Prayers

Hail, Lady, holy Queen

holy mother of God, Mary

who art a virgin made Church

and chosen by the most holy heavenly Father

who has consecrated you

together with his most holy beloved Son

and with the Holy Paraclete Spirit;

you in whom was and is

every fullness of grace and every good.

Hail, his palace,

hail, his tabernacle,

Hail, his house.

Hail, her robe,

Hail, his handmaid,

Hail, his mother.

And I salute you all, holy virtues,

which by the grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit

are infused into the hearts of the faithful,

so that from infidels

faithful to God you make them.

S. Francis of Assisi

Hail, O 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.

Altissimu, onnipotente, bon Signore,
Tue so' le laude, la gloria
e l'honore et onne benedizione.
Ad Te solo, Altissimo, se konfane,
e nullu homo ène dignu Te mentovare.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
cum tutte le Tue creature,
spezialmente messor lo frate Sole,
lo qual è iorno
et allumini noi per lui.
Et ellu è bellu e radiante
cum grande splendore:
de Te, Altissimo, porta significazione.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per sora Luna e le stelle:
in celu l'ai formate
clarite e preziose e belle.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per frate Vento
e per aere e nubilo
e sereno e onne tempo,
per lo quale a le Tue creature
dai sustentamento.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per sor'Acqua,
la quale è multo utile et humile
e preziosa e casta.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per frate Focu,
per lo quale ennallumini la notte:
et ello è bello e iocundo
e robustoso e forte.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per sora nostra matre Terra,
la quale ne sustenta e governa,
e produce diversi frutti con coloriti fiori et herba.

Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per quelli ke perdonano per lo Tuo amore
e sostengo infirmitate e tribulazione.
Beati quelli ke 'l sosterrano in pace,
ka da Te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati.
Laudato si', mi' Signore,
per sora nostra Morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo vivente po' skappare:
guai a quelli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali;
beati quelli ke trovarà ne le Tue santissime voluntati,
ka la morte secunda no 'l farrà male.

Laudate e benedicete mi' Signore et rengraziate
e serviateli cum grande humilitate.

S. Fancesco d'Assisi

Vergine bella, che di sol vestita,
coronata di stelle, al sommo Sole
piacesti sì, che 'n te Sua luce ascose,
amor mi spinge a dir di te parole:
ma non so 'ncominciar senza tu' aita,
et di Colui ch'amando in te si pose.
Invoco lei che ben sempre rispose,
chi la chiamò con fede:
Vergine, s'a mercede
miseria extrema de l'humane cose
già mai ti volse, al mio prego t'inchina,
soccorri a la mia guerra,
bench'i' sia terra, et tu del ciel regina.

Vergine saggia, et del bel numero una
de le beate vergini prudenti,
anzi la prima, et con piú chiara lampa;
o saldo scudo de l'afflicte genti
contra colpi di Morte et di Fortuna,
sotto 'l qual si trïumpha, non pur scampa;
o refrigerio al cieco ardor ch'avampa
qui fra i mortali sciocchi:
Vergine, que' belli occhi
che vider tristi la spietata stampa
ne' dolci membri del tuo caro figlio,
volgi al mio dubbio stato,
che sconsigliato a te vèn per consiglio.

Vergine pura, d'ogni parte intera,
del tuo parto gentil figliola et madre,
ch'allumi questa vita, et l'altra adorni,
per te il tuo figlio, et quel del sommo Padre,
o fenestra del ciel lucente altera,
venne a salvarne in su li extremi giorni;
et fra tutt'i terreni altri soggiorni
sola tu fosti electa,
Vergine benedetta,
che 'l pianto d'Eva in allegrezza torni.
Fammi, ché puoi, de la Sua gratia degno,
senza fine o beata,
già coronata nel superno regno.

