The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Seven).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

Italiano: Giovanni Paolo I con il card Karol Wojtyła nella Città del Vaticano.

English: Pope John Paul I, with Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (later, Pope John Paul II), in the Vatican.

Deutsch: Johannes Paul I mit Kardinal Karol Wojtyła.

Español: Juan Pablo I con el cardenal Karol Wojtyła en la Ciudad del Vaticano.

Català: Joan Pau I amb el cardenal Karol Wojtyła.

Français: Jean-Paul Ier avec le cardinal Karol Wojtyła.

Photo: 4 September 1978.

Source: Archivio.

Author: Sibode1.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Pope John Paul II, made Marian devotions and consecrations 

a hallmark of his Papacy.

Mary's Role in Salvation and Redemption.

One of the components, of the Catholic veneration of Mary, is the focus on her participation in the processes of Salvation and Redemption. Entire books have been devoted to the exploration of the Catholic perspectives on Mary's role in Salvation and Redemption.

The underlying theological issues have been discussed as far back as Saint Thomas Aquinas, in the 13th-Century, and were intertwined with the discussions of the Immaculate Conception. One of the first scholars to offer theological foundations in this area was the Franciscan, Duns Scotus, who developed the notion that Mary was preserved from sin by the Redemptive Virtue of Jesus. Devotions to, and the veneration of, the Virgin Mary continued to spread, as she came to be seen as the helpful Mother of Christians, and by the 15th-Century these practises had oriented all the Catholic devotions.

Andrea Bocelli sings Schubert's Ave Maria.

Available on YouTube at 

http://youtu.be/pwp1CH5R-w4

As of the 17th-Century, a common thread in the writings of Saints and theologians, alike, is the role of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as joint symbols of Redemption and Co-redemption. Saint Veronica Giuliani expressed how Mary's suffering, on Calvary, united her heart with that of Jesus, as she suffered each torment along with Him. The joint devotion to the hearts was formalised by Saint Jean Eudes, who organised the scriptural and theological foundations and developed its Liturgical themes.

John Eudes wrote that: "The Virgin Mary began to co-operate in the Plan of Salvation, from the moment she gave her consent to the Incarnation of the Son of God". The venerative aspects, of the united nature of the two hearts, continued through the centuries and, in 1985, Pope John Paul II coined the term "Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary", and, in 1986, addressed the international conference on that topic held at Fátima, Portugal.

John Duns Scotus.

One of Scotland's greatest men and, arguably, the most forward-thinking man of the 13th-Century. John of Dunse (as it was then spelt) was so controversial, because of his forward thinking, that many thought he was mad. Hence the word "dunse" or "dunce" for a poor scholar. He was educated at the Franciscan Grammar school in Haddington, Scotland, and, though he never joined the Franciscan Brotherhood, he is revered within that Order. There are Duns Scotus Colleges on the Continent. This statue stands in the public park of his home town, Duns, in Berwickshire, Scotland.

Photo: 16 October 2008.

Source: From geograph.org.uk.

Author: james denham.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Duns Scotus developed the notion that 

Mary was preserved from sin 

by the Redemptive Virtue of Jesus.

By the 18th-Century, the continued growth of Marian veneration had emphasised the role of the Virgin Mary in Salvation. In his classic book, "The Glories of Mary", Saint Alphonsus Liguori explained how God gave Mary to mankind as the "Gate of Heaven", and he quoted Saint Bonaventure, namely: "No-one can enter Heaven, unless by Mary, as though through a door." And he wrote: "Thou art the gate, through which all find Jesus; through thee, I also hope to find Him."

Saint Louis de Montfort, whose writings later influenced Popes, was an ardent supporter of the Virgin Mary's role in Salvation. The Catholic focus on the role of Mary, in Salvation and Redemption, continued into the 20th-Century, e.g., Pope John Paul II's 1987 Encyclical, Redemptoris Mater, began with the sentence: "The Mother of the Redeemer has a precise place in the plan of Salvation."

Catholic Saints and The Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Roman Catholic perspective on the Virgin Mary has not simply been shaped by the theological studies of a few scholars, but also by devotional concepts embraced by millions of Catholics who venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary. These devotions have relied on the writings of numerous Saints throughout history, who have attested to the central role of Mary in God's plan of Salvation.

Early Saints included Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, in the 2nd-Century, who was perhaps the earliest of the Church Fathers to write systematically about the Virgin Mary, and he set out a forthright account of her role in the economy of Salvation. Saint Ambrose of Milan (339 A.D. – 397 A.D.) based the veneration of Mary not only on her virginity but also on her extraordinary courage.


PART EIGHT FOLLOWS.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Six).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

The "Ave Regina Caelorum", 

one of the four Marian Anthems that are described 

as "among the most beautiful 

creations of the Late Middle Ages".

Available on YouTube at

http://youtu.be/OAi6T7tQruE

Saint Louis de Montfort taught that God appointed Mary as "the Dispenser of Grace", and, to receive Grace from God, one can receive it through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, as a child receives from a mother. This concept of Mary, as "the Mother to us in the Order of Grace", who can intercede for "the gift of eternal salvation", was restated in the 1960s in Lumen Gentium, one of the principal Documents of the Second Vatican Council.

Consecration and Entrustment to Mary.

For centuries, Marian devotions among Roman Catholics have included many examples of personal or collective acts of consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary; the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio, were used in this context.

Consecration is an act by which a person is dedicated to a sacred service, or an act which separates an object, location or region from a common and profane mode to one for sacred use. Consecration to the Virgin Mary has been practised by Catholics for many centuries, at the personal, societal and Papal levels, where individuals, societies, regions and the whole world have been consecrated to her.

The Catholic Church makes it clear that the use of the term "consecration", with regard to Mary, is only applied in the "broad and non-technical sense" and is different from "those self-offerings which have God as their object, and which are characterised by totality and perpetuity, which are guaranteed by the Church's intervention and have as their basis the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation."

Madonna and Child (Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy).

Madonna, by Batoni, an example of Marian Art.

Artist: Pompeo Batoni (1708–1787).

Date: Circa 1742.

Source: Web Gallery of Art.

Author: Pompeo Batoni (1708–1787).

Permission: Public Domain.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Further, "the Faithful should be carefully instructed about the practise of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary . . . it is, in reality, only analogously a 'consecration to God,' and should be expressed in a correct Liturgical manner: To the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, imploring the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom we entrust ourselves completely, so as to keep our Baptismal commitments and live as her children. The act of consecration [to Mary] should take place outside of the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, since it is a devotional act which cannot be assimilated to the Liturgy. It should also be borne in mind that the act of consecration to Mary differs substantially from other forms of Liturgical consecration."

Individuals, declaring their "entrustment" to Mary, make a personal act to show their devotion and dedication to Mary as the Mother of God, who, though holy, is not, herself, a Divine being. Such individuals seek her intercession before God, through her Son, Jesus Christ, for she has no Divine power. Devotions to Mary are also commonly directed to Mary herself, to the Immaculate Heart, and/or to the Immaculata; true consecration is only to God.

Consecration to the Virgin Mary, by Roman Catholics, has taken place from three perspectives, namely personal, societal and regional and with three forms: To the Virgin, herself, as a whole, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the Immaculata.

In Catholic teachings, consecration to Mary does not diminish or substitute the Love of God, but enhances it, for all consecration is ultimately made to God. Pope Leo XIII especially encouraged everyone to make acts of consecration to the Virgin Mary, based on the methods of Saint Louis de Montfort (who was Beatified by Pope Leo), and granted Indulgences for such consecrations. Pope Benedict XV also provided strong support for Marian consecration. Pope John Paul II's motto, Totus Tuus (i.e., "totally yours"), reflected his personal consecration to Mary.

The "Ave Maris Stella".

Available on YouTube at 

http://youtu.be/TacNIbmDZ4s

In the 18th-Century, Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort became a tireless advocate of "total consecration to Jesus, through Mary." In "True Devotion to Mary", Saint Louis de Montfort stated " . . . the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else than a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin and this is the devotion I teach; or, in other words, a perfect renewal of the vows and promises of Holy Baptism."

Early in the 20th-Century, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, called the Apostle of Consecration to Mary, began a vigorous programme of promoting consecration to the Immaculata and published Miles Immaculatae, which reached a circulation of 750,000 copies a month.

In modern times, Pope John Paul II clarified consecration to Mary in his 1987 Encyclical, "Mother of the Redeemer", in which he stated, "Mary's Motherhood . . . is a gift which Christ, Himself, makes personally to every individual." Pope John Paul II suggested Christians could best "entrust" themselves to Mary by becoming her spiritual sons and daughters.

Theologian, Garrigou-Lagrange, designated personal consecration to Mary as the highest level among Marian devotions. His student, Pope John Paul II, made Marian devotions and consecrations a hallmark of his Papacy, often referring to John 19:26–27, and heavily relying on the spirituality of Saint Louis de Montfort. He also consecrated the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

PART SEVEN FOLLOWS.

