Fr. Hardon gives the history of the Litany as special to invoke Mary as Queen. He explained:
[I]n the sixteenth century it was Pope St. Pius V, the great Dominican Pope and promoter of the Holy Rosary: He decided only one litany from now on from the sixteenth century will be the Litany in the Catholic Church. And he chose what had come to be known as the Litany of Loretto. And guess why Pope St. Pius V chose that litany? Historians tell us because of the muddle of invocations of Mary as Queen. We can invoke Our Lady by many titles – the Pope wanted to make sure one title would stand out; Mary as Our Queen.
Over the centuries, especially since St. Pope Pius V, other Roman Pontiffs have added invocations to Mary as Queen and are now part of the Litany of Our Lady. It is in fact a widespread custom to add to the Litany of Our Lady invocations which the Popes have decided on and listen to this: And to use the Litany with which to end the Rosary. Do you do that?
All I know, that’s the way we were brought up from the Novitiate going back to the time (I would like to say this) of St. Ignatius. In other words, you say the Rosary. So you’ve said the Rosary. Then you say the Litany of Our Lady – so you say the Litany of Our Lady. Then you close the Litany of Our Lady by invoking her as Queen. Religious communities over the centuries have been authorized by the Holy See to have private invocations of their own like the Jesuits who conclude the Litany of Loreto with the prayer: Queen of the Society of Jesus, pray for us. I can safely say this is part of the rule of the Society of Jesus.
Though I think I told you in one of the mystical appearances of Our Lady to St. Ignatius when he was seriously thinking of calling the Order he was founding The Society of Mary, Our Lady appeared to St. Ignatius and said, “Don’t you dare! It must be the Society of my Son, Jesus.”
In 1954, Pope Pius XII instituted this feast. Today, the feast is on the new calendar on August 22. Said Pis XII:
The Blessed Virgin has not only been given the highest degree of excellence and perfection after Christ but also shares in the power which her Son and our Redeemer exercises over the minds and wills of men. For if the Word of God through the Human Nature assumed by Him works miracles and gives grace; if He uses the Sacraments and uses His Saints as instruments for the salvation of souls, why should He not use His Blessed Mother’s office and activity to bring us to the fruits of the Redemption?
To which, I’ll add: Amen!
Fr. Hardon adds this little bit to Pius XII. I’ve written before that I’ve got a guy in Heaven, but I’ve also got a connection to the top. So do you!
How much power – to go back to Pope Pius XII’s description of Mary’s Queenship – it’s the authority, it’s the power she’s got; that for us (on a very earthy level) is what her Queenship should mean to us. You want to get something done, you want to reach the top. So, you either write or call up somebody who knows somebody, who knows somebody else – who still knows somebody else who, finally, can get word to the one who’s in charge. Invoking Mary, because we believe she has such power, and Christ has made sure over the centuries, we realize how much power she’s got. By whom have most of the attested miracles in Catholic Christianity for two thousand years been performed? By whom? By His Mother!
Need Something special today? Here’s your ticket, and a way to honor our Queen and Mother in Heaven!
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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, pray for us!
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us!
Mother of Christ, pray for us!
Mother of divine grace, pray for us!
Mother most pure, pray for us!
Mother most chaste, pray for us!
Mother inviolate, pray for us!
Mother undefiled, pray for us!
Mother most amiable, pray for us!
Mother most admirable, pray for us!
Mother of good counsel, pray for us!
Mother of our Creator, pray for us!
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us!
Virgin most prudent, pray for us!
Virgin most venerable, pray for us!
Virgin most renowned, pray for us!
Virgin most powerful, pray for us!
Virgin most merciful, pray for us!
Virgin most faithful, pray for us!
Mirror of justice, pray for us!
Seat of wisdom, pray for us!
Cause of our joy, pray for us!
Spiritual vessel, pray for us!
Vessel of honor, pray for us!
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us!
Mystical rose, pray for us!=
Tower of David, pray for us!
Tower of ivory, pray for us!
House of gold, pray for us!
Ark of the covenant, pray for us!
Gate of heaven, pray for us!
Morning star, pray for us!
Health of the sick, pray for us!
Refuge of sinners, pray for us!
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us!
Help of Christians, pray for us!
Queen of angels, pray for us!
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us!
Queen of prophets, pray for us!
Queen of apostles, pray for us!
Queen of martyrs, pray for us!
Queen of confessors, pray for us!
Queen of virgins, pray for us!
Queen of all saints, pray for us!
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us!
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us!
[Queen of the Bellarmine Forum, pray for us!]
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.
Indulgence of 300 days, every time; plenary indulgence on usual conditions. — Pius VII, Sept. 30, 1817.
This article, Finish May, the Month of Mary, with an Indulgenced Bang is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/finish-may-the-month-of-mary-with-an-indulgenced-bang/
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