FIRST DAY
Be Consoled, o men; breath and take courage, o miserable: The Virgin Mother of God is the advocate of humanity Suitable, full of wisdom, universal (St. Thomas of Villanova).
1. Be consoled, o men, is telling you S. Thomas of Villanova, take courage, o miserable: The Virgin Mother of God is the advocate of humanity [...] . You can see, Christian souls, how much we need to console one another, thinking in God who chose such a powerful advocate and with such a desire to obtain for us all the graces! Let us assume such a truth and with the Church, let us request Our Lady to direct to us her merciful sight.
2. Be Consoled, o men; breath and take courage, o miserable: Mary is for you, in front of God, an advocate full of wisdom. She fully knows our needs, all our spiritual and temporal needs. [...] Find out Christian soul where you must search for consolation in the middle of tribulations. Have you worked in that way upto now? Wasn't Mary Consolata the last one to whom you went in time of need? Such harm for you! Start from today to go towards her, she who knows all your anguish and she who can -except that for your good something different is not required- liberate you, because she can always console you.
3. Be Consoled, o men; take courage, o miserable, because Mary is an advocate for all, universal advocate. Everybody old and young; nobles and vulgar, rich and poor, healthy and sick, good and bad, all are protected by Mary. {...} Blessed are you who read these words. Mary, as you can see, is also for you; she even wants you to be part of her graces and of her consolations. If you are in need of consolations –and who doesn't need them?- Come to Mary Consolata, enter into this dear Shrine, come closer to her Altar and with a prayer of nine days, be sure that you will go back consoled {...}.
PRAYER
Our Lord Jesus Christ, who by an ineffable providence has established that we should receive every good thing through the hand of your Mother Mary, grant us the grace, that by venerating her under the humble title of Consolation we could enjoy constantly the help and the power of Our Lady. Amen.
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SECOND DAY
As a mother caresses the child, in the same way, I will Console you and you will be consoled in Jerusalem: you will see and your hearts will rejoice.
1. Mary is our Mother, because as such she was given to us by Jesus at the Calvary, when hanging from the Cross, he looked at Mary and the beloved disciple, and while pointing her John, he said to her: behold your son, and to John: behold your Mother (Jn 19,26.27). Pray to this good mother to obtain for you a heart of a son so not to be ungrateful and merit the fitting and consoling effects of Her love.
2. All of you who are afflicted come to the mystic Jerusalem, to the city of Mary Consolata, to the Shrine of your Mother, where you will find consolation {...}. 1 And you, Christian soul, which hurry did you have so far so to run to Mary in your needs? Many people run from far to the dear Shrine and obtain abundant graces, and you who live so near, how do you profit from this fountain of all consolation, as she is called Mary of S. Efrem? Make the point to come to Mary Consolata in the Shrine more often.
3. Our Fathers have been always going to the dearest Mother Consolata. It is written at the entrance of the Shrine, there up: "Consoler soul of Turin" {...}. Let us go also ourselves with trust to this throne of grace so to be helped in our needs. S. Bernard says that the shores of our soul, searching for this fountain of mercy; our misery goes with such a hurry to this pile of mercy! We propose that each time that we see disgrace and accidents hanging and ready to fall upon us, we remain at your presence, o Mary, in this house, where your name is invoked; we will raise our appeals to you in our tribulations, and you will calm us. It is in you that Our Fathers expected for and you have liberated them; in that way, also we will install people to pray in this Holy place and you will fill us with joy. Yes, we will not stop praying to you and you, for the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, will console us.
PRAYER
Oh Mary Consolata, Mother of Jesus and my Mother, allow me that with the confidence of a son I may come to you today with my sorrows. You have never rejected anyone who came to your maternal heart asking for graces in this Shrine. My dear Mother, spread on me abundantly your consolations, which will comfort me and will make me happy helping me to achieve eternal joy. Amen.
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THIRD DAY
Yes, Mary is our hope, to whom we run for help, So that she can liberate us and She may come to assist us and may console us.
1. Mary is our hope; the Holy Church makes us to greet her often under the sweet title: "Hail, our hope"... If you who read, you are a sinner, though as many sins as you may have, trust in intercession of Mary, don't be afraid or feel ashamed of going to Her, she who is the the hope of all sinners even of those despaired and hoping still to heal, as the devoted Blosio used to call them: "Disperantium spes". Once that Mary is invoked she will come to your help to free you from the chains of sin and she will make of you another trophy of all her consolations. And if you are not a sinner, give thanks to Mary, because it is through her intercession that you have been kept so not to fall into such a state, or even if you fell once, you have risen later on.
