Beautiful things are happening at St. Bernadette’s. You may have noticed a new garden taking shape near the upper parking lot. This garden is now dedicated to the devotion of Mary, Undoer(or Untier) of Knots. Here is the story behind this shrine:
The story began over 400 years ago, and has several versions, but its beautiful devotion to Mary is the same . However, the story became popular after Pope Francis started sharing his devotion to it in recent year. Pope Francis said, “Through Mary, all knots of our heart, every knot of our conscience can be undone.”
The beginning of the story:
A German nobleman and his wife were on the brink of divorce. The nobleman was distraught and turned to his priest for counseling. The two prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the marriage at every meeting. At the last meeting on September 28, 1615, (Mary, Undoer of Knots feast day is September 28th) the nobleman gave the priest a ribbon from his wedding. The nobleman and his wife followed wedding traditions from that time and tied each other together with a white ribbon. The priest took the knotted ribbon and placed it next to an image of Our Lady of the Snows. He asked Mary to “untie the knots” of the nobleman’s marriage. The ribbon miraculously loosened and completely untied. After this occurred the nobleman and his wife reconciled. A grandson of the couple became a priest and commissioned a painting in honor and memory of his grandparents and the story.
In the painting Mary unties the ribbon knots, one angel gives her the knotted ribbon, while another angel holds the unknotted side and presents it to us. Mary also crushes Satan’s head, which represents the Immaculate Conception. The dove above her head symbolizes her spouse, the Holy Spirit. At the bottom of the image, you see Saint Raphail the Archangel guiding the nobleman to a monastery.
Johann Melchior Georg Schmittdner painted Mary, Undoer of Knots around 1700. The original painting is on display at St. Peter’s Church in Perlach, Germany. Pope Francis came to love this devotion after seeing it while studying in Germany in the 1980’s.
How can this devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots help us?
What are the knots that Mary can help us untie? We all struggle with problems, anxiety, and often fear, we cannot resolve or find solution to on our own. Knots of upset with family, our spouse, the absence of peace in our own homes. The knots of disease, drug addiction, alcoholism, the practice of abortion, depression, unemployment, fear, loneliness…the many knots of our lives. These struggles take us away from God. Mary comes to us with the promises of victory, peace, blessings, and forgiveness. She can help release us from the knots so that we may become closer to our God.
The Mary, Undoer of Knots Garden is a work in progress. The plants and flowers you see in this space are donated by many parishioners and lovingly planted by the St. Bernadette’s Garden Ministry. This garden will continue to grow and be a gift to our parishioners and tended to in honor and devotion to Our Blessed Mother.
There is a Mary, Undoer of Knots Shrine placed just behind a white arbor. Located near the shrine, and inside a container, you will find white ribbons. After you pray to Mary, take a ribbon, and tie it to the arbor. Leave the worry, stress, anxiety, hurt and upset, in the form of this tied ribbon, on Mary’s arbor. Our Blessed Mother will be our comfort as she brings us closer to God.
There are several prayers available to help with your devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots. Here is Pope Francis’ prayer:
Holy Mary, full of God’s presence during the day of your life, you accepted will full humility the Father’s will, and the devil was never capable of tying you up with his confusion.
Once with your Son, you interceded for our difficulties, and full of kindness and patience, you gave us example of how to untie the knots in our life. By remaining forever Our Mother, you put in order and make more clear the ties that link us to the Lord.
Holy Mother, Mother of God and our Mother, to you who intie with a Motherly hear the knots of our life, we pray to you to receive in your hands (the name of the person), and free him/her of the knots and confusion with which our enemy attacks.
Through your grace, your intercession and your example deliver us from all evil, Our Lady, and untie the knots that prevent us from being united with God, so that we, free from sin and error, may find Him in all things, may have our hearts placed in Him, and may serve Him always in our brothers and sisters. Amen
Additionally, you will find Mary, Undoer of Knots prayer cards in the Narthax. You can find her Novena’s online at www.theholyrosary.org, www.praymorenovenas.com, www.ascensionpress.com, and more.
We hope you find peace and comfort visiting our Mary, Undoer of Knots Shrine at St. Bernadette’s.
Prayer Garden: The Prayer Garden is located behind the church and can be accessed following the sidewalk under the canopy. This garden has been built around a large concrete pad and is easily accessed by all parishioners and visitors. In this garden you will find a beautiful statue of our Blessed Mother, a walking rosary, Stations of the Cross and a corpus, all of these are surrounded by flowers and other plants that help create a reflective and peaceful space.