It’s the 150th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Rejoice and thank God He gave us such a loving and perfect mother! Pray the Alma Redemptoris Mater, too!
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of Heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
See also the pope’s meditation on this hymn at the end of his encyclical on Mary, Redemptoris Mater.
We sang the Palestrina arrangement of this for the feast Mass.