The Church solemnly celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary on September 8, heralding the dawn of our Redemption, the appearance in the world of the woman who was to be the mother of our Saviour. In memory of all that this birth represents, the Church exults and asks God for an increase of the peace that is given to man by the mystery of the Incarnation.
In accordance with the Jewish practice, eight days after the birth of the Virgin, her parents gave her her name. The liturgy, which instituted a feast of the Holy Name of Jesus a few days after Christmas, also wanted to introduce a feast of the Holy Name of Mary (September 12) shortly after Our Lady’s Nativity. The Hebrew name Mary means ‘Lady’ or ‘Sovereign’; and this is indeed what she is, by the very authority of her Son, Christ the King. Let us all rejoice to call Mary ‘Our Lady’, as we call Jesus ‘Our Lord’; to pronounce her name is to affirm her power, to implore her succour, and to put us under her beneficent protection.