St. Joseph's manual/Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
DEVOTIONS
TO
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
LITTLE OFFICE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
[The text, from which the present translation has been made, is an exact copy of the office as published by authority at Rome, in 1838. Vide Calette Palmctum, page 243.]
AT MATINS.
Come, my lips, and wide proclaim
The blessed Virgin's spotless fame.
V. O Lady, make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, &c. Alleluia.
From Septuagesima to Easter, instead of Alleluia, is said:
Praise be to thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.
Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/574 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/575 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/576 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/577 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/578 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/579 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/580 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/581 V. O Lady, hear, &c, [with the prayer and versides, as at page 565.]
THE COMMENDATION.
These praises and prayers
I lay at thy feet,
O Virgin of virgins,
O Mary most sweet.
Be thou my true guide
Through this pilgrimage here,
And stand by my side
When death draweth near.
R. Thanks be to God.
LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
| LORD, have mercy on us. | ||
| Christ, have mercy on us. | ||
| Lord, have mercy on us. | ||
| Christ, hear us. | ||
| Christ, graciously hear us. | ||
| God the Father, source of all sanctity, have mercy on us. | ||
| God the Son, increated sanctity, have mercy on us. | ||
| God the Holy Ghost, spirit of sanctity, have mercy on us. | ||
| Most sacred Trinity, have mercy on us. | ||
| Immaculate holy Mary, pray for us. | ||
| Immaculate Mother of God, | Pray for us. | |
| Immaculate Virgin of virgins, | ||
| Immaculate in your conception, | ||
| Immaculate after conception, | ||
| Immaculate Daughter of the Father, | ||
| Immaculate Mother of the Son, |
| Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Ghost, | Pray for us. | |
| Immaculate seat of the Holy Trinity, | ||
| Immaculate image of the divine wisdom, | ||
| Immaculate ark of the body of Christ, | ||
| Immaculate daughter of David, | ||
| Immaculate way which conducts to Jesus, | ||
| Immaculate Virgin, who hast triumphed over original sin, | ||
| Immaculate Virgin, who hast crushed the serpent's head, | ||
| Immaculate Queen of heaven and earth, | ||
| Immaculate gate of the holy city, | ||
| Immaculate dispensatrix of grace, | ||
| Immaculate spouse of St. Joseph, | ||
| Immaculate dawn of the sun of justice, | ||
| Immaculate star of the sea, | ||
| Immaculate bulwark of the Church, | ||
| Immaculate rose among thorns, | ||
| Immaculate olive of the field, | ||
| Immaculate model of all perfection, | ||
| Immaculate column of our faith, | ||
| Immaculate ground of our hope, after Christ, | ||
| Immaculate ocean of divine love, | ||
| Immaculate beacon of salvation, | ||
| Immaculate rule of the most perfect obedience, | ||
| Immaculate house of the purest chastity, | ||
| Immaculate trumpet of holy poverty, | ||
| Immaculate school of all devotion, | ||
| Immaculate anchor of our salvation, | ||
| Immaculate Joy of angels, | ||
| Immaculate crown of patriarchs, | ||
| Immaculate light of prophets, | ||
| Immaculate mistress of apostles, | ||
| Immaculate strength of martyrs, | ||
| Immaculate princess of doctors, | ||
| Immaculate virtue of confessors, | ||
| Immaculate purity of virgins, |
| Immaculate glory of all saints, | Pray for us. | |
| Immaculate sanctity of all Christians, | ||
| Immaculate companion of devout souls, | ||
| Immaculate joy of those who trust in you, | ||
| Immaculate medicine of the sick, | ||
| Immaculate advocate of sinners, | ||
| Immaculate terror of hereties, | ||
| Immaculate patroness of all mankind, |
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Ant. We salute you, Virgin Mother of God, exempt from original sin, who, at the moment of your conception, crushed the serpent's head. We hail you, purest of virgins; we cry to you for protection. Save us, poor sinners, by your prayers; render your Son favorable to us in death, and be yourself present to assist us, O holy Virgin — immaculate before conception, immaculate in conception, and immaculate after conception.
Pray for us, immaculate Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer.
O ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who hast inspired thy Church to institute a festival in honor of the conception of the Mother of thy Son, grant that all who devoutly celebrate it on earth may eternally enjoy thy presence in heaven, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
NOVENAS IN HONOR OF OUR LADY.
FOR THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY.
O MOST amiable Virgin, who was from all eternity the object of the divine love, obtain for us that you may become also the beloved object of our devotion. Ave.
2. O holy Virgin, whose conception was an especial grace of God granted to the prayers, the longing desires, and the mortifications of the patriarchs, prophets, and all the just, obtain for us that, by similar means, we may be made worthy to share in the divine favors. Ave.
