Pope Francis "spends time" with Our Lady

[MariaChristi]

Pope Visits St. Mary Major Basilica Ahead of Albania Trip

…Pope Francis paid a private visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Thursday afternoon, to pray for the success of his upcoming voyage to Albania… Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, said the Holy Father made the trip across the city centre to the top of the Esquiline Hill to spend time with Our Lady salus populi Romani – Protectress of the Roman people – whose icon in the church is among the city’s oldest and most beloved objects of Marian devotion. The visit lasted about a half-hour, at the end of which the Pope left a bouquet of flowers. The basilica was already closed for the day when the Pope arrived, Vatican Radio reported. (from Zenit.org)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On this Saturday, let us also “spend time with Our Lady”. Hopefully, many of us will pray our Rosary with attention and devotion, pondering the mysteries of Jesus’ life on this earth with Mary His Mother. Please let us pray with the Pope for his trip and also for Mary’s intercession to prevent the blasphemous “Black Mass” scheduled to take place in the Civic Center in Oklahoma tomorrow. More info on “Black Mass” from the Archbishop HERE and from a Catholic layman HERE

 

[the_phoenix]

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[Richard_White]

Dear MariaChristi,

It is truly a very important thing to “spend time with Our Lady,” the Blessed Mother. We must always be with Mary and put ourselves in her hands, just as Jesus did in His earthly life. For, in Mary, just as in the bosom of the Catholic Church, we find our protectoress and Mediatrix of graces from God.

May God bless you and yours on this beautiful Saturday!

 

[MariaChristi]

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Dear phoenix,

Thanks for your reply. One Hail Mary is a powerful prayer, when those words are prayed with attention and devotion. How much mystery is included in those words – yet mysteries God desires us to ponder and learn from that we may grow in faith, hope and charity as Mary did on this earth!

I hope you will offer prayer especially that the “Black Mass” planned for tomorrow in Oklahoma may be cancelled as it was in Boston! “…Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear MariaChristi,

It is truly a very important thing to “spend time with Our Lady,” the Blessed Mother. We must always be with Mary and put ourselves in her hands, just as Jesus did in His earthly life. For, in Mary, just as in the bosom of the Catholic Church, we find our protectoress and Mediatrix of graces from God.

May God bless you and yours on this beautiful Saturday!

Dear Richard,

Thanks for your reply. When I read that expression “spend time with Mary” in the report of the Pope’s visit, it reminded me of Mary’s words to Sister Lucia in asking her to spend 15 minutes pondering the mysteries of the Rosary on First Saturdays to “keep her company”:

In the message of Fatima, especially in the apparitions of June 13 and July 13,1917, Mary drew attention to the custom of devoting Saturdays to her and praying the rosary in reparation. Lucia, the eldest of the three children heard the following on June 13:

My child, behold my heart surrounded with thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and tell them that I promise to help, at the hour of death, with the graces needed for salvation, whoever, on the First Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.

I hope many of us do offer our hearts and our time to pray the Rosary with attention and devotion. I hope especially many are praying to prevent the blasphemous “Black Mass” scheduled in Oklahoma for tomorrow.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us and for all those who know not what they do!
Jesus, we trust in You.
Holy Spirit help us to overcome evil with good.