Mary Queen of Angels
"Rule thou over us; and thy son."--Jud. viii. 22.

Many are the titles, by which Mary is the queen of angels. She is the Mother of Christ, who created the angels, "for in Him," says St. Paul, "were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, or principalities or powers: all things were created by Him and in Him." (Colos. i. 16.) She is, therefore, their Queen, according to the observation of St. John of Damascus. "Mary," says he, "was made the queen of all creatures, because she was made the Mother of the Creator." She is their queen, because, as she is elevated far above them in dignity and glory, they look up to her with the reverence, which such superiority is so well calculated to excite, and had she no other title to their homage, they would, on the sole principle of her superior greatness and glory, say: "Rule thou over us; and thy son." She is, in fine, their queen, because her son Jesus Christ is the restorer not only of earth but heaven; according to the decree of God, who has willed "to re-establish all things in Christ, whether in heaven or on earth." By Christ's having redeemed man, those seats of glory, which were vacated by the disobedience of the fallen angels, are filled up; and the angels--whose charity is great in proportion as they approach God, Who is charity itself--rejoice at the elevation of every child of Adam, who, through His redeeming merits, is raised to the glory which their unfaithful companions forfeited. Mary is, then, the queen of angels.

The contemplation of Mary forms a portion of the beatitude of the angels. As they admire God's works in proportion to their excellence, so they find in Mary--the most excellent of God's creatures--more subject for admiration, than in the contemplation of the immense orbs of light with which the fiat of the Creator has studded the heavens, or all the created glory of that Paradise, which St. John describes in the Apocalypse, under such glowing imagery. They find more subject for the exercise of their sublime intelligence, in contemplating her instrumentality in the mystery of the Incarnation, and in the other mysteries of her life, than they do in considering all the other wonders of God's providence on his creatures. If the faithful servants of Mary on earth have felt their hearts inflamed by the consideration of the amiableness and beauty of the celestial queen; what must be the feelings of those blessed spirits, who see her, as she is, and whose superior nature renders them more capable of appreciating the wonders of God's grace in her than we can possibly be. It is not, then, without reason, that the church says that the angels of God rejoiced at the assumption of this heavenly queen. "Mary is assumed into heaven: the angels rejoice."

Mary's title as "Queen of angels" should remind us, that we also are destined to enjoy the society of angels, and with them admire the wonders of God's power in this heavenly queen. We should remember that God has deputed some of these heavenly spirits to be the guardians of men on earth, according to that of the Psalmist: "He has given his angels charge of thee, lest, perhaps, thou dash thy foot against a stone;" as also the words of Christ: "Their angels in heaven always see the face of my father who is in heaven." (Matt, xviii. 10.) Each one has one of these guardian spirits, to protect him in dangers and assist him in difficulties. When we invoke Mary as Queen of angels, the thought of our future companionship with them for eternity should make us endeavor to lead lives of angelic innocence. Gratitude for the care they take of us, and for the desire they have for our salvation, should produce in our souls a desire of attending to all the holy inspirations, which they communicate to our souls; that thus we may prove ourselves faithful servants of the queen of angels, and prepare for the high destiny, that awaits us, of enjoying God in their society for an endless eternity.



Litany of Our Lady of the Angels

Antiphon:
Under thy title so dear to Saint Francis,
Our Blessed Lady of Angels, we hail thee!
Give us thine aid, that our lives, more seraphic,
Never may fail thee.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. *

Holy Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, *
Our Lady, to whom the Father sent His messenger, *
Our Lady, before whom knelt the Archangel Gabriel, *
Our Lady, consenting to become the Mother of God, *
Our Lady, whose Angel Michael defends the people of God, *
Our Lady, whose Angel Raphael guides us safely on our pilgrimage, *
Our Lady, whose angels serve as our Guardians, *
Our Lady, whose angels bore thy little house of Nazareth to Loreto, *
Our Lady, whose angels carried thy image to Genezzano, *
Our Lady, whose chapel of Portiuncula, the gift of holy Benedict, was the cradle of the Franciscan Order, *
Our Lady, for whose chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels thou didst obtain plenary favors from thy Son and from His Vicar, *
Our Lady, whose Little Poor Man is hailed as the Seraphic Father, *
Our Lady, who didst cause him to be given the vacated throne from which the rebellious angel Lucifer was cast down, *
Our Lady, at whose Assumption hosts of angels flew heavenward in thy company, *
Our Lady, Queen of Thrones and Dominations, Principalities and the whole angelic Court of Heaven, *
Our Lady, ever surrounded by myriad seraphs, *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, *
Holy Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, *

V. Pray for us, Queen of the Angelic Hosts:
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:


O God, Who dost permit us annually to celebrate anew the dedication day of the Little Portion of Our Lady of the Angels: graciously hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that all who enter that chapel or another as representing it, to ask mercy and graces, may rejoice in the plenary answer to their prayers. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

O God Who through Thy most Holy Mother, exalted above the angel choirs, hast called all men of good will to receive Thy mercy: grant through the same to us, who memorialize the consecration of her chapel, that now we may be freed of our sins and may obtain the fulness of grace, until at last we attain the company of her blessed angels and the joy of her heavenly mansion. Who livest and reignest world without end. R. Amen




Prayer to Our Lady Against the Attacks of Satan

It is said that in the printing of the following prayer, the press was broken three times by the agency of the Devil, it has been found most efficacious.

O August Queen of Heaven, Sovereign Lady of the Angels! who from the beginning have received from God the power and mission of crushing the serpent’s head,--the head of Satan! we humbly supplicate you to send your holy legions, so that under your orders, and by your power, they may pursue the demons, combat them everywhere, repress their audacity, and hurl them into the abyss. Amen.




Mary Queen of Angels and Saints
from "My Prayer Book" by Fr. Lasance

In connection with the Litany of Loreto and the Memorare,
the following prayer may be said occasionally.


Mary, ever blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Queen of the angels and of the saints, I salute thee with the most profound veneration and filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence. O Help of Christians, O Mother of mercy, I beseech thee now to hear my prayer, and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. Obtain for me, also, dearest Mother, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, obedience, purity, poverty, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in perplexities, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in heaven. Amen.


The Memorare of St. Bernard

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided, Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.



Litany of Loreto


Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us. *

Holy Mother of God, *
Holy Virgin of virgins, *
Mother of Christ, *
Mother of divine grace, *
Mother most pure, *
Mother most chaste, *
Mother inviolate, *
Mother undefiled, *
Mother most amiable, *
Mother most admirable, *
Mother of good counsel, *
Mother of our Creator, *
Mother of our Savior, *
Virgin most prudent, *
Virgin most venerable, *
Virgin most renouned, *
Virgin most powerful, *
Virgin most merciful, *
Virgin most faithful, *
Mirror of justice, *
Seat of wisdom, *
Cause of our joy, *
Spiritual vessel, *
Vessel of honor, *
Singular vessel of devotion, *
Mystical rose, *
Tower of David, *
Tower of ivory, *
House of gold, *
Ark of the covenant, *
Gate of heaven, *
Morning star, *
Health of the sick, *
Refuge of sinners, *
Comforter of the afflicted, *
Help of Christians, *
Queen of Angels, *
Queen of Patriarchs, *
Queen of Prophets, *
Queen of Apostles, *
Queen of Martyrs, *
Queen of Confessors, *
Queen of Virgins, *
Queen of all Saints, *
Queen conceived without original sin, *
Queen assumed into heaven, *
Queen of the most holy Rosary, *
Queen of Peace, *


Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.


V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:


Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and, by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.







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