“When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.”
John 19:26
On February 11, 2018, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (sadly, Lourdes is now closed*-get your Lourdes water while you still can!), the Church instituted this wonderful new Marian feast! From “Vatican News,” March 3rd, 2018:
“Pope Francis has decreed that the ancient devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mother of the Church, be inserted into the Roman Calendar. The liturgical celebration, B. Mariæ Virginis, Ecclesiæ Matris, will be celebrated annually as a Memorial on the day after Pentecost. In a decree released…by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Robert Sarah, its Prefect, said the Pope’s decision took account of the tradition surrounding the devotion to Mary as Mother of the Church. He said the Holy Father wishes to promote this devotion in order to ‘encourage the…growth of genuine Marian piety’. The decree reflects on the history of Marian theology in the Church’s liturgical tradition and the writings of the Church Fathers...Scripture, the decree says, depicts Mary at the foot of the Cross…There she became the Mother of the Church when she ‘accepted her Son’s testament of love and welcomed all people in the person of the beloved disciple, as sons and daughters to be reborn unto life eternal.’ “
For full article, including the official document: Pope institutes new celebration of Mary, Mother of Church
From the Mass:
O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord
O blessed Mother of the Church
You warm our hearts with the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ
For more info on the Mass, see USCCB’s page: Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
What a blessing to have this feast at this particular time! Never before has the Church needed Our Holy Mother’s help more. Let us pray a Rosary tonight or some special prayers to Our Lady, a litany, or start a novena. In prayer, we have the greatest power!
*Someone over at Catholic Answers Forums just informed me Lourdes has partially reopened. More info.
Image courtesy http://carmelitenuns.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/mary-mother-of-the-church-343x300.jpg