How to pray it
Say the opening prayers first. Then say nine Hail Marys and one Glory be. Then say the prayer for the day. End with the hymn and the closing prayers. The opening and closing are the same every day. The daily prayer changes.
Opening
Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful people, and kindle in them the fire of thy love.
V. Send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
God, who hast taught the hearts of thy faithful people by the light of thy Holy Spirit; grant us, in the same spirit, to relish what is right, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort. Through Christ our Lord;
R. Amen.
Virgin most pure, conceived without sin, from the first moment of thy conception fair and stainless; glorious Mary, full of grace, mother of my God; queen of angels and of men! I humbly venerate thee as the mother of my Saviour, who, though he was God, taught me, by his own veneration, reverence and obedience to thee, the honor and homage that I owe thee. Vouchsafe, I pray thee, to accept the novena which I dedicate to thee. Thou art the safe refuge of the penitent sinner: fit, then, it is that I should have recourse to thee. Thou art the mother of mercy: will not, then, my miseries, so manifold, move thee to compassion? Mary, my sole hope after Jesus, thou canst not but accept the loving trust which I have in thee: make me worthy to be called thy son, that with confidence I may cry to thee, Show thyself a mother.
Say the Hail Mary nine times, and the Glory be to the Father once, then the prayer for the day.
Day 1
Lo, at thy sacred feet I bow, Virgin immaculate, the while my heart overflows with joy in union with thine own, because from eternity thou wast the mother elect of the eternal Word, and wast preserved stainless from the taint of Adam's sin. For ever praised, for ever blessed be the most holy Trinity, who in thy conception poured out upon thy soul the riches of that matchless privilege. I humbly pray thee, gracious mother, obtain for me the grace to overcome the bitter results of original sin; ah yes! make me victorious over them, that I may never cease to love my God.
Day 2
Mary, unsullied lily of heavenly purity, I rejoice with thee, because from thy conception's earliest dawn thou wast full of grace, and endowed with the perfect use of reason. I thank and I adore the ever blessed Trinity, who gave thee those high gifts. I am overwhelmed with shame in thy presence, to see myself so poor in grace. O thou, who wast filled with heavenly grace! impart some portion of it to my soul, and make me share the treasures of thy immaculate conception.
Day 3
Mary, thou mystical rose of purity, my heart rejoices with thine at the glorious triumph which thou didst gain over the infernal serpent by thy immaculate conception, and because thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with my whole heart the ever-blessed Trinity, who granted thee this glorious privilege; and I pray thee to obtain for me strength to overcome all the wiles of the infernal foe, and never to stain my soul with sin. Be thou mine aid; make me, by thy protection, victorious over the common foe of our eternal welfare.
Day 4
Mirror of holy purity, Mary, Virgin immaculate, great is my joy while I consider that, from thy immaculate conception, the most sublime and perfect virtues were infused into thy soul, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. I thank and praise the most holy Trinity who bestowed on thee these high privileges. I pray thee, gentle mother, obtain for me grace to practise virtue, and so make me worthy to become partaker of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.
Day 5
Mary, bright moon of purity, I rejoice with thee, because the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of salvation for the race of man, and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever-blessed Trinity, who thus did magnify and glorify thee; and I beg of thee to obtain for me the grace so to profit by thy dear Son's death and passion, that his precious blood may not have been shed in vain for me upon the cross, but that, after a holy life, I may reach heaven in safety.
Day 6
Mary immaculate, most brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee, because thy immaculate conception has bestowed upon the angels in paradise the greatest joy. I thank and bless the ever-blessed Trinity, who enriched thee with this high privilege. O let me, too, one day enter into this heavenly joy, in the company of angels, that I may praise and bless thee, world without end.
Day 7
Mary immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, gazing in wonder upon thy soul confirmed in grace from the very first moment of thy conception, and rendered inaccessible to sin. I thank and magnify the ever-blessed Trinity, who chose thee from all our race for this special privilege. Holy Virgin, obtain for me utter and constant hatred of all sin above every other evil, and let me rather die than ever again fall into sin.
Day 8
O spotless sun O Virgin Mary! I congratulate thee. I rejoice with thee, because in thy conception God gave thee grace greater and more boundless than he ever shed on all his angels and all the saints, together with all their merits. I thank and marvel at the surpassing beneficence of the ever-blessed Trinity who conferred on thee this privilege. O make me to correspond with the grace of God and never abuse it! Change this heart of mine, make me now begin to amend my life.
Day 9
O living light of holiness, model of purity, Mary immaculate, virgin and mother! as soon as thou wast conceived, thou didst profoundly adore thy God, giving him thanks that in thee the ancient curse was revoked, and blessing came again upon the sinful sons of Adam. O make this blessing kindle in my heart love for God; and do thou fan this flame of love within me, that I may love him constantly, and one day in heaven eternally enjoy him, there to thank him more and more fervently for all the wondrous privileges conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for thy high crown of glory.
Closing
V. All fair art thou, O Mary!
R. All fair art thou, O Mary!
V. The original stain is not in thee.
R. The original stain is not in thee.
V. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.
R. Thou art the joy of Israel.
V. Thou art the honor of our people.
R. Thou the advocate of sinners.
V. O Mary!
R. O Mary!
V. Virgin most prudent.
R. Mother most tender.
V. Pray for us.
R. Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.
V. In thy conception Virgin, thou wast immaculate.
R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son was born of thee.
Let us pray.
God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for thy divine Son: grant that, as in view of the death of that Son, thou didst preserve her from all taint, so thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that, cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at thine eternal glory.
O God, the pastor and ruler of all the faithful! graciously look upon thy servant, Leo XIV, whom thou hast set over thy holy Church; grant him, we beseech thee, by word and example, so to direct those over whom thou hast placed him, that, together with the flock thou hast intrusted to his care, he may attain eternal life.
O God, our refuge and strength, who art the source of all piety! hearken to the pious prayers of thy Church, and grant that what we ask in faith, we may in deed obtain. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.