
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
+ Amen +
The Hail Mary is a very powerful prayer after the Our Father:
“Few Christians, however enlightened, know the real value, merit, excellence, and necessity of the Hail Mary. It was necessary for the Blessed Virgin to appear several times to great and enlightened saints to show them the merit of it.
“They have composed entire works on the wonders and efficiency of that prayer for converting souls. They have loudly proclaimed and openly preached that, salvation having begun with the Hail Mary, the salvation of each one of us in particular is attached to that prayer.
“They tell us that it is that prayer which made the dry and barren earth bring forth the fruit of life; and that it is that prayer – well said – which makes the word of God germinate in our souls, and bring forth Jesus Christ, the Fruit of Life.
“They tell us that the Hail Mary is a heavenly dew for watering the earth, which is the soul, to make it bring forth fruit in season; and that a soul which is not watered by that prayer bears no fruit, and brings forth only thorns and brambles, and is ready to be cursed.”
– St. Louis de Montfort1