2. Mary is not only our hope, but she is the mother of the holy hope, as the Church calls her: "Mother of Holy hope". Christian soul, if you are one of these, that having come out of sin you feel still weak in doing good and because of the strength of the bad habits you almost despair in keeping persevering, come for help to Mary Consolata. Mary, mother of the holy hope will raise your defeated spirit; and you under her eyes will take again new vigor on the way of your conversion and your sanctification. In case that unfortunately you did not go to our Lady soon, and therefore you fell again after getting the grace, not even in this case you must fall apart; Mary is still there for you; because she is an endless vein of forgiveness and going to her after the fallings, as long as you have the desire to amend them, you will be always very much welcome.
3. Mary is also the hope of those pious souls, who pray and cry because of the aberrations and sins of their dear ones. How many hearts lacking consolation go to the Consolata because of similar disgraces and go back consoled. ... Pious soul, pray constantly for the conversion of your dear ones; if fortunately you don't have those among you, pray for so many, who are there in the world. In that way how much good you will do to those near to you and to yourself, as it is written, that if you save a soul, you save yours!
PRAYER
To you Mary, mother of consolation and refuge of sinners, to you I come today asking for the conversion of sinners, particularly for ... And for all those who once were vey devoted. O Mother of the Holy Hope, address to them your merciful eyes, so that with the desire and with trust in forgiveness they may obtain through you strength in order to repent and to persevere in goodness. Let it be o Clemens, o pious, oh sweet Virgin Mary.
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FOURTH DAY
I will change your sorrows into joy and I will consol you. And their past pain I will transform it into an argument of their joy.
1. The life of man on earth is a constant war, says Job. This is the life of the Christian called to live one day in heaven the triumph of the achieved victories. The world, the evil and flesh itself, all in agreement, tempt to put down the Christian as he exercises virtues... Christian soul, who in this few words cannot reflect all your description, you have need of coming closer to Mary Consolata; the dear Mother is waiting for you at her Altar. From the throne of her mercy she is looking again to you and tells you: up to the moment when you will be there disheartened like prostrated on earth, you who satisfies the few duties of a Christian and just little more, so that the Director of your conscience, or as convenience and customs demand, you don't know how to raise up and make a step forward in the way of virtue and of perfection. Look at how many souls similar to you, in need of love, get warm at this altar everyday; only you, my dear, remain always in your daily imperfections and coldness; Mary is a beholder of fire, says St. Catherine of Siena. Go to her once more, soul need of consolation and tell me later if on that day, at that time, you didn't feel repented and how your heart changed...
2. The way of virtue and of perfection is full of thorns, and he who trying to walk through it would think that he would enjoy such a peace as to never be touched by certain cloud of pains and inner proves, would cheat himself. Like the little children in the Pieta?, Jesus right from the beginning is full of sweetness with his beloved souls; but as you progress in the divine love, becoming adults, Jesus hides himself so to strengthen them in virtue, which becomes strong through the proves... Anguished soul, in such situations your star is Mary, as St. Bernard shouts at you: "Think of Mary, invoke Mary"; in the dangers of sinning, among the anguish of temptations, in the middle of doubts of your mind think of Mary, invoke Mary. Mary takes up our trepidations, excites faith, strengthens hope, takes away from us the fears and she raises us up from our pusillanimity (S. Bernard). If you who have undertaken the novena of Mary, are among these souls that are being tested, take the good custom of going to Mary in your needs; then, when the prove comes you will find Mary ready to console you.
3. Mary Consolata sometimes doesn't listen immediately the distressed souls, who go to her; the good mother, making violence to her maternal heart leaves them for a little while without attending to them; but get for them the fidelity to persevere... "Man, whoever you are -St. Bernard tells you- you who in this life you seem that you are waving between dangers and storm petrels, more than walking on firm terrain, if you don't want to be submerse or if you don't want to remove the eyes from the splendor of this star; keeping it behind, you will not mistake the right way; entrusting yourself to Her, you will not despair; under her protection you will not be afraid of getting lost; and being Mary a propitious lady, you will certainly reach Paradise". Therefore, whatever it would be our spiritual state, we come to Mary looking for comfort, for light and for courage...
