Queenship of Mary
Feast Day August 22
 
Patron of the Family

Mary's place beside her Son, Jesus, and her place as mother to the children of the world, make her a logical, powerful advocate for our children, especially for their return to the practice of the Faith.  When we pray a rosary, a Memorare, a litany, make the Stations of the Cross, or any of the many other prayers we might say, Mary is always close by watching over us and our loved ones as we are asking her to do.  Let us put our families and those of our loved ones in her hands and ask her to carry our wants and needs to the feet of her Son, Jesus.  As any good son would do, He will listen to His mother's requests.

What is the Queenship of Mary?

     This feast was established by Pius XII in 1954, but has its roots in Scripture and Tradition. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” Mary is always closely associated with Jesus.  In the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence.
      St. Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Church fathers and doctors use the title. Centuries-old hymns address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,”  The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.
     In his encyclical "To the Queen of Heaven," Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory power.

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 Act of Consecration 

     O Mary Immaculate Queen, glorious Queen of the Universe, most powerful Virgin, merciful Mother of a merciful God and refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thy Royal and Immaculate Heart. It is through thee that Jesus Christ our King has come into the world to save it. It is also through thee that He is to reign over the world.
    In order to obtain this great benefit for ourselves and all mankind, we come to thy feet to consecrate to thee our persons, our lives, all that we are, all that we have, all that we love. Keep us, enlighten us, dispose of us, reign over us.
    May all hearts and all homes willingly proclaim thee as their Immaculate Queen.
    O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. Thou knowest our misery and our weakness. O Thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial. Jesus has confided to thee the treasure of His Grace, and through Thee He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, thy children come to Thee as their hope
     We recognize thy Queenship and ardently desire thy triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart. Thou art for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In thy clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.
     Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, Thou Who didst crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. Amen.