The Triple Crown of the Mother of God : Conclusion of Preface

Conclusion

Concluding our translation of the Preface to the 1845 reprint of Fr Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

     Such is the outline of this magnificent composition in which the author more than fulfils all that he set out to do. Countless testimonies of Church Fathers and Doctors, a wealth of facts each more interesting than the other, set out in a spiritual and sympathetic way so as to bring clarity to doctrine, a style which is simple yet richly coloured, a tone redolent of piety which is moving and uplifting—all features that distinguish this work of extraordinary originality. 

    The author wrote his book before the important works of modern criticism and it is true that he gave too much weight to certain texts attributed to various Church Fathers which have subsequently been acknowledged as having been written later. This sort of mistake is one which Fr Poiré has the honour of sharing with Baronius [1538-1607] and with Bellarmine.[1542-1621] It takes nothing of any significance away from The Triple Crown of the Mother of God, any more than it has undermined the integrity of the Oratorian’s Annales Ecclesiastici or diminished the value of the Jesuit’s Controversiae. In works of this importance, the conclusions are backed up by too many incontrovertible testimonies to lose anything of their reliability simply because works cited as ancient by the author need to be brought forward by several centuries. Fr Poiré’s book remains no less a monument of his profound erudition as well as a tribute to a most fervent and tender devotion towards Mary.

     After crowning the Mother of God with her triple Crown, Fr Poiré uses the remainder of his work to lay before the faithful the duties by which they are bound to so great a Queen and the veneration they are to show her.  This entirely practical section of the book is a follow-on to what precedes it and is equally rich in doctrine, gently encouraging devotion towards Mary.

     

    The author enjoins:

    • loving gratitude towards Mary as indispensable for all those whose hearts and eyes have been enraptured by the splendours of the three Crowns of Excellence, Power and Goodness adorning the Mother of God. 

    This gratitude applies to the whole universe and arises from: 

    • the extent of the esteem that the faithful must have for the supreme qualities and dignities of the Mother of God;

    • the trust that so much power and goodness generates in their hearts;

    • the love inspired in them by so many perfections and blessings;

    • the zeal to win hearts for her;

    • the works of mercy rendered so dear to her by her love for men;

    • the acts of thanksgiving which the faithful, moved by gratitude, delight to offer her;

    • the gracious devotions in her veneration which take various forms, bringing joy to the Church and happiness to pious souls;

    • the works of mortification offered up to appease God’s justice in honour of the Mother of Mercy and accepted by Him (through Mary) with particular favour;

    • the fervent desire to imitate those virtues of which Mary is the exemplar for all the faithful;

    • the enthusiasm shown for joining Associations and Confraternities founded in her honour and dedicated to her service; and finally,

    • the urge to promote her glory in every way, for such is God’s pleasure: that Mary is to be praised and exalted in Heaven and on earth for ever and ever.

     These twelve sorts of veneration, arising from gratitude towards the Mother of God, are the subject of as many chapters and are handled very sympathetically by Fr Poiré who brings to bear all the resources of his learning and his piety. The culminating point is the consecration of the author and his work to the august Queen whose supreme qualities and sovereign mercy he has praised so effusively.

     A book such as this made its appearance in an era when our forebears had yet to experience the icy winds of Jansenism. As such, it must have received a truly favourable reception. This is evidenced by the three editions which came out, despite its considerable length. The last one was, as we have seen, in 1643. Everyone appreciated that religious literature changed in character after this date. The century which saw the publication of Arnauld’s treatise On Frequent Communion [1643] and the Essays of Nicole [1625-1695] could no longer support works written under the inspiration of a fervent faith and tender devotion. The older writings were quickly forgotten; a great number perished and the rest were buried in the dusty archives of libraries. Several works deserved a different fate as we can judge in our day since the republication of Affective Theology by Louis Bail [1610-1669]  and the Theological Conferences of Fr d’Argentan [1615-1680]. The success of these books in recent years has shown that our century has a better appreciation for works of Catholic genius than the two which preceded it.  

     Accordingly, we offer this book to the clergy, confident it will provide invaluable assistance to them in elucidating the advantages of devotion to Mary for the faithful.  It will also help to revive the faith and love which is always generated by contemplating the perfections of Mary, she whom God deigned to associate with His regeneration of man. The Glories of Mary by St Alphonsus Liguori [1696-1787] is a commentary on the Salve Regina and had a favourable reception among us, but in no way can the holy Bishop’s touching work of learning and piety be compared with the Marian Summa that we are republishing today.

     

    Communities of religious will also find in this important work solid and substantial nourishment for that devotion to Mary which is held in common by all those institutes brought into being by the Spirit of God to practise evangelic perfection. Finally, the simple faithful will henceforth have access to a treasury of truths which illuminate the mind and raise the heart to Heaven. Herein they will always be able to find new motives for venerating and imitating the most Blessed Virgin, with no fear of exhausting a source which is as rich as it is varied. Such was our intention in bringing out this important reprint.

