Welcome to Our Lady of Sorrows
Kalispel Indian Reservation
Washington

Mass - 1st Sunday of the Month at 2:00 pm

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows can be traced back to apostolic times. St. John the Evangelist, one of the first devotees of the Mother of Sorrows, witnessed and then recorded in his Gospel that Mary stood by the Cross of her Son (John 19:25). There on Calvary the Blessed Mother suffered—overwhelmed with grief at seeing her Son, who is also her God, die an agonizing death by crucifixion. She had prepared the victim for the sacrifice; now she offered him on Calvary.

On September 15 we commemorate the compassion of Mary. In 1817, Pope Pius VII extended the feast to the whole Church. In 1908, Pope Saint Pius X raised the compassion of Mary to a solemn feast. Let us consider Mary as Mother and Queen of all those who suffer and as Queen of Martyrs of all those who suffer. Mary is recorded as being present on Calvary. The Gospel says: "Near the cross of Jesus there stood his mother..." (John 19:25). According to God's prophetic announcement to Adam and Eve, together Jesus and Mary crushed the serpent's head: together they snatched his prey; together they regained humankind's right to heaven. For this reason, Mary was proclaimed universal Mother of humankind from the cross. Mary had three loves in her heart: Jesus, God, and souls.

The hymn Stabat Mater expresses the devotion to the sorrowing Blessed Virgin Mary at Calvary:

At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Our Lady of Sorrows is traditionally depicted in art dressed in black with seven swords piercing her heart. These seven swords symbolize the chief seven sorrows of Our Lady’s life.

Additional prayers and Novenas:

• Prayer: To Our Lady of Sorrows
• Prayer: The Virgin to Her Son on Calvary
• The Seven Sorrows & Graces
• Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows
• The Memorare to Our Lady of La Salette

To Our Lady of Sorrows

I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother!
Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness.
By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.

ST. ALPHONSUS MARIA DE LIGUORI