Our Lady appeared to St. Dominic de Guzman, a Castilian Catholic Priest in Prouilhe in the Languedoc region in Southern France. St. Dominic was the founder of the Order of Preachers or the Dominican Order, also, know as the Dominicans. During this apparition, Our Lady gave the devotion of the Holy Rosary , Rosary Mysteries, Angelic Salutation and the manner in which it should be prayed. This was to assist him to combat the heresy of the Cathars (the Albigensian heresy) wreaking havoc in the Church. St. Dominic was also told to preach the Rosary and Angelic Salutation to convert souls to true faith and save them through the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary. Thus, the Vatican urged the devotion of the Holy Rosary for universal use by the Christians.

Victory through the Rosary/ Feast of the Holy Rosary  

In 1571, Pope Pius V urged the Christian faithful in Europe to pray the Holy Rosary day and night, to seek the intercession of Mother Mary and led a rosary procession in Rome for the victory against the Ottoman Empire (Turkish Navy) who were threatening to take over the Mediterranean Sea and European Countries, which mostly comprised of Christians.

Pope Pius V organized an alliance of Christian fleets from Italy and Spain. A fleet of ships of  the coalition forces of Naples, Venice, Sardinia, the Papal States, Savoy, Genoa, Spain, Knights Hospitallers, Christian Kingdoms, republics and military orders formed “ The Holy League”. On 7^th October 1571, the Holy League fought against the powerful and superior Turkish Navy in the Gulf of Patras (Bay of Lepanto) in western Greece. Holy League prevailed and emerged victorious despite being outnumbered by Turkish Navy. This is known as the “Battle of Lepanto” and is considered to be one of bloodiest and famous naval battles in history.

As soon as Pope Pius V discovered this victory, the Holy Pontiff declared October 7^th as an annual feast day – “Feast of  Our Lady of Victory” in order to honour Mother Mary for her assistance for the miraculous victory at Lepanto due to the intercession of Blessed Mother Mary through the recital of the Holy Rosary. However, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of “Feast of Our Lady of Victory” to “ Feast of the Holy Rosary” in 1573 which is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month of October.

This is one of the many instances when Mother Mary put an end to human sufferings of the Aztecs, natives of Mexico and ten million natives were converted over 10 years. Therefore, all the churches and shrines dedicated to Mother Mary and places where apparitions took place are always flocked by devotees as seen in places like Fatima and Lourdes.

The Catholic Liturgical Calendar dedicates the months of May and October to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is the mother of Jesus Christ and our Spiritual mother too. The devotees should invoke Mother Mary through the recitations of the Rosary and the litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mother Mary is considered as the Arc of the Covenant, the Mother of God.

After the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Rosary is considered as the most powerful weapon against evil. The Church considers Mother Mary as the role model of perfect discipleship and honours her. Through the intercession of Mother Mary our prayers to God are answered as Mother Mary intercedes to God on our behalf, and we are also drawn closer to Jesus Christ. Because wherever Mother Mary is present, there is Jesus Christ, there is also the Holy Spirit and the Abba Father. Wherever Mother Mary is present, so is the Holy Trinity.

Late Father Gabriel Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican wrote “ One day a colleague of mine heard the devil say during an exorcism: “EVERY HAIL MARY IS LIKE A BLOW ON MY HEAD. IF CHRISTIANS KNEW HOW POWERFUL THE ROSARY WAS, IT WOULD BE MY END.” It is said that evil spirits tremble before the Holy Rosary when it is recited with confidence and conviction, praying and meditating on the mysteries of Our Lord Jesus, the Salvation history. Then, there will deliverance of the individual(s),their dwellings, deliverance from the Spirits of various bad habits and vices (Spirit of Laziness ,Lust, Anger, Hatred etc). Satan will flee and never dare to come near you when you are devoted to the Blessed Mother Mary and recite the Holy Rosary.

In a loud voice, Elizabeth exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my lord should come to me? (Luke 1:42-43)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11)

Jesus honours His Mother

One will be filled with the Holy Spirit when listening to the preaching about Mother Mary. Jesus always honoured and obeyed his mother, Mother Mary, thus obeying the 10 commandments, especially the 4^th commandment “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “ what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. ( John 2:1-12).

The inferences that can be drawn from this incident:

1. This
   was the first miracle Jesus performed though His time had not come but Jesus always gave Mother Mary the highest honour and obeyed his
   mother.
2. Mother Mary understands her children, their
   pains, sufferings, problems, darkness,
   brokenness. If something is lacking or is wrong in life, whether we fail to
   notice it or ignore it,  Mother Mary is
   always aware of our lives.
3. Mother Mary intervenes and intercedes to Jesus
   on our behalf.
4. Mother Mary never takes glory or credit for the
   assistance and intercession she
   does on our behalf, but that all glory should be credited to the Son of God,
   Jesus Christ.

Saint Padre Pio states “Always stay close to this Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea to be crossed to reach the shores of Eternal Splendour.” Hence, we all need to accept Mother Mary as our Mother and entrust our lives, our families, children, our problems, burdens, sufferings, pains into Mother Mary’s hands, have an unfailing devotion to The Blessed Mother Mary, recite the Holy Rosary regularly daily, honour and venerate Mother Mary placed in our homes. Saint Francis de Sales says “Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence”.

Few Bible Verses:

“When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother,^(A) and she sat down at his right hand” (Kings 2:19)

Judges 13:20 “For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. “

Genesis 18:2 “Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground”

Matthew 2:11 “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts  of gold, frankincense and myrrh. “

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced⁾ for our transgressions,
    he was crushed^(C) for our iniquities;
the punishmentthat brought us peacewas on him,
    and by his woundswe are healed”

1 Peter 2:21-24  “²¹ To thisyou were called, because Christ suffered for you,^(C) leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” [AS1] 

The Heavenly Father will use Mother Mary as a Powerful instrument before the 2^nd coming of Jesus. The Holy Rosary may be considered as a guide to see how much grace an individual has, how holy an individual is and also as a guide to examine our conscience.

Prayer to thank God for Mother Mary by Fr. Joseph Edattu VC:

“ Abba Father, we Thank You for the gift of Mother Mary. We hold on to the Mother of Jesus and we are sure she will take us to Jesus and protect us. Amen. ”

Praise and Honour Our Mother Mary

Mother Mary cleanses all evils and purifies us, our lives, all blocks removed, bondages broken and saves us from all harm and destruction and we will protected at all times by Mother Mary.

Most statues/ icons/ pictures are of Mother Mary with child Jesus since this depicts the representation of Divinity and as well as the representation of human beings together and that Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of the Son of God. “The Son of God became man for our salvation but only in Mary and through Mary.”
–Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

And remember, “We never give more honour to Jesus than when we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek – Jesus, her Son.”
–Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

We need to honour, praise, glorify and give total reverence to Mother Mary each day of our lives.

                                        Prayers and Hymns to Mother Mary

HAIL MARY:

Hail Mary, full of Grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

   THE MEMORARE:

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Prayer: THE REGINA CAELI:

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia:
R. For he whom thou hast deserved to bear, alleluia,

V. Hath risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who by the Resurrection of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, has vouchsafed to make glad the whole world, grant, we beseech thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. (Roman Breviary)

AVE MARIA

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Maria, gratia plena,
Maria, gratia plena,
Ave, Ave, Dominus,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus,
Et benedictus fructus ventris (tui),
Ventris tui, Jesus.
Ave Maria!

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Ora, ora pro nobis;
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc et in hora mortis,
In hora mortis nostrae.
In hora, hora mortis nostrae,
In hora mortis nostrae.
Ave Maria!

AS I KNEEL BEFORE YOU  (AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA)

As I Kneel Before You,
As I Bow My Head In Prayer,
Take This Day, Make It Yours
And Fill Me With Your Love.

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena,
Dominus Tecum, Benedicta Tu.

All I Have I Give You,
Every Dream And Wish Are Yours,
Mother Of Christ, Mother Of Mine,
Present Them To My Lord.

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena,
Dominus Tecum, Benedicta Tu.

As I Kneel Before You,
And I See Your Smiling Face
Every Thought, Every Word
Is Lost In Your Embrace.

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena,
Dominus Tecum, Benedicta Tu. [2]

(www.divinehymns.com)

Mother of Jesus Christ, Pray for us.

Transcribed by Dr. Charlene Rose Marie