Mary’s seven joys

The Blessed Mother appeared to a Franciscan novitiate who daily had visited her in prayer from the time he was a child.  “Would you like to learn how to pray in a manner pleasing to me?” Our Lady asked.

The Franciscan Crown, known also as the Rosary of the Seven Joys of Mary, is more than a celebration of the Blessed Mother’s life with Jesus.  It’s an endearing journey resplendent with everyday miracles.

How to pray the Franciscan Crown

Begin each decade with an Our Father and follow with ten Hail Mary’s.  Then, at the end, pray two additional Hail Mary’s for a total of seventy-two, which represent the years Our Lady lived on earth.  The Crown has no other prayers before, between, or after the decades, unless you count the sign of the cross before and after the rosary.

Mary’s seven joys

First, the annunciation…
Second, the visitation…
Third, the nativity…
Fourth, the adoration of the Magi…
Fifth, the finding in the temple…
Sixth, the apparition of the risen Jesus…
Seventh, the assumption and coronation of Mary…

          

Ave Regina Caelorum

Hail, Queen of the heavens.  Hail, Lady of the angels.  Root of our salvation and our gateway to heaven, the light of the world was born to you.  Be joyful, Virgin of glory, most beautiful of all in heaven.  We greet you now, true beauty.  Pray for us to Christ.

Solemn Act of Consecration by Pope Pius VII

Most holy virgin, Mary, tender mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the sacred heart of Jesus and the request of the vicar of your son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your sorrowful and immaculate heart, queen of the most holy rosary; and we recommend to you all the people of our country and all the world.

Please accept our consecration, dearest mother, and use us as you wish to accomplish your designs in the world.

O sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, queen of the most holy rosary and queen of the world, rule over us together with the sacred heart of Jesus Christ, our king.  Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the rosary more faithfully.

We come with confidence to you, throne of grace and mother of fair love.  Inflame us with the same divine fire which has inflamed your own sorrowful and immaculate heart.  Make our hearts and homes your shrine; and, through us, make the heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home.

 January 20, 2013

Mary can teach us kindness….  “They have no wine,” she told Jesus at Cana.  Let us, like her, be aware of the needs of the poor, be they spiritual or material; and let us, like her, give generously of the love and grace we are granted (Bl. Teresa of Calcutta).

March 25, 2013

The Virgin Mary teaches us what it means to live in the Holy Spirit and what it means to accept the news of God in our life.  She conceived Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit; and every Christian, each one of us, is called to accept the Word of God, to accept Jesus inside of us, and then to bring him to everyone (Pope Francis).

August 3, 2014

“A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than one that is cast down” (St. Philip Neri).

August 20, 2014

“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her son” (St. Bernard).

October 10, 2014

Go to the Madonna.  Love her!  Always say the rosary.  Say it well.  Say it as often as you can!  Be souls of prayer.  Never tire of praying; it is what is essential.  Prayer shakes the heart of God; it obtains necessary graces! (St. Pio of Pietrelcina).

October 11, 2014

You must know that when you “hail” Mary, she immediately greets you!  Don’t think that she is one of those rude women, of whom there are so many.  On the contrary, she is utterly courteous and pleasant.  If you greet her, she will answer you right away and converse with you! (St. Bernardine of Siena).

October 7, 2015

The rosary is a very old devotion which has exercised an immeasurable influence.  It is, above all, dear to pious people and belongs to their lives like the work they do and the bread they eat (Romano Guardini in The Rosary of Our Lady).

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!”  No creature has ever said anything that was more pleasing to me, nor will anyone ever be able to find or say to me anything that pleases me more (Our Lady to St. Mechtilde).

April 28, 2017

O Mary, my queen and my mother, remember I am all yours.  Keep me and guard me as your property and possession (St. Louis de Montfort).

May 15, 2017

Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother.  Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today.  All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother (St. Padre Pio in The Rosary: Your Weapon for Spiritual Warfare).

St. Joseph Chapel – Capuchin Monastery – Alamo, TX

Immaculate Conception Cathedral – Brownsville, TX

Pdf files…  MMM novena prayers (English/Spanish, printable)

Links of interest…  AMM: medal’s story and its meaning / prayers for all occasions / votive lights / virtual tour of the national shrine…  Ave Maria Caelorum…  Blessing of herbs on the feast of the Assumption…  Blue rosary…  Catherine Labouré & the miraculous medal / have you got enough / miraculous medal / Nov 28 / sister of charity…  Christ in us through the rosary…  Does Mary hear our prayers like God…  Five ways to approach Jesus through Mary / Franciscan Crown: seraphic rosary / seven joys…  Hope, the rosary, & the Blessed Mother…  How children keep us humble…  Mary: beloved of the Trinity / celebrating May / devotion / gate of heaven / litany / meditations / prayers / queen of angels / untier of knots…  Our Lady of Corpus Christi (OLCC) website…  Our Lady of the Rosary Library…  Rosary: best prayer for men / spiritual sword of Mary…  St. Mechtilde: about (more) / book / prayers / revelations…  the Word among us…

WP posts…  Faces of Mary…  Marian devotions…  Mary’s miraculous medal…  May flowers…  My Franciscan Crown…  Our Lady…  Repeated prayers