The chief thing is to persevere faithfully until death in this
devotion.
Can there be an easier or more adaptable practice for all than the
recitation each day of three Ave Marias in honor of the privileges conferred by
the Adorable Trinity on the Blessed Virgin?
One of the first to say the three Hail Marys and to recommend them to
others was the illustrious St. Anthony of Padua. His special aim in this
practice was to honor the spotless Virginity of Mary and to preserve a perfect
purity of mind, heart and body in the midst of the dangers of the world. Many,
like him, have felt its salutary effects.
Later on, St. Leonard of Port-Maurice, the celebrated missionary, had
the three Ave Marias recited morning and evening in honor of Mary Immaculate,
to obtain the grace of avoiding all mortal sins during the day or and night;
moreover, he promised in a special manner eternal salvation to all those who
proved constantly faithful to this practice.
After the example of these two great Franciscan Saints, St. Alphonsus
Liguori adopted this pious practice and gave it his most ardent and powerful
support. He counseled its use and even imposed it as a penance on those who had
not adopted this good habit. The holy Doctor exhorts, in particular, parents,
and confessors to watch carefully that children be faithful in reciting each
day their three Hail Marys, morning and evening and recommended it to all the
devout young or old.
It is this Saint who suggested adding the aspiration after each Hail
Mary: "By thy Immaculate Conception, O Mary, make my body pure and my soul
holy."
This practice has been revealed to St. Melchtilde with the promise of a
good death, if she was faithful to it every day.
It is also written in St. Gertrude's revelations:
"While this Saint sang the Hail Mary, at the matins of the
Annunciation, she suddenly saw spring out from the Heart of the Father and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, three bright flames which penetrated the Heart
of the Holy Virgin." Then she heard the following words: "After the Power of the Father, the Wisdom of the Son, and the merciful Tenderness of the Holy Spirit, nothing approaches the Power, the Wisdom and the merciful Tenderness of Mary."
His Holiness, Benedict XV raised the Confraternity of the Three Hail
Marys to an Archconfraternity and accorded it indulgences.
Our Lady requested the daily recitation of three Hail Marys, revealing
the following to St. Melchtilde:
"The first Hail Mary will be in honor of God the Father, Whose
omnipotence raised my soul so high above every other creature that, after God,
I have the greatest power in Heaven and on earth. In the hour of your death I
will use that power of God the Father to keep any hostile power from you.
"The second Hail Mary will be in honor of God the Son, Who
communicated His inscrutable wisdom to me . . . In the hour of your death I
will fill your soul with the light of that wisdom so that all the darkness of
ignorance and error will be dispelled.
"The third Hail Mary will be in honor of God the Holy Ghost, Who
filled my soul with the sweetness of His love and tenderness and mercy . . . In
your last hour I will then change the bitterness of death into Divine sweetness
and delight."
PROMISE:
During an apparition to St. Gertrude, the Blessed Mother promised, "To any soul who faithfully prays the Three Hail Marys I will appear at the hour of death in a splendor of beauty so extraordinary that it will fill the soul with Heavenly consolation."
During an apparition to St. Gertrude, the Blessed Mother promised, "To any soul who faithfully prays the Three Hail Marys I will appear at the hour of death in a splendor of beauty so extraordinary that it will fill the soul with Heavenly consolation."
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE BLESSED TRINITY
With all my heart I praise Thee, Most Holy Virgin
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, Daughter of
the Eternal Father, and I consecrate to Thee
my soul with all its faculties.
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, Daughter of
the Eternal Father, and I consecrate to Thee
my soul with all its faculties.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee!
Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of
Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of
Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
With all my heart I praise Thee, Most Holy Virgin
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, beloved Mother
of the Son of God, and I consecrate to Thee my body
with all its senses.
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, beloved Mother
of the Son of God, and I consecrate to Thee my body
with all its senses.
Hail Mary, etc.
With all my heart I praise Thee, Most Holy Virgin
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, beloved Spouse
of the Holy Ghost, and I consecrate to Thee my heart
with all its affections, and beseech Thee to obtain for me from the Most Holy Trinity all the graces necessary for salvation. Hail Mary, etc.
above all Angels and Saints in Paradise, beloved Spouse
of the Holy Ghost, and I consecrate to Thee my heart
with all its affections, and beseech Thee to obtain for me from the Most Holy Trinity all the graces necessary for salvation. Hail Mary, etc.
PRACTICE: Recite morning and evening the Consecration and Three Hail
Marys in honor of the three great privileges of Mary, together with this invocation at the end of each Hail Mary: By thy holy and Immaculate Conception, O Mary,
make my body pure and my soul holy; preserve me this day [this night] from mortal sin.
make my body pure and my soul holy; preserve me this day [this night] from mortal sin.
Imprimatur: Feb. 7, 1963
Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York
Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York
Pope St. Pius X gave
his Apostolic Blessing to this practice.
The devotion was
raised to an Archconfraternity by Pope Benedict XV.
This devotion in its
present form is from St. Leonard of Port Maurice.
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