Catholic Caucus: Mary, The Power of Her Name [The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Holy Wounds Apostolate ^ | unknown | Holy Wounds Apostolate

[Salvation]

Women for Faith and Family

The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Optional Memorial
September 12th

Helen Hull Hitchcock

Collect: From the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading (1st Option): Galatians 4:4-7
When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir.

First Reading (2nd Option): Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Gospel Reading:Luke 1:39-47
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

[Salvation]

Divine Praises

The Divine Praises are a series of praises, recited for generations after the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. They are thought to be originally compiled in 1797 by Luigi Felici, S.J. to make reparation for blasphemy and profane language. Praise of the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and the Precious Blood have been added since the mid-nineteenth century.

This is a beautiful prayer that can be recited outside of benediction, especially during the month of January, which is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus has been restored by Pope John Paul II to January 3.

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.

(Optional) May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.

[Pyro7480]

Some history about the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary (From Holy Name of Mary)

In 1513, a feast of "The Holy Name of Mary" was granted by Papal indult [Pope Julius II] to the diocese of Cuenta in Spain. It was assigned with proper Office on September 15, the octave day of Our Lady's Nativity. With the reform of the Breviary undertaken by Pope St. Pius V, the feast was abolished, only to be reinstituted by his successor, Pope Sixtus V, who changed the date to September 17. From there, the feast spread to the Archdiocese of Toledo [1622] and, eventually, to all of Spain and to the Kingdom of Naples [1671].

Throughout this time, permission to celebrate the feast was given to various religious orders in a prudent manner as has been the custom throughout Church history regarding feast-days, their dates, offices, liturgical expression, etc. However, this Feast of the Holy Name of Mary would one day be joyfully extended to the Universal Church, and this on account of rather dramatic circumstances involving one of Poland's great military heroes, John Sobieski [1629-1696].

In July 1683, the Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha had reached Vienna and laid siege to the city, which was being defended by only 15,000 men. Sobieski set out for Vienna in August, his forces marching behind the banner of the Blessed Virgin. Passing by the Sanctuary of Mary in Czestochowa, they implored Our Lady's help and blessing. Writing centuries later to the bishops of Poland, Pope Pius XII recalled the supplications of Sobieski to Mary at the Sanctuary on Jasna Gora [i.e., "Bright Hill"], the site of the Shrine:

"To the same Heavenly Queen, on Clear Mountain, the illustrious John Sobieski, whose eminent valor freed Christianity from the attacks of its old enemies, confided himself." [Letter, Cum iam lustri abeat, 1951]

In September, the men joined with the German troops under John George, Elector of Saxony, and Prince Charles of Lorraine. On the eighth day of the month, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, Sobieski prepared himself for the ensuing conflict by the reception of Holy Communion.

Battle was engaged before the walls of Vienna on September 12, 1683, with Sobieski seemingly put to flight by "the fierce Turkish forces. However, this retreat was a minor setback only. The Hussars renewed their assault and charged the Turks, this time sending the enemy into a retreat. The combat raged on, until Sobieski finally stormed the enemy camp. The Turkish forces were routed, Vienna was saved, and Sobieski sent the "Standard of the Prophet" to Pope Innocent XI along with the good news. In a letter to the Pontiff, Sobieski summed up his victory in these words: Veni, vidi, Deus vicit -----"I came, I saw, God conquered!" To commemorate this glorious victory, and render thanksgiving to God and honor to Our Lady for their solicitude in the struggle, Pope Innocent XI extended "The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary" to the Universal Church. Although the feast was originally celebrated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Mary, Pope St. Pius X [+1914] decreed that it be celebrated on September 12, in honor of the victory of the Catholic forces under John Sobieski. The history of this feast reminds us in some ways of that of "Our Lady of the Rosary," which was instituted to celebrate and commemorate the victory of the Catholic forces over the Turkish navy at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571: "And thus Christ's faithful warriors, prepared to sacrifice their life and blood for the welfare of their Faith and their country, proceeded undauntedly to meet their foe near the Gulf of Corinth; while those who were unable to join them formed a band of pious supplicants, who called on Mary and, as one, saluted Her again and again in the words of the Rosary, imploring Her to grant victory to their companions engaged in battle. Our sovereign Lady did grant Her aid."

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[AnAmericanMother]

[Pyro7480]

Thanks for the beautiful painting to spruce up the thread. Is that Bougereau? (sp?)

[AnAmericanMother]

I think it is . . . looks like one of his, although I didn't check.

[AnAmericanMother]

It is. And here is a Martin de Vos that I have always liked:

St. Luke painting the Virgin's portrait.

(The bull is just in case you didn't know it was St. Luke. < g > )

[Pyro7480]

It's called La Madone aux Roses.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Thanks for posting this!

[Desdemona]

Wonderful post. Thank you.

[Salvation]

Thank you so much!

[Salvation]

You're welcome. Thank you for coming on board!

[Salvation]

Thank you. Are you back from your trip?

[Salvation]

[Tax-chick]

LOL - it looks like they're sitting in Villa Philbrook, in Tulsa. Big feet on that lady, too :-).

[AnAmericanMother]

If I had ever been to Tulsa (other than stopping at the airport to refuel once) I might get the joke . . . please explain to non-Sooners!

[Tax-chick]

Sorry about that! The room where they're sitting looks exactly like the salon at Villa Philbrook, an Italian-style joint built in the 20's by Waite Phillips, one of the Phillips Petroleum brothers. It's a museum now. Waite also gave Philmont Ranch to the Boy Scouts; he got bored easily.

The feet were just a random observation.

[AnAmericanMother]

I think it's a perspective thing, her foot is pointed towards the artist.

Or maybe the Dutch just have big feet! I love St. Luke's face, wonder if it's a self-portrait.

[Tax-chick]

I hadn't noticed - I was looking at the clothes and the room :-). Yes, a very interesting face, distinguished nose. The assistant at the left is obviously a character, too.

I had a management professor named Ton de Vos. He was a Dutch South African.