Prayer-book for Religious/Book 3
Litanies, Novenas, Indulgenced Prayers, Offices, and Prayers for Particular Occasions.
The Week Sanctified.
A COMMENDABLE practice of piety consists in consecrating each day of the week to some particular devotion.
Besides honoring the mystery or the saint of each day, and reciting the prayers assigned for it, you should take as the object of your endeavors and prayers the correction of the principal fault of which you accused yourself in your last confession.
Select some prayers and ejaculations, from the following part of this book, appropriate to the devotions assigned to each particular day, and say them in connection with your daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament.[1]
I.
The Holy Trinity: One God.
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
Make the sign of the cross, ☩ saying:
IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
This sacred sign may be regarded as a compendium of all the mysteries of our faith, as a homage rendered to the three Persons of the adorable Trinity, as an act of gratitude for all that the Godhead, — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, — has condescended to do in favor of man.
Indulgence of 100 days. — Pius IX., March 23, 1876
PRAYERS TO THE MOST HOLY TRINITY TO BE SAID AT THE END AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
Pope Pius IX., by a brief, December 5, 1876, granted to all the faithful, who, with at least contrite heart, during the last half hour of the year and the first half hour of the following year, shall pray to the Most Holy Trinity in thanksgiving for benefits received; beseeching the same Holy Trinity for peace among Christian nations, for concord among Christian princes, for the conversion of sinners, and for the triumph of holy Mother Church and its visible head, the Roman Pontiff, an indulgence of 7 years.
THE CANTICLE OF THE SERAPHIM.
HOLY, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts! the earth is full of Thy glory. Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, glory be to the Holy Ghost.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day; three times every Sunday and during the Octave of the festival of the Most Holy Trinity. — Clement XIV., 1769 and 1770.
PRAYER FOR SUNDAY TO THE BLESSED TRINITY.
O BLESSED Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the Source and Fountain of all good, I most firmly believe in You, I most humbly adore You, and thank You with a grateful heart for all the blessings and benefits I have received from Your infinite goodness. I most fervently consecrate and offer to You an unreserved sacrifice of my whole being. O my God, Who hast a right to every day, hour, and moment of my existence, accept the thoughts, words, and actions of this day, which I offer Thee in testimony of my sincere desire to satisfy my obligation of keeping it holy and as the first-fruits of the week; mercifully assist me to spend it in such a manner as may draw down Thy blessing. Increase in my soul the heavenly virtues of faith, hope, and charity, which I received at baptism, and teach me to make faith the rule of my conduct, that thereby it may avail me to life everlasting. Eternal Father, take possession of my memory; efface from it all images of vanity, and engrave therein the recollection of Thy adorable presence. Eternal Son, enlighten my understanding, and conduct me in the path of salvation by the fight of faith. Holy Spirit, sanctify my will by the most ardent love ; render it submissive under the contradictions of this life, and never permit that by attachment to my own ideas or judgment, I should forfeit the blessings of peace offered to men of good-will and obedient minds. Holy, adorable, undivided Trinity, by Whose power, mercy, and providence I was created, redeemed, regenerated, and preserved to this moment, receive the oblation of my whole being, and take me out of the world rather than permit me to efface Your sacred image in my soul by mortal sin. I adore You, O Holy Trinity, I worship You, I most humbly give You thanks for having revealed to man this glorious, this incomprehensible mystery, and for granting to those who persevere until death in the faithful profession of it, the reward of beholding and enjoying in heaven, what we now believe and adore upon earth, one God in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Aspiration.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Litany of the Love of God.
(Composed by His Holiness Pope Pius VI.)
| LORD, have mercy on us. | ||
| Christ, have mercy on us. | ||
| Lord, have mercy on us. | ||
| Christ, hear us. | ||
| Christ, graciously hear us. | ||
| God, the Father of heaven, | Have mercy on us. | |
| God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, | ||
| God, the Holy Ghost, | ||
| Holy Trinity, one God, | ||
| Thou Who art Infinite Love, | I love Thee, O my God. | |
| Thou Who didst first love me, | ||
| Thou Who commandest me to love Thee, | ||
| With all my heart, | ||
| With all my soul, | ||
| With all my mind, | ||
| With all my strength, | ||
| Above all possessions and honors, | ||
| Above all pleasures and enjoyments, | ||
| More than myself, and everything belonging to me, | ||
| More than all my relatives and friends, | ||
| More than all men and angels, | ||
| Above all created things in heaven or on earth, | ||
| Only for Thyself, | ||
| Because Thou art the sovereign Good, | ||
| Because Thou art infinitely worthy of being loved, |
| Because Thou art infinitely perfect, | I love Thee, O my God. | |
| Even hadst Thou not promised me heaven, | ||
| Even hadst Thou not menaced me with hell, | ||
| Even shouldst Thou try me by want and misfortune | ||
| In wealth and in poverty, | ||
| In prosperity and in adversity, | ||
| In health and in sickness, | ||
| In life and in death, | ||
| In time and in eternity, | ||
| In union with that love wherewith all the saints and all the angels love Thee in heaven, | ||
| In union with that love wherewith the Blessed Virgin Mary loveth Thee, | ||
| In union with that infinite love wherewith Thou lovest Thyself eternally, |
Prayer.
MY God, Who dost possess in incomprehensible abundance all that is perfect and worthy of love! Annihilate in me all guilty, sensual, and undue love for creatures, kindle in my heart the pure fire of Thy love, so that I may love nothing but Thee or in Thee, until, being entirely consumed by holy love of Thee, I may go to love Thee eternally with the elect in heaven, the country of pure love. Amen.
II.
The Holy Ghost.
HYMN AND SEQUENCE OF THE HOLY GHOST.
Hymn
Come Holy Ghost, Creator, come,
From Thy bright, heavenly throne;
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all Thine own.
Thou Who art called the
Paraclete,
Best gift of God above;
The living spring, the living
fire,
Sweet unction and true
love.
Thou Who art sevenfold in
Thy grace,
Finger of God's right hand;
His promise, teaching little
ones
To speak and understand.
Oh! guide our minds with
Thy blest light.
With love our hearts in-
flame ;
And with Thy strength, which
ne'er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our hellish
foe,
True peace unto us bring;
And through all perils lead
us safe
Beneath Thy sacred wing.
Through Thee may we the
Father know,
Through Thee, th' eternal
Son,
And Thee, the Spirit of them
both,—
Thrice-blessed Three in one.
All glory to the Father be,
And to His risen Son,
The like to Thee, great Paraclete,
While endless ages run.
Amen.
Sequence.
HOLY Spirit! Lord of
light!
From Thy clear celestial
height,
Thy pure, beaming radiance
give:
Come, Thou Father of the
poor!
Come, with treasures which
endure!
Come, Thou light of all
that live!
Thou, of all consolers best,
Visiting the troubled breast,
Dost refreshing peace bestow :
Thou in toil art comfort
sweet;
Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
Light immortal! light divine!
Visit Thou these hearts of
Thine,
And our inmost being fill:
If Thou take Thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay ;
All his good is turn'd to ill.
Heal our wounds — our
strength renew;
On our dryness pour Thy dew;
Wash the stains of guilt
away:
Bend the stubborn heart and
will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go
astray.
Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee adore,
In Thy sevenfold gifts descend:
Give them comfort when they
die;
Give them life with Thee on
high;
Give them joys which never
end. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days each time for reciting either the hymn or the sequence. — Pius VI., May 26, 1796.
Versicle, Response, and Prayer to the Holy Ghost.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O GOD, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant that, by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
CHAPLET OF THE HOLY GHOST.
SIGN of the Cross. Short Act of Contrition. Solemn invocation (the hymn) "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come," V., R., and Prayer "O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful."
1. By the Holy Ghost is Jesus conceived of Mary. (Luke i. 35.)
Our Father, once; Hail Mary, once; Glory be, seven times
Practice: Conformity to Jesus by the aid of the divine Spirit through Mary's intercession.
2. The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Jesus. (Matt. iii. 16.)
Our Father, once; Hail Mary, once; Glory be, seven times.
Practice: Esteem the gifts of the Holy Ghost and cultivate them assiduously; live as becomes a child of God, and practice the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.
3. By the Spirit is Jesus led into the desert. (Luke iv. 1, 2.)
Our Father, once; Hail Mary, once; Glory be, seven times.
Practice: Distrust self, and in all your ways yield yourself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
4. The abiding presence of the Holy Ghost in the Church. (Acts ii.)
Our Father, once; Hail Mary, once; Glory be, seven times.
