Great Novena of the Immaculate Conception
France knows what is called the "Great Novena of the Immaculate Conception," which is held annually from November 30 to December 8. It was founded in 1936, and is practiced to this day without discontinuing. The original reason for this Novena was, according to the founders, the "extreme gravity of present events," alluding to the combined threat of communism and fascism, Nazism in particular. the Novena asked for zealous prayer in favor of the social and Christian regeneration of France and for universal peace. This call in homage of Pope Pius XI's eightieth birthday was addressed not only to the Catholics of France. It received a positive answer from hundreds of thousands of faithful in many countries of the world.
The participants in the "Great Novena of the Immaculate Conception" were asked to say every day at least one decade of the rosary, followed by three times the invocation: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you." (University of Dayton)
With profound joy we begin the Great Novena of the Immaculate Conception having just completed on November 27th a Novena to the Blessed Virgin under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (first known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception).
Our joy is doubled in recognizing that Our Lady of the Cape was fashioned after the Miraculous Medal and donated to Canada's National Marian Shrine in 1854, the year the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX.
Day One
O most Holy Virgin, who was pleasing to the Lord and became His mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on me as I implore your powerful intercession. O most Holy Mother, who by your blessed Immaculate Conception, from the first moment of your conception did crush the head of the enemy, receive our prayers as we implore you to present at the throne of God the favor we now request.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Two
O Mary, ever Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Queen of Angels and of Saints, we salute you with the most profound veneration and filial devotion as we contemplate your holy Immaculate Conception. We thank you for your maternal protection and for the many blessings that we have received through your wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all our necessities, we have recourse to you with unbounded confidence. O Mother of Mercy, we beseech you now to hear our prayer and to obtain for us of your Divine Son the favor that we so earnestly request in this novena.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Three
O Blessed Virgin Mary, glory of the Christian people, joy of the universal Church and Mother of our Lord, speak for us to the Heart of Jesus, who is your Son and our Brother. O Mary, who by your holy Immaculate Conception did enter the world free from stain, in your mercy obtain for us from Jesus the special favor which we now so earnestly seek.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Four
O Mary, Mother of God, endowed in your glorious Immaculate Conception with the fullness of grace; unique among women in that you are both mother and virgin; Mother of Christ and Virgin of Christ, we ask you to look down with a tender heart from your throne and listen to our prayers as we earnestly ask that you obtain for us the favor for which we now plead.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Five
O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, did prepare a fitting dwelling for Your Son, we beseech You that as by the foreseen death of Your Son, You did preserve her from all stain of sin, grant that through her intercession, we may be favored with the granting of the grace that we seek at this time.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Six
Glorious and immortal Queen of Heaven, we profess our firm belief in your Immaculate Conception preordained for you in the merits of your Divine Son. We rejoice with you in your Immaculate Conception. To the one ever-reigning God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in Person, one in nature, we offer thanks for your blessed Immaculate Conception. O Mother of the Word made Flesh, listen to our petition as we ask this special grace during this novena.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Seven
O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, and my mother, from the sublime heights of your dignity, turn your merciful eyes upon me while I, full of confidence in your bounty and keeping in mind your Immaculate Conception and fully conscious of your power, beg of you to come to our aid and ask your Divine Son to grant the favor we earnestly seek in this novena, if it be beneficial for our immortal souls and the souls for whom we pray.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Eight
O Most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, intercede with Him for us that we be granted the favor which we petition for so earnestly in this novena. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, we feel animated with confidence that your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. O Glorious Mother of God, in memory of your joyous Immaculate Conception, hear our prayers and obtain for us our petitions.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x
Day Nine
O Mother of the King of the Universe, most perfect member of the human race, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast,” we turn to you as mother, advocate, and mediator. O Holy Mary, assist us in our present necessity. By your Immaculate Conception, O Mary conceived without sin, we humbly beseech you from the bottom of our heart to intercede for us with your Divine Son and ask that we be granted the favor for which we now plead.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." 3x