fruit of thy womb,
Jesus," in order to join to our praise of Mary that of Jesus, from whom
and on whose account she received all her privileges, and for whose
sake she receives all this praise.

II. After the prayer of praise in the "Hail Mary" there follows the
prayer of supplication which the Church has added. This supplication is
"Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of
our death. Amen." A short petition, but a significant one by which we
invoke Mary's intercession in all our needs. The words holy Mary,
mother of God, form the opening of this petition. They repeat the truth
contained in the prayer of praise, and are at the same time calculated
to arouse our confidence in Mary. The name "Mary" alone should awaken
our confidence in the blessed Virgin, because the name Mary means
sovereign. Mary, is indeed a sovereign, a ruler. As mother of the King
of heaven and earth, she is the Queen of heaven and earth, and our
lady, our queen as well. Mary means also star of the sea. As star of
the sea Mary is to mankind what a kindly star is to the sailor who
finds himself on the stormy waters. This world resembles an ocean,
where storms and perils abound to the menace of body and soul. The
winds and storms of temptations rise, the dangerous rocks of oppression
threaten, the stormy waves of passion, of pride, of ambition, of
avarice, of anger, envy, revenge, avidity beat upon us. All these
dangers trouble the heart and fill it with sorrow and fear. And as the
star leads the sailor to a safe haven, so Mary is to us the kindly star
that inspires us with consolation and confidence and brings us rescue.

Holy Mary, mother of God! As mother of God Mary possesses the power of
mediation with her divine Son. The angels and saints all together can
not have the influence that Mary exercises. The holy fathers and
teachers refer to this power, when they say Mary is omnipotent through
her intercession, as God is omnipotent in Himself. Thus the opening of
the supplication inspires veneration and confidence in Mary. With this
veneration and confidence then we ask, "Pray for us sinners." Thou, the
holy one, the powerful and good, pray for us miserable sinners, not
worthy to approach God and be heard. Pray for us in all our temporal
and spiritual necessities, in every danger of body and soul. Pray above
all, to obtain for us the grace of a perfect conversion and repentance,
and the grace of perseverance until the e