Vergine santa d'ogni gratia piena,
che per vera et altissima humiltate
salisti al ciel onde miei preghi ascolti,
tu partoristi il fonte di pietate,
et di giustitia il sol, che rasserena
il secol pien d'errori oscuri et folti;
tre dolci et cari nomi ài in te raccolti,
madre, figliuola et sposa:
Vergina glorïosa,
donna del Re che nostri lacci à sciolti
et fatto 'l mondo libero et felice,
ne le cui sante piaghe
prego ch'appaghe il cor, vera beatrice.

Vergine sola al mondo senza exempio,
che 'l ciel di tue bellezze innamorasti,
cui né prima fu simil né seconda,
santi penseri, atti pietosi et casti
al vero Dio sacrato et vivo tempio
fecero in tua verginità feconda.
Per te pò la mia vita esser ioconda,
s'a' tuoi preghi, o Maria,
Vergine dolce et pia,
ove 'l fallo abondò, la gratia abonda.
Con le ginocchia de la mente inchine,
prego che sia mia scorta,
et la mia torta via drizzi a buon fine.

Vergine chiara et stabile in eterno,
di questo tempestoso mare stella,
d'ogni fedel nocchier fidata guida,
pon' mente in che terribile procella
i' mi ritrovo sol, senza governo,
et ò già da vicin l'ultime strida.
Ma pur in te l'anima mia si fida,
peccatrice, i' no 'l nego,
Vergine; ma ti prego
che 'l tuo nemico del mio mal non rida:
ricorditi che fece il peccar nostro,
prender Dio per scamparne,
humana carne al tuo virginal chiostro.

Vergine, quante lagrime ò già sparte,
quante lusinghe et quanti preghi indarno,
pur per mia pena et per mio grave danno!
Da poi ch'i' nacqui in su la riva d'Arno,
cercando or questa et or quel'altra parte,
non è stata mia vita altro ch'affanno.
Mortal bellezza, atti et parole m'ànno
tutta ingombrata l'alma.

Vergine sacra et alma,
non tardar, ch'i' son forse a l'ultimo anno.
I dí miei piú correnti che saetta
fra miserie et peccati
sonsen' andati, et sol Morte n'aspetta.

Vergine, tale è terra, et posto à in doglia
lo mio cor, che vivendo in pianto il tenne
et de mille miei mali un non sapea:
et per saperlo, pur quel che n'avenne
fôra avenuto, ch'ogni altra sua voglia
era a me morte, et a lei fama rea.
Or tu donna del ciel, tu nostra dea
(se dir lice, e convensi),
Vergine d'alti sensi,
tu vedi il tutto; e quel che non potea
far altri, è nulla a la tua gran vertute,
por fine al mio dolore;
ch'a te honore, et a me fia salute.

Vergine, in cui ò tutta mia speranza
che possi et vogli al gran bisogno aitarme,
non mi lasciare in su l'extremo passo.
Non guardar me, ma Chi degnò crearme;
no 'l mio valor, ma l'alta Sua sembianza,
ch'è in me, ti mova a curar d'uom sí basso.
Medusa et l'error mio m'àn fatto un sasso
d'umor vano stillante:
Vergine, tu di sante
lagrime et pïe adempi 'l meo cor lasso,
ch'almen l'ultimo pianto sia devoto,
senza terrestro limo,
come fu 'l primo non d'insania vòto.

Vergine humana, et nemica d'orgoglio,
del comune principio amor t'induca:
miserere d'un cor contrito humile.
Che se poca mortal terra caduca
amar con sí mirabil fede soglio,
che devrò far di te, cosa gentile?
Se dal mio stato assai misero et vile
per le tue man' resurgo,
Vergine, i' sacro et purgo
al tuo nome et penseri e 'ngegno et stile,
la lingua e 'l cor, le lagrime e i sospiri.
Scorgimi al miglior guado,
et prendi in grado i cangiati desiri.

Il dí s'appressa, et non pòte esser lunge,
sí corre il tempo et vola,
Vergine unica et sola,
e 'l cor or coscïentia or morte punge.
Raccomandami al tuo figliuol, verace
homo et verace Dio,
ch'accolga 'l mïo spirto ultimo in pace.

Francesco Petrarca

The rosary is a compelling, irreplaceable exercise

of prayer.

