Seasonal Devotions
for the Month of September

Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd
Triduum, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 Feast, Sept. 3

   On Calvary, the Good Shepherd Who gave His life for His sheep, entrusted them to the keeping of His own pure and Immaculate Mother. Like her beloved Son, she too is filled with a burning love for souls. She does all in her power to bring them to His Most Sacred Heart and to save them from eternal death. Let us pray to the Mother of the Good Shepherd for the souls who are still outside His One, True Fold, the Catholic Church, as well as for ourselves, that we may faithfully follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd of our souls. Let us ever recall the respect and obedience due to those faithful Bishops of the Church set over us by Christ, to guide and direct us in the way of eternal salvation.

He said to His Mother, "Woman, behold thy son." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold thy Mother" (John 29:26).

Thou art blessed by the Lord, O Mary, for through Thee we have partaken in the Fruit of Life. Because of Thee, the gates of Heaven were opened to us, O Thou who dost reign gloriously with the angels! Hail Mary...

Mary speaks:
"Now, therefore, you children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways" (Prov. 8:32).

Let us Pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Good Shepherd of our souls, Who didst give Thy life for Thy sheep, and Who, when dying on the Cross didst entrust to the Virgin Mary the sheep of Thy pasture, grant that through her intercession we may on earth follow Thee, our Shepherd, through humble obedience to our Bishop, successor of Thy Blessed Apostles, and so be led to the heavenly pastures of life everlasting. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Novena, Aug. 30-Sept. 7; Feast, Sept. 8 The Immaculate Virgin Mary was chosen from all eternity to bear for us the Savior; hence she was eternally in God's plan of Redemption. In time she was Immaculately Conceived, and her birth brought the hope of salvation to mankind. Let us joyfully thank God for having given her to us as a loving Mother. Let us glorify Him for all the mercies He has shown to mankind through the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary. Let our birthday gift to our Heavenly Mother be the total consecration of ourselves to her loving and Immaculate Heart. (Read a longer article on the Nativity of Mary)

Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me (Prov. 9:4).

With gladness let us celebrate the birthday of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, that she may intercede for us with Our Lord Jesus Christ! Glory be to the Father...

Let us call to mind the most noble birth of the glorious Virgin Mary, whose humility delighted the gaze of the Lord, and who, at the message of an angel, conceived the Savior of the world. Hail Mary...

This day the Blessed Virgin Mary was born of the royal family of David. Through her the Salvation of the world appeared for all who believe. This is she whose life gave Light to the world. Hail Mary...

O Virgin Mother of God, thy birthday announced joy to the whole world, for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, Who, having taken away the curse, bestowed blessing, and having triumphed over death, gave us life everlasting. Hail Mary...

Mary speaks:
"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His ways, before He made anything from the beginning. I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made" (Prov. 8:22).

Let us Pray. May all our hope of assistance, O Lord, ever rest upon the loving kindness of Thine only-begotten Son. May He, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who when born of the Virgin, did not detract from the Virginity of His Mother, but made it sacred, cleanse us of our sins on this solemn feastday of her Nativity, and make our prayers pleasing in Thy sight. Amen.

Hymn--Ave Maris Stella
Hail thou star of ocean, God's own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin, Gate of heavenly rest.

Oh! by Gabriel's Ave, uttered long ago,
Eva's name reversing, established peace below.

Break the captive's fetters, light on blindness pour;
All our ills expelling, every bliss implore.

Show thyself a Mother; may the Word Divine,
Born for us thine Infant, hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling, mildest of the mild;
Freed from guilt preserve us meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless, make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus joy for ever more.

