Litany to Our Lady of Czestochowa

[Based on a Homily-Litany of the Martyred Polish Priest, Father Jerzy Popieluszko]

For private recitation.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ,
graciously hear us.

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.

Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Mother of God and our Mother,
pray for us.
Mother of those who place their hope God's providence,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are deceived,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are betrayed,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are arrested in the night,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are imprisoned,
pray for us.
Mother of those who suffer from the cold,
pray for us.
Mother of those who live in fear,
pray for us.
Mother of those who were subjected to interrogations,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are subjected to interrogations,
pray for us.
Mother of those innocents who have been condemned,
pray for us.
Mother of those who speak the truth,
pray for us.
Mother of those who cannot be corrupted,
pray for us.
Mother of those who resist evil and tyranny,
pray for us.
Mother of orphans,
pray for us.
Mother of those who have been attacked or taunted because they wore thy image,
pray for us.
Mother of those who are forced to sign declarations contrary to their conscience,
pray for us.
Mother of mothers who weep,
pray for us.
Mother of fathers who have been so deeply saddened,
pray for us.
Mother of suffering Poland,
pray for us.
Mother of always faithful Poland,
pray for us. We beg thee, O Mother in whom resides the hope of millions of people,
grant us to live in liberty and in truth, in fidelity to thee and to thy Son. Amen.

Father Jerzy Popieluszko, a popular young parish priest in a suburb of Warsaw, Poland, spoke out against the abuses of communism and supported the then-banned Solidarity labor union. Thousands flocked to hear his Sunday sermons. He was abducted by the Polish secret police on October 19, 1984. His savagely beaten body was found 11 days later in an icy reservoir. Father Popieluszko's death serves as testimony to the struggle for freedom, basic rights, and human dignity.