Habemus Papam! Alleluia!!!

From today's Mass, Thursday of 3rd week of Easter:
Blessed be God, Who refused me not my prayer or His kindness!

From today's Divine Office:
Like a shepherd He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart, alleluia.

From the depths of our hearts:
Viva il Papa!

Today is May 8, the anniversary of St. Therese's First Holy Communion and also (from a much earlier date) the anniversary (and feast) of the apparition of St. Michael the Archangel in the cave of Gargano, a place more recently much beloved by St. Padre Pio, who sent many a penitent there to pray.

Today is also the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, the church built by St. Bartolo Longo in honor of Our Lady. On this day in 1876 the foundation stone was laid of what is now a magnificent pilgrimage site. On this day a few years later, in 1884, Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii graciously healed Fortuna Agrelli. I'll include a wonderful timeline of the history of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii below, thanks to "the Miracle Hunter." (Hey, we share what we find because all truth is from the Holy Spirit!)

And today today - not a repetition, but rather on this day today, Our Heavenly Father has given us a new Holy Father. And so we say, Viva il Papa!

Please join me in thanking God and, if you are so inclined, join me too in offering a Rosary and some sacrifice for Pope Leo XIV. I like prayer much more than I like sacrifice, but I've decided such a momentous occasion deserves both! I'm thinking we can up our Rosaries as the days go on (because however wonderful this very day is, it will only be 24 hours long, and then Our Holy Father will, with each succeeding day, need our prayers more than ever), and perhaps offer an ongoing sacrifice of some sort. Don't hurt yourself, but have fun with it because God loves a cheerful giver!

I absolutely love that Pope Leo XIV's first words were reminiscent of Pope St. John Paul II's - both quoted Our Lord, and both gave us words to dwell on and abide in.

"Be not afraid," said Our Lord and JPII.

"Peace be with you," said Our Lord and Leo XIV.

To quote him more fully, Pope Leo said in his first words to us, his children, his flock:

Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and persevering peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome - the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.

Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.

Thank you Pope Francis!

Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel.

I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, “With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop." So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.

To the Church of Rome, a special greeting:

We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

[In Spanish]:
Hello to all and especially to those of my diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.

[Returning to Italian]:
To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering.

Today is the day of the Supplicatio [Plea] to Our Lady of Pompeii.
Our Blessed Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.

We ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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Draw me, we will run!

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Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii
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Summary

Bl. Bartolo Longo founded the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary and enshrined a miraculous image there. Many healings have ensued including one involving Fortuna Agrelli. The Virgin appeared as the Queen of the Rosary on March 3, 1884 to Fortuna Agrelli after she and her parents had prayed for her recovery from an illness. The girl was healed on May 8 of that year.

​Aug 24, 79
Pompeii was destroyed when nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the city in molten lava.

ca. 300
In the fourth century, Christians settled in the area. Early records indicate that a large church dedicated to the Most Holy Savior was erected there.

ca. 1000
The church there was entrusted to the care of the Benedictines. In time, the church was destroyed and a small chapel built on the site. The lands were eventually ceded to a Neapolitan noble who allowed the property to deteriorate. Local inhabitants acquired the right of patronage, and Valle di Pompeii became one of eighteen parishes in Italy where the priest was elected by the people.

1841
Bartolo Longo was born the son of a doctor near Brindisi, on Italy's Adriatic coast. He became an easygoing, intelligent man devoted to the Church.

Bartolo went through a crisis of faith in his university years as he studied to be lawyer, where he joined a sect and was ordained as a priest of Satan. He publicly ridiculed Christianity and did all in his power to subvert Catholic influence.

A good friend, Vincent Pede, eventually showed Bartolo the gentleness of Christ and arranged for him to meet a saintly Dominican priest, Alberto Radente. The Dominican had a deep, personal devotion to Mary and fostered the devotion of the rosary.

When Bartolo Longo was baptized, he chose the second name, Maria, to be his baptismal name. He saw Mary as a 'Refuge of Sinners' and attributed his miraculous conversion to her. She was the 'Refuge' who would lead him to Christ. After his conversion, Bartolo Maria Longo wanted to do penance for his past life and serve the Church he had so viciously slandered. He made a promise to work for the poor and destitute. He also published a pamphlet entitled, The Rosary of New Pompeii and did all in his power to spread the devotion.

One evening, as he walked near the ruined rat- and lizard-infested chapel at Pompeii, he had a profound mystical experience. He wrote:

As I pondered over my condition, I experienced a deep sense of despair and almost committed suicide. Then I heard an echo in my ear of the voice of Friar Alberto repeating the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary: "If you seek salvation, promulgate the Rosary. This is Mary's own promise." These words illumined my soul. I went on my knees. "If it is true ... I will not leave this valley until I have propagated your Rosary."

1872
When he arrived in Pompeii to administer the property of a wealthy widow, the Countess Marianna De Fusco, he was struck by the human and religious poverty of the local peasants. He dedicated himself to teaching the catechism and spreading devotion to the rosary, and he organized yearly festivals in the fall to bring people together for catechesis and to pray the rosary.

