# The Devotion of the Twelve Stars
*2022-04-26*

> Bill Young leads a Zoom prayer session on the 12‑Star devotion to the Virgin Mary, explaining its history, the twelve privileges, and praying the associated prayers.

## Introducing the 12‑Star Devotion

Bill welcomes listeners to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and explains that today’s focus is the devotion to the Twelve Stars, taken from the 1886–1954 prayer book of the Handmaids of the Most Holy Sacrament in Bologna, Italy. The devotion arose during a time of great physical and moral suffering, when Mother Mary revealed to the founder a series of twelve privileges of the Virgin that she was to spread because they delighted her heart.

## The Structure of the Devotion

Each privilege is meditated upon, followed by a Hail Mary and a short prayer that thanks the Holy Trinity for the grace granted to Mary. Bill reads the introductory prayer, the Creed, and the Our Father, then moves through the twelve privileges, offering a brief reflection and the accompanying prayer for each.

## Sample Privileges and Reflections

Bill highlights several privileges:
• The first privilege recalls Mary’s role in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15) as the one who, together with the future Redeemer, will crush the serpent’s head.
• The third privilege speaks of Mary’s perfect conformity to God’s will, echoing the “fiat” of the Annunciation.
• The seventh privilege celebrates Mary’s perpetual virginity, describing her as a lily among thorns.
• The tenth privilege looks forward to Mary’s assumption and heavenly glory, drawing on Revelation 12.
Each reflection connects Scripture with the mystery of Mary’s participation in salvation.

## Prayer and Community

Throughout the session Bill invites listeners to join in the prayers, noting that the background turned a beautiful blue each time he said “Hail Mary.” He encourages participants to keep the devotion alive, especially since it is not prayed often, and to bring anything that makes Mary happy. He concludes with the opening prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed.

## Closing Thoughts

Bill expresses gratitude to the Holy Trinity and to Mary, hoping that the 12‑Star devotion will deepen the participants’ love for the Virgin and draw them closer to Christ’s mercy.

*Praying the twelve privileges of Mary helps us enter more fully into her role as our mother and intercessor, drawing us nearer to the mercy of the Holy Trinity.*