PRAYER
To Mary, my sweet mother, you know that I would wish to be good; I would wish to love my God with all my heart. You, o dear Mother, you have been a witness of the sacrifices which I have made so to be all of God and all of you. Please don't allow that at the present time I should feel far from you, the only aim of my heart. Cheer up, o Mother, heaven of my soul, and tell me, that I still love my God and you. This will be good enough so to repeat the past sacrifices and to entrust myself to your mercy. Amen.
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FITTH DAY
I greet you, O Mary, our hope, Our consolation and our refuge.
1. Our life here on earth is full of miseries, under the sin of our first parents and of our personal sins. St. Alphonse writes: "Blessed is he, who among the miseries of this life, goes often to the Consoler of the world, refuge of the pitiful"... You, o Christian, who read these things, which hurry have you had so far as to run to Mary in time of your miseries? Haven't you been of those who in the middle of destructions and pleasures of the world search for comfort and rest, but you don't go to Mary always prompt towards your good and ready to spread over you her mercies. Change the tone of your life and wait in such a good Mother!
2. Pain is a fountain of many moral goods; it detaches our heart from earthly attachments, which we experience in an ungraceful and tormenting way, and helps us to enter well within ourselves and to acknowledge that we are miserable and therefore it makes us humble. ... With your face -the Church tells us- you, o Mary, you fill us with joy and in your hands we find all kind of joys. Watch, painful soul the fruits of the true and constant devotion towards Our Lady: pray to her for all the pains, which afflict you and hope in the mother of grace and in the Fountain of all consolation.
3. Pope Leo XIII writes: "go to Mary in all your crosses, in all your needs, in all your temptations: May Mary be your sustain, may Mary be your consolation". 3 Courage all of you who are sad and afflicted, come closer to Mary, fountain of all consolation; ... Christian soul come to Mary and tell me if you didn't go back comforted.
PRAYER
Most Holy Virgin Mary, my mother, it is in you that today I deposit once more into your heart all my hopes and my sorrows. See, o dear Mother, how my days go through pains and my years among my cries. From today onwards you will be my only refuge after God. Comfort me, console me in my tough proves, so that I don't get out of the way, but by supporting them patiently, I may reach the eternal prize in Paradise. Amen.
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SIXTH DAY
In the heart of Mary, the sick finds remedy (Kempis at St. Alphonse – Glories of Mary)
1. It is particularly in the middle of afflictions and corporal sickness, that somebody goes to Our Lady Consolata. S. Basil says that Mary is a great hospital of God, open to all the human miseries... If any problem troubles you, go to Mary, and in the Heart full of mercy of such a mother, you will find remedy. O you, distressed souls, who perhaps for months or perhaps for years you are crying in a bed, and think that you have not been healed enough by your own people at home and not much concerned, go to Our Lady Consolata searching consolation and strength for your pains. Mary Consolata is also for you, who are in a hospital and feel forgotten by all even by your partner or by your friends: it is such an anguish an abandonment like that! Only Mary does not leave you, when she is invoked she will sit by your side and sustain you so not to despair, she animates you to continue in prayer looking forward for the healing that is not far away. And if the Blessed Virgin makes you to wait a bit to answer and sometimes even not obtaining that grace for you, she is not deaf to your prayers, but for your better good she gives you patience in the tribulation and other graces which will be more useful and necessary.
2. We must all recommend ourselves to Mary Consolata so that healthy, she can preserve us from all disgraces and corporal sicknesses... Mary honored in times of prosperity, will come to our side when sick, and with such a comfort and help... Mary will give us the strength to stand the temptation of evil..., and she will give us the strength to hand over oneself to the divine dispositions. Mary will come to comfort those young people devout to her; who see their lives getting off as the years pass by and as they cannot abandon themselves to the hard sacrifice; she will console that father and that mother, who see themselves not present in their families still young or who needs them...
3. People go to the Shrine when their dear ones are sick. Can you see, you Christian, how many candles burn constantly in front of the two altars of Our Lady; they are mainly offerings of people who are suffering, of those who come to beg with that wax to the good Mother of Consolations for the healing of a dear person... We propose today with the Church as we say: "if we get any sickness, we will come and we will be at your presence; o Mary, in this your house, in which is constantly called upon your holy name: we will raise our clamor to you in our tribulations, and you will turn us back to the joy...
