Maria Bambina

“The Blessed Virgin is the spoiled child of the Blessed Trinity.

She knows no law. Everything yields to her in heaven and on earth.

The whole of heaven gazes on her with delight.

She plays before the ravished eyes of God himself.”

Raissa Maritain

“The kingdom of heaven is of children, and especially of a little child: Mary.”

Pope John Paul II

(speaking to the Superiors of the Sisters of Charity of Milan)

Rome, Italy

February 6, 1984

"This mystery [of the Holy Childhood of Mary] seems to be very little known. I think you have a great task........ to deepen the appreciation of the mystery of Mary’s childhood."

Pope John Paul II,

[speaking to the Sisters of Charity of Milan)

Sisters of Charity Motherhouse

Milan, Italy

November 4, 1984

oOo

Holy Child Mary of the royal house of David, Queen of the angels,

Mother of grace and love, I greet you with all my heart.

Obtain for me the grace to love the Lord faithfully during

all the days of my life. Obtain for me, too, a great devotion

to you, who are the first creature of God's love.

Hail Mary, full of grace................

O heavenly Child Mary, who like a pure dove was born

immaculate and beautiful, true prodigy of the wisdom of

God, my soul rejoices in you. Oh! Do help me to preserve

the angelic virtue of purity at the cost of any sacrifice.

Hail Mary, full of grace................

Hail, lovely and holy Child, spiritual garden of delight, where,

on the day of the Incarnation, the tree of life was planted,

assist me to avoid the poisonous fruit of vanity and pleasures of the world.

Help me to engraft into my soul the thoughts, feelings,

and virtues of your divine Son.

Hail Mary, full of grace................

Hail, admirable Child Mary, Mystical Rose, closed garden,

open only to the heavenly Spouse. O Lily of paradise,

make me love the humble and hidden life;

let the heavenly Spouse find the gate of my heart always open

to the loving calls of His graces and inspiration.

Hail Mary, full of grace................

Holy Child Mary, mystical dawn, gate of heaven,

you are my trust and hope.

O powerful advocate, from your cradle stretch out your hand,

support me on the path of life.

Make me serve God with ardor and

constancy until death and so reach an eternity with you.

Hail Mary, full of grace................

Prayer

Blessed Child Mary, destined to be the Mother of God and our loving Mother, by the heavenly graces you lavish upon us, mercifully listen to my supplications. In the needs which press upon me from every side and especially in my present tribulation, I place all my trust in you.

O holy Child, by the privileges granted to you alone and by the merits which you have acquired, show that the source of spiritual favors and the continuous benefits which you dispense are inexhaustible, because your power with the Heart of God is unlimited.

Deign through the immense profusion of graces with which the Most High has enriched you from the first moment of your Immaculate Conception, grant me, O Celestial Child, my petition, and I shall eternally praise the goodness of your Immaculate Heart.

I M P R I M A T U R

In Curia Archiep. Mediolani

31 August 1931

Can. CAVEZZALI, Pro Vic. Gen