Day 2

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Come, 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.

And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray

O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O my God, because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you, and by the help of your grace, I will not sin again. Amen.

If you can, pray the Chaplet and the Litany of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on each day of the Novena. You can skip this step, or come back to the Novena afterwards.

To be said on each day of the Novena.

O Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, I salute you with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to you. I thank you for your maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through your wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to you with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech you now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of your divine Son the favour that I request in this novena.

Here mention your petition.

Obtain for me, also, dearest Mother, the grace that I may imitate you and become more like you in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. Amen.

How sweet it is to think that by your peerless beauty, O Holy Virgin, you ravished the heart, not of any earthly monarch, but of the King of kings, and the Creator of the universe! Thus you were deemed worthy to be the Mother of the Incarnate Word, the dispensatrix of his graces, and the cause of our joy. And now, enthroned at the right hand of thy Son, you draw to yourself the hearts of all the Saints and Angels in heaven and of the just on earth. I rejoice to see you of all creatures the most beloved, since of all others you are the most worthy of love. But, I beseech you, O glorious Queen, forget me not, poor exile that I am, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Remember that you are raised on high to better be able to see those who suffer here below, and that you are made so powerful to help us the more readily. You know, O Mary, how I am constantly assailed by enemies from without, and by temptations from within. Be my Perpetual Help; watch over me continually, or I shall be lost.

And when through frailty I fail to call upon you in danger, receive the intention I now make of doing so. May this be ever the habitual cry of my heart: 'Mother of Perpetual Help, forget me not.' Amen.

Pray the Hail Mary three times.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help,

pray for us.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help assists her devotee to cease sinning

Among men, titles are often more than vain designations that do not correspond to reality. In Mary, on the contrary, titles always express the most obvious truth. And Thus the Blessed Virgin is called and is truly the Perpetual Help of all the unfortunate who have recourse to Her. Consider, however, that there is one class of Unfortunates for whom the most loving Mother seems to reserve her most tender glances and whom She makes a special object of Her most compassionate concern: they are the poor sinners, and it is easy to understand the reason behind that predilection.

The greater a child's misfortune, the more maternal love increases. Well then, what greater misfortune is there than being separated from Jesus and chained to the shameful slavery of the devil? By losing sanctifying grace, the unhappy one has made himself the target of divine anger; the ire of God clamours against him, and if death should surprise him, what a calamity! His lot will be among the reprobate. That is why the kindest of mothers pours out on Her children, the sinners, all the treasures of the mercy and tenderness of Her maternal Heart. She attracts them with the sweetness of her name: Mother of Perpetual Help, with the fame of Her miracles and even with her merciful glance.

How many have not felt moved and converted on exchanging glances with this miraculous Virgin! That glance, filled with sadness and compassion, seems to say to the sinner: Unfortunate one! How long? How long will you afflict the tender Son you see in My arms with your offences? How long will you offer Him gall and vinegar, rendering His passion and death useless? How long will you afflict me, your Mother, and thrust into my heart, one after the other, most cruel swords? How long will you persist in running toward the eternal abyss? My child, how long? Tender words that only the heart hears; wondrous words that illuminate the understanding, soften the hardened heart, melt it, and finally, wrest from it that cry of the repentant prodigal: "I have sinned, My God; forgive me, forgive me." His tears flow abundantly; the Virgin presents them to Her beloved Son and the sinner is converted.

Say if it is not so, you who have found repentance, life, pardon, peace and joy in your heart before Her image. Is it surprising, then, that among the wonders the Virgin of Perpetual Help works every day, the stupendous conversions due to Her intercession number in Thousands! So certain it is that a pious writer said: "I do not know of any more efficacious nor more rapid means to obtain the conversion of a sinner than to inspire in him a tender and sincere devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help." And why would that wonder-working image want to be entrusted to a congregation of missionaries, accompanying them to the most remote towns and going in search of straying sheep in the most unknown and forgotten cottages?

Thus, beloved sinner, no matter the number or gravity of your faults or how hardened your heart is, all is not yet lost for you. Lift your spirit! Take courage! Have recourse to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and you will obtain forgiveness. She is the most safe refuge of the sinner who sincerely wants to return to his God. Tell Her, then, with all your heart: "O Mother of Perpetual Help! Filled with confidence in Thy kindness and mercy, I throw myself at Thy feet. I come wounded with the arrow of repentance. My having offended God grieves me; Mother obtain for me true repentance and forgiveness. "You will see that this benign Mother will make you return to grace and friendship with your God. Amen.

Meditate and ask for what you wish to obtain from Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

O Mother of Perpetual Help, we place before you all the intentions entrusted to you by those who pray with us here: the sick and the suffering, families in need, those seeking work, those carrying burdens known to you alone, and all who give thanks for favours received.

We pray for one another, though we may never meet. Take every petition into your motherly heart and present it to your Son. Obtain for each of us what is for God's glory and our true good, and the grace to accept His holy will in all things.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help,

pray for us. Amen.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do 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.

Antiphon

Thou art Perpetual Help benign. Come, therefore, I implore Thee.

The refrain is sung after each verse.

Most Blessed Virgin, Immaculate Queen and my Mother Mary, refuge and consolation of all creatures: I come before your throne with my entire family. I choose you for my Lady, my Mother, and my advocate with God. I dedicate myself to your service with all who are near and dear to me. Receive us as your children, I beg of you, O Mother of God. Keep us under your protection, especially at the hour of our death. O Mother of Mercy, I appoint you the mistress and ruler of my whole household, my family, my interests, my affairs. Please do not refuse this charge. Bless me and all my loved ones, and never allow us to be far from your Son.

Never let the devil glory in enslaving any one of us who is now consecrated to you. Grant that we may all arrive in heaven to thank you, and to praise and love Jesus our Redeemer together with you for all eternity. Amen.