Our Morning Offering – 21 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
St Robert Bellarmine’s Hymn to Mary the Virgin:
Among St Robert’s extant writing, there is a short poem of twenty stanzas which he composed in the nature of a Litany to the Blessed Virgin. The text was first published in Italian some fifty years ago and to the best of the writer’s knowledge, has never been translated into English. Each verse-line begins with the name “Virgin,” joined to a title and petition to Our Lady, starting with the letter “A” and going down the Italian alphabet to “V.” Thus the first seven verses begin with the invocation: “Vergine adorna … Vergine Bella …Vergine casta … Vergine degna … Vergine eletta … Vergine felice … Vergine gradita …”
A translation to this tribute to the Virgin Mother reads as follows: – Servant of God Fr John A Hardon SJ (1914-2000).
Hymn to Mary the Virgin
By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621)
Doctor of the Church.
Virgin adored and clothed with the sun,
grant me thine aid.
Virgin most beautiful, mystical rose,
take abode in my heart.
Virgin most chaste, all undefiled,
grant me true peace.
Virgin deserving of all honour and praise,
give me thy love.
Virgin elect and full of all grace,
lead me to God.
Virgin most blessed, star of the sea,
dispel the storms besetting me.
Virgin most virtuous, holy and sweet,
show me the way.
Virgin illustrious, with thy burning light,
enlighten thou my mind.
Virgin more precious than jewels or gold,
make reparation for me.
Virgin most worthy of all praise,
mother, daughter and immaculate spouse.
Virgin and Mother,
make me more pleasing to Jesus thy Son.
Virgin most innocent of any stain or fault,
make me more worthy of God.
Virgin enriched with every gift and grace,
obtain the remission of my sins.
Virgin most pure, grant me to enjoy
the bliss of heavenly love.
Virgin, thou lily among thorns,
I pray thee for the grace of a happy death.
Virgin more rare than the rarest dream,
bring joy to my heart.
Virgin so great, there is none like thee on earth,
bring peace to my soul.
Virgin most true, loving Mother too, Virgin Mary.
Amen.
AnaStpaul 