Every first Saturday is an opportunity to fulfil Our Lady’s requests

1 September 2017

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of September. Our Lady has asked us to offer the five First Saturdays in reparation for offences against her Immaculate Heart and in order to bring about the deliverance of mankind from the errors of Russia. (More details about the devotion can be found here).

The five First Saturdays are observed by:

• Going to Confession
• Receiving Holy Communion
• Praying the Holy Rosary
• Meditating for fifteen minutes on one or more mysteries of the Rosary

All of the above must be done with the intention of making reparation for offences against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

On 29 May 1930 Our Lord provided Sr Lucy with the reason why the devotion was to be carried out on five consecutive Saturdays:

“My daughter, the reason is simple. There are five types of offences and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1. Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception

2. Blasphemies against her virginity

3. Blasphemies against her divine maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognise her as the Mother of men

4. Blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference or scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother

5. Offences of those who outrage her directly in her holy images.

Here, my daughter, is the reason why the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspired Me to ask for this little act of reparation and by means of it, moves My mercy to forgive those souls who had the misfortune of offending her. As for you, try without ceasing, with all your prayers and sacrifices, to move Me to mercy toward those poor souls.”

A litany of the Immaculate Heart

Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us

God the Father of Heaven                                           have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world
God the Holy Ghost
Holy Trinity, one God

Heart of Mary                                                                   pray for us
Heart of Mary, after God’s own Heart
Heart of Mary, in union with the Heart of Jesus
Heart of Mary, the vessel of the Holy Ghost
Heart of Mary, shrine of the Trinity
Heart of Mary, home of the Word
Heart of Mary, immaculate in thy creation
Heart of Mary, flooded with grace
Heart of Mary, blessed of all hearts
Heart of Mary, Throne of glory
Heart of Mary, Abyss of humbleness
Heart of Mary, Victim of love
Heart of Mary, nailed to the Cross
Heart of Mary, comfort of the sad
Heart of Mary, refuge of the sinner
Heart of Mary, hope of the dying
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy

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
Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

V. Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart
R. Conform our hearts to the heart of Jesus

Let us pray

O most merciful God, who for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the wretched, hast made the Immaculate Heart of Mary most like in tenderness and pity to the Heart of Jesus, grant that we, who now commemorate her most sweet and loving heart, may by her merits and intercession, ever live in the fellowship of the Hearts of both Mother and Son, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Source: John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions)