Paying homage to the Virgin Mother. But here is found a second intermediate point: Mary, as Mother of God and Queen of the Universe. Liturgical worship flows through Mary to reach God. It is a great worship, because Mary has the most worthy titles. She is the most holy creature, the Apostle, the Mother of God, the Mediatrix, the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
The Most Holy Virgin has a considerable position in liturgical worship, because she is linked, with an indissoluble connection, to Jesus Christ, who is the center. She is, together with Jesus Christ, the masterpiece with which God displayed His power and His goodness. Because Jesus was born of Mary, she takes greater part in all of His gifts and in His life; she also takes part in His glory and in the distribution of the goods of grace. She received from all creatures and presents it all to Jesus Christ. Thus we have the Mediator between God and men: Jesus Christ; and we have the Mediatrix between Jesus Christ and mankind: Mary – she sings her Magnificat, offering God all the praises, honor, and requests that the creatures send her.
The Liturgy flows forth from the faith. Since we believe Mary to be great, holy, and powerful before God, from the Church flowed forth, little by little, a most abundant richness of feasts, prayers, supplications, functions, and rites.
In the Liturgy, there is the Dominicale: it includes all the feasts of the Lord. Then, comes the Mariale, which includes all Feasts, Offices, Masses, and acts of veneration concerning Mary. Then, comes the Sanctorale, which includes all feasts of the Saints.
Due to her highness and uniqueness, the worship of Mary is superior to that of the Saints. The Saints are honored as Servants of God, Mary as Mother; the Saints are honors as subjects, Mary as Queen. The Church guides us throughout the liturgical year: let us walk towards Mary joined by the Church.
Fruits of the Marian Liturgy. The more Mary is praised, the more God is honored, souls are purified, and the Kingdom of God is established. The chain of humble and loving worship moves up continuously; and the chain of purification and sanctification moves down continuously. It is a continuous movement, up and down, as in the stairs seen by Jacob. The liturgical waves do not reach the throne of God without a chain of goodness and blessings coming down from the same place. And these waves that move towards God and this chain that descends upon us are admirably fed by the beneficial intervention of Mary. She takes the prayers from the Church and the faithful and hands them to God, confiding them to him for so many reasons. She received the graces from God and communicates them to men.
For this reason, in the Missal, the following solemnities in honor of Mary are marked, with their respective Masses:The Immaculate Conception (December 8);The Translation of the Holy House of Loreto (December 10);The Expectation (December 18);The Holy Family (Sunday within the octave of Epiphany);The Betrothal (January 23);The Purification (February 2);The Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 11);The Annunciation (March 25);The Seven Sorrows (Friday following Passion Sunday);Our Lady of Good Counsel (April 26);Queen of the Apostles (Saturday after the Feast of the Ascension);Help of Christians (May 24)Mediatrix of all graces (May 31);Queenship (May 31);Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament (May 31);Mother of Grace (June 9);Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (June 27);Visitation (July 2);Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16);Our Lady of Humility (July 17);Mother of Mercy (Saturday before the fourth Sunday in July )*Dedication of Our Lady of the Snows (August 5);Refuge of sinners (August 13);The Assumption (August 15);The Immaculate Heart (August 22);Our Lady of Consolation (Saturday after the feast of St. Augustine);Mother of the Divine Shepherd (September 3);The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8);The Most Holy Name of Mary (September 12);Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin (September 15);Our Lady of Mercy (September 24);The Most Holy Rosary (October 7);Divine Motherhood (October 11);Mother of Purity (October 16);The Presentation of the Virgin (November 21);Miraculous Medal (November 27).The Marian feasts approved for the entire Church are around fifteen; those approved pro aliquibus locis, that is, for some reasons or dioceses, are around twenty. Then, there are numerous ones not mentioned in the Missal but granted to specific nations, regions, dioceses, and institutes.
[Blessed James Alberione. The Feasts of Mary ("Feste di Maria", 1951): Introduction. Text in three parts - one part to follow.]
