# Celebrating the Assumption: Prayers to Our Lady of Loreto and the 54-Day Rosary Novena
*2022-08-15*

> In honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bill Young and John O'Rourke lead a series of devotions, including the prayer to Our Lady of Loreto and the start of a 54-day Rosary novena for world peace.

## The Assumption and Our Lady of Loreto

Today is August 15th, the feast of the Assumption of our beautiful spiritual mother, Mary. Because this day is entirely dedicated to her, we are setting aside our usual chapters to focus on Marian devotion. We begin with the prayer to the Virgin Mary of Loreto, which is traditionally recited at midday on March 15th and August 15th.

In this prayer, we approach Mary with confidence, acknowledging that humanity is currently troubled by the forces of evil. We ask for peace, justice, truth, and love. We venerate the Holy House of Loreto, where Mary lived with the Divine Savior, and we pray that all Christian families may be inspired by the Holy Family. We ask that women learn humility and sacrifice from Mary, and that men learn to live justly and faithfully from St. Joseph.

## The Invocation of Our Lady of Loreto

Following the main prayer, we offer a brief but powerful invocation to Our Lady of Loreto, asking for her protection, healing, and intercession. We pray specifically for the care of our children, the easing of our sufferings, and for her assistance at the hour of our death.

## The 54-Day Rosary Novena for Peace

We are also beginning a 54-day Rosary novena for peace in the world, running from the Assumption on August 15th through the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th. This devotion was requested by Our Lady during the apparitions in Pompeii in 1884, where she appeared to a sick child and stated that whoever desires to obtain graces must recite three novenas of supplication and three novenas of thanksgiving.

This novena consists of daily recitation of the Holy Rosary. For the first 27 days, we pray for the peace of the world; for the final 27 days, we pray in thanksgiving. After each decade, we add the petition: 'Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us.' We also encourage those participating to consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

## Meditating on the Joyful Mysteries

To start the novena, we prayed the Joyful Mysteries. We reflected on the Annunciation and the virtue of humility, the Visitation and love for neighbor, the Birth of Jesus and poverty of spirit, the Presentation in the Temple and obedience, and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple and the joy of finding Christ.

## Honoring St. Maximilian Kolbe

We concluded our time by remembering St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose feast was yesterday. We noted the 100th anniversary of his newspaper publication, which reached over a million people starting in 1922. We honor his life, which was guided by an unshakable faith in the mystery of the Incarnation, and his ultimate sacrifice in offering his life to save another in the concentration camp.

*Through the intercession of Mary and the discipline of the Rosary, we seek peace for the world and the grace to imitate the Holy Family in our own homes.*