Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 13 : § 1.1-3

Chapter 13 : Advancing in the service of the MOTHER OF GOD and magnifying her glory – twelfth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

The time has now come to conclude our discussion on how we are obliged to acknowledge the greatness of the MOTHER OF GOD. I cannot think of any better way of doing this than by considering how we can advance in her service and magnify her glory. In my opinion , this represents the crowning glory of all the other forms of thanksgiving we have covered. 

§ 1. How advancing in the service of the MOTHER OF GOD and magnifying her glory is a most pleasing form of gratitude to her and how we are obliged to do this

 1   The holy Prophet Job says[1] of God that in his hands he hideth the light, which is the symbol of glory, as being his dear possession. You should not imagine, however, this means He hides it from the most sacred Virgin, His beloved Daughter, so that she is prevented from enjoying it. How could He deny it to her, since she is herself called a fountain of light by St John Damascene[2] (following the devout Chrysippus[3], a Priest of Jerusalem) ; and since she is called the Mother of Light itself by Hesychius[4], a Priest of the same Church, following St Epiphanius?

“Most Holy Virgin,” writes the latter, “Mother of Eternal Light; I am speaking of that light which shineth on high upon the Angelic host, which enableth the Seraphim to be so clear-sighted, from whom the sun takes its brightness, banishing darkness from the world and with the beauty of its rays bringing joy to Heaven and earth!”  

How could He refuse to share this with her whom He himself rendered incomparably more lustrous than the stars at daybreak and brighter than the Sun at noon? How could He be so miserly with His glory when it came to her whom He created to be a platform for glory? How could He possibly withhold His favours from her who spared no effort to extend the frontiers of His kingdom and all of whose virtues were like so many censers giving off unceasingly the pleasing fragrance of God’s glory? Did He not give His word to glorify her who was such a worthy instrument of His glory and who had taken such great care in seeking out ways to glorify Him? And if He is obliged by reason of His express promise, can He go against the contract He agreed? It would be a crime to doubt the faithfulness of the Prince of Heaven. When we consider the honour rendered her everywhere and the glory she enjoys through the length and breadth of God’s domain, we can recognise no Author or Promoter other than God Himself. Who else could have moved people’s hearts so powerfully, inflamed and inspired their wills so ardently, binding and engaging their affections so effectively as to make a whole world render so much honour to a mere creature? It could only have been God, for He alone governs men’s hearts disposes their wills and holds the reins of their affections. Let us accordingly admit no contradiction when we say that it was Him who inspired the first movements and the first instincts within men’s souls, and who drew the peoples from East and West, from North and South, to come and present her with homage indescribably higher than that which is due to other creatures. Let us adore the designs that He had for her, and let us confess that this Lady cannot only be delighted by the care and diligence with which we promote her service, receiving what we offer her as a most pleasing form of gratitude for the blessings that come to us from her hand.

Footnotes

[1] In his hands he hideth the light, and commandeth it to come again. He sheweth his friend concerning it, that it is his possession: Job xxxvi. 32-33.

[2] Orat. 1 de Nativit. B. Virg.

[3] Orat. 2 de Sancta Maria.

[4] Serm. de Laudib. Virg.

 2   The perfect conformity she has to have with the will of God and the dazzling splendour in which she currently finds herself means this must be so. Since she clearly understands that God has resolved to show forth His glory and make His name resound throughout the universe, why would she be in opposition to this? Indeed why should she not be grateful to those who are employed by God in such an honourable undertaking? Why would she not accept their goodwill? Why would she not value their affection? Why would she not be pleased to accept their gratitude? Why would she not support their intentions? But especially in the state in which she now finds herself – in the secure strength of God’s truth, free from the assaults and surprises of vanity, where the honour rendered to her goes straight to God as to its source and end – can she not desire and seek all this without fear and without apprehension? For if the Sacred Scriptures attest that the Saints, once they come close to God, ask Him for vengeance, the pursuit of which is no less dangerous but actually much more so than that of glory; and if enjoying God’s presence so strengthens their minds to good purposes that they cannot fail in the entreaties they make against those who have treated them badly, why would we not believe that they will not be pleased by the honour we render them, and be grateful for the affection we show in making them known and honoured?

