Perpetual Novena in Honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and Service of Deliverance and Healing St. Louise de Marillac Parish Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 0
Compiled from approved sources by Father Daniele Vallecorsa, S.T.L. Feast of Our Mother of Sorrows September 15, 2015 This manual is a manuscript for provisional parish use only. Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify the Parish of St. Louise de Marillac in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly. 1
Brief History of the Miraculous Medal The Medal of the Immaculate Conception, popularly known as the Miraculous Medal, is unique among all medals. It was designed by the Blessed Virgin herself. Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Labouré on November 27, 1830 in Paris and showed her in a vision the exact image to be placed on both sides of the medal. She then said, "ʺHave a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. Graces will be abundant for those who pray with confidence."ʺ With approval of the Church, the first medals were made in 1832 and almost immediately the blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her medal. Soon all of France was calling it the "ʺMiraculous Medal."ʺ Use of this medal spread from country to country and this very day is drawing down from God golden blessings for body and soul. Pope Pius XII, on July 27, 1947, declared that "ʺthe Medal about which Mary herself spoke to her trusted daughter was made and was spread by millions in all walks of life and in all regions, where it was from that time on the instrument of numerous and extraordinary favors, both spiritual and corporal, wonderful cures, protection from harm, and above all conversions, so that the voice of the people without hesitation at once acclaimed it as the Miraculous Medal."ʺ The Medal'ʹs rays of light from her hands symbolize the graces which she is only too eager to bestow upon those who wear her Medal and pray to her. The Medal was made according to Our Lady'ʹs design and in short time was worn by millions. In its wake followed wonders innumerable. Health restored, sickness banished; bad habits broken, special graces given; dangers averted, blessings bestowed soon the little Medal became known by the name it bears today, the Miraculous Medal. 2
(After Holy Communion has been distributed and the post- Communion prayer recited the Closing rites are omitted and all kneel before the Altar.) EXPOSITION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT HYMN O Salutaris Hostia, Quae coeli pandis ostium! Bella premunt hostilia; Da robur fer auxilium. Uni Trinoque Domino, Sit sempiterna gloria; Qui vitam sine termino Nobis donet in patria. Amen. O saving Victim, opening wide, The gate of heaven to man below! Our foes press on from every side; Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow. To Thy great name be endless praise, Immortal Godhead, One in Three; O grant us endless length of days In our true native land with Thee. Amen. e Priest: My brothers and sisters in Christ: We come here in humble adoration before Our Lord present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. As we begin this time of prayer and adoration let us listen to the words of Saint Catherine Labouré: 3
Whenever I go to the chapel, I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him, Lord I am here. Tell me what you would have me to do. If he gives me some task, I am content and I thank him. If he gives me nothing, I still thank him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that. And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart. I tell him about my pains and joys, and then I listen. If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen. God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply. Let us then, throughout these hours, approach Our Eucharistic Lord in humility of heart. PRAYER OF SAINT ALPHONUS DE LIGUORI TO JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT All: My Lord Jesus Christ, for the love which You bear to men, You remain night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, awaiting, calling, and welcoming all who come to visit You. I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar: I adore You from the abyss of my nothingness, and I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me and in particular for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given me your holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this chapel. I now salute Your most loving Heart: and this for three ends: In thanksgiving for this great gift; To make amends to You for all the outrages which You receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies; I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are the least revered and the most abandoned. My Jesus, I love You with all my heart. I grieve for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. I promise with Your grace never more to offend You in the future. 4