PRAYER
Dear Virgin, Consoler of the afflicted and health of the sick, turn to us your eyes of mercy upon our corporal miseries. I pray to you for the corporal sanity of N.N. And for all those who suffer in our homes and in the hospitals; Mother most tenderly, console everyone. Particularly I recommend myself for my corporal miseries and even more for that moment, in which I will be called by the Lord do the test of sickness, dear Mother come to me at that moment to comfort me, and to console me. Amen.
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SEVENTH DAY
You, the mother of Grace, the Consoler Of all those who invoke you
1. King Solomon, slandered and in tears, looked at his time to so many innocents, and none of them could console him. It is not like that with us, who living under the law of grace we fortunately have a mother, who is all ready to foil all calumnies and to wipe all tears of his children... O Christian, you who read this, do everything right as much as you can and then hand to Mary your conscience. Mary Consolata will defend your innocence and will console you.
2. Mary consoles those who either because of human wickedness or because of lack of natural talents find themselves postponed and therefore kind of discouraged in front of their companions... Go to Mary, young student, when your exams are coming near; She, the good mother, will listen to your prayers, even when it is with interest and a bit late... And you, o parents and educators, upon whom lays the great responsibility of intellectual and moral education of those under you, commend them to Mary, as our elder used to do; to her consecrate the children, offer the little ones at her Altar... Mary from her Sanctuary will bless the work for the common good and as a consolation for your fatigues.
3. S. Buonaventura writes that Mary is always prompt to assist the dejected in each of their situation even in their small needs. You who worry for the success of one of your deeds, of one of your just desires, entrust it to Our Lady... It is particularly you poor ones who have need of Mary Consolata. O poor one, it is for your consolation, that Our Lady was poor like that –as S. Buonaventura tells you- and you can console yourself very well with the poverty of Mary. Jesus and Mary ennobled and sanctified the state of poverty with their example, and out of their own experience they know how to sympathize with and console the poor...
PRAYER
O Mary, Mother of Graces and consoler of all those who come to you, I come to you for this matter that is so dear to my heart, and for which I have neither peace nor rest. Sweet Mother, give an ear to my requests, and put them into your good Heart. No, I can't be disappointed with my expectations, neither come to you in vain. Console me, o mother of Jesus and my mother. Amen.
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EIGTH DAY
"If you wish to be consoled in all tribulations, Go to Mary, invoke Mary Honor Mary, commend yourself to Mary." (Kempis)
1. To lose people dear to us, it is a thought that makes us to shiver; the hours that follow the departure of a beloved person are horrible ones... O day, o terrible night, that which is after the death of our dear ones... Mary Consolata is for you, superstitious and discouraged people. She, sorrowful after the cruel death of his Jesus is for you, example and comfort... You cry, o abandoned, if you can cry, and this is not bad, even our Divine Redeemer cried in the tomb of Lazarus. Even Mary was filled with pain, but don't allow yourself to be in too much pain, like those ones who don't have the hope of seeing again their dear ones one day in Heaven, as St Paul says. One visit to the Consolata Shrine will calm your pain and you will go back relieved.
2. The thought of death terrifies also the good souls. Sorrow of the sin of Adam, man becomes reluctant to the untying of his being; but he who believes inclines his forehead to the just decrees of God... One day, Our Lady told St. Brigida, that she will go to death to meet her devotees.... What is it, o dear Christians, not only for the holy souls and without defects; but still for all of us, if we are in life devotees of Mary, even if in the past we have been sinners and cold towards our good mother. Let us start today our conversion and our devotion towards the great Virgin, and if we will not have the good lack of having Mary visibly present next our deathbed, we will certainly have her invisible present at that terrible moment...
3. Mary consoles her devotees even after death. Most Holy Mary is queen of Heaven and of earth and even of the abyss and of Purgatory. S. Bernard writes that Mary is for her devotees "road to paradise" and the Church calls her: door of Heaven... Let them rejoice all those who wait in you, o Mother of God; they will rejoice for all eternity; everybody will dwell in you, under your protection and you will make your dwelling in them. Blessed you, if so many favors and prizes annexed to the devotion to Our Lady, inflame the love towards the great queen; commending all yourself to her, you can be sure of Paradise, as if you would be already there, as it says a pious author.
