A Beautiful Catholic Mother's Blessing

A mother's blessing is an Alternative to a Baby Shower. It is great way to prepare mom in a special way for the birth of her new baby!!!

A Mother's Blessing is a celebration of pregnancy and motherhood in preparation of new life. The guests are invited to spend time with the mother-to-be. The tone of the Mother's Blessing is positive - you won't find those horror stories of labors and early parenting that seem to be so common at traditional baby showers!

As a Catholic women, with the vocation of motherhood, it is important to be positive throughout our pregnancies. We should work toward having a positive birth experience also. We want to be good examples like Mary carrying on our pregnancy quietly without complaining. “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart,” Luke 2:19. We also want to bless other mothers as Mary did for Elizabeth traveling three days to visit her cousin while she was pregnant.

As women we are here to bless Adrianne asking Our Lord, Mary Our Mother, and the saints to be with her now, through her pregnancy, birth, and throughout motherhood. We are celebrating birth and motherhood.

We can only attempt to be like Mary and I can say that I often fail!!! But I am very much working on not complaining about my pregnancy.

We set up the living room as a prayer room with candles and a pictures of Mary. We also had holy water available for blessings.

An added unexpected decoration came from the two Anne's:

Anne DooleyAnne Hougham

Each brought beautiful flowers!! I love fresh cut flowers from garden! The candle holder was the party favor. There were three colors but Adriana choose green!

The Format of the Mother's Blessing was:

Each guest introduced themselves and share a positive part of their pregnancies, birth, or the best memory of motherhood. For single women share your favorite mother/daughter memory we only had one single women, Sarah Rzasa join us. Thanks for coming Sarah!!!

Then we went into prayer.
Our prayers were Litany of Saints, Prayer to Our Lady of La Leche (Prayer for a healthy pregnancy, Prayer for a Safe Delivery – St Gerard, Pray for Mother, Pray to the Holy Family. If you are interested of any of the prayers they are listed below!

We planned to read scripture versus but time did not allow it so had all who were interested light a candle and pray then we went outside (it was a beautiful day) to pampered Adrianne. The pampering consisted of a Foot spa , back rub, and toe nail painting. While the pampering was going on a saint poster was being made. Each guest brought a prayer card with their favorite saint and added to a poster that Adrianne will have in here birth room while in labor!

Saint poster in progress, Anne Hougham adding her saint card and prayer:


Guests also snacked and socialized at this point and more positive birth stories were going around!!

Finally we closed with the Madonna Rosary from Shelia Kipley's book "Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood: God's Plan for You and Your Baby," it is beautiful and perfect for motherhood.

The Madonna Rosary
written by Father Sauppe

1. The Quickening: the Blessed Mother feels Jesus’ first movement in the womb.
2. His First Nursing: the Blessed Mother gives her infant his first nourishment.
3. His First Steps: Jesus takes his first steps toward his destiny
4. His First Words: Jesus speaks for the first time.
5. Jesus is Weaned: the last breast-fed bond between Mother and Son.

Anne Dooley stayed a little later to hang out, chat, and finish my foot pampering (adding two coats of nail polish!!!

Don't my toe nails look great!!!

Great job Anne!

Thanks to Rebecca Urban (Baby #3's Godmother), Anne Dooley (Adriana's God mother), and all my friends who joined us filling our freezer with dinners for after the baby is born!!! It was such a beautiful day!!!

Andrea and I Erin and Zachery, isn't his smile amazing!

The prayers we prayed!

Litany of Saints

God the Father, Creator of all things, hear our prayers and the intercession of your saints for the protection of mothers and their babies during pregnancy and birth.

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Mary, Our Mother, pray for us.
Our Lady of La Leche, pray for us.
Mary Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angel of all families, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, pray for us.
Saint Anne, mother of Mary, pray for us.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.
Saint Monica, pray for us.
Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Saint Gerard Majella, pray for us.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla, pray for us.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.
St Felicity, pray for us.
St. Thomas, pray for us.
St. Philomena, Paton of Adriana, pray for us.
St. Raphael, Patron of James, pray for us.
St. Gabriel, pray for us.
St Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

Let us pray: Grant Adrianne and all expectant mothers a safe delivery, O Lord. Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Your mother, and your saints may we attain the joys of eternal life, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LA LECHE
Prayer for a healthy pregnancy

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of Your tender Mother, Our Lady of La Leche, who bore You close to her heart during those long months before Your birth,I place my baby and myself entirely in Your Hands.

Free me, I beseech You, from useless and consuming worry. Accept the sacrifice of my aches and pains, which I unite to Your sufferings on the Cross. Above all, most merciful and loving Jesus, protect this child .

You have given to me from all harm, bestowing the health and vigor every baby needs. Implant in my heart and on my lips the words and prayers of Your Mother and mine, our Lovely Lady of La Leche. All this I ask that my child and I may live to praise forever Your Holy Name.

Amen

Prayer for a Safe Delivery
St. Gerard Pray

O great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in your heart and made you an angel of love.

O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, you did bear, like your Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers.

Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Prayer of Mothers

Father in heaven; grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege— to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son.
Through the intercession of Jesus Your son and Mary His mother I ask your continued blessings on my family.
Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen
Prayer to the Holy Family

Lord Jesus Christ, you were raised by Mary and Joseph within the Holy Family in Nazareth. Your home was humble and holy. Help us discover the holiness in simplicity and obedience to our state of life. Help us to imitate the virtues of the Holy Family as we remain faithful to our daily duties. Please also help us to find ways to seek out solitude even in the midst of our busy lives so that we may unite our hearts with yours, dear Jesus. Please, Blessed Mother Mary and good Saint Joseph pray for us and protect us. Amen