Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

2634 Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one
intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners.112 He is "able for all time to
save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for
them."113 The Holy Spirit "himself intercedes for us . . . and intercedes for the saints according to
the will of God."114
2635 Since Abraham, intercession - asking on behalf of another has been characteristic of a heart
attuned to God's mercy. In the age of the Church, Christian intercession participates in Christ's,
as an expression of the communion of saints. In intercession, he who prays looks "not only to his
own interests, but also to the interests of others," even to the point of praying for those who do
him harm.115
2636 The first Christian communities lived this form of fellowship intensely.116 Thus the
Apostle Paul gives them a share in his ministry of preaching the Gospel 117 but also intercedes
for them.118 The intercession of Christians recognizes no boundaries: "for all men, for kings and
all who are in high positions," for persecutors, for the salvation of those who reject the
Gospel.119

112 Cf. Rom 8:34; 1 Jn 2:1; 1 Tim 2:5-8.

113 Heb 7:25.
114 Rom 8:26-27.
115 Phil 2:4; cf. Acts 7:60; Lk 23:28,34.
116 Cf. Acts 12:5; 20:36; 21:5; 2 Cor 9:14.
117 Cf. Eph 6:18-20; Col 4:3-4; 1 Thess 5:25.
118 Cf. 2 Thess 1:11; Col 1:3; Phil 1:3-4.

Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but that very Spirit intercedes[a] with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God,[b] who searches the
heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according
to the will of God.

Virgin Mary is the Immaculate Conception, who was “overshadowed” by the Holy Spirit in a
double proportion in bearing the Word Incarnate and at the formation of the Catholic Church in
that Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. She is our Mother, given to the whole world by our
Savior at the foot of that Cross in Calvary when he said - Woman, Behold your Son. If you
believe in the power of intercession, there is no one as powerful and as Reliable as Our Lady, the
Virgin Mother of God, who could take your petitions to the Tri-une God.

Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at your feet a sinner who has recourse to you and has
confidence in you. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling you the refuge
and hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, your
Son, help me. Give your hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to you and
dedicates himself to your lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has
given to me this confidence in you, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.It is true that in
the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to
you. But I know that with your help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that
you will help me, if I commend myself to you. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I
may neglect to call upon you and thus run the risk of being lost.This grace, then, I seek of
you; for this I implore you as much as I know and as much as I can: that in all the attacks
of hell I may ever have recourse to you and say to you: “O Mary, help me. O Mother of
Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God.”

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. (3 Hail Marys.)

We fly to your patronage,O holy Mother of God,despise not our petitions in our
necessities, but deliver us from all dangers.O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Mother of Perpetual Help, aid me ever to call upon your powerful name, since your name
is the help of the living and the salvation of the dying. Mary most pure, Mary most sweet,
grant that your name from this day forth may be to me the very breath of life. Dear Lady,
do not delay in coming to help me when I call upon you, for in all the temptations that
trouble me, in all the needs of my life, I will ever call upon you, repeating: “Mary,
Mary.”What comfort, what sweetness, what confidence, what consolation fills my soul at
the sound of your name, at the very thought of you! I give thanks to the Lord, who for my
sake has given you a name so sweet, so lovable and so mighty. But I am not content only
to speak your name; I will call upon you because I love you. I want that love to remind
me always to call you Mother of Perpetual Help.
Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary… (3 Hail Marys.) We fly to your patronage,O
holy Mother of God,despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all
dangers.O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Mother of Perpetual Help, you are the dispenser of every grace that God grants us in our
misery. For this reason He has made you so powerful, so rich, and so kind that you might
help us in our needs. You are the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners,
if they but come to you. Come to my aid, for I commend myself to you. In your hands I
place my eternal salvation; to you I entrust my soul. Count me among your most faithful
servants. Take me under your protection; that is enough for me. If you protect me, I shall
fear nothing. I shall not fear my sins, because you will obtain for me their pardon and
remission. Neither shall I fear the evil spirits, because you are mightier than all the
powers of hell. I fear only that through my own negligence I may forget to recommend
myself to you and so lose my soul. My dear Lady, obtain for me the forgiveness of my
sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace to have recourse to you at all times,
Mother of Perpetual Help.

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary… (3 Hail Marys.) We fly to your patronage,O
holy Mother of God,despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all
dangers.O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin and my Mother, Mary, to thee, Who art the Mother of
my Lord, the Queen of the world, the Advocate, the Hope, and the Refuge of sinners, I
have recourse today. I who am the most miserable of all. I render thee my most humble
homage, O Great Queen, and I thank thee for all the graces thou has obtained for me until
now, and in particular for having saved me from hell which I have so often deserved. I
love thee, O most Amiable Lady; and, for the love which I bear thee, I promise to serve
thee always and do all in my power to make others also love thee. I place in thee all my
hopes and I confide my salvation to thy care. Accept me for thy servant and receive me
under thy mantle, O Mother of Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver
me from all temptations, or, rather, obtain for me the strength to triumph over them until
death. Of thee I ask a perfect love for Jesus Christ; through thee I hope to die a good
death. O my Mother, by the love which thou bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me at
all times but especially at the last moment of my life. Leave me not, I beseech thee, until
thou seest me safe in heaven, blessing thee and singing thy mercies for all eternity.
Amen, so I hope; so may it be.

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary… (3 Hail Marys.) We fly to your patronage,O
holy Mother of God,despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all
dangers.O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.