    By reducing Fr Poiré’s folio-sized edition to octavo in two volumes, we ran into one or two difficulties with arranging the typography. We hope our readers will take due account of this. The work as a whole has lost nothing thereby. As for the fidelity of the reprint, we have been most painstaking in this regard, mindful of fulfilling our duty. Works such as The Triple Crown of the Mother of God can be subject to analysis but if they are reproduced, then their very originality demands to be respected. Every effort must be made to avoid interpolating even the slightest stamp of later ages. Furthermore, we can be confident in repeating that whilst it is possible to criticize this great work, it would far from easy to redo it and replace it. As far as we are concerned, whilst acknowledging the imperfections in the work, we felt ourselves unable to produce a corrected version.

     Now that we have revealed to the public our motives for offering this new edition of a book from the reign of Louis XIII [1610-1643], we await with confidence the judgement of readers on the timeliness of this undertaking. May we be permitted to express our desire that all Catholics who encounter this work may experience an unbounded trust in the power and goodness of the Lady who is so glorified in this beautiful book.

DOM PROSPER GUÉRANGER

 Abbé de Solesmes

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024

The Triple Crown of the Mother of God : Her Goodness

The Crown of Goodness

Continuing our translation of the Preface to the 1845 reprint of Fr Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

The third Crown is that of Mary’s Goodness and, like the others, it dazzles the eye with its twelve precious stars; but it is perhaps more gentle to men’s eyes, bringing joy to hearts and opening them up to a confidence that carries all before it.

 1 ✷   The first of these stars represents Mary’s part in the predestination of the elect. Her Son is the starting point for this supreme dignity, to which Mary is linked by God the Father in an ineffable manner; for the Father brings salvation to those in whom He sees a resemblance to Jesus Christ, a resemblance arising from the marks they bear of His beloved Daughter’s maternal adoption.

 2 ✷   Mary is called the Mother of Fair Love because divine charity resides in her heart as though it were its source; she pours out this love for us and we become her children formed for love through a thousand touches of her tenderness. The Holy Spirit inspires in us our love for God, but we are also truly indebted to Mary for her care and influence over us. This prerogative is represented by the second Star.

 3 ✷   Our Queen’s power means she has a host of noble favours for those who are honoured to draw closer to her. In the first place, she obtains advancement for them at the court of her Son; those who stay close to her obtain a status such that nothing is refused to them and she is pleased to grant them her special care. The story of the Saints is filled with examples recalling her peerless courtesy. This is the third Star.

 4 ✷   The fourth Star points to the solicitous attention Mary shows towards those who have found the easy path to her maternal heart. She delights in arranging everything so as to set them on the way of salvation and perfection. The life-stories of the saints bear witness to this on every page.

 5 ✷   Who could say how far the generosity of this venerable Sovereign might extend? In the order of nature — health, success for people in their undertakings, the growth of learning, the preservation of families on the verge of breakdown : all these are areas where requests have been made and all have been answered. In the order of grace — virtues that people have tried to acquire but without success seem to come down by themselves into the soul that opens itself to Mary by self-abandonment and prayer. This generosity so frequently encountered is the fifth Star.

 6 ✷   The heart of such a powerful princess holds it as a point of honour to show gratitude towards those who glory in being her subjects. What favours has she not bestowed on those nations who serve her as their Queen, for as long as they they remain faithful to her? What has she not done for those towns who have sought her patronage and have shown themselves worthy through their zeal in confessing their happy reliance on her? All the emperors, kings and generals who have placed their states or their battalions under her protection — has their trust ever been disappointed? Has not Mary always returned their advances with interest? This gratitude of her ever faithful heart is accounted as the sixth Star of the Crown of Goodness.

 7 ✷   We find the seventh Star in that wonderful title given by the Church to Mary: Mother of Mercy. This amiable Queen deigned to merit this title by her commiseration towards sinners. There would be no point in trying to set limits to Mary’s mercy. The Lord extends His mercy to all and He has willed that the Mother of His Son should ever assist Him in the exercise of this divine prerogative.

 

 8 ✷   The eighth Star relates to Mary’s role as Protectress watching over her children. She keeps them safe from bodily harm, removes them from perils to the soul, foils the plans of wicked spirits, puts to flight temptations and clears away delusions that could throw her children off the path of salvation.

 9 ✷   The Mother of God serves the souls of her children as a mistress who instructs them in every part of her Son’s teaching. She trains them in all that God wishes to see in His elect. If they go astray, she corrects them and sets them back on the right path. This ministry of care for her children is represented by the ninth Star.

 10 ✷   The beautiful title Comforter of the afflicted shines forth in the tenth Star. How many are the anxious souls to whom Mary has brought reassurance and calm! How many broken hearts have through her found peace and consolation! How many have found hope in their despair as soon as her radiant love spreads its warmth and light in their souls, like a rainbow in the midst of a tempest.

  

 11 ✷   Mary the Refuge of sinners is the eleventh Star. The old law had its cities of refuge and the gentiles had their places for seeking sanctuary. These symbolized, albeit inadequately, the safety that the sinner finds in Mary’s arms beyond the reach of the Lord’s wrath. The Mother of God acts like a shield to protect the sinner.

