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September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows—Memorial
Liturgical Color: White
VIEW Mass Offerings for Sept. 14, 2026: https://www.stjudemanila.com/7-news-and-events/1928-test
Quote:
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh! make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins; arid that, persevering till death in His grace, I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. ~Prayer by Saint Bridget of Sweden
Reflection: The roots of today’s memorial can be traced back to the New Testament, but the memorial wasn’t celebrated as a universal feast of the Church until 1814. Prior to that, devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows first emerged during local celebrations around the Mediterranean in the eleventh century.
In 1233, seven devout men in Florence each had a vision from the Blessed Virgin Mary, inspiring them to form a religious community that would later be known as the Servites. Around the year 1240, these same men received another vision of the Mother of God, accompanied by angels. She informed them about their mission, provided them with their habits, presented their rule of life, and personally founded their order. In that apparition, they were instructed to spread devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary, which became one of their central missions. Through the efforts of the Servite order in the subsequent centuries, the liturgical celebration honoring Our Lady of Sorrows gradually expanded.
In the late thirteenth century, the traditional prayer, Stabat Mater (Standing Mother), was composed and quickly became well known. This prayer emphasizes the deep sorrow in Mary’s Heart as she stood before the Cross with tremendous strength and motherly compassion for her Son.
In 1809, against the Pope’s wishes, Napoleon decided to annex the Papal States to the French empire. After Pope Pius VII excommunicated Napoleon, the emperor arrested the pope and imprisoned him from 1809–1814. After Napoleon’s defeat in 1814, Pope Pius VII was released. In gratitude for the protection granted to him and to the entire Church through the Blessed Mother’s intercession, the pope extended the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows to the entire Latin Church.
Traditionally, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows commemorates the seven sorrows in the Heart of Mary as recorded in Scripture:
1. The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:33–35)
2. The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)
3. Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41–50)
4. Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary (Luke 23:27–31; John 19:17)
5. Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25–30)
6. The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Luke 23:50–54; John 19:31–37)
7. The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8–9; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42; Mark 15:40–47)
8.
The Blessed Virgin Mary first learned about the sword that would pierce her heart while presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple with Saint Joseph on the eighth day for His naming and circumcision. “Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:34–35). Simeon’s prophecy was the first piercing of her heart because it is the first scriptural record of Mary knowing that her Son would suffer. The next six traditional sorrows paint the developing picture of the fulfillment of that prophecy.
As we honor the Blessed Mother’s Sorrowful Heart, it’s important to understand that a “sorrowful” heart is not the same as a “sad” heart. Theologically speaking, sadness results from a form of self-pity, or an unhealthy attachment to something that was lost. Sorrow, on the other hand, is one of the Beatitudes, and therefore one of the holiest qualities we can possess. “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). To “mourn” is to have a sorrowful heart. In this context of the Beatitudes, a heart that mourns is a heart that loves. Mourning, or holy sorrow, results from a heart that witnesses sin and grieves over it. In the Blessed Mother’s case, she witnessed the brutal treatment of her Son, His rejection, suffering, and death. She did not despair as she witnessed this. She did not become angry. She did not succumb to confusion and frustration. She did not withdraw into herself in self-pity. Instead, she reacted with the empathetic love that flows from the holiest of hearts. She felt holy sorrow—not so much because she felt bad for her Son, but because she grieved over the sins that inflicted that suffering, and longed to see those sins redeemed.
As we commemorate the Sorrowful Heart of Mary today, it is an important opportunity to reflect upon your own sorrow. Is your sorrow self-centered, dwelling over the wounds you feel? Or is it selfless—meaning, does your sorrow extend to others, grieving in a holy way over the sins you witness? When our sorrow is holy, we are filled with compassion and spiritual empathy. The word “compassion” means “to suffer with.” The Blessed Mother, united with her Son’s Sacred Heart, suffered with her sinful children as she watched their sins crucify her Son. She harbored no hate as she witnessed those sins, only an indescribable longing to see the grace of her Son pour forth upon those who had rejected Him and sinned against Him.
Ponder, today, the holy and Sorrowful Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As you do, try to understand her heart more fully. The only way to comprehend the depth of love in her heart is through prayer. In prayer, God will reveal her immaculate love to you and inspire you to imitate her more fully, turning from all selfishness to more fully embrace selflessness, so as to share in the perfect love shared between this immaculate mother and her divine Son.
