Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Preparatory Prayer
O GLORIOUS Queen of Angels! Most pure and ever-blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel! Powerful advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful protectress of all the servants of thy Son, Jesus Christ!
I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my patroness, that, through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be necessary and profitable for me now and at the hour of my death. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary. {Three times.}
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First Day
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O MOST Glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel! With confidence I approach thee, that I may obtain the grace necessary for my salvation. This is my very first wish, to be freed from the stain of sin and return to God, my Father. By what way can I more readily expect to reach my end than through thee, the Mother of His Divine Son?
My sins are very great and very numerous, and I do not deserve any hearing, but rather to be spurned from thy presence. Still I will come to visit thee and will make this nine days’ devotion. I can in this way atone a little for my past, and thou wilt certainly look with favor on me when thou seest the sincerity of my heart and my willingness to serve God in the future. This I promise, and am sure that with thy help the obstacles to my conversion will be removed and I will be again a beloved child of God, my Father.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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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, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undented, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical Rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles, pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors, pray for us.
Queen of virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
From Candlemas Until Easter and After Easter to Advent
V. Pray for us 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 perpetual health of mind and body: and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and possess eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Advent to Christmas
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Let Us Pray
O God, Who didst will that Thine eternal Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the Angel delivered his message: grant that Thy petitioners who verily believe her to be the Mother of God, may be assisted by her intercession. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Christmas until Candlemas
V. After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.
R. O Mother of God, intercede for us.
Let Us Pray
O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beeseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserve to receive the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
In Easter Time
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary! Alleluia.
R. Because Our Lord is truly risen. Alleluia
Let Us Pray
O God, Who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, hath been pleased to fill the world with joy, grant, we beseech Thee, that by the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may receive the joys of eternal life, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Flower of Carmel
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Flower of Carmel,
Blossoming Vine,
Splendor of Heaven,
Mother Divine,
None like to thee.
Mother of our King,
Peerless and fair,
To thy children of Carmel
Favors grant ever,
Star of the Sea.
May the divine assistance always remain with us. Amen.
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Prayers for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
O GOD, Who hast deigned to honor the Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Virgin Mother, grant the grace of her protection to all who celebrate this solemn commemoration, so that through her we may attain eternal happiness. Amen.
O Glorious Virgin Mary! Queen of Carmel, Mother of God and of poor sinners, special protectress of all those who wear thy holy Scapular, I supplicate thee, by the glory that has been accorded thee by the Incarnate Word in choosing thee for His Mother, to obtain for me the pardon of my sins, amendment of my life, salvation of my soul, consolation in my pains, and in particular the grace I have asked in this novena, provided it be conformable to the will of thy Divine Son. Amen.
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Second Day
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
To thee, O Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, I come, that thou mayest inspire me with great confidence in thy power and willingness to help. I am thy child, because thou hast chosen me; brought up in the Church, I have always been taught to have reverence for the Mother of God. I prayed to thee when my childish mind hardly knew what the devotion meant: but as years have gone by I have understood better what the Church herself has taught me, to pray fervently, because if it be the will of God my prayer will surely be heard. In all trouble, pain and misfortune of every kind I have looked up to thee, O kind Mother, and felt that the mantle of thy goodness was covering me: what I suffered was my deserts, to bring me to my senses, knowing full well at the same time that many other misfortunes were withheld from me through thy intercession and protection.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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Third Day
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
I am thine own child, O Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel! When thy Divine Son died on the Cross thou didst adopt all the future members of the Church as thy children, and especially wert thou a tender Mother to the poor sinners that caused the death of thy Son. I trust, therefore, that the voice of thy child will be heard by thee, tender Mother. Shall the infant cry and the Mother turn a deaf ear to its wailings? Thou wilt hasten to my aid with all that is necessary for my relief, for my help. To thee, dear Lady of Mount Carmel, I send up my sighs: assist thy child, so weak that it is not able to help itself. Whatever difficulties I have, there is one to whom I can go and lay before her my necessities: thou understandest my condition better than I do myself. Even whilst I pray, selfishness and pride pervade my prayer and my requests; but do thou purify my heart from all these vices, so that God may have mercy on me and by thy powerful intercession be induced to give thee the mea
