Re-Cap from Yesterday… Day 3: Our Lady

Who is Our Lady, The Blessed Mother? • Jesus’ mother • We pray to her to ask her help in life • We pray the • We pray the • The saints all love Mary, St. John Paull II had a deep, deep love of Our Lady • Michaela prayed to her every day Can you name them? Why do we pray to Our Lady…? • So we know to get into heaven, we need to be and live like Jesus…do what He said… • Sometimes this can seem really hard…because He was God and was completely perfect • So, we can follow and be like the person who was most like Jesus…His Mother Mary…she who did what He said, perfectly! • Like any sports person trying to be the best…we emulate her to be the best version of ourselves we can be. • Jesus chose to come to us through His mother. He could’ve came any way…fully grown! • It makes sense that we go through her, to get to Him! Jesus gave us His own Mother!! • On the cross…Jesus gave us the last thing He had to give apart from His own life…His own Mother.

• He knew how important she was for everyone – He said ‘Woman, behold your son’! The he said to the disciple ‘Behold, your mother!’ • St John Paull II called this ‘a gift which Christ makes personally to every individual’.

• From that moment…Our Lady took everyone of us into her heart and loves us like her own child! • Imagine…our mother, our perfect mother… Our Lady Queen of Heaven

Our Mother in Heaven St. John Paul II loved Our Lady • When his own mum died, his dad took him to a grotto of Our Lady and said, ‘This is your mother now.’ St. John Paul took her as his mother • He believed what St. said…Mary is ‘the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way’ to be holy!! • Took his papal motto – – Totally yours Mary – everything he did, he did through her • Shot on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima – 13th May and put his survival entirely down to her Like any mother who loves us… • She has given us some things to help • The rosary is one of those things :) How do we pray the Rosary?? Prayer time at home… Prayer time at home…

• What do you think were the common mistakes made here? • Do you ever turn off the light at night and cant go to sleep because your head is buzzing?

• Was the girl happy to be praying the rosary? • You only get out of it what you put into it. • If you want to change the way things look, change the way you look at things • * Approach it with a different mindset – if it is just a big bunch of long prayers, then that is all it will be – routine and nothing very special - just like whatever • What did the Granny say afterwards why its good to say the rosary? Why pray the Rosary? What do THE SAINTS say…? Saint

“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.” – Saint

“The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.”

“Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Everyone please stand-up!

If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Pius XI Our Lady

“When you say your Rosary, I myself am happier than you can possibly guess.” Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche Michaela prayed it everyday

• She had a different set of rosary beads for each handbag • She would pray a decade at half time in each of her Dad’s big matches • It gives her family great comfort now to pray like she did, with the confidence she had Judge the medicine by those who take the medicine.

Trust Our Lady, trust the Saints…what have you got to lose?

We couldn’t love her more than Jesus does…He wants us to pray to her! Let's move to our Sacred Space... The Resurrection Another tool she gives… The story of the

As I kneel before you

As I kneel before you, As I bow my head in prayer, Take this day, make it yours and fill me with your love.

Chorus: Ave Maria, Gratia plena, Dominus tecum, Benedicta tu.

All I have I give you, Every dream and wish are yours, Mother of Christ, Mother of mine, present them to my Lord.

As I kneel before you, And I see your smiling face Ev'ry thought, ev'ry word Is lost in your embrace. Write a prayer to Our Lady Take aways!!

• * Who is Our Lady? • * Why do we pray to her? What do the Saints say? What did Jesus say – His dying wish, such great importance - “Woman, behold, your son!...Behold, your mother!’" (Jn 19:26-27) • * How can we grow in love of Mary and allow her to help us come to know Jesus? • * The Rosary – Saint John Paul and Michaela's love for Mary and especially the rosary – Pray it!! • * The story of the Miraculous Medal – wear it!!