Mary's Castle Library

 THE CATHOLIC FEAST 

DATE: JUNE 08

FEAST NAME: 

MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE 

HEART OF MARY

PROFILE 

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the INTERIOR LIFE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, HER VIRGINAL LOVE FOR GOD THE FATHER, Her MATERNAL LOVE FOR HER SON JESUS, and Her COMPASSIONATE LOVE for all people.

 

Veneration of the HEART OF MARY is analogous to worship of the SACRED HEART OF JESUS. There are, however, differences in this analogy as devotion to the Heart of Jesus is especially directed to the "DIVINE HEART" as overflowing with love for humanity. In the devotion to Mary, however, the attraction is the LOVE of Her Heart FOR JESUS and FOR GOD

 

A second difference is the nature of the devotion itself. In devotion to the SACRED HEART OF JESUS, the Roman Catholic venerates in a sense of love responding to love. In devotion to the HEART OF MARY, study and imitation hold as important a place as love. The aim of the devotion is TO UNITE MANKIND TO GOD THROUGH MARY'S HEART, and this process involves the ideas of CONSECRATION AND REPARATION.  The object of the devotion being to LOVE GOD and JESUS better by uniting one's self to Mary for this purpose and by imitating Her virtues.

 

PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE 

HEART OF MARY

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, full of goodness, show Your love towards us. Let the flame of Your heart, O Mary, descend on all people. We love You immensely. 

Impress true love in our hearts so that we have a continuous desire for You. 

 

O Mary, gentle and humble of heart, remember us when we are in sin. You know that all men sin. 

 

Give us, by means of your Immaculate Heart, spiritual health. Let us always see the goodness of your motherly heart and may we be converted by means of the flame of your heart. Amen.

 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, full of love for God and mankind, and of compassion for sinners, I consecrate myself to You. I entrust to You the salvation of my soul. 

 

May my heart be ever united with Yours, so that I may hate sin, love God and my neighbor, and reach eternal life with those whom I love. May I experience the kindness of your motherly heart and the power of Your intercession with Jesus during my life and at the hour of my death. Amen.

 

Prostrate at Thy sacred feet, O August Queen of Heaven, 

I venerate thee with the most profound respect, and I believe that thou art the daughter of the Eternal Father, the Mother of His Divine Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Ghost. 

 

Full of grace and virtues and heavenly gifts, thou art the purest temple of the most Holy Trinity, thou art the treasury and dispenser of divine mercy. 

 

Thy Immaculate Heart, full of charity, sweetness and tenderness, has given thee the name of Mother of Divine Clemency. 

 

Therefore, in my affliction and agony I present myself with confidence before thee, our most loving Mother, and I pray thee to make me experience the love which thou bearest us; Grant me [SPECIFY THE FAVOR] if it be the Will of God and for the good of my soul. Amen.

 

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, I beg of You by the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and by the graces God has granted to You since Your Immaculate Conception, the grace of never going astray again. Mother, keep me, a sinner, constantly bathed in the light of Your Immaculate Heart. Amen.

 

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY,

PRAY FOR US. AMEN!