CATHOLIC PRAYERS
Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
We hereby grant a hundred days Indulgence to every one devoutly reciting this Novena, according to the following directions. (June 28th, 1852.)
The person about to make this Novena, being on his knees before a picture or image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, shall himself devoutly with the sign of the Cross, and making an act of faith in the presence of God, raise his heart to His Divine Majesty, and say the following prayer:
The First Day
FIRST PRAYER (To be said every day of the novena)
My God and my Lord, prostrate before Thy Sovereign Majesty, I adore Thee with all my heart and soul. I confess to Thee, praise Thee, bless Thee, and glorify Thee. I acknowledge Thee to be my Lord and my God; I believe in Thee, and in all the mysteries of the Holy Catholic Faith, in which I desire to live and die. I hope in Thee, and I trust that Thou wilt pardon my faults and give me Thy grace, together with perseverance in it; and that at last Thou wilt bring me to the glory which Thou hast promised to those who continue in Thy love. I love Thee, above all things, for Thine infinite goodness; I give Thee thanks for all the benefits which Thou hast conferred, and still continues to confer, upon me: I confess my great ingratitude towards Thee, and all my sins and offences against Thee; I am sorry for them, and beg that Thou wilt pardon me: it grieves me much that I have thus offended Thee, because Thou art the Infinite Being that Thou art. I repent with all my heart, because Thou art my God, infinitely good and worthy of my love: I am firmly resolved by the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid all occasions of offending Thee; to confess my faults, and to make satisfaction for them: I hope in Thee, O Lord, and that in Thine infinite mercy Thou wilt pardon me, so that with a pure heart I may praise Thy most holy Mother, and obtain by Her holy intercession what I ask in this Novena, if it be for Thy greater glory and the good of my soul. Amen.
SECOND PRAYER (To be said every day of the novena)
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of sinners, Special Protectress of those who wear Thy Holy Scapular,
I implore of Thee to obtain for me, from Thy dear Son Jesus, the pardon of my sins, the grace necessary for the amendment of my life, and the salvation of my soul. Be Thou also, O Lady, my help in necessity, my consolation in tribulation, and obtain for me what I ask in this Novena, if it be to His greater glory and for the good of my soul:
and uniting myself to all the Angels, Saints, and Just, I salute The saying.
Hail Mary (three times).
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE FIRST DAY (This prayer varies each day of Novena.)
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who wast prefigured by the cloud which the great prophet Elias saw rising from the sea, and which with its rain rendered the whole earth fruitful, signifying Thy most pure fecundity, by which Thou gavest to the world Thy dear Son Jesus for the salvation of all our souls : I beg of Thee, O Lady, to obtain for me from His Divine Majesty a copious supply of grace, so that my soul may bring forth abundant fruits of virtue and good works, and having served Thee perfectly on earth, I may be worthy to enjoy Thee eternally in Heaven; and that I may obtain what I particularly pray for in this Novena, I humbly beg this grace of Thee, saying:
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 do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, most Gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our painful exile shew unto us the Blessed Fruit of Thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Litany of Loreto
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, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, etc.
Mother of the Church,
Mother of mercy,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother of hope,
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 renowned,
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,
Comfort of migrants,
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 family,
Queen of Peace,
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants, may enjoy lasting health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enter into the joy of eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
All the Prayers are to be said, as on the first day, with the exception of the third Prayer, which is varied every day.
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE SECOND DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, on account of Thy singular love for the Carmelites, didst favour them by familiarly conversing with them, and enlightening them by means of Thy instruction and example: I beseech Thee, O dear Lady, to obtain for me, of Thy Beloved Son Jesus, light to be sensible of His goodness, grace to love Him,
to know and deplore my sins, and to teach me what I ought to do in order to serve Him perfectly. Grant that my life and conversation may always be to His greater honour and glory, as well as to the edification of my neighbour,
and that I may obtain what I desire in this Novena, I ask it especially through Thy intercession, saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE THIRD DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who didst receive with singular pleasure and love the homage of the Carmelites, who were the first to build a church to Thine honour on Mount Carmel, where the faithful assembled to praise Thee: I beseech Thee, 0 Blessed Lady, to make my soul a living temple of the Majesty of God, where He may always dwell, and from which temporal affections may be ever banished; and, that I may obtain what I desire in this Novena, I beg of Thee to ask it for me, most humbly saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH DAY
O Virgin of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, to shew Thy great love towards the Carmelites, didst honour them with the sweet name of Thy sons and brethren, thus teaching them confidently to look to Thee, as their Mother, for remedy, consolation, and help in all their afflictions, and exhorting them to imitate Thy virtues: I beseech Thee, most dear Lady, to be my Mother, so that I may imitate Thy virtues, worthily enjoy the title of Thy child, and that my name may be inscribed in the book of predestination with those of the Sons of God and Brothers of Jesus Christ; and I beg of Thee most humbly to obtain for me what I ask in this Novena, by Thine intercession, saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE FIFTH DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, to defend Thy beloved children the Carmelites, when their Holy Institute was on the point of being abolished, manifesting thereby Thy singular love towards them, didst desire the Supreme Pontiff, Honorius III, to receive them, and to confirm their Institute, shewing him that this was Thy will and that of Thy divine Son, by the sudden death with which He punished two persons who particularly opposed it: I beseech Thee, O Lady, to defend me from all my enemies, both of soul and body, so that I may serve God in peace; and obtain for me what I ask in this Novena, through Thine intercession, I beg this grace, devoutly saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE SIXTH DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, to mark the Carmelites as Thine especial children, didst enrich them with the singular pledge of Thy most Holy Scapular, by means of which Thou dost bestow such singular graces on those who devoutly wear it, and fulfilling their obligations, shew, by their imitation of Thy virtues, that they are truly Thy children : I beseech Thee, O Lady, to obtain for me the grace to serve Thee lovingly in this life, so that I may be worthy to feel the effects of this holy devotion ; and I beg of Thee most humbly to obtain for me the grace I particularly pray for in this Novena, through Thine intercession, devoutly saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE SEVENTH DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, in Thy Holy Scapular, givest to those who devoutly wear it a strong buckler against the perils of this world and the attacks of the devil, proving the truth of this privilege by so many and such singular miracles; I beseech Thee, O Lady, to be my powerful defence in this mortal life, so that in all my tribulations I may find security in Thee, and be victorious in my temptations, by means of Thine especial assistance; and I beg of Thee to obtain for me from Thy Blessed Son Jesus, through Thine intercession, what I desire in this Novena; I ask it of thee most humbly, O dear Lady, saying:
THIRD PRAYER FOR THE EIGHTH DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who hast promised Thine especial assistance at the hour of death to those who wear Thy Holy Scapular, so that by means of true penitence they may leave this life in a state of grace : I beseech Thee, O Lady, to assist and console me at the hour of my death, and to obtain for me a true and perfect contrition for all my sins, an ardent love of God, and a great desire of seeing and enjoying Him, so that I may arrive securely at eternal happiness ; and I beg of Thee to obtain for me the grace I ask in this Novena, through Thine intercession, saying:
THIRD PRATER FOR THE NINTH DAY
O Virgin of Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who even favourest Thy children the Carmelites after death, and, as a loving Mother, dost assist the souls of those who wear Thy Holy Scapular when in the flames of Purgatory, and by Thy prayers obtainest for them a speedy deliverance from their sufferings, and the enjoyment of God in eternal glory: I beseech Thee, O dear Lady, to obtain for me, from His Majesty, the grace to fulfill my obligations as a Christian, so that I also may enjoy this singular favour; and I beg of Thee to obtain for me what I ask in this Novena, through Thine intercession, saying:
