First Saturday - Aug. 5 -- tomorrow!

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Especially in this month of August, dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and during this 100th Anniversary Year of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima, I hope many will begin or continue the First Saturday Devotions revealed to Sister Lucia of Fatima.

For more info on First Saturday Devotion in General, for those unfamiliar with it, see HERE

For more on the Fatima Message and related links see HERE

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You!

 

[patricius79]

Yes, and a reminder to those who are members of the Association of Mary, Queen of All Hearts, that they can gain a plenary indulgence tomorrow.

 

[Dorothy]

I am going tomorrow with a friend to a nearby parish that has First Saturday devotions, and Perpetual Adoration.

Many people from other nearby parishes go to their perpetual adoration. It has been going on for about eighteen years now.

Peace in Jesus and Mary,

Dorothy

 

[giuseppe96]

That’s wonderful! It’s great to know that the First Saturday devotion is growing. I’m starting the devotion myself tomorrow too.

 

[Megan7]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Especially in this month of August, dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and during this 100th Anniversary Year of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima, I hope many will begin or continue the First Saturday Devotions revealed to Sister Lucia of Fatima.

For more info on First Saturday Devotion in General, for those unfamiliar with it, see HERE

For more on the Fatima Message and related links see HERE

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You!

Thank you & God bless you

 

[Dorothy]

That’s wonderful! It’s great to know that the First Saturday devotion is growing. I’m starting the devotion myself tomorrow too.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Patricius, Dorothy, giuseppe and Megan,

Thanks so much for your replies and for your love of Our Mother Mary, who is never outdone in generosity, as St. Louis de Montfort wrote. May she help us all to grow in our Love for Jesus her Son and continue to intercede for all of us. How loving a Mother she is! May we strive by God’s Grace and her intercession, to be worthy sons and daughter to her and to God, aways!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Did mine this morning. Ended up having to drive to 3 churches for confession as I tried to go last night, but was caught in traffic and was too late; tried to go this morning at a different church, but the priest had a line that must have been 40 people long; so after Mass, rosary and 15 minute meditation, drove to church #3 that had later confessions where there was no line and I only saw 2 people who came after me also going.

I’ll never figure out why some parishes seem to have confession lines out the door every week (they’re not heavily traditional parishes either) and other parishes, the priest says that nobody comes at Confession time except for Holy Week. It was nice getting to see another church though. This area has more Catholic churches per square mile than anyplace else I’ve ever been, and although I have attended at least 2 dozen of them so far there are many more I have yet to see.

 

[MariaChristi]

Did mine this morning. Ended up having to drive to 3 churches for confession as I tried to go last night, but was caught in traffic and was too late; tried to go this morning at a different church, but the priest had a line that must have been 40 people long; so after Mass, rosary and 15 minute meditation, drove to church #3 that had later confessions where there was no line and I only saw 2 people who came after me also going.

I’ll never figure out why some parishes seem to have confession lines out the door every week (they’re not heavily traditional parishes either) and other parishes, the priest says that nobody comes at Confession time except for Holy Week. It was nice getting to see another church though. This area has more Catholic churches per square mile than anyplace else I’ve ever been, and although I have attended at least 2 dozen of them so far there are many more I have yet to see.

Dear TB,

You are blessed in having so many Churches so close to you. I’ve heard stories of some people needing to walk long distances to attend Mass. Some places do not have enough priests to have Mass every Sunday. I too am blessed in having a First Saturday Mass at 9 am each First Saturday – at least currently, only God knows what the future will be.

It was a blessing to hear our deacon speaking of Our Lady in his homily, this morning also. May we spend the remainder of this day and evening offering our hearts filled with Love to Mary that she may give us to her Son. May we offer reparation to their Pierced Hearts. As St. Louis De Montfort wrote – when we say “Mary”, she says “God”.

 

[patricius79]

Yes, Mary is our path to Jesus (Blessed Pope Paul VI, Mense Maio)

Praise be to Jesus Christ through our Mother, Mary

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, Mary is our path to Jesus (Blessed Pope Paul VI, Mense Maio)

Praise be to Jesus Christ through our Mother, Mary

Dear brother Pat,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, how could it be otherwise? By His design and plan for our salvation, God chose to send Jesus through Mary! By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb and she brought Him forth into the world the first time — Mary continues, by God’s design and plan for us by the power of the Holy Spirit to be God’s way of bringing Jesus to us.

