“Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star, Guide of the wanderer here below, Thrown on life’s surge, we claim thy care, Save us from peril and from woe. Mother of Christ, Star of the Sea Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.” ~Fr. John Lingard (b. 1771- d. 1851) “Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star” are the words which…
-
-
St. Patrick’s Day 2021
Today is the feast of the bishop and saint, St. Patrick (b. 387- d. 493). For this feast, I am sharing a bit of St. Patrick, a prayer that he wrote which displays his single-minded love of God; and, since St. Patrick had a deep love for Ireland, I am also sharing a bit of Irish culture in the form…
-
Our Lady of Czestochowa
Today is the feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and, for this occasion, I am re-posting a poem which was written by the English-French Catholic writer, Hilaire Belloc (b. 1870- d. 1953). This poem is a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa. The name of this Marian ode…
-
Angelus ad Virginem
On this seventh day of the month of Our Lady, I am posting a medieval poem in Mary’s honor which is titled, Angelus ad Virginem. This delightful ode to our Queen dates to the thirteenth century; and is notable for the fact that its authorship is unknown. The Angelus ad Virginem is based on the prayer, the Hail Mary; and I…
-
A Carol for Little Christmas
It is the 25th of the month, wherein Little Christmas is celebrated by Roman Catholics around the world. A beautiful Christmas carol, written in 1862, Angels We Have Heard on High, has already provided a fresh start to the day in one small town west of the Atlantic, and south of the North Pole: The lyrics refer to the birth of Jesus Christ…