Practice: Devotion to the Holy See, the mouthpiece of the Holy Ghost.
5. The Holy Ghost within the soul of the just man. (1 Cor. vi. 19.)
Our Father, once; Hail Mary, once; Glory be, seven times.
Practice: Interior recollection, purity of heart and constant devotion to the Holy Ghost. Be ever mindful of the personal presence of the Holy Ghost within you. Cultivate purity of soul and body, for you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Correspond faithfully with the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, so that His twelve fruits may spring forth and nourish in your soul, namely: " Charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity" (Gal. v. 22).
Our Father, Hail Mary, the Creed for the intention of the Pope.
Leo XIII., in a brief of approval, dated March 24, 1902, speaks of the "Chaplet of the Holy Ghost" as a " salutary exercise," and hopes that by it " devotion toward the Paraclete may be more widely diffused." The indulgence granted for its public as well as private recital are seven years and seven quarantines for each recitation.
THE PRACTICE OF THE SEVEN GLORIA PATRIS IN HONOR OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Indulgence of 7 days. — Pius IX., March 12, 1857.
INDULGENCES GRANTED FOR THIS NOVENA TO THE HOLY GHOST.
Pope Leo XIII., May 9, 1897, decreed that a novena to the Holy Ghost should be made every year in preparation for the Feast of Pentecost, and granted an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines for each day of the novena, and plenary indulgence any one day of the novena on the usual conditions. The same indulgences may be gained any day of the week between Pentecost and Trinity Sunday.
Novena to the Holy Ghost in Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost.
(Commencing on Ascension Day.)
THE novena of the Holy Spirit is the chief of all the novenas, because it was the first that was ever celebrated, and that by the holy apostles and the most holy Mary in the supper-room, being distinguished by so many remarkable wonders and gifts; principally by the gift of the same Holy Spirit, a gift merited for us by the Passion of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Himself made this known to us when He said to His disciples that if He did not die He could not send us the Holy Ghost: " If I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you" (John xvi. 7). We know well by faith that the Holy Ghost is the love that the Father and the Eternal Word bear one to the other; and therefore the gift of love, which the Lord infuses into our souls, and which is the greatest of all gifts, is particularly attributed to the Holy Ghost. As St. Paul says, "The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us" (Rom. v. 5). In this novena, therefore, we must consider, above all, the great value of divine love, in order that we may desire to obtain it, and endeavor, by devout exercises, and especially by prayer, to be made partakers of it, since God has promised it to him who asks for it with humility: "Your Father from heaven will give the good Spirit to them that ask Him" (Luke xi. 13).[2]
PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE CHURCH.
O HOLY Spirit, Creator, propitiously help the Catholic Church, and by Thy supernal power strengthen and confirm it against the assaults of the enemy; by Thy charity and grace renew the spirit of Thy servants whom Thou hast anointed, that in Thee they may glorify the Father and His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, once a day. — Leo XIII., Aug. 26, 1889.
SHORT INDULGENCED PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST.
HOLY Spirit, Spirit of truth, come into our hearts; give to all peoples the brightness of Thy light, that they may be well-pleasing to Thee in unity of faith.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Leo XIII., July 31, 1897.
VARIOUS PRAYERS SUITABLE FOR A NOVENA TO THE HOLY GHOST.
Prayer for the Feast of Pentecost.
O HOLY Spirit, O my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge, here in Thy divine presence, that I am nothing and can do nothing without Thee. Come, great Paraclete, Thou Father of the poor, Thou Comforter the best, fulfil the promise of our blessed Saviour, Who would not leave us orphans, and come into the mind and the heart of Thy poor, unworthy creature, as Thou didst descend on the sacred day of Pentecost on the holy Mother of Jesus and on His first disciples. Grant that I may participate in those gifts which Thou didst communicate to them so wonderfully, and with so much mercy and generosity. Take from my heart whatever is not pleasing to Thee, and make of it a worthy dwelling-place for Thyself. Illumine my mind, that I may see and understand the things that are for my eternal good. Inflame my heart with pure love of Thee, that it may be cleansed from the dross of all inordinate attachments, and that my whole life may be hidden with Jesus in God. Strengthen my will, that it may be made conformable to Thy divine will, and be guided by Thy holy inspirations. Aid me by Thy grace to practice the divine lessons of humility, poverty, obedience, and contempt of the world, which Jesus taught us in His mortal life.
Oh, rend the heavens, and come down, consoling Spirit! that inspired and encouraged by Thee, I may faithfully comply with the duties of my holy state, carry my daily cross most patiently, and endeavor to accomplish the divine will with the utmost perfection. Spirit of love! Spirit of purity! Spirit of peace! sanctify my soul more and more, and give me that heavenly peace which the world can not give. Bless our Holy Father, the Pope, bless the Church, bless our bishops, our priests, all Religious Orders, and all the faithful, that they may be filled with the spirit of Christ, and labor earnestly for the spread of His kingdom.
O Holy Spirit, Thou Giver of every good and perfect gift, grant me, I beseech Thee, the intentions of this novena. May Thy will be done in me and through me. Mayest Thou be praised and glorified for evermore! Amen.
ACT OF OBLATION TO THE HOLY GHOST.
O GOD the Holy Ghost, infinite love of the Father and of the Son, through the hands of Mary, Thy immaculate spouse, I offer myself this day, and all the days of my life, upon Thy chosen altar, the Divine Heart of Jesus, as a holocaust to Thee, O Thou consuming fire, being firmly resolved, now more than ever, to hear Thy voice, and to do, in all things, Thy most holy and adorable will.
I am resolved to foster a special devotion to Thee, to love Thee more perfectly, to adore Thee more fervently, and to make Thee everywhere more known and loved.
OFFERING TO THE HOLY GHOST.
ON my knees, before the multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God! I adore Thee, great God, and acknowledge Thy dominion over me.
Thou art the light and the strength of my soul. In Thee I live and move and have my being. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Make me faithful in every thought, and grant that I may always listen to Thy voice, watch for Thy light, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee, and give myself to Thee, and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced feet of Jesus, and looking at His five wounds, and trusting to His precious blood, and adoring His open side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee with the sin which Thou canst not forgive. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee, always and everywhere, " Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."
Prayer.
GRANT, we beseech Thee, almighty and merciful God, that Thy Holy Spirit may come to us, and make us to be a temple worthy of the habitation of His glory, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Little Office of the Holy Ghost.
AT MATINS.
MAY the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our minds and our hearts.
R. Amen.
V. O Lord, open Thou our lips.
R. And our mouths shall show forth Thy praise.
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father. Alleluia.
From Septuagesima to Easter, instead of Alleluia, Laus tibi Domine, Rex aeternae gloriae; Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory, etc., is said:
Hymn.
MAY the Spirit of glory
His grace on us pour,
Whose presence o'ershadowed
The Virgin of yore:
When she the archangel's
Glad embassy heard,
And conceived in the flesh
The ineffable Word.
Ant. Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of
Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit,
and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew
the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
WE beseech Thee, O Lord, that the power of Thy Holy Spirit may be with us of His mercy, to cleanse our hearts, and defend us from all adversities. Through Our Lord, etc.
AT PRIME.
MAY the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our minds and our hearts. Amen.
V. O God, hasten to my aid.
R. Glory be to the Father. Alleluia.
Hymn.
PURE offspring of Mary's
Immaculate womb;
Lifted high on the cross —
Submerged in the tomb;
Lo! Christ from His bondage
Doth quickly arise,
And in sight of His brethren
Ascend to the skies!
Ant. Come, O Holy Spirit,
etc. V. and R. with the
Prayer as above.
AT TIERCE.
MAY the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our minds and our hearts. Amen.
V. O God, hasten to my aid.
R. Glory be to the Father. Alleluia.
Hymn.
HIS brethren He wills.
As orphans to leave,
And on Pentecost morn
His Spirit doth give.
Descending in power
Their hearts to inspire,
In semblance of tongues
Of miraculous fire.
Spirit, make known His gracious attributes everywhere, so that all may come under the sweet empire of His love and mercy, thus finding rest to their soul's eternal salvation.
A PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF UNBELIEVERS.
O HOLY Spirit of truth, we beseech Thee to enlighten the minds of unbelievers in the midst of us, to incline their hearts to receive Thy word, and to believe the teachings of Thy Church; give them courage to accept the faith and openly profess it; that they may come into union with Thee and the Father, through Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
THANKSGIVING, CONSECRATION, AND PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST.
