RESOURCES FOR DEVOTION TO MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS & ST. JOSEPH, OUR PROTECTOR

Mary, Help of Christians

Mary Renews the Salesian Family

DON BOSCO’S PRAYER TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS (LATIN)

O MARIA VIRGO POTENS

O Maria, Virgo potens: Tu magnum et praeclarum in Ecclésia praesidium;
Tu singulare Auxilium Christianòrum; Tu terribilis ut castròrum acies ordinata;
Tu cunctas haéreses sola interemisti in univérso mundo;
Tu in angustiis, Tu in bello, Tu in necessitatibus, Nos ab Hoste pròtege,
Atque in aetérno gaudio, In mortis hora suscipe. Amen.

DON BOSCO’S PRAYER TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS (ENGLISH)

O MARY, MOST POWERFUL VIRGIN

O Mary, Most Powerful Virgin:
Great and Illustrious Defender of the Church;
Wonderful Help of Christians;
Formidable as an army in battle array;
You who alone have overcome every heresy in the world;
in our anguish, in our combats,
in our difficulties,
Defend us from the Enemy,
and at the hour of our death, receive our souls into Paradise.  Amen.

Maria, Auxilium Christianorum, ora pro nobis!

Don Bosco’s Novena to Mary Help of Christians

When people asked for some special grace Don Bosco used to say: “If you wish to obtain graces from the Blessed Virgin, make a novena” (MB IX, 289). This novena, according to him, had to take place if possible “in church, with lively faith” as an act of fervent homage to the Eucharist.

According to Don Bosco, for the novena to be efficacious, the dispositions of the soul should be as follows:

 Do not put your hope in human forces but have faith in God.
 The request should be made to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, fount of grace, kindness and blessing, and with trust in the power of Mary whom God wishes to be honored on earth in this temple.
 Always add the intention “Thy will be done” and the condition “if it is for the good of the soul of the person being prayed for”.

Pray three times in a row daily for 9 consecutive days the following sequence of prayers:
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… (to the Holy Eucharist) followed each time by the short prayer: “Blessed and praised every moment be the Most Holy and Divine Sacrament.” Hail Holy Queen… followed each time by the short prayer: “Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.”

Personal Conditions required:
1. Approach the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. (NB – when possible, given the virus)
2. Give an offering or do some work to support the apostolate, preferably on behalf of youth.
3. Renew your faith in Jesus in the Eucharist and devotion to Mary Help of Christians.

THE FIRST RECORDED MIRACLE OBTAINED THROUGH PRAYING THE NOVENA TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

As soon as Don Bosco received the building permit [to build his church in honor of Mary Help of Christians], he en­trusted the construction to Charles Buzzetti and work began. In May [1863], the cost of land and of lumber needed to fence the site on three sides, leaving only an exit on Via della Giardiniera, amounted to four thousand lire.

Don Bosco called Father Angelo Savio, his economer, and bade him to go ahead with the excavations. “But Don Bosco,” Father Savio objected, “this is no chapel. It is a huge, costly church. This morning we did not have enough money to buy even postage stamps.”

“Never mind,” Don Bosco rejoined. “Get started! Did we ever begin anything with money on hand? Let’s leave something to Divine Providence!”

Father Savio obeyed. Since the church was to have a basement and this meant excavating and carting away some four thousand cubic yards of soil, only part of the work could be done in 1863. Meanwhile Don Bosco was in difficulties because several wealthy townspeople, who had first promised generous donations, were changing their minds and diverting their contributions to other causes, while others were not going to come through until later. A one thousand lire payment for the first two weeks of excava­tion was due within days. Divine Providence did something. Don Bosco was suddenly called to the bedside of a woman who had been wracked for three months by fever and a persistent cough. “If I could feel even a little better,” she gasped, “I’d make any sacrifice. Just to get out of bed would be a vast relief.”

“What would you do for that?” Don Bosco asked her.

“Whatever you say.”

“Make a novena to Mary, Help of Christians.”

“What prayers must I say?”

“Three Paters, Aves, and Glorias in honor of the Blessed Sacra­ment for nine days, and three Salve Reginas to the Blessed Virgin.” “Fine! And what work of mercy?”

“If you should truly feel better, make a contribution to the Church of Mary, Help of Christians now being built in Valdocco.”

“Most willingly, if during the novena I can leave my bed and walk about my room a little.”

On the evening of the last day of the novena, Don Bosco had to have one thousand lire for wages. He again called on the sick woman. A maid met him at the door and joyfully told him that her mistress had recovered completely, had taken two walks, and had been to church to thank God.

While she hurriedly told him all this, the lady herself came to meet him. “I am cured,” she exclaimed jubilantly. “I’ve already gone to church. Here is a little something I promised. There will be more.”

Don Bosco took the little package. Back at the Oratory, he found that it contained fifty gold napoleons worth a thousand lire.

From then on, as we shall see, Our Lady granted so many and such varied graces to those who contributed to the construction of Her church in Valdocco that one might well say She built it Her­self: Aedificavit Sibi domum Maria.    (The Biographical Memoirs, vol. VII, pp. 279-280)

BASILICA PRAYER – LATIN

SANCTA MARIA
SUCCURRE MISERIS
IUVA PUSILLANIMES
REFOVE FLEBILES
ORA PRO POPULO
INTERVENI PRO CLERO
INTERCEDE PRO DEVOTO FEMINEO SEXU
SENTIANT OMNES PECCATORES TUUM IUVAMEN
QUICUMQUE TUUM SANCTUM IMPLORANT AUXILIUM.
AMEN.

BASILICA PRAYER – ENGLISH

HOLY MARY,
COME TO THE AID OF THE POOR,
HELP THE FAINT OF HEART,
REVIVE THE SORROWFUL,
PRAY FOR YOUR PEOPLE,
INTERVENE FOR THE CLERGY,
INTERCEDE FOR CONSECRATED WOMEN.
MAY ALL SINNERS KNOW YOUR HELP
AS DO ALL WHO IMPLORE YOUR HOLY AID. AMEN.

PRAYER TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC

O, Mary Help of Christians, as our father Don Bosco did with the boys of the Valdocco Oratory on the occasion of cholera, we, too – in a world affected by the coronavirus epidemic – want, as a Salesian Family, to express our filial entrustment to your motherly heart. Comfort the sick and their families; support doctors and health care professionals; help all members of society and governments; welcome everyone who has died from this epidemic. Above all, in each of us renew – in our communities and families – faith in your son Jesus, dead and risen.  Amen.

A Series of Monthly Reflections on Our Lady

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St. Joseph

Thanks for the following to the Catholic Apostolic Center

Prayer Resources for the Year of St. Joseph

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2020, Pope Francis proclaimed a special “Year of St. Joseph” until the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2021 (December 8th, 2021). This is in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.
Apostolic Letter Patris Corde by Pope Francis,
Vatican News Article on the Year of St. Joseph
Catholic Feast Days Website — St. Joseph
Catholic Feast Days Website — St. Joseph the Worker

Blog Posts on St. Joseph

To read more blogs about St. Joseph: ALL ST. JOSEPH BLOGS

Devotion and Prayers to St. Joseph

Catechesis Resources for The Year of St. Joseph

Sancte Ioseph, ora pro nobis!