1873
Bartolo then sponsored a festival on the Feast of the Holy Rosary. His first effort failed. It rained, and the preacher spoke in classical Italian instead of the local dialect which the people understood.

1874
He tried the next year; he wasn't much more successful, but he had taught some of the people to pray the rosary.

1875
The third year, he invited the Redemptorist Fathers to hold a two-week mission. In preparation, he fully restored the little church. The mission, blessed by the bishop, was a successful revival. It was, in fact, the bishop who envisioned a large church and pilgrimage place in the future.

Feb 13, 1876
He thought, if the people had a proper church and, most especially, an image of Our Lady of the Rosary as the focal point, their hearts might be converted. Bartolo began searching the stores of Naples, and found and restored a painting, considered to be of dubious beauty and quality.

The only one he could afford was an oleograph on paper. At the time, church law required sacred images to be painted in oils on canvas or wood. He was told about a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary being kept in a convent that had been purchased in a junk shop for 3,40 Lire. Longo described it himself:

Not only was it worm-eaten, but the face of the Madonna was that of a coarse, rough country-woman ... a piece of canvas was missing just above her head ... her mantle was cracked. Nothing need be said of the hideousness of the other figures. St. Dominic looked like a street idiot. To Our Lady's left was a St. Rose. This I had changed later into a St. Catherine of Siena ... I hesitated whether to refuse the gift or to accept ... I took it. (Queen of the Valley by Martin A. Stillmock)

The image was too large to carry from Naples to Pompeii, but Bartolo finally found someone who would take it to the chapel for him. When it arrived, it was lying on a wagon of manure. An attempt was made by an amateur to restore it, and it was placed in the church on the day of the foundation for the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary there.

1880
The famous Italian painter, Federico Madlarelli, offered to restore the image.

1883
The new shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary was completed. Within the month, miraculous events began to take place at the shrine. Four healings were recorded including that of Fortuna Agrelli (see below). From that time on, especially between 1891 and 1894, hundreds of miracles have been officially recorded at the sanctuary.

Bartolo appealed to the people:
In this place selected for its prodigies, we wish to leave to present and future generations a monument to the Queen of Victories that will be less unworthy of her greatness but more worthy of our faith and love.

Jan 1883
Fortuna Agrelli became ill with 3 separate incurable diseases and her doctors had given up on her case saying it was hopeless.

Oct 1883
A special devotion known as the Supplication to the Queen of Victories was begun on October 1883 and is recited all over the world, especially on May 8 and on the first Sunday in October. The devotion includes a request thought to have been given by Our Lady to one of the children healed at Pompeii, "Whoever desires favors of me should make three novenas of petition and three of thanksgiving."

Feb 16, 1884
She and her relatives began a novena of Rosaries for her recovery.

March 3 , 1884
The Blessed Mother appeared to Fortuna. She was sitting on a high throne profusely decorated with flowers with the Infant Jesus on her lap. She held a Rosary in her hand and was accompanied by St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena. Our Lady and the Child were clad in gold-embroidered garments.

Fortuna petitioned Our Lady, "Queen of the Holy Rosary, be gracious to me, restore me to health." The Blessed Virgin replied, "You have invoked me by various titles and have always obtained favors from me. Now, since you have called me by the title so pleasing to me, 'Queen of the Holy Rosary,' I can no longer refuse the favor that you petition; for this name is most precious and dear to me. Make three novenas, and you will obtain all."

May 8, 1884
Fortuna was cured. Afterwards, Our Lady appeared again. This time she said, "Whosoever desires to obtain favors from me should make three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary in petition and three novenas in thanksgiving."

1891
The neoclassical pontifical shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, in all its frescoed, marble splendor, was dedicated sixteen years after Longo began to collect pennies from the peasants to build this temple to Mary.

1894
Bartolo and his wife, Countess Marianna Farnararo De Fusco, gave the new church to the papacy, in whose care the shrine has remained since. The image was crowned immediately after its enthronement on the inauguration day of the opening of the new shrine.

1926
Bartolo Longo died in 1926.

1934
The present structure of The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary
was begun at the request of Pope Pius XI.

1965
The image was again finally restored by Vatican artists. In 1965, after the third restoration of the image, Pope Paul VI said the following during a homily: "Just as the image of the Virgin has been repaired and decorated ... so may the image of Mary that all Christians must have within themselves be restored, renovated, and enriched." At the end of this solemn celebration, Pope Paul VI placed two new precious diadems on the heads of Jesus and Mary, crowns that had been offered by the people.

Oct 21, 1979
Pope John Paul II first visited the shrine.

Oct. 26, 1980
Pope John Paul II beatified the founder of the shrine, Bartolo Longo. His feast day is Oct. 6. Blessed Bartolo, a Third Order Dominican, founded the Sisters of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii and he also established homes for the poor, for orphans and for the children of people in prison. He was called 'the man of the Madonna' and the 'Apostle of the Rosary'.

