“Be for me the ladder and the way to heaven.”
Lenten campaign 2026
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The Virgin Mary is fully dedicated to drawing us closer to her Son, Jesus. She does this expertly during our short lives on earth and is always ready to commend our souls to Heaven when it is our time to depart for eternity.
As we do not know when that time will come, it is always appropriate to pray for a “happy death.” One way to do that is to entrust our death to the Virgin Mary and to let her take care of our souls.
While death may seem far-off, life is too short to not prepare in some way for our final parting.
Here is one simple prayer composed by St. Bonaventure for a peaceful parting from this world in the arms of our loving Mother.
Holy Virgin, I beg of you, when my soul shall depart from my body, be pleased to meet and receive it.
Mary, do not refuse me then the grace of being sustained by your sweet presence. Be for me the ladder and the way to heaven, and finally assure me of pardon and eternal rest.
