Pandemic Prayer to Mary by Pope Francis

Last updated on: April 6, 2020 at 6:11 pm by Jack Hartjes

Pandemic Prayer to Mary by Pope Francis 2020-04-06T18:11:22-06:00 Jack Hartjes

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Two hands hold a globe of the world on which is placed a bandage with the word "coronavirus."

During the coronavirus pandemic, we can pray to Mary for the health of the world.

I just added a pandemic prayer, Pope Francis’ “Prayer to Mary during Coronavirus Pandemic,” to my daily prayer routine. Here is this beautiful prayer, translated by Catholic News Service:

Prayer to Mary during coronavirus pandemic

O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.

Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of us who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Pandemic Prayer and politics

There’s a reason why I especially need to pray for a quick end to the coronavirus pandemic. In the United States even a health emergency is political. The pandemic threatens to go from horrible to unspeakable. The worse it gets the harder it will be for the country’s leader to make his self-adulatory claims believable. Speaking personally and politically, I hope and pray desperately for Donald Trump’s removal from office this November.

This situation amounts to a moral hazard for me. By my own natural moral spirit, how can I not rejoice in the present crisis? I need to say Pope Francis’ pandemic prayer often.

A few quibbles about the prayer

When I say the prayer, I skip the phrase “Salvation of the Roman People.” I guess the word “Roman” is there because the Pope was talking to Italians.

An icon of Mary holding the child Jesus

Salus Populi Romani, Protectress and Health of the Roman People

Besides that small point, I’m uncomfortable with calling the Blessed Mother “Salvation.” “Salus Populi Romani” is an ancient and approved title for Mary. The Pope translates it “Salvation of the Roman People, but “salus” literally means health. This image is in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome. Its title is “Salus Populi Romani” or “Protectress and Health of the Roman People.” Our word “salvation” is etymologically related to “salus,” but in my world salvation is what Jesus, not Mary, does.

I needed to make one other small change to the prayer. The CNS translators made an awful grammar mistake in the final paragraph. Even my word processor knows that it should be “of us who are in trial….” The original had “we” instead of “us.”

Image credits: Christian Headlines and Wikipedia

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 2, 2020

The Person and a Balthasarian Thought about Who I Am

Next Post

April 13, 2020 A Jubilee -- What if We Had One Today?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Christmas Amazon Synod Angels Being Consumed Bible Catholic Modern Creed Ecology Economics Elizabeth Johnson Eucharist Fragments and Filaments Gender and Sex Gospel of Mark Herzog Historical Jesus Liturgy Luke Opening Scriptures on Way to Emmaus Ordinary radicals Parables Pro-Life Reincarnation Rosary Sacraments science Social Justice Souls Stories of Jesus The Creed Torture and Eucharist Tracy Uncategorized War and Peace

Select a Month October 2026 June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 July 2024 March 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz