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Prayers to Our Lady
As
Catholics we pray to Our Lady. This is something which other faith groups find
hard to accept and some see it as idolatrous. However, it must be remembered,
that in praying to Our Lady we do not see her as being on a par with God. God is
God for us and none other. Our Lady has a special relationship with God in that
God the Father choose her as mother of God the Son when he became incarnate and
a human being. We pray to Our Lady to intercede for us, to intercede on our
behalf but all the time knowing that it is God who grants the favour we seek.
Our
Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is not God and to say so or to see her as taking
the place of God in our lives is wrong. It is not what we believe or what the
Church teaches. As Mother of God the Son, in whose presence she dwells along
with the hosts of Heaven, she is able to intercede for us and able to ask him to
grant our request. When a prayer is answered it is not answered by Mary in her
own right, but by God.
The Hail Mary
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the
Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst 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.
The Memorare
Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary,
that never was it known,
that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help,
or
sought thy intercession,
was
left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence
I
fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother.
To
thee do I come,
before thee I stand,
sinful and sorrowful.
Do
not O Mother of the Word incarnate,
reject my petition,
but
graciously hear and answer me. Amen.
The Magnificat
My
soul glorifies the Lord,
my
spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He
looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all nations will call me blessed.
The
Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His
mercy is from age to age,
on
those who fear him.
He
puts forth his arm in strength
and
scatters the proud-hearted.
He
casts the mighty from their thrones
and
raises the lowly.
He
fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He
protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the
mercy promised to our fathers,
to
Abraham and his sons for ever.
The Angelus
The Angel of the
Lord declared unto Mary;
and she
conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc.
Behold the
handmaid of the Lord;
be it done unto
me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary, etc.
And the Word was
made flesh;
and dwelt
amongst us.
Hail Mary, etc.
Pray for us, O
holy Mother of God.
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,
ay, by His
Passion and Cross,
be brought to
the glory of His Resurrection,
through the same
Christ our Lord. Amen.
There are a number of Marian Antiphons which are used at particular times or
season of the year. The Alma Redemptoris is used during the Season of Advent,
the Ave Regina Caelorum during Lent, the Regina Coeli during Eastertide, and the
Salve Regina during Ordinary Time.
Alma Redemptoris
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Alma Redemptoris
mater quae pervia
caeli,
Porta manes et
stella maris,
succurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat
populo;
tu quae genuisti,
natura mirante tuum
sanctum Genitorum.
Virgo prius ac
posterius:
Gabrielis ab ore,
sumens illud Ave,
peccatorum Miserere.
V/ Angelus Domini
nuntiavit Maria.
R/ Et concepit de
Spiritu Sancto. |
Mother of Jesus!
heaven’s open gate,
Star of the sea,
support the fallen
state
of mortals,
thy whose womb the
Maker bore;
And yet, strange
thing,
a virgin as before.
Who didst, from
Gabriel’s hail
this news receive
Repenting sinners by
thy prayers relieve.
V/ The Angel of the
Lord declared unto Mary.
R/ And she conceived
by the Holy Spirit. |
Ave Regina Caelorum
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Ave, Regina caelorum!
Ave, Domina
Angelorum,
Salve, radix, salve,
porta,
Ex qua mundo lux est
orta.
Gaude, Virgo
gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa;
Vale, O valde decora,
Et pro nobis
Chrsitum exora.
V/ Dignare me
laudare te, Virgo sacrata.
R/ Da mihi virtutem
contra hostes tuos. |
Hail O Queen of
heaven enthroned!
Hail, by Angels
mistress owned!
Root of Jesse! Gate
of mourn!
Whence the world’s
true Light was born.
Glorious Virgin, joy
to thee,
Loveliest whom in
heaven they see;
Fairest thou, where
all are fair!
Plead with Christ
our sins to spare.
V/ Vouchsafe that I
may praise thee, O sacred Virgin.
R/ Give me strength
against my enemies. |
Regina Coeli
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Regina coeli!
laetare, Alleluja;
Quia quem meruisti
portare, Alleluja.
Resurrexit, sicut
dixit, Alleluja.
Ora pro nobis Deum,
Alleluia.
V/ Gaude et laetare,
Virgo Maria, alleluja.
R/ Quia surrexit
Dominus vere, alleluja. |
O Queen of heaven,
rejoice, Alleluia.
For he whom you were
privileged 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
risen indeed, Alleluia. |
Salve Regina
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Salve regina, mater
misericordiae,
vita dulcedo, et
spes nostra salve!
Ad te clamamus
exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus,
gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eja ergo, advocate
nostra,
illos tuos
misericordes ocolos
ad nos converte.
Et Jesum benedictum
fructum ventris tui
nobis post hoc
exsilium ostende;
O Clemens!
O pia!
O dulcis
Virgo Maria.
V/ Ora pro nobis,
sancta Dei Genitrix.
R/ Ut digni
efficiamur promissionibus Christi. |
Hail Holy Queen,
hail! our life, our
sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished
children of Eve.
To thee do we send
up our sighs,
mourning and weeping
in this valley of tears.
Turn then, O most
gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy
towards 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. |
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