Day 8

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.

O Mary, Lily of the Valley and Mirror of Purity, blessed be God, whose infinite goodness has given us in you so powerful a means of deliverance from the slavery of that deadly vice which, more than any other, causes the eternal ruin of souls. How many have you, O Virgin most pure, preserved in innocence through life! How many, after having long been slaves of their shameful passions, have through you recovered their freedom! I beseech you then, preserve me continually and all who belong to me from the attacks of this vice. Obtain for me, O Mary, by your holy Virginity and by your Immaculate Conception, that I may be pure in body and soul. You ever defend all those who confide in your Perpetual Help, and who invoke you in the hour of danger: grant then that in no day I may omit to honour you and to pray to you. May I bear you in mind, especially when the enemy of my salvation assails me. This is the grace I ask of you, and I desire always to ask of you: obtain it for me and I shall be secure. By your holy Virginity and your Immaculate Conception obtain for me, O Mother of Perpetual Help, purity of body and soul. 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 devotees at the hour of death.

Consider that, although man needs the benign help of Mary at all times and in all circumstances, never, however, as much as in the anxieties of death, which are the greatest that can be experienced in this world.

Terrible, indeed, very awful, are the afflictions of the dying. Everything conspires to make those last moments terrible: the memory of sins committed, the fear of the incomprehensible judgements of an offended God, the uncertainty of eternal salvation, everything, everything. Especially then, Hell arms itself and puts into action all its forces to possess the soul that is going to pass into eternity because it knows that only a little time remains before it is to be judged and that, if it does not succeed in ruining it, it will be saved forever. That is why the wicked spirit, accustomed to tempting it in life, is not content solely with tempting it at the hour of death but even calls his companions to help him. They say that, at the moment of St. Andrew Avellino's death, ten thousand devils gathered in his cell to tempt him.

But if, at that time, we have on our side the most powerful help of Mary, who will be able to overcome us? And, how will that gracious Mother deny us Her aid if we persevere in asking for it? She revealed to St. Gertrude that She grants aid to Her devotees, at the point of death, for as many times as they have implored Her in life.

O, my friend! How fortunate you will be if you find yourself bound by the chains of love to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the critical moment of death. These are the chains of salvation and eternal glory. No, that tender Mother does not know how to abandon Her true devotees at that supreme moment. She is the Mother of Perpetual Help, and just as She has helped them in their exile, so also She exhibits Her sweetness at the hour of death and obtains a sweet and happy end for them.

And above all, showing Herself worthy of the beautiful name She bears, She sends the prince St. Michael with all the angels to the aid of Her faithful dying children, so they go then to defend them from the snares of the devils and receive the souls of all those who have continually commended themselves to Her.

She is not content with sending angels to the aid of Her devotees; She will come in person to assist them in their last moments.

Since that great day when She had good fortune and at the same time the sorrow of assisting Her son Jesus, Who is the first of the predestined, She obtained the grace of assisting all of them also at the terrible moment of death. That is why the Holy Church makes us pray for Her to help us, especially in the hour of our death: "Pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death."

And this is found to conform with what the Blessed Virgin said to St. Bridget, speaking of Her devotees: "Then, My daughter, as their Mistress and Mother, when they die, I will go out to meet them so they may have consolation and comfort." The loving Queen then covers these souls with Her mantle and presents them to the judge, Her Son, and thus indeed attains salvation for them.

Christian, although you may have been a sinner, you will not cease experiencing this consolation, provided that, from now on, you manage to live well and to serve this gracious and most amiable Lady. In your anguish and the temptations with which the devil will assault you at death to make you despair, Our Mother of Perpetual Help will give you fortitude and come Herself to defend you. And, with such a Mother and Protector, what will you fear, O sinner?

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.