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Cathryn
Guest
Do other parishes sing it? Is it because of the word Father? I miss it. It was what we sang when I was in school. There seems to be a differnt version now.
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benedictgal
Guest
This is a totally different version than what we sang when I was in grade school (1973-82). Ours went:
Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing
You reign now in splendor with Jesus, our King.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave Maria
In heaven the blessed, your glory proclaim
on earth we your children invoke your sweet name.
We pray for the Church, our true Mother on earth
and beg you to watch o’er the land of our birth.
In Spanish, it is totally different as the verse talks about Mary bringing the Holy Rosary, the splendor of love.
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Phemie
Guest
I’ve never heard the first two verses you quoted.
The one I learned was what benedictgal posted with one extra verse between her 2nd & 3rd:
Your name is our power,
your virtues our light,
Your love is our comfort,
your pleading our might.
Granted the one we sing now only had 1 verse of the original:
“Immaculate Mary your praises…”
Another 4 verses were written by a Canadian priest in 1992 and those are v. 2,3, 4 & 5 in the CBW III.
Of all the verses, yours, benedictgal & Kroetsch’s (the Canadian), only the line “Immaculate Mary your praises we sing” comes anywhere close to the original French meaning.
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SeekerJen
Guest
This is the one that I learned in Catholic grade school (mid-80s).
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benedictgal
Guest
I think the last verse (from the one that I learned) may stem from the fact that the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States.
Phemie, even though I don’ t know French, do you have an English translation of the Lourdes hymn? I would be interested in seeing the comparisons.
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AJV
Guest
In my parish it is sung with verses what you posted and also benedicts gals “in heaven the blessed” (but with “fair name”) and two or three more **
It’s the de facto hymn in my church for all Marian feasts, rosaries and Benediction in May and October, any other solemn rosaries, and Marian song at the end of the Mass and often the Mass at the weekly novena.
Personally, I groan a bit because I hear it so much and my parish loves to drag out the last syllable in the slowest possible manner. But all that aside, it is an expression of devotion and I should probably be happy that they’re singing that instead of something else instead of being a grouch.
Though I would much prefer one of the Gregorian chant antiphons like Ave Regina Caelorum or Salve Regina.** (For poor, sick, afflicted, thy mercy we crave, and comfort the dying though light of the grave.
In grief and temptation, in joy or in pain, we’ll ask thee our Mother nor seek thee in vain.
In death’s solemn moment, our Mother be nigh, and as children of Jesus O teach us to die
There are one or two more but I can’t remember them because they’re rarely sung- - they usually stop after 4 or 5 verses when the priest leaves the sanctuary. One is about heaven and light, and something about angels and the Queen I think . I should look in the hymn book if I can find one. )
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THurifer2
Guest
We sing that song on Dec. 8 and August 15th and the sundays surronding it. In all I would say the song is sung 4 or 5 times per year in my parish. It is an easy song to sing and people usually do quite well with it.
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Phemie
Guest
I don’t know that there is a translation of those verses.
I’ll wing a translation for you:
With blessed angels
in glorious chorus
we sing now your praises
O queen of Heaven.
Let us sing the prayer
that we get from heaven
that the earth sings
with the angel Gabriel.
Be thee the refuge
of poor sinners
O mother of the Judge
who sees the depths of hearts.
At our final hour
close our eyes
(Be there in our final hour)
at your request
Heaven’s doors will open for us.
I guess the original “Immaculate Mary” does have most of those sentiments if couched in different terms. I guess I had never stopped to consider what “Your pleading our might” meant. That’s pretty much the meaning of the last French verse.
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benedictgal
Guest
Our American version certainly pales in comparison to your translation. Thank you, Phemie. We do ask Mary for her intercession at the hour of our death so that, at her request, the gates of heaven will open before us. This last stanza seems in line with what the nuns taught us regarding the Blessed Mother’s assistance at the hour of our death.
Thurifer, in my neck of the woods, Immaculate Mary is sung on a daily basis at one of the parishes, to the point that it sounds like a dirge. Folks are rather lethargic when singing it, and they sing it every day, regardless of the liturgical season or feast. At a chapel housed in one of our local hospitals, this elderly woman sings it every da after Mass, come hell or high water. She glared at me when I beat her to the punch during Advent and sang, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Yesterday, I belted out Joy to the World. Don’t get me wrong, I like Immaculate Mary; however, having it sung on a daily basis (and, sung badly), is just not a pleasant experience.
