Prayer for the Marian Year (1987-1988)

by Pope Saint John Paul II

Mother of the Redeemer, in this year dedicated to you, with great joy we call you blessed. In order to carry out His providential plan of salvation, God the Father chose you before the creation of the world. You believed in His love and obeyed His word. The Son of God desired you for His Mother when He became man to save the human race. You received Him with ready obedience and undivided heart. The Holy Spirit loved you as His mystical spouse and He filled you with singular gifts. You allowed yourself to be led by His hidden and powerful action.

On the eve of the third Christian Millennium, we entrust to you the Church which acknowledges you and invokes you as Mother. On earth you preceded the Church in the pilgrimage of faith: comfort her in her difficulties and trials, and make her always the sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race.

To you, Mother of Christians, we entrust in a special way the peoples who are celebrating, during this Marian Year, the sixth Centenary or the Millennium of their acceptance of the Gospel. Their long history is profoundly marked by devotion to you. Turn towards them your loving glance; give strength to those who are suffering for the faith.

To you, Mother of the human family and of the nations, we confidently entrust the whole of humanity, with its hopes and fears. Do not let it lack the light of true wisdom. Guide it to seek freedom and justice for all. Direct its steps in the ways of peace. Enable all to meet Christ, the way and the truth and the life. Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation. O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother of God and our Mother, Mary! Amen.