 12 ✷   The twelfth and final Star on the Crown of Goodness represents the love Mary bestows on her children at the supreme moment when she renders her powerful assistance at the hour of their death. The presence of such a compassionate Mother dissipates the natural fear of this dread moment experienced by those who are dying. She also watches over her favoured children to spare them the fearful shock of what we call sudden death. When the soul has left its body, Mary lends her assistance before the judgement seat of her Son. When a soul is sent to Purgatory for the expiation of sin, the Mother of God never ceases to pay visits, easing by her gentle presence the pains of exile.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024

The Triple Crown of the Mother of God : Her Power

The Crown of Power

Continuing our translation of the Preface to the 1845 reprint of Fr Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

    After the Crown of Excellence comes the Crown of Power which also has twelve wondrous stars.

 1 ✷   Fr Poiré identifies the first Star with Mary’s glorious power of drawing down to earth the Word of God Himself by virtue of: 

    • her heartfelt love, more intense than that of all the patriarchs and prophets;
    • the heavenly attractions of her virginity which offered to the Son of God a sanctuary in perfect keeping with His sovereign holiness;  
    • the depth of her peerless humility; and
    • her assent to the request Heaven sent through the angel and without which the mystery of the Incarnation would not have come to pass.

 2 ✷   Mary’s power is further revealed through the ineffable and totally pure way her blood provided matter for the flesh that would be united to the divine Word, producing the Word made flesh; and through the real authority she exercised through her status as Mother to the Son of God. This is the second Star. 

 3 ✷   The third Star represents the power Mary wielded over Him who was not only her own son but the Son of God Himself, suckling Him at her virginal breasts and guiding Him in His first steps.

 4 ✷   Mary is the Spouse of the divine Word who unites Himself to faithful souls. All the mysteries of the sacred Canticle find their fulfilment in Mary. This glorious union, in which she partakes more than all others combined, gives her a share in the power of her heavenly Spouse. Let us honour this mystery in the fourth Star.

 5 ✷   Her Son is called the Father of the world to come, and the Saviour of the human race. In the fifth Star of her power, Mary is presented as sharing these glorious titles with her son. On Calvary, she offered up the victim who by His blood opened for us the gates of eternity; she suffered along with the Redeemer and mingled her tears with the blood that poured from the Man-God. If His death turned around the primeval curse, it is because Mary was from the beginning substituted for Eve.

 6 ✷   The sixth Star shows the power of Mary, insofar as the Word, who positioned Himself as Head of His Church, established Mary as its Queen and placed in her hands the power of propagating the faith throughout the world, destroying heresies, guiding the Apostles, giving fortitude to the Martyrs, enlightening Pontiffs, inspiring Doctors, sanctifying Confessors, raising up Virgins, watching carefully over those faithful living in the conjugal state.

 7 ✷   But Mary is not only Queen of the Church, she is also its powerful protectress. The seventh Star represents this aspect of her power. The love in her heart is limitless for the family members in the Church, which is the mystical Body of her Son. Through her the Church is protected like an unsinkable vessel, weathering every storm. She is that Tower of David bristling with a thousand shields, protecting the holy City for ever.

 8 ✷   The Church is also the army of the Lord and Mary is invested with the power of commanding this army. The eighth Star represents this power and Mary goes forth to meet all the foes who desire to halt the triumphant march of this invincible army. These enemies fall into four groups: demons, sorcerers, heretics and blasphemers. History bears witness to Mary’s four-fold victory over them.

 9 ✷   The ninth Star of Mary’s power represents the overflowing treasure-chest of riches that are in her gift to distribute. This inexhaustible treasure is comprised of her Son’s graces which she has been authorised to dispense and all of which pass through her hands before coming to us.

 10 ✷   The Man-God is appointed by His Father to judge the living and the dead. Beneath His judgement seat, Mary exercises her power as an Advocate and a Mediatrix. This is the tenth Star and represents the immense power which comes from her rights as a Mother with regard to her Son and which is acknowledged by the Son whose tender Heart wishes for all men to be saved. 

 11 ✷   Before the divine Incarnation, Satan was the prince of this world which had become subject to him by sin. The Son of Mary dethroned him and, seated at the right hand of God the Father, He became King of the redeemed world. Mary is the Queen and sovereign Lady; the whole of God’s work is subject to her law. This is the eleventh Star of Power.

 12 ✷   The twelfth and final Star of this second Crown is Mary’s omnipotence. Her Son, through His union with the person of the Word, entered into possession of divine power; nothing can resist this power and its operation knows no limits. He willed that His Mother, as far is possible for a mere creature, should partake of the irresistible power residing in Him. This is why every century resounds with the fame of Mary’s miracles, of every sort. This is why all generations have placed their hopes in her, hopes which have never been disappointed.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024

The Triple Crown of the Mother of God : Her Excellence

The Crown of Excellence

Continuing our translation of the Preface to the 1845 reprint of Fr Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

    The author's first task was to craft the Crown of Excellence reflecting Mary's prerogative as Mother of God, which is the foundation of all her great dignities. Fr Poiré took from Heaven itself the notion of these twelve stars [1] and their brightness shines forth in those forming the other two Crowns.

