Prayers & Devotions to Mary

The "Magnificat" or "Canticle of Mary" is taken from the Gospel of Luke 1:46-55.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is His name.

He has mercy on those who fear Him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of His arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Remember, most loving Virgin Mary,

never was it heard

that anyone who turned to you for help

was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence,

though burdened by my sins,

I run to your protectionfor you are my mother.

Mother of the Word of God,

do not despise my words of pleading

but be merciful and hear my prayer.

Amen.

Traditionally said or sung after night prayer, before going to bed. It is said from the end of Eastertide until the beginning of Advent.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee to we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, Who by the working of the Holy Spirit didst prepare both body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother, Mary, that she might deserve to be made a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, grant that we who rejoice in her memory, may, by her loving intercession, be delivered from present evils and from lasting death, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Angelus is a short practice of devotion in honor of the Incarnation repeated three times each day, morning, noon, and evening.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. And the Word was made Flesh: R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, R. that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

From the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (2001)

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:

195. The Angelus Domini is the traditional form used by the faithful to commemorate the holy annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary. It is used three times daily: at dawn, mid-day and at dusk. It is a recollection of the salvific event in which the Word became flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, through the power of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the salvific plan of the Father.

The recitation of the Angelus is deeply rooted in the piety of the Christian faithful, and strengthened by the example of the Roman Pontiffs. In some places changed social conditions hinder its recitation, but in many other parts every effort should be made to maintain and promote this pious custom and at least the recitation of three Aves. The Angelus "over the centuries has conserved its value and freshness with its simple structure, biblical character [...] quasi liturgical rhythm by which the various time of the day are sanctified, and by its openness to the Paschal Mystery"(231).

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. / For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as he said, alleluia. / Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

grant we beseech Thee,

that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother,

we may obtain the joys of everlasting life.

Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Pope Pius XII

O kind and good Mother,

whose own soul was pierced by the sword of sorrow,

look upon us while,

in our sickness,

we arraign ourselves beside you

on the Calvary where your Jesus hangs.

Dowered with the high grace of suffering,

and hopeful of fulfilling in our own flesh

what is wanting in our sharing of Christ's passion,

on behalf of his Mystical Body, the Church,

we consecrate to you ourselves and our pain.

We pray that you will place them

on that Altar of the Cross to which Jesus is affixed.

May they be little victims of propitiation for our salvation,

for the salvation of all peoples.

O Mother of Sorrows,

accept this consecration.

Strengthen our hopeful hearts,

that as partakers of Christ's sufferings

we may also share in his comfort now and for evermore. Amen

Oh Mother Most Pure,

we come to You as a family

and consecrate ourselves to your most Immaculate Heart.

We come to You as a family

and place our trust in Your powerful intercession.

Oh Dearest Mother Mary,

teach us as a mother teaches her children,

for our souls are soiled

and our prayers are weak

because of our sinful hearts.

Here we are Dearest Mother,

ready to respond to You

and follow Your way,

for Your way leads us

to the heart of Your Son, Jesus.

We are ready to be cleansed and purified.

Come then Virgin Most Pure,

and embrace us with Your motherly mantle.

Make our hearts whiter than snow

and as pure as a spring of fresh water.

Teach us to pray,

so that our prayers may become more beautiful

than the singing of the birds at the break of dawn.

Dear Mother Mary,

we entrust to Your Immaculate Heart of hearts,

our family and our entire future.

Lead us all to our homeland which is Heaven. Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,

pray for us.

Our Lady of Guadalupe,

Mystical Rose,

make intercession for holy Church,

protect the sovereign Pontiff,

help all those who invoke you in their necessities,

and since you are the ever Virgin Mary

and Mother of the true God,

obtain for us from your most holy Son

the grace of keeping our faith,

of sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life

of burning charity, and the precious gift

of final perseverance.

Amen.

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 henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

(Pope John Paul II)

Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman, Blessed by the Most High! Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era, We join in your song of praise, to celebrate the Lord’s mercy, to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and the full liberation of humanity.

Hail Mary, lowly handmaid of the Lord, Glorious Mother of Christ! Faithful Virgin, holy dwelling-place of the Word, Teach us to persevere in listening to the Word, and to be docile to the voice of the Spirit, attentive to his promptings in the depths of our conscience and to his manifestations in the events of history.

Hail Mary, Woman of sorrows, Mother of the living! Virgin spouse beneath the Cross, the new Eve, Be our guide along the paths of the world. Teach us to experience and to spread the love of Christ, to stand with you before the innumerable crosses on which your Son is still crucified.

Hail Mary, woman of faith, First of the disciples! Virgin Mother of the Church, help us always to account for the hope that is in us, with trust in human goodness and the Father’s love. Teach us to build up the world beginning from within: in the depths of silence and prayer, in the joy of fraternal love, in the unique fruitfulness of the Cross.

Holy Mary, Mother of believers, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Amen.

(said during the Easter season)

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

R. The Son whom You were privileged to bear, alleluia.

V. Has risen as he said, alleluia.

R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray: O God, it was by the Resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that You brought joy to the world. Grant that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may attain the joy of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most holy and Immaculate Virgin, Help of Christians, we place ourselves under your motherly protection. Throughout the Church’s history you have helped Christians in times of trial, temptation and danger. Time and time again, you have proven to be the Refuge of sinners, the Hope of the hopeless, the Consoler of the afflicted, and the Comforter of the dying. We promise to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, your Son, to proclaim His Good News of God’s love for all people, and to work for peace and justice in our world. With faith in your intercession, we pray for the Church, for our family and friends, for the poor and abandoned, and all the dying. Grant, O Mary, Help of Christians, the graces of which we stand in need. (Mention your intentions.) May we serve Jesus with fidelity and love until death. Help us and our loved ones to attain the boundless joy of being forever with our Father in heaven. Amen.

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us!