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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Ransomed” during a pandemic

Veronica Moreno · April 25, 2020

HAD SIGNED UP for a “saint peg doll” swap (1) (an impetuous decision on my part) and was in search of who to paint. The swap was Marian themed, thus I perused the web in pursuit of the perfect Marian apparition to contribute to the group. The others in the group had already signed up to paint most of the common apparitions (Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, etc.), so I had to dig deep. It was then that I came across a Lady whom I had never heard of before: Our Lady of Ransom.

She instantly drew me in, although it took me a while to realize just how much. So, I painted the peg doll and went on with life.

Mariae Virginis de Mercede Redemptionis Captivorum

The history of this title for our Lady is fascinating! Between the 8th and 15th centuries, fighting between the Moors and Christians plagued the Iberian Peninsula and many Christians lived with the constant fear of being captured, tortured, made to renounce their Faith and/or sold as slaves. Now, in the early 13th century, a young man named Peter Nolasco was living in Spain, joined in the war against the Albigensians, helped defeat them, and eventually became tutor to King James I of Aragon. During this time, Peter became concerned with rescuing the Christian captives from the Moors and was determined to ransom them. It is said he sold his possessions to offer money to the captors, offered to sell himself as a slave to free others, and offered to be held captive in their place.

Zurbarán's Our Lady of Ransom
Our Lady of Ransom, Seville

Soon after, Peter had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who told him it would be a great consolation to her and her Son if he would found a religious order that focused on rescuing Christian captives. The next day, Peter went to his confessor, Raymond Pennafort, and told him of this vision. To his surprise, Raymond had also received the vision. Both immediately went to speak with King James I, who admitted that he too had been visited by the Queen of heaven and earth. What followed was the foundation of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Ransom of Captives.

Members of the Order wore white habits which symbolized innocence, along with a long scapular which included King James’ coat of arms. Members took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, in addition to a unique fourth vow “to devote their whole substance and very liberty to the ransoming of slaves, even to the point of acting as hostages in order to free others.” (2). The Order, also known as the Mercedarians, still continues its work in 17 countries and primarily focuses on ransoming those who suffer from ‘modern’ captivities, such as sin, poverty, and illness.

my collection
my “Lady of Ransom”


A few months later, while reading an article about our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world and feeling quite useless to help them, she burst into my mind. I felt a tug at my heart, but like a child who hears her mother’s words yet pays no heed to them, I quickly became wrapped up with domestic duties and continued on my way.

Again, in 2018, when the Vatican-China Agreement was signed, she entered my mind. Once more, when reading an article about retired Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen’s comments in regards to this agreement, his lamentations for the faithful Catholics now subject to it, and the increase in hostility towards our Chinese brothers and sisters, she came.

Just three weeks ago, I came across a news report that suggests the Chinese government may have cremated people who were still alive since ‘nothing else could be done for them.’  My heart sank and I felt our gentle Mother tugging at me, yet again.

Our Lady of Ransom has appeared on my heart a multitude of times throughout these past four years and each time I was determined to call upon her aid, pray more fervently, and make her a permanent intercessor for my family and those suffering persecution. But, dear reader, I failed at this resolution over and over. How weak and fickle I am, yet our Lord and Lady remain constant.

Our Very Own Plague

The current state of our world is surreal and can leave us feeling despondent. All those times I read about our persecuted brethren who have lost their lives, gone without the Sacraments for years, and who retreat to the catacombs for spiritual food, I, of course, felt sympathy and sorrow for their situations, offered a prayer or rosary at the time, but never fully understood their pain because I had never experienced it.

And now, as I am living through this pandemic and the Sacraments have been ‘taken away’ from me (albeit temporarily), I understand. I understand their yearning for our Lord. I understand their staunch belief in the Eucharist to the point of risking their life for Him.

I understand how desperate or alone one may feel without access to his/her Christian community.

My current hardships are a drop in the ocean compared to theirs, but I can unite my sufferings with theirs, and in turn, our Lord’s on the cross. I can learn from their zealous fidelity to Mother Church in the midst of trials and turmoil. Most importantly, I can call upon Our Lady of Ransom to intercede on our behalf and rescue us from our physical and spiritual bondage.

Dear reader, I have a firm resolve to develop a deeper devotion to Our Lady of Ransom, who gave her only Son as a ransom for us, and ask you to consider joining me as we navigate through this, our very own plague.


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

(1) A “saint peg doll” swap is a group of people, primarily mothers, who first paint wooden peg dolls and then exchange them in a “mail swap”. In my case, I chose Our Lady of Ransom and then painted a dozen of them. Once that epic task was complete, I carefully packed them and shipped all of them to our swap coordinator. The coordinator received all the different peg dolls from everyone and sorted them out. A few weeks later, I received my collection: one peg doll from each group member.

(2) From Wikipedia on Peter Nolasco.

 

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: April 25, 2020

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About Veronica Moreno

Veronica Moreno is married to a teacher and homeschools five children. She has been cantor at her local Catholic parish for over a decade.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 29th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 19 October 2025, which is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“So, as in delirium a man talks in a long-forgotten tongue, now—when her heart is rent—the Catholic Church drops twenty centuries without an effort, and speaks as she spoke underground in Rome, and in Paul’s hired house, and in Crete and Alexandria and Jerusalem.”

— A non-Catholic describing the “Hagios O Theos” of Good Friday in 1906

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