PRAYER
To Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, it saddens me so much the thought of my death and that of my dear ones; but even in that way, it will certainly come even for me that day of bitter pain. Who if not you, o dear Mother, will come to console me in those hours of anguish. I wait for you, o my Mother, and to obtain such a grace I want to love you a lot in life, visit you and console you in your sorrows so that you will give me later on one hundred times in death and in eternity. I will tell you often with S. Buonaventure: "at the moment of departure of mi soul from this world, console her with your holy one". Amen.
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NINTH DAY
Go to the house of your mother; She will pour her Mercy upon you.
1. Most Holy Mary Consolata from her Shrine, as from centuries she had chosen as home for throne of her mercy, she assists and console us during the public needs. It is enough to open the story of the disgraces in the nation just to see, how Mary Consolata became the City of refuge, to whom anybody would run looking for refuge in the public calamities, and they would always obtain mercy... Devout souls, who assist each year to the solemn Novena and Feast of the Nativity with the general procession of Our Lady Consolata, be thankful to Mary who saved you from the destruction of the enemy saving our Fathers.... Let us pray to Mary Consolata to continue giving us her mercies by defending us from the scourge of war and take care of our young people who find themselves in similar dangers.
2. Wait for Mary, o people who have come together and turn to her the threats of your heart. Mary freed our Fathers of all kind of evil, like sicknesses and epidemics. You, o Christian, who pass by the Shrine while catching sight of the column that was erected by our fathers in memory and acknowledgment of the Mercy of Mary, give thanks to her also you, and ask her to continue her protection while taking us away from the temporal evil that is upon our country and even more to preserve us from the spiritual evil...
3. In the common and public joys Mary Consolata has always been part of the joy of the people from Turin; and it is really just that the common mother intercedes, like in the afflictions, also in the joys. That is why every year, when finishing the studies, the University used to come in the day of the Assumption of our Lady to put on the feet of Maria Consolata the fruits collected and to give thanks... But, unfortunately, times have changed and the acknowledgement to Mary became less and less for the public and social dimension. It is our task to refill such a deplorable vacuum...
PRAYER
O our celestial Patroness, Our Lady Consolata, we are proud of being your beloved children, and at your feet we renew the act of our filial subjection to you, Mother always ready to assist in our needs. Dear Mother, forgive our ungrateful brothers, convert them and redirect them to you. Meanwhile, we will try in our best way to honor you and to love you for our good for the good of the whole city, which challenge you to keep the sweet title of your city, o Consolata. Amen.
DAY OF THE FEAST
Shout for joy o Jerusalem, and come together All of you who love her; greatly rejoice You who have been in the sadness; now exalt and Be filled from the abundance of her consolation.
1. Mary Consolata in heaven. Shout for joy o heavenly Jerusalem and together rejoice you all who are here and who love Mary: that is the voice that today invites the Angles and Saints around the throne of the Blessed Virgin... Christian soul, fix your eyes and raise your heart up to Paradise and enjoy of that present spectacle; direct to Our Lady Consolata a prayer: remember us Mother of God, while you are waiting for the Lord, to speak on our behalf and to remove from us the divine indignations.
2. Mary Consolata on earth. To the voice that calls heavens to rejoice with Mary and to console her, the earthly Jerusalem, the Church, echoes it; the story of the Church is the story of the consolation of Mary... 6 See, o Christian, the common effort of the Church and of the people by honoring Mary, especially in her sorrows...
3. Mary consoled by us. To the general haste to console Our Lady, let us join also ourselves, beloved children of Mary. It is to that, that thankfulness and interest should move us to. Thankfulness towards our Lady moves us to console her, since the motives of her sorrows and her disappointments we are the ones giving to her with our sins... See, Christian soul, how important it is to be devotee of the sorrows of Mary and to console her. Take the commitment today of starting such a duty and useful devotion. Mary, consoled by you, will console you in all your pains both in life and in death.
PRAYER
Here we are, o Mary Consolata in this solemn day consecrated to you in this your Shrine. We are gathered around your Altar to console you and to receive your consolation. Dear Mother bless us from your throne of glory with your Divine Son and grant us all those graces which we ask for. We pray to you for us and for our lost brothers, console all and save all. Amen.
BY BLESSED JOSEPH ALLAMANO
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