Oct 7, 2003
John Paul II made his second visit to Pompeii on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Feb 24, 2025
Pope Francis approved the votes made by the Ordinary Session of the Cardinals and Bishops of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in favor of the canonization of Blessed Bartolo Longo, layperson of the territorial prelature of Pompeii; married; member of the Lay Dominicans and founder of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Pompei; born in Latiano, Brindisi (Italy) on 10 February 1841, and died in Pompei, Naples (Italy) on 5 October 1926; beatified on 26 October 1980.

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As a sweet postscript, the canonization of Bartolo Longo will fall into the hands of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, elected this day on the feast of Our Lady whom Bartolo so honored and esteemed. 

Penultimately, in a memory of my own (and Jesus laughs, saying, "You see, I do let you retain some memories! Plenty, in fact!"), I first encountered Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii in a Maronite convent and hostel in Jerusalem, where I stayed with my father in the summer of 1984. The sisters had a little gift shop, and I bought a canvas print of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii. I didn't know who she was in particular (only knowing she was Our Lady of the Rosary because she and little Jesus held out rosaries to St. Dominic Guzman and St. Catherine of Siena) . . . and I really didn't know why she was so ugly! I didn't think her face was beautiful, but she was still my Mom, so I got the print. Only much, much later did I discover that part of the joy of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii is that even though she falls aways from the magnificent beauty of Our Lady even more than most images do, she has been venerated and loved because she, too, showers us with graces and miracles galore. May she watch over our new Holy Father and the whole Church and the world!

And finally, last but not least: if you read the timeline carefully, you may have noticed the institution of the 54 day Rosary novena! Hooray for Our Lady of Victories! Hooray for Our Lady of Pompeii! Hooray for Our Lady of the Rosary!

If you'd like to say the special prayer to Our Lady of Pompeii, the "Supplica" or Supplications that Pope Leo mentioned, here you go!

Supplica to Our Lady of Pompeii

O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice and the abyss trembles, O glorious Queen of the Rosary, we your devoted children, assembled in your temple of Pompeii (on this solemn day), pour out the affection of our heart and with filial confidence express our miseries to you. 



From the throne of clemency where you are seated as Queen, turn, O Mary, your merciful gaze on us, on our families, on Italy, on Europe, on the world. Have compassion on the sorrows and cares which embitter our lives. See, O Mother, how many dangers of body and soul, how many calamities and afflictions press upon us. 



O Mother, implore for us the mercy of your divine Son and conquer with clemency the heart of sinners. They are our brothers and your children who cause the heart of our sweet Jesus to bleed and who sadden your most sensitive heart. Show all that you are the Queen of Peace and of Pardon.

Hail Mary...

It is true that although we are your children we are the first to crucify Jesus by our sins and to pierce anew your heart. 

We confess that we are deserving of severe punishment, but remember that on Golgotha you received, with the divine blood, the testament of the dying Savior, who declared you to be our Mother, the Mother of sinners. 



You, then, as our Mother are our Advocate, our Hope. And we raise our suppliant hands to you with sighs crying, "Mercy!" O good Mother, have pity on us, on our souls, on our families, our relatives, our friends, our deceased, especially our enemies, and on so many who call themselves Christian and yet offend the heart of your loving Son. Today we implore pity for the misguided nations throughout all Europe, throughout the world, so that they may return repentant to your heart. 



Hail Mary...

Kindly deign to hear us. O Mary! Jesus has placed in your hands all the treasures of His graces and mercies. You are seated a crowned Queen at the right hand of your Son, resplendent with immortal glory above the choirs of angels. Your dominion extends throughout heaven and earth and all creatures are subject to you. 



You are omnipotent by grace and therefore you can help us. Were you not willing to help us, since we are ungrateful children and undeserving of your protection, we would not know to whom to turn. Your motherly heart would not permit you to see us, your children, lost. The Infant whom we see on your knees and the blessed Rosary which we see in your hand inspire confidence in us that we shall be heard. We confide fully in you, we abandon ourselves as helpless children into the arms of the most tender of mothers, and on this day, we expect from you the graces we so long for. 



Hail Mary...

One last favour we now ask of you, O Queen, which you cannot refuse us (on this most solemn day): Grant to all of us your steadfast love and in a special manner your maternal blessing. We shall not leave you until you have blessed us. Bless, O Mary, at this moment, our Holy Father. To the ancient splendors of your crown, to the triumphs of your Rosary, whence you are called the Queen of Victories, add this one also, O Mother: grant the triumph of religion and peace to human society. Bless our bishops, priests and particularly all those who are zealous for the honor of your sanctuary. Bless finally all those who are associated with your temple of Pompeii and all those who cultivate and promote devotion to your Holy Rosary.

O blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain which unites us to God, bond of love which unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we shall never abandon you. You will be our comfort in the hour of agony: to you the last kiss of our dying life. And the last word from our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted. Be blessed everywhere, today and always, on earth and in Heaven. Amen. 


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Hail, Holy Queen...