Division Of The Ecclesiastical Year.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),
by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

DIVISION OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR

A.      CHRISTMAS CYCLE 

          (Mystery of the Incarnation)

Preparation (Violet Vestments)

First Sunday of Advent to 24 December.

Celebration (White Vestments)

Christmastide (Christmas and Epiphany)

24 December to 13 January.

Prolongation (Green Vestments)

Time after Epiphany

14 January to Septuagesima Sunday.

B.      EASTER CYCLE

          (Mystery of the Redemption)

Preparation (Violet Vestments)

(remote)       Septuagesima

Septuagesima to Ash Wednesday.

(near)           Lent

Ash Wednesday to Passion Sunday.

(Immediate)  Passiontide

Passion Sunday to Holy Saturday.

Celebration (White Vestments and Red Vestments)

Easter and Pentecost

(Paschaltide)

Easter Sunday to Saturday after Pentecost.

Prolongation (White Vestments and Green Vestments)

Time after Pentecost

Trinity Sunday to Advent.

Votive Masses.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),

by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Votive Masses, which may be said on certain Feast Days of Semi-Double or Simple Rite and on certain Ferias, have been instituted to meet the wishes of the Faithful and satisfy private devotion.

The ordinary Votive Masses, as also the ordinary Masses for the Dead, may not be said on Greater Ferias, except on those of Advent.

Examples of Votive Masses, which can be requested of their Parish Priest, by the Faithful, include:

Votive Mass of Jesus Christ the High Priest;
Votive Mass of the Holy Trinity;
Votive Mass of the Holy Angels;
Votive Mass of Saint Joseph;
Votive Mass of Saints Peter and Paul;
Votive Mass of All the Holy Apostles;
Votive Mass of the Holy Ghost;
Votive Mass to obtain the Grace of the Holy Ghost;
Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament;
Votive Mass of the Holy Cross;
Votive Mass of the Passion;
Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Votive Mass for Papal Election;
Votive Mass on the Anniversaries of the Pope;
Votive Mass for the Consecration of a Bishop;
Votive Mass on the Anniversaries of a Bishop;
Votive Mass of Ordination;
Votive Mass for the Sick;
Votive Mass for a dying Person;
Votive Mass for the Propagation of the Faith;
Votive Mass against the Heathen;
Votive Mass for the Removal of Schism;
Votive Mass in Time of War;
Votive Mass for Peace;
Votive Mass in Time of Pestilence;
Votive Mass of Thanksgiving;
Votive Mass for the Forgiveness of Sins;
Votive Mass for Pilgrims and Travellers;
Votive Mass for Any Necessity;
Votive Mass for a Happy Death;
Votive Mass of The Sacred Heart;
Votive Mass of The Holy Name;
Votive Mass of The Precious Blood;
Votive Mass of Christ The King;
Votive Mass of The Holy Family;
Votive Mass of The Immaculate Conception;
Votive Mass of The Seven Sorrows;
Votive Mass of All Saints;
Votive Mass of Any Canonised Saint
(even not mentioned in the Universal Calendar).

First-Class Sundays. Second-Class Sundays. Ordinary Sundays.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),
by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

a.      Sundays of The First-Class are:

The First Sunday of Advent and the four Sundays of Lent; Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday; Easter Sunday; Low Sunday; Pentecost. These ten Sundays give place to no other Feast.

b.      Sundays of The Second-Class are:

The Second, Third and Fourth Sundays of Advent; Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Sundays. These Sundays give place only to Doubles of The First-Class.

c.      Ordinary Sundays (every Sunday other than the Sundays, above), give place to Feasts of The First-Class and of The Second-Class, as also to Feasts of Our Lord. But they supercede all Greater-Doubles, Ordinary Doubles, and Semi-Doubles. These Feasts are then simplified, i.e., only a Commemoration is made of them at Mass and in The Office.

The Rite And Degrees Of Feasts.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),
by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Feasts kept on the days of the year are not all equal in importance and Solemnity. The Church has established their Rank by a special Rite, and by different Degrees.

The Rite of a Feast consists in the form which constitutes it. There are three principal Rites:

1.      A Double Rite, on which days the Antiphons are Doubled by repeating the whole of them before and after each Psalm of Vespers. There is only one Collect at Masses of this Rite (provided there is no Commemoration to be made of one or more Saints).

2.      A Semi-Double Rite, on which only the first words of the Antiphons are said before the Psalms. The whole of them is said after the Psalms. There are always three Collects at Masses of this Rite.