[1]  And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: [Apocalypse xii.1]

 1 ✷   The author assigns the first Star to Mary's eternal predestination as Mother to God's Son incarnate. From all eternity, the thought of a God-Man was present to the Blessed Trinity. This thought presupposes a Mother from whom He will draw a human nature by the operation of the Holy Ghost. Between Son and Mother exists an interconnection, namely Divine Maternity, conceived and prepared in the mind of God, which associates Mary with His eternal plans by means of predestination. There is no higher predestination than Mary's, save for that of Jesus Christ Himself, to which her own is inseparably linked. 

 2 ✷   Before becoming manifest outside the mind of God, this ineffable predestination was announced and prefigured by types and symbols. This interconnection between Mary and Jesus Christ, who was to become her Son in time just as He is the Son of the Father in eternity, forms the second Star. The author has chosen six figures drawn from inanimate objects: the burning bush, Aaron's rod, Gideon's fleece, the Ark of the Covenant, Solomon's throne and the little cloud of Elias.1 In a similar way, twelve living symbols are taken from Scripture: Eve, Sara, Rebecca, Mary (sister of Moses), Axa, Jahel, Judith, Esther, Bethsabee, Abigail, Martha and finally the contemplative, Mary Magdalene

 3 ✷   After her predestination and pre-figuring in type and symbol, the Mother of God is finally created in the fulness of time by the power of God. Her status is Daughter of the Heavenly Father and this is the Third Star. Her creation is an act of paternity, but where in all creation is the being on whom the Father of all has lavished greater munificence? Adoption is another act of paternity, and where amongst us is there anyone who through adoption has been closer to the Creator than Mary, who in this way partakes of His power of Filiation?

 4 ✷   The Holy Ghost took Mary for His true Spouse and through Him she bore divine fruit at the Incarnation. To prepare her for this sublime calling, He poured Himself into her, adorning her with every virtue's richness and every gift of His grace. To degrees beyond measure, He nurtured within her the treasures of perfection that He had prepared. Her status as Bride of the Holy Ghost is the fourth star.

 5 ✷   The fifth Star shines forth from the natural perfections which make Mary the highest masterpiece of God's power and the great wonder of His creation : the nobility of her origin, her incomparable beauty, her sublime intelligence and her goodness, whereby she poured herself out for the benefit of all in creation.

 6 ✷   The supernatural gifts of grace taken together form the sixth Star. In Mary, these are much higher than those natural gifts which mirror them but in an imperfect manner. The grace that poured into Mary with such abundance from the instant of her conception grew in ways unfathomable to the mind of man and became in Mary the basis of merit for her which was greater than that of all the saints together.

 7 ✷   The Mother of God's complete freedom from sin shows in her a degree of glory that we sinners with holy yearning can only proclaim as the seventh Star in this first Crown. Mary’s perfect harmony with the uncreated Holiness of God is shown firstly in her Immaculate Conception, for she was not subject to the stain of original sin; next, in her complete freedom from actual sin in which she has no part and which has taken nothing whatsoever from the natural holiness radiating from her.

 8 ✷   Mary is blessed among all women : this is the eighth Star. She is not tainted in any way whatsoever by the curse on Eve. She is blessed in the fruitfulness of her virginal womb and blessed by the acclamations of all who honour her. She is the fulfilment of all the types and figures of blessedness in this promised Land beloved of God, in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, dwelling place of His Majesty. 

 9 ✷   The ninth Star shows forth Mary as the Queen and Mother of the virtues. The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit have made their abode in the sanctuary of her heart. The twelve fruits of this same divine Spirit, listed by the Apostle, also have their dwelling in her. The eight Beatitudes exalted from the very mouth of the Saviour Himself are her magnificent, crowning achievement.

 10 ✷   The wonders of the glory surrounding Mary are signified by the tenth Star: her glory in death, surpassing in sweetness the most noted of God's friends; the glory of her Assumption in body and soul, recalling the Ascension of her divine Son; the glory of her triumph, which moved the whole celestial court; the glory of her body spreading radiance around Heaven; the glory of her soul, exceeding in brightness and perfections all the hierarchies of Angels; and the glory of her throne, where, after God, she is seated as sovereign over all.

 11 ✷   According to Mary’s own prediction, all generations are to call her Blessed. The eleventh Star represents this universal accord featuring in succession the gentiles, who lived in expectation of this Virgin’s Son whose birth would deliver Saviour of the world; the Jews, who expected He would be born of their race; the Muslims who have always honoured Mary, despite the clouded understanding of infidels; the princes and princesses who honour her through placing their crowns at her feet; the Christian nations of the old and new worlds where august sanctuaries have been built in her honour, decorated with dazzling depictions of her miracles showing Mary is pleased to dwell therein; and the religious Orders who vie with each other for her favours, providing so many monuments to her glory and  proclaiming her praises in striking harmonies. 

 12 ✷   Finally, the twelfth Star consists of all the different perfections distributed amongst the various orders of creation and gathered together by the hand of God Himself into the woman He chose to be Mother of His Son. Fr Poiré summarizes these as follows: the most delicate of flowers, the most brilliant of pearls, the most sparkling of precious stones; the moon, the sun, the garden of delights, the temple of God, the world of God, the chariot of God and the crowning glory of all the Saints.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024

The Triple Crown of the Mother of God : Preface (1)

This post contains our translation of the first part of the Preface to the 1845 reprint of Fr Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 edition). 

