Mass for Advent.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.Introibo.O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite[pg 529]merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.The Priest Ascends The Altar.O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out,“Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!”Amen.Gloria.Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.[pg 530]Collects.Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas-time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.Epistle.Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us:“Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.”My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.Gospel.Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted[pg 531]with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.Credo.I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic[pg 532]and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.Offertory.I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.Lavabo.O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.Orate Fratres.The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I[pg 533]unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.Preface.Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.Consecration.Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity,[pg 534]under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.Elevation Of The Host.(Here the bell is rung thrice.)Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.Elevation Of The Chalice.Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.Pater Noster.Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child[pg 535]to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.Agnus Dei.In saying to Thy apostles,“Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,”Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.Domine, Non Sum Dignus.God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.Act Of Spiritual Communion.For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day,[pg 536]suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.Last Gospel.O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!After Mass.Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.[pg 537]To Be Said Throughout Advent.Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.V.O Lord, hear my prayer.R.And let my cry come unto Thee.Let Us Pray.O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.Litany for Christmas.(For Private Devotion Only.)Glory be to God on high.And peace on earth to men of good will.We praise Thee.We bless Thee.We adore Thee.We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.Who takest away the sins of the world,Hear our prayers.Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,Have mercy on us.For Thou only art holy,Thou only art Our Lord.[pg 538]Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.In holiness and justice before Him all our days.Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.Glory be to the Father, etc.Let Us Pray.O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.[pg 539]Crown of the Twelve Stars, Or Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.R.Forever and forever. Amen.Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.[pg 540]R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say[pg 541]The Salve Regina.Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.V.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.Novena In Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.2An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).To be Said Every Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within 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.O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us[pg 542]in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.Preparatory Prayer.(To be Said Every Day.)O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother.Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following:[pg 543]First Day.Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God.Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following:Hymn.V.Thou art all fair, O Mary.R.Thou art all fair, O Mary.V.And the original stain is not in thee.R.And the original stain is not in thee.V.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.R.Thou art the joy of Israel.V.Thou our people's special honor.R.Thou the advocate of sinners.V.O Mary.R.O Mary.V.Virgin prudent above all.R.Mother too most merciful.V.Pray thou for us.R.Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord.V.In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate.[pg 544]R.Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth.Let Us Pray.O God, Who by the Virgin's immaculate conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, we beseech Thee, that Thou, Who, by the death of that same Son of Thine, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee.Second Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, immaculate lily of purity, I congratulate thee that from the very first instant of thy conception thou wast filled with grace, and also that the perfect use of reason was conferred upon thee. I thank and adore the most Holy Trinity for having imparted to thee graces so sublime; and I am utterly confounded before thee to see myself so poor in grace. Do thou, who wast so entirely filled with heavenly grace, give some portion of it to my soul, and make me a partaker of the treasures of thy immaculate conception.Here the Litany or Hymn is to be said.Third Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, mystical rose of purity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy[pg 545]immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most Holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fourth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin Mary, mirror of purity, I rejoice with the utmost joy to see that the most sublime and perfect virtues have been from thy first conception infused into thee, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the most Holy Trinity for having favored thee with these privileges; and I implore thee, O gracious Mother, to obtain for me the practice of virtues, and to render me thus worthy to receive the gifts and the grace of the Holy Spirit.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fifth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee, inasmuch as the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of the salvation[pg 546]of all the human race and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having so exalted and glorified thy person; and I implore thee to obtain for me grace to know how to profit by the Passion and death of thy Jesus, and that the blood shed upon the cross may not be unavailing for me, but that I may live holily and be saved.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Sixth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, most resplendent star of purity, I rejoice with thee that thy immaculate conception has brought a most exceeding joy to all the angels of paradise. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with so beautiful a privilege. Ah, grant that I may enter one day into a participation of that joy, and may be able, in the company of the angels, to praise and bless thee for eternity.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Seventh Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and am glad that in the moment of thy conception thou wast confirmed in grace and made incapable of sin. I thank and extol the most Holy Trinity for having distinguished thee alone with this special privilege.