Our Lady, Help of Mothers

to You Are Near

For a Successful Pregnancy

Powerful is your intercession with God, Mary, for you are his mother. Tender , too, is your love for us, for you are our mother. Confidently , then, I come to you as a child, poor and needy, to seek your aid and protection. In every trial of motherhood, I beg your aid. For the grace of a happy delivery, I come to you. For your holy assistance in guarding  and directing each tiny soul with which God entrusts me, I call to you. In every sorrow that comes to me in my motherhood, I confide in you.

That I may have strength to bear cheerfully all the pains and hardships of motherhood, I lean on you. That the sweetness of motherhood may not through my neglect be embittered in later years by pains of regret, I trust in you.
That the will of God may always be fulfilled in me through each act of my motherhood, little and great, I beg your aid. Never forsake me dear Mother, my hope, my consolation, my confidence, and my trust, but ever be at my side to aid and protect me, your needy child. Amen.
Mother of Love, of Sorrow, and of Mercy, Pray for us!

To get Pregnant

Mother of Christ, you know, as no other mother can, the high dignity of motherhood. You know how immensely great is the privilege to call into this world a tiny soul destined to praise God forever in heaven. This is the privilege I now seek, Mary!

Confidently I beg you to assist me, for I know that motherhood is so precious in your sight. And confidently too, I hope for this blessing through your divine Son, since Jesus is the lover of the little children and has said that we should allow them to come to Him.

It is for this blessing that I beg you to join to my petitions your own holy intercession, that I might be privileged to bring to Jesus a little one such as He so dearly loves, that He may bless it, that He may bless me, also, in my motherhood, and that He may then make us both grow in the wonders of His Divine Life.
Mother of Mothers, Pray for me!

During Pregnancy

Dearest Mary, I look to you now for the help of your maternal love. You understand my trials as an expectant mother. You bore Jesus in your womb. You know the doubts and anxieties that beset me; you know the bodily suffering I endure. Like you, may I turn all these sorrows into joy. You overcame anxiety by a loving trust in God; you overcame doubt by gentle resignation to His will.
Your motherhood lifted your mind above earth and kept it close to God.
So speak to Jesus now with me, beloved Mother, as I seek prayerfully to learn to bear the trials of motherhood with joy.
Mother of Perpetual Help, Pray for me!

Blessing for the Conception or Adoption of a Child

The Lord is faithful in all His words and holy in all His works.
The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look hopefully to You, and You give them their food in due season; You open Your Hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all His ways and holy in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, He hears their cyr and saves them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but the wicked He will destroy.
May my mouth speak the praise of the Lord, and may all flesh bless His Holy Name forever and ever.
-- Psalm 145:13-21

God, our Creator, by Your love the world is filled with life, through Your generosity one generation gives life to another, and so are Your wonders told and Your praises sung.

We look to You in our love and in our need: may it be Your will that we bear (adopt) a child to share our home and faith.

Loving God, be close to us as we pray to love and do Your will. You are our God, nourishing us forever and ever. Amen.

Blessing during Pregnancy, for Both Parents

When a pregnancy is first confirmed and at various times during pregnancy (when the extended family is present, for example), this blessing is appropriate. It may simply take place as part of the blessing at table, using the scripture reading and a prayer of blessing before joining in the grace for meals. A blessing of the mother only may be used when it is more appropriate (see another prayer below). The leader may be a priest, deacon, lay minister, a friend, or a member of the family.

All make the sign of the cross. The leader begins:
Blessed be God forever.
All respond:
Blessed be God forever.
The leader may use these or similar words to introduce the blessing:
As you await your child's birth in faith, partners in God's own love, may you already cherish the child you have conceived.
Then Scripture is read:
Listen to the words of the Holy Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45:

During those days, Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All respond:
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
After a time of silence, all join in prayers of intercession. The Hail Mary, the Memorare, or other prayers asking for the protection of Mary may be appropriate. After the Lord's Prayer, the leader may invite all to extend their hands toward the parents or to place their hands in blessing on the parents.

Gracious Father, Your Word, spoken in love, created the human family and Your Son, conceived in love, restored it to Your friendship. Hear the prayers of (mother's name) and (father's name), who await the birth of their child. Calm their fears when they are anxious.
Watch over and support these parents and bring their child into this world safely and in good health, so that as members of Your family they may praise You and glorify You through Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

All make the sign of the cross. The leader concludes:
May God, Who chose to make known and to send the blessings of eternal salvation through the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the protection of St. Joseph, bless us and keep us in His care, now and forever. Amen.

