BLESSED MOTHER MARY

Beautiful and unique medal honoring our Blessed Mother Mary.

Mother of Jesus. Wife of St. Joseph. The greatest of all saints.

The Virgin Mother "was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above all angels and men" (Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, Lumon Gentium, n.66).

Born in Jerusalem, Mary was the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne.  It was the Archangel Gabriel, who appeared to her and announced that she would become the Mother of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.  She was engaged to St. Joseph when she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was bearing St. John the Baptist.  Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem, where Mary gave birth to Jesus.  Soon after the Holy Family took refuge in Egypt to protect Jesus from
King Herod.  Mary was with Jesus when he performed his first miracle at the wedding in Cana.  Mary was at the crucifixion in Jerusalem where she was given in John's care.  After
Jesus' Ascension, she was one of the first members of the Christian community.  When lived in Ephesus until the end of her earthly life when she was taken to heaven, body and soul.

The Blessed Mother Mary is patroness of mothers.

THE MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought you intercession, was left unaided.  Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.  To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.  O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me.

Amen.

ST. BENEDICT

Unique medal honoring St. Benedict.

Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy in 480.  He was born into Roman nobility and was the twin brother of St. Scholastica.  While studying in Rome he was disappointed by the corruption and temptations of the time.  He withdrew from society and became a hermit in a cave near Subiaco and remained there for three years  in the care of a monk named Romans.  He was known for his holiness, wisdom and miracles that spread far and wide.  While in the cave, he was asked to be an abbot in a nearby community of monks.  He accepted, but when the monks resisted his strict rule and tried to poison him, he left.  In 530 Benedict began a great monastery at Monte Cassino, the birthplace of Western monasticism.  There he wrote "the Holy Rule," a system employing prayer, study, work moderate asceticism, community life, and common sense.  The spirit of St. Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of the Benedictine Confederation: pax ("peace") and the traditional ora et labor ("pray and work").

St. Benedict is the patron against evil and protector of Europe.  His feast day is celebrated on July 11th.

Gracious and Holy Father, please give me: intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you and perseverance to look for you.  Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection and life everlasting.   

+ St. Benedict +