This month, we walk with Our Lady in her sorrows—not as a defeat, but as the pathway to the triumph of the Cross.
September is traditionally dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast is celebrated on 15 September, the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Her pierced heart mirrors the heart of Christ: silent, faithful, enduring. Let us lean into that sorrow—not to wallow in pain, but to find meaning, love, and strength in suffering united with Jesus.
💔 Monthly Devotion: The Seven Sorrows of Mary
Daily Offering to Our Lady of Sorrows
“O Mother of Sorrows, I offer you my own wounds, worries, and weariness. May they be united to your seven sorrows and to the Passion of your Son. Pray for me, that I may suffer well, love more, and never flee from the Cross. Amen.”
This month, allow the sorrows of Mary to meet your own. You are not alone in your trials—your heavenly Mother walks with you.
🧘♀️ Monthly Meditation: Beneath the Cross – Love that Endures
Picture Calvary. The wind shifts. The sky darkens. Blood stains the ground. And there she stands: Mary, the Mother of Jesus—silent, unmoving, unbroken.
She does not flee. She does not wail. She simply stands, offering her Son back to the Father, with a heart pierced by sorrow and stretched by love.
The world sees tragedy. But Mary sees redemption. The Cross is not the end. It is the bridge to glory.
Let this be your meditation: My suffering is not meaningless. My trials can be redemptive. Through Mary, I learn to stand—not in despair, but in love.
📆 Key Dates in the Catholic Calendar – September 2025
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3 September (Wednesday) – St Gregory the Great
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8 September (Monday) – The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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14 September (Sunday) – Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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15 September (Monday) – Our Lady of Sorrows
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16 September (Tuesday) – Sts Cornelius and Cyprian
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21 September (Sunday) – St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
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23 September (Tuesday) – St Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
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27 September (Saturday) – St Vincent de Paul
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28 September (Sunday) – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Every Friday – Devotion to the Passion of Christ
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Every Saturday – Honour Our Lady, especially in her sorrows
✝️ The Scriptural Witness
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Luke 2:35 – “A sword will pierce through your own soul also…”
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John 19:25 – “Standing by the cross of Jesus was his mother…”
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Lamentations 1:12 – “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?”
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Hebrews 5:8 – “Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.”
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2 Corinthians 1:5 – “As we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
Mary’s sorrow is not sterile—it bears fruit in our salvation. Her presence at the Cross shows us that love does not walk away from suffering.
🌹 Devotion in Practice
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Pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows (each day or every Friday)
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Meditate on each of Mary’s Seven Sorrows (see below)
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Attend Mass on 15 September, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
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Offer your own suffering to Jesus through Mary
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Keep a crucifix nearby and contemplate the cost of love
“Let us bind ourselves to the Sorrowful Mother and we shall never be lost.” – St Alphonsus Liguori
💧 The Seven Sorrows of Mary
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The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25–35)
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The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)
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The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–50)
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Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27–31)
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The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25–30)
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The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross (Luke 23:50–54)
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The Burial of Jesus (Luke 23:55–56)
Reflect on each sorrow. Offer your heart to hers.
🔥 Saints of September Who Carried the Cross
St Gregory the Great – Shepherded the Church through dark times with deep Marian devotion
St Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) – Bore the stigmata and taught: “Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary.”
St Vincent de Paul – Saw Christ in the poor and broken
St Cornelius and St Cyprian – Suffered persecution with courage
St Monica – Feast transferred this year to 1 September – a model of tearful intercession
✒️ A Poem for September: “At the Foot of the Cross”
A shadow falls on stony hill,
The crowd is hushed, the world stands still.
And there, beneath the timbered beam,
A mother mourns—not just a dream.
Her tears fall not in weak despair,
But strong with love, a silent prayer.
She offers up her only Son,
And through that gift, the world is won.
O Mother pierced by sorrow’s blade,
Be near us when the light does fade.
And teach our hearts, through grief and loss,
To stand in faith beneath the Cross.
⛪ At Every Mass
“Behold the Lamb of God... Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” – Roman Missal
At every Mass, we return to Calvary—not in fear, but in faith. And Mary stands there too. The altar is the Cross renewed in mystery. The chalice is the cup of suffering transformed into salvation.
Mary teaches us to unite our wounds with Christ’s wounds—to turn pain into prayer, and loss into love.
🧠 The 24/7 Catholic Quiz – Our Lady of Sorrows and the Cross
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On what date is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows celebrated?
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What follows the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?
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What does Luke 2:35 say will pierce Mary’s soul?
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Name the devotion that reflects on Mary’s seven sorrows.
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What is the first of the Seven Sorrows of Mary?
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Who is present at the Cross in John 19:25?
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What does the Church teach about redemptive suffering?
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Which saint bore the wounds of Christ and loved Our Lady deeply?
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What Marian prayer includes “Mother of Sorrows, pray for us”?
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What saint called Mary “Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope”?
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What is the significance of 14 September in the Church calendar?
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Which Old Testament prophet’s words are linked to Mary’s sorrow?
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Who said, “To suffer for the love of God is joy”?
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What colour is worn liturgically on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows?
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What is the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows made up of?
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What is the final sorrow in the Seven Sorrows devotion?
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What feast celebrates Mary’s birth?
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Who was Monica’s son, converted after her tears?
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What psalm cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
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What’s one way you’ll walk with Mary this September?
✅ Quiz Answers
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15 September
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The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows
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A sword
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Chaplet (or Devotion) of the Seven Sorrows
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The Prophecy of Simeon
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Mary, the mother of Jesus
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That it can be offered in union with Christ for grace
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St Padre Pio
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The Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows
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St Bernard of Clairvaux
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Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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Jeremiah (Lamentations 1:12)
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St Thérèse of Lisieux
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White or violet (depending on local custom)
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Seven groups of seven Hail Marys
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The Burial of Jesus
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8 September
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St Augustine
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Psalm 22
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(Your answer!)
📍 Parish Invitation – Stand with Mary
This September, come to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in New Milton and stand beneath the Cross with Mary. You are not alone in your suffering. You are not forgotten. You are loved.
Come receive the Sacraments. Come find strength in community. Come stand with the Mother of Sorrows—and let her lead you to hope.
🔗 Visit our parish website
📍 Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, New Milton
✨ Coming Next Month: 1 October 2025
The Rosary and the Little Way
Explore the power of Mary’s beads and the simplicity of St Thérèse’s path to holiness.
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Visit Our Parish Website
ourladyoflourdes.co.uk
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, New Milton
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