With the rosary, hands are joined:

the innocent ones of children,

the trembling ones of the old,

the sturdy ones of workers:

from the various parts of the world

it rises up like a true psalmody.

Pope John XXIII

Immaculate Virgin Mary,

humble and high more than a creature!

To Thee the Lord has looked

And Thou didst become his Mother.

Upon us who ask

Motherly protection,

turn Thy gaze

merciful and good.

The evil and lying serpent

always undermines the exiled children of Eve

moaning and weeping in the valley of tears.

From your conception

thou didst crush their heads.

Hail, O Queen and our advocate!

Hail, O Mary!

You are the splendour of the universe;

you are the decorum of humanity.

You are Mother of the Church

and our Mother.

Grant that united with Thee in one heart

free from sin

and from all disturbance,

each day we walk faithfully

singing for all,

with the Church,

songs of praise and peace.

Let us all arrive with Thee

to the safe harbour

where, with the blessed fruit

of Thy Son Jesus

by Thy faith Thou hast preceded us

to the Father,

leaving us the bright sign

of consolation

and sure hope.

Hail, Mother of Mercy,

Mother of God and Mother of Grace,

Mother full of holy joy!

Hail, O Mary!

S. Pius X

Holy Mother of God

pray for us

Beloved daughter of the Father

Mother of the Incarnate Word

Temple of the Holy Spirit

Virgin chosen from all eternity

pray for us

New Eve

Daughter of Adam

Daughter of Zion

Immaculate Virgin

Virgin of Nazareth

Virgin overshadowed by the Spirit

pray for us

Mother of the Lord

Mother of Emmanuel

Mother of Christ

Mother of Jesus

Mother of the Saviour

Mother of the Redeemer

pray for us

Mother of the living

Mother of the faithful

Mother of all men

Elect among the poor of the Lord

Humble handmaid of the Lord

Handmaid of the Redemption

pray for us

We proclaim you blessed, we,

people of all races,

Virgin Mother of God.

In Thee, He who surpasses all things,

Christ our God, has deigned to dwell.

Blessed are we

who have Thee for our defence,

for Thou dost intercede for us night and day.

Therefore we praise Thee, crying out:

Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with Thee!

Anonymous 5th-6th cent.

My soul magnifies the Lord

and my spirit exults in God, my Saviour,

for he has looked upon the humility of his servant.

Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Great things the Almighty has done in me

and holy is his name:

From generation to generation his mercy

is stretched out upon those who fear him.

He has unfolded the power of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has overthrown the mighty from their thrones,

he has lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

he has sent the rich empty-handed.

He has succoured Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy,

as he had promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his descendants, for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, and now and forever

for ever and ever. Amen.

It is truly

our duty and source of salvation,

to give thanks always and in every place

to you, Lord Holy Father,

almighty and eternal God.

Today the Virgin Mary,

Mother of Christ, your Son and our Lord,

was assumed into the glory of heaven.

In her, the first fruits and image of the Church

you have revealed the fulfilment of the mystery of salvation

and made to shine forth for thy people

pilgrims on earth

a sign of consolation and sure hope.

Thou hast not willed

That she should know the corruption of the sepulchre

She who brought forth the Lord of life.

And we, united with the Angels and Saints

joyfully sing the hymn of thy praise:

Thou art Holy, Holy!

Preface of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

It is truly right to give you thanks,

it is good to sing your glory,

almighty and eternal God.

We praise and bless you

through Christ your Son,

in the memory of the

Blessed Virgin Mary.

A humble handmaid, she received your word

and kept it in her heart.

Miraculously united

to the mystery of redemption

she persevered with the Apostles in prayer

waiting for the Holy Spirit.

Now she shines upon our path

a sign of consolation and sure hope.

For this gift of your benevolence

united with the Angels and Saints

we raise our song to you

and proclaim your praise:

You are Holy, Holy!

Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary

O Mary,

dawn of the new world,

Mother of the living,

we entrust to Thee the cause of life:

look, O Mother,

at the boundless number

Of children who are prevented from being born

of the poor who are made difficult to live,

of men and women

victims of inhuman violence,

of elderly and sick people

killed by indifference

or by supposed pity.