 3   Let us consider it a settled matter, then, that the MOTHER OF GOD has very special feelings for those working to advance in her service and increase her glory; and that, among all her children, these are the ones on whom she has bestowed the most exceptional favours and for whom she is preparing the greatest rewards. Let us now proceed to consider what her faithful servants have done in this regard, and what propriety requires of us.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 3.4-6

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. Congregations of the Holy Virgin established in houses of the Society of Jesus 

 4   This initiative, with Heaven’s help and special guidance from the MOTHER OF GOD, was so successful that in a short while the majority of Jesuit colleges wanted to share the blessings of such a Sodality. Finally, Pope Gregory XIII, outstanding in his support of every kind of good works, deigned to receive these associations under the protection of the Holy See. He gave them the seal of his Apostolic approval and enriched them with a great number of indulgences that he drew from the treasury of Holy Church. He founded the Association of the Roman College, under the title of the Sodality of the Annunciation, in the year 1584 on the 5th of December, the Eve of the Feast of St Nicholas – patron Saint of students. This was to be the mother house for all the others and he gave power to the Society of Jesus to erect similar Sodalities with the same title and additional faculties in all the Jesuit colleges, linking them to the one in Rome. Later, as the fruits of these Sodalities became known and admired everywhere, it was decided no longer to limit them to the Jesuit classroom but to open them up so that membership might be enjoyed by all. To this effect, Pope Sixtus V issued an express Bull on the 5th of January in the year 1586 which granted plenary power to share the treasures of the Sodalities with people other than students and to found Sodalities under the titles of other feasts of the MOTHER OF GOD, according as they saw fit. They were not to be restricted to colleges but could be made available in other Jesuit houses. Pope Clement VIII extended this to Jesuit residences on the 30th of August in the year 1602. By the grace of God, today we can see the fruits of Heaven’s blessings and the approval granted by the Holy See exemplified in the single city of Naples where some fifteen such associations have been established for people of different conditions and backgrounds, numbering more than two thousand members. 

 5   Philo, that most eloquent of Jewish writers, once described the early Christians in the Church of Alexandria as being like the Essenes. If I had to describe the beautiful works which characterise the Sodalities of the Holy Virgin, which are like the fruits of unknown lands, I would have the material for some great panegyrics. Because we see them every day, however, we take them for granted just as we do the Sun and other miracles of nature; and the fact that we are accustomed to them takes away our sense of wonderment. Some things are nonetheless admirable in themselves, and the communication of a good does not detract from its excellence but in a certain way renders it much greater. This being so, I can see that I would never be able to exhaust the benefits which come back to the Church of God from these associations. 

People are improved by them throughout their lives, since they serve to shape childhood, to harness the energies of youth, to perfect manhood, and to give old age a sweet and profitable sustenance. People of every condition find them useful : ecclesiastics learn to honour their ministry; the great of this world learn the meaning of true nobility in virtue; those who administer justice learn how to do so in a holy manner; those involved in commerce learn how to seek their true profit in heaven; artisans learn how to live in a peaceful and Christian way, each according to his trade. The cities where these associations are established benefit in all sorts of ways: the poor receive better care, hospitals and hostels are more charitably served, alms-giving is more effective, girls whose modesty is at risk receive greater protection, prisoners are given more help. No school for Virtue produces daily people more useful for the common good of God’s house. They provide public education in good government within private families, they are like academies teaching how to live a Christian life and they are like nurseries producing those who will choose the Religious life. Where else would it be possible to find a group with more sincere artisans, better members of the bourgeois class, more charitable physicians, more accomplished lawyers, more conscientious magistrates, more faithful counsellors, wiser presidents, more virtuous members of the Nobility, more vigilant Governors, more exemplary Ecclesiastics, more zealous Prelates, more religious Princes – indeed Monarchs more distinguished in every sort of Virtue? 

Members of Religious Orders, through being totally sequestered from the world, embrace a holy way of life which of necessity tends towards the highest perfection that can be achieved here on earth. Apart from these, where would we look to find people who have a more pious approach to the Holy Sacraments, who pray in a more pure and holy manner, who examine their conscience with greater diligence, who practise mortification with the least ostentation and who in every other way practise the Christian life with greater diligence? What other associations make it so easy for people to combine their devotion with the management and care of their daily business, to seize opportunities for doing good, to provide help for those times when they fall, to find more examples encouraging them to live virtuously, or support when they are sick or help at the time of death? Where else is it easier for people to work for their salvation, where is there a better source of indulgences available to help people make reparation for their past sins, or where are there people more gentle in their social interactions? Where does the Mother of love cast her gaze more favourably? Where does she shower her heavenly graces and favoursmore abundantly? Where does she find greater and more pleasing expressions of gratitude? Where is she held in higher esteem than amongst those who are continually hearing or reading about her great splendours? Where are the people who will have more trust in her than her dear children who consider her alone, after God, as their refuge and their hope? Where is she loved more tenderly than in these associations where she is known best and where she grants more of her favours? I would make exactly the same points about the other ways that faithful show their gratitude which I have covered in some detail in this work.

