Feast of Our Mother of Sorrows – September 15
Today we join the universal Church in honoring Mary, Mother of Jesus, and in remembering seven of her sorrows. Let us take a moment and recall the origins of this feast and its special relevance within our Congregation.
Émilie Gamelin was seventeen years old and had already experienced her own sorrows when Pius VII extended the liturgical feast the Seven Sorrows of Mary to the universal Latin Church in 1817. However, the devotion dated back to the 11th century promoted by the Servites and Benedictines. Interestingly, in 1482, the feast was added to the Missal under the title of “Our Lady of Compassion” with the image of her standing at the foot of the cross. 1 This image, so familiar to us, recognizes Mary’s deep compassion with the suffering of her Son. It was the image that brought such comfort to Émilie during her time of great grief with the death of her beloved children and husband. 2
Émilie Gamelin, as a lay woman entrusted the ministry of the Yellow House and Providence Asile to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. She brought her daily devotion to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows to her newly founded Institute, affirmed by Bishop Ignace Bourget. 3
Pope Pius X, in1814 fixed the date of the feast on September 15, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and renamed the feast “Our Lady of Sorrows”.4
This Feast, a solemn one for our Congregation,5 is a good day to remember how our sisters turned to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows during the terror of the typhus fever plague in 1847. On July 19th, Mother Gamelin and all fifty-nine sisters signed a promise as they asked for Mary’s intercession that the lives and health of the sisters be spared “in order to exercise the works of charity which are the end of our holy institute.” 6
The promise stated: “For this purpose, we promise for ourselves and for those who will live after us in this community to burn seven candles every Friday of the year before the holy image which recalls your suffering.” 7
Their prayer was answered and thereafter our sisters were protected while ministering to those with the typhus fever. With gratitude for all the ways that our Mother of Sorrows and her compassion have been present to us, our congregation continues to fulfill the promise made on July 19, 1847.
As we renew our own religious vows as Sisters of Providence and many Providence Associates renew their commitment on September 15, we recommit to our mission to proclaim Providence and the compassion of our Mother of Sorrows, following in the footsteps of our beloved Foundress and all Sisters of Providence and Providence Associates who have gone before us.
Let pray asking Our Mother of Sorrow to be with all those who are suffering in our world today and to assist us in reaching out with compassion to those suffering within our spheres of influence with aid and advocacy.
Each of the seven sorrows invites us to be open to particular sufferings. Here are some examples. Let your imagination and experience identify individuals and groups that come to mind for you.
Prophecy of Simeon: those who receive distressing, difficult and shocking news or face the unknown with fear and wonderment; those who’s future is threatened with insecurity because of social, political, physical, environmental, or interpersonal realities.
Flight into Egypt: refugees and immigrants fleeing violence, climate extremes, food and water insecurity, political unrest, wars, terrorism, homelessness, and those needing to flee harmful situations for whatever reason.
Loss of Jesus in the temple: those whose loved ones have been kidnapped or have run away from home; those who have lost what is among the most precious due to natural disaster or war; those whose loved ones are imprisoned or held captive; those who have lost themselves to addiction, shame, and guilt.
Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross: those who suffer from physical and/or mental illness especially those who do not have access to treatment and are unaccompanied; for those who carry unhealed wounds from past or present; for healthcare providers and all who care for others in all settings, especially those risking their lives in war-torn countries and in places where contagious diseases are uncontrolled, and resources are lacking.
Mary standing beneath the cross: those parents who need strength and courage to stand by their children with love, no matter what the difficult circumstance; for friends and neighbors who need the same; for those who keep vigil with the dying; for spiritual and psychological care providers.
Mary embraces the dead body of Jesus: those who embrace their loved one(s) who died from gun violence, domestic abuse, capital punishment, vehicular fatal accidents, children, adults and soldiers who are victims of war, disease and famine throughout the world.
Jesus is laid in the tomb: those mourning and grieving the loss of loved ones and/or the loss of independence or freedom, the loss of physical and cognitive functions, of employment, of housing, of companionship, the sense of identity and of hopefulness.
May Blessed Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin continue to inspire us in our efforts to proclaim the compassion of our Mother of Sorrows by our compassionate love of those who are poor and to discover Jesus in those who are suffering serving through works of mercy.
Sr. Karin Dufault, SP
Vice-Postulator
Cause of Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin
Sources:
- Saunders, William, The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Catholic Education Resource Center.
- The Institute of Providence, Vol. 1: Preliminary and Foundation, 1927, p. 64
- Ibid, 1927, p. 337.
- Saunders, William.
- Sisters of Providence Constitutions and Rules, 2018, Rule R41, p. 26
- History of the Constitutions, Providence Collection 10, 1957, p. 17
- Ibid, pp 17-18
Image: Our Mother of Sorrows, Tomb of Blessed Emilie Tavernier-Gamelin
(Chapel of the Mother House of the Sisters of Providence, Montreal)