HOLY Spirit, divine Consoler! I adore Thee as my true God. I bless Thee by uniting myself to the praises Thou dost receive from the angels and the saints. I offer Thee my whole heart, and I render Thee heartfelt thanks for all the benefits that Thou hast bestowed and dost unceasingly bestow upon the world. Thou, Who art the Author of all supernatural gifts and Who didst enrich with immense favors the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, I beseech Thee to visit me by Thy grace and Thy love, and to grant me Thy sevenfold gift, in order that I may with constant love and perseverance walk in the way of my eternal salvation.
PRAYERS TO THE HOLY GHOST IN CONNECTION WITH DEVOTIONS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.
I.
O HOLY Ghost, help me to receive Jesus with love and reverence. Thou art my Teacher and my Sanctifier, and by Thee I live. Thou givest light and strength to my soul. Jesus, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, is my Saviour and my God. I long to be with Him, that He may abide more in me and I in Him. He is the Bread of life, the true Bread of God. I long to feed with adoration on that living Bread. Be with me, O Blessed Spirit, as in this great light I draw near to the altar, and give me always more faithfulness to Jesus and more love for Him.
II
IN the light of the tabernacle I ask Thee, 0 Holy Ghost, to fill my heart with pure desire for Jesus, the living Bread. Give me grace to adore Him with the holy angels, that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and that His will may be done in my soul. Help me to thank Him for all His gifts, and most of all for Himself. By this Holy Sacrament He strengthens souls on earth, and gives rest to souls in purgatory, and gladdens souls in heaven. He is the hidden Manna, promised by Himself to all who overcome. Thy grace will bring me in safety to God. May I taste the sweetness of Jesus! May my soul be kept by Thee very bright for the coming of my Spouse!
III.
CLEANSE my heart, O Holy Spirit, by this heavenly food, wherein Jesus gives me Himself. Strengthen my faith, that I may see Jesus in this Sacrament of His body and blood. There is in me a law by which I am in danger of falling into the captivity of sin. I have often to go on my heavenward way through darkness and many temptations, but Thou art my light and my strength. In Thee I trust. By Thy grace I can do all things that Jesus wishes me to do. Be ever in my soul as the dew of the light. With utter trust I rest upon Thee, and believe the testimony which Thou givest. Set up more and more Thy kingdom in my soul, that I may keep my body under, and bring it to subjection, lest I should be a castaway from Jesus and from Thee.
IV.
O HOLY Ghost, let my life be hidden with Jesus in God. Give me grace to live for God only, and to use creatures in Him and for His sake. Let the beauty of God blind me to the beauty of the world, and let the light of God blind me to the light of earth. Thou, O my God, art brighter than all things and sweeter. Take away from my soul all the dross, and purify it, giving it light and strength. To Thee, Spirit of deathless love, I turn for help. Take from me all human respect; for wrong regard of creatures blights the soul, so that its fruits are withered. Help me to be more faithful to Jesus, my Love, Who is coming to me from His altar. He is my life, as Thou art my life, and as the eternal Father is my life. Give me more love, that I may welcome Jesus as He comes to me in the hidden light, and the freshness of the morning dew.
V.
O HOLY Ghost, fill me with the fear of the Lord, and drive far from me all thoughts of presumption. Save me from guilt like this. Keep me from offending God; and keep me from the wounds of His anger. Make me feel His goodness, and fill my heart with thankfulness. If I am faithful to Thee, Thou wilt give me much grace; if I am unfaithful, Thou wilt give me little grace, or, it may be, none at all. Dwell in my soul more and more, that I may be faithful with a great faithfulness, and inherit the fulness of Thy promises.
VI.
O HOLY Ghost, give me a great hunger for the Bread of life. Do Thou, by that Bread which is Jesus, satisfy my soul, and strengthen it, and make it full of life. I am needy with a great need; but this Bread of heaven is the life of the poor; let it be my life. I am very poor and needy; but Thou, my own Lord, dost always care for me. Without Thee, Blessed Spirit, I can not say, Jesus: without Thee, Helper of the needy, I can not feed on Him Who is the Bread from heaven.
O Spirit of peace, give me a great love for the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
O Spirit of reconciliation, nelp all darkened souls, and bring them back to life.
O Spirit of mercy, help the souls that are now suffering in the fire of purgatory. I ask Thee, by Thine own goodness, to give them refreshment and joy and white robes of consoling love.
O most pitiful Spirit, give me a great joy in this Sacrament of love. Thou dwellest inline, and by Thee I live to God. Thou makest me a temple of Thyself and of the Father and the Son. Thou makest me an heir of God. Bring me now, dear Spirit, in light to the altar; bring me in light to my grave; bring me in light to the city of the King and the song of the morning stars.
VII.
ETERNAL Father, wash me from my sins in the blood of Jesus.
Eternal Son, fill me with the fire of Thy Heart.
Eternal Spirit, make me glad with the sweetness of the soul of Jesus.
O eternal Father, crush all the powers of evil under my feet. Let me walk upon the asp and the basilisk; let me trample under foot the lion and the dragon by the blood of Thy Son.
O eternal Son, pour into my soul abundant gifts of grace. Thou didst die for me on the cross. There Thou didst merit for me the treasures of grace which now Thou givest. Thou didst give me Thyself in shedding of blood and in dimness of death. Now Thou, givest me Thyself in outpouring of gladness and in Thy deathless life. Thou wast dead, and art alive for ever.
O eternal Spirit, hide me more and more with God, and let there be in me more and more of the mind of Jesus. Touch the lips of my soul and give me a taste for this Bread of God, that I may know the graciousness of my Jesus, and the sweetness of His blood. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart, for Thou, O Holy Ghost, art given to me. Oh, lift me up, dear Spirit, from the dust. Oh, bring me in Thine own good time to the pavement of pure gold as clear as crystal. Fill my soul with Thy dew; fill it with Thy fire. There is no dew like Thine; and there is no fire like Thine. They mingle together in the fruitfulness of the garden of the Spouse. They mingle with the blood of Jesus, and with the water from His side. Oh, fire of the Holy Ghost, gentle and sweet as dew! Oh, dew of the Holy Ghost, piercing and cleansing as fire! O Holy Ghost, Whom I love, lift Thy little one to Thine uncreated Heart.
O Blessed Trinity, show me the hidden things of the blood of Jesus, the holy mystery of Thy Church. O Blessed Trinity: O Blessed Trinity: O Blessed Trinity.
Devotions for the Faithful Departed.
THE HEROIC ACT OF CHARITY.
An offering of all works of satisfaction and of all the suffrages in behalf of the souls in purgatory.
THIS heroic act of charity in behalf of the souls in purgatory consists in a voluntary offering made in their favor to the divine Majesty, by any one of the faithful, of all works of satisfaction done by him in his life, as well as of all the suffrages which shall be offered for him after his death. Many of the faithful, devout to the Blessed Virgin, have followed the praiseworthy practice, introduced, or at least much spread since the last century, by F. D. Gaspar Oliden, Theatine, of placing them in the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that she may distribute them in behalf of those souls whom it is her good pleasure to deliver sooner from the pains of purgatory. This heroic act of charity has been enriched with many indulgences.
As the " New Raccolta " tells us, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the departed, is granted to all the faithful who shall have made this offering, whenever they go to holy communion, provided they visit a church or public oratory, and pray there, for some time, for the intention of his Holiness.
A plenary indulgence, every Monday, to all who hear Mass in aid of the souls in purgatory, provided they fulfil the other conditions mentioned above.
All indulgences granted or to be granted, which are to be gained by the faithful who have made this offering, may be applied to the holy souls in purgatory.
Although this act of charity is called heroic vow of charity in some printed sheets, in which also is given a formula for making the offering, no inference is to be drawn therefrom that this offering binds under sin; neither is it necessary to make use of the said formula, or any other, since, in order to share in the said indulgences, no more is required than a heartfelt act of the will.
The heroic act of charity is not a vow; nor does this offering prevent the maker of it from praying for himself, for his friends, or any other like intention, as by it he only foregoes that special fruit of his good works, which would belong to himself, as a satisfaction for the temporal punishment deserved by him on account of his sins.
"It is sometimes objected," we read in Murray's " Guide to Indulgences," "that this act of charity does an injustice to ourselves, because it takes away what is necessary to satisfy God's justice for our sins, and so leaves us much more suffering to endure in purgatory than would otherwise fall to our share.
"The answer to this is, that even if this lengthening of our own punishment was an assured fact, it would be a small price to pay for the immense reward that God would bestow in heaven on those who performed such an heroic act of charity. But it is not true that those who make this offering will suffer more on account of it, for we may be sure that God would not have it so. On the contrary, He will reward those who are so generous by enkindling such a great love for Himself in their hearts that it will result in a full forgiveness not only of sin. but also of its temporal punishment; and, moreover, He has still the right to make their souls, if they go to purgatory, the beneficiaries of those prayers and good works which the living are continually offering Him."
