The 12-day preparatory period focuses on emptying oneself of the spirit of the world in penance and mortification. For those 12 days, we pray the Come, Holy Spirit, the Hail Star of the Ocean, the Magnificat, and the Glory Be.

Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God’s hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Hail Star of the Ocean
Hail, O Star of the ocean, God’s own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav’nly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us, changing Eve’s name.
Break the sinners’ fetters, make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us, for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother, may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling, mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless, make our way secure
till we find in Jesus, joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father, honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit, be the glory one. Amen.

Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him.

He hath shewed might in His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever.

The Glory Be
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.