[pg 547]Ah, obtain for me, O holy Virgin, an entire and constant abhorrence of sin above every other evil, and that I may sooner die than commit it any more.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Eighth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Virgin Mary, sun without spot, I congratulate thee, and rejoice that in thy conception a greater and more abundant grace was bestowed upon thee than all the angels and saints possessed in the fulness of their merits. I thank and admire the sovereign goodness of the most Holy Trinity in having enriched thee with this privilege. Ah, enable me to correspond to divine grace, and nevermore abuse it! Change my heart, and let me from this moment begin to amend my life.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Ninth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin and Mother Mary, living light of holiness and model of purity, thou, when scarcely yet conceived, didst profoundly adore God and thank Him, because by thy means, the ancient curse being taken away, the fulness of blessing was coming upon the children of Adam. Ah, let this blessing enkindle in my heart a love of God! Do thou inflame it, that I may love Him constantly, and then enjoy Him eternally in paradise, where I may be able to thank Him more ardently for the[pg 548]singular privileges granted to thee, and behold thee also crowned as thou art with such exceeding glory.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Mass for Advent.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.Introibo.O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite[pg 529]merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.The Priest Ascends The Altar.O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out,“Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!”Amen.Gloria.Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.[pg 530]Collects.Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas-time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.Epistle.Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us:“Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.”My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.Gospel.Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted[pg 531]with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.Credo.I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic[pg 532]and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.Offertory.I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.Lavabo.O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.Orate Fratres.The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I[pg 533]unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.Preface.Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.Consecration.Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity,[pg 534]under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.Elevation Of The Host.(Here the bell is rung thrice.)Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.Elevation Of The Chalice.Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.Pater Noster.Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child[pg 535]to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.Agnus Dei.In saying to Thy apostles,“Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,”Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.Domine, Non Sum Dignus.God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.Act Of Spiritual Communion.For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day,[pg 536]suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.Last Gospel.O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!After Mass.Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.[pg 537]To Be Said Throughout Advent.Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.V.O Lord, hear my prayer.R.And let my cry come unto Thee.Let Us Pray.O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.Litany for Christmas.(For Private Devotion Only.)Glory be to God on high.And peace on earth to men of good will.We praise Thee.We bless Thee.We adore Thee.We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.Who takest away the sins of the world,Hear our prayers.Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,Have mercy on us.For Thou only art holy,Thou only art Our Lord.[pg 538]Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.In holiness and justice before Him all our days.Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.Glory be to the Father, etc.Let Us Pray.O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.[pg 539]Crown of the Twelve Stars, Or Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.R.Forever and forever. Amen.Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.[pg 540]R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say[pg 541]The Salve Regina.Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.V.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.Novena In Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.2An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).To be Said Every Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within 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.O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us[pg 542]in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.Preparatory Prayer.(To be Said Every Day.)O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother.Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following:[pg 543]First Day.Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God.Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following:Hymn.V.Thou art all fair, O Mary.R.Thou art all fair, O Mary.V.And the original stain is not in thee.R.And the original stain is not in thee.V.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.R.Thou art the joy of Israel.V.Thou our people's special honor.R.Thou the advocate of sinners.V.O Mary.R.O Mary.V.Virgin prudent above all.R.Mother too most merciful.V.Pray thou for us.R.Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord.V.In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate.[pg 544]R.Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth.Let Us Pray.O God, Who by the Virgin's immaculate conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, we beseech Thee, that Thou, Who, by the death of that same Son of Thine, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee.Second Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, immaculate lily of purity, I congratulate thee that from the very first instant of thy conception thou wast filled with grace, and also that the perfect use of reason was conferred upon thee. I thank and adore the most Holy Trinity for having imparted to thee graces so sublime; and I am utterly confounded before thee to see myself so poor in grace. Do thou, who wast so entirely filled with heavenly grace, give some portion of it to my soul, and make me a partaker of the treasures of thy immaculate conception.Here the Litany or Hymn is to be said.Third Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, mystical rose of purity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy[pg 545]immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most Holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fourth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin Mary, mirror of purity, I rejoice with the utmost joy to see that the most sublime and perfect virtues have been from thy first conception infused into thee, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the most Holy Trinity for having favored thee with these privileges; and I implore thee, O gracious Mother, to obtain for me the practice of virtues, and to render me thus worthy to receive the gifts and the grace of the Holy Spirit.