Psallite Sapienter: Our Blessed Lady / Blessed Mother

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Our Blessed Lady / Blessed Mother

An intriguing cultural difference between Australian Catholics on the one hand, and American Catholics on the other has caught my attention...

I customarily speak of the Blessed Virgin Mary as "Our Lady" or in more formal words as "Our Blessed Lady", just as I refer to Our Lord Jesus Christ as "Our Lord" or, more formally, "Our Blessed Lord"; for I exceedingly dislike, as irreverent and tending to impiety, the modern obsession with dumbing down our forms of address, and daring to speak casually of "Mary" and "Jesus" - at the most, I refer to Him as "Christ" rather than to so freely use the Holy Name, and with St Clement Mary Hofbauer, when I hear mention made of "Mary", I am tempted to ask to which Mary reference is being made.

Apparently Americans refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary far more often as "Our Blessed Mother" or "the Blessed Mother" - which is an expression I wouldn't use at all, not that it isn't a very nice and true one, but simply it sounds odd and foreign, as if I spoke of the "Holy Heart" of Jesus, and not of the "Sacred Heart". Do Americans use "Our Lady" as well, or does that sound very English and quaint to them?

Is this just my peculiarity, or is this a real difference in Catholic phraseology between Australia (together with other Commonwealth countries, such as Britain) and the USA?

Comments, please!

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

PRAY TASMANIA GETS A WEEKLY LATIN MASS

Précibus Sancti Patrícii, Epíscopi et Confessóris tui, Divínam tuam obsecrámus Majestátem: ut nos te cólere, te adoráre permíttas secúndum ritum Latínum Sanctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ tráditum, cunctis saltem diébus Domínicis et festis:

Acceptábilis tibi sit, Dómine exercítuum, hæc oblátio munda; quam per beáti Patrícii labóres ab ortu solis usque ad occásum magno nómini tuo in géntibus offérri voluísti. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.

******

Through the prayers of St Patrick, Thy Bishop and Confessor, we entreat Thy Divine Majesty, that Thou permit us to worship and adore Thee according to the Traditional Latin Rite of the Holy Roman Church, at least on all Sundays and Holy Days:

May this clean oblation be acceptable unto Thee, O Lord of hosts, which, through the labours of blessed Patrick, from the rising to the setting of the sun, shall be offered unto Thy great Name among the nations, as Thou hast willed. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS & ARCHBISHOP JULIAN

Orémus pro Pontífice nostro Francísco. R/. Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum ejus.

Orémus pro Antístite nostro Juliáno. R/. Stet et pascat in fortitúdine tua, Dómine, in sublimitáte nóminis tui.

******

(Let us pray for Francis our Pope. R/. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

(Let us pray for Julian our Bishop. R/. May he stand and shepherd in Thy strength, O Lord, in the sublimity of Thy name.)

Il Papa che parla...

As for the use of the 1962 Missal as a Forma extraordinaria of the liturgy of the Mass, I would like to draw attention to the fact that this Missal was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted.

… it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them.

What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.

— Benedict XVI, Letter to Bishops concerning his Motu Proprio «Summorum Pontificum» (7/7/2007)

PRAYER FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF MATTEO RICCI, S.J. (1552-1610)

PRAYER FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF MATTEO RICCI, S.J. (1552-1610)

Eternal Father, Who didst send Thine Only-begotten Son into this world to redeem mankind, kindly hear our humble prayer, and grant the favour we ask at the intercession of the Servant of God Father Matteo Ricci, an outstanding preacher of the Gospel by Thy providential plan, one of the first to harvest the field made sacred by Saint Francis Xavier; who, as soon as he became a missionary in China, spread far and wide the teaching of Christ, and wisely guided countless souls along the road to salvation and sanctity; may it please Thee, therefore, to glorify him on earth, as we believe he is glorified in heaven, and to add his name to the list of the Blesseds and Saints; for his elevation to the honours of the altar would give greater glory to Thee and to Thy Church, and greater edification to the Chinese Christians who so courageously live their faith and their charity. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Intercession of G. K. Chesterton

Prayer for the Intercession of G. K. Chesterton

God our Father, Thou didst fill the life of Thy servant Gilbert Keith Chesterton with a sense of wonder and joy, and gave him a faith which was the foundation of his ceaseless work, a hope which sprang from his enduring gratitude for the gift of human life, and a charity towards all men, particularly his opponents. May his innocence and his laughter, his constancy in fighting for the Christian faith in a world losing belief, his lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his love for all men, especially for the poor, bring cheerfulness to those in despair, conviction and warmth to lukewarm believers, and the knowledge of Thee to those without faith. We beg Thee to grant the favours we ask through his intercession, [and especially for …,] so that his holiness may be recognized by all, and the Church may proclaim him Blessed. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pater, Ave, Gloria, Credo.

PRAY FOR THE REUNION OF ANGLICANS WITH THE SEE OF ROME

V/. Pray for them, O Holy Mother of God.

R/. That they may be one in the Church of thy Son.

The Collect for the Anglican Use

O HOLY Ghost the Lord, who on Pentecost gavest the Church the gift of tongues that Christ might be known, loved and served by peoples of divers nations and customs: watch over the Anglican heritage within thy Church, we pray thee, that, led by thy guidance and strengthened by thy grace, that Use may find such favor in thy sight that its people may increase both in holiness and number, and so show forth thy glory; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Son, one God world without end. Amen.

the extraordinary form of the roman rite in perth, western australia

the extraordinary form of the roman rite in perth, western australia

The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated daily at St Anne's, Perth, Western Australia, by Fr Michael Rowe, official Latin Mass Chaplain of the Archdiocese of Perth. Sunday Masses are at 7.30am (Low), 9.15am (Missa Cantata) and 11.15am (Low). Confessions are heard before all Sunday and weekday Masses, and afterwards if need be. Weekly programme includes sung Mass on feast days, Holy Hours with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and the Holy Rosary before all Masses. Fr Rowe also travels to Bunbury once a month to supply the Traditional Mass in that diocese. For more information please contact Fr Rowe on (08) 9444 9604.