 6   Speaking personally, I cannot hide the gratitude I feel with all my heart for having received the favour of the Mother of gentleness, and for having spent several years offering little services to her through these holy and praiseworthy practices. It seems to me that my conscience obliges me to make known everywhere how I have seen in various places such beautiful and excellent marks of virtue and how I have regularly encountered people in the most elevated spiritual state whenever I have had dealings with these beautiful associations devoted to our Holy Mother. Along with those who long ago were captivated by seeing the wonders performed by Moses[1], I feel obliged :

    • to swear that this is the finger of God and He has intervened with His right hand;

    • to say with Moses[2] that here is a land specially favoured by the most beneficent gaze of His sovereign Majesty;

    • to say with the Royal Prophet that this is the vine and the chosen possession of his Holy Mother, a vine which has stretched forth its branches and leaves from one sea unto another, and over all the extent of the earth[3]; 

    • to confess with Jacob[4] that this is indeed the House of God and the gate of Heaven;

    • to proclaim with the same[5] that these are the camps of the great God of armies; and

    • to cry out with the man who was wicked[6] but who was nevertheless led by the spirit of God : How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!

I have in my mind’s eye an image of the Holy City which the beloved Disciple[7] once saw and where he contemplated so many Kings and citizens flocking from all parts to this blessed place, each with a train of glory and royal magnificence. That which I perceive here below causes my spirit to soar to the heights and I am in no doubt as to how beautiful the celestial Sion will be, containing such a multitude of beauties! 

God of Heaven (I sometimes say to myself), what riches will come from such a great accumulation of riches? What greatness will be born from so many examples of individual greatness – not to mention the beauty, the riches and the greatness of the Prince of glory – which would be capable of eclipsing and obscuring all those of the world if His goodness did not take infinite delight in giving them splendour rather than diminishing their brightness? 

Footnotes

[1] Exod. viii. 19.

[2] Deut. xi. 

[3] Ps. LXXIX. 9-12.

[4] Gen. xxviii. 17.

[5] Ps. XXXII 2.

[6] Num. xxiv. 5.

[7] Apoc, xxi-xxii.

[End of Chapter 12]

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 2.10-13 > § 3.1-3

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. Various Associations founded in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD

Various other Associations

 10   I would have had an unending task had I set out through all the cities in Europe and elsewhere to find and record the various Associations established to honour the name of the MOTHER OF GOD and encourage devotion and service to her. Examples would have included :

 

    • the Confraternity of Gonfalone which St Bonaventure founded in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome[1] in the year 1273; 

    • the Company of the Whites of Justice, founded about one hundred years ago to offer help and assistance to those with physical or spiritual needs, especially those who have been condemned to death; from this company emerged the Order of Clerics Regular in 1584, which was later approved by Pope Sixtus V;

    • the Confraternity of Our Lady of Loreto and several other places chosen by the Holy Virgin where she is honoured;

    • the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Pillar in Spain, and

    • countless other places which devotion towards the Holy Virgin has established throughout Christendom. 

The Queen of Angels shows how great and admirable she is both in the great diversity and the sheer numbers of her servants in these Associations who all receive a welcome under her royal mantle.

Footnotes

[1] Bzovius.

The Associations founded by St Charles Borromeo

 11   I must not pass over in silence the outstanding devotion of St Charles Borromeo who founded several congregations and every one bore the name and the arms of the MOTHER OF GOD.

The Association founded to pray the Litany of Our Lady

 12   I must also include the Association of those who, with no other conditions or rules of admission, unite their hearts and minds to recite daily the Litany of the Holy Virgin for one another. The principal intention is to obtain through the intercession of the Mother of love the grace of dying well. Because of the very great benefits offered and the minimal duties, this Association has so many members throughout Christendom that they are as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is by the sea shore.

The Association of the Little Crown of Our Lady

 13   The Association of the Little Crown of the Holy Virgin has spread so widely through Christendom that today the number of those who have undertaken to recite it daily is almost infinite. I have already spoken in another context[1] of the fruits which this devotion brings and outlined the way to recite the prayer. All that is left to say here is that no great ceremony is needed to enrol in the Association. All people need to do is to pray at the outset a Pater and an Ave Maria three times for the intention of all those men and women who are trying to promote this devotion, by way of affirming the desire they have to cooperate with them in the service of the Holy Virgin, for the general good and for the good of each member, and to recite the Little Crown each day with three intentions in mind. 

The first is to thank the divine goodness for all the graces and favours conferred upon the glorious Virgin and through her mediation to the whole world. The second is to obtain through the same Virgin’s favour the extirpation of heresies and other vices ravaging God’s Church. The third is to pray for a happy life followed by a good death for all those men and women who are associated with this devotion. If there are any who are fearful of making this commitment then they need to be reassured. Those people to whom God first inspired this pious practise never had any intention of placing constraints upon anyone but only of making it clearly understood to all those who decide to join the Association that each day they recite the Little Crown they will have a share in the indulgences which have been granted in favour of this devotion and in the prayers that other members are offering on that same day. If they forget to say the prayers, or willingly abandon the practice, then these benefits will not be available to them. Who would be such an enemy to himself as to refuse a treasure which is so freely available?

