The Little Office of the Immaculate Conception dates to the 15th century and offers the laity a short alternative to the Divine Office. According to According to the 2006 USCCB Manual of Indulgences: Norms and Grants , a partial indulgence is attached:
“A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who … piously recite an approved office (e.g. of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, or St. Joseph).”
Matins
Come, my lips, and wide proclaim the Blessed Virgin’s spotless fame.
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
*During Lent to Holy Thursday, instead of the Alleluia is said:
Ceaseless praise to Thee be given, * O Eternal King of Heaven.
Hymn
Hail, Queen of the Heavens!
Hail, Mistress of earth!
Hail, Virgin most pure
Of immaculate birth!
Clear star of the morning,
In beauty enshrined,
O Lady make speed,
To the help of mankind!
Thee God in the depth
Of eternity chose;
And formed thee all fair,
As His glorious spouse;
And called thee His Word’s
Own Mother to be,
By Whom He created
The earth, sky, and sea. Amen.
V. God elected her, and pre-elected her.
R. He made her to dwell in His tabernacle.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
R. Amen
Prime
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, Virgin most wise!
Hail, Deity’s shrine,
With seven fair pillars,
And table divine
Preserved from the guilt,
Which has come on us all!
Exempt, in the womb.
From the taint of the Fall!
O new Star of Jacob!
Of Angels the Queen!
O Gate of the Saints!
O Mother of men!
To Zabulon fearful
As th’ embattled array!
Be thou of the faithful
The refuge and stay. Amen.
V. The Lord Himself created her in the Holy Ghost.
R . And poured her out among all His works.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R . And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us Pray
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
R. Amen
Terce
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, Solomon’s throne!
Pure ark of the law!
Fair rainbow! and bush
Which the Patriarch saw!
Hail, Gedeon’s fleece!
Hail, blossoming rod!
Samson’s sweet honey-comb!
Portal of God!
Well fitting it was
That a Son so divine
Should preserve from all touch
Of original sin,
Nor suffer by smallest
Defect to be stained
That Mother, whom He
For Himself had ordained. Amen
V. I dwell in the highest.
R. And my throne is on the pillar of the clouds.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
Sext
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, virginal Mother!
Hail, purity’s cell!
Fair shrine, where the Trinity
Loveth to dwell!
Hail, garden of pleasure;
Celestial balm!
Cedar of chastity!
Martyrdom’s palm;
Thou land set apart
From uses profane,
And free from the curse
Which in Adam began!
Thou City of God!
Thou Gate of the East!
In thee is all grace,
O joy of the blest! Amen.
V. As the lily among thorns.
R. So is my beloved among the daughters of Adam.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R . Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
None
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, City of refuge!
Hail, David’s high Tower!
With battlement crowned
And girded with power!
Filled at thy Conception
With love and with light!
The dragon by thee
Was shorn of his might.
O woman most valiant!
O Judith thrice blest!
As David was nursed
In fair Abisag’s breast;
As the saviour of Egypt
Upon RacheFs knee;
So the world’s great
Redeemer Was cherished by thee. Amen.
V. Thou art all fair, my beloved.
R. And the original stain was never in thee.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R . Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
Vespers
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, dial of Achaz!
On thee the true Sun
Told backward the course
Which from old He had run!
And, that man might be raised.
Submitting to shame,
A little more low
Than the angels became.
Thou, wrapt in the blaze
Of His infinite light.
Dost shine as the morn
On the confines of night;
As the moon on the lost
Through obscurity dawns;
The serpent’s destroyer !
A lily ‘mid thorns! Amen.
V. I made an unfailing light to arise in heaven.
R. And as a mist I overspread the whole earth.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R . Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
Compline
V. May Jesus Christ, thy Son, appeased by thy prayers, O Lady, convert our hearts.
R. And turn away His anger from us.
V. O Lady, 🕂 make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Hail, Mother most pure!
Hail, Virgin renowned!
Hail, Queen with the stars.
As a diadem, crowned!
Above all the Angels
In glory untold.
Standing next to the King
In a vesture of gold.
O Mother of mercy!
O Star of the wave!
O Hope of the guilty!
O Light of the grave!
Through thee may we come
To the haven of rest;
And see heaven’s King
In the courts of the blest. Amen.
V. Thy name, O Mary, is as oil poured out.
R. Thy servants have loved thee exceedingly.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one; look upon me, O Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for me of thy beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout affection thy holy and Immaculate Conception, so hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord ; Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R . Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
The Commendation.
These praises and prayers
I lay at thy feet,
O Virgin of virginsI
O Mary most sweetI
Be thou my true guide
Through this pilgrimage here,
And stand by my side
When my death draweth near. Amen.
R . Thanks be to God.
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*The above text for the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception is from The Sodalist’s Hymnal, by Edwin MacGonigle, Philadelphia, 1887.