Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Every year on July 16th is such a joyous occasion for all Carmelites throughout the world because we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patroness of the Carmelite Order! Pray with us as we joyfully prepare for this wonderful feast of our Lady. And we pray in a special way for our sisters preparing to make their finals vows.

Each day we will meditate on one of the most beautiful prayers ever written, the Flos Carmeli (Latin for “Flower of Carmel”). Tradition tells of St. Simon Stock praying with a passionate intensity to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel during a time of great distress and hardship for the Order. With fervor and faith, he prayed the Flos Carmeli prayer which he wrote, and Our Lady answered that prayer. Thus, for seven centuries the Flos Carmeli continues to be prayed to the Blessed Mother with the firm faith that she will answer its request with her powerful help.

The Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
(prayed by the Carmelite Sisters)

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, splendor of heaven,
Blessed Mother of the Son of God and Mother of mine,
support me by your never failing love and help and protect me.
Show me that you are my Mother.

May I, unworthy as I am, come one day to exchange your scapular
that I had the privilege to wear for the wedding garment of heaven,
and dwell with you and all the saints of Carmel
in the kingdom of your Son.

(Here make your petition:
Let us also pray for those preparing to make their vows.)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your loving hands.

O Mary, my Mother, I consecrate myself to you forever.
I offer you my body with all its miseries,
my soul with all its imperfections,
and my heart with all its affections and desires.
I offer you all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings, my struggles
and especially my death with all that it will entail.
I unite all of these, Mother, with your own joys and sufferings. Amen.

Queen and Beauty of Carmel, pray for us.