Grant that those who believe in your Son

know how to proclaim

with frankness and love

to the people of our time

the Gospel of life.

Obtain for them the grace to accept him

as an ever new gift,

the joy of celebrating it with gratitude

in all their existence

and the courage to bear witness to it

with industrious tenacity,

to build,

together with all men

of goodwill

the civilisation of truth and love.

to the praise and glory of God the Creator

and lover of life.

John Paul II

O my only relief,

divine dew, refreshment to my thirst,

rain that descends from God

on my arid heart,

shining lamp

in the darkness of my soul,

guide of my path,

support of my weakness,

garment of my nakedness,

richness of my extreme misery,

medicine of my irremediable wounds,

end of my tears and groans,

deliverance from all misfortune,

relief of my pains,

deliverance from my bondages,

hope of my salvation!

So be it, O my Lady;

so be it, O my refuge

my life and my help,

my defence and my glory,

my hope and my fortress.

Grant me to enjoy the unspeakable

and incomprehensible goods of your Son

in the heavenly homeland.

You possess, I know it well,

a power equal to thy will,

for you are the Mother of the Most High;

wherefore I dare, and trust.

May I not be disappointed,

O most pure Queen.

Germanus of Constantinople

O benigna, o dolce, o preziosa,
o del tutt'amorosa
madre del mio Signore e donna mia,

ove fugge, o' chiama, o' sperar osa
l'alma mia bisognosa,
se tu, mia miglior madre, hai la 'n obbria?

Chi, se non tu, misericordiosa,
chi saggia u poderosa,
u degna 'n farmi amore u cortesia?
Mercé, donque: non più mercé nascosa,
né paia 'n parva cosa,
ché grave 'n abondanza è carestia.
Né sanaria la mia gran piaga fera
medicina leggera.

Ma, si tutta sì fera e brutta pare,
sdegneraila sanare?
Chi gran mastro, che non gran piaga chera?
Se non miseria fusse, ove mostrare
se porea, né laudare

la pietà tua tanta e sì vera?
Conven dunque misera,
a te, Madonna, miserando orrare.

Fra Guittone d'Arezzo

To Mary, mother of the Church and mother of our faith, we turn in prayer.

Help, O Mother, our faith!

Open our ears to the Word, that we may recognise God's voice and his call.

Awaken in us the desire to follow in his steps, leaving our own land and accepting his promise.

Help us to let ourselves be touched by his love, that we may touch him by faith.

Help us to entrust ourselves fully to Him, to believe in His love, especially in times of tribulation and cross, when our faith is called to mature.

Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One.

Remind us that he who believes is never alone.

Teach us to look with the eyes of Jesus,

that He may be light on our path. And may

may this light of faith always grow in us, until that day without sunset comes, who is Christ, your Son, our Lord!

Rome, 29 June 2013, Pope Francis

We think about our future.

And our future begins today.

Today we look into your eyes, O Mother!

O Mary, who saw at Cana of Galilee

that "they have no more wine".

O Mary! Yet you know

All that we lack!

All that pains us.

Thou knowest our sufferings,

our faults and our aspirations.

Speak to the Son!

Speak to the Son of our difficult "today".

Speak of our difficult "today" to this Christ, whom we have come to invite

for our whole future.

This future begins "today",

and it depends

on how our "today" will be.

At Cana of Galilee,

when the wine ran out,

you said to the servants, pointing to Christ:

"Do whatever he tells you".

Pronounce these words to us too!

Prontial always!

Pronciate tirelessly!

O Mother of that Christ

who is Lord of the age to come ...

And grant that we,

in this difficult "today" of ours

listen to your Son.

That we listen to her day after day

and work after work.

That we listen to Him even when

He says difficult and demanding things.

To whom shall we go?

He has words of eternal life!

The Gospel is the joy of toil,

and it is at the same time the toil of joy

and of salvation.

O Mother! Help us to pass

with the Gospel in our hearts

through our difficult "today"

towards the future,

into which we have invited Christ.

