Well almost. Starting at 9:00pm tonight EWTN will replay a prerecorded recitation of the rosary by the Pope at St. Mary Major in Rome (one of the 4 Basilicas of Vatican City) and many FI’s will be there because we are in charge of the Sacristy and have our seminary and a couple of friaries in the city. So tune into EWTN at 9:00

From New Liturgical Movement

Deo Gratias!! Ave Maria!

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Homily #080805 ( 12min) Play – If we are truly children of the Church then we must also be truly children of the Mother of the Church – children of Mary.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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March 14, 2013 (Romereports.com) (-ONLY VIDEO-) During his first morning as Pope, Francis prayed for nearly 30 minutes at the altar of Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major. He left a floral arrangement at the altar, after entrusting his pontificate to the Virgin Mary.

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Here is a longer video of the one we posted a few days ago on the visit Pope Francis made to the Basilica of St Mary Major from the Italian Youtube site TV2000it. In the previous one I mentioned that our friars, who staff the sacristy there, almost undoubtedly were able to meet the pope. In this one, which was pointed out by Fr. John Lawrence in the comments on the last video, we actually see some of our gray-habbited friars kissing the hand of the new pope. So we have the FIs, the Marian-Franciscan friars, kissing the hand of the newly elected Holy Father Pope Francis in the oldest church dedicated to Mary, one of the four Major Basilicas of Rome, all very symbolic.

It must have been the thrill of a lifetime to be in those friars sandals. Apparently they had only ten minutes notice that the pope was coming. And he was only elected twelve hours before, so they were one of the very first people to be able to kiss hand.

The video is in Italian

Published on March 14, 2013 on TV2000it

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On this first Saturday in May, Mary’s month, the Holy Father Pope Francis prays the Rosary at St Mary Major in Rome. Yes it is a long video but when else do you get a chance to say the Rosary with the pope on the first Saturday in May. Of course, it is all in Italian.

I have not yet watched the whole thing but I imagine that you can spot some grey-habitted friars of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. If you do, please leave a comment giving the time counter.

Holy Rosary with the Pope – YouTube.

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Here is Robert Moynihan of Inside the Vatican’s  take on the Pope returning to St. Mary Major today to recite the Rosary and dedicate his entire pontificate to her. He connects this to a reference to the devil that the Pope made earlier in the day, suggesting that Mary as an antidote to the devil will be a major theme of his pontificate.

Francis, Mary, and the Deceiver

Pope Francis returned to the Basilica of St. Mary Major this evening for the second time since he became Pope — the first time was at 8 a.m. on March 14, the morning after his election, to pray before an icon of the Virgin known as the Salus Populi Romani (“Protectress of the Roman People”).

He came to pray a Rosary and to dedicate his papacy to the Virgin Mary.

He also gave a homily this morning in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where he is living. Once again this morning he mentioned the devil, referring to him as a “hater” who wishes ill to men and women, and who must be resisted by faith and prayer.

The coincidence today of these two prayers — one in the evening to Mary in her greatest basilica on earth, the other in the morning against the “prince of this world,” the devil, in a small chapel — seemed to emphasize a key theme of this pontificate: that the battle against the devil, against evil, is won with and through Mary, the daughter of Israel who was, and is, called “full of grace.”

And this explains a great deal about where this “Franciscan” pontificate is, and may be heading…

via Letter #69: Mary, and the Deceiver.

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Before returning to the Vatican asked the faithful present , t …

via Pope Francis goes to St Mary Major to pray for WYD – YouTube.

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Ave Maria! Here is an article about the Basilica that we staff. A restoration process on the “Salus populi Romani” in St. Mary Major has just been finished. The image has been revered as miraculous since at least the 15th century, and Pope Pius V had the image carried through Rome in prayer for victory before the Battle of Lepanto. The image depicts the Virgin Mary in a blue robe, carrying the child Jesus who is holding a jeweled, golden book. This ancient icon has now been restored and last Sunday was revealed to the public.

The head of the Vatican Museums, Barbara Jatta, said the restoration uncovered the “delicate” colors of the faces of Mary and Jesus, and the brilliance of the child’s golden robe and the blue of Mary’s tunic.

The restoration also will help scholars date the painting, whose origins are disputed. Tradition has it dating from Jerusalem in the 5th century and purportedly painted by St. Luke himself. In an article in Thursday’s Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Jatta said the true date is more likely between the 11th and the 13th century.

Pope Francis’ favorite icon of the Madonna in Rome has gotten a face-lift. In addition to cleaning the image and repairing issues dating from previous restorations, restorers made a new showcase for the icon — lighter and with handles — to allow for easier and safer transport for the various religious celebrations where it’s displayed.

Source: Pope’s favorite Virgin Mary painting gets retouched – NBC News

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In the homily for the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Aug 5, 2019), Fr. Alan relates the dogma of the Divine Maternity to Catholic belief in Christ, Son of God, and to faith in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, through which man may partake in the immortality of the Resurrection to come.

• Note: the statement Father attributes to Pope St. Paul VI [6:25] seems to be a quote from St. Louis Marie de Montfort. (See article referenced below, “He who has not Mary for his mother etc.”)

Additional resources:

• “The Word took our nature from Mary” – from a letter by St. Athanasius: Roman breviary, second reading, Office of Readings for January 1^st (https://divineoffice.org/?date=20190101)
• CatholicCulture.org’s liturgical calendar notes for the Optional Memorial of the Dedication of St. Mary Major (https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-08-05)
• “The Basilica of Summer Snows” by June Hager (https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=5814)
• “He who has not Mary for his mother has not God for his Father” – the statement is from True Devotion to Mary (https://www.tfp.org/he-who-has-not-mary-for-his-mother-has-not-god-for-his-father/)

Ave Maria!

Mass: Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major – Opt Mem

Readings: Monday 18th Week of Ordinary Time
1st: Num 11:4-15
Resp: Ps 81:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Gsp: Mt 14:13-21

More on the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080519.cfm

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Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Aug 05, 2024, on how the dedication of St. Mary Major reminds us of Mary’s essential role as the Mother of God and Mediatrix of all graces, calling us to seek her intercession for holiness and purity.

The Basilica of St. Mary Major, a historic church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built by Pope St. Sixtus III after the Council of Ephesus confirmed that Mary is the Mother of God, thus honoring the role of Mary in our salvation. The homily reflects on the importance of Mary’s mediation and the grace of God, comparing grace to snow, which purifies and renews us. We are called to emulate Mary’s purity and seek her intercession to resist sin and become holy.

00:00 – Dedication of St. Mary Major
00:15 – Pope St. Sixtus III and the Council of Ephesus
00:38 – Importance of Mary as Mother of God
01:02 – History of the Basilica’s Construction
01:45 – Sixtus III’s Mosaic and Poem
02:14 – Martyrs and Mary’s Intercession
03:24 – Early Christian Prayers to Mary
03:56 – Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces
04:17 – Symbolism of Grace and Snow
05:54 – Legend of Snowfall at St. Mary Major
07:11 – Mary’s Purity and Mediation
07:51 – Grace and Purity in Christian Life

Ave Maria!

Mass: Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major – Opt Mem – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_di_Santa_Maria_Maggiore
Readings: Monday in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080524.cfm
1st: jer 28:1-17
Resp: psa 119:29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102
Gsp: mat 14:13-21

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1124&r=904

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