Indulgenced Marian prayers for your children - and yourself

by Allison Girone

The Annunciation by Philippe de Champaigne (Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

In sharing my tradition of Something About Mary posts for Mary's month of May, someone shared with me the idea of memorizing Marian prayers with our children this month.

Great idea

A devotion to Our Lady is an essential element of the faith I, too, want to pass on to my children. (A reflection from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI  says being Catholic means being Marian.) And so, I go to a favorite and oft-mentioned book, The Handbook of Indulgences. Why not memorize a prayer that is efficacious and provides graces!

For the very young, there is  

Maria, Mater gratiae, A Child's Prayer to Mary

Mary, mother whom we bless,
full of grace and tenderness,
defend me from the devil's power
and greet me in my dying hour.

And,  

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help or sought your intercession,
was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence,
I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

Find more Marian prayers (which adults can memorize too!) at Allison Girone's blog, Totus Tuus Family & Homeschool.