3.      A Simple Rite.

The Degrees of a Feast consist in the greater or less Solemnity with which they are Celebrated. They are thus distinguished:

Doubles of The First-Class;

Doubles of The Second-Class;

Greater-Doubles;

Ordinary Doubles;

Semi-Doubles;

Simples.

All Souls' Day (2 November) excludes Feasts which occur below the Rank of First-Class, and transferred Feasts of any Rank.

Vigils.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),

by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Vigils, or Eves, are a preparation, by a Special Office, for the Celebration of the next day's Feast. They are days of Penance, the Office is often long, and Violet Vestments are usually worn.

They are classified as follows:

A.      Privileged Vigils:

1.      Of The First-Class, as the Vigils of Christmas and Pentecost, which do not give place to any Feast;

2.      Of The Second-Class, as the Vigil of The Epiphany, which only admits Feasts of The First-Class of Our Lord and of The Second-Class of Our Lord.

B.      Ordinary Vigils, as of Apostles, etc.

Ferias.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),
by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Ferias are weekdays on which no Feast is kept.

Ember Days, Rogation Days, and every Feria in Lent, have a special Mass. On other Ferias, the Mass of the preceding Sunday is said.

Some Ferias are called Greater Ferias, and are divided into two classes:

a.      The Privileged Ferias are Ash Wednesday and the first three days of Holy Week. These Ferias do not give way to a Feast.

b.      The Non-Privileged Ferias are those of Advent, Lent, the Ember Days, and the Monday of Rogation Week. A Commemoration is always made of them on Feast Days, and their Gospel is read at the end of Mass.

On the Ferias of Lent (after Ash Wednesday) and those in Passiontide (before Palm Sunday), the Ember Days (not those in Pentecost Week), on Monday of Rogation Week, and on ordinary Vigils, if a Greater-Double, Double, or Semi-Double Feast is kept, it is allowed in Private Masses to say the Mass of the Feria or of the Vigil with a Commemoration of the Feast, or the Mass of the Feast with a Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Feria or Vigil.

Privileged Octaves. Common Octaves. Simple Octaves.

Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal (1945 Edition),
by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., of the Abbey Of Saint Andre.
Originally published by The E. H. Lohmann Co.
Re-published by St. Bonaventure Publications, July, 1999.
www.libers.com

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

(Papacy 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.).

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper.

Author: Not Known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

A Double of The First-Class can have:

1.      A Privileged Octave.

a.      Of The First Order (Easter and Pentecost),

so called, because the Church does not permit, during this Octave, the celebration of any other Feast.

Only from the Wednesday (within the Octave), Commemorations of Saints are made by Collects, Proper to them.

b.      Of The Second Order (Epiphany and Corpus Christi),

which gives place only to Feasts of The First-Class, or to the Octave Day of a Feast of The First-Class, on the Calendar of the Universal Church. In these cases, a Commemoration is always made of the Octave.

c.      Of The Third Order (Christmas, Ascension and Sacred Heart),

which admits all Feasts, above the Rite of Simple, within the Octave, but the Octave Day gives place only to Feasts of The First-Class and of The Second-Class. A Commemoration is also made of the Octave.

2.      A Common Octave.

Containing all other Octaves of Feasts of The First-Class which have Octaves. For example, the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, All Saints, the Dedication of Churches, Patronal Feasts. These Octaves admit the celebration of the same Feasts as Privileged Octaves of The Third Order. The Commemoration of the Octave is omitted on Doubles of The First-Class and of The Second-Class.

3.      A Simple Octave.

A Double of The Second-Class may have a Simple Octave, i.e., where the Octave Day is kept or Commemorated as a Simple Feast (Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Stephen, etc.).

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Five).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

Title: Song of the Angels.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1881.

This File: 13 December 2012.

User: Austriacus.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Mary's Protection and Intercession.

Roman Catholic views of the Virgin Mary place emphasis on her roles as a Mediatrix of men to God, refuge and advocate of sinners, protector from dangers and most powerful intercessor with her Son, Jesus, who is God. These views are expressed in Prayers and artistic depictions, theology, popular and devotional writings, as well as in the use of Marian Sacramentals and images.

The earliest known Prayer to Mary, the Sub tuum praesidium (Latin for "under your protection"), begins with the words: "Beneath your compassion, we take refuge." The artistic depictions of the Virgin of Mercy portray the role of Mary as the protector of Christians, as she shelters them under her Mantle. The Virgin of Mercy depictions sometimes include arrows raining from above, with the Virgin's Cloak protecting the people.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (item 971) echoes this protective sentiment, stating that:

"From the most ancient times, the Blessed Virgin has been honoured with the title of  "Mother of God", to whose protection the Faithful fly in all their dangers and needs."