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

     There may be some surprise at seeing this reprint of a folio published in 1643 and in a style already rather dated. The neglect into which this book has fallen might make our decision to publish a new edition perhaps difficult to understand. When drawing up our plans to produce a new edition of the Triple Crown of the Mother of God, we were happy to trust the public would give it a favourable reception. Far from being discouraged by the task, we felt all the more determined in our efforts to produce a new edition of Fr. Poiré's admirable book.

    It seemed to us, in fact, that the publication might contribute towards establishing a more solid foundation for devotion towards the Blessed Virgin. This could not come at a more timely moment, because devotion to Mary, neglected in France for such a long time, has been returning with unexpected fervour. This presages new favours and a new period of protection for our country on the part of Her whose title as Queen of the French could no more be removed by political changes than her title as Queen of Heaven and earth could be taken away by heresy.

    It has been a blessing to see more and more souls turning towards the Mother of Mercy. How many hearts there are who did not know God a few years ago but are living in grace today because Mary deigned to look down upon them in her maternal tenderness! The feasts of the Mother of God are now celebrated by the faithful with an enthusiasm and a confidence which recall the ages of the faith. The Month of Mary was at first observed secretly as a mystery in one or two isolated oratories. Now more and more of our most solemn sanctuaries are opening each year to the celebration which is becoming embedded in our catholic customs. In the heart of the capital, endless miracles of grace are pouring forth from the sacred heart of Mary who has chosen for this purpose the Church of Our Lady of Victories, an historical monument to our faith's victory over heresy.

    From all corners of the realm, the faithful are gathering to hear the praises of Mary and her titles proclaimed from the pulpit, showing that the whole world can place trust in her. Every year, or rather every day sees the appearance of new writings which aim to exalt the MOTHER OF GOD, and to pour forth the feelings of love and gratitude that are in people's hearts. Pious devotions towards Mary, thought to have fallen away, have taken on a new lease of life and are dearer than ever to the hearts of the faithful. The sacred Scapular is worn with fervour; devotion to the Rosary has taken off in a new more and more fervent way. Pilgrimages to Marian sites are now better attended than ever before and the medal of the Mother of Grace may be seen worn on the chests of believers and even of those who are not yet believers. What testifies even more powerfully to this turning of faithful souls towards Mary is the fervent enthusiasm with which they greet her in the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. The acceptance of this as a dogma is not yet required by the Faith, but the solemn decision of the Church is anticipated soon and it is earnestly to be hoped that this century will not pass before the voice of the Apostolic See proclaims as a dogma the Conception of the MOTHER OF GOD was Holy and Immaculate, just as she is full of grace in every way.

    What then could be lacking for the triumph of Mary, surrounded by such increasing devotion?  One thing only, namely, that the feeling which draws all classes of the faithful towards her and which becomes each day more significant and irresistible, should be illuminated by a comprehensive study of the splendours of her greatness and of the lovable qualities of this most august Queen. In short, the dogma concerning Mary, Mother and Queen of Heaven and earth, source of mercy and pillar of the Church, needs to be better studied and better understood. We must be weaned from the milk of sucklings on to solid food. Love for our Mother arises from our acknowledgement of the benefits she bestows on us; but the time has come to show that our it is also founded on the whole economy of our holy religion, that is, upon the most imposing and massive corpus of truths ever given to mankind.

    It is the duty of all God's creatures to love Mary. Getting to know Mary not only brings the assurance of loving her always but also enables us to penetrate the divine secrets of the mystery of the Incarnation, in which God has given us the means to rise up towards Him through charity. The dogma of the God-Man is the key to all truths of the faith, and living these truths leads us to our proper end. The dogma of divine maternity is a new source of illumination enabling us to understand more clearly the marvellous gift the divine Word deigned to bestow on us through Himself.

    It is therefore not enough to honour Mary simply by singing her praises and abandoning ourselves to the power of her love. In matters touching religion, sentiment proceeds from faith and faith has a need to grow and develop by continual contemplation of the truths it reveals. Through faith, God shines His light for us upon certain truths and if we study them regularly He will reward us with further illumination. Let us therefore study the Sacred Scriptures and meditate on the most august testimony they give concerning God and His truth; let us delve into the teaching of the Church, a living commentary on this divine text; let us study the liturgy and prayers of our religion, the writings of the holy Doctors, the acts and monuments of our faith throughout the ages. In this way the dogmatic teaching, which began by bringing delight to our hearts and minds by a single shaft of radiance, will grow before our astonished gaze into a great and dazzling illumination as bright as the sun. Our whole intelligence will be suffused by this enlightenment and our heart will find therein an inexhaustible source of nourishment for life. 

    The neglect of this life-giving study has entailed for us a loss in understanding the truths of the faith. Popular practice has too often taken the place of solid doctrine and there has been an over-reliance on pious sentiment which, left to itself, ends in exhaustion or sterility. This is already only too noticeable in many books on devotion to Mary and in certain homilies given in her honour. On the surface, these works seem full of life and striking in their boldness and relevance. Gradually, however, repetition leads to a formulaic style lacking in depth. It is sought to remedy this by introducing innovations but these have their limits and risk changing the nature of these works. The conclusion must be that we have been following a false trail. 