Help us to pass through our difficult "today"

towards that future into which we have also invited Christ, the Prince of Peace.

John Paul II

To Thy loving heart we entrust ourselves,

humble and lofty more than a creature.

Receive affections, trepidations and supplications

that we have always addressed to Thee.

Hail, O full of grace

O blessed of all women

O blessed one who believed!

And blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus!

Pilgrim for Thy faith from Nazareth

to Bethlehem, to Cana among the bridegrooms,

always in the footsteps of Thy Son

even beneath the Cross,

and in the Upper Room with the nascent Church,

Mother of Christ, pray for us!

Far from Thy Son

we shall not go far.

Sustain our pilgrim steps here below on the way of a faith

purer and more courageous,

more loving of God above all things,

more caring for our families, caring for the Church,

caring for our country

and for the world.

Teach us, O Mary, to live

for Christ with Christ and in Christ

in daily abandonment to the good hands

of God our Father.

Help us to live willingly with everyone,

where the Lord our God

calls us to live,

make us also credible and joyful witnesses

of truth and life,

of forgiveness, of holiness

and of grace,

of justice, of love and of peace.

Egidio Caporello

Mother of the Church, and our Mother Mary

we gather into our hands

what a people is capable of offering you;

the innocence of children,

the generosity and enthusiasm of the young,

the suffering of the sick,

the truest affections cultivated in families,

the toil of workers,

the anxieties of the unemployed,

the loneliness of the elderly,

the anguish of those seeking

the true meaning of existence,

the sincere repentance of those who

lost in sin,

the intentions and hopes

of those who discover the Father's love,

the faithfulness and dedication

of those who expend their energies in the apostolate

and in works of mercy.

And You, O Holy Virgin

make us as many courageous

witnesses of Christ.

We want our charity to be authentic,

so as to lead the unbelieving back to faith,

win over the doubters, reach out to all.

Grant, O Mary, to the civil community

to progress in solidarity

to work with a lively sense of justice

to grow always in fraternity.

Help us all to raise

the horizons of hope

up to the eternal realities of Heaven.

Most Holy Virgin, we entrust ourselves to you

and we invoke Thee, that Thou mayest obtain for the Church

to bear witness to the Gospel in all her choices,

to make shine before the world

the face of your Son

and our Lord Jesus Christ.

John Paul II

O Mary,

mighty virgin:

you, great and illustrious

defence of the Church

thou, admirable help

of Christians,

thou terrible

as an army arrayed in battle,

thou, who hast single-handedly destroyed

all the heresies of the world,

thou in anguish,

in struggles,

in necessity

defend us from the enemy

and at the hour of death

welcome us into Paradise.

Amen

Don Bosco

Our Queen,

honored Mother of God

make our hearts

be filled with divine grace

and shine with the wisdom of heaven.

Make them strong with your fortitude

and rich in virtue.

Upon us pour out the gift of mercy,

that we may obtain forgiveness.

Help us to deserve the glory

and the bliss of heaven.

This may Jesus Christ grant us

your Son

who has exalted you above the angels,

crowned thee Queen,

made thee to sit for ever

on a shining throne.

To Him be honour and glory for ever and ever.

Saint Anthony of Padua

Hail,

O stream of mercy,

river of peace and grace,

splendour of purity,

dew of the valleys;

Mother of God and Mother of forgiveness.

Hail,

only salvation of thy children,

solemn throne of majesty,

hospitable home, temple of Christ,

way to life, lily of chastity.

Hail,

bride of Christ,

blossom of lovely decorum,

humble handmaiden,

All beautiful

And worthy of veneration,

no woman was and can

be like thee.

We acclaim thee: venerable,

pure is thy spirit

and simple is thy heart,

illiberal is thy body.

Thou art forgiving and merciful,

dear to God, beloved above all.

He who savours thee

still ardently desire you,

still thirsts

of thy holy sweetness,

and always remains his longing

to love you and praise you.

Hildefonsus of Toledo

Holy Mary of Grace,

Mother of Jesus and our Mother

hear our confident prayer.

