First Saturday Rosary

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The First Joyful Mystery - THE ANNUNCIATION

The angel Gabriel announces to Marry that she has been chosen to become the Mother of God. This child, Jesus would be the fulfillment of the promise made to King David, ruling forever and for all nations.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The Second Joyful Mystery - THE VISITATION

Upon hearing the message of Gabriel, Mary “proceeded in haste” to see Elizabeth.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The Third Joyful Mystery - THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Mary and Joseph arrive in David’s city and their child, the Word made flesh, is born in a cave.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The Fourth Joyful Mystery - THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.

Joseph and Mary bring the infant Jesus into the temple, fulfilling the prophecy that the glory of Yahew would return to the temple.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The Fifth Joyful Mystery - THE FINDING IN THE TEMPLE

After 5 days of searching for him, Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the temple. Jesus says “Did you not know that I must return to my Father’s house?”

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us oh Holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of God.

O God, whose only begotten Son,by His life, death, and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise: through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Why do we have a “Five First Saturdays Devotion”?

Why do we have a “Five First Saturdays Devotion”? What do they do for us?

This First Saturdays Devotion, also known as the “Five First Saturdays” is a special request by Our Lord and Our Lady to make reparation for all the sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady promised personal salvation if we fulfill the five consecutive First Saturdays. However, we should continue to fulfill them every month to console the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and make reparation for the sins of others.

Why should we reconcile ourselves with Mary? Shouldn’t Jesus be the only one we reconcile with?

On December 10th, 1925, The Child Jesus and Mary came to Sister Lucia. The Child Jesus spoke first saying: “Have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation”.

What does the Child Jesus mean by “compassion”? Compassion is another word for “mercy”. In fact, the practice of mercy begins with having mercy on the Sacred Heart of Jesus who beheld our every act during His Passion and is in need of being consoled too. Compassion is a request from our Lord for both him and our Mother.

Why his Mother?

I think St. Josemaria said it best: “Without ceasing to be a mother, our Lady is able to get each of her children to face his or Her own responsibilities. Mary always does the immense favor of bringing to the cross, of placing face to face the example of the Son of God, to those who come close to her and contemplate her life. It is in this confrontation that Christian life is decided. And here Mary intercedes for us so that our behavior may lead to a reconciliation of the younger brother and sister, you and me, with the firstborn Son of the Father”

Again, on December 10th, 1925, Our Lady said “My daughter, look at My Heart surrounded with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me, and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me”. 

Why are there five First Saturdays?  

The message from Our Lady promises personal salvation to those who console her on five consecutive First Saturdays. To obtain her promise of a period of peace and the salvation of many souls, further reparation is needed by the First Saturdays Devotion. However, to obtain the promise of personal salvation, why does Our Lady ask for five consecutive First Saturdays.

On at Fatima on May 29, 1930, Jesus said to Sr. Lucia: “There are 5 ways in which people offend and blaspheme against the Immaculate Heart of Mary: 

1. The blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception.
2. Against her Virginity.
3. Against the Divine Maternity, refusing at the same time to accept her as the Mother of all mankind.
4. Those who publicly seek to instill in the children’s hearts, indifference, contempt, and even hatred against the Immaculate Mother.
5. Those who offend her directly in her Sacred Images.”

With all this in mind, and underlining the fact that the Marian devotion leads to a closer relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the center and source of all graces, let us then have a respectful and honorable love and affection for Our Lady most especially during the First Saturday of the month.

First Saturday Prayers

 

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

O IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, Queen of heaven and earth and tender Mother of men, in accordance with thy ardent wish made known at Fatima we consecrate to thee ourselves, our brethren, our country and the whole human race. Reign over us and teach us how to make the Heart of Jesus reign and triumph in us and around us as It has reigned and triumphed in thee. 

Reign over us, dearest Mother, that we may be thine in prosperity and in adversity, in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in life and in death. 

O most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Virgins, watch over our minds and hearts and preserve them from the deluge of impurity which thou didst lament  so sorrowfully at Fatima. We want to be pure like thee. We want to atone for the many sins committed against Jesus and thee. We want to call down upon our country and the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity. 

Therefore, we now promise to imitate thy virtues by the practice of a Christian life  without regard to human respect. We resolve to receive Holy Communion on the first Saturday of every month and to offer thee five decades of the Rosary each day together with our sacrifices in a spirit of reparation and penance.  Amen.