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 9, § 7.

§ 3. Congregations of the Holy Virgin established in houses of the Society of Jesus 

 1   Having undertaken to speak of the greatness of the MOTHER OF GOD with particular reference to those who serve in her Associations, I hope I may be now permitted a short discussion of those who have enrolled in the Congregations of the Virgin established all over the world in the houses of the Society of Jesus. This will serve as a reminder of the beginnings and progress of the holy exercises they practise which have borne such notable fruit and it will also give some information about them to those who are curious.

The origin of the Congregations of the Holy Virgin

 2   If Queen Esther was rightly compared to a little fountain[1] – but brighter than the Sun and spreading her rays and waters on all sides – then why should I not say the same of this Association which, having grown from very small beginnings, has nevertheless spread all over the world and has by its brightness attracted the gaze and won over the hearts of an infinite number of people? If the cradle of Moses was worth little despite enclosing such a rich treasure, then that of the Congregation was worth even less since the only thing that was famous about the place where it first saw the light of day was its name as capital of the known world.

Footnotes

[1] The little fountain which grew into a river, and was turned into a light, and into the sun, and abounded into many waters, is Esther, whom the king married, and made queen. Esther x. 6.

 3   John Leunis was a young lecturer teaching the final class of Grammar in the Jesuit College of Rome. He first formed the Sodality in 1563[1], looking after it during its infancy for about one year. He had gathered a handful of young students who every day after the others had left gathered together in one of the classrooms where they had carefully prepared an altar. They recited a number of short prayers together and this was followed by readings from a spiritual work. On feast days they allowed a little more time for their morning assembly and then in the afternoon they met again to say Vespers together. This group of students caught the attention of others like little shoots of virtue, so to speak, and stimulated the interest of more advanced students to follow their example. The upshot was that the following year seventy of the best qualified students were chosen to become members at the foundation of a new association under the guidance of the MOTHER OF GOD and named the Sodality of the Annunciation. Next came the adoption of certain rules concerning the Holy Sacraments, the practice of good works, the time and ordering of assemblies, the creation of a number of officers to govern the Sodality under the direction of the Jesuit Fathers, along with similar statutes which are for the most part those which have been retained and preserved. 

Footnotes

[1] Historia Societ. Jesu, ad illum annum 1563.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 2.6-9

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. Various Associations founded in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD

The Confraternity of the Leathern Belt and of Our Lady of Consolation

 6   The Order of the Hermits of St Augustine also provides us with proof of the Holy Virgin’s favour in this regard because of its connection with the Confraternity of the Leathern Belt, so called because of the black leathern belt worn by its members in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD, St Augustine and St Monica. This devotion began under Eugene IV in the year 1446 when he canonised blessed St Nicholas of Tolentino. Many people were moved by the great miracles and outstanding holiness of this great servant of God and, wishing to wear the leathern belt which he had worn and honoured with his virtues, a number of them formed an Association. The Reverend Father Gerardo de Arimini, who was at the time General of the Hermits of St Augustine, instituted and approved this Association with the authority of the Holy See, granting the members of the Confraternity a share in all the good works and blessings of his Order, present and to come, wheresoever in the world they might be. In the year 1575, Pope Gregory XIII amalgamated the Confraternity with that of our Lady of Consolation in Bologna and decreed in a Brief that the two henceforth should become one, granting the same privileges to both without differentiation or distinction, as may be seen in the Bull of union. The Confraternity of Our Lady of Consolation had been founded in Bologna in the year 1495 in the Church of St James (which belonged to the Augustinian Fathers). It was the fruit of the zeal shown by Blessed Father Martin de Vercelli who, on the occasion of a series of sermons he was preaching in that Church for Lent, ordered a painting of Our Lady of Consolation to be hung over the main entrance. This encouraged a great number of citizens of Bologna to enrol in this Confraternity which he had founded in honour of God and of the most glorious Virgin. The Confraternity of the Leathern Belt has been confirmed by a great number of Popes and blessed with many beautiful indulgences, as anyone can see by studying the book which was printed in Paris in the year 1529. 

The Confraternity of Peace

 7   I have already written about the Confraternity of Peace in Part III[1]. It was founded in the city of Puy-en-Velay in the year 1183 on the occasion of a dispute between the King of Aragon and Count Raymond of St Gilles which was resolved in a marvellous way by this Confraternity.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 6, § 4. 

The Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception

 8   In the year 1506[1] the Great Cardinal Ximenes, Archbishop of Toledo, founded the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of the most Sacred Virgin. Its principal aim was to provide help and relief for the poor people of the city, whether in a civic way or in helping individuals. Every night from All Saints until the month of April, two members from the Confraternity would walk with torches around the streets of the City looking for any homeless persons. They would escort anyone they found to the hostel that the Cardinal had built for this purpose, ordering that it should be equipped and furnished with all things necessary for its mission.