3. O most privileged Virgin, by whose conception the barrenness of your parents was changed into wonderful fruitfulness, obtain that our sterile souls may become fruitful in good works and holy thoughts. Ave.
4. O immaculate Virgin, who alone amongst creatures was preserved from original sin, as well as from the slightest spot of actual stain, obtain for us that we may henceforth be kept from the least infection of sin. Ave.
5. O singular Virgin, who was not only preserved from sin, but from all tendency to evil, obtain for us that we may be enabled to keep so strict a guard over our senses, that, by mortifying our flesh, we may subdue those inclinations by which we become slaves to the law of sin. Ave.
6. O most fortunate Virgin, who was, from the moment of your conception, confirmed in divine love, obtain for us such copious graces as may keep us faithful and acceptable to God unto the end. Ave.
7. O most holy Virgin, who, at your conception, was replenished with the fulness of grace, obtain for us that, by means of prayer and the participation of the holy sacraments, we may receive all the graces which we require for our sanctification and salvation. Ave.
8. O most blessed Virgin, who, at the first instant of your life, was adorned with the choicest and most perfect virtues, obtain for us a most lively faith, the firmest hope, the most perfect charity, and all the other virtues which should adorn a Christian soul. Ave.
9. O blessed Virgin, whose conception announced the near approach of the glorious rising of the sun of justice, become the light of our minds, the joy of our hearts, our defence in dangers, our support in temptations, our comfort in tribulations; plant and nourish in our souls all those virtues which made you so admirable upon earth, and now render you so glorious in heaven. Aee. Gloria.
FOR THE NATIVITY.
O HOLY Virgin, whose birth into this world announced peace to suffering men, upon this solemn remembrance of your birth, obtain, we beseech you, true peace to our hearts, to the Church, and to all the world. Ave.
2. O invincible Virgin, who commenced, at the instant of your birth, the overthrow of the kingdom of the devil, obtain for us that we may be enabled to destroy his reign in our hearts, and continually to resist him by a lively faith, so that Christ may reign in us and with us forever. Ave.
3. Unspotted Virgin, who was born adorned with perfect purity, obtain for us that we may henceforward cease to live after the flesh, but may be enabled to lead a pure and spotless life, such as true Christians should do. Ave.
4. Heavenly Virgin, who came into the world to triumph over it, obtain for us that we also may be detached from it, living, not according to its laws, but to those of the gospel. Ave.
5. Glorious Virgin, who was born to triumph over all heresy, dissipate by your power all the errors which oppose themselves to our holy religion, and preserve constantly in us that lively faith which works by charity. Ave.
6. Most holy Virgin, who appeared on this earth to afford us a bright mirror of virtue and holiness, let our eyes be continually turned towards you, that we may be enabled to imitate your virtuous deeds, and become holy like you. Ave.
7. Most happy Virgin, whom God created to bring forth Him who would heal the evils of the whole world, obtain for us that we may be preserved from all sin, the only real evil, and may make so profitable a use of divine grace, that we may attain eternal life. Ave.
FOR THE PRESENTATION.
O GREAT Virgin and dear Mother, by the marvellous promptitude with which you dedicated your earliest years to the service of God, obtain that we may from this time forward be enabled to consecrate our hearts to the divine service without ever being diverted from our purpose. Ave.
2. O great Virgin and dear Mother, by that seraphic zeal with which in your childhood you served in the temple, thereby becoming an object of admiration to angels and men. obtain for us that we may approach the holy sacraments with the true spirit of devotion. Ave.
3. O great Virgin and dear Mother, by the admirable courage with which you subdued your attachment to home and parents, in your first years of life, that you might devote yourself to the service of God, obtain for us that, no longer seduced by the deceits of our enemies, we may be able to keep our hearts detached from all earthly things, seeking for our true and perfect good alone, and may enjoy one day with you the eternal delights of paradise. Ave.
FOR THE ANNUNCIATION.
O IMMACULATE MARY, who obtained by your profound humility and perfect chastity to be preferred, before the most renowned women of all ages, for the Mother of your Creator, obtain for us the grace to live like you in the practice of these two beautiful virtues, that we may at length attain with you to the joy of our Lord. Ave.
2. O immaculate Mary, who were troubled when you heard the angel's praises, obtain for us the grace to have, like you, a lowly esteem of ourselves, that, shrinking from the praises of men, we may solely endeavor to deserve the approbation of our Lord. Ave.
3. O immaculate Mary, who valued the privilege of virginity not less than the glory of being the Mother of God, obtain for us the grace that we may willingly sacrifice all things rather than sully the purity of our souls. Ave.
4. O immaculate Mary, who called yourself the Handmaid of the Lord, with an extraordinary humility, after the archangel Gabriel had announced that you were to be his Mother, obtain from the Lord that we may never he elated by any gifts with which God may favor us, but that they may advance us in virtue, and unite us more and more with the true source of all happiness. Ave.