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The Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for our dear country.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, sanctify our clergy.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, make our Catholics more fervent.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, guide and inspire those who govern us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, cure the sick who confide in you.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, console the sorrowful who trust in you.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, help those who invoke your aid.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, deliver us from all dangers.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, help us to resist temptation.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, obtain for us all we lovingly ask of you.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, make our family life holy.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, help those who are dear to us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, give us back our ancient fervor.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, bring all men to the feet of your Divine Child.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, obtain peace for the world.

Let Us Pray:
O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in our Most Holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and grant us by her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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Act of Reparation (To be recited on the First Saturdays)

Most Holy Virgin and our beloved Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of thy Immaculate Heart, surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. 

Moved by the ardent desire of loving thee as our Mother, and of promoting a true devotion to thy Immaculate Heart, we prostrate ourselves at thy feet to prove the sorrow we feel for the grief that men cause thee, and to atone, by means of  our prayers and sacrifices for the offenses for which men return thy tender love. Obtain for them, and for us, the pardon of so many sins. A word from thee will obtain grace and forgiveness for us all. 

Hasten, O Lady, the conversion of sinners that they may love Jesus and cease to offend God, already so much offended, and thus avoid eternal punishment. Turn thine eyes of mercy towards us so that henceforth we may love God with all our hearts while on earth and enjoy Him forever in Heaven. Amen.

Saint Peter Catholic Church First Saturday Devotion

 

Lolita and I will be hosting a First Saturday Devotion at Saint Peter Catholic Church. It will start at 2:30pm in room 204 of the Spiritual Life Center (SLC), on every First Saturday of every month. We will pray 5 decades of the Rosary and have 15 minutes of silent reflection with our Blessed Mother. By adding confession which starts at 3:30pm in the sanctuary and Mass at 5:00pm you can complete the First Saturday Devotion requested by our Blessed Mother. Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

We will pray our Rosary, followed by a short lead-in prayer to 15 minutes of silent prayer with our Blessed Mother. The session will end with a short prayer.

 

Confession begins at 3:30pm in the Sanctuary and Mass begins at 5:00pm. 

 

Our Lady promised to assist all those who will practice the devotion of the first Saturday for five consecutive months with the graces necessary for salvation at the hour of their death.

 

In 1208 St. Dominic was laboring without success to convert souls back to the Faith, our Lady gave him a powerful weapon, that consisted of the Angelic Salutation, a pattern of “mysteries” and how they should be prayed. Her intention for the the Angelic Salutation combined with meditations on the mysteries was that it should be used as a prayer and catechism to teach the true Christian faith. Today, we call this our Rosary. 

 

On December 10, 1925, as the world was turning to dictators and communism, Our Blessed Mother appeared to Sister Lucia in Spain. By Our Blessed Mother’s side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus. The Most Holy Virgin rested one of Her hands on Lucia’s shoulder and showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which She held in Her other hand. Our Lady said:

“Look My daughter, at My Heart, surrounded by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce Me every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, try to console Me by announcing in My name that I promise to assist at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the First Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep Me company in prayer for fifteen minutes."

We call our Rosary and devotions, like the one we are about to start “Marian” in nature. We Catholics say we are devoting ourselves to our Blessed Mother. Are we? Or is She devoting Herself to us?

When we pray the Rosary it is in the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Angelic Salutation gives us a way to call on our Blessed Mother for support when we speak to Our Heavenly Father. “Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee,” is a respectful greeting to to woman in Mary’s time. “Blessed art Thou among women and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.” Again, this is a respectful greeting to Mary from Elizabeth because Elizabeth knows about Mary’s pregnancy. “Holy Mary Mother of God,” References to Mary as the “Mother of God” are found throughout the New Testament, not in those words, but the meaning is there. “Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.” When you put it all together, we are using respectful greetings from both God and man to ask our Blessed Mother to pray for us – 54 times in our Rosary. In essence, by praying the Rosary and fulfilling Her request of 5 First Saturdays, we are asking Her to devote Herself to us in prayer, now and at the hour of our death.

When you begin your First Saturday devotion, think about our Blessed Mother who through Her devotion to Her Son’s last act on the cross, brings us together with Her in prayer. That last act was when Jesus looked at his Mother and said: “Woman, behold your son.” Then he said to His disciple John, “Behold your mother."

Throughout the Church's history, great theologians, mystics, popes and saints have all viewed John as representing you and me. The last gift Jesus gave humanity before giving every drop of His Sacred Blood for all our sins was His mother, to all believers.

 For questions about the Rosary and reflection please contact Ken Harbit – pogi.rosary@gmail.com or 252-321-7245.