Friday, January 15, 2010

Our Lady of Banneux - click to read more




Prayer
"Our Lady of Banneux, Virgin of the Poor, you have said: "I come to relieve suffering." Holy Mother of God and Mother of the Savior, you make us hear anew the merciful call of your divine Son: "Come to me, all ye who are burdened and who suffer, and I will relieve you." Mother of all men, you have come for all nations and you ask us to pray much. We place our trust in You. Deign to hear our prayers. Look upon our spiritual and temporal miseries. Lead back to Jesus the poor straying souls and increase the faith of the faithful. Holy Virgin Mary, bring aid to the indigent; help us to sanctify the trials of life; relieve the sick and pray for all your children. O Virgin of the Poor, you are our hope! By your maternal mediation, may the reign of Christ the King spread over all nations. Amen."
Imprimatur: Friburg, June 1, 1945. 



Banneux Notre-Dame, the land of Mary
During the tragic days of the German invasion, at the beginning of WWI, all the populated areas of the region were devastated and burned. Seeing the flames in the distance, the villagers gathered inside the church and made the solemn vow to consider their land as the "land of Mary" and to add the name of Our Lady to that of Banneux if they were spared. Indeed the Germans passed through quickly, in the direction of France, and nothing tragic happened there, neither at that time nor during the next four years of conflict. At the end of the war the new name of Banneux Notre-Dame was requested and obtained for the village. There, too, Mary was truly "at home."(Vittorio Messori, L'enigma of Banneux)
After 'A Moment with Mary'