Virgo Potens

❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀ THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS MARY’S GREAT PROMISE AT FATIMA THE observance of the First Saturday in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is intended to console her Immaculate Heart, and to make reparation for all the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. This devotion and the wonderful promises connected with it were revealed by the Blessed Virgin with these words recorded by Lucy, one of the three children to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917: I promise to help at the hour of death, with the graces needed for salvation, whoever on the First Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Confess and receive Holy Communion. 2. Recite five decades of the Rosary. 3. And keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me. NOTE: Confession during the week, preceding the first Friday, will suffice for the first Saturday, or conversely when Saturday is the first day of the month. The Rosary May be recited at any convenient time of the day, and the fifteen minute meditation may be made at any time during the day on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. A sermon for the occasion may be substituted for the meditation. ~ St. Joseph Daily Missal (1950) ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀

July 4th, 2026 FIRST SATURDAY of JULY 💙 “See my daughter, how my heart is encircled by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and announce that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who on the First Saturdays of five consecutive months, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite part of My Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on its mysteries with the intention of offering me reparation.” ~ Words of Our Lady to Sr. Marie (Lucia dos Santos) on December 10, 1925 If possible, make First Saturday devotions today, in reparation for offenses against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as requested by Our Lady herself in 1925, and confirmed by Our Lord in 1927.

2 of 2 Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 3rd But pride may even insinuate itself into this very contempt of praise, as St. Augustine says: “A man is often foolishly proud of his own foolish contempt of himself.” [Lib.10] But if it be necessary for us to praise those who are present, it is not less necessary to exercise discretion and prudence in so doing, as St. Augustine also teachs: “Lest the most dangerous temptation be found in the love of giving praise.” Adulation is always pernicious, whether we adulate ourselves or others. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 3rd [133 continued] The humble man, says St. Thomas, is amazed when anyone speaks well of him, and there is nothing that astonishes him more than to hear himself praised. Thus the Blessed Virgin, when she heard from the Archangel Gabriel that she was to become the Mother of God, had such a lowly opinion of herself that she marvelled greatly that she should be exalted to such an eminent dignity. “To a humble soul nothing is more wonderful than to hear its own excellence; thus, to Mary’s saying, ‘How shall this be?’ the Angel brings forward a proof, not to take away her belief but rather to dispel her wonder.” [3 part., qu. xxx, art. 4] (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Precious Blood ~ July 3rd From all this horror whither shall we look for deliverance? Not to ourselves; for we know the practical infinity of our weakness, and the incorrigible vitality of our corruption. Not to any earthly power; for it has no jurisdiction here. Not to philosophy, literature, or science; for in this case they are but sorry and unhelpful matters. Not to any saint however holy, nor to any angel, however mighty; for the least sin is a bigger mountain than they have faculties to move. Not to the crowned queen of God’s creation, the glorious and the sinless Mary; for even her holiness cannot satisfy for sin, nor the whiteness of her purity take out its deadly stain. Neither may we look for deliverance direct from the patience and compassion of God Himself; for in the abyss of His wisdom it has been decreed, that without shedding of blood there shall be no remission of sin. It is from the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ alone that our salvation comes. Out of the immensity of its merits, out of the inexhaustible treasures of its satisfactions, because of the resistless power of its beauty over the justice and the wrath of God, because of that dear combination of its priceless worth and its benignant prodigality, we miserable sinners are raised out of the depths of our wretchedness, and restored to the peace and favour of our Heavenly Father. ~ Frederick William Faber, D.D., The Precious Blood: or, The Price of Our Salvation (1860)

Month of the Precious Blood ~ July 3rd What then must a life of such sin be? What must be a death in sin? What the irrevocable eternity of unrestricted sin? (continued)

July 3rd, 2026 FIRST FRIDAY of JULY ❤️ O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee! If possible, receive Holy Communion today and make reparation to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for past and present offenses against His Most Sacred Heart.

2 of 2 Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 2nd St. Augustine, speaking of this pleasure which we derive from being praised, addresses this prayer to God: “Lord, put this folly far from me,” [Lib. 10, Confess., cap. xxxvii] for he held it as a real madness to take pleasure in vanity and deceits; and when he heard others praise him, he pondered upon the knowledge he had of himself and upon the justice of God, saying in his own heart: “I know myself better than they know me, but God knows me better than I know myself.” [Enarr. in Ps. xxv] A heart that is truly humble, says Saint Gregory, always fears to hear its own praises, because it fears that this praise may either be false or may rob it of the merit and reward promised to true virtue. “If the heart is truly humble, the good that it hears of itself it either fails to recognize or fears lest the hope of future title to reward be changed for some passing favour.” [lib. 22, Mor. c. iii] (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 2nd 133. When you hear yourself praised, what precautions do you take? Self-love is quick to mingle some grain of its own incense with that which it receives from others. I mean by this that through the corruption of our nature we are very ready to approve these praises as if they were truly and justly due to us, and to flatter ourselves with vainglory; but all this comes from want of humility. (continued)

Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 2nd "Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." Who else but Jesus can do this, and what else even from Him do we require but this; for in this lies all things which we can desire? Of all miseries the bondage of sin is the most miserable. It is worse than sorrow, worse than pain. ~ Frederick William Faber, D.D., The Precious Blood: or, The Price of Our Salvation (1860)

