Celebrating over 100 years of Mary under the title Our Lady of the Atonement
On April 10, 1919, Pope Benedict XV gave formal approval for the church’s recognition of Mary under the title Our Lady of the Atonement. Servant of God Father Paul of Graymoor, Founder of the Friars of the Atonement, had a long and deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, and he was the first to invoke her by this title.
Father Paul was focused on Mary at the foot of the Cross when Christ made her the mother of all humanity, and emphasized her work for unity and her intercession on behalf of all people with God, in Christ.
Father Paul wrote: “In her wonderful condescension and love the Mother of God has been pleased to reveal herself to the Children of the Atonement under a new name, thus giving remarkable evidence of the honor, love and prayers to her as Our Lady of the Atonement.” In a sermon he said, “When, therefore, we address the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Atonement, we think of her as the connecting link between ourselves and God…to bring about that blissful state of Unity which will constitute the joy of Heaven.”
Fr. Paul’s Prayer to Our Lady of the Atonement
We salute you, Holy Mary, Daughter of God the Father, and entreat you to obtain for us a devotion like your own to the most sweet Will of God.
We salute you, Virgin Mother of God and Son, and entreat you to obtain for us such union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus that our own hearts may burn with love of God and an ardent zeal for the salvation of souls.
We salute you, Immaculate Spouse of God the Holy Spirit, and entreat you to obtain for us such yielding of ourselves to the Blessed Spirit, that He may, in all things, direct and rule our hearts and that we may never grieve Him in thought, word or deed.
Friars Speak: The Meaning of Our Lady of the Atonement
The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement have a particular devotion to Our Lady of the Atonement, entrusting their charism of unity and reconciliation to her. Their knowledge of her and experiences of her intercession are a testimony to her guidance to so many under this title.
Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Atonement, is a constant symbol of God's love for the Church and His wish for the unity of all those who have come to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is in Mary's loving arms and he is presented to us with the cross already in his hand. One thinks of Mary already under the sign of the Cross and her last maternal gesture of standing faithfully under Christ's cross on Calvary. She becomes for us a beacon of hope for divided Christianity because we come to recognize Jesus as God's gift of unity to us since the closer we come to the cross of Christ the closer we will be drawn to each other.
I see Our Lady of the Atonement as my source of contentment and peace. She assures me that all will be well if I embrace the unity and reconciliation given by the Atonement of her Son. She constantly reminds me that His gift is given to me out of love.
Unfortunately, some disputed aspects of Mary (as the Immaculate Conception, Assumption…) still divide the Churches. However, the title of Our Lady of the Atonement enlightens an ecumenical dimension of the Virgin Mary; most Christians would agree, I think, that she has brought on Earth the ultimate source of our Atonement. The title of Our Lady of the Atonement also reminds me that, far from being a source of division, Mary remains the heavenly Mother of our ongoing Reconciliation.
Her garments are the colors of our country's flag and remind me every day how desperately her intercession is needed in our divided country at this time.
The significance of Our Lady of the Atonement for me has different aspects: the devotion to Our Lady, that I always felt and feel profoundly as Spiritual Mother; the title related to Reconciliation, that was and still is the main ground of my vocation; the Baby Jesus that Our Lady of the Atonement carries, with His open arms, embracing all of us, and symbol of the cross (that He also has in his hand) and is often present in our lives, possible to carry with Him and her.
I have always loved the picture of Our Lady of the Atonement. I particularly like Baby Jesus holding His cross, and the angels holding various instruments of the Passion. It all makes it a very unusual and distinctive picture of Our Lady. Our Lady cooperated with the Atonement. Mary always reflected and pondered on things in her heart - teaching me to reflect and ponder in silence on all aspects of our Faith.
The uniqueness of Our Lady of the Atonement, as compared to Our Lady of Sorrows, is that she took an active part in the Sacrificial Offering of her Son. We too are called to be active participants in the Atonement of Christ by our offering ourselves to the Will of the Father for the salvation of the world.
Share the Friars’ Devotion to Our Lady of the Atonement
Her Image
As Our Lady of the Atonement, she is depicted wearing a golden crown or a crown of 12 stars and red mantle to signify the Precious Blood of Jesus, which brought about the atonement for sins and enabled humanity to be at one with God. She holds in her arms the Christ Child who holds a cross in his right hand.
Her image was painted by Giovanni Martini in 1929 and by Mother Margaret Mary Nealis in 1933. Several shrines and statues at Graymoor are dedicated to the devotion of Our Lady of the Atonement. Stained glass windows at the St. Francis Chapel at Graymoor commemorate the Friars and Sisters devotion to Our Lady of the Atonement.
Her Feast Day
On June 14, 1946, the Sacred Congregation of Rites approved the Mass and Office for Our Lady of Atonement to be celebrated annually on July 9, in recognition of the date on which Fr. Paul had received the name for his Society and the Scripture text: “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:11).
Devotion to Our Lady of the Atonement
The intercession of Our Lady of the Atonement will aid in obtain the fullness of reconciliation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, her son, our Lord and in following God’s will to preserve unity and peace. Her loving and merciful example guides us and gives us strength.
Places Dedicated to Our Lady of the Atonement
Shrine of Our Lady of the Atonement
(Apex, North Carolina)
Shrine of Our Lady of the Atonement Within our Lady of the Angels Chapel
(Graymoor, New York)
Pilgrimage Chapel of Our Lady of the Atonement
(Graymoor, New York)
Shrine of Our Lady of the Atonement on the Mount of Atonement
(Graymoor, New York)
Church of Our Lady of the Atonement
(Baguio, the Philippines)
Shrine of Our Lady of the Atonement on Convent Grounds
(Graymoor, New York)
Our Lady of the Atonement Parish
(Smokey Lake, Canada)
Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church
(San Antonio, Texas)
Friary of Our Lady of the Atonement
(Tsurumi, Japan)
Chapel of Our Lady of the Atonement Within St. Francis Convent
(Graymoor, New York)
