[Siobhan]

Here's a fine thread to record your Birthday greetings and wishes to Our Blessed Mother Mary. Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, St. Mary ever-Virgin.

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From my father's diary, Sept. 8, 2000:

We love you, Blessed Mother, and we rejoice as we celebrate your birthday. May your holy parents St. Anne and St. Joachim experience special joys this day in paradise, and may every Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican heart overflow with joy to celebrate the Feast of your birth, O most holy Theotokos. Remember especially your faithful sons and daughters throughout the world and give us your motherly blessing. Pour forth from your hands the graces God has given you, letting them enfold those who grieve or mourn, letting them cascade upon the Earth in this time of trouble and rumors of war, and letting these graces adorn all those who have died within the last year whom you welcomed to Paradise with your maternal embrace as well as all those who are born this very day..

Honor, glory, and praise be to the holy and undivided Trinity who created you full of grace, and blessed be your great name Mary most holy, you in whom the infinite God was pleased to be contained so that you would become the new and glorious tabernacle of His Presence.

Glory to Christ your Son and mercy to His Church and joy to each member of his Body. Blessed are you Mother of the Church, Mother of the Body of Christ, Mother of the Eucharist, Mother of the Light; Mother of the Eternal Word; Mother of our Divine Savior; Mother of Mercy , Mother of Hope, Mother of fair Love; and Mother of us all. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

[Siobhan]

Ping.

[livius]

Siobhan, what a lovely post from your father's diary!

Regarding the other posts above, about the disappearance of this and many other Marian feasts, I agree. It is one of the things that I find most distressing in the new liturgical environment. The feast days of the saints have just up and vanished, and those of the Blessed Mother are well on their way to being eliminated, as well.

[american colleen]

How beautiful!

I'd be envious that your Dad is with the Blessed Virgin now, but I can't leave my family yet.

History_Matters, thinking of you with love and gratitude for all that you have done and are doing for us here.

Who was the lovely freeper who lost his toddler son? I think it was back at the end of May or beginning of June? I can't remember his name, and I'd like to bump that post again. I've been wracking my brain for a while, but I'm terrible at names.

[Land of the Irish]

Thanks for the ping. That was a beautiful tribute your father made to the Blessed Mother.

[fatima]

I remembered at Mass,Happy Birthday Blessed Mother and what a beautiful day You gave us here on the East coast.

[Sock]

That was very moving, thank you.

At the Tridentine Mass today, we celebrated the Nativity of Our Lady. Vestments were white and Mass was followed by Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I remembered in prayer the souls of my departed family members and all the faithful souls in purgatory.

[NYer]

letting these graces adorn all those who have died within the last year whom you welcomed to Paradise with your maternal embrace as well as all those who are born this very day..

Remember especially, Siobhan's dad, whom we all miss. Hold him in your embrace and bless his family.

[Salvation]

Oh, Siobhan, what a treasure you have there in your father's diary. history_matters was such an inspiration to me. Thanks for posting this (and taking the time to type it in!)