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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FOURTH Day
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O BLESSED Lady of Mount Carmel! I again come before thee! I have already made known my poverty. I am nothing but sins, for I am full of them. Look with pity on me. Whatever thou shalt give, I will be the richer for it. I shall always be poor and miserable unless thou helpest to take away my sins: I shall remain a sinner unless thou enrichest my soul with virtues. I appeal to all the sufferings of thy Divine Son: there on Calvary He died on the Cross, and surely His death must not be in vain. Thou wert nearest to Him in His sufferings, thou art nearest to Him now, and thou wilt remember those sufferings and offer them to God as an atonement for my wretched state. All my troubles are caused by my sins; all the sufferings of Christ were inflicted by my sins. Through thy intercession I hope for salvation, pardon from Our Lord and help in my present condition.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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FIFTH Day
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O BLESSED Lady of Mount Carmel! While I pray for the intention of this novena and recommend to thee my needs in order that they may be relieved, at the same time I beg of thee, dear Mother, the grace of persevering in the pursuit of virtue. At thy feet I have learned the virtues of purity, humility, meekness, and zeal for the glory of God. Obtain grace for me now to put them in practice, so that in my frailty I may not again fall into the sins which I have acknowledged. I wish, O dear Lady of Mount Carmel, to deserve thy kindness by the practice of virtue. I do not want the favors for which I make this novena unless they are a means of making me serve God more and more through love.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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SIXTH DAY
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
BEHOLD at thy feet, O Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel! a wretched sinner who has recourse to thee and confides in thee. O Mother of Mercy! have pity on me! I hear thee called by all the refuge and the hope of sinners: be then, my refuge and my hope. Assist me, for the love of Jesus Christ: stretch forth thy hand to a miserable creature who recommends himself to thee, and who devotes himself to thy service forever. I bless and thank Almighty God, Who in mercy has given me this confidence in thee, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation. It is true that in the past I have miserably fallen into sin, because I had not recourse to thee. I know that with thy help I shall conquer. I know, too, that thou wilt assist me, if I recommend myself to thee; but I fear that in time of danger I may neglect to call on thee and thus lose my soul. This grace, then, I ask of thee, and this I beg with all the fervor of my soul, that in all attacks of hell I may have recourse to thee. O Mary! help me! O Lady of Mount Carmel help! Never suffer me to lose my God!
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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SEVENTH DAY
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O BLESSED Lady of Mount Carmel! Grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O purest Mary! O sweetest Mary! let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady! to help me whenever I call on thee; for in all my temptations, in all my needs, I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy holy name, Mary, Mary. Oh, what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fills my soul when I utter thy holy name, or even think of thee! I thank Our Lord for having given thee, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering thy name. Let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee, Lady of Mount Carmel.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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EIGHT DAY
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O BLESSED Lady of Mount Carmel! thou art the dispenser of all the gifts which God grants to us miserable sinners; and for this end He has made thee so powerful, so rich, and so bountiful, in order that thou mayest help us in our misery. Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners who have recourse to thee; come to my help, I commend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee I entrust my soul. Count me among thy most devoted servants; take me under thy protection, and it is enough for me, for if thou protect me I fear nothing; not from my sins, because thou wilt obtain for me the pardon of them; nor from the evil spirits, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; nor even from Jesus, my Judge, because by one prayer from thee He will be appeased. But one thing I fear, that in the hour of temptation, I may through negligence, fail to have recourse to thee, and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace ever to have recourse to thee, O Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
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NINTH DAY
Preparatory Prayer,
Our Father, Hail Mary {Three times.}
Prayer
O MARY, Queen of the heavenly court! who standest beside the Throne of thy Divine Son, who art greater than the angels and saints, and art now in the enjoyment of eternal bliss, look down on me, thy child, in this vale of tears: help me to come to God, my last end, to come to Jesus, Who is my Redeemer. Thou hast received the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and thou hast shown thy approval by granting so many graces and favors under that title. Thou art now in heaven and all-powerful with God. Stretch forth thy hand and help me to a happy eternity. Grant that every day I may arise with renewed courage and fervor to do that which is most useful to my neighbor and the honor of God.
Litany, Flower of Carmel and prayers to end.
Nihil Obstat H. B. LAUDENBACH Censor Liborum | Imprimatur ✠ WILLIAM TURNER Bishop of Buffalo | June 22, 1928
