Montfort’s direction for this phase
229. During the second week, they shall apply themselves, in all their prayers and works of each day, to knowing the Most Blessed Virgin. They shall ask this knowledge of the Holy Spirit. They may read and meditate on what we have said about her. They shall recite, as in the first week, the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave maris Stella, and, in addition, a rosary every day, or at least a chaplet, for this intention.
St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary §229. Our complete English edition.
True Devotion to Mary, paragraphs 261–264
This optional reading accompanies the phase; Montfort’s preparation instructions above remain the guide.
261. 3. One must do one’s actions in Mary. To understand this practice well, one must know: 1. That the Most Blessed Virgin is the true earthly paradise of the new Adam, and that the ancient earthly paradise was only its figure. There are, then, in this earthly paradise, riches, beauties, rarities, and inexplicable sweetnesses, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in this paradise that he took his delight for nine months, that he wrought his marvels, and that he displayed his riches with the magnificence of a God. This most holy place is composed only of a virgin and immaculate earth, from which the new Adam was formed and nourished, without any spot or stain, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, who dwells there. It is in this earthly paradise that there truly stands the tree of life, which bore Jesus Christ, the fruit of life; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which gave light to the world. There are, in this divine place, trees planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction, which have borne and bear every day fruits of a divine taste; there are flowerbeds studded with beautiful and varied flowers of the virtues, which give forth a fragrance that perfumes even the angels. There are in this place green meadows of hope, impregnable towers of fortitude, charming houses of confidence, etc. Only the Holy Spirit can make known the truth hidden under these figures of material things. There is in this place a pure air, without infection, of purity; a beautiful day, without night, of the holy humanity; a beautiful sun, without shadows, of the Divinity; a burning and continual furnace of charity, where all the iron that is put into it is set aflame and changed into gold; there is a river of humility which springs from the earth and which, dividing into four branches, waters all this enchanted place; these are the four cardinal virtues.
262. 2. The Holy Spirit, by the mouth of the holy Fathers, also calls the Blessed Virgin: 1. the eastern gate, through which the high priest Jesus Christ enters and goes out into the world; he entered it the first time through her, and he will come there the second time; 2. the sanctuary of the Divinity, the repose of the Most Holy Trinity, the throne of God, the city of God, the altar of God, the temple of God, the world of God. All these different epithets and praises are very true, with respect to the different marvels and graces which the Most High has wrought in Mary. Oh! what riches! Oh! what glory! Oh! what pleasure! Oh! what happiness, to be able to enter and dwell in Mary, where the Most High has set the throne of his supreme glory!
263. But how difficult it is for sinners such as we are to have the permission and the capacity and the light to enter into a place so high and so holy, which is guarded not by a cherub, like the ancient earthly paradise, but by the Holy Spirit himself, who has made himself its absolute master, and of her he says: Hortus conclusus soror mea sponsa, hortus conclusus, fons signatus [A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up]. Mary is enclosed; Mary is sealed; the wretched children of Adam and Eve, driven out of the earthly paradise, can enter this one only by a particular grace of the Holy Spirit, which they must merit.
264. After one has obtained this signal grace by one’s fidelity, one must dwell in the beautiful interior of Mary with delight, rest there in peace, lean there with confidence, hide there in assurance, and lose oneself there without reserve, so that in this virginal bosom: 1. the soul may be nourished with the milk of her grace and of her maternal mercy; 2. may be delivered there from its troubles, fears, and scruples; 3. may be there in safety against all its enemies, the devil, the world, and sin, which have never had entrance there: which is why she says that those who work in her shall not sin: Qui operantur in me, non peccabunt, that is to say, those who dwell in the Blessed Virgin in spirit will commit no considerable sin; 4. so that the soul may be formed in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ formed in her: because her bosom is, as the Fathers say, the hall of the divine sacraments, where Jesus Christ and all the elect have been formed: Homo et homo natus est in ea [A man and a man is born in her].
St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary §§261–264. Our complete English edition.
The prayers for this phase
Days 20–26: ask the Holy Spirit for knowledge of the Blessed Virgin. Continue the Litany of the Holy Spirit and Ave Maris Stella, and pray the Rosary daily for this intention—at least five decades, as Montfort permits a chaplet when the full traditional fifteen-decade Rosary is not prayed. Meditate on the mysteries with attention and ask to know, love, and imitate your Mother.
The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer.
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, Thou Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us.
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us.
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us.
Spirit of faith and hope, have mercy on us.
Spirit of holy fear and love, have mercy on us.
Spirit of peace and joy, have mercy on us.
Spirit of patience, longanimity, and goodness, have mercy on us.
Spirit of continency and chastity, have mercy on us.
Spirit of humility and mortification, have mercy on us.
Spirit of life and salvation, have mercy on us.
Spirit of all virtues and graces, have mercy on us.
