Effacious Novena of
the Three "Ave Maria's"

Prayer

It seems to me that the granting of this favor would tend to the glory of God, thine own honor, and the good of my soul.

If then, as I think, it is according to the amiable and most holy will of God, intercede for me, I beseech thee, O Mediatrix most powerful, with thy Divine Son, Who can refuse thee nothing.

Once again, I ask thee, in the name of that boundless power which our Heavenly Father has communicated to thee, and in honor of which I say in union with St. Mechtilde, to whom you first revealed the salutary practice of the Three Ave Marias:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Holy Virgin, who art so justly called Seat of Wisdom, because Wisdom itself, the Word of God, reposed in thee . . . O thou to whom this Adorable Son communicated His Divine knowledge in such measure as the most perfect creature could receive it . . . thou knowest full well how great is my present trouble, and how much I need thy assistance.

Confident then in this Divine Wisdom, I abandon myself entirely into thy hands, that with strength and sweeetness thou mayest arrange all to the greater glory of God and the good of my soul.

Deign then to come to my help by the means which will attain this end.

O Mary, Mother of Divine Wisdom, deign to obtain this precious grace which I beseech of thee. I ask it in the name of that incomparable wisdom with which Thy Son, the Word of God, has enlightened thee, and in honor of which I say, in union with St. Anthony of Padua and St. Leonard of Port-Maurice, the most zealous preachers of thy Three Ave Marias.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

O kind and loving Mother, verily Mother of Mercy, thou, who in these latter times hast been pleased to call thyself “Mother most merciful,” at thy feet I entreat thee, evidence thy compassionate kindness towards thy child.

The greater my need, the greater the compassion it will awaken in thee.

Full well I know, that in no way do I merit this grace which I desire so ardently, I who have so often saddened thee, by offending thy Divine Son. But if I have been guilty, very guilty, sincerely do I repent of having wounded the tender, loving Heart of Jesus and thine own.

Besides, art thou not, as thou didst reveal to St. Bridget, “the Mother of repentant sinners”? Forgive me, then, my past ingratitude and considering only thy merciful kindness as well as the glory which will reflect upon God and thyself, obtain for me from His merciful goodness, this grace which I beg through thine intercession.

O thou who hast never been invoked in vain. O clement! O merciful! O sweet Virgin Mary! deign, deign to help me, I beseech thee, by this merciful kindness with which the Holy Spirit has filled thee for us, and in honor of which I say with St. Alphonsus Liguori, the Apostle of thy mercy and the doctor of the Three Ave Marias.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

In Honor of the Power, Wisdom, and Loving Mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This novena is a traditional Roman Catholic devotional practice of reciting three Hail Marys as a petition for purity and other virtues. It is not to be confused with the Three Hail Marys devotion, invoking the Immaculate Conception, although they are similar and have the same origin.

This novena was prayed by Franciscans and eventually developed into the Angelus prayer.

One of the first to practice this and to recommend it was St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231). His purpose 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.”

According to St. Gertrude (1256–1301), the Blessed Virgin Mary promised the following: “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.”

Later on, St. Leonard of Port Maurice, “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.”

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787) adopted this pious practice and highly recommended it. He told parents to train their children to acquire the habit of saying three Hail Marys in the morning and evening. After each Hail Mary, he advice that the following prayer be said: “By thy Immaculate Conception, O Mary, make my body pure and my soul holy.”

“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.”

According to the St. Martha Catholic Church of the Pallottine Fathers, after Night Prayers, “Many Saints have had the practice of adding three “Hail Mary’s” here in honor of Mary’s purity for the grace of a chaste and holy life.” Thus, it has been recommended as a daily practice for people who have received confirmation that they pray the Three Hail Marys for “purity of mind, heart and body” after examination of conscience.

I

Oh, Immaculate Mary, Virgin most Powerful, I beseech thee, through that immense Power which thou hast received from the eternal Father, obtain for me Purity of heart, — Strength to overcome all the enemies of my soul; — and the special favor I implore in my present necessity.

[Ask your favor here]

Mother most pure! Forsake me not, despise not my prayer, graciously hear me for God’s glory, thy honor, and the welfare of my soul.

To obtain this favor I honor thy Power by reciting:

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 death.

Amen.

II

Oh Virgin Mary, My Mother, through that ineffable Wisdom bestowed upon thee by the Incarnate Word of God, I humbly beseech thee, obtain for me Meekness and humility of heart;—a perfect knowledge of the Divine Will and strength to accomplish it always.

Oh Mary, Seat of Wisdom; as a tender Mother lead me in the path of Christian Virtue and perfection; enlighten and enable me to do what is most pleasing to thy beloved Son, and obtain my petition.

[Ask your favor here]

To obtain this grace I honor thy Wisdom by reciting:

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 death.

Amen.

III

Oh, Mother of Mercy, Mother of penitent sinners, I stand before thee sinful and sorrowful, beseeching thee through the immense Love given to thee by the Holy Spirit for us poor sinners, obtain for me true and perfect contrition for my sins, which I hate and detest with all my heart, because I love God.

Mother most Merciful, help me in my present necessity.

[Ask your favor here]

Turn, then those eyes of Mercy toward us, Oh Clement, Oh Loving oh Sweet Virgin Mary!

To obtain this precious gift, I honor thy Loving Mercy by reciting:

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 death. Amen.

Amen.