Now, unworthy though I be, I consecrate myself to You without reserve; I give You my entire will, my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. From now on dispose of me and of all that I have as You please. All that I ask of You and desire is Your holy love, final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Your will. I recommend to You the souls in purgatory; but especially those who had the greatest devotion to the most Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to You all poor sinners. My dear Savior, I unite all my affections with the affections of Your most loving Heart; and I offer them, thus united, to Your eternal Father, and beseech Him in Your name to vouchsafe, for Your love, to accept them. Amen. (The Priest and servers depart in silence and silent Adoration continues throughout the day.) 3 5
EVENING SERVICE HYMN Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all! How can I love Thee as I ought? And how revere this wondrous gift, So far surpassing hope or thought? Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore! Oh, make us love Thee more and more. Oh, make us love Thee more and more. Had I but Mary s sinless heart With which to love Thee, dearest King, Oh, with what ever fervent praise, Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing! Priest: In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen Priest: My brothers and sisters in Christ as we kneel before the Altar in the presence of Our Lord present in the Most Blessed Sacrament and in the company of Our Blessed Mother let us meditate on the words of Our Lady to Saint Catherine Labouré: Come to the foot of the altar. Graces will be shed on all, great and little, especially upon those who seek them.the rays (from my hands) symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The jewels which give no rays symbolize the graces that are not given because they are not asked for."ʺ Let us then, with filial trust, ask Our Lady to present to her Son our petitions for the graces and favors of which we are in need. Priest: Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created 6
People: And you shall renew the face of the earth. Priest: Let us pray. O God, who did instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. People: Amen. Priest: O Mary, conceived without sin: People: Pray for us, who have recourse to you. (3x) All: O Lord Jesus Christ, who have vouchsafed to glorify by numberless miracles the Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate from the first moment of her conception, grant that all who devoutly implore her protection on earth, may eternally enjoy Your presence in heaven, who, with the Father and Holy Spirit, live and reign, God, forever and ever. Amen. All: O Lord Jesus Christ, who for the accomplishment of your greatest works, have chosen the weak things of the world, that no flesh may glory in your sight; and who for a better and more widely diffused belief in the Immaculate Conception of Your Mother, have wished that the Miraculous Medal be manifested to Saint Catherine Labouré, grant, we beseech You, that filled with like humility, we may glorify this mystery by word and work. Amen. MEMORARE All: Remember, O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your assistance, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, our Mother; to you we come; before you we kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear and answer them. Amen 7
NOVENA PRAYER All: O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus and our Mother, penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all- powerful and never- failing intercession manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, we your loving, and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this Novena, if they be beneficial to our immortal souls, and the souls for whom we pray. (Here privately form your petitions in silence.) All: You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuary of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self- denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the Queen of Angels and of men. Amen. ACT OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL All: O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, we dedicate and consecrate ourselves to you under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign of your affection for us and a constant reminder of our duties toward you. Ever while wearing it, may we be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. O most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to you every moment of our lives. Obtain for us, your children the grace of a happy death; so that, in union with you, we may enjoy the bliss of heaven forever. Amen 8
Priest: O Mary conceived without sin. People: Pray for us who have recourse to you. (3x) (At this time there may be a short sermon) Come to the foot of the altar. Graces will be shed on all, especially those who seek them ~ Our Lady to St. Catherine Labouré 9