No wonder the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Mary the “Escatalogical Icon of the Church”! Mary is Mother and Model for us. The Church is now bringing many to new birth in Christ through Baptism and we are called to bring Him spiritually as Mary brought Him physically into the world. St. Louis de Montfort wrote that when we say “Mary”, she says “God”. Her heart is one with the Heart of her Son.

I hope many were able to offer their Communion of Reparation yesterday on First Saturday, but if not, will offer their Communion of Reparation today. Let us daily pray the Rosary with attention and devotion, and make sacrifices for sinners as Mary asked the children at Fatima. First Saturday devotion is important and her words to Sister Lucia never fail to touch my heart, when she asked that we “keep her company” meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary for 15 minutes on First Saturdays.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You!
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.

 

[patricius79]

Dear brother Pat,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, how could it be otherwise? By His design and plan for our salvation, God chose to send Jesus through Mary! By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb and she brought Him forth into the world the first time — Mary continues, by God’s design and plan for us by the power of the Holy Spirit to be God’s way of bringing Jesus to us.

No wonder the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Mary the “Escatalogical Icon of the Church”! Mary is Mother and Model for us. The Church is now bringing many to new birth in Christ through Baptism and we are called to bring Him spiritually as Mary brought Him physically into the world. St. Louis de Montfort wrote that when we say “Mary”, she says “God”. Her heart is one with the Heart of her Son.

I hope many were able to offer their Communion of Reparation yesterday on First Saturday, but if not, will offer their Communion of Reparation today. Let us daily pray the Rosary with attention and devotion, and make sacrifices for sinners as Mary asked the children at Fatima. First Saturday devotion is important and her words to Sister Lucia never fail to touch my heart, when she asked that we “keep her company” meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary for 15 minutes on First Saturdays.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You!
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.

That is beautiful. THank you dear sister.

I try to keep my mind fixed on the Infinite Goodness and Compassion of Jesus Christ. Mary helps me so much with this.

Here is a favorite passage of mine from Blessed Pope Pius 9th in his document defining the Immaculate Conception of our Lady:

Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are so very dear to us, hear these words of ours. With a still more ardent zeal for piety, religion and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them fly with utter confidence to this most sweet Mother of mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Under her guidance, under her patronage, under her kindness and protection, nothing is to be feared; nothing is hopeless. Because, while bearing toward us a truly motherly affection and having in her care the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race. And since she has been appointed by God to be the Queen of heaven and earth, and is exalted above all the choirs of angels and saints, and even stands at the right hand of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard.
papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

 

[MariaChristi]

That is beautiful. THank you dear sister.

I try to keep my mind fixed on the Infinite Goodness and Compassion of Jesus Christ. Mary helps me so much with this.

Here is a favorite passage of mine from Blessed Pope Pius 9th in his document defining the Immaculate Conception of our Lady:

Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are so very dear to us, hear these words of ours. With a still more ardent zeal for piety, religion and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them fly with utter confidence to this most sweet Mother of mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Under her guidance, under her patronage, under her kindness and protection, nothing is to be feared; nothing is hopeless. Because, while bearing toward us a truly motherly affection and having in her care the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race. And since she has been appointed by God to be the Queen of heaven and earth, and is exalted above all the choirs of angels and saints, and even stands at the right hand of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard.
papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

Thanks again, brother Pat,

Perhaps what we need to keep reassuring people is that Mary’s prayers are efficacious because she is entirely one with God’s Will. Her union with Him is everlasting, she prays for our good as Jesus intercedes before the Father for us. Mary does not necessarily give us what we want, but she helps us to seek and find God’s Will. She encourages us, as she told the servants at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you”. (Jn 2:5)

 

[patricius79]

Thanks again, brother Pat,

Perhaps what we need to keep reassuring people is that Mary’s prayers are efficacious because she is entirely one with God’s Will. Her union with Him is everlasting, she prays for our good as Jesus intercedes before the Father for us. Mary does not necessarily give us what we want, but she helps us to seek and find God’s Will. She encourages us, as she told the servants at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you”. (Jn 2:5)

Right, dear sister, she gives us grace. She gives us a deeper union with Jesus. She never denies such a request, but rather gives more than is asked. When we appeal to Christ’s mercy through Mary, God pours out the mercy of His Sacred Heart upon us. She helps us to do whatever He–who is all Love, all Goodness-- tells us.