5. O immaculate Mary, who did not refuse to be come the Mother of the Redeemer for the salvation of men, though you knew the great sacrifice which you must one day make of him on the cross, and the bitter passion which you would have to endure with him, obtain for us, I pray you, that we may never refuse to make any sacrifice which may be required of us for his glory or for the salvation of our neighbor. Ave.
6. O immaculate Mary, who by that fiat which you pronounced when you consented to become the Mother of the Word, rejoiced heaven, consoled earth, and affrighted hell, obtain for us a perfect confidence in your holy protection, by which we may obtain the copious benefits of your Son's redemption, to which you, O great Virgin, lent your desired aid. Ave.
7. O immaculate Mary, who, by a miracle till then unheard of, became the Mother of the incarnate Word without the smallest stain on your spotless purity, obtain, we pray you, that we may be reserved and modest in our looks, words, and actions, and never sully, by any stain, that purity which is suited to our profession. Ave.
8. O immaculate Mary, who contracted so intimate a relation with the most holy Trinity that you became at the same time the Daughter of the holy Father, the Mother of the holy Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, obtain for us that we may so preserve the purity of our souls that we may be worthy to be the temples of the Father who created us, of the Son who redeemed us, and of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us. Ave.
9. O immaculate Mary, who had the especial privilege of bearing in your virginal womb Him whom heaven and earth cannot contain, obtain for us that we may so exercise ourselves continually in humility, penitence, charity, and prayer, that we may worthily receive your divine Son when he vouchsafes to visit us in the blessed sacrament, and may also be blessed by this gracious presence at the moment of our death, and that, at length, we may contemplate and possess him, together with you and the angels and saints in heaven. Ave.
FOR THE VISITATION.
BY that purity of intention through which, O Mary, you quitted your home, and proceeded to visit your cousin Elizabeth, obtain for us. we pray, the grace of seeking in all that we do only the pure glory of God. Ave.
2. By that holy care with which you took the road to the mountains of Judea, obtain for us, we pray, the grace to walk continually in the way of holiness, that we may never be driven back by any obstacles which our enemies may oppose against us. Ave.
3. By the profound humility which induced you, O Mary, first to salute your cousin Elizabeth, obtain for us, we pray, the grace to turn to our profit whatever occasions may be offered us for the practice of this virtue, so beautiful and so necessary for our salvation. Ave.
4. By that extreme joy which you infused into the soul of Elizabeth when you tenderly embraced her, obtain for us, we pray, the grace to continue until death in the profession of piety, that we may attain to the fulness of heavenly happiness. Ave.
5. By that extraordinary favor which you, O Mary, obtained for John, that he should be sanctified in his mother's womb before he saw the light, obtain for us, we pray, the grace of preserving ourselves free from all stain till death. Ave.
6. By the most humble confession which you made, O Mary, of that marvellous work which Almighty God had performed in you, by which you became the object of the benediction of mankind, obtain for us the grace always to acknowledge the blessings which we receive from the Lord, and to employ them to his honor and glory. Ave.
7. By that ardent charity which you, O Mary, practised during the three months in which you dwelt in the house of Elizabeth, obtain for us, we pray, the grace to be always ready to assist with affection all the necessities of our neighbors. Ave.
8. By the model which you, O Mary, exhibited of every virtue in your daily intercourse with your relations, Elizabeth and her holy spouse Zacharias, obtain for us, we pray, that we may have grace to give continual edification to our neighbors by all our words and actions. Ave.
9. By that admirable detachment from your nearest relations, O Mary, which you exhibited, when, having completed all the duties which you had undertaken in the house of Elizabeth, you returned immediately to your house in Nazareth, obtain for us, we pray, that we may be enabled always to live so detached from the things of the world as never to mingle in the affairs of men, except when summoned by necessity or charity; that our hearts may be fixed on God alone, from whom we hope for peace in this life and blessedness in another. Ave.
FOR THE PURIFICATION.
BY the heroic obedience which you, O great Virgin, practised in submitting to the law of purification, obtain for us the most exalted obedience to all the laws of God, of the Church, and of our superiors. Ave.
2. By that angelic modesty and heavenly devotion with which you went and presented yourself in the temple, obtain for us that we may conduct ourselves in the house of God with that exterior and interior devotion which are fitting its sanctity. Ave.
3. By the holy care with which you sought, O most pure Virgin, to cleanse yourself by the sacred rite of purification from the least appearance of outward uncleanness. obtain for us an insatiable desire to cleanse ourselves from the smallest stain of sin. Ave.
4. By that profound humility which led you to resort to the temple amongst sinners, though you were the most perfect of creatures, obtain for us such a spirit of humility as shall render us dear to God and deserving of his favors. Ave.
