Welcome Back to Marian Devotions!

This week we will look at the 5 first Saturdays devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

This devotion was first revealed to the children at Fatima, Portugal, during an apparition on July 13, 1917. On that significant day, the Blessed Virgin Mary graciously showed the three children a profound vision of hell, urging them to offer up their lives in atonement for sin. Further enlightenment on the intricacies of this devotion was granted to Sr. Lucia in a subsequent apparition in December of 1925, including the profound promise bestowed upon those who faithfully practice it. Later, in 1930, Our Lord Himself appeared to Sr. Lucia, providing insight into the specific choice of five Saturdays for this devout practice, elucidating why this particular number was selected over others like nine or seven.

She said:

“I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.”

The act of devotion is carried out with the specific purpose of offering reparations to the Immaculate Heart and consists of four key components: Confession, Communion, reciting the Rosary, and engaging in a fifteen-minute contemplation of the Rosary mysteries. This contemplative session is not obliged to cover all fifteen mysteries; individuals can choose to reflect on one or more mysteries for the designated duration. Furthermore, the confession may take place a few days prior to or after the Saturday devotion.

He said that there are five kinds of offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

– blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception

– against her Perpetual Virginity

– against her Divine Maternity, refusing to accept her as the Mother of God and Mother of all mankind

– for those who try to publicly implant in children’s hearts indifference, contempt and even hate for this Immaculate Mother

- for those who insult her directly in her sacred images

This weekend is the perfect time to begin or continue our devotions to these holy Hearts, to make reparation to Them for their own sins and for the innumerable insults and offenses to which They are subjected, and to obtain the great graces and promises attached to these devotions.

How to Practice the Five First Saturdays Devotion

• Confession: Confess well within 8 days before the first Saturday to make up for wrongs against Our Lady’s Heart. Repeat this confession for 5 months in a row. Restart from the beginning if you miss a month. 

• Communion.  You should attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion with the intention of offering reparation for the offenses against Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. The Communion should be received on the first Saturday of the month.

• Recite 5 decades of the Holy Rosary with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart

• 15 minutes meditation on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.  Accompany Our Lady by meditating on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.  This can be done by reading the biblical texts of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary slowly thinking of their content.  You could meditate on one mystery for 15 minutes at the end of the prayer as Sr Lucia did.  This meditation is in addition to the recitation of the Rosary. Say the prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to conclude the devotion.

Act of Reparation for the First Saturdays

O Most Holy Virgin, and Our Mother, we listen with grief to the

complaints of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns

placed therein at every moment by the blasphemies and ingratitude of

ungrateful humanity. We are moved by the ardent desire of loving you as

Our Mother and of promising a true devotion toYour Immaculate Heart.

We therefore kneel before You to manifest the sorrow we feel for

the grievances that people cause You, and to atone by our prayers and

sacrifices for the offenses with which they return your love. Obtain for

them and for us the pardon of so many sins. Hasten the conversion of

sinners that they may love Jesus Christ and cease to offend the Lord,

already so offended. Turn your eyes of mercy toward us, that we

may love God with all our heart on earth and enjoy Him forever in

Heaven.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Next Month we will look at the devotion of The 7 Sorrows of Mary.

Keep at it! Keep praying. Love the Lord.

Peace and Grace.

" Ave Maria, Totus tuus" or "Totally yours"

Keep at it! Keep praying. Love the Lord.

Peace and Grace.