Footnotes

[1] Gomezius, in ejus Vita.

The Confraternity of the Annunciation

 9    The learned and pious Dominican, Cardinal Torquemada, died in the year 1468. A few years before his death, he chose a Church in Rome belonging to his Order called Our Lady of Minerva to found the famous Confraternity of the Annunciation, placing it under the protection of the most glorious Virgin. He endowed it with significant funds to help poor young women whose chastity could be at risk by reason of their poverty. Each year on the feast of the Annunciation the Pope, in company with his Cardinals, made his way to Our Lady of Minerva and, after solemn Mass sung by a Cardinal, the Holy Father personally gave a dowry to each of two hundred young women who had been specially chosen. He gave a purse of one hundred gold écus to those who had determined to consecrate themselves to the service of God and eighty to those who wanted to marry. Pope Urban VII[1], who died in the year 1590, left all his goods to this holy Confraternity, to the great satisfaction and edification of all the people in Rome.

Footnotes

[1] Cicconius, in ejus Vita.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 2.1-5

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. Various Associations founded in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD

The Congregation of Our Lady of St Anno

 1   The holy custom of forming associations of people who are united in mind and will to offer their services to the most sacred Virgin is not a new thing. Nearly six hundred years ago, blessed Saint Anno (Archbishop of Cologne) was not content with having built and endowed in his city a fine Monastery serving a Chapter in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD, but he set up in various other locations, according to an ancient author[1], several congregations named after the Immaculate Virgin Mary. He regarded these Congregations as the apple of his eye and his esteem for the members was so great that he loved nothing better than the conversations he had with them. He was always delighted to show them signs of the affection he felt towards them for the love of the Mother whose beloved children they were. 

Footnotes

[1]  Ex Historia cujusdam Coenobitæ Sigebergensis, lib. I, c. 29.

The Confraternity of the Rosary

 2   Some two hundred years after this (in the year 1213[1]), St Dominic, who was one of the great Commanders in the Church Militant, received from Heaven the devotion of the Rosary and almost immediately afterwards the idea for a Confraternity. He appointed as its generals two members of his Order, one of whom was called Juan del Monte and the other Tomás del Templo. Here is what is written about the beginnings of this holy association[2].

St Dominic had been captured by pirates and condemned to the life of a galley slave when suddenly a violent storm arose and all on board his ship feared they would drown. St Dominic, however, prostrated himself on the floor and prayed to the MOTHER OF GOD that she would rescue them from the tempest. The Holy Virgin appeared to him and promised him that they would come to no harm provided that all those in the vessel would undertake to recite the Rosary every day and to form a new Confraternity whose members were bound to do this. Everyone on board agreed to do this and the sea then became as calm as though there had never been any storm.

The little Confraternity they established soon experience such a growth in numbers that today it is found in all corners of the world and has produced remarkable fruit. The Holy Fathers Pius IV and Pius V issued Bulls expressly authorising the ancient belief which was that God had through this means given the world a general remedy for all ills, and stating specifically that this devout association would be a bulwark of the faith and vanquish heresies. In fact, it was noted that as this devotion increased and spread, the heresies of the Albigensians and  others which had reappeared such as the Berengarians, the Petrobrusians, the Henricians and others like them, were put to flight. In the process for the canonization of St Dominic it states that in Lombardy alone more than one hundred thousand heretics were converted by the courage of the Crusaders, the efforts of St Dominic’s Friars and by the continual prayers of those who were members of the Confraternity of the Rosary. The Holy Fathers esteemed this so highly that they enriched it with many privileges and indulgences, as may be seen in the Bulls issued by Urban IV, John XXII, Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII, Alexandre VI, Julius II, de Leo X, Adrian VI, Paul III, Gregory XIII, Clement VIII and Paul V.

Footnotes

[1] Bzovius in Supplemento Annal. Baron., ad eum annum.

[2] Alanus de Rupert., lib. de Dignit. Psalterii.

The Confraternity of the Holy Virgin in Florence

 3   Scarcely twenty years [1] after the institution of that Confraternity, the Holy Virgin chose the city of Florence to be especially honoured by an association of chosen people called the Congregation of those who praise the MOTHER OF GOD. Like a good tree, this was to bear very good fruit, namely the Holy Order of the Servites which we have covered elsewhere[2].

Footnotes

[1] An. 1238.

[2] Part I, ch. 12.