5. By that perfect faith in God your Son which you, O Mary, preserved when you heard the prophecy which foretold that he should become an occasion of contradiction and ruin to many, obtain for us an equally firm and lively faith amidst all temptations and contradictions. Ave.
6. By the invincible resignation with which, O Mary, you listened to the bitter prophecy of holy Simeon, that a sword of sorrow should pierce through your soul, obtain that we also may preserve a most perfect resignation amidst the most afflicting events by which God, in his infinite wisdom, may be pleased to try us. Ave.
7. By the intense charity which induced you, O Mary, to offer to the eternal Father the holy sacrifice of your Son for the redemption and salvation of all men, obtain for us that we may be willing to sacrifice to the Lord whatever is most dear to us. whenever it shall be requisite for our sanctification and salvation. Ave. Gloria.
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SEVEN DOLORS OF OUR BLESSED LADY.
I COMPASSIONATE you, O my most afflicted Mother, for the first dolor which you felt when holy Simeon foretold the most bitter passion and painful death of your divine Son, and the sharp sword that would pierce your own most sweet and tender heart; I beseech you to obtain for us a perfect knowledge of our sins, and true contrition for them. Ave.
2. I compassionate you, O my afflicted Mother, for the second dolor which you felt, when, flying with your infant Jesus and your holy spouse St. Joseph from the cruelty of Herod, you departed into Egypt amidst many disasters and sufferings; I beseech you to obtain for us the divine assistance against the snares of the infernal enemy of our salvation. Ave.
3. I compassionate you. O my afflicted Mother, for the third dolor which you felt, when, having lost your beloved Son Jesus, you sought him in sorrow and in tears during the space of three days, until you found him in the holy temple; I beseech you to obtain for us the pardon of all our sins. Ave.
4. I compassionate you, O my afflicted Mother, for the fourth dolor which you felt when Jesus was taken away from you to be delivered into the hands of the cruel Jews, and to be crucified on Mount Calvary; I beseech you to obtain for us the acquisition of every virtue and perfect correspondence with divine grace. Ave.
5. I compassionate you, O my afflicted Mother, for the fifth dolor which you felt on meeting your divine Son wounded and bleeding, crowned with thorns, and laden with a heavy cross; I beseech you to obtain for us an humble and entire resignation to the divine will in all our labors and trials. Ave.
6. I compassionate you, O my afflicted Mother, for the sixth dolor which you felt when you beheld your divine Son covered with wounds, transfixed with nails, and dying on the cross; I beseech you to make us worthy of your heavenly assistance at the hour of our death. Ave.
7. I compassionate you, O my afflicted Mother, for the seventh dolor which you felt, when, after your divine Son had expired, you received within your arms the sacred body, all mangled and covered with blood; I beseech you to obtain for us that we may so enjoy the fruit of his bitter passion and death as to be partakers of his eternal glory in heaven. Ave.
FOR THE ASSUMPTION.
MOST blessed Virgin, by the joy your soul experienced when you heard yourself called to immortal glory, in humility we pray you to obtain for us the grace so to live that we may meet the approach of death with joy. Ave.
2. Most lovely Virgin, who consoled the holy apostles, when, assembled to be present at your death, they deeply lamented their grievous loss, deign to comfort us in all our troubles, especially in our agony and at the hour of our death. Ave.
3. Immaculate Virgin, whose death was not the effect of sin, but of the power of divine love, which freed your most pure soul from all its earthly chains, that it might fly to the embraces of your divine Son, obtain for us that by an act of the love of God we may close this life, and be united forever with our supreme Good. Ave.
4. We rejoice with you, O elect Virgin, for the honors which were paid by the angels to your body when they sang hymns of praise and glory to the adorable ark in which the eternal Word had been incarnate. Ah, obtain for us that we may be preserved so pure and chaste that we may be permitted to enjoy their society in heaven. Ave.
5. Blessed were you. O admirable Virgin, in that happy resurrection in which you were invested with celestial beauty! O, well were you then rewarded for all that you had suffered during life! Help us, O dear Mother, to endure, for the love of Jesus, every suffering, that, in the resurrection, we may also obtain the gift of a glorified body. Ave.
6. We venerate, O great Mother of God, your glorious assumption into heaven, accompanied by the angelic choirs in splendid triumph, when you were raised by your only Son to the highest and most glo rious place in his blessed kingdom. O triumphant Virgin, disdain not to cast a glance from your throne upon our wretchedness; detach us from this world, and draw our hearts to yourself, that, by humbling ourselves on earth, we may be made lit to be exalted with you in heaven. Ave.
7. O Mary, great Daughter of the eternal Father, who crowned you with dominion over heaven and earth, ah, be pleased to make use of your power in our favor by subduing our spiritual enemies, and those of the holy Church, that your Son Jesus may reign triumphant over all things. Ave.
