Seven Sorrows Rosary was inspired by the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites (Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary).
Link to the "Glories of Mary" Authored by St. Alphonsus Liguori to review his chapter on the "Dolours of Mary". An invitation to write & pray the Sorrowful Mysteries for the 40 days of Lent 2023.
Annotated Resources compiled by Travessa da Senra House Press. 2023 for EDUCATION USE PURPOSES ONLY
ETERNAL WISDOM *
“Discourse IX: On the Dolors of Mary”
‘The soul is more where it loves, than where it lives’: "Anima magis est ubi amat, quara ubi animat."
And the Saviour himself had before said, that our heart is where our treasure is.* (Luke 12: 34)1
If Mary, then, through love, lived more in her Son than in herself, a much greater grief did she suffer at the death of her Son, than if the most cruel death in the world had been inflicted on her.”
From The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori:
GO TO FOOTNOTES BELOW TO LINK TO THE ENTIRE TEXT2
THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST NEWSLETTER [2nd Edition]: Recalling the Commemoration of the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites3
“The Rosary Of Our Lady Of Sorrows”
According to Michael Heinlein:
The “Servite Rosary,” also known as the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows or the Chaplet of the Sorrowful Mother.
Contemporaries of St. Dominic, they sought to establish a new religious order called the Servites, dedicated to a life of prayer, penance and service in the name of Our Lord and his Blessed Mother. They promoted devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows as an opportunity to venerate, alongside her crucified Son, his sorrowful Mother (see Jn 19: 25-27).4
How to Pray The Servite Rosary: First Method of Recitation5
WE CONTEMPLATE THE MYSTERY OF YOUR SORROW, HOLY MARY
INTRODUCTION
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
LEADER: We praise and we bless you, O Lord.
ALL: Because you willed that the Virgin Mother share in the work of salvation.
LEADER. We contemplate your sorrow, holy Mary.
ALL. May we follow you in the pilgrimage of faith.
RECALLING THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
1. Mary accepts in faith the prophecy of Simeon
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
2. Mary flees into Egypt with Jesus and Joseph
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
3. Mary seeks Jesus lost in Jerusalem
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
4. Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
5. Mary stands near the cross of her Son
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys
Mary receives the Body of Jesus taken down from the cross
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
7. Mary places the Body of Jesus in the tomb, awaiting the Resurrection
Our Father + Seven Hail Marys.
CONCLUSION OF THE SEVEN SORROWS ROSARY
LEADER: We praise you, Holy Mary.
ALL: Faithful Mother at the cross of your Son.
Acclamation 1.
Blessed are you, Queen of Martyrs: united to the passion of Christ, you became our Mother and a sign of hope in our life.
Dismissal
LEADER: May the Virgin Mary protect us and lead us kindly on life’s journey.
ALL: Amen.6
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
EXTRA NOTES ABOUT THE SERVITE ORDER
According to Franciscan Media:
“In 1240, seven noblemen of Florence mutually decided to withdraw from the city to a solitary place for prayer and direct service of God. Their initial difficulty was providing for their dependents, since two were still married and two were widowers.
Their aim was to lead a life of penance and prayer, but they soon found themselves disturbed by constant visitors from Florence. They next withdrew to the deserted slopes of Monte Senario.
In 1244, under the direction of Saint Peter of Verona, O.P., this small group adopted a religious habit similar to the Dominican habit, choosing to live under the Rule of St. Augustine and adopting the name of the Servants of Mary. The new Order took a form more like that of the mendicant friars than that of the older monastic Orders.”
SOURCE: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/seven-founders-of-the-servite-order/
According to Encyclopedia Britannica:
“The Servites’ apostolic work consists primarily in preaching, administering parishes, giving missions, and in fostering devotion to Mary, especially under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Servite family also includes sisters, traditionally known as Mantellate Sisters, engaged in many active works, and nuns devoted entirely to prayer within the monastery.”7
According to Ascension Press:
THE CHARISMS OF THE SERVITES INCLUDE
POVERTY, CHASTITY, OBEDIENCE
FRATERNITY:
HOSPITALITY
DEEP INTIMATE FRIENDSHIPS
SERVICE TO OTHERS:
CHRIST TO EACH OTHER
CHRIST FOR THE WORLD - MISSION
DEVOTION TO OUR LADY:
LISTEN TO CARDINAL COLLINS PROVIDE DIRECTION ON DEVOTION TO OUR LADY
According to St. Alphonsus in “The Glories of Mary”:
But of this she complained to St. Bridget, that very few pitied her, and most lived forgetful of her sorrows.
"Look around upon all who are in the world, if perchance there may be any to pity me, and meditate upon my sorrows, and truly I find very few. Therefore, my daughter, though I am forgotten by many, at least do not thou forget me; behold my anguish, and imitate, as far as thou canst, my grief."