Prayer: Most Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, I thank you for the unending depth of compassion you had for those who sinned against your Son and for loving me with that same love. As you grieve with a holy sorrow over my own sins, please pray for me, that I will more fully understand your compassion. As I do, I pray that I will be able to more fully imitate and participate in that love, flowing from your pure and perfect Sorrowful Heart. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Unit Leader: Bro. Dave & Sis. Tess Calces
☺Household Leader: Bro. Daniel & Sis. Dome Magno
Members:
-Bro. Joewey & Sis. Mayang Morales
-Bro. Rodel & Sis. Shirly Saludes
-Bro. Emman & Sis. Joan Leonor
☺Household Leader: Bro. Sonny & Sis. Cora Andal
Members:
-Bro. Bernie & Sis. Lorna Faustino
-Bro. Bong & Sis. Lani Mangalus
-Bro. Randy & Sis. Gina Salma
-Bro. Nonie & Sis. Josie Fajilan
☺Household Leader: Bro. Edmund & Sis. Eve Espiritu
Members:
-Bro. Bart & Sis. Kathy Fallaria
-Bro. Dan & Sis. Tess Tolentino
-Bro. Eric & Sis. Lilian Lingal
☺Household Leader: Bro. Rodel & Sis. Mhang Manuel
-Bro. Bong & Sis. Irene Austria
-Bro. Willy & sis. Milly Lathrop
-Bro. Randy & Sis. Jessa Quing-quing
-Bro. Ernie & Sis. Darmie Sojor
☺Household Leader: Bro. Cris & Sis. Nora Pineda
Our Activities:
National Shrine of Saint Jude: Legion of Mary Praesidium
MARIA SPES SINENSIUM Members :
- President: Caroline Gozun
SCOPE OF WORK:
Home to home visitation; taking and updating of the parish census; recruitment and follow up of active and auxiliary members; follow up on marriage validation, baptismal, Holy Communion and confirmation cases; hospital visitation; block rosary; participation in various parish and curia activities.
ABOUT:
The Legion of Mary
The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. Persons who wish to join the Legion must apply for membership in a Praesidium. The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visitation of families, the sick, both in their homes and in hospitals and through collaboration in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.
The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbour on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries. The first meeting of the Legion of Mary took place in Myra House, Francis Street, Dublin, Ireland, on 7 September, 1921. This meeting was to have very beneficial consequences for the mission of the Catholic Church and, in a special way, for millions of members of Christ’s lay faithful who would serve in the Legion and for those who would be served by the legionary apostolate. Many persons outside the Catholic Church would also benefit from that apostolate. With the approval and support of the Popes and a great many Bishops, Priests and Religious, as well as the prayers and efforts of legionaries, the Legion, by the grace of God, has grown into a worldwide organisation with several million members.
Drawing its inspiration from the True Devotion to Mary, as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and which had a profound influence on the Founder of the Legion, the Servant of God, Frank Duff, the Legion is at the disposal of the Bishops and Priests for use in the mission of the Church. While essentially a lay association, legionaries look for spiritual and apostolic formation to priests and religious, who, as Legion Spiritual Directors, hold an honoured place in the Legion system. The Legion requires ecclesiastical approval to work in a diocese or parish. Loyalty to the Magisterium and to Ecclesiastical Authority is a basic legionary principle. The Legion aims to bring Mary to the world as the infallible means of winning the world to Jesus and legionary service is based on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ so that in their fellow members and in those they serve, legionaries seek to have the Person of our Lord once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.
The general and essential means by which the Legion of Mary is to effect its object is personal service acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, having Divine Grace as its moving principle and support, and the glory of God and the salvation of souls as its final end and purpose. Evangelisation, especially the seeking of conversions to the Church, should be a priority for the Legion. Through the visitation of homes and by other means, the Legion must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. Seeing and serving Christ in the sick and marginalised is another vital part of the legionary apostolate. While not engaging in the giving of material relief, legionaries will often find opportunities to do works of service for the needy.
The basic unit of the Legion is called a praesidium, which is normally based in a parish. A parish may have more than one praesidium. To be an active legionary it is necessary to apply for membership in a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting and allocates a weekly apostolic task to the members, who generally work in pairs. After a successful period of probation, members are called to make the Legionary Promise (this is only applicable for members over 18 years) which is directed to the Holy Spirit. Realising the necessity for a strong support of prayer, the Legion has Auxiliary members, who associate themselves with the Legion by undertaking a service of prayer in its name. The administration of the Legion is carried out through its various councils at local, regional and national level. The central council, the Concilium Legionis Mariae, meets monthly in Dublin.
The Cause for Beatification has been introduced for three legionaries: The Servant of God, Frank Duff (1889-1980), Founder of the Legion, who attended the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer; Venerable Edel Quinn (1907-1944), Legion Envoy to East Africa; and the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe (1932-1959), Legion Envoy to South America.