Mater Mea, Fiducia Mea. My Mother, My Confidence. The Roman Catholic people have loved Our Lady in the beautiful image of Our Lady of Confidence (above) for generations. They have invoked her aid by the simple prayer, “My Mother, My Confidence.” We posted about this prayer, and image, in November of 2020, and, since then, nothing has changed; nor will it. This devotion is not a novel way that changes with the so-called “times.” May this tradition, of invoking Our Lady in our daily needs, continue in us, in our homes, and in our families. If you are interested in reading more about Our Lady in the light of Church teaching and tradition, The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Ligouri is an excellent place to start. #rememberIsabelle May God bless you all. ~SCF ~Totus Tuus, details. ~Top image –Our Lady of Confidence, prints may be purchased here (we have no affiliation with this store)
Christmas 2024
“Any one thinking of the Holy Child as born in December would mean by it exactly what we mean by it; that Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate.” ~G.K. Chesterton (b. 1874- d. 1936) It is moving closer to the Nativity of Our Lord, the 25th day of December. On that day, we will gather about the homeless God, and find our hearts at home (paraphrase, G.K. Chesterton, aka, G.K.C.). Yes, no matter where our mortal bodies might be, we can be home for Christmas; for we may find the sense of home beside the crib of Our Infant Savior. Christ, the winter fire for the unfortunate (G.K.C.), is coming; and the story of His first day is wonderfully described in the following poem, The House of Christmas, by the English writer G.K. Chesterton: “There fared a mother driven forthOut of an inn to roam;In the place where she was homelessAll men are at home.The crazy stable close at hand,With shaking timber and shifting sand,Grew a stronger thing to abide and standThan the…
The Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2024
“As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.” ~from today’s Mass, Eccli. 24:23-31 [Sirach] Today is the feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary which commemorates the first of the four Marian dogmas: the Divine Motherhood of Mary, and for this happy day I am re-posting the bit that follows: Dom Gueranger…
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
~Tomorrow, on the fifteenth day of August, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven; or, as it is also called, Marymass. For this happy day, I am re-posting the following Assumption day entry. “Mary’s life on Earth drew to a close. Her eyes were fixed on Heaven. Her heart beat with affection for God; her face shone and a smile was ever on her lips. All at once her heart gave a start, and Mary flew to Heaven, to the embrace of her beloved.” ~Rev. James Alberione, S.S.P., from The Life of The Madonna in Art The Fr. Alberione quote was all I intended to post for Marymass, but I checked to see what Dom Prosper Gueranger (b. 1805- d. 1875) had written about it, and, as usual, his writing is rich and informative; therefore, I am posting a portion of Dom Prosper for those who have a bit more reading time. Following Dom Prosper, I included a small portion of the apostolic constitution Munificentissiumus Deus (1950), wherein Pope Pius XII declared the…
Holy Mother, Hear Our Cries
Some times a song (a poem!) expresses that which Catholics feel for the Most Holy Blessed Virgin Mary, and the following song (see link) is an example of such a piece of music. It captures the traditional sentiments of love and trust that the Church has had, and we, her children, too, hold towards this good and loving Mother. “By means of the human nature Christ assumed from Mary, he became the Redeemer of men. Mary, carrying the Savior within her, also carried all those whose life was contained in the life of the Savior. Therefore, all the faithful united to Christ, are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones from the womb of Mary like a body united to its head.” ~ Pope St. Pius X (source) Mary is a mother who is always ready to help those who call upon her. She is singular in her purity and faithfulness, and no mother may compare to her. And, yes, we unashamedly call her name a thousand times. May you have a good day in June.…