    The time has now come for an in-depth study of Christian dogma as it relates to the august Mother of God. Everything calls for such a work, both the sincerity of our veneration her and the desire all children of the Church must have of passing on the love they feel for her whom all generations are to call Blessed.

    Such a book needs to be accurate in presenting the depth of Marian doctrine and extensive or even universal in its range and detail; a book containing the full richness of antique piety, whilst at the same time presenting the most magnificent array of theological truths relating to its sublime subject. The style of this book has perhaps aged somewhat but it still shines forth with wondrous poetry. It was written before the Jansenists spread their errors throughout France and is re-appearing whilst all Catholic hearts and minds seek to know Mary more deeply so as to love her more fervently and to devote themselves more completely to her service. It seems now to us that the time is propitious for the reprinting of such a book.

    There is certainly no shortage of pious and learned works on the Mother of God. Indeed, if all the works meriting inclusion in a Marian library were to be gathered together, there would be several thousand of them. What is really needed, however, is a work that draws together the varied strands from these numerous compositions: this series begins with St Ephrem [306-373] and continues to St Bernard [1090-1153], passing through the Middle Ages, bringing together the scholastics and the mystics, before finally blossoming with the great Marian literature of the 16th and 17th centuries in France, Belgium, Germany, Spain and in Italy. Such is the richness of these works that that even the defence and promotion of belief in the Immaculate Conception has filled one hundred or more folio volumes. In terms of its date, The Triple Crown which Fr Poiré has consecrated to Mary is not the last of the works which we consider worthy of such a sublime subject, but we consider it offers a substantial treatment of the greatest and most illuminating writings from previous ages. This is the reason for the choice we have made to meet the need referred to above for a work of solid Marian teaching.

    These considerations aside, we doubt there could be found many men today capable of conceiving a plan comparable to the one realized in this volume we are presenting to the public, or many doctors sufficiently immersed in the necessary knowledge so as to fill it with such ease and with a quality worthy of comparison with that shown by the modest author whose forgotten name we are lifting from obscurity.

    On each of the pages of this book, characterised by a fervent piety transcending all eras, the reader can detect a taste for theological science, a power and a mastery of learning which carries us back to that time when a thorough understanding of the Church's doctrine was the first qualification required of any man wishing to write seriously on religious matters.

    Fr François Poiré was born in 1584 in Vesoul, situated in the Catholic province of Franche-Comté which has preserved to the present day signs of the lively spirit of faith which reigned there unchanged for such a long time. He was 17 when he joined the Society of Jesus where they soon recognised the precious gifts he had received from the Holy Ghost. He was appointed to teach the humanities, rhetoric, philosophy and Sacred Scripture. His gifts opened the path for him to higher learning. At first, he was placed in charge of the professed house at Nancy and was later the rector of the college at Lyon. He occupied a similar position in the college at Dole when he passed away at an early age [53] on the 25th of November 1637. Fr Poiré's interests inclined him towards mystical and ascetic writings. He approached these with all the benefits of his high level of theological learning. We may cite as monuments testifying to his aptitude in this material his fine Treatise on the knowledge of the Saints (1638) and his Collected Meditations, published after his death (1641). His most important work, however, which most clearly bears his imprint, is the one we are reproducing. Nourished by an Institute which has always featured in the first rank, benefiting from the means which God provided in recent centuries to maintain and promote within His Church the virtues of religion and love for the Queen of Heaven, Fr. Poiré discharged most worthily the role of interpreting the feelings of the Society of Jesus. The Triple Crown of the Mother of God first appeared in quarto format 1630 and then again in 1633. Ten years later in 1643 the work appeared in a larger folio edition, published by Sébastien Gramoisy. Besides the dedication by the author to the Holy Mother of God, the 1643 edition carried a second dedication to the pious Duchess of Aiguillon, signed by the printer. The book we are now offering to the public is based on this 1643 edition.

    This massive undertaking seeks to make use of all that is most rich and eloquent in what the centuries have produced in praise of Mary. Fr Poiré has followed a plan that is a worthy response to the magnificence of his subject. Since the work's aim was to exalt the great Queen of heaven and earth, the pious author considered a Crown was an act of veneration that would best express the ideas and feelings he sought to present in his book.

    A simple Crown, however, would not have been an adequate recognition of the Mother of God's royalty. On earth, the Vicar of Christ receives from the Church a triple Crown known as the Papal Tiara which represents the fulness of the spiritual royalty vested in His Holiness. All the more reason for Mary to receive the honour of a triple Tiara, for it is even more fitting that we venerate in her the three principal qualities in which her great dignities are subsumed. These three qualities are her Excellence, her Power and her Goodness. Her Excellence arises from a prerogative so exalted that it is second only to Divinity itself. This ineffable dignity is her divine Maternity. Her Excellence gives rise to her Power which is limitless, for her reign is second to that of God but she reigns alongside God. Her Goodness arises from her supreme dignity. The Mother of God becomes by adoption the Mother of men and of every creature. The sceptre of mercy is placed in her hands. Excellence, Power and Goodness become as one in a triple alliance at Mary's crowning. Such is the diadem crafted by the learned and pious author for the coronation of Mary.

