THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
‘And she had moreover, we may will suppose, that purity and innocence of heart, that bright vision of faith, that confiding trust in her God, which raised all these feelings to an intensity which we, ordinary mortals, cannot understand.’ from a sermon by Blessed John Henry Newman
THE LITTLE CHAPLET IN HONOUR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
Commence on the medal saying: V. Deus in adjutorium meum intende; R. Domine ad adjuvendum me festina. Gloria Patri et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen
V. O God, come to my aid; R. O lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
On each of the single beads the prayers here numbered I-V are said:
[I] Immaculate Virgin, who, being conceived without sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure heart towards God, and wast always submissive to His Divine will; Obtain for me the grace to hate sin with all my heart and to learn from thee to live in perfect resignation to the will of God.
Pater Noster…
On each of the beads in the group say: Ave Maria… (x7)
Conclude each group of Aves by saying: Heart of Mary pierced with grief; set my heart on fire with the love of God.
or:
My heart, O Heart of Mary, (sore pierced for me with pain), with burning fire of charity, cleanse thou from sinful stain.
[II] O Mary, I wonder at that profound humility, which troubled thy blessed heart at the message of the Angel Gabriel, that thou hadst been chosen to be the Mother of the Son of the Most High God, the while thou didst profess thyself His lowly handmaiden; Ashamed at the sight of my own pride, I beg of thee the grace of a contrite and humble heart, so that, acknowledging my misery, I may come to obtain the glory promised to those who are truly humble of heart.
Pater Noster… Ave Maria … (x7) Heart of Mary… or: My heart, O Heart of Mary…
[III] Blessed Virgin, who didst keep in thy heart the precious treasure of the words of Jesus thy Son, and, pondering over the sublime mysteries therein contained, couldst live only for God; how am I confounded by the coldness of my heart! Ah, dear Mother, obtain for me the grace of meditating always on the holy law of God, and of seeking to follow thine example in the fervent practice of all the Christian virtues.
Pater Noster… Ave Maria … (X7) Heart of Mary…or: My heart, O Heart of Mary…
[IV] O Glorious Queen of Martyrs, whose sacred heart, in the Passion of thy Son, was cruelly pierced by the sword foretold by the holy and aged Simeon; obtain for my heart true courage and holy patience to bear well the tribulations and trials of this wretched life; may I show myself to be thy true child by crucifying my flesh and all its desires in following the mortification of the Cross.
Pater Noster… Ave Maria … (X7) Heart of Mary… or: My heart, O Heart of Mary…
[V] O Mary, Mystic Rose, whose loving heart, burning with the living fire of charity, accepted us for thy sons at the foot of the Cross, whereby thou didst become our most tender Mother; Make me feel the sweetness of thy maternal heart, and thy power with Jesus in all the perils of this mortal life, and especially in the terrible hour of death, that so my heart, united with thine, may love Jesus now and throughout all ages. Amen.
Pater Noster… Ave Maria … (X7) Heart of Mary… or: My heart, O Heart of Mary…
Conclude this chaplet with the Collect said upon the medal: Let us entreat the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to inflame us with His holy love. O Divine Heart of Jesus, I consecrate myself to Thee, full of deep gratitude for the many blessings I have received, and daily receive, from Thy infinite charity. I thank Thee with my whole heart for having vouchsafed to give me Thine own Mother to be my mother, consigning me to her as ‘son’ in the person of the Beloved Disciple. Grant unto me, that my heart may be ever ardently inflamed with this love of Thee, and that it may ever find in Thy most sweet Heart its peace, its refuge and its happiness. Amen.
An Indulgence of 3 years. A plenary Indulgence on the usual conditions, for the daily recitation of these prayers over the period of one month (S.C. Ind., Dec 11 1884, July 2 1931)
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY I
With the Crucifix make the Sign of the Cross five times in honour of the FIVE WOUNDS
Then say: In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
V. O God, come to our Aid. R. O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
On each ‘Pater Noster’ bead say: Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for those who seek refuge in you.
On each ‘Ave Maria’ bead including the three on the pendant and the five decades say: Holy Mother, save us through your Immaculate Heart’s flame of love.
Say Gloria Patri… on each of the three ‘Ave Maria’ beads on the pendant.
Conclude on the single bead next to the crucifix saying the Memorare: Remember, O most gracious 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 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
St Bernard of Clairvaux
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY II
A Petitionary Chaplet for those in great distress or need
Commence on the medal saying: O Most Blessed Mother, Heart of Love, Heart of Mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling; hear my Prayer! As Your child, I implore your intercession with Jesus, your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions I place before you today, especially (here state your petition). Holy Mary, I am comforted in knowing that your Heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. I trust to your gentle care and intercession, those whom I love and who are sick, lonely or in pain. Help all of us, Holy Mother, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God for ever. Amen.
