"The martyrs endured their torments in their bodies; Mary suffered hers in her soul."

St. Alphonsus Liguori

"The Blessed Virgin Mary, for the love she bore us, was willing to see her Son sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men.  This great torment, then, which Mary endured for us - a torment that was more than a thousand deaths - deserves both our compassion and our gratitude.  If we can make no other return for so much love, at least let us give a few moments this day to consider the greatness of the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of Martyrs; for the sufferings of her great martyrdom exceed those of all the martyrs; being, in the first place, the longest in point of duration; and in second place, the greatest in point of intensity."

St. Alphonsus Liguori

Rosary of the Seven Sorrows

Make An Act of Contrition: 

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

Pray:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love.  Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created and You shall renew the face of the earth.  Enlighten our minds, we beseech You, O Lord, with the light of Your brightness, that we might see what we ought to do and be able to do what is right, through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

The First Sorrow - Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (pray 1 Our Father)

Mary presented her only son in the temple, laid him in the arms of holy Simeon, and heard the prophetic words, “This one shall be a sword of sorrow to pierce your own heart.”

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Second Sorrow - Mary flees into Egypt with Jesus and Joseph (pray 1 Our Father)

Forced to endure the hardships of a long journey, and becoming a foreigner in a strange land, Mary and her family flee to protect the child Jesus from those who would destroy him.

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Third Sorrow - Mary seeks Jesus lost in Jerusalem (pray 1 Our Father)

At the age of twelve, Jesus disappeared for three days in Jerusalem, causing his parents, especially Mary, agonizing sorrow.

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Fourth Sorrow - Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary (pray 1 Our Father)

As Jesus made his way to Calvary, condemned to crucifixion, He met His mother, Mary.  Bruised, derided, cursed and defiled, Jesus drags His own cross up the hill for His crucifixion and her sorrow is immeasurable.

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Fifth Sorrow - Mary stands near the cross of her Son (pray 1 Our Father)

Mary stands near her dying Son unable to help him as he hangs in agonizing pain.  She hears him promise heaven to a thief and forgive his enemies.  

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Sixth Sorrow - Mary received the body of Jesus taken down from the cross (pray 1 Our Father)

The passion and death are over but Mary’s grief continues as she holds Jesus’ broken and dead body in her arms.

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

The Seventh Sorrow - Mary places the body of Jesus in the tomb (pray 1 Our Father)

Mary in inconsolable sorrow wraps and lays the body of her Son in the tomb.

While meditating on the Sorrow, pray the Hail Mary seven times.

Pray the Hail Mary three times in honor of the tears shed by Our Lady.

Pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be for the intentions of the Pope.

Pray “Virgin most Sorrowful, pray for us.”, three times.

"So great a love has our Heavenly Mother for us, that she deserves our gratitude, and that gratitude should be shown by at least meditating upon, and pitying her in her sorrows."

St. Alphonsus Liguori

Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.
V. Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us.
R. 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, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.
Mother most sorrowful, pray for us.
Mother most tearful, pray for us.
Motherafflicted, pray for us.
Mother forsaken, pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Son, pray for us.
Mother pierced with the sword, pray for us. 
Mother consumed with grief, pray for us. 
Mother filled with anguish, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Rock of constancy, pray for us.
Joy of the afflicted, pray for us.
Ark of the desolate, pray for us.
Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, pray for us.
Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, pray for us.
Help of the faint, pray for us.
Strength of the weak, pray for us.
Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us.
Calmer of tempests, pray for us.
Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us.
Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us.
Theme of Prophets, pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Light of Confessors, pray for us.
Pearl of Virgins, pray for us.
Comfort of Widows, pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, pray for us.

Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Spare us, O Lord.Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Hear us, O Lord.Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Have mercy upon us.
Let us pray.

Imprint, O Lord, thy wounds upon our hearts, that we may read therein sorrow and love; sorrow to endure all suffering for thee; love to despise all love but thine; who lives and reigns, world without end, Amen.

O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Exercise in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows

V. God come to my assistance.

R. O Lord, make haste to help.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end.  Amen.

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the affliction of your tender heart when the holy old man Simeon prophesied to you. Dear Mother, by your heart then so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of holy fear of God.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the anxiety which your sensitive heart underwent in the flight to and sojourn in Egypt. Dear Mother, by your heart which was then made so anxious, obtain for me the virtue of liberality, especially towards the poor, and the gift of piety.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the trouble of your careful heart when you did lose your dear Son Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart then so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of holy chastity and the gift of knowledge.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the shock your maternal heart underwent when Jesus met you as He carried His cross. Dear Mother, by your loving heart then so overwhelmed, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the martyrdom your generous heart bore so nobly while you did stand by Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by your heart then so martyred, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the wound of your tender heart when the sacred Side of Jesus was pierced with the lance. Dear Mother, by your heart then so transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.

Hail Mary

I compassionate you, sorrowing Mary, in the pang felt by your loving heart when the Body of Jesus was buried in the grave. Dear Mother, by all the bitterness of desolation you did then experience, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.

Hail Mary

V. Pray for us, Virgin most sorrowful.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the most blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, may intercede for us before the throne of Your mercy, now and at the hour of our death, whose most holy soul was transfixed with the sword of sorrow in the hour of Your own Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen.

Stabat Mater

The Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the seven greatest

Latin hymns of all time.  It is a Thirteenth Century Roman Catholic

Sequence (a hymn sung after the Gradual in certain Masses) often

attributed to Pope Innocent III and Jacopone da Todi.  The title, Stabat

Mater Dolorosa comes from the first line of the sequence and means

literally, “The sorrowful Mother was standing”.

The hymn is often associated with the Stations of the Cross.  It is

recited as the Sequence in the two Masses on the Roman Calendar

commemorating Our Lady of Sorrows: The Feast of the Seven Dolors

of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is the Mass of September 15 and the

Mass on the Friday in Passion Week.

The Stabat Mater

At the Cross Her station keeping,

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

Through Her heart, His sorrow sharing,

All His bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword has passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed

Was that Mother highly blessed

Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of Her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep

Whelmed in miseries so deep

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in Her pain,

In that Mother’s pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

She beheld Her tender Child,

All with bloody scourges rent,

For the sins of His own nation

Saw Him hang in desolation

Till His spirit forth He sent.

O Thou Mother! fount of love,

Touch my spirit from above.

Make my heart with Thine accord:

Make me feel as Thou hast felt;

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ, my God

Holy Mother, pierce me through!

In my heart each wound renew

Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with Thee His pain,

Who for all my sins was slain.

Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with Thee,

Mourning Him Who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live.

By the Cross with Thee to stay,

There with Thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of Thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins best!

Listen to my fond request:

Let me share Thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of Thine.

Wounded with His every wound,

Steep my soul till it hath swooned

In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

Lest in flames I burn and die,

In His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

Be Thy Mother my defense,

Be Thy Cross my victory.

While my body here decays,

May my soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.