THE DAILY GROTTO

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, PRAY FOR US!

FEAST DAY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

We all need the Blessed Mother's protection and intercession in our lives. Let us all desire to be under the loving mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Mother of God. She loves each and everyone one of us as her own. Let us show Our Lady how much we love her. Please consider making a consecration to Mary today.

CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we consecrate ourselves, in an act of total entrustment to the Lord.
By You we will be led to Christ. By Him and with Him we will be led to the Father.
We will walk in the light of faith, and we will do everything so that the world may believe that Jesus Christ is the One sent by the Father.
With Him we wish to carry His Love and Salvation to the ends of the earth.
Under the protection of your Immaculate Heart, we will be one People with Christ. We will be witnesses of His Resurrection. By Him we will be led to the Father, for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, Whom we adore, praise and bless forever. Amen.

MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, you are the refuge of sinners, the health of the sick, and the comfort of the afflicted. You know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. By your appearance at the Grotto of Lourdes you made it a privileged sanctuary where your favors are given to people streaming to it from the whole world. Over the years countless sufferers have obtained the cure for their infirmities -- whether of soul, mind, or body. Therefore I come to you with limitless confidence to implore your motherly intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for Your favors, I will endeavor to imitate Your virtues, that I may one day share in Your glory.

Amen.

Monthy message from Our Lady of Medjugorje

Message of October 25, 2008 "Dear children! In a special way I call you all to pray for my intentions so that, through your prayers, you may stop Satan's plan over this world, which is further from God every day, and which puts itself in the place of God and is destroying everything that is beautiful and good in the souls of each of you. Therefore, little children, arm yourselves with prayer and fasting so that you may be conscious of how much God loves you and may carry out God's will. Thank you for having responded to my call." 10/2008

OCTOBER IS THE MONTH OF THE ROSARY

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.  Being that October is the month dedicated to the Rosary; there many things individuals and families can do to increase their devotion to Our Lady.

If you have never prayed the rosary before then it is a good time to begin. You may want to start out saying a "decade a day" and work your way into saying a full rosary each day. To learn how to pray the rosary go here.

You may want to ask your family to join in and pray the rosary together.  As Father Patrick Peyton and  Blessed Mother Teresa   have often said " A family that prays together, stays together". A good time may to begin may be after the dinner hour when everyone is together.

We have an Our Lady of Fatima statue that we like to gather around when our family prays the rosary together. We light candles and usually have fresh or silk flowers that make up our family's "Marian altar". It's is very simple, but it is a great visual aide that helps us in our prayer life.

A blogging friend of mine named Barbara makes the most beautiful rosaries. If you don't have one or need a new one, or even want to purchase one or more for gifts then these are a must see.

You can also purchase some very inexpensive Marian statues online from Autom. This would be a great way to get you started in setting up a "Marian altar" of your own.

One thing I must clarify is this; please understand that a "Marian altar" is not set up to worship Mary in any way. As we often find ourselves displaying photographs of our loved ones that have passed on from this world; having a Marian statue or picture in our home also helps us to visualize "Our Heavenly Mother" better.

As I walk by a statue or picture of Our Lady; I am reminded to ask for her help and intercession.  I might say" Mother I love you, please pray for me,  or  "Blessed Mother please pray for___________."   We asking Our Lady to pray or us, just like you would ask a friend to pray for you when you are in need.

There are many intentionsto pray for when you get started to praying the rosary:

1. Pray to end abortion in the U.S.( for Roe. vs. Wade to be overturned) and in the rest of the world.

2. To pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

3. For the upcoming election in the U.S. That Americans wake up from their slumber on November 4th and vote for Pro-Life candidates ( and not for pro-death candidates Obama and Biden).

4. For an end to embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, homosexual marriage, and euthanasia.

5. For families to be open to life whether it be through natural conception or adoption.

There are many more prayer needs that you may have but these are important ones to consider.

I would love to here your ideas on how you carry out your devotion to Mary in October and every day. Please feel free to grab a cup of your favorite cup of coffee or tea and leave me a comment or two. I will also be adding more ideas as we move along in this beautiful month of October.

Please consider praying for our pro-life candidate John McCain as he enters the second Presidential debate this evening!

"Praying the Rosary is enjoying a revival among Catholics and can be a profound way to relive the events of Christ's life"- Pope Benedict XVI

FEAST DAY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

OUR LADY OF FATIMA , PRAY FOR US!

For more information on Our Lady of Fatima check out the Our Lady of Fatima, and Blue Army links under Marian sites on my sidebar.

God Bless!

MAY IS FOR MARY....

Tis the Month of Our Mother

1. 'Tis the month of our Mother
The blessed and beautiful days,
When our lips and our spirits,
are glowing with love and with praise.

Refrain:
All Hail! to thee, dear Mary,
the guardian of our way;
To the fairest of Queens,
Be the fairest of seasons, sweet May.

2. Oh! what peace to her children,
mid sorrows and trials to know,
that the love of their Mother,
Hath ever a solace for woe.
Refrain

3. And, what joy to the erring,
The sinful and sorrowful soul;
That a trust in her guidance,
will lead to a glorious goal.
Refrain

4. Let us sing then, rejoicing,
that God hath so honored our race,
as to clothe with our nature,
Sweet Mary, the Mother of Grace.
Refrain

- Marian Hymn

 

 

( Painting: The Song of the Angels, Bouguereau)

IMMACULATE MARY

Immaculate Mary, thy praises we sing;
Who reign in splendor with Jesus our King.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

In heaven, the blessed thy glory proclaim;
On earth we, thy children, invoke thy fair name.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

We pray for God's glory; may His kingdom come;
We pray for His vicar, our father, and Rome.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

We pray for our Mother, the Church upon earth,
And bless, dearest Lady, the land of our birth.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

AVE MARIS STELLA

AVE MARIS STELLA

Hail, thou Star of ocean, Portal of the sky! Ever Virgin Mother Of the Lord most high! Oh ! by Gabriel's Ave, Uttered long ago, Eva's name reversing, Stablish peace below. Break the captive's fetters; Light on blindness pour; All our ills expelling, Every bliss implore. Show thyself a Mother; Offer Him our sighs, Who for us Incarnate Did not thee despise. Virgin of all virgins! To thy shelter take us: Gentlest of the gentle! Chaste and gentle make us. Still, as on we journey, Help our weak endeavor; Till with thee and Jesus We rejoice forever. Through the highest heaven, To the Almighty Three, Father, Son, and Spirit, One same glory be. Amen. Icon by Father William  McNichols