OCTOBER DEVOTION: UNDERSTANDING THE MARIAN TITLES IN THE LITANY OF LORETO (PART 2) – DAY 20: “QUEEN OF THE FAMILY” (REGINA FAMILIAE)

DAY 20 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray for families on the verge of disintegration as a result of domestic violence, parental divorce, hardships, biological issues, parental death, identity crisis, conflicts between siblings, etc. May they be visited by Our Lady, Queen of the Family, so that the divine Will would reign in their families to the greater glory of God. Amen (Also add your own intention…)

Now, say the 20 decades of the Rosary…

At the end of the 20 decades, say the following Prayers:

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us!

Litany of Loreto

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us (Repeat after each invocation)

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,
pray for us (Repeat after each invocation)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Mercy,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother of Hope,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Saviour,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Solace of Migrants,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most Holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

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

Let us pray
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Prayer to Saint Joseph after the Rosary

To you, O Blessed Joseph, we come in our trials, and having asked the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently ask your patronage also. Through that sacred bond of charity which united you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the fatherly love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you to look graciously upon the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by his blood, and to aid us in our necessities with your power and strength.

O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ. Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin. Our most mighty protector, graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness. And just as you once saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God’s Holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity. Shield each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your help, we may be able to live a virtuous life, die a holy death, and obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

DAY 20 REFLECTION: “QUEEN OF THE FAMILY” (REGINA FAMILIAE)

Aside from the original twelve invocations of Our Lady as “Queen” in the Litany, some other “queenship titles” were later introduced to also aid in building the relationship of the faithful with the Blessed Virgin Mary. The title: “Queen of the Family” (Latin, Regina familiae) was introduced by Pope St. John Paul II, in response to the request made at the conclusion of the Seventh Laurentian Centenary in 1995. Today, being the twentieth day of our October Devotion, we shall briefly examine this title. How is the Blessed Virgin Mary “Queen of the family,” and what importance has this title in our respective families?

As a perennial sign of the great event experienced by more than four million pilgrims, Pope John Paul II determined on December 31, 1995, the liturgical feast of the Holy Family, to incorporate the invocation “Queen of the family” into the Litany so that through the light of the example of Mary, the domestic church (the family) of God’s people may be modelled after the holy family and enjoy their maternal protection. It is awesome to see that this invocation (Queen of the family) was inserted after the invocation “Queen of the Holy Rosary” and before the invocation “Queen of Peace,” as an appropriate place to consider Mary as the mother and protector of the family, a place where the Holy Rosary is recited in common and where peace is taught in daily relations between people.

Invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary as “Queen of the family” enables us to understand her role in the family – being a place of education, learning and exercising human and Christian virtues – the virtues first exercised by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is up to the family to imitate her in order to avail the everyday opportunity for peaceful coexistence in which the Christian values are realized in the spirit of fraternity and joy. Put differently, the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the family should enable us to see the family as a teacher of virtues. The home should be the principal place of catechesis and prayer. Unfortunately, many families today allow the Church to fill that role alone. The home of Nazareth, in addition to the local synagogue, would have been the place of instruction for the Christ Child. The Holy Family taught Jesus how to pray and read, and at the start of his public ministry, Jesus would read from the scroll and declare the passage to be “fulfilled in their hearing” (see Lk 4:21). The home of Nazareth reminds us that families have the responsibility of teaching their children the Faith and to model the virtues. Jesus had most excellent parents; Mary was without sin and Joseph is described as a just and prudent man. Parents today can learn from Joseph and Mary on how to teach their children.

In the holy family at Nazareth, the chaste relationship of Joseph and Mary reminds all Christian faithful that, even in marriage, chastity is to be observed. The practice of natural family planning (NFP) is one way a couple observes chastity in their marriage. The fidelity of Joseph and Mary to each other also gives a great example and encourages couples in their fidelity to one another, even in difficult circumstances. The chaste relationship between Joseph and Mary means they experienced intimacy in different ways through their common life together. Their purity of mind and heart of mutual love for each other and the Son of God is indeed worthy of imitation by all families

Above all, in a world where the vision of the family today is questioned and attacked by immoral issues with a conflictive and violent frequency (abortion, IVF, artificial insemination, suicide, secularism, decline in the faith and spirituality, lack of care, lust divorce, domestic violence, etc.), the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes a shining example and intercessor. Her figure should enable families to rediscover the true meaning of the family, to rediscover that in the depths of the human heart lives and throbs countless desire to love, for unity and mutual help.

Let Us Pray:

O God, fill our families with the virtues of the Holy Family of Nazareth and grant that through the prayers of Mary and Joseph, Your will be done in the families as it is in heaven. Amen

Great job reflecting on Day 20! Click here for Day 21 – “Mother of Mercy”