English: The Virgin of the Lilies.

Francais: La Vierge au lys.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1899.

Source: PaintingHere.com.

Permission: PD-Art.

Author: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Catholics have continued to seek the protection of Mary, as the Mother of Sorrows (who understands and shows compassion), and relied on her intercession, as the Queen of Heaven, since the Middle Ages. Building on that sentiment, Popes have entrusted specific causes to the protection of the Virgin Mary. For instance, Pope Benedict XV entrusted the protection of the world, through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace,  during the First World War.

For many centuries, Catholics have used Marian Sacramentals. Since the Middle Ages, the wearing of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Brown Scapular) by Catholics has been a sign of their seeking her protection. Pope John Paul II wore a Brown Scapular, since childhood, and as he momentarily gained consciousness, when he was shot on 13 May 1981, he asked to keep his Scapular during the operation to remove the bullet.

The depictions of Our Lady of Navigators arose from the Prayers and devotions of Portuguese navigators, who saw the Virgin Mary as their protector during storms and other hazards. Prayers to Our Lady of Navigators are well known in South America, especially Brazil, where its 2 February Feast is an official holiday. The Virgin of the Navigators (a variant of the Virgin of Mercy), depicting ships under her Mantle, is the earliest-known painting, whose subject is the discovery of the Americas.

English: The Virgin Mary.

Detail from the Ghent Altarpiece (or Adoration of the Mystic Lamb), 1432.

Dutch: Het Lam Gods (or The Lamb of God).

Francais: Retable de l'Agneau mystique, Gand.

Artist: Jan van Eyck (circa 1390 - 1441).

This File: 14 April 2005.

User: Petrusbarbygere.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Both Miguel Hidalgo and Emiliano Zapata flew flags of Our Lady of Guadalupe as their protector, and Zapata's men wore the Guadalupan image around their necks and on their sombreros. In a 1979 ceremony,  Pope John Paul II placed Mexico under the protection of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, also known as the Order of Our Lady of Ransom or Order of Captives, began in the 13th-Century, in the Kingdom of Aragon (Spain), to ransom impoverished captive Christians (slaves) held in Muslim hands. The Order now focuses on the role of the Virgin Mary as the protector of captives and prisoners. The Sodality of Our Lady, founded in 1563, was also placed under her protection.

The popular Catholic Prayer, the Memorare, relates protection, with the intercession, of the Virgin Mary, stating:

"Never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided."

PART SIX FOLLOWS.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Four).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

Santa Maria Maggiore, the first Marian Church in Rome. 

Originally built between 430 A.D. and 440 A.D.

Piazza Esquilino with Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy.

Photo: March 2006.

Source: Own work.

Author: Sixtus.

Permission: GFDL.

(Wikimedia Commons)

In the 17th- and 18th-Centuries, writings by the Saints, coupled with Papal encouragements, increased the growth of Marian devotions, and gave rise to the definition and declaration of new Marian Doctrines.

Marian culture continues to be developed within the Catholic Church. For instance, in 1974, after four years of preparation, Pope Paul VI issued the Apostolic Letter Marialis Cultus. In this document (which was sub-titled "For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary"), Pope Paul VI not only discussed the history of Marian devotions, but overviewed their rationale and provided suggestions for their future direction, emphasising their theological and pastoral value.

Multitudes of Views and Perspectives.

Throughout the centuries, Catholics have viewed the Virgin Mary from a multitude of perspectives, at times derived from specific Marian attributes, ranging from Queenship to Humility, and, at times, based on cultural preferences of events taking place at specific points in history.

An example, of the cultural adaptation of perspective, includes the view of the Virgin Mary as a Mother with Humility (rather than a Heavenly Queen), as the Franciscans began to preach in China, and its similarity to the local Chinese motherly and merciful figure of Kuanyin, which was much admired in South China.

Madonna of Mercy.

Artist: Sano di Pietro (1405–1481).

Date: 1440s.

Current location: Unknown Private collection.

Source/Photographer: http://www.aiwaz.net/gallery/sano-di-pietro/gc343.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Another example is Saint Juan Diego's account of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, in 1531, as a tanned Aztec princess, who spoke in his local Nahuatl language. The clothing of the Virgin of Guadalupe image has been identified as that of an Aztec princess.

Other views, such as the Virgin Mary as a "miracle worker", have existed for centuries and are still held by many Catholics today. Instances include the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, which continues to be venerated today as the Patron of Poland, and Our Lady of Lourdes, which receives millions of pilgrims per year. However, the Vatican has generally been reluctant to approve of modern miracles, unless they have been subject to extensive analysis and scrutiny.

