Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

Chaplet of the Sorrowful Mother

This is a thirteenth century devotion promulgated by St. Bridget of Sweden. It's nice to have a chaplet to use when praying it, but it's not necessary. Its purpose is to pray in rememberance and compassionate with Our Blessed Mother in her Seven Sorrows surrounding the suffering and death of her Divine Son. Today might be a good day to consider adding or substituting the chaplet of the Seven Sorrows for the daily rosary.

This is how the chaplet is prayed:

In short, the chaplet consists of seven Hail Marys one for each of the seven Sorrows. One Our Father is said before each group of seven Hail Marys: which are separated by a medal on the actual chaplet. Three Hail Marys are prayed at the end (on the three beads of the chaplet) in honor of the Tears of Our Sorrowful Mother. This is a wonderful Lenten meditation.

For each of the seven sets of seven Hail Mary, meditate on the following:

THE FIRST SORROW- The Prophecy
The prophecy of holy Simeon who told Our Sorrowful Mother of the bitter passion and death of Jesus (Our Father-Seven HaiI Marys:
THE SECOND SORROW - The Flight
Our Sorrowful Mother is forced to flee into Egypt to save her beloved Son from the death decreed by Herod (Our Father-Seven Hail Mary:
THE THIRD SORROW- The Loss
Our Sorrowful Mother is separated From Jesus for three long days while He is lost in Jerusalem (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE FORTH SORROW - The Meeting
Our Sorrowful Mother meets Jesus on the road to Calvary and sees Him fall under the cruel weight of the cross (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys
THE FIFTH SORROW- Jesus Dies
Our Sorrowful Mother watches Jesus die on the Cross (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys
THE SIXTH SORROW - Mary Receives Jesus
Our Sorrowful Mother receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE SEVENTH SORROW - The Burial
Our Sorrowful Mother sees Jesus placed in the sacred tomb (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)

On the last three beads at the end of the chaplet:

THREE HAIL MARYS
Three Hail Marys are said in honor of the Tears of Our Sorrowful Mother
Our Father, Hail Mary, Gloria for the papal intentions.

AND...
Here is a post I wrote back in September on the Feast of the Seven Sorrows, a modern mother's look at each one...

Here's the link to our sons' choir singing the Stabat Mater.

And here area couple places to get a chaplet: Discount Catholic Products, The Grotto Gift Shop, Gifts of Faith and I know there are small etsy-style shops out there where faithful families make these, as well.

Most especially, our family is begging prayers for the intercession of the Sorrowful Mother for my husband's uncle, who passed away this morning. Thank-you so much for your kindness, if you can remember him today.

May the Divine Assistance remain always with him, and may the souls of all the faithful departed, throught the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.