Novena in Honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Beginning November 12)

[i. 300 Days each day.
ii. Plenary on the Feast or during the Octave. I, II, IV.
(See Instructions, p. 1.)]

1st, 4th and 7th Days – November 12, 15, and 18

Mary, Mother of God, tradition tells us that when you were three years of age, your parents, Joachim and Anne, took you to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill their vow. The holy couple offered you to God by the ministry of the priest in charge, who invoked the blessing of God upon you and your parents. How fervently your mother and father thanked God for having given you to them and begged Him to accept the offering that they were making! They then left a small offering of silver required by the Law of Moses.

What a beautiful example for parents to imitate! Their children also belong to God, for they are His gift. Teach parents to care for their children as God’s sacred trust, to guard them from sin and to lead them in the way of virtue. May they consider it to be the greatest privilege bestowed upon them by God to dedicate their sons and daughters to His holy service. Help them to become worthy of this blessing through their own prayers and good example.

Mary, my Mother, your first presentation to God, made by the hands of your parents, was an offering most acceptable in His sight. Let my consecration of myself to God be made under your patronage and assisted by your intercession and in union with your merits. Amen.

Then follows Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri, and the Litany of Loreto, Memorare, and Act of Consecration.

Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of Mercy, pray for me and the departed.

2nd, 5th, and 8th Days – November 13, 16, and 19

Mary, Mother of God, already in your childhood you dedicated yourself to the love and service of God. Led by divine inspiration to His house, you prepared yourself for your sublime dignity of Divine Motherhood in silence and solitude with God. Though the designs of God were unknown to you, you nevertheless detached your heart from the world in order to give all your love to God.

Consecrated to the Lord, you may have remained in the Temple until the age of 12. When you later returned to your home, you were under the loving care of your mother, Saint Anne. With her you loved to sing the psalms and canticles of the inspired authors of your nation. From Anne you heard the touching story of the Chosen People. You learned to read the sacred books by yourself and tried to penetrate their hidden meaning. You often discussed the coming of the Messiah, since you knew He would be of your race and family.

Mary, my Mother, you were laying the foundation of that hidden life in which, by the practice of the highest virtues, you were to reach that sublime degree of holiness to which you were predestined as Mother of the Son of God and Mother of all the souls for whom He was to die. Attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, you diligently gathered up all His lessons, preserving them in your soul with zealous care. Amen.

Then follows Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri, and the Litany of Loreto, Memorare, and Act of Consecration.

Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of Mercy, pray for me and the departed.

3rd, 6th and 9th Days – November 14, 17, and 20

Mary, Mother of God, may the perfect gift of yourself to God through love in your presentation in the temple be an inspiration to me. You loved God with your whole heart and mind and strength. Obtain for me the grace to love God with my whole heart—so that all the love my heart is capable of may be consecrated to Him, and all other affection subordinated to the love I owe God.

Help me to love God with my whole soul—so that all the faculties of my soul may be consecrated to Him, and that I may make use of them only to make Him known, loved and served.

Help me to love God with my whole mind—so that my mind may be habitually occupied with God and that I may value His good pleasure above everything else, above my convenience, above all earthly treasures, above all knowledge and friendship, above health and life.

Help me to love God with my whole strength—so that I may consecrate undividedly, unreservedly and continually to His service, my life, my health and all I am and have.

Mary, my Mother, pray that the love of God above all things and detachment from the world and its false pleasures, may also make my soul the temple of the living God. After your example, I desire to be known to God and unknown to men, to possess God and to be forgotten by creatures. May God dwell in me and may I live to Him alone through frequent Holy Communion and still more frequent prayer so that God may direct my whole life—my thoughts, words and actions—to His greater honor and glory. Amen.

Then follows Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri, and the Litany of Loreto, Memorare, and Act of Consecration.

Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of Mercy, pray for me and the departed.

Litany of Loreto

Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, audi nos.
Christe, exaudi nos.
Pater de cælis Deus, miserere nobis.
Fili Redemptor mundi Deus,
Spiritus Sancte Deus,
Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus,
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
Sancta Dei Genetrix,
Mater Virgo virginum,
Mater Christi,
Mater Ecclesiæ,
Mater Divinæ gratiæ,
Mater purissima,
Mater castissima,
Mater inviolata,
Mater intemerata,
Mater amabilis,
Mater admirabilis,
Mater boni Consilii,
Mater Creatoris,
Mater Salvatoris,
Virgo prudentissima,
Virgo veneranda,
Virgo prædicanda,
Virgo potens,
Virgo clemens,
Virgo fidelis,
Speculum iustitiæ,
Sedes sapientiæ,
Causa nostræ lætitiæ,
Vas spirituale,
Vas honorabile,
Vas insigne devotionis,
Rosa mystica,
Turris Davidica,
Turris eburnea,
Domus aurea,
Fœderis arca,
Ianua cæli,
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 cæli assumpta,
Regina Sacratissimi Rosarii,
Regina familiæ,
Regina Pacis.
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, the Redeemer of the world,
God, the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
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 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,
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.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
parce nobis, Domine.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
exaudi nos, Domine.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
℣. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix, ℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. ℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Oremus.—Concede nos famulos tuos, quæsumus, Domine Deus, perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere: et gloriosæ beatæ Mariæ semper Virginis intercessione a præsenti liberari tristitia, et æterna perfrui lætitia. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Let us pray.—Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we thy servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be freed from present sorrow, and rejoice in eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen. ℟. Amen.

Memorare

Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a sæculo, quemquam ad tua currentem præsidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen. Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word Incarnate! Despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Act of Consecration

O Mary, my Queen, my Mother! I give myself entirely to thee, and to show my devotion to thee I consecrate to thee this day, my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve. Wherefore, good Mother, as I am thine own, keep me and guard me as thy property and possession.

O incomparable Virgin, destined from all eternity to become the living temple of the most High! permit thy devoted clients to remind thee of that entire, fervent, and most perfect oblation, which thou didst offer of thyself on the day of thy Presentation in the Temple.

O sacred model of those who are called to leave all and follow Christ! Thou art that Virgin by excellence, whose innocence and sanctity were never defiled.

To thee, then, it peculiarly belongs, not only to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, but also to lead many virgins in thy train. Oh, receive us into the happy number of those whom thy glorious example has urged to the heroic practice of religious perfection; obtain for us a share in the dispositions of thy heart, when, though a child in years, thou wast already far advanced in eminent holiness, and, forgetting thy people and thy father's house, didst enter the Temple, to live to God, and for Him alone. We beseech thee, by the singular graces bestowed on thee then, to employ thy powerful interest in our behalf, and to obtain for us the intentions of this novena.

Remember, O most holy Virgin! that thine early flight from the world, thy spirit of sacrifice and heroic perfection, even in childhood, were graces which entitle thee not only to our veneration, but to our tender confidence. Listen, then, to the petitions we now make, and obtain for us the true spirit of the interior life, that the Heart of Jesus may be our sanctuary, where we abide secure from all dangers. Teach us to commemorate thy consecration of thyself to God on the day of thy Presentation by a fervent renewal of our vows; that, after thine example, we may leave all in heart and will, and find all in Christ, and thus love God above all things most ardently, and all creatures, for His sake; that His adorable will may be ours, and that every exertion of our mind and body may be happily consecrated to the promotion of His greater glory. Amen.