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.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Morning Offering
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all my associates, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.
~ Apostleship of Prayer
Holy Father's Intentions for January 2012
General Intention: That the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives.
Mission Intention: That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will.
Just as the Virgin presented Jesus to the Magi, so she continues to offer him to humanity. Let us welcome him from her hands: Christ fulfills the deepest expectations of our hearts and gives full meaning to all our projects and acts.
~ Pope Benedict XVI
Our Lady of Tenderness
There is a traditional belief that this icon was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist on wood from a table used by the Holy Family at Nazareth and that it was presented to the Blessed Mother during her life on earth. Many persons, especially those entering battle, have prayed before the image to invoke Our Lady's intercession for protection against enemies.
for beginner rosary makers and for anyone who is learning something new...
A Prayer to Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom
by Saint Thomas Aquinas
O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so many persons of common intellect have made through your intercession admirable progress in their studies.
I hereby choose you as my guardian and patron of my studies. I humbly ask you to obtain for me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I can understand more quickly, retain more readily, and express myself more fluently. May the example of my life serve to honor you and your Son, Jesus. Amen.
