On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Piarists entrusted their Province to her heart. This entrustment to the protection of the Virgin Mary was carried out at the provincial and local levels. All Piarist presences, religious and lay Piarists, and pastoral groups, both in schools and parishes, celebrated the feast of the Christian dogma.
As Fr. Provincial Mateusz Pindelski explained in his circular letter, devotion to Mary is not something new for us, mainly because we have made our profession “to Almighty God (…) under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God” (C 119). We renew it every year according to the Constitutions written by St. Joseph Calasanz, vowing to observe the evangelical counsels.) under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God” (C 119) and we renew it every year according to the Constitutions written by St. Joseph Calasanz, vowing to observe the evangelical counsels “to Almighty God (…) and to Mary, the Virgin Mother of God” (CC 31).
Our trust in the Mother of God is a “true devotion” in her honour, through which we express our gratitude to God for the Queen of the Pious Schools, who, under her protection, we have received from God the gift of the rebirth of the Province, the assistance of the vocation of each one of us, the mission among children, young people and the poor. To make reparation to the Immaculate for the insult done to her by the sins of the world requires fasting, prayer and a joyful offering of the work of daily life and reparation for the evil committed.
The Province has been preparing for the celebration of this Marian day in three stages: “Jesus and Mary” – from 13 November to 19 November; “Mary and the Church” – from 20 November to 26 November; “Mary and us” – from 27 November to 3 December.
Prayer of our daily preparation:
Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, Queen of the Pious Schools, as your faithful servants and, at the same time, as your dearest children, we thank you for constantly watching over us, for guiding us every day, for tenderly caring for us and for protecting us from all evil. Our Mother, we beseech you, grant us, as spiritual children of St. Joseph Calasanz, O Immaculate, with the help of the grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to prepare as best we can our hearts, minds and souls to entrust ourselves to your Immaculate Heart. We wish to give ourselves to you thoroughly and unreservedly, for we trust that you will lead us straight into the arms of Jesus. God, Holy Spirit, have mercy on us!
