Virgo Potens

Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 4th TWELVE REASONS FOR HONORING THE HEART OF MARY (continued) 4. Picture yourself the means employed by the Mother of mercy to cooperate with her Beloved Son our Saviour in the great work of the Redemption of the world, that is, her prayers, fasts, mortifications, tears, sufferings, and her most poignant sacrifice of her dear Son at the foot of the cross, her Heart utterly consumed with love and charity, and you must realize that all these facts are just so many additional obligations on our part to revere and love her most worthy Heart. ~ Saint John Eudes, The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God (1680)

2 of 2 PRAYER to obtain HUMILITY Ah, my despised Jesus, help me and make me like unto Thee. I will change my life. Thou, for love of me, hast borne so much contempt; I, for love of Thee, will bear every slight. Thou. O my Redeemer! hast rendered contempt both desirable and honorable, since Thou didst embrace it with so much love during Thine own life. "Far be it from me to glory but in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. vi. 14). O my most humble mistress Mary, Mother of God! thou who in all, and especially in suffering, didst most resemble thy Son, obtain for me the grace of bearing in peace all slights which henceforward shall be offered to me. Amen. ~ St. Alphonsus' Prayer Book (1888)

Virtue of the Month August — HUMILITY PRAYER to obtain HUMILITY MY most humble Jesus, Who. for the love of me didst humble Thyself and become obedient unto the death of the cross, how have I the courage to appear before Thee, and call myself Thy follower! for I see myself to be such a sinner, and so proud that I cannot bear a single slight without resenting it. Whence can come such pride in me, who for my sins have so many times deserved to be cast forever into hell with the devils? (continued)

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. . . Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Matt. 7; 17, 20. Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 3rd 146. After considering pride in itself, it remains for us to observe its effects, and especially eight of the more common and familiar vices which it produces, which are presumption, ambition, envy, vainglory, boastfulness, hypocrisy, disobedience and discord. Let us examine them with St. Thomas. (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Aimable Cœur de ma Mère, vous êtes le Ciel que je veux habiter à jamais. Loving Heart of my Mother you are the Heaven in which I wish to dwell forever. Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 3rd TWELVE REASONS FOR HONORING THE HEART OF MARY (continued) 3. Count also all the thoughts, feelings and affections which filled her motherly Heart with regard to our salvation, and you will count so many obligations on our part to love and honor Mary. ~ Saint John Eudes, The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God (1680)

2 of 2 Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 2nd it is slow to obey, importunate in its demands to ascertain its duty, but negligent in performing it; while it is prompt to meddle and interfere in all that does not concern it, there is no possibility of bending it in any direction unless it is inclined thereto by its own taste; and it is astute, and pretends to be indifferent about having any office or dignity which it covets, so that it may be forced into accepting them, loving to have those things which it most desires thrust violently upon it for fear it should be regarded with contempt if its desire for them were made known. This is all St. Gregory’s teaching. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 2nd [145. continued] Sometimes our pride constrains us to talk loud, at other times to preserve a bitter silence. Pride is dissolute in its joys, sombre and raving in its melancholy; it seems honourable in appearance, yet is without honour; it is full of valour in giving offense, but cowardly in taking it; (continued)

DEVOUT EXERCISES The faithful who devoutly recite prayers in honor of the most pure Heart of Mary, at any season of the year, with the intention of persevering in the same for nine consecutive days may gain: An indulgence of 5 years, once on any day of the novena; A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions at the end of the novena (Pius IX, Audience Jan. 3, 1849; S. C. of Bishops and Religious, Jan. 28, 1850; S.C. Ind., Nov. 26, 1876; S.P. Ap., April 29, 1933). ~ The Raccolta (1957)

Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 2nd TWELVE REASONS FOR HONORING THE HEART OF MARY (continued) 2. Who could possibly describe the ardent flames of love in the incomparable Heart of the Mother of God toward her Beloved Son Jesus? Count, if you can, all her thoughts, all her words, all her actions, labors, anxieties and vigilance in feeding, clothing, protecting and rearing our divine Saviour, and you will count so many reasons obliging us to love and praise her most amiable Heart. ~ Saint John Eudes, The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God (1680)

❁¸.•´*¨`*•❁ ❁•*`¨*`•.¸❁ Virtue of the MONTH AUGUST — HUMILITY Without humility we cannot please God: "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace tothe humble'' (James iv. 6). Humility of spirit consists in looking on ourselves as miserable sinners, which we indeed are. Hence: 1. Let us always distrust ourselves. 2. Let us not glorify ourselves about anything; let us even avoid speaking of ourselves. 3. Let us not be impatient with ourselves after a fall, but let us rise up from it counting on God's help not to fall again. 4. Let us be compassionate to others who fall. 5. Let us look on ourselves as the greatest sinners on earth, since we have received so many graces and profited so little by them. — Humility of heart requires that we should take pleasure in being despised by others. Hence: 1. Let us receive reproofs quietly, and thank whoever corrects us. 2. When we receive some affront, let us bear it with patience, and love those who slight us. How many slights and insults did not Jesus Christ suffer for us! ~ St. Alphonsus' Prayer Book (1888) ❁¸.•´*¨`*•❁ ❁•*`¨*`•.¸❁

Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 1st [145. continued] It is also well to know that pride does not tempt superiors and inferiors in the same way. It tempts the great, by giving them to understand that they have attained to their position by their own merit, and that none of their inferiors could be compared with them; it tempts their subordinates, by diverting their attention from their own faults and making them observe and judge the doings of their superiors; they speak nevertheless of and to their superiors with a certain liberty, and as this pride is called a rightful independence in them, so in the superior it is called zeal and decorum. (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ~ August 1st TWELVE REASONS FOR HONORING THE HEART OF MARY THE truths contained in the eight preceding parts oblige us to honor the Admirable Heart of the Mother of God, but there are additional reasons compelling us to do so, among which the twelve principal motives are these: 1. We ought to honor and love the things that God loves and honors, and through which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the most adorable Heart of Jesus, there is no heart in heaven or on earth which has so loved and honored God, or has rendered Him so much glory and love, as the most worthy Heart of Mary, the Mother of the Saviour. ~ Saint John Eudes, The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God (1680)

✧✿───✧✧✿✧✧───✿✧ 2026 August ~ Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary The first book written on devotion to the Sacred Hearts was “The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God” by St. John Eudes (1601-1680). It was finished one month before the saint’s death in 1680. The writings of St. John Eudes formed a foundation for subsequent devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For many years the devotional works of St. John Eudes were practically unknown. Although some of his works were popular during his lifetime, many others were only preserved as manuscripts and were lost during the French Revolution. In the 1800’s, the spiritual sons of St. John Eudes united in a tribute of filial piety to bring out a complete edition of the works of their spiritual father, seeking them in public and private libraries throughout the world. About twenty volumes were found and they were edited in 1905; in 1935, a second French edition was published, consisting of nine volumes, of which The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God is one. The edition used for this month’s posts, in English, was published in 1948. ✧✿───✧✧✿✧✧───✿✧

2 of 2 ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀ THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS MARY’S GREAT PROMISE AT FATIMA (continued) 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) ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀

August 1st, 2026 FIRST SATURDAY of AUGUST 💙 1 of 2 ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀ 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. (continued)

August 1, 2026 FIRST SATURDAY of AUGUST 💙 “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.

AUGUST AUGUST sinking, flush'd and fair, In the harvest-fields to rest: “Welcome!” (cries,) “L’Assunta blest,— Queen of heaven! hear our prayer.” ~ E. C. DONNELLY ~ Short Lives of the Saints (1884)

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯ 2026 August ~ Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