Praying the Seven Sorrows (Dolors) of Our Blessed
Mother
The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows
falls on September 15 and it commemorates the sorrowful Mother and the sufferings she
experienced in union with her Son and dates back to the 12th
century. The feast was extended to the
universal Church in 1817 by Pope Pius VII and fixed officially in the calendar
for September 15 in 1913 by Pope Piux X.
This feast reminds of the spiritual martyrdom of Our Blessed Mother and
her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son; however, the prayers
honoring the seven sorrows of Our Lady can be said anytime throughout the year.
Through her great sufferings as
co-redeemer, she also helps to show us the true evil of sin and thereby leads
us to repentance and salvation. The
devotion is similar to the Rosary, in that it consists of seven
"mysteries" to be meditated on. These are the seven sorrows of Mary,
the great piercings that she received throughout her life with Jesus her Son.
In our
meditation on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, we should pray to imitate the
virtues and dispositions of Our Blessed Mother, especially during her moments
of greatest suffering. We should seek to learn from her the value and power of
redemptive suffering. Suffering becomes redemptive only through the
Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. Because of this, each one of us
can offer our sufferings as a gift to the Lord, uniting them with those of His Son. When we do this, our sufferings, just
like those of Jesus, redeem and bring grace to souls because they are united
with His. We look to our Blessed Mother to show us how to do this most
perfectly. She, more than any other creature, suffered in perfect union and
communion with her Son. These sufferings, united with Christ, help redeem the
world. We look to her for aid, comfort and an example.

;)
;)
Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Seven Sorrows rosary consists of one Our Father and seven
Hail Mary’s for each of the seven Sorrows. The Our Father is said before
each group of seven Hail Mary’s on the separate bead. After
completion of the Hail Mary’s, recite: Holy Mother hear our prayers, and renew in
our hearts each wound of Jesus Our Saviour.
"With this rosary, we bind
ourselves and our priest-sons to the Sorrowful Heart of Mary.”
The First Sword of Sorrow–The prophecy of Simeon who told Our Sorrowful Mother of the
bitter passion and death of Jesus.
The Second Sword of Sorrow–Our Sorrowful Mother is forced to flee
into Egypt to save her beloved Son from the death decreed by Herod.
The Third Sword of Sorrow–Our Sorrowful Mother is separated from
Jesus for three long days while He is lost in Jerusalem.
The Fourth Sword of Sorrow–Our Sorrowful Mother meets Jesus on the
road to Calvary and sees Him fall under the cruel weight of the cross.
The Fifth Sword of Sorrow–Our Sorrowful Mother watches Jesus die on
the Cross.
The Sixth Sword of Sorrow–Our Sorrowful Mother receives the dead body
of Jesus in her arms.
The Seventh Sword of Sorrow--Our Sorrowful Mother sees Jesus placed
in the sacred tomb.
Conclusion --- Three Hail Mary’s are said in honour of the Tears of Our Sorrowful
Mother.
Closing Prayer
O Mary, you truly became the Queen of all martyrs as these seven bitter swords
of sorrow pierced your Immaculate Heart!
By the merits of your tearful distress obtain for us and for all sinners
the graces of perfect contrition and conversion. Help us always, dear Mother, to imitate you
by taking up our crosses and following Jesus with limitless love and
generosity. Amen.
;)
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The Seven Promises:
According to the visions of St. Bridget of
Sweden (1303-1373) our Blessed Mother promises to grant seven graces to those
who honor her and draw near to her and her Son every day by meditating on her
dolors (sorrows) and entering into her grief.- "I
will grant peace to their families."
- "They
will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries."
- "I
will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their
work."
- "I
will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the
adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls."
- "I
will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I
will protect them at every instant of their lives."
- "I
will visibly help them at the moment of their death--they will see the
face of their mother."
- "I
have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this
devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly
life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my
Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."