In order to understand how much the Virgin is pleased by our remembrance of her dolors, it is sufficient to relate, that in the year 1239, she appeared to seven of her servants, who then became the founders of the order of the Servants of Mary, with a black garment in her hand, and told them that if they wished to please her, they should often meditate upon her dolors; and therefore she wished, in memory of them, that they would hereafter wear that garment of mourning.
And Jesus Christ himself revealed to the blessed Veronica Binasco, that he takes more pleasure, as it were, in seeing his mother compassionated than himself; for thus he addressed her:
"My daughter, the tears shed for my passion are dear to me; but loving with so great love my mother Mary, the meditation of the dolors which she suffered at my death is more dear to me."
Let us take very seriously the task of participating in Five First Saturday Devotions here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nLzCTse3nz7FEHtuqCWk5gQ0xM_-Rlw5/view?usp=sharing - Let us console the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“Sorrows of Mary”
Creative Writing “Journal Entry” Topics
for Sat. Feb 18, 2023 & Sun. Feb. 19, 2023
“First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon”
“And you yourself a sword will pierce ” (Lk 2:35).
If Mary’s contemplation is above all “remembering” as St. John Paul II, describes, we invite aspiring writers of any age to use the following image to respond to the prompts below to contemplate WITH Our Lady:
Look at the above picture and write in your journal / or have a short group discussion about what is happening in this scene.Imagine and write reflections about the moment when Our Lady heard these words: “And you yourself a sword will pierce ” (Lk 2:35).
What is the infant Jesus doing? How does St. Joseph respond?
Write creatively, focusing on revealing shapes and colours for 4-5 minutes.
Write about a time in your life when great sorrow overcame you.Now, if time permits, offer that sorrow to Jesus in devout prayer of a Hail Mary, 3 Hail Marys, a Decade of the Rosary.
CREATIVE REFLECTIONS ON SCRIPTURE:
”Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (LUKE 15)
Pray and then write your thoughts about the above passage.Brainstorm ways you haven’t yet considered to bring others who have disaffiliated from the Church back to the sacramental life this Lent 2023. [Write for 5 minutes]BONUS RESOURCE: CLICK HERE TO WATCH the latest segment led by Dr. Bob Schuchts (Founder of the JPII HEALING CENTER) and who provides a brief yet excellent summary on the “Role of the Sacraments”:
We invite you to share the above video link with others and to let them know about this free video resource on the Holy Rosary.
QUICK LINK - INTRO TO THE SACRAMENTS REFRESHER:
QUICK LINK: THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS of the CHURCH (CCC)
REVIEWED BY: KR / CH / IZ / A
FOOTNOTES
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34)
Entire Text: The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori LIGIORI HERE: https://archive.org/details/thegloriesofmary00liguuoft
QUICK LINK TO THE SEGMENT RELEVANT TO THIS POST HERE:
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/of-the-dolours-of-mary-5159
FROM: https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/26150
XIII-XIV sec.
“Intorno al 1233, mentre Firenze era sconvolta da lotte fratricide, sette mercanti, membri di una compagnia laica di fedeli devoti della beata Vergine, legati tra loro dell'ideale evangelico della comunione fraterna e del servizio ai poveri, decisero di ritirarsi per far vita comune nella penitenza e nella contemplazione. Lasciate attività, case e beni ai poveri, verso il 1245 si ritirarono sul Monte Senario, nei pressi di Firenze, dove costruirono una piccola dimora e un oratorio dedicato a santa Maria. Molti si rivolgevano a loro per risolvere dubbi e angosce, tanto che essi decisero di dare inizio ad un Ordine dedicato alla Vergine, di cui si dissero Servi - l'Ordine dei Servi di Maria -, adottando la Regola di sant'Agostino. Il 1° dicembre 1717 Clemente XI confermò il culto di Alessio Falconieri, a seguire il 30 luglio 1725 Benedetto XIII fece lo stesso riguardo gli altri sei. Il 15 gennaio 1888 Leone XIII canonizzò tutti i sette primi Padri, sepolti, insieme, a Monte Senario: di San Bonfiglio, guida del gruppo laico e poi priore della nascente comunità; San Bonagiunta, priore tra il 1256 e il 1257; San Manetto, artefice delle prime fondazioni in Francia; Sant'Amadio, anima del gruppo; San Sostegno e Sant'Uguccione, amici tra loro; Sant'Alessio, zio di santa Giuliana Falconieri. La loro memoria al tempo fu fissata al 12 febbraio, in quello che ad oggi è il calendario della forma extraordinaria del rito romano. Con la riforma del Calendario Romano Generale, a seguito del Concilio Vaticano II, la loro memoria è stata posta al 17 febbraio, giorno anniversario della morte di Sant'Alessio Falconieri.”
7 SORROWS ROSARY: OTHER ONLINE RESOURCE OPTIONS
SOURCE: http://servidimaria.net/sitoosm/en/servite-family/prayerossm.pdf
Copyright © CURIA GENERALIZIA OSM, Piazza San Marcello, 5 – Roma 6.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Servite". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Servites. Accessed 17 February 2023.