Our Lady of Combermere
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Combermere is a religious title given within Roman Catholicism
to the Blessed Virgin, Mary, the mother of Jesus
.
The same name also refers to a statue
of Mary erected in 1960 in the village of Combermere
in Ontario
, Canada
.
Madonna House Apostolate
founded by Catherine Doherty
in the small village of Combermere, in Ontario
, Canada
. As the title began to gain popularity among the apostolate's friends and neighbours, a woman (who claimed to have received an answer to prayer through the use of this title) offered to donate the money required to have a life-sized bronze statue
erected for a Marian shrine
to Our Lady of Combermere.
Catherine Doherty and her apostolate sought permission for the formal use of this title, as well as the erection of a shrine, from the Bishop of Pembroke, the Most Rev. William J. Smith, who directed them to contact the Sacred Congregation of Rites
in Rome
. He also cautioned them that it would probably be many years before they would receive a response. Instead, the Sacred Congregation of Rites responded in less than two months, giving the local Bishop the authority to approve the title and shrine. This he did, granting them permission to erect a statue of Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Combermere" and to have it blessed.
The statue itself was then sculpted by Frances Rich of Santa Barbara, California, who waived any fee for herself. Modelled on an earlier work by Rich entitled "The Questing Madonna," the statue of Our Lady of Combermere depicts the Virgin Mary hastening with arms open wide as if to welcome and embrace the viewer.
The statue was officially installed and blessed by the Most Rev. William J. Smith, Bishop of Pembroke, on June 8, 1960.
Eddie Doherty
, the co-founder of Madonna House and famed American journalist, wrote:
(This intercessory prayer bears the imprimatur
of Most Rev. Joseph R. Windle, Bishop of Pembroke.)
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
to the Blessed Virgin, Mary, the mother of Jesus
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
.
The same name also refers to a statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Mary erected in 1960 in the village of Combermere
Combermere, Ontario
Combermere is a village located along the Madawaska River in south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is part of Township of Madawaska Valley.Combermere is best known as home to Madonna House, but the community hosts a farmer's market and also provides access to numerous lakes and rivers for cottagers and...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Origin
Prayers to the Virgin Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Combermere" began in the late 1940s at the CatholicRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Madonna House Apostolate
Madonna House Apostolate
The Madonna House Apostolate is a Catholic Christian community of lay men, women, and priests dedicated to loving and serving Jesus Christ in all aspects of everyday life. It was founded in 1947 by Catherine Doherty in Combermere, Ontario and has established missionary field houses...
founded by Catherine Doherty
Catherine Doherty
Ekaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine Doherty, better known as Catherine Doherty, CM, Servant of God was a social activist and foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate...
in the small village of Combermere, in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. As the title began to gain popularity among the apostolate's friends and neighbours, a woman (who claimed to have received an answer to prayer through the use of this title) offered to donate the money required to have a life-sized bronze statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
erected for a Marian shrine
Shrines to the Virgin Mary
In the culture and practice of some Christian Churches - mainly, but not solely, the Roman Catholic Church - a Shrine to the Virgin Mary is a shrine marking an apparition or other miracle ascribed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a site on which is centered a historically strong Marian devotion...
to Our Lady of Combermere.
Catherine Doherty and her apostolate sought permission for the formal use of this title, as well as the erection of a shrine, from the Bishop of Pembroke, the Most Rev. William J. Smith, who directed them to contact the Sacred Congregation of Rites
Sacred Congregation of Rites
The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on January 22, 1588 by Pope Sixtus V and dissolved by Pope Paul VI on May 8, 1969....
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He also cautioned them that it would probably be many years before they would receive a response. Instead, the Sacred Congregation of Rites responded in less than two months, giving the local Bishop the authority to approve the title and shrine. This he did, granting them permission to erect a statue of Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Combermere" and to have it blessed.
The statue itself was then sculpted by Frances Rich of Santa Barbara, California, who waived any fee for herself. Modelled on an earlier work by Rich entitled "The Questing Madonna," the statue of Our Lady of Combermere depicts the Virgin Mary hastening with arms open wide as if to welcome and embrace the viewer.
The statue was officially installed and blessed by the Most Rev. William J. Smith, Bishop of Pembroke, on June 8, 1960.
Eddie Doherty
Eddie Doherty
Edward J. "Eddie" Doherty was a famed American newspaper reporter, best-selling author, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of the Madonna House Apostolate, and later ordained a priest in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church....
, the co-founder of Madonna House and famed American journalist, wrote:
"It was no miracle that produced this shrine. There was no apparition. There was no spectacular occurrence of any kind. It was only the coming of a beautiful statue -- and perhaps the love of the people in and around Madonna House that caused it to become a place of devotion and of pilgrimage."
Prayer
O Mary, you desire so much to see Jesus loved. Since you love me, this is the favour which I ask of you: to obtain for me a great personal love of Jesus Christ. You obtain from your Son whatever you please; pray then for me, that I may never lose the grace of God, that I may increase in holiness and perfection from day to day, and that I may faithfully and nobly fulfil the great calling in life which your Divine Son has given me. By that grief which you suffered on Calvary when you beheld Jesus die on the Cross, obtain for me a happy death, that by loving Jesus and you, my Mother, on earth, I may share your joy in loving and blessing the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit forever in Heaven. Amen.
Our Lady of Combermere, pray for us.
(This intercessory prayer bears the imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
of Most Rev. Joseph R. Windle, Bishop of Pembroke.)
External links
See also
- Madonna House ApostolateMadonna House ApostolateThe Madonna House Apostolate is a Catholic Christian community of lay men, women, and priests dedicated to loving and serving Jesus Christ in all aspects of everyday life. It was founded in 1947 by Catherine Doherty in Combermere, Ontario and has established missionary field houses...
- Catherine DohertyCatherine DohertyEkaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine Doherty, better known as Catherine Doherty, CM, Servant of God was a social activist and foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate...
- Eddie DohertyEddie DohertyEdward J. "Eddie" Doherty was a famed American newspaper reporter, best-selling author, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of the Madonna House Apostolate, and later ordained a priest in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church....
- Combermere, OntarioCombermere, OntarioCombermere is a village located along the Madawaska River in south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is part of Township of Madawaska Valley.Combermere is best known as home to Madonna House, but the community hosts a farmer's market and also provides access to numerous lakes and rivers for cottagers and...