umbly pray thee, most gracious
Mother, obtain for me the grace to overcome the bitter results of
original sin. Make me victorious over them, that I may never cease to
love my God.

Hail Mary, etc.

_Ejaculation_
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Indulgence. 100 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, March 25, 1884.)

SECOND DAY

Mary's Immaculate Conception

Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).

MEDITATION

ACCORDING to the definition of Pope Pius IX, the immaculate conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary is that privilege by which she was preserved,
in view of the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, from original sin in
the first moment of her conception.

By solemnly proclaiming the dogma of Mary's immaculate conception, the
Church confirmed anew the fundamental principles of Christianity which
in our times are so frequently attacked, derided, or forgotten. God
reserved the solemn proclamation of this dogma, which seemingly has no
practical bearing on the Christian life, for our age, to recall to our
mind the doctrines resulting from it.

PRACTICE

THE most important of these doctrines is that of original sin, which
to-day is rejected by many as a debasement of human nature, and is
forgotten by others as having no practical influence on our moral state.
By the promulgation of the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church solemnly declares and defines as an
article of faith, that the Blessed Virgin Mary is conceived without the
stain of original sin by a special privilege and grace of God. If, then,
Mary's sinlessness is an exception, the general rule remains in force,
and all other human beings enter this world in the state of original
sin.

Thus, by the proclamation of the dogma of the immaculate conception, the
Church combats human pride and sensuality, the foremost vices of the
age.

Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).

Litany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).

_Prayer_

MARY, unsullied lily of heavenly purity, I rejoice with thee, because at
thy conception's earliest dawn thou wast full of grace and endowed with
the perfect use of reason. I thank and adore the ever-blessed Trinity,
who gave thee such high gifts. I am overwhelmed with shame in thy
presence, to see myself so poor in grace. O thou who wast filled with
heavenly grace, impart some portion of it to