Ave, Maria, Mater Dei!

The Feast of the Queenship of Mary

Happy titular feast day to all members of our home parish here in Omaha and to all our Religious friends whose congregations are dedicated to and protected by Maria, Mater Dei!

Painting, "The Coronation," by Diego Velasquez (1559-1660)

On October 11th, 1954, His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, decreed and instituted the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be celebrated throughout the world every year on May 31st.  Likewise he decreed that on that day "there be renewed the consecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

-- St. Pius X missal, intro to the Mass of the day

There has never been a time when it's been more important to recommend ourselves to the powerful care of our heavenly Queen. I'm sure, since I'm preaching to the choir here, I don't need to cite examples of the warfare we still endure, and the increased threat to our future in this Godless day... It's a hard time to save our souls, and promises only to get harder.

 The inspired wording of this prayer of consecration written by Pope Piux XII both details our danger and provides our protection.

The Consecration of the Human Race to the Immaculate Heart

Queen of the Holy Rosary,

Help of the Christians,

Refuge of the human race,

Conqueress in God’s battlefields,

To You and to Your Immaculate Heart

In this tragic hour of human history

We entrust and consecrate ourselves,

And the Holy Church.

She is the Mystical Body of Your Jesus,

Suffering and bleeding in so many parts

And tormented in so many ways,

We consecrate to You the whole world torn by bitter strive

And consumed by the fire of hatred

The victim of its own wickedness.

Look with compassion to all material and moral destruction

To the suffering and fears of fathers and mothers

Of husbands and wives, of brother and sisters and innocent children.

Look at the many lives cut down in the flower of youth

So many bodies torn to pieces in brutal slaughter

So many souls tortured and troubled

And in danger of being lost eternally.

Oh, Mother of Mercy, obtain peace for us from God!

Obtain especially those graces, which can convert human hearts quickly.

Those graces, which can prepare, establish and insure peace.

Queen of Peace, pray for us;

Give the world at war the peace for which all are longing,

Peace in Truth, Justice and the Charity of Christ.

Give them peace of the arms and peace of mind,

That in tranquillity and order

The Kingdom of God may expand.

Grant Your protection to infidels

And to those still walking in the shadow of death;

Give them peace and permit that the sun of truth may raise upon them;

And that together with us

They may repeat before the Only Saviour of the World:

Glory to God in the highest

And peace on earth among men of good will (Lk2.14)

Give peace to the people separated by error and schism,

Particularly those, who have special devotion to You

And among whom there was no home,

Where Your venerable Icon was not honoured,

Though at present it may be hidden

In the hope for better days.

Bring them back to the One Fold of Christ,

Under the One True Shepherd.

Obtain peace and complete liberty for the Holy Church of God,

Check the spreading flood of neo-paganism,

Arouse within the faithful love of purity

The practice of Christian life and apostolic zeal,

So that the people who serve God,

May increase in merit and number.

All of humanity were once consecrated to the Heart of Your Son.

All our hopes rest in Him, Who is in all times

Sign and pledge of victory and salvation.

Forever we consecrate ourselves to You

And to Your Immaculate Heart,

Oh, Mother and Queen of the World!

May Your love and patronage hasten the victory of the Kingdom of God,

May all nations, at peace with each other and with God, proclaim You Blessed

And sing with You from one end of the earth to the other,

The eternal Magnificat of glory, love and gratitude

To the Heart of Jesus, in which alone,

They can find Truth, Life and Peace.