    Now the glory of a crown may be seen in the jewels which adorn it and Fr. Poiré set himself the task of finding the most precious of gems to embellish his three diadems. The number of gems for each diadem is derived from the prophecy of the beloved Disciple who in His revelation writes of the mysterious woman who had on her head a crown of twelve stars.[Apoc. xii. 1] With remarkable skill, he incorporated the most sacred of numbers, 3 and 12, into the overall design of his work. As we shall see, materials were not lacking to him for this purpose.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024

The Triple Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

When preparing to renew the consecration of my family to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary this year, I discovered the following paragraph in True Devotion to Mary by St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1712 )

[26] Si je parlais à des esprits forts de ce temps, je prouverais tout ce que je dis simplement, plus au long, par la Sainte Écriture, les Saints Pères, dont je rapporterais les passages latins, et par plusieurs solides raisons qu'on pourra voir au long déduites par le R.P. Poiré en sa Triple Couronne de la Sainte Vierge. [TC]

 

[26] If I were speaking to the free-thinkers of these times, I would prove what I have said in simple terms by going into greater detail, confirming it by Sacred Scripture and the Church Fathers, referring to original passages in Latin, and including the solid reasons which may be seen at length in Fr. Poiré's work The Triple Crown of the Blessed Virgin (1630).

 

Fr Poiré's work was unknown to me and I found it was first published in 1630 and then again in 1637 and 1643. I have not so far found any English translations but I have found a French edition online (based on the 1643 volume) which was published in 1845 with a preface by Dom Prosper Guéranger, Abbé de Solesmes.

I translated a series of excerpts from TC for the Marian consecration which took place on the feast of the Annunciation (8 April this year). Fr Poiré's work is so inspiring and thought-provoking that I determined to revisit it and present further translations. 

Image for May 2024. Golgotha Monastery, Papa Stronsay, Orkney

I have vivid memories from my childhood at school that May is the month traditionally associated with the Crowning of Mary. It seems altogether fitting at the start of May to offer my work on The Triple Crown as a present to Mary, our gentle Queen and Mother.

In turning a page on my Papa Stronsay calendar, I was struck by the "coincidence" that the image they selected for the month of May was just such a crowning of Mary. I pray this may be an auspicious sign for the commencement of this little work.

Please note that the translation makes no pretence of being to a professional standard but is a purely personal project which I pray may help to reveal the truth, beauty and goodness of the material contained in The Triple Crown.

👑       👑       👑

The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

The Feast of the Annunciation : Renewal of Consecration to Christ through Mary

The Annunciation.

On today's Feast of the Annunciation, we reach the end of our preparation for renewing personal consecration to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The inspiration for these consecrations, starting in 2019, has been the writings of Saint Louis-Marie Grignon de Montfort (1673-1716), in particular, his Traité de la vraie dévotion à la Sainte Vierge). The text he wrote for consecration may be found below.

👈The image is from the Llangattock Hours and is by Willem Vrelant (Flemish, died 1481, active 1454 - 1481). reproduced by courtesy of the Getty Centre (Los Angeles, USA).

As a gift to Our Blessed Mother on this great Feast, we offer firstly our compilation of commentaries on the Psalms of the Little Office:

Psalm 8        Psalm 18        Psalm 23        Psalm 44

Psalm 45      Psalm 53        Psalm 62        Psalm 84

Psalm 86      Psalm 92        Psalm 94        Psalm 95        

Psalm 96      Psalm 97        Psalm 99        Psalm 109

Psalm 112    Psalm 116      Psalm 119       Psalm 120

Psalm 121    Psalm 122     Psalm 123       Psalm 124

Psalm 125    Psalm 126     Psalm 127       Psalm 128

Psalm 129    Psalm 130     Psalm 147       Psalm 148

Secondly, we offer 33 reflections and prayers inspired by the beautifully tender icon: Our Lady of Vladimir. The icon image was blessed by Fr Andrew Southwell today in St Bede's Church, Clapham Park.

Thirdly, we offer commentaries by St Alphonsus on the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Finally, we offer our translation of eight Glories of Mary as set forth in The Triple Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God by Fr H Poiré (published in 1634).

Text for renewal of Consecration (including family members)

 

Completed in St Bede's Church, Clapham Park, on today's feast of the Annunciation.

 Laudetur Jesus Christus et Maria Immaculata!

Ô Sagesse éternelle et incarnée! Ô très aimable et adorable Jésus, vrai Dieu et vrai homme, Fils unique du Père Éternel et de Marie, toujours Vierge! Je vous adore profondément dans le sein et les splendeurs de votre Père, pendant l’éternité, et dans le sein virginal de Marie, votre digne Mère, dans le temps de votre incarnation.

O Eternal and incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and true man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary, always virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendours of Thy Father during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine incarnation.

Je vous rends grâce de ce que vous vous êtes anéanti vous-même, en prenant la forme d’un esclave, pour me tirer du cruel esclavage du démon. Je vous loue et glorifie de ce que vous avez bien voulu vous soumettre à Marie votre sainte Mère, en toutes choses, afin de me rendre, par Elle, votre fidèle esclave.

I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself, taking the form of a slave in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee for that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. 