Through the highest Heaven, to the almighty Three,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one same glory be. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us Pray. Bestow on Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that we, for whom the Blessed Virgin's motherhood was the beginning of salvation, may be blessed with peace on the sacred feastday of her Nativity. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Most Holy Name of Mary
Triduum, Sept. 9-11 Feast Sept. 12

    From all eternity God pronounced this Name when He predestined Mary to be the Mother of Jesus our Savior. This name means sovereignty, for Mary, as Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother, is the Mistress of the world. It means bitterness, expressing the great sorrow she felt when she co-operated in the great act of Redemption of mankind on Calvary. It means resistance, for by reason of her Immaculate Conception, Mary was the first to totally conquer the ancient serpent, and to offer to God the first fruits of the Redeeming Death of His Only-Begotten Son. The Name of Mary, then, is a source of power, consolation, and hope. Let us prove our love for our Heavenly Mother by frequently uttering her sacred name with loving confidence.

"And the Virgin's name was Mary" (Luke 1: 27).

Blessed art Thou, O Holy Mary, who hast believed that the things which were spoken to Thee by the Lord would be accomplished. After Childbirth, O Virgin, Thou didst remain undefiled. O Holy Mother of God, intercede for us! Hail Mary...

They shall be mindful of thy name from age to age. Therefore the people will give thanks to Thee forever. Pray for the people, plead for priests; intercede for devout women. May all who celebrate the memory of Thy holy name obtain Thy help!  Hail Mary...

Mary speaks:
"I am the salvation of the people. In whatever distress they may cry to me, I will hear them."

"In dangers, in sufferings, in doubt, think of Mary and invoke her aid. Let Mary be always in your heart and often upon your lips. To obtain her help in death, follow her example in life. In following her, you will not go astray; by praying to her, you will not despair; if you cling to her, you will not go wrong. With her support, you fall not; under her protection you have no fear; under her guidance you do not grow weary; if she is gracious to you, you will reach the port. Thus you will experience how rightly it is said: "And the Virgin's name was Mary." (St. Bernard)

Hymn -- Alma Redemptoris Mater

Mother of Christ, hear Thou Thy people's cry,
Star of the sea and portal of the sky.

Holy Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made,
Sinking, we strive, and call to thee for aid.

Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us sinners thy mercy see.

Let us Pray. Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that Thy people who rejoice in the name and in the protection of the most Holy Virgin Mary, may by her intercession be delivered from all evil here on earth, and be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys in Heaven. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Lady of Ransom
Triduum, Sept. 21-23; Feast, Sept. 24

    By the special intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymond of Peņafort, and King James of Aragon established an Order under the name of Our Lady of Mercy for the ransom of Christian captives from the Muslim marauders in the 13th century. Under Our Lady's special protection the Order grew rapidly. These devoted religious dedicated themselves not only to collecting alms for the ransom of Christian captives, but even, as a last resort, gave themselves up to voluntary slavery in order to rescue those languishing in the Moorish prisons. One of these heroic religious, St. Raymond Nonnatus (Aug. 31), after having delivered many Christian slaves in Africa from the Mohammedans, gave himself up as a hostage. His vicious captors so hated his fearless witness to Christ, that they closed his mouth with a padlock which pierced his lips. He died in 1240. It was to return thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin for the miraculous institution of this Order that the feast of Our Lady of Ransom was instituted. Let us ask Our Lady of Mercy to console and strengthen all those who are suffering under the sway of present-day Islamic tyranny, and to ransom poor sinners from their captivity to Satan in the cruel slavery of sin and vice, and to free the Poor Souls suffering in Purgatory.

"He hath given help to Israel His servant, mindful of His mercy" (Luke 1:54).

O Mary, thou art favored more than all other women on earth, for in the presence of our God thou hast aided us in our weakness. Rule over us, thou and thy Son, because thou hast freed us from the hands of our enemies!  Hail Mary...

Mary speaks:
"He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord" (Prov. 8:35).

Let us Pray. O God, Who through the most glorious Mother of Thy Son wast pleased to give new children to Thy Church for the deliverance of Christ's faithful from the power of the heathen, grant, we pray Thee, that we who affectionately honor her as the Foundress of so great a work, may, by her merits and intercession, be delivered from the slavery of sin and the eternal flames of Hell. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.