Book Reviews and More: Marian Prayer Book

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

Marian Prayer Book - Catholic Truth Society

Marian Prayer Book
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860827976
CTS Booklet D752

Searching on the CTS site for the term 'Prayer Book' currently turns up 107 results. Many are available in various electronic formats and in print. This is one of them that is only available in a print format. I picked it up a few months ago now, and have read and prayed through it twice now. And my son who is 10 has been borrowing it to pick new prayers to be able to pray.

The chapters in the Marian Prayer Book are:

Introduction
Standard Marian Prayers
Prayers from the Missal and Breviary
The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Litany of Loreto
Prayers from English Sources
Prayers from approved Marian Apparitions
Orthodox Church Prayers
Other Marian Prayers and Devotions
Marian Hymns
Mary in the Bible
References

Some of the prayers are available in English and a number of the prayers are available in parallel in Latin and English. But this is more than just a collection of prayers. It is also a teaching tool, that can be used to teach others or for self-directed learning. Each chapter begins with teaching in italics, and often each prayer in the book also has instruction. Sometimes it is an explanation of the prayer, or history of the prayer, or information about a pope who approved or encouraged the specific prayer or devotion. For example the information about the Hail Holy Queen - Salve, Regina is:

"Attributed to several sources, the probable author is Herman the Lame (1013-1054), a monk of Reichenau Abbey in Germany."

For anyone with a deep Marian devotion this book will likely have a few prayers you are unfamiliar with. For those of you with a growing Marian appreciation this is an excellent prayer book, and wonderful resource in your spiritual tool box. My only regret is that there is no eBook edition so that I could always have it with me. This is a wonderful little prayer book, so pick it up and give it a try!