8. O great Mother of the eternal Word, by that celestial wisdom with which your divine Son adorned you in your triumphant assumption, procure for all Christians, for all hereties, and for all infidels, the light by which they may understand the truths of the gospel, and the grace which shall enable them to obey them. Ave.
9. Praised be God, O most pure Spouse of the Holy Spirit, who encircled your head with the bright est crown of glory. O, be pleased to point out to us how we may follow your blessed footsteps. O prudent Virgin, behold our misery. Powerful Queen, aid us with your power. Tender Mother, make us worthy of love by an imitation of your virtues, most especially of your fervent charity, that we may be partakers of the glories of your immortality. Ave. Gloria.
COMMEMORATION OF THE SEVEN JOYS OF OUR BLESSED LADY IN HEAVEN.
REJOICE, O Spouse of the Holy Ghost, for the bliss which you possess in paradise, where you are exalted above the angelic choirs. Ave.
2. Rejoice, O true Mother of God, for the happiness which you feel in paradise; for as the sun illuminates the earth, so do you, with your divine Son, adorn and illuminate heaven by your brightness. Ave.
3. Rejoice, O Daughter of God, for the joy to which you have attained in paradise, where the whole hierarchy of angels and archangels, thrones and dominations, and all the blessed, pay you honor, acknowledging you as the Mother of their Creator. Ave.
4. Rejoice, O Handmaid of the blessed Trinity, for the gladness which you feel and enjoy in paradise; for all the graces which you ask from your divine Son are instantly granted, and because, as St. Bernard says, "no grace is granted to us on earth which has not first passed through your holy hands." Ave.
5. Rejoice, O Queen of heaven, for you alone deserve to sit at the right hand of your divine Son, who is seated at the right hand of the eternal Father. Ave.
6. Rejoice, O hope of sinners, refuge of the unhappy, for the bliss which you enjoy in paradise; for the eternal Father rewards with his most precious graces all those who love and reverence you on earth. Ave.
7. Rejoice, O Mother, Daughter, and Spouse of God, because all the joys, graces, and favors that you enjoy in heaven will never undergo any diminution, but will continue to rejoice your blessed heart for an endless eternity, Ave. Gloria.
PRAYERS
TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN,
TO HE USED ON OCCASION OF PAYING A VISIT TO HER ALTAR OR IMAGE, OR AT OTHER TIMES.
FOR OBTAINING THE LOVE OF MARY.
O MARY, thou art the purest, the fairest, the holiest of creatures. O that all men would acknowledge and love thee as thou deservest! But I rejoice in the thought of the great number of the just whose hearts are inflamed with the love of thee. O amiable Queen, I also, unworthy as I am, I also love thee, but I love thee too little. I desire to love thee more tenderly and more generously, for to love thee is one of the marks of predestination. I ask thee not for the good things of the world — its riches, its honors, or its pleasures; I beseech thee to obtain for me the grace to love thy Son with all the fervor of my heart, and to consecrate myself entirely to his honor and thine. O Mary, O my Mother, cease not to pray for me, until thou seest me secure of possessing my God, of loving him and loving thee forever and ever. Amen.
ANOTHER.
O THAT I had the heart of all the angels and all the saints, to love Mary as they love her! O that I had at my disposal the life of all mankind, that I might consecrate it whole and entire to the glory and the service of this most amiable Mother! O that I could engrave on all hearts and on all lips the lovely name of Mary — that name so powerful, which constitutes the delight, the security, the happiness of all who utter it with a sweet confidence and a holy joy!
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
TO OUR LADY OF PEACE.
O HOLY Virgin, my august Queen, obtain for me from thy divine Son the peace which he left as a heritage to his disciples. The world knows it not; it resides only in souls that are sanctified by grace. Obtain for me, I beseech thee, grace to maintain this peace with God, by my fidelity in keeping his law: with my superiors, by my submission, obedience, and respect; with my equals, by meekness, patience, and charity; with myself, by the practice of all virtues; so that it may be poured forth also upon my relations, friends, and all mankind. Obtain for me grace to live on earth in the peace of innocence, that at the last I may be found worthy of that ineffable peace which the blessed enjoy in heaven. Amen.
TO OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION.