Development of Marian Doctrines.

Throughout the centuries, the growth of Marian devotional and venerative practices has been parallelled by the definition of specific Marian Doctrines by the Magisterium.

Apart from the title of Mother of God, which holds Mary as Theotokos, two specific Doctrines relate to the birth of Jesus and the Virginity of Mary. These are distinct Doctrines, which were defined and declared as Dogmas at different times.

Title: The Pieta.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1876.

Source/Photographer: [1].

Author: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Since the 4th-Century, Roman Catholics have believed in the Virgin Birth of Jesus, namely that Jesus was miraculously conceived through the action of the Holy Spirit, while Mary remained a virgin. This was decided at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Going beyond the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the Doctrine of Perpetual Virginity of Mary holds that, before giving birth to Jesus, and even thereafter, Mary remained a virgin all her life. This dates back to the Council of Constantinople in 533 A.D.

Two separate Doctrines address the Virgin Mary's conception and death. The Doctrine of Immaculate Conception states that Mary was conceived without Original Sin, namely, that she was filled with Grace from the very moment of her conception in her mother's womb.

The Immaculate Conception was proclaimed a Dogma, Ex Cathedra, by Pope Pius IX, in 1854, as the first definitive exercise of Papal Infallibility. The Dogma of the Assumption of Mary states that she was assumed into Heaven, Body and Soul. This was also defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic constitution derived from Vatican II in 1964, declared that the Lord had consecrated Mary as "Queen of the Universe", reflecting the contemporary expansion of knowledge regarding outer space.

PART FIVE FOLLOWS.

Benedictine Wisques Abbey Returns To The Traditional Rite. Resettlement Agreed By Fontgombault Abbey With Bishop of Arras.

This Article can be found on the Blog, Katholisches.info Magazine for Church and Culture.

The interior of Fontgombault Abbey, France.

Photo: 13 November 2009 (original upload date).

Source: Originally uploaded on en.wikipedia (Transferred by Ayack).

Author: Robindch.

(Wikimedia Commons)

(Paris). The Bishop of Arras, Boulogne and Saint-Omer, Jean-Paul Jaeger, and the Abbot, Dom Jean Pateau, of the Benedictine Abbey of Notre-Dame de Fontgombault, have sealed the takeover of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Paul, Wisques. The Benedictine Abbey of Wisques will be re-populated by Monks from Fontgombault from the end of the year. Therefore, the Abbey will return to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

As previously reported, a group of Monks from Fontgombault spent several weeks in January, at Wisques Abbey, to consider a takeover. It is difficult to ensure the survival of the Abbey of Saint Paul, Wisques, by the local Convent Monks. The average age of the Monks, in Wisques, is more than 75 years old.

Wisques Abbey was founded in the second half of the 19th-Century by Monks of Fontgombault Abbey.

The Abbey of Wisques thus joins the ranks of the Monasteries which celebrate Holy Mass and the Divine Office (the entire Liturgy) in the traditional form and Gregorian chant is maintained.

Full Story HERE.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Three).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

"The Virgin With Angels".

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1900.

Current location: Petit Palais, Paris, France.

Source/Photographer: Art Renewal Center image.

Copied from the English Wikipedia to Commons.

This File: 8 July 2005.

User: Phrood.

(Wikimedia Commons)

This new freedom also permitted literary development of the Marian Mysteries. Hippolytus of Rome being an early example. Saint Ambrose, who lived in Rome before going to Milan as its Bishop, venerated Mary as the example of Christian Life, and is credited with starting a Marian cult of virginity in the 4th-Century.

Liturgical Aspects.

The first Christians did not celebrate the Liturgy and Liturgical Feast in the same way as later Christians; the Feasts of Easter and Christmas were not known, although the Eucharist was celebrated. Liturgical venerations of the Saints are believed to have originated in the 2nd-Century and, in the first three centuries, the emphasis was on the veneration of Martyrs, as a continuation of the yearly celebrations of their deaths, e.g., as noted in the early Christian text on the Martyrdom of Polycarp.

However, in the early part of the 3rd-Century, Hippolytus of Rome recorded the first Liturgical reference to the Virgin Mary, as part of the Ordination Rite of a Bishop. Marian Feasts appeared in the 4th-Century, and the Feast of the "Memory of Mary, Mother of God" was celebrated on 15 August in Jerusalem by the year 350 A.D.

The Madonna of the Roses.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1903.

This File: 6 May 2005.

User: Thebrid.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Growth of Marian Culture.