SERVICE OF DELIVERANCE AND HEALING In many of the healings that Jesus performed, He accredited the release of His miracle- working power to the faith of the recipient. Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, Lord. After Jesus touched their eyes, He said, According to your faith, let it be done to you, and their eyes were opened. (Matt 9:28-30) Silently invite the miracle- working power of Jesus into your body and your life so that by believing in the Divine Power to heal, you may be made whole. Silently make an act of faith in Jesus power to heal and to work miracles. Remind yourself that you are in His healing Real Presence. You may wish then to pray silently, with faith as you venerate the Blessed Sacrament, the following: I rebuke you, (mention sickness or situation) in the Holy Name of Jesus, and I command you to leave my body (family/life). (The following prayers are recited by the Priest in the name of all the faithful present.) PRAYERS FOR DELIVERANCE Jesus, You came because of the sick and the sinful. Therefore, we turn to You to ask You to heal us, body and soul. You know, O Jesus, that sin harms and injures the whole human being and that it destroys relationships between mankind and You. But there is no sin and no illness that You cannot drive away with Your Almighty Word. There is no wound that You cannot heal. Mary, you have called us to pray for healing. We wish to do so now. We ask you to join our prayers with yours. Pray with us now that we may be worthy of obtaining by prayer the graces we are in need of personally and for all those who are sick and infirm and in need. (Remain in silent prayer.) 10
From the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew: At that time: Jesus got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a violent storm came up on the sea, and the boat began to be swamped by waves. Jesus was sleeping soundly, so they made their way toward Him and woke Him. Where is your courage? How little faith you have! Then He stood up and took the winds and sea to task. Complete calm ensued; the men were dumbfounded. What sort of man is this, they said, that even the winds and the sea obey Him? (Matthew 8: 23-24) Jesus, You entered into the storms of this world. You also enter into the boat of every life. You are present, for Your Name is Emmanuel: God with us, God for us. So we are asking You now to come into our lives. The boats of our lives are also being swamped and overwhelmed. Enter, O Jesus, into the depths of our souls. We are lost. Stand and tell our unrest to be calmed; tell the waves of death that surround us to relent. Say the word to appease our hearts that they may be able to hear Your divine and creative Word. (Remain in silent adoration.) Come, Jesus, into the boats of our families and of the whole world. Let our cries awaken You. Stretch out Your hand that calm may follow. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come to where we are most wounded. (Mention silently the areas where you know that you are wounded and need to be healed.) Come, Jesus, into those boats of life which stand anchored to bad habits, to drugs, to alcohol, to bodily pleasures and which cannot move forward. Jesus, calm the storms. Let all people hear Your voice which alone brings peace. Jesus, You have called us to love. We admit that our love is weak. Heal all of our wounds which have resulted from a lack of love. Cure us from all sins that prevent us from loving You above all else, O Divine Physician. Heal in our souls all of the burdens which we have accumulated throughout our childhood and youth. 11
Vanquish all darkness and melt the ice of evil within us. Forgive our envy and jealousy, which burdens us and others. Let the grace of trust remove all mistrust and fear. Cure us of godlessness in our thoughts, in our words and in our deeds. Jesus, heal the wounded love which we know in our families, so that it may be as it was in Yours. Heal love between spouses, between children and parents, among siblings, and among all men and women. (Silently pray for those whom you have difficulty loving or find difficult to forgive.) Jesus, cleanse our souls. Enter into our minds and hearts with Your light that darkness may never overwhelm it. With the power of Your grace, touch those layers of our souls in which addictions to material things and sensual pleasures, which breed fear, have settled. Cleanse us that our hearts may be completely opened to You. Cure us of all inner darkness and heal the wounds in the depths of our being. Grant that we may find peace of mind and heart in You. We ask you to free us from all mental illness and encumbrances. Lift these burdens and cleanse the wounds that develop into mental disease. Help us who have inherited heavy mental burdens. Cure us of all personality disorders, depression, fear, anxiety and every neurosis and psychopathic state. Cure us of all mental and psychological illnesses due to failures in family, in school or at work. Remove all thoughts of discouragement, despondence, suicide or forced thought. We also ask You to forgive the sins of our ancestors whose failures have left their effects on us in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns and defects in body, mind and spirit. Heal us, Lord, of all these disorders. Deliver us and our entire family trees from the influence of the evil one. Free all living and dead members of our family trees from every contaminating form of bondage. By Your loving concern for us, heavenly Father, and by the Precious Blood, shed by Your Son, Jesus, we beg You to extend 12