Since you are venerated in our homes

may the peace that comes from obedience to the divine will flourish in them.

May no day, no table

lack bread and in no heart

be lacking in goodness.

In the dark hour of doubt

be our benign light.

In the great hour of the cross

be our sweet comfort and help us

to fulfil what is lacking

to the passion of Christ

for the salvation of the world.

Grant that the wanderers may return to the embrace of the Father's infinite Mercy

and that our sick

be healed by the tenderness

and omnipotence of Thy Son.

May our young people seek the face of God

and may those most capable of love discover

the sublime beauty of offering themselves entirely

to serve His Kingdom

of truth, justice and peace.

Protect with vigilant love

the paths of our work

that the path may be unharmed

And every encounter be radiant with friendship.

And when our steps arrive

to the threshold of the House, open and show us

Thy Jesus, in the glory of the Father,

with the Holy Spirit,

for all eternity and happiness.

Amen.

October 2007, Roberto Busti, Bishop Emeritus

Holy Mary, obedient woman

Thou who hast had the grace

of "walking in the presence of God",

grant that we too, like You

may we be able

to "seek his face".

Help us to understand

that only in his will

can we find peace.

And when He provokes us

to leap into the darkness in order to reach him,

deliver us from the vertigo of emptiness

and give us the certainty

that he who obeys the Lord

does not crash to the ground

as in a dangerous spectacle without a net,

but always fall into his arms.

Don Tonino Bello

Holy Virgin Mary,

there is none like thee,

born in the world among women,

daughter and handmaid of the most high King,

the heavenly Father,

Mother of our most holy Lord

Jesus Christ,

bride of the Holy Spirit;

pray for us with Saint Michael the Archangel

and with all the virtues of heaven

and with all the saints,

to your most holy beloved Son

our Lord and Master.

S. Francis of Assisi

O Regina degli Angeli, o Maria,
ch'adorni il Ciel con tuoi lieti sembianti,
e stella in mar dirizzi i naviganti
a port'e segno di diritta via.

Per la gloria che sei, Vergine pia
ti prego guardi a'mia miseri pianti.
Increscati di me, to'mi davanti
l'insidie di colui che mi travia.

Io spero in te, et ò sempre sperato,
vagliami il lungo amor e riverente,
il qual ti porto, et ò sempre portato.

Dirizza il mio cammin, fammi possente
di divenir ancor dal destro lato
del tuo Figliol, fra la beata gente. 

Giovanni Boccaccio

In the footsteps of Christ Jesus

we come to You, Our Lady of Grace

and we salute Thee:

Hail Mary, Hail Mother of Christ;

Hail Mother of the Church and our Mother!

Receive, O Holy Virgin, the affections, trepidations and supplications that we have always addressed to Thee. Sustain our steps

on the path of a serene and courageous faith.

Teach us to toil and live like Jesus,

in daily abandonment

to the good hands of God our Father,

in care for our families

for our neighbour and for the Church,

as witnesses of forgiveness, of peacemaking

and of tenacious hope.

Grant that with You we may always contemplate

the glorious face of Christ our Lord,

Thy Son crucified risen

and ascended into heaven,

made for us the way, the truth and the life.

O merciful, O pious, O sweet Virgin.

O Mary!

May 1997, Egidio Caporello, Bishop Emeritus

Virgin of the annunciation

make us, we pray thee, blessed in hope;

teach us vigilance of heart,

give us the caring love of the bride,

the perseverance of expectation, the fortitude of the cross.

Dilate our spirit

so that in the trepidation of the final encounter

we find the courage to renounce our small horizons

to anticipate, in ourselves and in others

the tender and intimate familiarity of God.

Obtain for us, Mother, the joy of crying out with all our life:

"Come, Lord Jesus, come, Lord who art risen,

come in your day without sunset

to show us your face at last and for ever! "

Card. Carlo Maria Martini

Virgin Mother, daughter of your son

humble and lofty more than creature,

fixed term of eternal counsel,

Thou art she who so ennobled human nature

So ennobled thou, that her factor

Did not disdain to make himself her workmanship.