From the middle of the 11th-Century, onwards, more and more Churches, including many of Europe's greatest Cathedrals (e.g., Notre Dame de Paris and Notre-Dame de Bayeux, among others), were dedicated to Mary. Marian pilgrimages developed large popular followings and Prayers, such as the Regina Coeli, were composed. At the height of the pilgrimage movement, in the 11th- and 12th-Centuries, hundreds of people were travelling, almost constantly, from one Marian Shrine to the next.

The Marian Anthem, "Regina Caeli".

Available on YouTube at 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-EJiI_yAas 

and

http://youtu.be/XDkkw7fgBPM.

In the 12th-Century, the book, Speculum Virginum (Mirror of Virgins), provided one of the earliest justifications of Cloistered Religious Life, as it sought to strengthen the resolve of women, who contemplated a dedicated Religious Life, and encouraged them to follow the example of the life of the Virgin Mary.

By the 14th-Century, Mary had become greatly popular as a compassionate intercessor and protector of humanity, and, during the great plagues, such as the Black Death, her help was sought against the Just Judgment of God. The Renaissance witnessed a dramatic growth in venerative Marian Art.

By the 16th-Century, the Protestant Reformation had introduced a tide against Marian venerations in Europe. However, at the same time, new Marian devotions were starting in South America, based on Saint Juan Diego's 1531 reported vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which added almost eight million people to the ranks of Catholics. The ensuing Marian Pilgrimages have continued, to date, and the Marian Basilica on Tepeyac Hill remains the most visited Catholic Shrine in the world.

PART FOUR FOLLOWS.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Two).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,

unless otherwise stated.

English: The Virgin, The Infant Jesus and Saint John The Baptist.

Francais: La Vierge, L'Enfant Jésus et Saint Jean-Baptiste.

Date: 1875.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Source: William Bouguereau, Originally from en.wikipedia.

Author: User Enthusiast FRANCE on en.wikipedia.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The development of this approach continued into the 20th-Century, e.g., in his 1946 publication, Compendium Mariologiae, the respected Mariologist, Gabriel Roschini, explained that Mary not only participated in the birth of the physical Jesus, but, with conception, she entered with Him into a Spiritual Union. The Divine Salvation Plan, being not only material, includes a permanent Spiritual Unity with Christ. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) wrote: It is necessary to go back to Mary, if we want to return to that "Truth about Jesus Christ," "Truth about the Church" and "Truth about man", when he suggested a redirection of the whole Church towards the Programme of Pope John Paul II, in order to ensure an authentic approach to Christology, via a return to the "whole Truth about Mary".

From Veneration to Theology.

Marian venerative practices pre-dated both the Liturgical developments and theological definitions relating to the Virgin Mary. While the venerative practices date back to the 2nd-Century, the first theological definitions started only in the 5th-Century. Thereafter, venerative and devotional practices have often preceded formal theological declarations by the Magisterium.

The veneration of the Blessed Virgin takes place in various ways. Marian Prayers and Hymns usually begin with a praise of her, followed by petitions. The number of Marian Titles continued to grow, as of the 3rd-Century, and many Titles existed by the 5th-Century, growing especially during the Middle Ages.

Jacinta Marto, to whom Our Lady of the Rosary appeared in 1917.

Shortly before her death, at age 9, Blessed Jacinta Marto of Fátima asked 

that everyone consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Photo: 1917.

Source: http://www.todayscatholicworld.com/jacinta-marto-fatima-portugal-1917.jpg.

Author: Unknown.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Our Lady of Fátima, as described and personally approved by Sister Lúcia, 

one of the three children to whom Our Lady of Fatima 

(Our Lady of the Rosary) appeared in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.

Photo: 15 April 2004.

Photographer: © Manuel González Olaechea y Franco.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Early Veneration in Rome.

Early veneration of the Blessed Virgin is documented in Roman Catacombs, underground cemeteries, where Christians hid in times of persecution. In the Catacombs, paintings show the Blessed Virgin holding the Christ Child. More unusual, and indicating the burial ground of Saint Peter, excavations in the Crypt of Saint Peter's Basilica discovered a very early fresco of Mary together with Saint Peter.

The Roman Priscilla Catacombs depict the oldest Marian paintings, from the middle of the 2nd-Century. Mary is shown with Jesus on her lap, a standing man with tunic (left hand), a book (right hand), a star over His head (symbol of Messiahs). Priscilla also has a depiction of the Annunciation.