Mais hélas! Ingrat et infidèle que je suis, je ne vous ai pas gardé les vœux et les promesses que je vous ai solennellement faits dans mon Baptême ; Je n’ai point rempli mes obligations ; Je ne mérite pas d’être appelé votre enfant ni votre esclave ; et comme il n’y a rien en moi qui ne mérite vos rebuts et votre colère, je n’ose plus par moi-même approcher de votre très sainte et auguste Majesté.

But, alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child, nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare not come by myself before Thy most holy and august Majesty. 

C’est pourquoi j’ai recours à l’intercession [et à la miséricorde] de votre sainte Mère, que vous m’avez donnée pour Médiatrice auprès de vous ; et c’est par son moyen que j’espère obtenir de vous la contrition et le pardon de mes péchés, l’acquisition et la conservation de la Sagesse.

It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a mediatrix with Thee. It is through her that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, pardon for my sins, and the acquisition and preservation of wisdom.

Je vous salue donc, ô Marie immaculée, tabernacle vivant de la divinité, où la Sagesse éternelle cachée veut être adorée des Anges et des hommes.

Je vous salue, ô Reine du ciel et de la terre, à l’empire de qui tout est soumis : tout ce qui est au-dessous de Dieu.

Je vous salue, ô Refuge assuré des pécheurs, dont la miséricorde n’a manqué à personne ; exaucez les désirs que j’ai de la divine Sagesse, et recevez pour cela les vœux et les offres que ma bassesse vous présente.

Hail, then, O immaculate Mary, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by angels and by men! 

Hail, O Queen of Heaven and earth, to whose empire everything is subject which is under God. 

Hail, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which in my lowliness I present to thee. 

Moi, N….............................., pécheur infidèle, je renouvelle et ratifie aujourd’hui entre vos mains les vœux de mon Baptême : ainsi que ceux de ma famille, ce que je fais pour eux: E, Em, K, P, T, Ed, & Es; El & Al; V & An.

Je renonce pour jamais à Satan, à ses pompes et à ses œuvres, et je me donne tout entier à Jésus-Christ, la Sagesse incarnée, pour porter ma croix à sa suite tous les jours de ma vie, et afin que je lui sois plus fidèle que je n’ai été jusqu’ici.

Je vous choisis aujourd’hui, en présence de toute la cour céleste, pour ma Mère et Maîtresse; je vous livre et consacre, en qualité d’esclave, mon corps et mon âme, mes biens intérieurs et extérieurs, et la valeur même de mes bonnes actions passées, présentes et futures, vous laissant un entier et plein droit de disposer de moi et de tout ce qui m’appartient, sans exception, selon votre bon plaisir, à la plus grande gloire de Dieu, dans le temps et l’éternité.

I, N_____, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; and I do this for those of my family, (E, Em, K, P, T, Ed, & Es; El & Al; V & An).  

I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. 

In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity. 

Recevez, ô Vierge bénigne, cette petite offrande de mon esclavage, en l’honneur et union de la soumission que la Sagesse éternelle a bien voulu avoir de votre maternité, en hommage de la puissance que vous avez tous deux sur ce petit vermisseau et ce misérable pécheur ; en action de grâces des privilèges dont la sainte Trinité vous a favorisée.

Receive, O benignant Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honour of, and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to thy maternity; in homage to the power which both of you have over this poor sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favoured thee.

Je proteste que je veux désormais, comme votre véritable esclave, chercher votre honneur et vous obéir en toutes choses.

I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honor and to obey thee in all things.

Ô Mère admirable, présentez-moi à votre cher Fils, en qualité d’esclave éternel, afin que, m’ayant racheté par vous, il me reçoive par vous.

Ô Mère de miséricorde, faites-moi la grâce d’obtenir la vraie Sagesse de Dieu, et de me mettre pour cela au nombre de ceux que vous aimez, que vous enseignez, que vous nourrissez et protégez comme vos enfants et vos esclaves. [Veuillez mettre à ce nombre les membres de ma famille: E, Em, K, P, T, Ed, & Es; El & Al; V & An]

Ô Vierge fidèle, rendez-moi en toutes choses un si parfait disciple, imitateur et esclave de la Sagesse incarnée, Jésus-Christ votre Fils, que j’arrive, par votre intercession, et à votre exemple, à la plénitude de son âge sur la terre et de sa gloire dans les cieux.

Ainsi soit-il !

O admirable Mother, present me to thy dear Son as His eternal slave, so that as He has redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me! 

O Mother of mercy, grant me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God; and for that end receive me among those whom thou lovest and teachest, whom thou leadest, nourishest and protectest as thy children and thy slaves.[Please accept in this number the members of my family: E, Em, K, P, T, Ed, & Es; El & Al; V & An] 

O faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thine intercession and by thine example, to the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in Heaven. 

Amen.

+        +        + 

Sancta Maria...

Ainsi soit-il, à tout ce que vous avez fait sur la terre, lorsque vous y viviez; 

Ainsi soit-il, à tout ce que vous faites à présent dans le ciel; 

Ainsi soit-il, à tout ce que vous faites en mon âme, afin qu’il n’y ait que vous à glorifier pleinement Jésus en moi pendant le temps et l’éternité.

Ainsi soit-il.

+       +        +

The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.