Besides, those souls who may be released from their sufferings by these heroic offerings will not prove ungrateful, but rather will they constantly intercede for those to whom they owe their deliverance, and will not cease their prayers until the latter are either brought straight to heaven, or released from purgatory.
REFLECTIONS.
IT would seem like carrying coals to Newcastle, or water to the river, to exhort Religious to exercise charity by offering their suffrages in behalf of the poor, holy souls in purgatory.
The true and zealous Religious will not fail to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass and holy communion very frequently for the faithful departed. The Way of the Cross, the Rosary, Novenas, and Litanies are good devotions for the same purpose. The De Profundis, besides other indulgenced prayers and ejaculations, should be made use of daily and frequently during the day in aid of the poor souls.
The good Religious will nourish the most tender com- passion for those who are now absolutely incapable of assisting themselves, and who must remain separated from God until the last farthing is paid, either by their own sufferings, or by the interposition of the faithful. Many powerful motives should induce you to be most fervent in assisting them: By this spiritual work of mercy you prove your love for God, you benefit your neighbor, and acquire great merit for yourself. You prove your love for God by interceding for those holy souls who are so dear to His divine Majesty, and whom He so ardently longs to glorify for ever. You perform an act of the greatest charity toward these suffering, holy souls, by endeavoring to shorten their banishment where they are tortured by a fire far more terrible than any earthly fire, and deprived of the sight of God, a torment more excruciating than all other pains. And you essentially serve your own soul by providing for yourself powerful advocates who will not forget you when they stand before God.
Let these considerations animate you to do all you can for the souls in purgatory. Devote fervently many prayers, good works, and various actions and mortifications to their relief, and endeavor to gain many indulgences for their benefit. Offer up, in particular, the holy sacrifice of the Mass on Mondays for this intention. But you should particularly impress on your mind that sloth or negligence in the prayers or actions which you offer for the suffering souls would make you very unworthy of being heard, and, far from benefiting those for whom you pray, you would only expose yourself to a severe purgatory hereafter in the same fire which torments them.
PRAYER TO BE SAID ON MONDAY.
O GOD of all holiness, infinitely pure and adorable Being! how great must be Thy horror of the least stain of sin, since Thou punishest so rigorously in the flames of purgatory the venial faults of those whom Thou so tenderly lovest. Ah! mercifully enlighten my understanding, that the torments Thou inflictest on the least offence in the other world, may teach me the enormity of sin, and penetrate my heart with compassion for those souls who are now enduring inexpressible pains for such failings as perhaps I too often look on as trivial. My God, though Thy justice banishes them from that kingdom where nothing defiled can enter, yet surely Thy mercy has not forgotten them; no, Thou art too good, too compassionate to abandon the work of Thine own hands. Though the season for merit and repentance is now past for them, yet Thou hast left them a resource in the prayers of Thy servants on earth. Despise not, then, O Lord, the supplication which I, Thy unworthy child, now make for those who can no longer implore Thy mercy for themselves. Remember, O infinite Goodness, that they are all the work of Thy hands, redeemed by the precious blood of Thine only Son; consider that they are the objects of Thine infinite love, who burn with the most ardent desire to be united to Thee. Have mercy on them, then, O infinite Mercy! and for Thine own sake stretch forth to their relief those sacred hands by which they were formed, and apply to them once more the merits of that adorable blood by which they were redeemed. I most humbly offer up, to implore this favor, the adorable sacrifice of the Mass, in union with all the Masses which will be celebrated throughout the world to-day.
In union, also, with the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, I offer all my prayers, works, and sufferings this day for the relief of the holy souls.
Mercifully accept this oblation, O Lord, on behalf of all who now suffer in purgatory, particularly those for whom Thou desirest I should pray — those who are most dear to me — those to whose sufferings I may have been in any respect accessory — those who are most forgotten by others, and who have no one to pray for them. Give them all speedy repose and eternal rest, O merciful Father of all mankind, and give me the grace to spend this day in such a manner that through Thy infinite goodness, I may obtain the relief of these suffering and blessed souls.
A SHORT INDULGENCED PRAYER IN BEHALF OF THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY.
V. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord;
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
Indulgence, applicable to the poor souls alone, 50 days each time. — Leo XIII., March 22, 1902
THE CHAPLET OR THE ROSARY FOR THE DEAD.
THIS chaplet for the dead is composed of four decades, that is to say, forty beads, in honor and memory of the forty hours that Our Lord Jesus Christ passed in Limbo, to deliver and conduct to heaven all the souls of the saints who died before Him.
Begin with the De Profundis. (Those who do not know it can say an Our Father and Hail Mary instead.)
On the large beads say: Eternal rest give to them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. O my God, I believe in Thee, because Thou art truth itself; I hope in Thee, because Thou art infinitely merciful; I love Thee with my whole heart, and above all things, because Thou art infinitely perfect, and I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I am truly sorry for having sinned, because Thou art infinitely good, and sin displeases Thee. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, never more to offend Thee. Amen. On each of the small beads say:
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation. Conclude with the De Profundis.
Indulgence of 60 years each time, applicable to the souls in purgatory.
Prayers for Every Day in the Week in Aid of the Souls in Purgatory.
FOR SUNDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and amongst them all, especially that soul which is most destitute of aid; and bring it to Thy glory, there to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR MONDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and amongst them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory; that so it may soon begin to praise and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR TUESDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and in particular, amongst them all, deliver that one which would be the last to issue from those pains, that it tarry not so long a time before it comes to praise Thee in Thy glory and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR WEDNESDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed through the streets of Jerusalem when He carried the cross upon His sacred shoulders, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that soul which is richest in merits before Thee; that so, on that throne of glory which awaits it, it may magnify Thee and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR THURSDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious body and blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He gave with His own hand upon the eve of His Passion to His beloved apostles to be their meat and drink, and which He left to His whole Church to be a perpetual sacrifice and lifegiving food of His own faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which was most devoted to this mystery of infinite love; that, with Thy divine Son, and with Thy Holy Spirit, it may ever praise Thee for this Thy wondrous love in Thy eternal glory. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR FRIDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which Thy divine Son shed on this day, upon the wood of the cross, from His most sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that soul for which I am most bound to pray; that the blame rest not with me that Thou bringest it not forthwith to praise Thee in Thy glory and to bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
FOR SATURDAY.
LORD God almighty, I beseech Thee, by the precious blood which gushed forth from the side of Thy divine Son Jesus, in the sight and to the extreme pain of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one amongst them all which was ever the most devout to this great Lady; that it may soon attain unto Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, world without end. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Leo XII., Nov. 18, 1826.
THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
HIS Holiness, Leo XIII., January 17, 1888, granted to the faithful who shall perform some pious practice for the relief of the souls in purgatory, every day during the whole month of November, whether in public or in private, an indulgence of seven years and as many quarantines on each day of the month; a plenary indulgence, once during the same month, on any day of the month, on the usual conditions: confession and communion, and a visit to a church or public oratory, and there praying for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
III.
Devotions to the Angels
And in Particular to the Angel Guardian.
PRAYER TO THE ANGEL GUARDIAN.
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom His love commits me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days; plenary indulgence on the feast of the holy guardian angels (Oct. 2), to those who shall have said this prayer, morning and evening, throughout the year, on usual conditions; plenary indulgence at the hour of death. — Pius VI., Oct. 2, 1795; June 11, 1796. Pius VII., on May 15, 1821, granted a plenary indulgence, once a month, to all the faithful who shall have said it every day for a month, as above directed.
A PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGEL.