O MARY, most sweet, most amiable, and most glorious, thy name cannot be uttered in the secret of the heart without inflaming it with thy love; and they who love thee cannot think of thee without feeling themselves animated to love thee more and more, and putting all their confidence in thee. O Mary, O my Mother, thou seest my trouble; look upon me with an eye of pity; thou art the consolation of all who call upon thee in affliction; be thou, then, mine. Hearken to the sighs, graciously hear the prayers, of my poor heart; forsake me not, but support me in affliction, and strengthen me in danger. Thou art the heavenly dew that sweetenest our sorrows. O Mother of consolation, I pray thee, sweeten mine; give peace to my soul; grant me all that thou knowest I desire of thee: obtain for me, from thy divine Son, the pardon of all my sins, the grace to sin no more, the blessedness to imitate thy virtues all the rest of my life, and finally a holy and a happy death. At that tremendous hour, be thou my protectress and my consolation, I beseech thee. O my tender Mother, come and receive my soul, to present it at the tribunal of the sovereign Judge, and to obtain for me a favorable sentence. I deserve not this at thy hands; but I am thy child. I love thee, and I desire to make thee loved by all hearts. Amen.
AN ACT OF REPARATION TO THE HOLY VIRGIN.
HOW great is my grief. O most holy Virgin Mary, when I consider the injuries which thou receivest every day on the part of men! How can there be found hearts so hard and impious as to despise thee, who art worthy of the respect and love of angels and men! And among the very children of the Church, thine own children, there are some, alas! who feel nothing but coldness and indifference for thee; who take no pains to testify their gratitude and devotion towards thee; who never honor thee, or invoke thy intercession, or seek to gain thy protection. And how many times have I myself plunged into my heart the two-edged sword! O Mother of mercy, I should never dare to lift up my eyes to thee, wert thou not the advocate of sinners. Oppressed with the burden of my infidelities, I come to ask forgiveness at thy feet, for myself and for all mankind. I acknowledge thy glory to be above that of all creatures. I honor, with the Church, thy immaculate conception and thy glorious assumption; I believe thy power and all thy perfections to be proportioned to thy dignity of Mother of God; I acknowledge thee with joy as my advocate, my refuge, and my Mother; I will glory all my life in being of the number of thy most devoted children, and it shall be my happiness to win all hearts to thy love. Vouchsafe, O spotless Virgin, to obtain for me grace to imitate thy virtues, and to dwell with thee hereafter in the abode of glory. Amen.
AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY VIRGIN.
O HOLY Mary, Mother of God, who, from the first moment of thy conception, wast free from the stain of original sin, I choose thee this day for my queen, my patroness, my advocate with God. and my glorious Mother. I am most earnestly resolved, from this day, to persevere in thy service, and in promoting thy honor, during the whole course of my lif ; I will never say anything, nor do anything, nor suffer any who belong to me to offer, in their conversation or their actions, the slightest injury to the reverence and homage which are due to thee by a thousand titles. Vouchsafe, then. I beseech thee, O august Queen of heaven and earth, to admit me today into thy service forever, and to grant me thy holy protection every moment of my life. Above all, O most sacred Mother of my Saviour, I beseech thee not to abandon me at the hour of my death. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR PERSEVERANCE IN DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
O GOD, who hast placed us under the patronage of the most holy Mother of thy Son Jesus, and dost excite us to strive for the prize of our high calling, come into our hearts, and pour down upon us thy purifying grace, whereby we may persevere in thy service, and in the service of the same most holy Virgin Mary; so that, fortified by so powerful a protection, we may perform those good desires which thou hast put into our hearts, and having effectually accomplished all that was set before us to do, may attain those things which thou hast been pleased to promise to those that abide in thee, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
A WAY OF ASKING OUR LADY'S BLESSING.
COME, O my soul, prostrate thyself at the feet of Mary, thy mother, and depart not till she hath blessed thee. O blessed of God, and enriched with all blessings, in thy mercy and kindness bless my afflicted soul, and obtain for me, from thy beloved Son, abundant grace, that I may so faithfully serve both him and thee in this world, that I may be made partaker of eternal glory. Amen.
AN ACT OF FILIAL REVERENCE TO MARY.
Pope Leo XII. granted, in perpetuity, to all the faithful who should recite the three following prayers, together with three "Hail Marys," to ask the blessed Virgin-s assistance in the practice of Christian virtues, and especially the holy virtue of purity : 1. An indulgence of one hundred days each time they are said. 2. A plenary indulgence, once a month, on reciting them every day, with the usual conditions. These indulgences are applicable to the souls in purgatory.
I VENERATE thee with all my heart, O most holy Virgin, as the Daughter of the Father of heaven; and I consecrate to thee my soul, with all its powers. Hail, Mary!
II.
I VENERATE thee with all my heart, O most holy Virgin, as the Mother of the only Son of God; and I consecrate to thee my body, with all its senses. Hail, Mary !
III.
I VENERATE thee with all my heart, O most holy Virgin, as the beloved Spouse of the Holy Ghost; and I consecrate to thee my heart, with all its affections: obtain for me of the Holy Trinity the graces necessary for my salvation. Hail, Mary !
THE MEMORARE.
