Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy

Peter Nolasco in 1228 saw a vision of the Virgin Mary and devoted all his property from that day to the purchasing of freedom for Christian captives from their Moorish masters.

He founded the Order of the Mercedarians, whose members even gave themselves into slavery to save a fellow Christian from becoming an apostate to Islam.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the monastic orders increased in numbers and influence.

They formed the standing army of the papacy and were generally promoters of

And back in the 13th century, there were Christians who were being captured, enslaved, and held for ransom.

And according to the Mercedarian tradition, which I'll tell you what that means in a minute, Our Lady appeared to a person named Peter Nolasco, he became a canonized saint, and inspired the work that became the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, or the Mercedarians.

And these courageous Christians would collect money to ransom the captives.

Some of these people were even prepared to offer themselves in exchange for prisoners who were in danger of losing their faith.

And this dates back to the 1200s when Mary appeared to King James of Aragon, Saint Peter Nolasco, and Saint Raymond of Penafort, inviting them to start a new congregation.

The name would be the Mercedarians, Our Lady of Mercy, but also Our Lady of Ransom.

What is the origin and the purpose of this? Well, back 800 years ago, and even to this very day, the Moors or the Moslems were capturing many Christians and had them slaves so Mary wanted to liberate them and the means by which she would do this was the founding of an order in honor of her with the title Our Lady of Ransom founded by Saint Peter Nolasco with the help of Saint Raymond of Penafort, who was a Dominican.

They're also known as the Mercedarians or Lady of Mercy.

So Saint Raymond of Penafort was famous for many things.

He was a great preacher, a Dominican, lived to be almost 100 years of age, and he was instrumental in converting thousands of Muslims to the Catholic faith.

Permitamos que su palabra eche raíces en nuestra vida y se transforme en frutos de amor, perdón y esperanza para quienes nos rodean.

Quisiera pedirles que encomendemos de una manera especial en este día a la rama femenina de la orden de la Merced, que ven en Santa María de Cervellón la iniciadora y la inspiradora del carisma mercedario, de rama femenina que se pone al servicio de los cautivos, de la libertad y de la construcción de un mundo mejor, ayudando a las personas a abrir caminos de liberación, especialmente de aquellos que viven en las periferias existenciales.

Y la bendición de Dios todopoderoso, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo, descienda sobre cada uno de ustedes y les acompañe siempre.

Amén.

The Lady Beausire rode on.

"'Wandernier!' cried the Order of Mercy.

one single denier in behalf of a

thousand patient captives whose eyes look towards heaven and you for their redemption the lady beausire rode on pity the unhappy said a devout venerable hoary-headed man meekly holding up a box begirt with iron in his withered hands i beg for the unfortunate good my lady tis for a prison for an hospital tis for an old man a poor man undone by shipwreck by suretyship by fire i call god and all his angels to witness tis to clothe the naked to feed the hungry tis to comfort the sick and the broken-hearted the lady beausire rode on a decayed kinsman bowed himself to the ground the lady beausire rode on He ran begging, bareheaded, on one side of her palfrey, countering her by the former bonds of friendship, alliance, consanguinity, etc.

The Lady Beaussières rode on.

"One denier," cried the Order of Mercy.

"One single denier in behalf of a thousand patient captives whose eyes look towards heaven and you for their redemption." The Lady Beaussières rode on.

"Pity the unhappy," said a devout, venerable, hoary-headed man meekly holding up a box begirt with iron in his withered hands.