The Confraternity of the Disciplined in Siena

 4    At the same time[1], or perhaps a little earlier, a new group raised their standard of devotion to the MOTHER OF GOD in the city of Siena in Tuscany. This was known as the Confraternity of the Disciplined and it was established in the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in the same city. The members began to practise with great fervour all sorts of beautiful and praiseworthy actions, including the exercise of the discipline which became so highly esteemed that it gave its name to the Confraternity which soon spread throughout the majority of cities in Italy. From this holy and honourable Confraternity emerged several valiant Captains in the Church Militant who worked wonders in fighting against the devil and the world. The list includes St Giovanni Colombini (founder of the Jesuati) along with his companion Francisco Vicente, blessed Bernardo Tolomeo, Ambrosio Picolomini and others who founded the Order of Our Lady of Mt Olivet; blessed Pietro Petroni,who was later to become a distinguished Carthusian; St Bernardine of Siena and countless other heroes whose names are written in Heaven.

Footnotes

[1] In Vita S. Bernardini.

The Confraternity of the Scapular of the Blessed Virgin

 5    Soon after this, blessed Simon Stock, who was English and a great servant of the Queen of Heaven, was specially chosen by her to spread this devotion. This holy man was called Stock because he made a tree trunk his dwelling for a period of time, awaiting by divine revelation an Order dedicated to the service of the Holy Virgin, to whom he had consecrated himself a long time previously. At the same time that St Louis was bringing back to France a number of friars of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, two English barons were returning to their country accompanied by some members of this same Order. Blessed Simon was notified about this by one of his servants who alone knew of his hidden retreat and immediately went to join them. As his great holiness could not remain hidden for long, he was finally in the year 1250 elected as the sixth General of the Order. In this position he felt more duty-bound than ever to procure in every way possible the advancement of the glory of God and His holy Mother, Lady and Protectress of the Order that he had received into his charge. To this end, he frequently asked if she would be pleased by some new grace to place the great Royal Seal on the letters patent of filiation which she had granted to her children. The way he prayed for this was as follows: 

Beautiful and pleasing flower of Mount Carmel, sacred vine who didst bear the royal flower,  brightest of the stars, Virgin and Mother, but Mother and peerless Virgin, Virgin most pure and Mother most gentle : do thou deign to grant a new favour to the Order thou hast chosen.    

This prayer proved so pleasing to the Holy Virgin that one night as he was praying before one of her images, she appeared to him surrounded by extraordinary brightness and accompanied by a group of Angels. She handed the scapular to him and added that this would be henceforth the hereditary pledge of her affection towards this Order, an ensign for her Confraternity, the favour that he had been requesting, a promise of safety in the midst of dangers, a sign and a mark of the eternal union her children would have with her. Immediately after this, the MOTHER OF GOD inspired several great Princes with the desire to join this holy Confraternity. Amongst the first were St Louis, King of France; Edward, King of England; Henry, Earl of Northumberland; Angela, daughter of the King of Bohemia, and many others whom it would take too long to list. Since then, this devotion has spread throughout the world and has been adopted by a countless number of people of all ages and qualities. The Holy Fathers John XXII, Gregory XIII, Sixtus V, Gregory XIV and Clement VIII were generous with their apostolic riches and blessings, and through granting many indulgences encouraged Christians to enrol in the Confraternity.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 1.4-8

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 1. How Association is a form of gratitude most pleasing to the MOTHER OF GOD

 4   The other comparison is with the priestly ointment[1] which was poured onto the head of Aaron and it is a comparison which is very revealing for the purposes of this discussion. First of all, this ointment was not profane but sacred, destined to anoint and sanctify the High Priest Aaron and his successors, to anoint the Ark of the Covenant, the Altar of incense and the Altar of holocaust, the Candlestick, the table of the loaves of proposition along with all the other vessels used in the Sanctuary. Apart from this, it was not permitted to use the ointment for other purposes – in fact it was expressly prohibited on pain of death to use it for profane purposes. This means that this mystical ointment of God’s benediction is reserved for sacred vessels and for those consecrated to the service of His Majesty in a holy association, for only the latter are capable of receiving the sweet grace of this celestial ointment; those with carnal feelings and profane minds are lacking in unnecessary disposition to share the blessing. 

Footnotes

[1] Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ran down to the skirt of his garment : Ps. CXXXII. 2.