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Phemie
Guest
The new verses written by Kroetsch make Immaculate Mary more suitable during Christmas & Easter (May) since it speaks of her role as our Savior’s mother:
Most blessed of women
to whom was revealed
The plan of salvation
for ages concealed.
O pefect disciple
You cherished God’s word
Proclaimed by your virtue
the good news you heard
O mother of mercy
the cross of your Son
Has brought us to new life
in him we are one
So now with the saints
and the angels above
We join you in praising
our God who is love.
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Cathryn
Guest
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rwoehmke
Guest
At least as far back as the mid 40’s.
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bpbasilphx
Guest
FWIW, I attended two Eastern Catholic liturgies where the following Arabic words were sung for the refrain:
Salaam, salaam, salaam Mariam,
Salaam, salaam, salaam Mariam.
Salaam, salaam, salaam Mariam,
Salaam, salaam, salaam Mariam.
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PassthePeace1
Guest
We never sing it at our parish, and our parish is called St. Mary’s 
. Sad
. Sad
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puzzleannie
Guest
there are actually dozens of verses, some more familiar in other languages, not all translated into English, sung at Lourdes in processions, so different verses appear in different hymnals. I notice the Spanish language half of the missalette has some of the same verses as the English, but a couple of different ones, and more verses. Also common hymns here are
Maria, Madre Mia
Maria del Camino (for processions)
and of course mananitas for OL Guadalupe
Mananitas
O Guadalupana
Paloma Blanca
It is proper to sing Marian hymns at Mass on Marian feasts, usually as a recessional, or at May crowing and similar occasions, or when the Votive Mass for Mary is used on Saturday. It is not congruous to sing a Marian hymn at a regular Sunday Mass or feast. we often sing this or another such hymn at daily Mass in May.
Maria, Madre Mia
Maria del Camino (for processions)
and of course mananitas for OL Guadalupe
Mananitas
O Guadalupana
Paloma Blanca
It is proper to sing Marian hymns at Mass on Marian feasts, usually as a recessional, or at May crowing and similar occasions, or when the Votive Mass for Mary is used on Saturday. It is not congruous to sing a Marian hymn at a regular Sunday Mass or feast. we often sing this or another such hymn at daily Mass in May.
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NewUlm1976_2000
Guest
This is the only version I have heard. I hear it performed at mass every so often.
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dandn5000
Guest
The one I’ve learned is pretty similar to this. Here’s the one I know:
Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing
You reign now in heaven with Jesus, our King.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave Maria
In heaven the blessed, your glory proclaim
on earth we your children invoke your fair name.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave Maria
We pray for our father, the Church upon earth.
And bless, Holy Mary the land of our birth.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave Maria
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ALLGIRLS
Guest
The version sung at my parish (and what I remember growing up with in the 70’s and 80’s) is like this, except we say “fair name”, not “sweet name” in the 2nd verse, and the 3rd verse goes “We pray for our Mother, the Church upon earth, and bless Holy Mary, the land of our birth” (just a little different).
We sing it on all the Marian feast days-Immaculate Conception (which is a big deal in my parish, as it’s named Immaculate Conception!), Assumption, Mother of God (Jan. 1st), Annunciation, and Sept. 8th (birthday of Mary). We also sing “Hail Holy Queen” ("Hail Holy Queen enthroned above, O Ma-ri-a, our life our sweetness and our love, O Ma-ri-a…), and “Hail Mary, Gentle Woman”, as well as a song based on the Magnificat (can’t remember the name), that basically ends w/ “…and holy, holy, holy is His name”, (or something like that). I love all the “Mary songs”.
In Christ,
Ellen
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Patchunky
Guest
This is the version that is sung in the Ruthenian and Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic churches.
It is sung at various times during the year and is often sung as a closing hymn if the parish is dedicated to the Mother of God.
Hope this helps…
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
I learned it your way, Cathryn, in the early 1960s. I know of several parishes here that sing it that way, but only on Marian feasts or during Marian months (all of May and October).
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