NOVENA
TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
Suggested
by St. John Bosco
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Mary Help of Christians,
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| Don
Bosco was the greatest propagator of the devotion to Mary Help of Christians.
To all who asked him for help, he always suggested recourse to the Madonna
by a special novena. Many extraordinary favors were granted to those
who followed Don Bosco's advice. |
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Recite
each day for nine days, three times in honor of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,
the "Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be" and the ejaculation "O Sacrament
most holy, O sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every
moment thine." Then recite three times in honor of our Lady the "Hail
Holy Queen" with the ejaculation, "Mary Help of Christians, pray
for us."
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Approach
the Sacraments of Confession and Communion during the Novena.
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Make an
offering towards the Don Bosco's work of Charity in accordance with your
means.
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NINE
(9) DAY NOVENA TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
OPENING
PRAYER
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| In
the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
LET
US PRAY
Remember,
O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled
to your protection, implored your help, and sought your intercession, was
left unaided, inspired with this confidence I fly unto you; O Virgin of
virgins, my Mother! To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and
sorrowful, O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but
in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
(These
introductory prayers are repeated every day.) |
DAILY
PRAYERS
(Novena
starts on the 15th day of every month)
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FIRST
DAY
O holy
Mary, powerful help of Christians, I turn to you with faith. In your
mercy hear the prayers of this poor sinner who implores your help to avoid
sin and all its occasions.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail HOly Queen. |
SECOND
DAY
O holy
Mary, Mother of goodness and mercy, with your visible aid you have often
delivered Christians from the attacks of their enemies, defend my soul,
I pray, from the assaults of the devil, the world and the flesh so that
I may be victorious over the enemies of my soul.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
THIRD
DAY
Mary,
most powerful Queen, you alone triumphed over the many heresies which sought
to tear away many of your children from the bosom of the Church, help me,
I pray, to hold on firmly to my faith and to keep myself free from the
snares and poison of so many perverse doctrines.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
|
FOURTH
DAY
O Mary,
my sweetest Mother, the Queen of Martyrs, do infuse into my heart the strength
to persevere that, overcoming all human respect, I may be able to live
my religion and show myself, on every occasion, a devout child of yours.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
FIFTH
DAY
Dear
Mother Mary, in the triumph of Pope Pius Vii you showed your powerful patronage,
protect the whole Church and especially her supreme head on earth, the
Holy Father. Defend him always from the attacks of his many enemies,
deliver him so that he may safely steer to port the boat of St. peter and
triumph over the proud billows which strive to submerge it.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
SIXTH
DAY
O Mary,
Queen of the Apostles take under your powerful protection the bishops,
priest and all the children of the Catholic Church; obtain for them the
spirit of union, of perfect obedience to the Holy Father, and of fervent
zeal for the salvation of men. I beg of you especially to extend
your loving patronage to missionaries, that they may be able to bring all
the races of the earth to the true faith of Jesus Christ, so that there
may be just one flock under one Shepherd.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
|
SEVENTH
DAY
O Mary,
gracious and merciful Mother, by your efficacious intercession, you
have saved Christians from plagues and other bodily scourges, help me and
deliver me from the disease of impiety and irreligion which creeps into
my soul in many ways to turn me away from the Church and the practices
of religion. I implore you; watch over the good that they may persevere,
strengthen the weak and call poor sinners to repentance, that truth and
the Kingdom of Jesus Christ may triumph here on earth, so that Your glory
and the number of the elect may be increased in Heaven.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
EIGHT
DAY
O Mary,
Pillar of the Church and Help of Christians, I ask you to keep me firm
in my holy faith and to preserve in me the liberty of a child of God.
With the help of grace, I promise obedience to the Holy Father, and to
the bishops in communion with him, desiring only to live and to die in
the bosom of the Catholic Faith, where only I can hope with certainty to
attain eternal salvation.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
NINTH
DAY
Most
kind Mother, in every age you wished to be the help of Christians, assist
me with your invincible aid in life, and especially at the hour of my death,
so that after having loved and praised you on earth, I may deserve to come
and sing your mercies forever in Heaven.
(Recite
three times) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
(Recite
once) Hail Holy Queen. |
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CONCLUDING
PRAYER
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| LET
US PRAY
O Almighty
and Merciful God, you have given the Blessed Virgin Mary to all Christians
as their everlasting Protectress, graciously grant now, that, strengthened
by Her aid and striving onward in life, I may be victorious over the wicked
one in the hour of my death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Say
three times) Mary Help of Christians.
Pray
for us! |
ENTRUSTMENT TO
MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
|
ENTRUSTMENT OF THE HOME
TO
OUR LADY OF CHRISTIANS
(EVERY 24th)
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| Most Holy Immaculate Virgin, Help of Christians,
Mother of the Church, we place ourselves under your motherly protection.
We promise to be faithful to our Christian vocation and to work for the
greater glory of God and the salvation of our souls.
With faith in your intercession, we pray for the Church, for our family
and friends, for the youth, especially those most in need.
You are our Mother and Teacher, show us how to imitate your virtues,
especially your union with God, your purity, your humility and simplicity,
your goodness and total giving of self for others. |
Most holy Virgin Mary, appointed by God to be
the Help of Christians, we choose you as the Mother and Protectress of
our home.
We ask you to favor us with your powerful protection. Preserve
our home from every danger; from fire, flood, lightning, storm, earthquake,
thieves, vandals, and from every other danger.
Bless us, protect us, defend us, keep as your own, all the people who
dwell in this home. Protect them from all accidents and misfortunes,
but above all obtain from them the most important grace of avoiding sin.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for all those who live in this home which
is entrusted to you for all time. Amen. |
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INVOCATION
TO OUR LADY
COMPOSED BY ST. JOHN BOSCO
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| O Mary, powerful Virgin, great and illustrious
rampart of the Church, wonderful Help of Christian, terrible as an army
drawn up in battle array; you alone overcome every error in the world;
in anxieties, in struggles, in every difficulty defend us from the enemy
and at the hour of our death receive our souls into paradise. Amen. |
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