 5   Secondly, this precious oil of unction was a mysterious mixture of four ingredients specially chosen by God[1]: one was the first myrrh, namely that which oozes from the tree without any cuts or incisions being made; next was the juice of the same myrrh, melted and distilled, called stact; the third was aromatic calamus; and the fourth was cassia. These four ingredients would be soaked and boiled in oil which then permeated them, causing them to infuse into each other so as to make a liquid which could be poured. The process had the effect of communicating to each ingredient the properties of all the others and to all of them the properties of each one. What can this mean for our purposes except that all those making up a holy congregation are like the ingredients, so to speak, of a divine ointment; they are like so many aromatic substances chosen by God and His Holy Mother so that from their different natures and ways of living might be formed one sacred perfume causing God and the Angels delight and joy? This is the thinking underlying the wise words of the great St Antony who said, according to Abbot Cassian[2]:

It should not be expected that all sorts of virtues can be found in one individual. In reality, one person may be commendable for knowledge, another admirable for his discernment of spirits, another may be gifted with marvellous patience, another may be peerless in his humility – in short, virtues such as simplicity, continence, magnanimity and diligence, may be distributed amongst different individuals, some here and some there. Accordingly, the spiritual man should be like a busy bee gathering sometimes here and sometimes there, trying to profit from the good examples offered by everyone. 

St Leo[3] and St Augustine[4] actually go further than this and say something which is very relevant to our discussion, namely that :

Even though these virtues seem to be shown by particular individuals, it is nevertheless the case that the oil of charity and the holy association they all share render the good qualities of each individual available to all. In order to acquire them, all that is required is to look upon them without envy, bless each person for their virtues and then lay claim to them by right of the spiritual union resulting from their association.

This was the feeling David[5] had when from the depths of his soul he spoke the following words : I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments. 

All ye of a miserly spirit, how can you fail to make use of such a wonderful opportunity for multiplying your spiritual goods and gaining ten thousand for one? All ye souls tied to the earth, when will you cease to be forgetful of Heaven? All ye foolish men, how long will you remain immersed in the things of this world? How long will you neglect the business of your own salvation which can be gained so cheaply? Ye men so thoughtless and unseeing, for how long will you remain blind? 

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Exod. xxx. 23-25.

[2] Lib. V, c. 4.

[3] Serm. 10.

[4] Homil. 15.

[5] Psal. CXVIII. 63.

 6   Thirdly, this precious ointment ran down from the head of Aaron[1]  and onto his beard and collar. The fact that the latter are adjacent to the head signifies the dependence owed to those whom God has chosen to govern religious associations and the close connection that their members should have between themselves and with their head; if this is missing, the precious ointment is dissipated and lost. 

Footnotes

[1] Psal. CXXXII. 2.

 7    Fourthly, this fragrance is so pleasing that it fills the Sanctuary in that part of the Temple where incense was offered, as well as the Court of the Priests, the Court of Israel and the Court of the Gentiles, even spreading outside the Temple and filling the air around with a sweet scent. In this we can see an image of the fragrant odour of virtues and good deeds given off by religious congregations and confraternities, bringing joy not only to those who have the honour of belonging to them but also affecting others who are not members and frequently inspiring them to desire a share in such good things.

 8   Finally, the Royal Prophet[1] concludes that all these privileges come from the blessing which Heaven generously confers upon such associations and which is not communicated so easily to those who are strangers. God is indeed the Master of His graces and He distributes them according to His good pleasure and since there are normally several individuals within these holy associations who attract His graces and favours, He confers them generously – particularly when they are under the protection of His most Holy Mother and have been instituted in her honour. In cases such as these, in order to please her and in gratitude for all the wondrous services she has rendered Him, He gives all that is asked of Him without being able to refuse anything. We shall form a better idea of the blessed state of those enrolled in such associations in the pages which follow.  

Footnotes

[1] For there the Lord hath commandeth blessing, and life for evermore : Psal. CXXXII. 3.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 12 : § 1.1-3

Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

The closer a river comes to the sea, the more its current is swollen by waters from streams and tributaries flowing into it. In the same way, the closer we draw to the end, the more our acts of gratitude are reinforced by others. Association, which is the subject of this Chapter, provides convincing proof of this.

§ 1. How Association is a form of gratitude most pleasing to the MOTHER OF GOD

 1   No one can be in any doubt about this who considers the glory that God derives from it and the way in which the Church greatly profits from it, both in a general and in a particular sense. In my opinion, no one has described the advantages of this better than the Royal Prophet in his Psalm CXXXII, where he says[1] that it is greatly pleasing to see several brothers joined together in association by the sacred bond of charity, having all one heart, one design and one intention :  to dedicate themselves to the service of God. He goes on to  proclaim how sweet and how rewarding this life of holy association is, and makes two beautiful comparisons. 

Footnotes

[1] Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity: Ps. CXXXII 1.

 2   The first is with one of the most pleasant and fertile mountains in Palestine and the gentle influences that descend upon it from the heavens. Such a company or congregation, he says[1],  may be likened with justice unto the dew which, flowing from Mount Hermon, renders fertile all the land roundabout, or that which drops down on Mount Zion, enriching the nearby valleys.    

