OUR MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL

Novena:  A.D. 4/18 — 4/26:

There is a miraculous picture of The Blessed Virgin Mother, who is holding Her Divine Son close to Her, whose title is “Mother of Good Counsel”.  It is said to have been miraculously translated from Albania to its present place in Genazzano, a city located 30 miles outside of Rome.

“O Most Glorious Virgin, chosen by the Eternal Counsel to be The Mother of The Eternal Word Made Flesh, Thou, Who art The Treasurer of divine graces, and the Advocate of sinners, I, Thy most unworthy servant, have recourse to thee; be Thou pleased to be my Guide and Counselor in this vale of tears.  Obtain for me through The Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, the forgiveness of my sins, the salvation of my soul, and the means necessary to obtain it.  In like manner, obtain for Holy Mother The Church victory over Her enemies, and the spread of The Kingdom of Jesus Christ upon the whole earth.  Amen.”

“He [Pope Pius XII] later composed this prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel, which can be used as a novena:

O Holy Virgin, to whose Feet we are led by our anxious uncertainty in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking Thee by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel, we beseech Thee to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading our minds and our hearts astray.  O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of good; render them steadfast in the face of the hostile and corrupting influences of passion and of sin.  O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from Thy Divine Son a great love of virtue, and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation.  If Thy Hand sustains us, we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by The Life and Words of Jesus, our Redeemer; and having followed freely and securely, even in the midst of this world’s strife, The Sun of Truth and Justice under Thy Maternal Star, we shall come to the enjoyment of full and eternal peace with Thee in The Haven of Salvation.  Amen.”

(taken from:  http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/prayers-to-our-lady-of-good-counsel.html)

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