Favorite Icon of the Blessed Mother for 2009

Our Lady of Sitka

This icon is special to me because of the image of our Heavenly Father above Our Lady and Our Savior. I love images of Him! I have such love for Him in my heart and to actually be able to see an image of Him gives me so much joy.

I discovered this image of Our Lady of Sitka, when I went to the Franciscan Monastery in Washington D.C. last summer. After going to confession, I went to the bookstore and found this image on a holy card. On the front it says Our Lady of Sitka, Miraculous Icon of America. On the back it says... Zealous Defender of the Faithful in America. It also states "The Miraculous icon of America is prayed to for healing of respiratory diseases and in order to find a job" The prayer on the back is so beautiful....

Let us hasten,

O people, to the Virgin Mother of God and Queen.

Giving thanks unto Christ our God

And gazing at Her wonderworking icon

let us humbly fall down and sing to Her:

O Lady Mary, Thou has visited our land

through Thine honorable image,

In peace and good season saving all Christians,

Showing them to be heirs of heavenly life in God.

Therefore, with faith we sing to Thee,

Our Lady of Sitka:

Rejoice, O Virgin, the Salvation of the World.

I keep this image on my desk and venerate it often. FIAT. I ask that my true vocation be always revealed in my heart and the grace to live it in my consecration to the hearts of Jesus and Mama Mary.