Pope Leo XIII writes:

Nothing is more natural, nothing more desirable than to seek a refuge in the protection and in the loyalty of her to whom we may confess our designs and our actions, our innocence and our repentance, our torments and our joys, our prayers and our desires - all our of fairs. All men, moreover, are filled with the hope and confidence that petitions which might be received with less favour from the lips of unworthy men, God will accept when they are recommended by the most Holy Mother, and will grant with all favours. The truth and the sweetness of these thoughts bring to the soul an unspeakable comfort; but they inspire all the more compassion for those who, being without Divine faith, honour not Mary and have her not for their mother; for those also who, holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby sorely wounding filial piety.
w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_22091891_octobri-mense.html

 

[MariaChristi]

Right, dear sister, she gives us grace. She gives us a deeper union with Jesus. She never denies such a request, but rather gives more than is asked. When we appeal to Christ’s mercy through Mary, God pours out the mercy of His Sacred Heart upon us. She helps us to do whatever He–who is all Love, all Goodness-- tells us.

Pope Leo XIII writes:

Nothing is more natural, nothing more desirable than to seek a refuge in the protection and in the loyalty of her to whom we may confess our designs and our actions, our innocence and our repentance, our torments and our joys, our prayers and our desires - all our of fairs. All men, moreover, are filled with the hope and confidence that petitions which might be received with less favour from the lips of unworthy men, God will accept when they are recommended by the most Holy Mother, and will grant with all favours. The truth and the sweetness of these thoughts bring to the soul an unspeakable comfort; but they inspire all the more compassion for those who, being without Divine faith, honour not Mary and have her not for their mother; for those also who, holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby sorely wounding filial piety.
w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_22091891_octobri-mense.html

Thanks brother Pat,

Sad that even in earlier periods of Church history there were some who accused others of “excess” concerning devotion to Mary. St. Louis de Montfort was grieved over the same thing Pope Leo XIII laments at the end of this excerpt you posted. But it is also important to note that the Pope speaks of “compassion for those who being without Divine faith, honor not Mary, and have her not for their mother; and for those who holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby wounding filial piety.”

The First Saturday Devotion is aimed at making reparation for the blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is well to note that Jesus told Sister Lucia of Fatima the Five Saturdays are specifically in reparation for these five offenses:

It is sometimes asked why Our Lady asked for Communions of reparation on five first Saturdays, instead of some other number. Our Blessed Lord answered that question when He appeared to Sr. Lucia May 29, 1930. He explained that it was because of five kinds of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, namely: blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception, against her perpetual virginity, against the divine and spiritual maternity of Mary, blasphemies involving the rejection and dishonoring of her images, and the neglect of implanting in the hearts of children a knowledge and love of this Immaculate Mother. (For more on First Saturday see HERE)

 

[patricius79]

Thanks brother Pat,

Sad that even in earlier periods of Church history there were some who accused others of “excess” concerning devotion to Mary. St. Louis de Montfort was grieved over the same thing Pope Leo XIII laments at the end of this excerpt you posted. But it is also important to note that the Pope speaks of “compassion for those who being without Divine faith, honor not Mary, and have her not for their mother; and for those who holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby wounding filial piety.”

The First Saturday Devotion is aimed at making reparation for the blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is well to note that Jesus told Sister Lucia of Fatima the Five Saturdays are specifically in reparation for these five offenses:

Thanks dear sister MariaChristi,

Right. In reading Church documents and saints about Mary, I’ve never read any of them say that one can be excessively devoted to the Mother of God.

I do feel compassion for those who don’t know how merciful and good Our Lady is. I pray that they will pray about the Papal documents on Mary and read the Glories of Mary and True Devotion to Mary.

here is Pope Saint JPII:

"It was precisely this “merciful” love, which is manifested above all in contact with moral and physical evil, that the heart of her who was the Mother of the crucified and risen One shared in singularly and exceptionally - that Mary shared in. In her and through her, this love continues to be revealed in the history of the Church and of humanity. This revelation is especially fruitful because in the Mother of God it is based upon the unique tact of her maternal heart, on her particular sensitivity, on her particular fitness to reach all those who most easily accept the merciful love of a mother. This is one of the great life-giving mysteries of Christianity, a mystery intimately connected with the mystery of the Incarnation.
w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30111980_dives-in-misericordia.html

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks dear sister MariaChristi,

Right. In reading Church documents and saints about Mary, I’ve never read any of them say that one can be excessively devoted to the Mother of God.