2 of 2 Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 1st It may be that sometimes you speak ill of yourself, in order that others may contradict it. This is the way of him of whom it is said, “There is one who humbleth himself wickedly,” [Ecclus xix, 23] who pretends indeed to flee from praise, yet seeks it, to flee from honours and courts them. You must accustom yourself not to speak either ill or well of yourself, because it is easy for pride to inspire your words in either case. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 1st [132 continued] Do you sometimes set yourself up as an example, saying it would be well to do so and so as you have done it yourself? If you have some gift of God, do you talk about it as if to say: “Thanks be to God, I have not such and such a vice; thanks be to God, I have such and such a virtue”? Call to remembrance the advice given by the Angel to Tobias, that it is good to keep hidden the secret gifts of God: “For it is good to hide the secret of a king.” [Tob. xii, 7] (continued)

Sang précieux de notre Rédempteur, c’est par vous que nos àmes seront sauvées. Precious Blood of our Saviour, it is through thee that our souls will be saved. Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus ~ July 1st It is from the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ alone that our salvation comes. Out of the immensity of its merits, out of the inexhaustible treasures of its satisfactions, because of the resistless power of its beauty over the justice and the wrath of God, because of that dear combination of its priceless worth and its benignant prodigality, we miserable sinners are raised out of the depths of our wretchedness, and restored to the peace and favour of our Heavenly Father. ~ Frederick William Faber, D.D., The Precious Blood: or, The Price of Our Salvation (1860)

Sacred Heart of Jesus, fount of love and mercy, Today we come Thy blessing to implore; Oh, touch our hearts, so cold and so ungrateful, And make them, Lord, Thine own forever more. Refrain Sacred Heart of Jesus! we implore, Oh, make us love Thee more and more. Sacred Heart of Jesus! make us know and love Thee, Unfold to us the treasures of Thy grace, That so our hearts, from things of earth uplifted, May long alone to gaze upon Thy Face. Refrain. Sacred Heart of Jesus! make us pure and gentle, And teach us how to do Thy blessed will; To follow close the print of Thy dear footsteps, And when we fall Sacred Heart, oh, love us still. Refrain. Sacred Heart of Jesus! bless all hearts that love Thee, And may Thine own Heart ever blessed be; Bless us, dear Lord, and bless the friends we cherish, And keep us true to Mary and to Thee. Refrain Sacred Heart of Jesus! we implore, Oh, make us love Thee more and more. ~ from a Slovak hymnal. Source: The St. Gregory Hymnal, 1920

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 30th Are you careful in speaking not to say anything in your own praise, or anything that might cause you to be praised by others, not to appear learned, wise or spiritual, ostentatiously displaying your personal advantages or those that belong to your family? It is easy in these things for you to be dominated by pride, and holy Tobias warns us, saying: “Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind or in thy words.” [Tob. iv,14] (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 30th 132. It is necessary to be humble not only in one’s thoughts but in one’s words, because the humble man says little, following the counsel of the Holy Ghost: “Speak not anything rashly: let thy words be few.” [Eccles v, 1] To talk much proceeds from pride, because we are persuaded that we know a great deal and we wish to impress our thoughts and opinions on the minds of others. (continued)

TO THEE, O HEART OF JESUS Hymn To Thee, O Heart of Jesus, To Thee our hearts we give; Help, help us all to love Thee And serve Thee while we live. CHORUS. Yes, yes, till life is over, And then for evermore, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, We'll love Thee and adore. No heart can be so tender, No heart can love like Thee, Thy life-blood all, O Jesus, Was shed to set us free.—Cho. And! hard our hearts and cruel, If Thee we do not love, Who from Thy throne descendest To draw our hearts above.—Cho. ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

2 of 2 The Best Means of Honoring the Sacred Heart 2. Each day, moreover, we should say some ejaculatory prayers in honor of the Sacred Heart, and each Friday should consecrate our selves to it, communicating at least on the first Friday in every month. Such Communions persevered in for nine continuous months have attached to them the promise of final perseverance for all who offer them in honor of the Sacred Heart. 3. But as the best praise is imitation, we cannot honor the Sacred Heart better than by seeking to imitate its meekness, patience, sympathy. These are such rare gifts. How often have I prayed: Jesus,meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thy Heart! Yet how little do my thoughts and actions correspond to the prayer that I offer. Henceforth I will determine to be kinder to others in honor of the Sacred Heart that has ever been so kind to me! ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Best Means of Honoring the Sacred Heart 1. There is one very simple way of honoring the Sacred Heart. Our Lord promises to Blessed Margaret Mary that wherever an image of it is exposed and honored, it shall bring with it all kinds of blessings. At least we can show the Sacred Heart this external mark of our loyalty, and keep before ourselves a picture which will remind us of the loving sympathy of Jesus. (continued)

2 of 2 PRAYER To the Sacred Heart of Jesus A peaceful heart that is ever at peace with others and with itself; A disinterested heart that is always content with what it has; A heart that loves prayer and prays often and cheerfully; A heart that only desires that God be known, honored and loved by all His creatures; That grieves for nothing except when God is offended, Despises nothing but sin, Wishes for nothing but the Glory of God and its neighbor's salvation; A pure heart that in all things seeks God alone and desires to please Him; A grateful heart that does not forget but duly values the benefits of God; A strong heart that is daunted by no evil but bears all adversity for the love of God; A heart liberal to the poor and compassionate to the suffering souls in Purgatory; A well-ordered heart, whose joys and sorrows, desires and aversions, nay, whose every motion is regulated according to the Will of God. Amen. ~ St. Clement Mary Hofbauer C.Ss.R. (1751 - 1820)