AVE MARIA! THE SOLEMN NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY NOVENA PRAYERS AND TEXTS

DAY l:

Ave Maria!

DAY ONE

The Solemn Novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Novena honoring the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin is one of the most popular devotions among the Catholic Faithful, but particularly The Sons of Saint Francis. The Franciscan order has had a special role to play in seeing this doctrine proclaimed a Dogma of the Faith. According to Dom Gueranger, the Catholic Church, and all Her faithful, owe a particular debt to the Franciscans. It was this "seraphic order that propagated and defended the teaching that the Blessed Mother of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was preserved from original sin from the first moment of her conception. But this ministry of theirs started with their founder, St. Francis of Assisi, himself as we shall see in this first day of the novena. Saint Francis of Assisi was a very Marian saint and the birthplace of his order, the Friars Minor, was a little chapel under the patronage of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels. Although the saint always wanted his sons to be poor and own nothing of this world he admonished his brothers with regards to this little chapel, See to it my sons that you never abandon this place. If you are driven out from one side, go back in at the other. For this place is truly holy and is the dwelling place of God. The readings for this first day are a sample of the Marian heart of Our Holy Father Saint Francis. St Francis in one of the prayers he composed to Our Lady prayed, In Whom there was and is all the fullness of grace and every good. Fullness of grace, echoing the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, implies no room for sin and has always been seen as positive proof of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception. This solemn novena consists of the singing of the ancient Marian antiphon the Tota Pulchra es, the praying of the Little Chaplet of the Immaculate Conception, The sung Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a reading from one of the Franciscan Saints or Blesseds who has championed the dogma, and concludes with the Novena Prayer. You are all beautiful Oh Mary! You are all beautiful Oh Mary! and the original stain is not in you, and the original stain is not in you. You are the Glory of Jerusalem.

You are the joy of Israel. Your are the honor of our people. You are the Advocate of sinners. Oh Mary! Oh Mary! Virgin Most Prudent. Mother Most Merciful. Pray for us. Intercede for us to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1

Tota Pulchra

V. Tota pulchra es, Maria. R. Tota puichra es, Maria. V. Et macula originalis non est in te. R. Et macula originalis non est in te. V. Tu gloria Jerusalem. R. Tu laetitia Israel. V. Tu honorificentia populi nostri. R. Tu advocata peccatorum. V. O Maria! R. O Maria! V. Virgo prudentissima. R. Mater clementissima. V. Ora pro nobis. R. Intercede pro nobis ad Dominum, Jesum Christum.

.

LITTLE CHAPLET IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

(Pope Pius IX., June 22, 1855)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. First set: Blessed be the holy and immaculate conception of the most blessed Virgin Mary. Then say the Our Father once, the Hail Mary four times, and the Glory be to the Father once. By your Immaculate Conception, O Mary, make our bodies pure and our spirits holy! Second set: Blessed be the holy... etc. one Our Father , etc. as before. Third set: Blessed be the holy... etc. one Our Father , etc. as before. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

V. You are all beautiful Oh Mary! R. You are all beautiful Oh Mary! V. and the original stain is not in you, R. and the original stain is not in you. V. You are the Glory of Jerusalem. R, You are the joy of Israel. V. Your are the honor of our people. R. You are the Advocate of sinners. V. Oh Mary! R. Oh Mary! V. Virgin Most Prudent. R. Mother Most Merciful. V. Pray for us. R. Intercede for us to the Lord Jesus Christ.

2

OwnerTypewriter

LITANY 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 of heaven, (have mercy on us.) God the Son, Redeemer of the world, (have mercy on us.) God the Holy Ghost, (have mercy on us.) Holy Trinity, one God, (have mercy on us.) Holy Mary, (pray for us) Holy Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church Mother of divine grace, Mother most pure, Mother most chaste, Mother inviolate, Mother undefiled, Mother most amiable, Mother most admirable, Mother of good counsel, Mother of our Creator, Mother of our Savior, Virgin most prudent, Virgin most venerable, Virgin most renouned, Virgin most powerful, Virgin most merciful, Virgin most faithful, Mirror of justice, Seat of wisdom, Cause of our joy, Spiritual vessel, Vessel of honor, Singular vessel of devotion, Mystical rose, Tower of David, Tower of ivory, House of gold, Ark of the covenant, Gate of heaven, Morning star, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of Angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the most holy Rosary, Queen of the Franciscan Order, Queen of the family, Queen of Peace, 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.)

Kyrie, eleison (Christe, eleison.) Kyrie, eleison. Christe, audi nos.(Christe, exaudi nos.) Pater de caelis, Deus, (miserere nobis.) Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus, (miserere nobis.) Spiritus Sancte Deus, (miserere nobis.) Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, (miserere nobis.) Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis Sancta Dei Genetrix, Sancta Virgo virginum, Mater Christi, Mater Ecclesiae, Mater Divinae gratiae, Mater purissima, Mater castissima, Mater inviolata, Mater intemerata, Mater amabilis, Mater admirabilis, Mater boni Consilii, Mater Creatoris, Mater Salvatoris, Virgo prudentissima, Virgo veneranda, Virgo praedicanda, Virgo potens, Virgo clemens, Virgo fidelis, Speculum iustitiae, Sedes sapientiae, Causa nostrae laetitiae, Vas spirituale, Vas honorabile, Vas insigne devotionis, Rosa mystica, Turris Davidica, Turris eburnea, Domus aurea, Foederis arca, Ianua caeli, Stella matutina, Salus infirmorum, Refugium peccatorum, Consolatrix afflictorum, Auxilium Christianorum, Regina Angelorum, Regina Patriarcharum, Regina Prophetarum, Regina Apostolorum, Regina Martyrum, Regina Confessorum, Regina Virginum, Regina Sanctorum omnium, Regina sine labe originali concepta, Regina in caelum assumpta, Regina Sanctissimi Rosarii, Regina Ordinis Minorum, Regina familiae, Regina pacis, Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, (parce nobis, Domine.) Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, (exaudi nobis, Domine.) Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, (miserere nobis.)

3

Let us pray. - O God, Who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, prepared a worthy dwelling for Your Son: we beseech You that, as in view of the death of that Son You preserved Her from all stain of sin, so You would enable us, being made pure by her intercession, to come unto You. We ask this through the same. Christ our Lord. Amen.

V. In Conceptione tua, Virgo, Immaculata fuist i. R. Ora pro nobis Pattern, cuius Filium peperisti

V. In Your Conception, O Virgin, You were Immaculate. R. Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son you bore.

4

MEDITATION :

From the writings of St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

A. Therefore, O sons of men, how long will you be hard of heart ? Why do you not recognize the truth and believe in the Son of God? See, daily He humbles Himself as when He came from the royal throne into the womb of the Virgin; daily He comes to us in a humble form; daily He comes down from the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. (Admonition, 1) B. Holy Virgin Mary,

among women there is no one like you born into the world. You are the daughter and the servant of the most high and supreme King and Father of Heaven, You are the mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, You are the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Pray for us with St. Michael the Archangel and all the powers of the heavens and all the saints to your most holy and beloved Son, the Lord and Master. (Antiphon Magnificat, Office of the Passion)

C. Hail, O Lady, holy Queen, Mary, holy Mother of God: you are the Virgin made Church and the one chosen by the most holy Father in heaven whom he consecrated with His most holy beloved Son and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, In whom there was and is all the fullness of grace and every good. (2) Hail, His Palace! His Tabernacle! Hail, His Home! Hail, His Robe! ` Hail, His Servant! Hail, His Mother! (Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

D. Listen, my brothers. If the Blessed Virgin is so honored, as it is right, since she carried Him in her most holy womb; if the blessed Baptist trembled and did not dare to touch the holy heart of God; if the tomb in which He lay for some time is so venerated, how holy, just and worthy must be the person who touches Him with his hands, receive Him in his heart and mouth and offers Him to others to be received. This is He e who is now not about to die, but who is eternally victorious and glorified, upon whom the angels desire to gaze.

Reading from the Saint or Blessed