REMEMBER, O most pious Virgin Mary, that no one ever had recourse to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy mediation, without obtaining relief. Confiding therefore on thy goodness and mercy, I cast myself at thy sacred feet, and do most humbly supplicate thee, O Mother of the Eternal Word, to adopt me as thy child, and to take upon thyself the care of my salvation. O, let it not be said, my dearest mother, that I have perished where no one ever found but grace and salvation.
INVOCATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN IN LIFE AND AT DEATH.
O MOST holy and immaculate Virgin Mary, who art ever present before the throne of the blessed and adorable Trinity, and to whom it is at all times granted to make intercession with thy beloved Son, be a Mother to me in life and at the hour of my death; and should I, in my last moments, be unable to say, "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands," say it for me, and leave me not before I have been judged; and if I have to expiate my sins in purgatory, O pray for me earnestly, and admonish my friends to obtain for me, through the holy sacrifice of the Mass, prayers, and alms-deeds, a speedy enjoyment of the bliss of heaven, where I may bless and praise my God and thyself for all eternity. Amen.
Three Hail Marys.
DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP.
O MOTHER of Perpetual Help, pray for us, thy children. Obtain for us, that we may continually have recourse to thee.
TRIDUO.
First Day.
BEHOLD at thy feet, O Mother of Perpetual Help, a miserable sinner, who has recourse to thee, and confides in thee. O Mother of Mercy, have pity on me. I hear thee called by all the refuge and the hope of sinners: be then my refuge and my hope. Assist me for the love of Jesus Christ, stretch forth thy hand to a miserable wretch, who has fallen and who recommends himself to thee, and who consecrates himself to be thy servant forever. I bless and thank Almighty God, who by his mercy has given me this confidence in thee, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation. It is true that in past times I have miserably fallen into sin, because I had not recourse to thee. I know that with thy help I will be able to conquer. I know too, that thou wilt assist me if I recommend myself to thee, but I fear that in the time of danger I may neglect to call on thee and thus lose my soul. The grace, therefore, which I ask of thee, and for which I beg with all the fervor of my soul, is, that in all the attacks of hell I may ever have recourse to thee, and say to thee: O Mary, help me; O Mother of Perpetual Help, never permit me to lose my God.
Five Hail Marys.
V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O ALMIGHTY and merciful God, who in order to help the human race hast willed the blessed Virgin Mary to become the mother of thy only-begotten Son, grant, we beseech thee, that by her intercession we may avoid the contagion of sin and serve thee with a pure heart, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Second Day.
O MOTHER of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O purest Mary, O sweetest Mary, let thy name be henceforth the breath of my life. Do not hesitate, O blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee to assist me; for in every temptation which will assail me, in all the necessities which may afflict me, I will never cease to call on thee by often repeating: O Mary! O Mary! O what consolation, what sweetness and confidence, and what emotion does not mv soul experience when I name thee or only think of thee ! I thank Almighty God for having given thee, on my account, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with the mere invocation of thy name; I will call on thee, burning with love for thee, and beg, that my love for thee may impel me constantly to salute thee: O Mother of Perpetual Help.
Five Hail Marys and prayer as above.
Third Day.
O MOTHER of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of all those gifts which God grants to us miserable sinners, and for this end he has made thee so powerful, so rich and so bountiful, in order that thou mayest help us in our misery. Thou art the advocate of those sinners, who are more miser able and abandoned than the rest, and who have recourse to thee. Into thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee I consign my soul. I wish to be numbered among thy most devoted servants; take me under thy protection, and it is enough for me. For if thou protect me, I fear nothing, neither from my sins, because thou wilt obtain for me the pardon of them, nor from the devils, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; nor even from Jesus Christ, my judge, himself, because by one prayer from thee, he will be appeased. But one thing I fear, that in the hour of temptation, I may, from my extreme negligence, fail to have recourse to thee, and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me, therefore, the pardon of my sins, holy perseverance, and the price less gift to love Jesus Christ, and ever to have recourse to thee, O Mother of Perpetual Help.
Five Hail Marys and prayer as above.
An indulgence of one hundred days, to be gained once a day, is granted for every one of the aforesaid prayers. — Rescript of May 17, 18CC.
Passing by our Lady's Altars and Pictures, say:
O Mother of God, remember me!
O MOTHER OF GOD, REMEMBER ME.
O MOTHER of God, and my most dear Mother, by the heart of Jesus, I beg of you each time I shall say " O Mother of God, remember me," to adore then for me the Heart of your divine Son, and offer my unworthy one to him, asking pardon for all that is amiss in it, telling that God of love how much it desires perfectly to love him, and obtain by your all-powerful intercession, a love that may consume in it all earthly affections, and that he may replenish it to the full extent of its small capacity. This, dear Mother, I beg through the Heart of Jesus, to which I am sure you can refuse nothing, and by which I know you cannot be rejected. O show then yourself a Mother, and comply with the desires of your poor unworthy child.
PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES.
BE thou blessed, O most pure Virgin, who didst deign to appear in the grotto of Lourdes as many as eighteen times, resplendent with light, sweet ness, and beauty, and to say to the humble and simple child who contemplated thee in ecstasy, "I am the Immaculate Conception!" be thou blessed for the extraordinary favors which thou dost unceasingly scatter around this place.
By thy maternal heart, O Mary, and by the glory which the holy Church has rendered thee, we conjure thee to pray for the Sovereign Pontiff, and for . . . , and to realize the hopes of peace which the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception excited in the breasts of the faithful. Amen.
THE REMEMBER OF OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART.
One hundred days' indulgence.
REMEMBER, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the power which thou dost possess over the heart of thy divine Son. Confiding in thy merits, I now implore thy protection. O glorious Lady of the Sacred Heart — of that Heart which is the inexhaustible source of all graces, and which thou canst open at thy will, in order to pour down upon mankind all the treasures of love and mercy, of light and salvation which it contains — obtain for me, I implore thee, the favor which I ask. . . . No, I can not meet with a refusal: and since thou art my Mother, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, I beseech thee favorably to receive my prayer. Amen.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be thou my refuge.
O Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES.
APPROPRIATE FOR THE USE OF THE SICK AND AFFLICTED.
First Day.
THIS poor life is full of bitterness and sorrow. We all stand in need of help and comfort. Happy then are they who have learned to turn frequently to the sweet refuge of the unfortunate and comforter of the afflicted, our dear Mother Mary. Richard of St. Lawrence assures us that Mary's compassion is extended to all who invoke her, were it only by a Hail Mary. An angel said to St. Bridget, that no one ever prays to Mary without obtaining help from her. She is so kind-hearted, said he, that no one ever fails to experience her goodness, who asks anything from God through her inter cession.
Still more, so great is the compassion of this tender Mother toward us, so lively her interest in our welfare, that, says St. Liguori, she grants us assistance even before we ask for it. St. Ansehn says that Mary anticipates the prayer of those who desire her protection, such is her haste to help us. Hence we may conclude that she asks of God many graces for us. even before we have asked them for ourselves. We see an instance of this in what the holy Gospel tells us of the marriage feast of Cana, in Galilee. It was not the spouses, though they were the interested parties, who asked the favor then granted by our Lord. It was Mary, who, seeing that the wine was failing, and compassionating their embarrassment, turned to her divine Son, who, at her request, wrought his first miracle.
If then Mary is so ready to help us in our need, even when she is not asked, how much more readily must she come to our assistance when we implore her aid. St. Anselm, in order to increase our confidence in her, assures us, that when we address ourselves to the Mother of God, not only may we be sure of her assistance, but our prayers will often be even more quickly and abundantly answered through the invocation of her name, than through the invocation of the name of our Lord. And let us not be startled at this assertion. " For," he says, "Jesus Christ, our Saviour, is also our Judge, and must consequently visit justice on our iniquities : while the Blessed Virgin, as our advocate and Mother, is bound to nothing but pity and affection."
Prayer.
O DEAR Lady of Lourdes, bless me and help me. Thou, whom the saints have proclaimed so full of pity and kindness toward us, — thou, who art everywhere invoked with so much confidence, — thou, who hast deigned to appear in the grotto of Lourdes as a sweet messenger of grace and mercy, with a smile of motherly tenderness on thy lips, — show now thy goodness toward me, thy poor child. Obtain for me, I beseech thee, the graces I stand in need of for my sanctification; obtain for me patience in suffering; and if it be God's will, obtain for me restoration to health, (or whatever other favor is specially asked for in the novena.) Amen. Our dear Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. Repeat three times.
Second Day. — Prayer.
O BLESSED Lady of Lourdes, thou whose influence with Almighty God is so great that thy prayers are never refused, have pity on me thy needy child. O Virgin most holy! O Virgin most powerful! turn not away from me, though all unworthy, nor disdain to plead in my behalf. Heed not my unworthiness, but the promptings of thy own heart, thou who art as rich in mercy as in power. Use thy boundless influence to obtain for me patience in my sufferings, restoration to health (or other favor), and the grace to make a good use of it for the glory of God. Amen.
Our dear Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Repeat three times.
Third Day. — Prayer.
O COMPASSIONATE Lady of Lourdes, who hast shown thy affection for poor sinners by commanding Bernadette to pray for them and to get others to pray for them, exercise now thy compassion in my regard. 0 my Mother and my advocate, I know that my sins render me unworthy to approach thee; Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/610 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/611 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/612 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/613 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/614 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/615 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/616 Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/617