O ANGEL of God, my blessed protector, to whose care I have been committed by my Creator from the moment of my birth, unite with me in thanking the Almighty for having given me a friend, an instructor, an advocate, and a guardian in thee. Accept, O most charitable guide, my fervent thanksgiving for all thou hast done for me; particularly for the charity with which thou didst undertake to accompany me through life; for the joy with which thou wert filled when I was purified in the waters of Baptism; and for thy anxious solicitude in watching over the treasures of my innocence. Thou knowest the numberless graces and favors which my Creator has bestowed on me through thee, and the many dangers, both spiritual and temporal, from which thou hast preserved me. Thou knowest how often thou didst deplore my sins, animate me to repentance, and intercede with God for my pardon. Ah! why have I so little merited a continuance of thy zealous efforts for my salvation? Why have I so often stained my soul by sin, and thereby rendered myself unworthy of the presence and protection of an angel, of so pure a spirit as thou art, who never sinned? But, as my ingratitude and thoughtlessness have not lessened thy charitable interest for my salvation, so neither shall they diminish my confidence in thy goodness, nor prevent me from abandoning myself to thy care, since God Himself has entrusted thee with the charge of my soul. Penetrated with sorrow for the little progress I have made in virtue, though blessed with such a Master, and sincerely determined to correspond in future with thy exertions for my salvation, I most earnestly entreat thee, O protecting spirit, to continue thy zealous efforts for my eternal interest; to fortify my weakness, to shield me from the innumerable dangers of the world, and to obtain by thy powerful prayers that my life may rather be shortened, than that I should live to commit a mortal sin. Remember, O most happy spirit, that it was one act of profound humility, and one transport of ardent love for thy Creator, that caused God to establish thee forever in glory; obtain that those virtues may be implanted in my soul, and that I may seriously endeavor to acquire docility, obedience, gentleness, and purity of heart. Conduct me safely through this world of sin and misery; watch over me at the awful hour of my death; perform for my soul the last charitable office of thy mission, by strengthening, encouraging, and supporting me in the agonies of dissolution, and then, as the angel Raphael conducted Tobias safely to his father, do thou, my good angel and blessed guide, return with me to Him Who sent thee, that we may mutually bless Him, and publish His wonderful works for a happy eternity. Amen.
Aspiration.
O MY dear angel guardian, preserve me from the misfortune of offending God.
Litany of the Guardian Angel.
LORD, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
| Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, | Pray for us. | |
| Holy Angel, my guardian, | ||
| Holy Angel, my prince, | ||
| Holy Angel, my monitor, | ||
| Holy Angel, my counsellor, | ||
| Holy Angel, my defender, | ||
| Holy Angel, my steward, | ||
| Holy Angel, my friend, | ||
| Holy Angel, my negotiator, | ||
| Holy Angel, my intercessor, | ||
| Holy Angel, my patron, | ||
| Holy Angel, my director, | ||
| Holy Angel, my ruler, | ||
| Holy Angel, my protector, | ||
| Holy Angel, my comforter, | ||
| Holy Angel, my brother, | ||
| Holy Angel, my teacher, | ||
| Holy Angel, my shepherd, | ||
| Holy Angel, my witness, | ||
| Holy Angel, my helper, | ||
| Holy Angel, my watcher, | ||
| Holy Angel, my conductor, | ||
| Holy Angel, my preserver, | ||
| Holy Angel, my instructor, | ||
| Holy Angel, my enlightener, |
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
V. Pray for us, O holy angel guardian,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Almighty, everlasting God, Who, in the counsel of Thine ineffable goodness, hast appointed to all the faithful, from their mother's womb, a special guardian angel of their body and soul; grant that I may so love and honor him whom Thou hast so mercifully given me, that, protected by the bounty of Thy grace, and by his assistance, I may merit to behold, with him and all the angelic host, the glory of Thy countenance in the heavenly country. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
ANOTHER PRAYER TO ONE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL.
O MOST faithful companion, appointed by God to be my guardian, my protector, and defender, and who never leavest my side; how shall I thank thee for thy faithfulness and love, and for all the benefits which thou hast conferred upon me? Thou watchest over me while I sleep; thou comfortest me when I am sad; thou liftest me up when I am down; thou avertest the dangers that threaten me; thou warnest me of those that are to come; thou withdrawest me from sin, and excitest me to good, thou exhortest me to penance when I fall, and reconcilest me to God. Long ago should I have been thrust down into hell, unless by thy prayers thou hadst turned away from me the anger of God. Leave me not, nor forsake me ever, I beseech thee; but still comfort me in adversity, restrain me in prosperity, defend me in danger, assist me in temptations, lest at any time I fall beneath them. Offer up in the sight of the divine Majesty my prayers and all my works of piety, and make me to persevere in grace until I come to everlasting life. Amen.
Little Office of the Holy Angels.
AT MATINS.
Ant. GOD hath given His angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.
O Lord, open Thou my lips,
And my tongue shall declare Thy praise.
O God, incline unto my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
O LORD, permit us here to raise our voice. And waft before Thy throne our feeble praise, And thank Thee for those angels whom Thy choice
Hath lent our weakness to direct its ways, And free us from the envious foes that lurk To spoil the beauty of Thy cherished work.
Ant. O holy angels, our guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment.
V. In the sight of the angels I will sing to Thee, my God.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, etc.
Prayer.
O GOD, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy angels to be our guardians, grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, etc. Amen.
AT PRIME.
Ant. God hath given His angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.
O God, incline unto, etc.
O Lord, make haste, etc.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
FOR Satan, driven from the happy land Where once he shone in splendor, ill can brook The kindly justice of the Almighty hand,
That gives to man the throne that he forsook;
And seeks to drag into his own disgrace
Poor mortals thus design' d to fill his place.
Ant. O holy angels, our guardians, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels I will sing unto Thee, my God.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
AT TIERCE.
Ant. GOD hath given His angels, etc.
O God, incline unto my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia
Hymn.
BRIGHT Spirit! whom a God supremely wise
Hath given to be the guardian of this land,
Come, arm'd with all thy power from the skies,
And bear its children harmless in thy hand —
Safe from all evil that defiles the soul,
Safe from disunion's withering control.
Ant. O holy angels, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels, etc.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, etc.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
AT SEXT.
Ant. God hath given His angels, etc.
O God, incline unto my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
O JESUS! glory of the angelic choirs,
Light of their brightness, sweetness of their bliss;
Thou Who didst leave a world where nothing tires,
To taste the pains and miseries of this;
Be these same pains, endured to set us free,
The germ of endless happiness with Thee.
Ant. O holy angels, our guardians, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels, etc.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, etc.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
AT NONE.
Ant. God hath given His angels charge over, etc.
R. Amen.
V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
ANGEL of peace! come, Michael, to our aid,
Thou who didst once chase discord from the sky;
Come, calm those boisterous passions that have made
Such havoc here as they have made on high;
Drive strife and rancor to their kindred gloom,
To hell, their fitting, their eternal tomb.
Ant. Holy angels, our guardians, defend, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels I will sing to, etc.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, etc.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
AT VESPERS.
Ant. GOD hath given His angels charge over, etc.
V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
SPIRIT of might! O Gabriel, display
Thy matchless power against our ancient foes;
Visit those sacred temples where we pray —
'Twas at thy potent word those temples rose;
Whose worship raised these shrines throughout the earth;
Thou wert the herald of His future birth.
Ant. O holy angels, our guardians, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels, etc.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
AT COMPLINE.
Ant. God hath given His angels, etc.
V. Convert us, O God our Saviour.
R. And avert Thy anger from us.
O God, incline unto my aid
Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.
Hymn.
AND Raphael! of the glorious seven who stand
Before the throne of Him Who lives and reigns;
Angel of health! the Lord hath filled thy hand
With balm from heaven to soothe or cure our pains,
Heal or console the victim of disease,
And guide our steps when doubtful of our ways.
Ant. O holy angels, etc.
V. In the sight of Thy angels, etc.
R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, etc.
Prayer.
O God, Who with unspeakable providence, etc.
COMMENDATION.
O HOLY guardian! at thy feet
This wreath of humble flowers I lay;
O that their odor were as sweet
As he desires, who sings the lay,
Protect me at death's awful hour,
Receive my soul to thy embrace,
Rich with the wonders of thy power,
To thank, to praise thee, face to face. Amen.
ANTIPHON TO THE ARCHANGEL, MICHAEL.
HOLY archangel Michael, defend us in battle, that we may not perish in the tremendous judgment.
Indulgence of 100 days. — Leo XIII., Aug. 19, 1893.
PRAYER TO ST. RAPHAEL, ARCHANGEL .
GLORIOUS archangel, St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, illustrious by thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of travelers by land and sea, consoler of the unfortunate and refuge of sinners, I entreat thee to help me in all my needs and in all the trials of this life, as thou didst once assist the young Tobias in his journeying. And since thou art the " physician of God," I humbly pray thee to heal my soul of its many infirmities and my body of the ills that afflict it, if this favor is for my greater good. I ask, especially, for angelic purity, that I may be made fit to be the living temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days. — Leo XIII, June 21, 1890.
PRAYER TO THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL.
O BLESSED archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, do thou intercede for us at the throne of divine Mercy in our present necessities, that, as thou didst announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation, so through thy prayers and patronage in heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God for ever in the land of the living. Amen.
