The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions, and the month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive for us to have a similar love and virtue.

This devotion has received new emphasis recently from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offences committed against her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honour of the Sacred Heart.

On 31 October 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly throughout the month of August.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Heart, after God’s own Heart, pray for us.
Heart, in union with the Heart of Jesus, pray for us.
Heart, the vessel of the Holy Ghost, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, shrine of the Trinity, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, home of the Word, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, immaculate in thy creation, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, flooded with grace, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, blessed of all hearts, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, Throne of glory, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, Abyss of humbleness, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, Victim of love, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, nailed to the Cross, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, comfort of the sad, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, refuge of the sinner, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, hope of the dying, pray for us.
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, pray for us.

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.

O Christ, hear us. O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, graciously hear us. O Christ, graciously hear us.

V. Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart,
R. Conform our hearts to the heart of Jesus.

O most merciful God, who for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the wretched, hast made the Immaculate Heart of Mary most like in tenderness and pity to the Heart of Jesus, grant that we, who now commemorate her most sweet and loving heart, may by her merits and intercession, ever live in the fellowship of the Hearts of both Mother and Son, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The introductory text is reproduced from The Prayer Book by the Reverend John P O’Connell ma std and Jex Martin ma via Catholic Culture. The litany is published by The International Centre of Newman Friends.