Imprimatur, 1866

         Today all good Catholics are preparing to keep the month of May in honour of our Blessed Lady. This is a devotion in which every little child should try to join; for every child knows he should honour and love his parents, and above all his mother. Well, Mary is our Mother in heaven, and loves us far more even than the best and kindest mother on earth. Our Blessed Mother Mary loves little children very dearly. If they are good children, they remind her of the Holy Child Jesus, and she loves them because they are trying to be like Him. If they are naughty, she loves them also, because a mother loves even her naughty child, and hopes one day that it will be good. So Mary loves you, my dear child, whoever you may be. It does not matter to her whether you are rich or poor, or whether you are clever or dull. It is your soul Mary loves, and all little children have souls--souls that will certainly be either for ever with God and the bright angels, or with the devil and the wicked angels. Now, try to think what you ought to ask our Blessed Mother Mary to do for you during this month of May, and say the following prayer:


Prayer

Mother of Jesus, and my Mother, look with pity and love upon a child who wishes to honour you during the coming month. Oh, help me to spend it in the way that will be most pleasing to you, and then I may be sure I shall be pleasing your divine Son. I humbly ask you, O Blessed Lady, to be my Mother, and to take me for your own child. I desire to consecrate myself entirely to you, I put my whole life under your special protection; watch over me, guard me, pray for me, love me, O dear, Mother Mary, from this moment until my dying hour, and then present me safely to Jesus. I offer you all the good and holy words and works that will be done in your honour during this month of May; and I offer you the prayers which I hope to say every day that I may obtain [here name your intention], and also in thanksgiving for [here mention what you wish to thank God for]; I also offer all the indulgences that I may gain by these prayers for the souls in purgatory for whom you wish me to pray. O Mother of Jesus, bless and help your poor child now and for ever. Amen.

Then say three times, Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation,--
as there are three hundred days indulgence for each time you say it.
If you have time, you might also say a part of the Rosary,
or at least one Our Father and ten Hail Marys.



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Download the book, "The Child's Month of Mary"





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