Catholic Saints
The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Feast Day: August 22
The Blessed Virgin Mary has “Queenly” dignity as the Mother of “The King of kings, and Lord of lords”, and we know this under the guidance and unerring teachings of the Catholic Church. The Fathers of the Church, Doctors of the Church, and Popes, down through the centuries have given authoritative expression to this truth and this is clearly expressed in the art we find in our Church and Liturgy.
Pope Pius XII, by his encyclical letter on October 11, 1954, granted unanimous desire of the faithful and their pastors, and instituted the Feast of the “Queenship of Mary”. With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is King in the full, literal, and absolute sense of the word, for He is true God and true Man. Mary, in a limited way, shared in His royal works. She was the Mother of Christ, and Christ is God. She shared in the work of the Divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all.
From this union with Christ the King, she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things, and upon this same union with Christ, is based that Royal privilege enabling her to distribute treasures of the Kingdom of the Divine Redeemer. This same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of Her motherly intercession in the presence of the Son and of the Father.
Without doubt – the Blessed Virgin Mary posses a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son, she takes precedence over everyone else. Remember, that the Mother of God from the moment of her conception, Mary was filled with such a plenitude of grace “as to surpass the graces enhancing all the saints”. Pope Pius IX wrote in his “Ineflabilis Deus”, “More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffably freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the Divine treasury; and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness so great as to be unthinkable apart from God Himself, a fullness that no one other than God will ever possess”. Moving forward in piety and Faith, we glory in knowing the Virgin Mother of God bears the Royal Scepter in her hand, while her heart is ever aflame with Motherly love for us all.
Practical Take Away
Mary is always present, always filled with motherly love for us all. She is always ready to intercede on our behalf, if only we call upon her for her assistance. What mother, who loves her children, would not do all in her power to assist them when they cry out to her? Our Heavenly mother awaits us to call out to her as well. Blessed are those that call out to our “Heavenly” mother – they will not be disappointed, as she hears all. She will lead you to her Son, who looks upon her with love. Truly she is the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and we are her spiritual children.