Holy Ghost PNCC » Blessed Virgin Mary

May devotions

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 07:31:03 +0000

The origin of the conventional May devotion is still relatively unknown. It is certain that this form of Marian devotion began in Italy. There, in May 1784, at the church of Camillians in Ferrara for the first time May devotions were held publicly throughout the entire month. Until then it seems that May devotions were more likely a private exercise of piety, even when also partly in a public framework. Around 1739, for instance, witnesses speak of a particular form of Marian devotion in May in Grezzano near Verona. In 1747 the Archbishop of Genoa recommended the May devotion as a devotion for the home. In Rome by 1813, May devotions were held in as many as twenty churches.

From Italy, May devotions soon spread to France. One of the most prominent promoters was Rev. Pierre Doré (1733-1816) from Longwy in Lothringen. Doré learned of this form of devotion in Italy. May devotions spread in connection with the strong restoration movement after the revolution. They were understood as “the ecclesial contrast to the frivolous spring celebrations of the revolutionaries.” Indeed, from 1830 on, May devotions were celebrated everywhere. …

In Belgium the May devotions -– at least as a private devotion –- were also known since already in 1803 and in 1819 corresponding devotional books were published. … Also in Luxembourg sometime around 1840 May devotions were known. In Luxembourg May received an additional imprint through the annual Mary octave in honor of Mary as “Consolation of the Afflicted. In Switzerland in 1808, this devotion was celebrated for the first time in the College at Brigg (Sitten) … and also publicly since 1849 at the Monastery in Einsiedeln. In the Canton of Glarus the Monastery Näfels was the transmitting center of the May devotion from 1852 on. Around 1860, the Sunday “May sermons” became customary and soon became a specific characteristic of this Mary month.

February 2 – Presentation of the Lord

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:20:38 +0000

Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. We know that the Church at Jerusalem was observing the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier.
According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to “buy him back” on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24) in the temple (thus the “presentation” of the child). On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified (thus the “purification”).

St. Mary and St. Joseph kept this law, even though, since St. Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Christ, she would not have had to go through ritual purification. In his gospel, Luke (2:22-39) recounts the story.

Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6), because Christmas wasn’t yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day. By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on December 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days later.

When Christ was presented in the temple, “there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.” When St. Mary and St. Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Because of the words of the canticle (“a light to the revelation of the Gentiles“), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries as just is in the Polish National Catholic Church.

August 15 – Assumption/Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:58:20 +0000

August 15 is the day that Catholics have long celebrated what is called the Dormition (falling asleep) or Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Assumption celebrates both the happy departure of Mary from this life by her natural death, and her assumption bodily into heaven.

We do know some important facts about Mary’s life. We can read in the Gospels that Mary’s role was not just to give birth to Jesus and raise Him to adulthood. We are told that Mary was present at many points in Jesus’ life. She was there at her Son’s crucifixion and also present in the upper room at Pentecost. There are many traditions about Mary which, whilst not biblical, have been around for many centuries. There are records going back at least to the fifth century which show that teaching about Mary’s reception into heaven was considered an important part of the Christian tradition from very early on. It’s also interesting to note that today’s feast is celebrated not just by Catholics but also by all the Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Christians and even the Ethiopian Coptic Church.

August 15th – Matki Boskiej Zielnej – Mother of God of the Herbs Feast – Continuing a centuries-old tradition, Polish National Catholics will observe this Feast with a special Mass and blessing liturgy. Matki Boskiej Zielnej, or the Mother of God of the Herbs, was for our immigrant ancestors and for many of today’s Polish National Catholics, a day of thanksgiving when the first fruits of the harvest are properly offered to God. Herbs, flowers, wheat and vegetables are woven into wreaths and special bouquets. The bouquets, adorned with blue ribbons in Mary’s honor, are taken to the church for a blessing. Following the blessing, the bouquets are kept in the home as dried decorations enhancing the beauty of the interior; often they are hang on the porch, until the same day the following year.

Blessing of flowers and herbs will take place on Saturday, Aug. 15 before 9am Holy Mass and on Sunday, Aug. 16 during the Holy Mass at 11am.

The ark which God has sanctified, 
Which He has filled with grace,
Within the temple of the Lord 
Has found a resting-place.
More glorious than the seraphim, 
This ark of love divine, 
Corruption could not blemish her 
Whom death could not confine.
God-bearing Mother, Virgin chaste, 
Who shines in heaven’s sight; 
She wears a royal crown of stars 
Who is the door of Light.
To Father, Son and Spirit blest 
may we give endless praise 
With Mary, who is Queen of heaven, 
Through everlasting days. 
(from Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal)