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Our Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, Holy Name Cathedral, Raleigh NC

"We honor, on this festival, that singular privilege of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to be the Mother of the world's Redeemer. She conceived of the Holy Ghost; and the eternal Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, took flesh of her, in order to be born man for our salvation. We are called upon this day to give thanks to God for this wonderful dignity and favor conferred on our Blessed Lady, that she should be the Mother of God. We are invited to make our requests to our Blessed Redeemer, that as for our salvation, He was pleased to be humbled, and chose for His mother a virgin, who being full of grace, and blessed among women, was, notwithstanding these great prerogatives, the most humble too, so He would vouchsafe to take from us all pride, and give us an humble spirit, that so we may be in earnest His disciples. What was the very motive for which she was chosen out of all women to that great dignity, must be the thing most desired by all who seek to be his. This dignity of Mother of God, is the crown and perfection of her excellence. What may we not hope from the powerful intercession and loving patronage of such a mother? With what confidence ought we to implore her protection and intercession in life, but especially in death, when we shall stand most in need of the protection of Mary. We daily recite the Hail Mary, and therein invoke our Blessed Lady, as the Holy Mother of God; but we should strive to recite it with ardent devotion and lively confidence, earnestly desiring to commend ourselves to her powerful patronage. All the favors conferred by the Almighty on other saints, were not to be compared to that reserved for Mary. She was His peculiar choice, and furnished with His graces to bear the most illustrious and exalted title of honor that heaven could bestow on a creature, to conceive and bring forth the Divine Word made man. Pray on this day that the Holy Mother of God would be a mother to you also." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"We exhort all those who glory in being the followers of Christ, and who place in Him their own hope and salvation and that of human society, that they should ever join themselves more firmly and more closely to this Roman Church, in which alone Christ is believed in with whole and perfect faith, is worshiped with the sincere worship of adoration, and is beloved with the perpetual flame of burning charity. Let them remember, and in particular those who preside over a flock separated from Us, that the faith which their fathers solemnly professed at Ephesus is preserved unchanged and is strenuously defended, as in past ages so also in the present, by this supreme Chair of Truth. Let them remember that the unity of this genuine faith rests and stands firm only on the one rock set by Christ, and can be preserved safe and intact by the supreme authority of the successors of Blessed Peter.

Desiring that there may be a liturgical monument of this commemoration, which may help to nourish the piety of clergy and people towards the great Mother of God, We have commanded Our supreme council presiding over Sacred Rites to publish an Office and Mass of the Divine Maternity, which is to be celebrated by the universal Church." Encyclical: Lux Veritatis, Pope Pius XI, 1931.

Liturgical notes on the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (New Liturgical Movement)

Prayer:

Mary, Mother of Jesus, throw your mantle of purity over our priests. Protect them, guide them, and keep them in your heart. Be a Mother to them, especially in times of discouragement and loneliness. Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus. Like Jesus, they, too, are your sons, so keep their hearts pure and virginal. Keep their minds filled with Jesus, and put Jesus always on their lips, so that He is the one they offer to sinner and to all they meet.Mary, Mother of Jesus, be their Mother, loving them and bringing them joy. Take special care of sick and dying priests, and the ones most tempted. Remember how they spent their youth and old age, their entire lives serving and giving all to Jesus. Mary, bless them and keep a special place for them in your heart. Give them a piece of your heart, so beautiful and pure and immaculate, so full of love and humility, so that they, too, can grow in the likeness of Christ. Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus. Amen.