Blessing during Pregnancy, for the Mother Only

When a pregnancy is first confirmed and at various times during the pregnancy (when the extended family is present, for example), this blessing is appropriate. It may simply take place as part of the blessing at table, using the scripture reading and a prayer of blessing before joining in the grace for meals. The leader may be a priest, deacon, lay minister, a friend, or a member of the family.

All make the sign of the cross. The leader begins:
Let us bless the Lord Jesus, Who in the womb of the Virgin Mary became one of us. Blessed be God forever.
All respond:
Blessed be God forever.
The leader may use these or similar words to introduce the blessing:
Join now in listening to the Scripture and in blessing this mother-to-be that she may cherish the child in her womb and await birth with great hope and faith.

Then Scripture is read:
Listen to the words of the Holy Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45:

During those days, Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All respond:
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
After a time of silence, all join in prayers of intercession. The Hail Mary, the Memorare, or other prayers asking for the protection of Mary may be appropriate. After the Lord's Prayer, the leader may invite all to extend their hands toward the mother or to place their hands on her in blessing. Use either Prayer A or Prayer B next:

Prayer A:
Gracious Father, Your Word, spoken in love, created the human family and Your Son, conceived in love, restored it to Your friendship. Hear the prayers of (mother's name), who awaits the birth of her child. Calm her fears when she is anxious.
Watch over and support her and bring her child into this world safely and in good health, so that as members of Your family she may praise You and glorify You through Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer B:
God has brought gladness and light to the world through the Virgin Mary's delivery of her child. May Christ fill your heart with His holy joy and keep you and your baby safe from harm. We ask this in His Name, Who is Lord, forever and ever. Amen.

All make the sign of the cross. The leader concludes:
May God, Who chose to make known and to send the blessings of eternal salvation through the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, bless us and keep us in His care, now and forever. Amen.

Blessing Near the Time of Birth

Blessing of the Mother; may be prayed by anyone with her:

Loving God, Your love for us is like that of a mother, and You know the hard joy of giving birth. Hold the hand of Your servant (mother's name) now and keep her safe; put Your own Spirit into her very breathing and into the new baby, for whom we wait with awe and hope. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to be prayed by the Mother giving Birth:

Lord God, You made us out of nothing and redeemed us by the Precious Blood of Your only Son. Preserve the work of Your Hands, and defend both me and the tender fruit of my womb from all perils and evils. I beg of You, for myself, Your grace, protection, and a happy delivery. Sanctify my child, and make this child Yours forever. Grant this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Thanksgiving for a Newborn or Newly Adopted Child

On first holding a newborn or newly adopted child, on bringing the child into the home for the first time, and on other occasions before the child's baptism, this blessing may be given to the child by the parent(s):

Prayer A:
God, our Creator, cherish this child. Jesus, our Saviour, protect him/her. Holy Spirit, our Comforter, strengthen him/her.

OR Prayer B:
Source of all blessings, Protector of infants, look with favor on this child, (child's name).

Then continue:
Hold him/her gently in Your Hands. When he/she is reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, bring him/her into the Church, there to share in Your kingdom and with us to bless Your Name forever. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

The parent(s) trace the sign of the cross on the child's forehead.

(Name of the child), may the Lord Jesus, Who loved children, bless you and keep you in His love, now and forever. Amen.

A Parent's Thanksgiving Prayer

O God, we give You thanks for (Child's Name), whom You have welcomed into our family. Bless this family. Confirm a lively sense of Your Presence with us, and grant us patience and wisdom, that our lives may show forth the love of Christ, as we bring (Child's Name) up to love all that is good. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Blessing on Bringing a Child into the Home

Good Lord, You have tenderly loved us, and given us this home and good friends. May we make a true home for this child where he/she will learn trust in us and in You. (May his/her brothers/sisters rejoice in their own growing up as they help to care for this child). We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Mother's Blessing of the Child when Nursing or Feeding

God, You are like a mother to us all, nourishing all creatures with food and with blessing. Strengthen my child with (my milk, this food) and with the warmth of our nearness. Amen.

Mother's Blessing of the Child when Nursing or Feeding

Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation: You nourish all Your children. Amen.

See also prayers for Mothers, prayers to St. Gerard,
prayers to St. Raymond Nonnatus,
and to St. Catherine of Siena, Patroness against miscarriages

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02/05/2006