# Prayer to the Virgin Mary of Loreto: Happy birthday, Mary
*2020-09-08*

> In honor of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8th, Bill Young leads a devotion to Our Lady of Loreto, praying for the sanctity of the family and the healing of the world.

## Celebrating the Birthday of Mary

Good evening. This is Bill Young and welcome to the Prayer and Lunch podcast. Today is the birthday of our Blessed Virgin Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus and a spiritual mother to all of us. Happy birthday, Mary. In honor of Mary, we are going to be praying to the Virgin Mary of Loreto, as today, September 8th, is one of the designated days for this prayer.

## The Prayer to Our Lady of Loreto

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O Mary of Loreto, glorious Virgin, we approach you with confidence and accept with humble prayer of ours today. Humanity is now greatly troubled by grave evils, from which it needs to be freed. It needs peace, justice, truth, and love, and it can only find these realities near your Son.

O Mother, you carried the divine Savior in the most pure virginity and lived with him in the Holy House which we venerate on the hill of Loreto. Grant us the grace to seek him and to imitate his example, which leads to salvation. Through faith and faithful love, we come in a spiritual way to your blessed home. Because of the presence of your family, it is the supreme holy home by which we want all Christian families to be inspired.

From Jesus, may every son learn wholly to obey and to work. From you, O Mary, may all women learn humility and the spirit of sacrifice. From Joseph, who lived for you and for Jesus, may all men learn to believe in God and to live justly and faithfully in the family and in society. Many families, O Mary, do not have a sanctuary where God is loved and served. Therefore, we pray that each family may imitate yours, recognizing your divine Son in daily life and loving him above all things.

## Intercessions for the World and the Church

Just as Jesus left his holy house to proclaim his word, which is light and life, may the echoes of his all-powerful word reach all people from the holy walls of his house, speaking to us about faith and charity. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

We pray to you, O Mary, for the universal Church, for Italy, and for all the people of the earth; for ecclesial and civil institutions, for the suffering, and for sinners, so that everyone may become a disciple of God. On this day of grace, united to the faithful who desire to venerate the Holy House where you were overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, we repeat the words of the Archangel Gabriel: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

## Invocations and Final Petitions

We invoke you, Hail O Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mother of the Church, refuge of sinners, comfort of the afflicted, and help for Christians. Amidst difficulties and frequent temptations, we are in danger of being lost, but we look to you and repeat: Hail, Gate of Paradise. Hail, Star of the Sea. May our petitions rise to you, O Mary, telling you our desires for love for Jesus and hope in you. 

Our Lady of Loreto, pray for me. Our Lady of Loreto, protect me. Our Lady of Loreto, heal me. Our Lady of Loreto, take care of my children. Our Lady of Loreto, ease my sufferings. Our Lady of Loreto, intercede for me. Our Lady of Loreto, protect my dear ones. Our Lady of Loreto, assist me at the hour of my death. Amen.

## A Call to Prayer for Society

That is such a beautiful prayer, and it is very important right now in our society. One of the things we will be supporting is the 54-day Rosary to our Blessed Mother for the sake of those running for office, praying that, according to God's will, the right individuals will win—those who protect life, not take life. This is being promoted through the Church Militant. I believe Dr. Ted Marshal and others are also speaking on this. If you can, please start today; if not, try to make it up tomorrow for the 54 days.

God bless you all. Thank you, Mary, for saying yes. Thank you for taking care of your Son and our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for all those days that you suffered, knowing that your Son would be crucified, but being blessed to find that he had risen after the third day. Mary, you had the most faith in our Lord and Father, and in the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

*Through the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto, we seek to transform our own homes into sanctuaries of faith and pray for leaders who will protect the sanctity of life.*