After the Edict of Milan, in 313 A.D., Christians were permitted to worship openly. The veneration of Mary became public, as well. In the following decades, Cathedrals and Churches were built for public worship. The first Marian Churches in Rome date from the 5th- and 6th-Centuries; Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria Antiqua and Santa Maria Maggiore. However, the very earliest Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dates to the Late-4th-Century, in Syria, where an inscription, dedicating it to the Theotokos, was found among the ruins.

PART THREE FOLLOWS.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part One).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,

unless otherwise stated.

The Virgin at Prayer.

Artist: Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609–1685).

Description: Giovanni Battista Salvi "Il Sassoferrato", Jungfrun i bön (1640-1650).

National Gallery, London.

Date: Between 1640 and 1650.

Current location: National Gallery, London.

Source: Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Mother of Jesus) is based on Dogma, as well as Scripture. The Incarnation of the Son of God, through Mary, thus signifies her honour as Mother of God. From the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., which Dogmatised this belief, to the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II's Encyclical, Redemptoris Mater, the Virgin Mary has come to be seen and venerated,  not only as the Mother of God, but also as the Mother of the Church.

As the Mother of Jesus, Mary has a central role in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church's veneration of her, as the Blessed Virgin Mary, has grown over time, both in importance and manifestation, not only in Prayer but in art, poetry and music. Popes have encouraged this veneration, but, from time to time, have also taken steps to reform it. Overall, there are significantly more Titles, Feasts and venerative Marian practices,  among Roman Catholics, than any other Christian tradition. Pope Benedict XVI maintains that the Virgin Mary possesses Divine Motherhood, which she continues to bestow, as intercessory "Graces, associated with God's Blessing."

The key role of the Virgin Mary in Roman Catholic beliefs, her veneration, and the growth of Roman Catholic Mariology, have not only come about by official statements made in Rome, but have often been driven from the ground up, by the Marian writings of the Saints, and from the masses of believers, and at times via reported Marian apparitions to young and simple children on remote hilltops. The Holy See continues to approve of Marian apparitions on remote mountains, the latest approval being as recent as May 2008. Some apparitions, such as Fatima, have given rise to Marian Movements and Societies with millions of members, and many other Marian societies exist around the world.

Granduca Madonna.

Artist: Raphael (1483–1520).

Date: 1505.

Current location: Institution:Galleria Palatina, Florence, Italy.

Source/Photographer: [1].

(Wikimedia Commons)

Theological Basis for the Veneration of Mary.

The Catholic veneration of Mary is based on two aspects: The workings of God, who made a virgin the Mother of God, and the Biblical view of Mary as the selected Maiden of the Lord, who is greeted and praised by both Elisabeth and the Angel Gabriel. God's work is further illuminated in the Marian Dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church, such as the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, the factual basis of both taking place in Apostolic time and are, in the Roman Catholic view, part of the Apostolic tradition and Divine Revelation.

Mysteries of Christ and Mary.

In Roman Catholic teachings, the veneration of Mary is a logical and necessary consequence of Christology: Jesus and Mary are Son and Mother, Redeemer and Redeemed. This sentiment echoed loudly through Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome on 25 March, 1987, as Pope John Paul II delivered his Encyclical Redemptoris Mater and said: At the centre of this Mystery, in the midst of this wonderment of Faith, stands Mary. As the loving Mother of the Redeemer, she was the first to experience it:  "To the wonderment of nature, you bore your Creator" !

In the Roman Catholic tradition, Mariology is Christology developed to its full potential. Mary and her Son,  Jesus, are very close, but not identical, in Catholic theology. Mary contributes to a fuller understanding of her Son, who Christ is, and what He did. A Christology without Mary is erroneous in the Roman Catholic view, because it is not based on the total revelation of the Bible. Traces of this parallel interpretation go back to the early days of Christianity and numerous Saints have since focused on it.

PART TWO FOLLOWS.

Ramifications Of The New Normal.

Pope Saint Zephyrinus.

Papacy from 199 A.D. - 217 A.D.

Description: English: from [1].

Date: 24 March 2006 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Original uploader was Amberrock at en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 usingCommonsHelper.

Author: Not known.

Permission: This image is in the public domain due to its age.

(Wikimedia Commons)

There is an excellent Article, today, concerning State Sponsored "Anti-Bullying", on the wonderful Fr. Z's Blog, What Does The Prayer Really Say ?, which can be found at http://wdtprs.com/blog/

Fr. Z opens up with: "With the rise of the homosexualist agenda I am seeing more news reports, on both sides of the pond, about state sponsored “anti-bullying” campaigns for children in schools".

May Zephyrinus suggest you pop on over and ensure that you know what insidious moves are afoot ?