The Memorare.

Remember, most loving Virgin Mary, never was it heard that anyone who turned to you for help was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, though burdened by my sins, I run to your protection for you are my mother. Mother of the Word of God, do not despise my words of pleading but be mercuful and hear my prayer. Amen.

This prayer is frequently attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, however, it has been suggested that this attribution may have arisen out of a confusion with another preacher, Claude Bernard (1588-1641). He had an intense devotion to this type of prayer and believed himself to have been cured from an illness through its use. He claimed not to have been the author of the prayer itself, but to have learned it from his father - the true author is unknown. Claude Bernard had a great number of copies of the prayer printed and distributed. In its Latin version it formed part of a longer prayer to Our Lady found in devotional books dating to the last quarter of the fifteenth century.

The prayer was not known in English speaking countries before the middle of the nineteenth century. In 1846, Pope Pius IX granted it an indulgence, first for France and later in the same year for the whole Church.