DEVOTION CORNER

TREATISE ON TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN
by St Louis de Montfort
 
PART II: THE PERFECT DEVOTION TO OUR LADY) (cont)
 Ch 7: 2. The Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin

234. If it is not too inconvenient, they should recite every day of their lives the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, which is composed of three Our Fathers and twelve Hail Marys in honour of the twelve glorious privileges of Mary. This prayer is very old and is based on Holy Scripture. St. John saw in a vision a woman crowned with twelve stars, clothed with the sun and standing upon the moon. According to biblical commentators, this woman is the Blessed Virgin.

235. There are several ways of saying the Little Crown but it would take too long to explain them here. The Holy Spirit will teach them to those who live this devotion conscientiously. However, here is a simple way to recite it. As an introduction say:" Virgin most holy, accept my praise; give me strength to fight your foes", then say the Creed. Next, say the following sequence of prayers three times: one Our Father, four Hail Marys and one Glory be to the Father. In conclusion say the prayer Sub tuum - "We fly to thy patronage".

www.catholictreasury.info

Here I am delighted to present the example of the practice of devotion to Little Crown of Our Lady, so profitable to the soul in particular in this time of the year when we are preparing for the coming Feast of Immaculate Conception - text after "Christian Warfare" - SSPX prayerbook, 2006, Angelus Press

I. CROWN OF EXCELLENCE
(To honour the divine maternity of the Blessed Virgin, her ineffable virginity, her purity without stain and her innumerable virtue - Let us humbly pray for the share of her virtue!

1.Our Father, Hail Mary
Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Lord, the Creator of the world; thou didst give birth to Him who made thee, and remainest a virgin forever.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

2.Hail Mary

O. Holy and Immaculate Virgin, I know not with what praise to extol thee, since thou didst bear in thy womb the very One Whom the heavens cannot contain.

Rejoice o Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

3.Hail Mary

Thou art all fair, O Virgin Mary, and there is no stain in thee.

Rejoice of Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

4. Hail Mary

Thy virtues, O Virgin Mary, surpass the stars in number.

Rejoice O Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

Glory be to the Father.

II THE CROWN OF POWER
(To honour the royalty of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her magnificence, her universla mediation and the strength of her rule)

5. Our Father, Hail Mary

Glory be to thee, O Empress of the world! Bring us with thee to the joys of Heaven.

Rejoice o Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

6. Hail Mary.

Glory be to thee, O Treasure House of the Lord's graces! Grant us a share in thy riches!

Rejoice o Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

7. Hail Mary

Glory be to thee, O Mediatrix between God and man! Through thee may the Almighty be favourable to us.

Rejoice o Verigin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

8. Hail Mary.

Glory be to thee who destroyest heresies and crushest demons! Be thou our loving guide.

Rejoice of Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

Glory be to the Father.

III. CROWN OF GOODNESS
To honour the mercy of teh Blessed Virgin toward sinners, the poor, the just and the dying

9. Our Father. Hail Mary

Glory be to thee, O Refuge of sinners! Intercede for us with God.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

10. Hail Mary.

Glory be to thee, O Mother of orphans! Render the Almighty favourable to us.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

11. Hail Mary.

Glory be to thee, O Joy of the just! Lead us with thee to the joys of Heaven.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

12.Hail Mary

Glory be to thee who art ever ready to assist us in life and in death! Lead us with thee to the Kingdom of Heaven!

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, rejoice a thousand times!

Glory be to the Father.

Let us pray
Hail! Mary, Daugther of God and Father; Hail, Mary, Mother of God the Son; Hail, Mary Spouse of the Holy Ghost; Hail, Mary, Temple of the most Holy Trinity; Hail Mary, my Mistress, my treasure, my joy, Queen of my heart; my Mother, my life, my sweetness, me dearest hope - yea, my heart and my soul! I am all thine and all that I have is thine, O Virgin blessed above all things! Let thy soul be in me to magnify the Lord; let thy spirit be in me to rejoice in God. Set thyself, O faithful Virgin, as a seal upon my heart, that in thee and through thee I may be faithful to God. Receive me, O gracious Virgin, among those whom thou lovest and teachest, whom thou leadest and nourishest and protectest as thy children. Grant that for love of thee I may despise all earthly consolations and ever cling to tose of Heaven until, through the Holy Ghost, thy faithul Spouse, and through thee, His faithful spouse, Jesus Christ, thy Son, be formed in me for the glory of the Father. Amen.