In thy womb love was gathered up,

Through whose warmth in eternal peace

Thus this flower has germinated.

Here thou art to us a meridian face

Of charity, and downward among mortals,

Thou art a lively fountain of hope.

Woman, thou art so great, and so worthy

That he who wants grace, and to thee has no recourse

His desire is to fly without wings.

Thy benignity not only succours

To him who asks, but many a time

It freely anticipates the asking.

In thee mercy, in thee pity,

In thee magnificence, in thee is united

As much as in creature is of goodness.

Now this one, who from the lowest gap

Of the universe so far hath seen

The spiritual lives one by one

Begs of thee, by grace, for virtue

So much, that he with his eyes may rise

Higher towards the ultimate health.

And I, who never for my seeing did not burn

More than I do for his, all my prayers

I bestow upon thee, and pray they be not scanty,

That thou every cloud mayst relieve them

Of his mortality with thy prayers,

So that the supreme pleasure may unfold them.

Still I beseech thee, Queen, that thou canst

What thou wishest, that thou keep healthy

After so much beholding, his affections.

Dante Alighieri

Lord Jesus, pilgrim

of Emmaus,

out of love you make yourself close to us

even if, at times, discouragement

and sadness

prevent us from discovering

your presence.

You are the flame that revives

our faith.

You are the light that purifies

our hope.

You are the strength that inflames

our charity.

Teach us to recognise you

in the Word,

in the home and at the Table

where the Bread of Life is shared,

in the generous service to our neighbour who suffers.

And when evening comes, Lord

help us to say:

"Stay with us". Amen.

8 September 2010, Pope Benedict XVI

O Mary, betrothed of Joseph

awaken in the betrothed the desire to marry in the Lord

to become one in Him.

O Mary, who in ... you cast a gaze of

tenderness on spouses in difficulty:

watch over the path of couples so that they may be docile to Christ and

believe in His power to transform the water of crisis into the

good wine of reconciled love.

O Mother, in full accord with your spouse

you accompanied Jesus as he grew in age,

wisdom and grace: assist the parents so that they may be for their children

transparency of the fatherhood and motherhood of God

and guide them in the ways of the Kingdom.

O sorrowful Mother

you remained to the end beneath the cross of Jesus:

console our sick and elderly,

defend those tempted by evil,

dry the tears of mourning,

soothe the suffering of wounded families.

O Mary, crowned heavenly Bride:

guard the Mantuan church in the integrity of faith

and in holiness of life until the coming of Christ her husband.

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of Grace

accept our prayers (..) and present them to your Son

that she may grant us salvation and peace.

Amen

Bishop Marco

Lord God, creator of the human race

thou hast willed that thy Son

to be born of the Virgin Mary

by the power of the Holy Spirit

to redeem us from the consequences of ancient sin;

turn your benevolent gaze upon the mothers

who beseech thee for the integrity of their offspring

and for a happy birth;

fulfil the common expectation,

that the creatures they bear in their wombs

regenerated in Baptism

and aggregated to thy people

serve you faithfully

and live always in your love.

Through Christ our Lord.

O God, Creator and Father

who gave these women the joy of motherhood,

receive through the hands of the Virgin Mary

our thanksgiving and our supplication:

preserve from all evil

these mothers and their children

accompany them on the journey of life

and make them one day eternally blessed in your house.

Through Christ our Lord.

Blessed art Thou, God,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

who hast chosen from among all nations

a people consecrated to you and dedicated to good works,

thou hast touched the hearts of thy faithful,

that they may adhere to you with new commitment and fervour:

pour upon them

the abundance of thy blessings,

that as they return to their homes

proclaim with joy, in word and deed

your wonders.

Through Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth

who in your manifold wisdom

you have given mankind ingenuity and imagination

to manufacture new means of transport,

grant that the drivers of these machines

in the various paths of work and leisure

always operate with skill and caution

for the safety and security of all

and feel your constant presence beside them.

Through Christ our Lord.