Wednesday, August 22, 2007





MARY OUR QUEEN



Every Franciscan has a special love for Our Queen, the Blessed Virgin Mary! We come by this filial love by heredity; the Seraphic Saint Francis had a flaming love of Mary. From his youth Francis yearned to honor Mary, "the Mother all-loving," "the Mistress of the world." He consecrated himself and his followers to the Mother of God, Mother of the poor. He begged Her to watch over his Order as She had watched over the cradle at Bethlehem.

St. Francis wrote out and often sang this love poem:


"The Salutation of the Blessed Virgin."

"Hail, holy Lady, most holy queen,
Mother of God, Mary!
"Who art ever Virgin,
Chosen from heaven by the most holy Father!
"Whom He has consecrated with the most beloved Son,
In whom was and is all the fullness of grace and all good.

"Hail thou His palace!
"Hail thou His tabernacle!
"Hail thou His house!
"Hail thou His garment!
"Hail thou His handmaid!
"Hail thou His mother!

"And hail all you holy virtues
Which are poured into the hearts of the faithful
through the grace and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,
that from being unbelievers,
you may make them faithful to God."



Pope St. Pius X declared to the world:
"We, from the fullness of our Apostolic power and as a new token of our special good will towards the sons of St. Francis, grant and command . . . that in the Litany of Loreto . . . the Seraphic Order add, 'QUEEN OF THE FRIARS MINOR, PRAY FOR US.'

"We declare that by means of this invocation the special protection of the Immaculate Virgin is implored: First, for the members of the three-fold branch of the Franciscan Order collectively and individually, and for their Ministers General; secondly, for the nuns who follow the Rule of st. Clare . . .; thirdly, for the members of the Third Order of either sex whether they live in community or in the world . . ."

May Mary ever be Queen and Sweetheart to every Franciscan. Amen.

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