My Family Prayer Book

  May 13: Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Exactly 105 years ago today, our Lady appeared to three poor shepherd children : Lúcia dos Santos and her friends Francisco and Jacinta Marto, in Fatima, Portugal   They reported witnessing, between 13 May and 13 October 1917, six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom they described as " a Lady more brilliant than the Sun ".  She asked them to devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and to pray "the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war" Lúcia also said that she heard Mary ask for the following words to be added to the Rosary after the Gloria Patri prayer: " O my Jesus, pardon us, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need ." After newspapers reported that the Virgin Mary had promised a miracle for the last of her apparitions on 13 October, a huge crowd, between 30,000 and 100,000, including reporters and photographers, gathered at Cova da...

  September 15: Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15, the day after the feast of the Exaltation of The Holy Cross, to show the close connection between Jesus' Passion and Mother Mary's intense deep sufferings and sorrows.  The principal biblical references to Mary’s sorrows are in Luke 2:35: “… and (he said to Mary) a sword will pierce through your own soul also that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. ” The feast, also called "The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (Latin: Septem Dolorum Beatae Mariae Virginis ), dates back to 1232 in Tuscany and the founding of the Servite Order . Pope Benedict XIII added it to the Roman Calendar in 1727.  In 1817 Pius VII — suffering grievously in exile in France but finally liberated by Mary's intercession — extended the feast to the universal Church. In 1913, Pope Pius X , in view of his reform giving precedence to Sundays over ordinary f...

  August 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven Prayer on the Feast of the Assumption O most blessed and glorious mystery,  Virgin Mother of God who, having finished your life on earth, rose body and soul into heaven there to bless and intercede for us  who struggle here below. Hear our humble prayer, Mother Mary, who interceded for the bride and groom at their wedding in Cana of Galilee that our sorrow might be turned into joy, our sickness into healing and our worries into distant memories. You, blessed among women, from whom your divine Son drew his humanity and his body, be ever near to us, your children, who rejoice in your Assumption wedding heaven and earth forever. Amen. (prayer written by Fr. Joseph Veneroso, M.M.) Opening Prayer for the Liturgy of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven All-powerful and ever-living God, you raised the sinless Virgin Mary, mother of your Son, body and soul to the glory of heaven. May we see heaven as our final goa...

  Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Novena begins: August 13 Novena ends on the Feast Day: August 22 Day 1 – Novena to The Immaculate Heart of Mary Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  O Immaculate Heart of Mary, full of goodness, show your love towards us. Let the flame of your heart, O Mary, descend on all people. We love you immensely. Impress true love in our hearts so that we have a continuous desire for you. O Mary, gentle and humble of heart, remember us when we are in sin. You know that all men sin. Give us, by means of your Immaculate Heart, spiritual health. Let us always see the goodness of your motherly heart and may we be converted by means of the flame of your heart. Amen  (Mention your request here…)    Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be… Day 2 – Novena to The Immaculate Heart of Mary Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and...

  July 16: Our Lady of Mt Carmel and the brown scapular When I was young, my mother gave me a brown scapular of Our Lady of Mt Carmel. I didn't know her full story. Today is her feast day so allow me to tell you what I have learned ... The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel serves to remind the faithful of our Blessed Mother’s promise of special protection and heavenly graces to all those who wear the brown scapular, a sign of salvation and a safeguard in danger.  The feast Our Lady of Mount Carmel was assigned to 16 July, because on that date in 1251, according to Carmelite traditions, a scapular was given by the Blessed Virgin to a hermit St. Simon Stock on Mount Carmel in north Israel (site of the fountain of Elijah) when the monastic order was in great peril of collapse.  The Blessed Mother answered Simon’s prayers by giving him the Scapular , telling him: “Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur” ( This shall be the privi...