. But for me, now at this point in time, I choose to “see” things in the light of the Catholic Faith and Mary’s role in God’s Plan is so beautiful and unique, according to the teachings of the Church I see only Love in the union of God with His Mother and with all His children. God has called us all to holiness in union with Him in the perfection of Charity."

I agree. But if the Queen is officially by decree the defender of the faith, then as a Brit I would want to know how my quality of life and my believing will be impacted by this fact. “I make a lousy martyr” St. Thomas More(a man for all seasons)

I guess one has to have some empathy with their plight which I have.
 
All the same her obligations could leave the gate open to conflict of interest. Anyone can see a potential disaster, especially if she carries such an obligation to “HER” faithful. The clergy to her faithful could callon her to make a stance and show of force, especially if it is a majority demand from her parliament, and don’t believe this is not possible in England.
 
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Could you present here the actual words to the parliamentary declaration in this respect?. Usually there’s a preamble of sorts, and I bet it’s brief. Ha! Circa 15NN
I would guess.
 
If I may paraphrase (Fr’s Rumble,Carty and the late beloved Msgr Card. F Sheen),
Radio Replies a546,

… “but such good dispositions are an implicit will to be Catholic. For the will to do God’s will is the will to fulfill all that He commands. Such a man would join the Catholic Church did he realize that that was part of God’s will. In this sense the Catholic Church is the only road to Heaven, all who are saved belonging to her either actually or implicitly.”

They are being called and not a reason to be complacent as they usually do. I’m not talking about the converts to the Faith and they are many. In most cases at least in our modern age, the exposure has not been a good one for Catholics. These tend to draw Catholics to error, rather than see themselves as wanting spiritually. Accepted forms of marriages among Catholics are away from the tabernacle, natural surroundings taking place of inner spirituality, separation at the drop of a hat w/no attempts to mend,etc the list goes on.

Even in this board we read of the wasted energies of mixed marriages, of attempts to mend only to end with exhausted mothers attempting to do the couragous thing and keep family together.

The Lord speaks of the lukewarmness of these people, and with these days of instant conversation and unlimited Catholic literature one could hardly see a case for invincible ignorance in our time.
 
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Ok, I give. I’m a new immigrant to English shores. How then do I prevent offending her majesty’s ‘defense of the faith’.?
 
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