IV.
Devotions in Honor of St. Joseph.
DEVOTION OF THE SEVEN SUNDAYS IN HONOR OF ST. JOSEPH.
The Sovereign Pontiffs who have so gloriously occupied the chair of St. Peter in later days have enriched with great indulgences this tender devotion, in order to stimulate the faithful to its practice.
In virtue of a concession of Pope Gregory XVI. we may gain an indulgence of 300 days on each of the first six Sundays, and a plenary indulgence on the seventh Sunday, for saying the prayers of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph on any seven consecutive Sundays of the year.
On February 1, 1S47, Pope Pius IX., of holy memory, wishing to extend this devotion, added to the indulgences already granted a plenary indulgence on each Sunday, applicable to the souls in purgatory.
On March 2 2d of the same year his Holiness extended this indulgence to those who, owing to some good cause, being unable to recite the prayers of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph, say seven Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys, and seven Glorias, fulfilling the usual conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence, namely, confession, communion, and prayers for our holy mother the Church.
The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII., Dec. 9, 1819, granted an indulgence of 100 days, once a day; an indulgence of 300 days, every Wednesday in the year, and on even' day of the two novenas preceding the feasts of St. Joseph, viz., the principal feast, March 19, and the feast of the patronage, the third Sunday after Easter. A plenary indulgence, on these two feasts, to all those who, moreover, being truly penitent, shall have gone to confession and communion. A plenary indulgence, once a month, to all those who shall have said them even' day for a month, on the day when, being truly penitent, they shall go to confession and communion.
DEVOUT EXERCISE IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS AND SEVEN JOYS OF ST. JOSEPH.
1.PURE husband of most holy Mary, glorious St. Joseph, great was the travail and anguish of thy heart when, in sore perplexity, thou didst feel inclined to put away thy stainless spouse; but unspeakable was thy joy when the angel revealed to thee the high mystery of the Incarnation.
By this, thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee, comfort our souls now and in their dying agony with the sweet consolation of a well-spent life, and a death like unto thine own, in the embrace of Jesus and of Mary.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
2. Thrice happy patriarch, glorious St. Joseph, chosen to be the foster-father of the Word made man, keen was the pain thou didst feel when thou didst see the infant Jesus born in abject poverty; but thy pain was suddenly changed into heavenly joy when upon thee burst the harmony of the angel-choirs, and thou didst behold the glory of that refulgent night.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee, obtain for us that, when the journey of our life is over, we too may pass to that blessed land where we shall hear the angel-chants, and enjoy the brightness of celestial glory.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
3. O thou who wast ever most obedient in fulfilling the law of God, glorious St. Joseph! when, at His circumcision, the infant Saviour's precious blood was shed, thy heart was pierced through and through; but with the name of Jesus came again to thee new life and heavenly joy.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us that, freed in life from the vile yoke of sin, we too may die with joy, with the sweet name of Jesus in our hearts and on our lips.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
4. Faithful saint, who wast admitted to take part in man's redemption, glorious St. Joseph, Simeon's prophecy of the coming woes of Jesus and of Mary filled thy soul with agony like death: but thy soul was filled with blessedness when he foretold salvation and glorious resurrection to innumerable souls.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, help us with thy prayers to be of those who, by the merits of Jesus and His virgin Mother, shall be partakers of the glorious resurrection.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
5. Watchful guardian, bosom-friend of the Incarnate Son of God, glorious St. Joseph, how didst thou toil to nurture and to serve the Son of the Most High, especially in the flight into Egypt; but far greater was thy joy in having with thee God Himself, and in seeing Egypt's idols fall to the earth!
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us to keep aloof from the infernal tyrant, quitting all dangerous occasions, that all earthly idols may be cast out from our hearts, and that, employed in the service of Jesus and Mary, we may ever live for them alone, and with them calmly die.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
6. Angel on earth, glorious St. Joseph, while thou didst marvel at seeing the King of heaven obedient to thy bidding, fear of the tyrant mingled with thy joy when thou didst bring him back from Egypt; but, reassured by the angel, thou didst dwell at Nazareth with glad heart, in the sweet company of Jesus and Mary.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us that, with hearts set free from every hurtful fear, we too may taste the quiet of a tranquil conscience, safely dwelling with Jesus and with Mary, and one day die within their loving arms.
Our Father. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
7. Pattern of all holiness, glorious St. Joseph, without fault of thine, thou didst lose the holy Child, Jesus, and for three days, to thy great sorrow, didst seek for him, until, with joy unspeakable, thou didst find thy Life amid the Doctors in the Temple.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee with all our heart, stand between us and danger, that we may never lose Jesus by mortal sin; but if, to our shame and disgrace, we lose him, may we seek him with such ceaseless grief that we may find him propitious to us, especially at the hour of our death, and thus go to enjoy Him in heaven, and there with thee sing His divine mercy for ever!
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
Ant. Jesus was about thirty years old, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph.
V. Pray for us, blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
GOD, Who in Thine ineffable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the husband of Thy most holy Mother: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be made worthy to receive him for our intercessor in heaven, whom on earth we venerate as our holy protector. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
PRAYER OF A RELIGIOUS TO THE GLORIOUS PATRIARCH ST. JOSEPH, FOSTER-FATHER OF THE ETERNAL WORD, SPOUSE OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN, MODEL AND PATRON OF INTERIOR SOULS.
DEAR St. Joseph! man according to the Heart of God! Seraph of love! thou, whose heart was always on fire with the pure flames of the most ardent charity, and whose life was a constant prayer and continual contemplation! deign to accept me as thy protege, and to teach me the perfection of the interior life. Teach me how to model my heart in accordance with the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Direct me in the way of salvation/ and obtain for me that I may, day after day, without interruption, live and labor for God and my neighbor in the rigorous observance of my vows. From the height of thy throne, where thou reignest in heaven near Jesus and Mary, cast thy paternal and compassionate looks upon all Religious, and especially upon those of our own Order, who are filled with the most profound respect and tender veneration for thee. Be a father to us all; inspire our Superiors; protect our interests; shield us from danger and aid us in the spread of God's kingdom on earth. Obtain for all Religious the graces of which they stand in need, in order to arrive at the sanctity to which God calls them. Especially obtain for them the spirit of prayer, the gift of piety, that fervor of which thou art the perfect model. Teach them to pray as thou thyself hast learned it from Jesus and Mary.
May they be always animated with the same sentiments of humility, purity of intention, respect, docility, faith, confidence, and love, with which thou thyself wert inflamed and actuated, when in thy hidden life, in the silence and seclusion of thy poor house at Nazareth, thou didst offer unceasingly with Jesus and Mary the most fervent and acceptable prayers to the divine Majesty. Amen.
Novena to St. Joseph.
(Feast March 19th. Novena begins March 10th and ends March 18th.)
DEDICATION TO ST. JOSEPH.
O GLORIOUS descendant of the King of Juda! inheritor of the virtues of all the patriarchs! just and happy St. Joseph! listen to my prayer. Thou art my glorious protector, and shalt ever be, after Jesus and Mary, the object of my most profound veneration and tender confidence. Thou art the most hidden, though the greatest saint, and art peculiarly the patron of those who serve God with the greatest purity and fervor. In union with all those who have ever been most devoted to thee, I now dedicate myself to thy service, beseeching thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Who vouchsafed to love and obey thee as a son, to become a father to me, and to obtain for me the filial respect, confidence, and love of a child toward thee. O powerful advocate of all Christians! whose intercession, as St. Teresa assures us, has never been found to fail, deign to intercede for me now, and to obtain for me the particular object of this novena. [Specify it.] Present me, O great saint, to the Adorable Trinity, with Whom thou hadst so glorious and so intimate a correspondence. Obtain that I may never efface by sin the sacred image according to the likeness of which I was created. Beg for me that my divine Redeemer may enkindle in my heart, and in all hearts, the fire of His love, and infuse therein the virtues of His adorable infancy, His purity, simplicity, obedience, and humility. Obtain for me likewise a lively devotion to thy virgin spouse, and protect me so powerfully in life and death that I may have the happiness of dying as thou didst, in the friendship of my Creator, and under the immediate protection of the Mother of God.
For making a novena in honor of St. Joseph, an indulgence of 300 days, -on each day, and a plenary indulgence during the novena or on any one of the eight days following it. — Pius IX., Nov. 28, 1876.
AN OFFERING TO ST. JOSEPH.
