Bulletins
May 9, 2021
Download the Bulletin as a PDFMay 9
6th Sunday of Easter
5th Sunday after Easter
Mothers Day
The Litany of Loreto takes its name from the Marian shrine of Loreto in Italy, where the prayer is believed to have been used as far back as 1531. Its origin may go as far back as 1150. It was officially approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V, who suppressed all other Marian litanies. The Litany of Loreto is the only official sanctioned Marian litany, thus the only Marian litany that we may use liturgically. Many other Marian litanies were and are in use, but only for private devotion.
Through the centuries the Litany of Loreto has been amended several times. “Help of Christians” had been added by Pope St. Pius V in 1571 after the Battle of Lepanto. “Queen of the Most Holy Rosary” was added in 1675 by Pope Clement X. “Queen conceived without original sin” was added to the Litany by Pope Pius IX in 1854, the same year he proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. “Mother of Good Counsel” was added by Pope Leo XIII in 1903. In 1917 amidst the suffering of the first World War, Pope Benedict XV added “Queen of Peace”. In 1950 Pius XII added “Queen assumed into heaven” in keeping with the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope St. John Paul II added “Mother of the Church” in 1980, and “Queen of families” in 1995. In 2020 Pope Francis added three more invocations:
“Mater misericordiae” or “Mother of mercy”
“Mater spei” or “Mother of hope”
“Solacium migrantium” or “Solace of migrants”
Our Lady is also invoked as
Mother of Christ,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Savior
Our Lady was made Mother of St. John the Beloved. She is our mother in most special way. Thanks be to God.
Holy Mary our Mother, pray for us!
Rev. Christopher J. Pollard