It must be noted, says the learned Bishop of Christopolis[2], that there are two Mt Hermons : the first, which is separated from Mount Lebanon by a small valley, is situated between the land of the tribe of Nephthali and the territory of Damascus. It serves as a defensive rampart for Palestine on the northern side and is the source of the Abana and the Pharphar, two famous rivers of Damascus. On the opposite side is the silvery spring which is known as the Phiala and is the source of the river Jordan. The second Mt Hermon is in Galilee where St John used to baptise and which David calls little Hermon[3]. Both enjoy a most favourable situation and they are both rich in plants, pastures, trees and all manner of fruit, just like the beautiful Mount Sion whose greenery delights the eyes of all who see it. They are both rendered fertile by the abundance of dew falling from heaven and which also benefits the neighbouring valleys, to the joy of those who farm there. 

Are you not already able to see the remarkable points of similarity here? Just as all these mountains adjoining one another share the same dew, so too those people who are in one Congregation share the same graces which drop down from heaven like dew; and just as all these mountains are not equal in size but there are some whose summit is higher than others, so too in every Congregation there is inequality and there are always certain souls which have achieved greater heights than others. But just as the smallest, says David, benefit from the dew falling on the highest, and even the least of the valleys can also benefit, so too the less perfect Congregations are able to take advantage of the wisdom and good example of those which are more advanced. 

This is particularly well expressed in Ecclesiastes[4] in a threefold manner : If one fall he shall be supported by another who is stronger; and if two lie together, they shall warm one another; and if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him; accordingly, woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.

Footnotes

[1] As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion : Ps. CXXXII 3.

[2] Jacobus de Valentia, ibi. [Bishop Jaime Pérez de Valencia, O.S.A. (1408-1490), titular Bishop of Chrstopolis]    .

[3] Hermoniim . . . the little hill : Ps. XLI 7.

[4] Ecclesiastes iv. 9 et seq.

 3   How true this proves to be in the case of Congregations and Confraternities instituted in a holy manner and maintained with care, where it is simply not possible to describe the benefits which members derive from the encounters and conversations coming from their association with each other. How many are there who after very dangerous lapses have not found themselves helped back onto the path of virtue by the help and skill of someone with whom they had formed a spiritual friendship? How many persons with a bad conscience have found themselves entirely changed by associating with others after forming a holy friendship with them? Tell me if you can think of a more wicked case than that of Saul who had gone to Ramatha with the aim of seizing David and putting him to the sword? Were there ever servants more determined to do evil than those whom he sent one after another to seize him and bring him back bound head and foot?  No sooner, however, had they arrived at the place where the Prophets had gathered along with Samuel and David than they forgot themselves and the reason for their journey and spent the whole day and night singing praises to God; for the Lord of our hearts wished in this manner to make known to everyone how much it serves those who are lacking in virtue to find themselves in the company of those who are better than they are. How many times has it happened to people who have a cold and stony heart, without any feeling of devotion or any desire to do good, that nevertheless they suddenly become fired with a desire to receive the Sacraments, to study prayer and to perform works of charity motivated just by the example and company of others?

It is no simple matter, says St Gregory[1], to explain in a few words the impact upon us of good examples shown to us by our brothers. The life of virtuous men and women is a living lesson we always have before us and their company is a source of strength and inspiration to help us accomplish all our holy intentions.

How many people are there whose prayers would never have had any effect if they had not been borne up to heaven along with those of others which God could not turn down? How many are there who would never have been able to resist the assaults of the enemy but would have been overcome and cast down by the least of his temptations were they not to have been strengthened by the help and support of others more skilled and more battle-hardened than themselves?   

What an advantage it is, declares the devout St Bernard[2], for the weak to be in the company of others, especially those who understand the tricks of spiritual warfare!  For a group of men or women gathered together is no less formidable in the eyes of the demons than the serried ranks of a company of determined soldiers is to a fearful enemy.  

I would go further, adds the great Pope St Leo, and say that even were you to be well-trained and practised in the military arts, you would be advised always to join the ranks of a company under the command of a wise and experienced captain rather than to confront the enemy alone. When you do battle as part of a group you do so with more confidence and with less danger than when on your own; you will fight with much less fear if you are not only protected by your own shield but also protected by those of your comrades around you; 

This is especially true in the last battle which is waged when we depart from this life for then the invisible powers of the air attack us with all their might, for now the time has come to win or to lose all; and how many souls could be found who would have suffered the worst if they had not received help and reinforcement by those with whom they had lived spiritually?  

If this needs to be made even clearer:

How many souls are there who would never escape divine justice, asks the devout Diego Eguia (who was Confessor to our Father St Ignatius), if they had not been presented along with others in whose company they were allowed to slip through; just as often happens when a large payment is made and the recipient does not pay so much attention to one particular coin which would otherwise have been weighed more carefully if presented alone? 

Footnotes

[1] Lib. XXIV Moral., c. 6.

[2] Serm. 6 de Circumcis.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.