GREAT St. Joseph, thou generous depositary and dispenser of immortal riches, behold us prostrate at thy feet, conjuring thee to receive us as thy servants and as thy children. Next to the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary, of which thou art the faithful copy, we acknowledge that there is no heart more tender, more compassionate, than thine. What, then, have we to fear, or, rather, for what should we not hope, if thou dost deign to be our benefactor, our master, our model, our father, and our intercessor!
Refuse not, then, the favor we ask of thee, O powerful protector! We ask it of thee by the love thou hast for Jesus and Mary. Into thy hands we commit our souls and bodies, but above all, the last moment of our lives. May we, after having honored, imitated, and served thee on earth, eternally sing with thee the mercies of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
The Little Office of St. Joseph.
AT MATINS.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
MIGHTY Joseph, son of David!
High and glorious is thy state-
Of Our Lord the foster-father,
Mary's spouse immaculate.
The Almighty's faithful servant,
Of the Holy Family
Head and father. Oh! I pray thee,
Be a father unto me.
Ant. He made him master of His house, and ruler over all His possessions. (Psalm civ.)
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
AT PRIME.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
SORELY was thy bosom troubled
Till the mystery was revealed
Which the Lord had wrought in Mary,
Who in patience all concealed.
But an angel soon from heaven
Bids thy loving doubts to cease:
So may every care and trial
Turn for me to joy and peace.
Ant. Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy spouse, for what is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
AT TIERCE.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my Hps,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
WITH the Virgin, young and tender,
In the winter-time forlorn,
Thou to Bethlehem didst journey,
That Our Lord might there be born.
As thy God thou didst adore Him,
While He in the manger lay,
Now is He in heaven exalted —
Turn to Him for us and pray!
Ant. Joseph went up out of Galilee from Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
AT SEXT.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the
Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
FLEEING at the angel's warning,
Far from Herod's fury wild,
Long in Egypt didst thou tarry
With the Virgin and the Child.
By thy toil, and pain, and sadness,
In that exile dark and drear,
Help me in the cares and sorrows
Which may be my portion here.
Ant. Arise and take the Child and His Mother, and fly
into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell thee; for it will
come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him.
(Matt. ii. 13.)
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
AT NONE.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
HOME from Egypt's land returning
Thou wouldst rest in Galilee,
But to Nazareth art bidden,
That the Child secure may be.
Souls retiring, sweet, and humble,
Thou dost still for Jesus seek:
That my heart may be His garden,
Make it humble, pure, and meek.
Ant. Who arose, and took the Child and His Mother and came into the land of Israel . . . and he dwelt in a city which is called Nazareth. (Matt. ii. 23.)
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace
R. Amen.
AT VESPERS.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,
R. And my mouth shall announce Thy praise.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
THOU didst search with loving anguish
For the little Jesus lost;
But, in finding Him, what rapture,
Purchased at that sorrow's cost!
Thee, my light, my life, my Jesus,
May I never lose by sin!
May my heart be pure and simple,
So that Thou may'st rest therein.
Ant. Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. (Luke ii. 48.)
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
AT COMPLINE.
HAIL, glory of the patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst preserve the Bread of life and the Wheat of the elect.
V. Convert us, O Lord, our salvation,
R. And avert Thine anger from us.
V. Incline unto mine aid, O God!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn.
JESUS, Mary, hung above thee,
On that sad, yet happy day,
When, with their fond arms around thee,
Passed thy gentle soul away.
Oh! when death shall come to take me,
All its terrors I'll defy,
If, with Jesus and with Mary,
Thou, dear Joseph, wilt be nigh.
Ant. In peace in the self -same I will sleep, and I will rest, for Thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope. (Psalm iv. 9.)
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
MAY we, O Lord, we beseech Thee, be assisted by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we can not possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, who livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer,
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
COMMENDATION.
THUS, O glorious saint, my homage I, thy grateful client, pay.
Hear my prayer and smile upon me,
Guide and guard me on my way.
May I, 'neath thy kind protection,
Safely reach my journey's close,
And with thee in heaven's bright palace
Through eternity repose!
ACT OF CONSECRATION AND CHOICE OF ST. JOSEPH AS A PATRON.
O BLESSED Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector of thy chaste spouse, the virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to be my special patron and advocate, and I firmly resolve to honor thee all the days of my life. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction, to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus, and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of death. Amen.
FOR A HAPPY DEATH.
O BLESSED Joseph! who didst die in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me, I beseech thee, the grace of a happy death. Defend me from the attacks of my infernal enemy in that hour of dread and anguish, to which I now invite thee, that thou mayest assist me by thy presence and protect me by thy power. Obtain of thy divine Son that I may breathe out my soul in praise, saying in spirit, if I can not utter the words: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Amen.
PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH FOR THE OCTOBER DEVOTIONS.
Ordered by Pope Leo XIII. to be said as part of the devotions for the month of October.
TO thee, O blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our afflictions, and, after imploring the help of thy most holy spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also. By that affection which united thee to the immaculate virgin Mother of God, and by the fatherly love with which thou didst embrace the Infant Jesus, look down, we beseech thee, with gracious eyes on the precious inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by His blood, and help us in our necessities by thy power and aid. Protect, O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, the elect children of Jesus Christ; ward off from us, O most loving father, all plagues of errors and depravity; be propitious to us from heaven, O most powerful protector, in this our struggle with the powers pf darkness; and as thou didst once rescue the Child Jesus from the greatest peril to His life, so now defend God's holy Church from the snares of the enemy and all adversity. Finally, shield every one of us with thy patronage, that, imitating thy example and strengthened by thy help, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.
An indulgence of 300 days, applicable to the souls in purgatory; seven years and seven quarantines for each public recital during the month of October.— Leo XIII., Sept. 21, 1889.
ANOTHER APPROVED VERSION OF THIS FAVORITE PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH, AS RECITED IN MANY PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE come to thee, O blessed Joseph, in our sore distress. Having sought the aid of thy most blessed spouse, we now confidently implore thy assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the dutiful affection which bound thee to the immaculate virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which thou didst cherish the Child Jesus, thou wilt lovingly watch over the heritage which Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by thy powerful intercession help us in our urgent need. Most powerful guardian of the Holy Family, protect the chosen race of Jesus Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, every pest of error and corrupting sin. From thy place in heaven, most powerful protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the powers of darkness, and as of old thou didst deliver the Child Jesus from supreme peril of life, so now defend the holy Church of God from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity. Have each of us always in thy keeping, that, following thy example, and borne up by thy strength, we may be able to live holily, die happily, and so enter the everlasting bliss of heaven. Amen.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH.
O BLESSED St. Joseph! I consecrate myself to thy honor, and give myself to thee, that thou mayest always be my father, my protector, and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life. After thy example may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary! And do thou, O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may share in the peace and joy of thy holy death. Amen.
Invocation to St. Joseph.
Help us, Joseph, in our earthly strife; ever to lead a pure and blameless life.
Indulgence of 300 days. — Leo XIII., March 18, 1882.
PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH FOR PERSEVERANCE.
O DEAR St. Joseph, foster-father of our divine Redeemer, and spouse of our holy Mother Mary, thou didst live with them and toil for them through all the years of the hidden life, and thou didst die in their arms. By the love thou bearest to them and the love they bear to thee, pray for us always, and guard us. Obtain for us, O patron of a happy death, the grace to live and die in God's love and favor, that we may spend our eternity with Jesus and Mary and with thee, O dear St. Joseph.
NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF MARY MOST HOLY.
THE Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IX., Nov. 28, 1876, granted to all the faithful who, with contrite heart, devoutly make at any time during the year the novena in honor of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary most holy, with any formula of prayer, provided it be approved by competent ecclesiastical authority, an indulgence of 300 days, once a day; plenary indulgence on usual conditions.
Ejaculation.
St. Joseph, model and patron of those who love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day.-— Leo XIII., Dec. 19, 1891.
Prayer.
REMEMBER, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my sweet protector St. Joseph! that no one ever had recourse to thy protection or implored thy aid without obtaining relief. Confiding therefore in thy goodness, I come before thee, and humbly supplicate thee. Oh, despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, once a day. — Pius IX., June 26, 1863.
PRAYERS IN HONOR OF ST. JOSEPH FOR THE AGONIZING.
ETERNAL Father, by Thy love for St. Joseph, whom Thou didst select from among all men to represent Thee upon earth, have mercy on us and on the dying.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
Eternal divine Son, by Thy love for St. Joseph, who was Thy faithful guardian upon earth, have mercy upon us and upon the dying.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
Eternal divine Spirit, by Thy love for St. Joseph, Who so carefully watched over Mary, Thy beloved spouse, have mercy on us and on the dying.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
Indulgence of 300 days, once a day.. — Leo XIII., May 17, 1884.
PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.
MOST powerful patriarch St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, which has always invoked thee in anxiety and trouble, from the exalted seat of thy glory cast a loving glance upon the whole Catholic world. Let thy fatherly heart be touched at the sight of the mystical spouse, and the Vicar of Christ overwhelmed with sorrow and persecuted by powerful enemies. Oh; by the bitter anguish thou didst experience upon earth, dry the tears of the venerable Pontiff, defend him. liberate him, intercede for him with the Giver of peace and charity, that, all adversity being removed, and all error dissipated, the entire Church may serve God in perfect liberty: Ut destrnctis adversitatibus et erroribus universis Ecdesia secura Deo serviat libertate. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Leo XIII., March 4, 1882.
V.
Devotions to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
THE THREE THURSDAYS.
"THE Three Thursdays" is not a phrase to which pious ears are used, as they are used to "The Nine Fridays." Our readers, especially in Ireland and more especially in Dublin, are happily familiar with that magnificent exercise of persevering faith and piety by which so many continually increasing thousands endeavor to gain very special graces by receiving holy communion on the first Friday of nine months following one another without a single break. By the way, why nine — not fewer and not more? Was that particular number honored by Our Lord's choice for this purpose in memory of the first nine months of His human life?
But "The Three Thursdays" is only a name by which three special days of the year are perhaps now for the first time linked together on account of certain Eucharistic associations which I am going to explain — Holy Thursday Ascension Thursday, and the Feast of Corpus Christi. These are the only religious solemnities that are attached to the fifth day of the week as such; and they all three — two of them expressly, and one (as we shall presently see) indirectly and by suggestion — are special reminders and memorials of the Blessed Eucharist. Perhaps some devout souls who are eager to seize on any excuse or device for renewing their fervor will reproach themselves with having too completely overlooked the Eucharistic claims of Thursday, and with having scarcely heeded the invitation which its associations address to the pious faithful to extend practically to all the Thursdays of the year the liturgical title of Thursday in Holy Week — Feria quinta in coena Domini, Thursday of the Lord's Supper.
The first, then, of the Three Thursdays is Maundy Thursday, for which the faithful have, with good reason, invented for themselves the name of Holy Thursday, though it is not called so in the Missal, as Holy Saturday is. This solemn day was not chosen arbitrarily to do honor to the Blessed Eucharist, but because it was on this day that Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled His promise and instituted this memorial of His love, on the night before He suffered, on the eve of Good Friday.
So, too, the Feast of the Ascension is not an arbitrary feast in the calendar, but is kept on one fixed and determinate Thursday for this reason : because Our Saviour, after His Resurrection, fingered on for another forty days in the desert of this world, as He had spent forty days in the desert at the beginning of His public life; and in these forty days after Easter Sunday we reach exactly the Thursday of the sixth week of Paschal time, which is, therefore, the anniversary of Our Lord's Ascension from Mount Olivet, and which we therefore call Ascension Thursday.
The particular date, however, of Corpus Christi, the third of these Three Thursdays that I am linking together, was not thus fixed beforehand by the circumstances of the event that it commemorates; but it was chosen deliberately for the following excellent reasons. This great feast of the Blessed Sacrament was intended to make amends to the faithful for the restraints placed on their piety on Holy Thursday itself, when the nearness of Good Friday hindered them from making it a sufficiently joyful festival. Now, what date should be selected for this Eucharistic consecration, for the fuller gratifying of our pent-up feelings of joy and gratitude for the institution of the great banquet of love? There was a certain fitness in choosing some day that comes as soon as possible after the completion of the yearly cycle of feasts which commemorate the events of Our Lord's life on earth, ending with the establishment of His Church and the descent of the Holy Ghost. That cycle closes with Pentecost: what day, therefore, after the octave of Whitsunday, shall be the glorious feast of reparation and thanksgiving for the Sacrament of the body of Our Lord? The Thursday of the first week after Whitsuntide is Corpus Christi, not preferred at random (as we have said several times) to the other days of the week, but out of homage to that particular day on which this Most Blessed Sacrament was actually instituted.
Finally, what individual claim can Ascension Thursday advance to be ranked as a Eucharistic festival, like the two other Thursdays which it comes between? Because the commemoration of the departure of our divine Redeemer must needs call to our minds His abiding presence amongst us. He who is gone stays still. Hundreds of years before the Ascension the Royal Psalmist, who foresaw it, linked this consolation with his prophecy, or at least piety is delighted at discovering this hidden meaning in his words: "Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts in men" (Psalm lxvii. 19). This was the supreme gift and love -token which, if it had not been given already, would have been given then, to console those who were left behind in loneliness on the mountain of the Ascension. Surely, as all the pathetic words spoken at the Last Supper have a deeper force, a more poignant significance, if we imagine them repeated by Jesus at the very last on Mount Olivet, when the final parting had indeed come, as they were repeated (if not with His lips) with His Heart; so, too, the "memorial of His marvels," memoria mirabilium suorum, the memento that He left behind Him, did not take effect, as it were, or come fully into play, until His visible presence was actually withdrawn. And therefore, when Our Redeemer goes from us on the clouds of heaven, it is impossible not to try and calm, our troubled hearts by reminding ourselves of the supreme device of His love by means of which, though He has gone, He will be with us still. May we not give this meaning to the warning of the white-robed angels: Hic Jesus qui assumptus est veniet? He will come: He will Himself be the greatest of the gifts that He gave to men when ascending on high. Dedit dona hominibus.
A holy man,[3] whose writings are marked by great sobriety of thought and the absence of all extravagance, has written: "The presence of Our Lord in the tabernacle may be said to be the very chief of all the mercies of God to us in our present state; more precious than the guardianship of the angels of which we think so little, or the practical benefits which flow from our membership of the Church, or from the prayers and protection of the saints, or even from the mightiness and power and vigilant tenderness of the motherly care of Mary herself "
St. Paul's argument about the Incarnation applies with overwhelming force to this special phase or development of the Incarnation, in which the Word that was made flesh in order to dwell amongst us visibly has disguised that vesture of flesh under another form in order to dwell amongst us still, corporally and yet invisibly. St. Paul asks: "He that spared not even His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how hath He not also with Him given us all things?" (Rom. viii., 32). And now we too may ask: since Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has deigned to give Himself to us in so close a union, and to dwell night and day in our midst that He may come often into our hearts, what greater proof of His love can there be left for Him to give? And ought not our gratitude and our love to be as unceasing and, in our poor finite measure, as intense as His infinite love and bounty? (Father Russell's "Communion Day.")
DEVOUT EXERCISES FOR ALL THE THURSDAYS IN THE YEAR, AND ESPECIALLY FOR HOLY THURSDAY AND THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
THE Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII., on Feb. 14, 1815, and April 6, 1816, granted : a plenary indulgence to all those who shall perform for one hour, in public or in private, on Holy Thursday, any devout exercise in honor of the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, provided that they be truly penitent, and approach the sacraments of confession and communion on that day, or on any day during, the following week.
A plenary indulgence, on the same conditions, on the Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/611 Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/612 Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/613 Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/614 Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/615 Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/616
- ↑ In the following part we have endeavored, for the sake of method, to group and classify in seven sections, under the headings given for the sanctification of the week, namely, Sunday, the Holy Trinity: one God; Monday, the Holy Ghost and the Holy Souls; Tuesday, the Holy Angels; Wednesday, St. Joseph; Thursday, the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart; Friday, the Sacred Heart and the Passion of Our Lord and Saviour, and Saturday, the Blessed Virgin, — all the prayers and devotions appropriate to the various seasons of the whole year. The Novenas, however, will be found in a separate group. In regard to the devotions of the Sacred Heart and the Blessed Sacrament, given under Thursday, the Holy Hour and the Hour of Adoration, i.e., the former in honor of the Suffering Heart of Jesus (to render Christ homage in the extreme anguish He suffered on the night of His Passion), and the latter in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, are kept by Communities mostly on Thursday afternoon or evening, and prayers to the Sacred Heart as well as to the Blessed Sacrament are then used by the pious adorers before the Sacred Host exposed upon the altar. That is why born are included under Thursday. Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament generally unite prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with devotions in honor of the sublime Mystery of the altar. Friday is given to the Sacred Heart as well as to the Passion, but the prayers for Sacred Heart devotions will be found, as we have said, under Thursday.
- ↑ During this novena no particular form of prayer is of obligation. Any prayer to the Holy Ghost will suffice.
- ↑ Henry James Coleridge, S.J.