Solemnity of the Mother of Sorrows

(A Write up by Fr. B. Suresh Babu MSFS in DSM Vol.13, Sept 2020)

Our Blessed Mother Mary is known to us by so many different names such as Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Good Health, Our lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima and so on. But our Founder had chosen Mary, the Mother of Sorrows as th1e Patroness of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, that is Mary sitting at the foot of the Cross with the lifeless body of her son Jesus Christ. The most eminent sculptor Michelangelo, in his masterpiece beautifully depicts the 6th sorrow out of the seven which we meditate through the special Rosary of the Seven Dolors.

Very Rev. Fr. Yves Carron, our Assistant General, rightly points that Fr. Peter Mermier was genuinely sensitive to other situations through which we see the closeness of Mother Mary with the life of her Divine Son.

Therefore, I am sure that he had special reasons for choosing this image of Mary as our Patroness. Now ‘Mother of Compassion’ is more used in the place of the ‘Mother of Sorrows’, since the former sounds more positive and appealing than the latter,especially in the Western world. However, the use of the title ‘Mother of Compassion’ in the place of ‘Mother of Sorrows’ would be fine if we understand clearly the meaning of the word ‘Compassion’ from its Latin word-root: cum-passion or compassion, which means to suffer together with). Hence, compassion should not be limited to the understanding merely as mercy, sympathy, pity or empathy. In English, the word ‘compassion’ means “to suffer together”. And it is further defined as “the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering”. In that sense, Mary who suffered together with Jesus on the Mount of Calvary is truly the Mother of Sorrows or Mother of Compassion.

While finalizing the draft of the revised Constitutions, Rev. Fr. Antony Mookenthottam of happy memory, had clarified at the request of the then Superior General, Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes thus: “The study on the origins of devotion to the Mother of Sorrows in our Congregation has revealed that Fr. Mermier at least from 1825 onwards used the title Our Lady of Compassion. He preached on the Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin also as Mother of Sorrows, our Model and Patroness of repentance. So, the General Council felt that we should combine both titles. Our Lady of Compassion: Mother of Sorrows and celebrate the solemnity together with the Church on 15th September as Fr. Mermier our Founder used to do. It is also an occasion for us to renew the spirit of compassion in us, to encourage ourselves and all (to turn away from sin or) to a constant conversion of heart and growth in love as we follow the example of Fr. Mermier.”

Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes explains: “Mother of Sorrows indicates Mary sharing in the redemptive sufferings of Jesus and also those of her earthly children. Whereas compassion indicates the mission of one who suffers with or like Christ  i.e. being engaged in compassionate understanding and actions that  bring forth life.

Very Rev. Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil, our Superior General, points that “the title Mother of Sorrows stands more for the experience of Mother Mary sharing in the sufferings of her Son as well as in that of her earthly children and teaches us how to face sufferings and pain. Whereas, the title Mother of Compassion focuses our attention on how, having shared in the sufferings of her Son, Mary reaches out to others in compassion and compassionate service.” In his personal opinion, “Mary in herself is a Mother of Sorrows and for us and with us, she is a Mother of compassion”. And the Catholic Church celebrates only the feast of the Mother of Sorrows and there is no special feast of the Mother of Compassion.Accordingly, I can assure that the title the ‘Mother of Compassion’ is synonymous with the ‘Mother of Sorrows.

Obviously, Our Founder, Servant of God Fr. Peter Mermier firmly wished that the Mother of Sorrows should be our Patroness for to the following reasons:

a)  First, “to be closer to the Crucified Christ, through a life of complete surrender and totaldedication to the Father’s will and to be more ready to suffer the consequences of standing for the values of the Kingdom of love, justice, peace and reconciliation”. (Ref: MSFS Constitutions, No. 10)

b) Our Blessed Mother, “through her closeness to Christ and by her perfect discipleshipshe becomes the model for our closeness to Christ and our discipleship”.(Ref: MSFS Constitutions, No. 10)

c) To constantly remind us to be compassionate with others to the extent that our commitmentto Christ and His Kingdom finds expression in our apostolic commitment even at the cost of our own lives

d)  To identify ourselves with the sufferings humanity as we realize that God suffers in thosehumans who suffer

e)  To urge us to proclaim the Good news of liberation and wholeness at all times and in allplaces

f)   To remind us of the daily challenges of our missionary commitment made to the Lord

g)  To grow in compassion and preferential love for the poor and marginalized

We are duty bound to live personally as well as to promote the devotion to the Mother of Sorrows in our communities, missions, parishes and formation.

(i)  Celebrate once in a month the Mass in honour of the Mother of Sorrows

(ii) Recite the Rosary of the Seven Dolours / Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(iii)  Pray the Novena before the annual feast of the Mother of Sorrows