Venite Prandete

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY 7th OCTOBER This is a Feast Day that is fitting for the month of October, as a month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. This particular Feast Day, formerly called “Our Lady of Victory” was instituted by Pope Pius V after the decisive naval victory of the fleet of the Holy League over the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. That battle was between a patchwork fleet of the Catholic kingdoms - the Spanish, Venetian and Genoese navies under the command of Don Juan of Austria, and the the superior forces of the Ottoman Empire. It resulted from an attempt to rescue Christians besieged in Catholic maritime states in the Venetian outposts, Sicily and Cyprus. The Ottoman force numbered 12,000- 15,000, with Catholic slaves as rowers, vastly outnumbering the Catholic forces. The Ottoman forces were intent upon invading Italy with the objective of taking Rome. Knowing that the Catholic forces were outnumbered and at a material disadvantage, Pope Pius ...

OUR LADY OF RANSOM FEAST DAY 24 SEPTEMBER From the 8th to the 15th century, the presence of Saracens, (Moors, or Muslim Arabs), posed extreme danger to Christians on the seas, as pilgrims in the Middle East, or living in North Africa, Sicily and Spain, where the Caliphate occupied a significant portion of the Iberian Peninsula. Raids by Saracen militias and armed groups resulted in the captivity of many Catholics, who were sold as slaves. Particularly during the 13th century, the powerful Islamic Taifa kingdoms in Spain, and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean, operated an enormous slave trade, and the Spanish and Sicilians, in particular, were subject to raids where they would be sold into slavery, or, if they remained in the subjugated area, forced to renounce their faith in the face of severe discrimination, torture and death. It is estimated that in one year more white Europeans were taken captive in these raids than the total number of slaves shipped to America over the entire...

  FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF MARY: OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA AND THE BATTLE OF VIENNA 12 SEPTEMBER The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary was instituted by Blessed Innocent II to be celebrated on 12 September after the victory of the armies of the Holy League against the invading armies of Islam under the Sultan Mehmet IV, a victory that preserved Europe from destruction. Poland was dedicated under the mantle of Our Lady of Czestochowa after her protection was invoked against the Swedish army. In 1655 Poland was attacked by Swedes coming from the north, with the aim of imposing the protestant faith. After capturing most of the country and compelling the exile of the Polish King, a Swedish regiment of 3,000 men with heavy artillery advanced upon the monastery of Jasna Gora, site of the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, declaring that they would “have the hen house in ten days”. The monastery, however, after praying to Our Lady of Czestochowa, and led by the Abbot, Father Kordeci, with only ...

  FEAST OF THE SEVEN DOLOURS OF OUR LADY 15 SEPTEMBER The Collect of the Mass of today provides: “Oh God, at whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious virgin and mother Mary: mercifully grant, that we who with devotion, honour her sorrows, may obtain the happy fruit of Thy Passion: Who livest and reignest…” The Servite Order was established by some Tuscan youths in 1232. They took up the sorrows of Our Lady, standing under the Cross, as the principal devotion of their order. Today’s Gospel is the Gospel of John 19: 25-27: “Near the Cross of Jesus stood His Mother and His Mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing His Mother and the disciple He loved standing near her, Jesus said to His Mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to the disciple He said, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” In handing Our Lady to St John, Christ gave ...