Spirit of the children of God, have mercy on us.
Teacher and Governor of the Catholic Church, have mercy on us.
Searcher of human hearts, have mercy on us.
Consoler of the afflicted, have mercy on us.
Strength of pious souls, have mercy on us.
Crown of all saints, have mercy on us.
Joy of the angels, have mercy on us.
Light of the patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Inspirer of the prophets, have mercy on us.
Wisdom of the apostles, have mercy on us.
Victory of martyrs and confessors, have mercy on us.
Purity of virgins, have mercy on us.
Be merciful: spare us, O Holy Spirit.
Be merciful: graciously hear us, O Holy Spirit.
From the spirit of heresy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From the spirit of blasphemy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all sin and temptation, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From impugning the known truth, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From presumption of God’s mercy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From despair, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From envy, malice, and ill-will, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From obstinacy in sin, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all sloth and indifference in the service of God, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all bad and impure thoughts and desires, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From everlasting death, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
We sinners, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst exalt the Catholic Church, enlighten her pastors, and sanctify her members, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant us the grace never to offend Thee, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst increase in us devotion and resignation to the will of God, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst infuse in us zeal, meekness, and love, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst sanctify all our thoughts, words, and actions, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst cleanse our hearts and make them Thy dwelling, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our body and soul, as Thy temple, from all stain, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst confirm us in Thy grace, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst enlighten the erring and bring them back to the true fold, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst take us all into the company of the elect, we beseech Thee to hear us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Manual of Adoration (1897); English text with limited wording updates.
Prayer after the Litany of the Holy Spirit
Let us pray.
We beseech Thee, O Holy Spirit, descend with Thy light and consolation lovingly into our souls, enlighten our understanding, and consecrate the hearts which Thou hast sanctified as Thy temples. O Holy Spirit, come and bring us God’s blessing and peace; console us and all the afflicted, encourage and strengthen the weak; instruct and support the wavering; rouse the sinners to penance, and enkindle in their cold hearts the fire of divine love and a filial confidence in Thee, that all men, in peace and joy, may thankfully praise and adore Thee, together with the Father and the Son, one God, world without end. Amen.
Manual of Adoration (1897); prayer following the litany.
Ave Maris Stella · Hail, Star of the Sea
Hail, Star of the Sea, loving Mother of God, and ever Virgin, blessed gate of heaven.
Receiving that Ave from Gabriel’s mouth, establish us in peace, reversing the name of Eve.
Loosen the bonds of the guilty; bring light to the blind; drive away our evils; ask for us every good.
Show thyself a mother: through thee may He receive our prayers who, born for us, willed to be thy Son.
Virgin without equal, meek above all others, make us, freed from sin, meek and chaste.
Grant us a pure life; prepare a safe journey, that, seeing Jesus, we may rejoice together for ever.
Praise be to God the Father, glory to Christ Most High, and to the Holy Spirit: one honor to the Three. Amen.
Traditional Latin hymn; English rendering for The Marian Way.
Pray at least five decades of the Rosary.
Ask Mary for knowledge of her and the grace to share her faith and charity. Our complete companion provides the mysteries, meditations, and every prayer. Return to this day afterward to finish your prayer.
Pray the Rosary with MaryClose in prayer.
I take you for my all. Give me your heart, O Mary!
St. Louis de Montfort · True Devotion to Mary §266Prayer sources and translation notes
Days 20–26: ask the Holy Spirit for knowledge of the Blessed Virgin. Continue the Litany of the Holy Spirit and Ave Maris Stella, and pray the Rosary daily for this intention—at least five decades, as Montfort permits a chaplet when the full traditional fifteen-decade Rosary is not prayed. Meditate on the mysteries with attention and ask to know, love, and imitate your Mother. Read Montfort’s direction.
The Sign of the Cross
Traditional formula; Holy Spirit matches the site’s prayer register.
Ave Maris Stella · Hail, Star of the Sea
Traditional Latin hymn; fresh English rendering for The Marian Way. All seven stanzas are included; Ave and Eva retain the hymn’s contrast between Mary’s welcome and Eve’s disobedience.
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Complete historical English text from Manual of Adoration (1897), pages 235–238. “Holy Ghost” is rendered “Holy Spirit”; capitalization, punctuation, and the spelling of counsel are regularized, and printed response abbreviations are expanded.
Prayer after the Litany of the Holy Spirit
Complete prayer printed immediately after this litany in Manual of Adoration (1897), pages 238–239, with the same limited spelling and register changes.
An optional memory aid saved on this device. You may read any day at any time.
The preparation follows St. Louis de Montfort’s directions in True Devotion to Mary §§227–233. The readings are his words in our English translation. Their day-by-day selection and the first twelve days’ prayer selection are this companion’s arrangement; Montfort does not assign a separate reading for each day.