Your blessing to us and to all living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative effects in future generations of our family trees. Jesus, be the Master of our souls. Deliver us from all effects of occult or superstitious practices. By the power of Your Holy Name and the merits of Your Holy Cross, deliver us from every consequence of witchcraft and sorcery. Rest in every soul and restore peace to us. PRAYERS FOR HEALING From the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke As Jesus went, the people pressed around Him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, Who was it who touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, Master, the multitudes surround You and press upon you! But Jesus said, Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone forth from me. And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, declared in the presence of all people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her: Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace. (Luke 8:42-48) Jesus, You accompany us on our voyage of life. You are our God. We adore You and we glorify You, for You alone are the Holy One and You alone are the Lord. We believe in You, and we place everything at Your disposal with complete trust. We wish to abandon ourselves to Your love and mercy. With You and Your Mother we say, Let Your will be done to us in health and sickness, in success and failure, in joys and sorrows, in life and death, in the present and in eternity. Jesus, we have often been indecisive in striving for the good. 13
We have often done only our own will and thus remain wounded. Heal our unbelief and the resistance that we have offered when we have failed to understand the Father s Will. Mary, our Mother, pray for us, that we may receive the grace of being able to choose to follow Jesus with unwavering faith and resolute wills. (Remain in silent adoration.) Jesus, heal our bodies. We come before You with our physical pains and infirmities and the dangers that are threatening our bodily health. Cure us of the diseases which are affecting us now. (Mention your own disease or infirmity silently.) Protect us from every disease. Jesus, we now pray to You for the healing of the members of our families, of our relatives and of our friends. (Mention their names here silently.) Cure all the sick in the world. Protect the world from epidemics and incurable diseases. Jesus, cure all our illnesses, for You came to take them upon Yourself and to save us. Heavenly Father, thank You for having created us and for having redeemed us through Your Son. Thank You for healing our bodies, our souls and our love through Him. Let the blessing of peace and reconciliation, of love and trust, pour out on us, on our families, on the whole Church and on the whole world. May Mary, our Mother, the Queen of Peace, obtain for us your blessings by praying with and for us for all that we need in body and in soul and we ask this in the name of Jesus, who is Lord forever and ever. Amen. (The Priest goes to the altar on which is exposed the Most Blessed Sacrament and facing the people, he continues:) 14
Lord Jesus, You came into the world to heal our infirmities and endure our sufferings. You went about healing all who were sick and bringing comfort to those in pain. By a simple command, You rebuked the fever which plagued the mother- in- law of Saint Peter. You spoke directly to her illness, condemned it for its actions and commanded it to leave her body. In the same way, You have called all your disciples to follow Your example. You have given us power over the enemy and sent us forth to make disciples of all nations. O Jesus, Divine Physician, by the power of Your command, drive away from Your servants here present all forms of sickness, disease, anxiety and infirmity. (Pausing solemnly, he takes up the monstrance and continues:) In Your Holy Name, Jesus, and under the power and authority of Almighty God, I command all forms of illness, disease anxiety and infirmity to leave now the bodies of these Your servants. Restore strength to their bodies, joy to their spirits and peace to their minds, so that with renewed health they may praise and serve You, their God, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. (Then, taking up the monstrance, the Priest passes through the church, and the faithful venerate the Blessed Sacrament. With faith in Jesus healing power, the faithful silently pray. During the procession, they sing:) Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. I believe in You. (Alleluia) (Returning to the sanctuary, the Priest places the monstrance on the altar, and the ceremony concludes with Benediction) 15
BENEDICTION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT Tantum ergo Sacramentum, Veneremur cernui, Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui; Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui. Down in adoration falling, This great sacrament we hail Over ancient forms of worship Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith will tell us Christ is present When our human senses fail Genitori, Genitoque, Laus et jubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque, Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utroque, Compar sit laudatio. Amen. To the everlasting Father And the Son who made us free And the Spirit, God proceeding From them each eternally, Be salvation, honor, blessing, Might and endless majesty. Amen. Priest: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis (Alleluia) Priest: You have given them bread from heaven (Alleluia) People: Omne delectamentem in se habentem (Alleluia) People: Having all sweetness within it (Alleluia) Priest: Oremus: Deus, qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili, passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue, quaesumus, ita nos corporis et sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus. Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as a memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of you body and blood help us to experience the salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. All: Amen. (As the Eucharistic Blessing is imparted the bells are rung 3 times and all make the sign of the Cross.) 16
