Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary-12thSeptember

MOST HOLY NAME OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The Feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an optional memorial celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church on 12th September, four days after the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Mother. In 1683, Pope Innocent XI extended the celebration of the feast day to the universal Church, to be celebrated on September 12 to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Vienna. We venerate the name of Mary because it belongs to her who is the Mother of God, the holiest of creatures, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Mother of Mercy.

The name of Mary was chosen by the Most High for the fairest of the daughters of Eve, the mother of His Divine Son, and was revealed to Anne and Joachim by the angel Gabriel who was later to announce to their child the great privilege accorded her by God. The honored name of the Virgin Mary is said to mean “Star of the Sea”, most fitting for the Virgin Mother. She may well be compared to a star; for, as a star beams forth its rays without any diminution of its own luster, so too the Virgin gave birth to a Son with no loss to her virginity.

The feast day was removed from the Church calendar in the liturgical reform following Vatican II but restored by John Paul II in 2002, along with the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Prayer to Holy Name of Mary

Mary, how sweetly falls thy name
On my enraptured ear;
Oft do I say in holy love
Thy name when none are near.
Sing oh, my lips, and loudly proclaim,
Oh Mary, my Mother, how sweet is thy name.
Sweet as the warbling of a bird,
Sweet as a Mother’s voice;
So sweet to me is thy dear name;
It makes my soul rejoice.
Bright as the glittering stars appear,
Bright as the moonbeam’s shine,
So bright in my mind’s eye is seen
Thy loveliness divine!

MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY NOVENA

O great Mother of God and my Mother Mary, it is true that I am unworthy to name thee; but thou, who lovest me and desirest my salvation, must, notwithstanding the impurity of my tongue, grant that I may always invoke thy most holy and powerful name in my aid, for thy name is the succour of the living, and the salvation of the dying. Ah, most pure Mary, most sweet Mary, grant that henceforth thy name may be the breath of my life. O Lady, delay not to help me when I invoke thee, for in all the temptations which assail me, and in all my wants, I will never cease calling upon thee, and repeating again and again, Mary, Mary. Thus, it is that I hope to act during my life, and more particularly at death, that after that last struggle I may eternally praise thy beloved name in heaven, O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Ah, Mary, most amiable Mary, with what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness, is my soul penetrated in only naming, in only thinking of thee! I thank my Lord and God, who, for my good, has given thee a name so sweet and deserving of love, and at the same time so powerful. But, my sovereign Lady, I am not satisfied with only naming thee, I wish to name thee with love: I desire that my love may every hour remind me to call on thee, so that I may be able to exclaim with St. Bonaventure, “O name of the Mother of God, thou art my love.” My own dear Mary, O my beloved Jesus, may your most sweet names reign in my heart, and in all hearts. Grant that I may forget all others to remember, and always invoke, your adorable names alone. Ah! Jesus my Redeemer, and my Mother Mary, when the moment of death comes when I must breathe forth my soul and leave this world, deign, through your merits, to grant that I may then pronounce my last words, and that they may be, “I love thee, O Jesus; I love thee, O Mary; to you do I give my heart and my soul.”

Amen.

(Mention your request.)

COLLECT

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that, for all who celebrate the glorious Name
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
she may obtain your merciful favour.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Litany of the Holy Name of Mary

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.

Heavenly Father, of Whom Mary is the Daughter, Have mercy on us.
Eternal Word, of Whom Mary is the Mother, Have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, of Whom Mary is the spouse, Have mercy on us.
Divine Trinity, of Whom Mary is the Handmaid, Have mercy on us.

Mary, Mother of the Living God, pray for us.
Mary, daughter of the Light Eternal,
Mary, our light,
Mary, our sister,
Mary, flower of Jesse,
Mary, issue of kings,
Mary, chief work of God,
Mary, the beloved of God,
Mary, Immaculate Virgin,
Mary, all fair,
Mary, light in darkness,
Mary, our sure rest,
Mary, house of God,
Mary, sanctuary of the Lord,
Mary, altar of the Divinity,
Mary, Virgin Mother,
Mary, embracing thy Infant God,
Mary, reposing with Eternal Wisdom,
Mary, ocean of bitterness,
Mary, suffering with thine only Son,
Mary, pierced with a sword of sorrow,
Mary, torn with a cruel wound,
Mary, sorrowful even to death,
Mary, bereft of all consolation,
Mary, submissive to the law of God,
Mary, standing by the Cross of Jesus,
Mary, Our Lady,
Mary, Our Queen,
Mary, Queen of glory ,
Mary, glory of the Church Triumphant,
Mary, Blessed Queen,
Mary, advocate of the Church Militant,
Mary, Queen of Mercy,
Mary, consoler of the Church Suffering,
Mary, exalted above the Angels,
Mary, crowned with twelve stars,
Mary, fair as the moon,
Mary, bright as the sun,
Mary, distinguished above all,
Mary, seated at the right hand of Jesus,
Mary, our hope,
Mary, our sweetness,
Mary, glory of Jerusalem,
Mary, joy of Israel,
Mary, honour of our people,
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception,
Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption,
Mary, Our Lady of Dolors,
Mary, Our Lady of Mercy,
Mary, Our Lady, Star of the sea,
Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary,
Mary, Our Lady of Victory,
Mary, Our Lady of La Trappe,
Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

Lamb of God, Who didst rejoice Mary, Spare us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who didst afflict Mary, Graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who didst glorify Mary, Have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus.

Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.
V. I will declare thy name unto my brethren.
R. I will praise thee in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Us Pray

O Almighty God, Who beholdest Thy servants earnestly desirous of placing themselves under the shadow of the name and protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary; vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, that by her charitable intercession, we may be delivered from all evil on earth, and may arrive at everlasting joys in Heaven. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.