O each of the three beads of the pendant say: Gloria Patri…
On each of the seven beads in each of the five sets say: Ave Maria…
On each of the four single beads say: Pater Noster…
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY III
On the Crucifix say: V. O God, come to my aid; R. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
The Five Offerings are made on the circlet of the Dominican Rosary as follows:
OFFERING I On the first bead of the decade say: Immaculate Virgin, who, conceived without sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure Heart to that God who was ever the object of thy love, and who was ever most submissive to His Will; Obtain for me the grace to hate sin with my whole heart, and to learn of thee to live in perfect resignation to the Will of God.
On the second bead of the decade say: Pater Noster…
On the third to ninth beads of the decade say: Ave Maria…
On the tenth bead of the decade say: Heart transpierced with pain and woe; set my heart with love aglow.
OFFERING II On the first bead of the decade say: I marvel, Mary at thy deep humility, through which thy blessed Heart was troubled at the gracious message brought thee by Gabriel the Archangel; that thou wast chosen mother of the Son of the Most High, and through which thou didst proclaim thyself His humble handmaid. Wherefore, in great confusion at the sight of my pride, I ask thee for the grace of a contrite and humble heart, that, knowing my own misery, I may obtain that ‘crown of glory’ promised to the truly humble of heart.
On the second bead of the decade say: Pater Noster…
On the third to ninth beads of the decade say: Ave Maria…
On the tenth bead of the decade say: Heart transpierced with pain and woe; set my heart with love aglow.
OFFERING III On the first bead of the decade say: Blessed Virgin, who, in thy sweetest Heart, didst keep as a precious treasure the words of Jesus, thy Son, pondering on the lofty mysteries they contained, didst learn to live for God alone: how doth my cold heart confound me! O dearest Mother, obtain for me the grace, so to meditate within my heart upon God’s holy Law that I may strive to follow thee in the fervent practice of every Christian virtue.
On the second bead of the decade say: Pater Noster…
On the third to ninth beads of the decade say: Ave Maria…
On the tenth bead of the decade say: Heart transpierced with pain and woe; set my heart with love aglow.
OFFERING IV On the first bead of the decade say: Glorious Queen of martyrs, whose sacred Heart was pierced in thy Son’s bitter passion by the sword whereof the holy old man Simeon had prophesied; gain for my heart true courage and a holy patience to bear the troubles and misfortunes of this miserable life; so that, by crucifying my flesh with its desires, while following the mortification of the cross, I may indeed show myself to be a true son of thine.
On the second bead of the decade say: Pater Noster…
On the third to ninth beads of the decade say: Ave Maria…
On the tenth bead of the decade say: Heart transpierced with pain and woe; set my heart with love aglow.
Offering V On the first bead of the decade say: O Mary, Mystical Rose, with loving heart, burning with the living fire of charity, Thou didst accept us for thy children at the foot of the Cross, becoming thus our tender mother. Make me feel the sweetness of thy maternal Heart and thy power with Jesus, that, when menaced by the perils of this mortal life, and most of all, in the dread hour of death; my heart, united with thine, may love my Jesus then and through all ages. Amen
On the second bead of the decade say: Pater Noster…
On the third to ninth beads of the decade say: Ave Maria…
On the tenth bead of the decade say: Heart transpierced with pain and woe; set my heart with love aglow.
Conclude on the centrepiece saying: Let us now turn to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, that He may inflame us with His Holy Love: O Divine Heart of Jesus to Thee I consecrate myself; full of deep gratitude for the many blessings I have received, and daily do receive from Thy boundless charity. With my whole heart, I thank Thee for having, in addition to them all, vouchsafed to give me thine own Most Holy Mother; giving me to her as a son in the person of the Beloved Disciple. Let my heart ever burn with love for Thee, finding in Thy sweetest Heart its peace, its refuge, its happiness. AmenIndulgence of 300 days, once a day, Pope Pius IX, December 11th 1854. ‘My Prayer Book’ Fr F. Lasance, approved by Pope Pius XI 1927
The Immaculate Heart has been connected with apparition including those to Saint Catherine Laboure in 1830 and appears on the Miraculous Medal pierced by a sword. The Sacred Heart of Jesus also appears on the medal, next to the Immaculate Heart, but is crowned with thorns, rather than being pierced by a sword.
Our Lady of Fatima asked that, in reparation for sins committed against her Immaculate Heart, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months the Catholic:
- Go to Confession (within 8 days before or after the first Saturday)
- Receive Holy Communion
- Recite five decades of the Rosary
- Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary
She promised that, whoever would ever do this, would be given at the hour of his death, the graces necessary for salvation.