I do feel compassion for those who don’t know how merciful and good Our Lady is. I pray that they will pray about the Papal documents on Mary and read the Glories of Mary and True Devotion to Mary.

here is Pope Saint JPII:

"It was precisely this “merciful” love, which is manifested above all in contact with moral and physical evil, that the heart of her who was the Mother of the crucified and risen One shared in singularly and exceptionally - that Mary shared in. In her and through her, this love continues to be revealed in the history of the Church and of humanity. This revelation is especially fruitful because in the Mother of God it is based upon the unique tact of her maternal heart, on her particular sensitivity, on her particular fitness to reach all those who most easily accept the merciful love of a mother. This is one of the great life-giving mysteries of Christianity, a mystery intimately connected with the mystery of the Incarnation.
w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30111980_dives-in-misericordia.html

Thanks, brother Pat,

Perhaps in our compassion for those who don’t seem to understand the greatness of Mary’s gifts from God, we need to be patient, as God is patient with us in our own weaknesses,

St. John Paul II certainly was one who spoke and wrote often of Mary’s greatness as Mother of God and her gifts from Him of tenderness for us. Thanks so much for including the excerpt from his encyclical in your reply.

Our Lady of Tenderness, pray for us.
St. John Paul II, pray for us.

 

[patricius79]

Thanks, brother Pat,

Perhaps in our compassion for those who don’t seem to understand the greatness of Mary’s gifts from God, we need to be patient, as God is patient with us in our own weaknesses,

St. John Paul II certainly was one who spoke and wrote often of Mary’s greatness as Mother of God and her gifts from Him of tenderness for us. Thanks so much for including the excerpt from his encyclical in your reply.

Our Lady of Tenderness, pray for us.
St. John Paul II, pray for us.

Dear sister,

Oh, how patient God was–and is–with me! And with everyone. He is Mercy itself That’s why he gave us the gift of His own Mother.

“Our Lady of Tenderness”. I love it. And it’s perfectly true. The Papal documents and the writings of the saints are very clear that Mary is all tenderness.

I don’t mean to overwhelm people with requests that they read certain things, either. But if one simply invokes Mary and lets her mother them. How wonderful!

Here is Blessed Pope Paul VI:

"Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? To Him men are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent fountain of life.
w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio.html

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear sister,

Oh, how patient God was–and is–with me! And with everyone. He is Mercy itself That’s why he gave us the gift of His own Mother.

“Our Lady of Tenderness”. I love it. And it’s perfectly true. The Papal documents and the writings of the saints are very clear that Mary is all tenderness.

I don’t mean to overwhelm people with requests that they read certain things, either. But if one simply invokes Mary and lets her mother them. How wonderful!

Here is Blessed Pope Paul VI:

"Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? To Him men are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent fountain of life.
w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio.html

Thanks so much, for your reply, brother Pat,

The quote from Pope Paul VI is very beautiful and explains so well the union between Mother and Son and their loving desire to enfold us!

 

[patricius79]

Thanks so much, for your reply, brother Pat,

The quote from Pope Paul VI is very beautiful and explains so well the union between Mother and Son and their loving desire to enfold us!

Yes, dear sister, and as St. Louis says, our Merciful Jesus desires nothing more than that we should come to Him through His Mother, the Queen of Mercy.

As St. Alphonsus Liguori says in the Glories of Mary, what if we to fear when Jesus, our God, is our brother, and His Mother is our Mother?

Here is Pope Leo XIII

"11. It pleased Christ to take upon Himself the Son of Man, and to become thereby our Brother, in order that His mercy to us might be shown most openly; for “it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest before God.”(2) Likewise because Mary was chosen to be the Mother of Christ, our Lord and our Brother, the unique prerogative was given her above all other mothers to show her mercy to us and to pour it out upon us. Besides, as we are indebted to Christ for sharing in some way with us the right, which is peculiarly His own, of calling God our Father and possessing Him as such, we are in like manner indebted to Him for His loving generosity in sharing with us the right to call Mary our Mother and to cherish her as such.
w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_08091892_magnae-dei-matris.html