The Divine Praises Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, True God and True Man. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste Spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world even to the end of time. Amen. Reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament Laudamus Te, Laudamus! Laudamus Te, laudamus: Te benedicimus, Te adoramus, glorificamus, Laudamus Te! Te benedicimus, Te adoramus, glorificamus, Laudamus Te. 17
(hymn) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us, pray for us. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (The reading of announcements and favors granted may be made at this time. As the faithful approach the Altar to venerate the relics of Saint Catherine Labouré and Saint Louise de Marillac the closing hymn is sung.) Lourdes Hymn Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing; Who reign now in splendor with Jesus our King: Refrain Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! In heaven the blessed your glory proclaim; On earth, we, your children, invoke your fair name. Refrain Your name is our power, your virtues our light, Your love is our comfort, your pleading our might. Refrain We pray for our mother, the Church upon earth; And bless, Holy Mary, the land of our birth. Refrain 18
APPENDIX 1. The Rite for Investing in the Miraculous Medal The priest who is to bless the sacred medal of the Immaculate Conception, vested in surplice and white stole, says: Priest: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. Priest: The Lord be with you. All: And with your spirit. Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, who by the many appearances on earth of the Immaculate Virgin Mary were pleased to work miracles again and again for the salvation of souls; kindly pour out your blessing + on this medal, so that all who devoutly wear it and reverence it may experience the patronage of Mary Immaculate and obtain mercy from you; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. The priest sprinkles the medal with holy water, and presents it to the person, saying: Priest: Take this holy medal; wear it with faith, and handle it with due devotion, so that the holy and immaculate Queen of heaven may protect and defend you. And as she is ever ready to renew her wondrous acts of kindness, may she obtain for you in her mercy whatever you humbly ask of God, so that both in life and in death you may rest happily in her motherly embrace. All: Amen. 19
(The priest continues:) Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father who art in heaven Priest: Queen conceived without original sin. All: Pray for us. Priest: Lord, hear my prayer. All: And let my cry come to you. Priest: The Lord be with you. All: And with your spirit. Priest: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, who willed that your Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived without sin, should become illustrious through countless miracles; grant that we who ever seek her patronage may finally possess everlasting joys. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever. All: Amen. (As circumstances suggest, the celebrant may, in a clear voice, pronounce the formulas of conferral once for all the recipients. They all join in replying Amen, then go one by one to receive the medal from the celebrant. The celebrant, in silence, sprinkles all present with holy water.) 20
Concluding Rite (The celebrant concludes the rite, saying:) Priest: God, through the Immaculate Virgin Mary, so inexpressibly united with your Son, you cause us to rejoice in your great goodness. As we are supported by her motherly protection, may we never be without your providential love, and be always dedicated to the mystery of your redemption with unbounded faith. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. 2. Prayers for Private Use Prayer to St. Catherine Labouré Saint Catherine Labouré, you were the chosen confidant of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She revealed to you her desire that her children wear the Miraculous Medal as a mark of their love for her and in honor of her Immaculate Conception. Intercede for us, that we may follow our heavenly mother'ʹs desires. Ask that we may receive those special graces which flow from her motherly hands like rays of light. Amen Prayer to St. Louise de Marillac O Saint Louise de Marillac, heavenly Patron of our Parish, pray earnestly at all times to God for us; confirm us in the faith; strengthen us in virtue, defend us in the battle of life; so that, conquering the enemy of our souls, we may deserve to be rewarded with everlasting glory. May we always imitate your virtues and especially your charity and concern for those most in need. O Saint Louise, be mindful of us before God. Pray for us that we may always live as we ought and that we may, following your example, keep the faith and serve the Lord in the least of our brothers and sisters. Amen. 21
3. Seasonal Hymns 22
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