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fifth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee, inasmuch as the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of the salvation[pg 546]of all the human race and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having so exalted and glorified thy person; and I implore thee to obtain for me grace to know how to profit by the Passion and death of thy Jesus, and that the blood shed upon the cross may not be unavailing for me, but that I may live holily and be saved.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Sixth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, most resplendent star of purity, I rejoice with thee that thy immaculate conception has brought a most exceeding joy to all the angels of paradise. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with so beautiful a privilege. Ah, grant that I may enter one day into a participation of that joy, and may be able, in the company of the angels, to praise and bless thee for eternity.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Seventh Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and am glad that in the moment of thy conception thou wast confirmed in grace and made incapable of sin. I thank and extol the most Holy Trinity for having distinguished thee alone with this special privilege.[pg 547]Ah, obtain for me, O holy Virgin, an entire and constant abhorrence of sin above every other evil, and that I may sooner die than commit it any more.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Eighth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Virgin Mary, sun without spot, I congratulate thee, and rejoice that in thy conception a greater and more abundant grace was bestowed upon thee than all the angels and saints possessed in the fulness of their merits. I thank and admire the sovereign goodness of the most Holy Trinity in having enriched thee with this privilege. Ah, enable me to correspond to divine grace, and nevermore abuse it! Change my heart, and let me from this moment begin to amend my life.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Ninth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin and Mother Mary, living light of holiness and model of purity, thou, when scarcely yet conceived, didst profoundly adore God and thank Him, because by thy means, the ancient curse being taken away, the fulness of blessing was coming upon the children of Adam. Ah, let this blessing enkindle in my heart a love of God! Do thou inflame it, that I may love Him constantly, and then enjoy Him eternally in paradise, where I may be able to thank Him more ardently for the[pg 548]singular privileges granted to thee, and behold thee also crowned as thou art with such exceeding glory.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Mass for Advent.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.Introibo.O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite[pg 529]merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.The Priest Ascends The Altar.O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out,“Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!”Amen.Gloria.Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.[pg 530]Collects.Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas-time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.Epistle.Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us:“Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.”My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.Gospel.Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted[pg 531]with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.Credo.I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic[pg 532]and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.Offertory.I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.Lavabo.O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.Orate Fratres.The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I[pg 533]unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.Preface.Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.Consecration.Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity,[pg 534]under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.Elevation Of The Host.(Here the bell is rung thrice.)Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.Elevation Of The Chalice.Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.Pater Noster.Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child[pg 535]to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.Agnus Dei.In saying to Thy apostles,“Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,”Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.Domine, Non Sum Dignus.God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.Act Of Spiritual Communion.For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day,[pg 536]suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.Last Gospel.O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!After Mass.Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.[pg 537]To Be Said Throughout Advent.Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.V.O Lord, hear my prayer.R.And let my cry come unto Thee.Let Us Pray.O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.Litany for Christmas.(For Private Devotion Only.)Glory be to God on high.And peace on earth to men of good will.We praise Thee.We bless Thee.We adore Thee.We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.Who takest away the sins of the world,Hear our prayers.Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,Have mercy on us.For Thou only art holy,Thou only art Our Lord.[pg 538]Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.In holiness and justice before Him all our days.Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.Glory be to the Father, etc.Let Us Pray.O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.[pg 539]Crown of the Twelve Stars, Or Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.R.Forever and forever. Amen.Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.[pg 540]R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say[pg 541]The Salve Regina.Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.V.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.Novena In Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.2An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).To be Said Every Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within 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.O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us[pg 542]in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.Preparatory Prayer.(To be Said Every Day.)O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother.Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following:[pg 543]First Day.Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God.Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following:Hymn.V.Thou art all fair, O Mary.R.Thou art all fair, O Mary.V.And the original stain is not in thee.R.And the original stain is not in thee.V.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.R.Thou art the joy of Israel.V.Thou our people's special honor.R.Thou the advocate of sinners.V.O Mary.R.O Mary.V.Virgin prudent above all.R.Mother too most merciful.V.Pray thou for us.R.Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord.V.In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate.[pg 544]R.Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth.Let Us Pray.O God, Who by the Virgin's immaculate conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, we beseech Thee, that Thou, Who, by the death of that same Son of Thine, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee.Second Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, immaculate lily of purity, I congratulate thee that from the very first instant of thy conception thou wast filled with grace, and also that the perfect use of reason was conferred upon thee. I thank and adore the most Holy Trinity for having imparted to thee graces so sublime; and I am utterly confounded before thee to see myself so poor in grace. Do thou, who wast so entirely filled with heavenly grace, give some portion of it to my soul, and make me a partaker of the treasures of thy immaculate conception.Here the Litany or Hymn is to be said.Third Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, mystical rose of purity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy[pg 545]immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most Holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fourth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin Mary, mirror of purity, I rejoice with the utmost joy to see that the most sublime and perfect virtues have been from thy first conception infused into thee, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the most Holy Trinity for having favored thee with these privileges; and I implore thee, O gracious Mother, to obtain for me the practice of virtues, and to render me thus worthy to receive the gifts and the grace of the Holy Spirit.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fifth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee, inasmuch as the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of the salvation[pg 546]of all the human race and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having so exalted and glorified thy person; and I implore thee to obtain for me grace to know how to profit by the Passion and death of thy Jesus, and that the blood shed upon the cross may not be unavailing for me, but that I may live holily and be saved.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Sixth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, most resplendent star of purity, I rejoice with thee that thy immaculate conception has brought a most exceeding joy to all the angels of paradise. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with so beautiful a privilege. Ah, grant that I may enter one day into a participation of that joy, and may be able, in the company of the angels, to praise and bless thee for eternity.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Seventh Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and am glad that in the moment of thy conception thou wast confirmed in grace and made incapable of sin. I thank and extol the most Holy Trinity for having distinguished thee alone with this special privilege.[pg 547]Ah, obtain for me, O holy Virgin, an entire and constant abhorrence of sin above every other evil, and that I may sooner die than commit it any more.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Eighth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Virgin Mary, sun without spot, I congratulate thee, and rejoice that in thy conception a greater and more abundant grace was bestowed upon thee than all the angels and saints possessed in the fulness of their merits. I thank and admire the sovereign goodness of the most Holy Trinity in having enriched thee with this privilege. Ah, enable me to correspond to divine grace, and nevermore abuse it! Change my heart, and let me from this moment begin to amend my life.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Ninth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin and Mother Mary, living light of holiness and model of purity, thou, when scarcely yet conceived, didst profoundly adore God and thank Him, because by thy means, the ancient curse being taken away, the fulness of blessing was coming upon the children of Adam. Ah, let this blessing enkindle in my heart a love of God! Do thou inflame it, that I may love Him constantly, and then enjoy Him eternally in paradise, where I may be able to thank Him more ardently for the[pg 548]singular privileges granted to thee, and behold thee also crowned as thou art with such exceeding glory.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Mass for Advent.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.Introibo.O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite[pg 529]merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.The Priest Ascends The Altar.O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out,“Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!”Amen.Gloria.Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.[pg 530]Collects.Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas-time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.Epistle.Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us:“Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.”My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.Gospel.Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted[pg 531]with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.Credo.I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic[pg 532]and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.Offertory.I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.Lavabo.O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.Orate Fratres.The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I[pg 533]unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.Preface.Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.Consecration.Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity,[pg 534]under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.Elevation Of The Host.(Here the bell is rung thrice.)Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.Elevation Of The Chalice.Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.Pater Noster.Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child[pg 535]to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.Agnus Dei.In saying to Thy apostles,“Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,”Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.Domine, Non Sum Dignus.God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.Act Of Spiritual Communion.For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day,[pg 536]suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.Last Gospel.O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!After Mass.Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Introibo.
O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite[pg 529]merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.
The Priest Ascends The Altar.
O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out,“Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!”Amen.
Gloria.
Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.
Collects.
Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas-time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.
Epistle.
Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us:“Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.”My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.
Gospel.
Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted[pg 531]with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.
Credo.
I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic[pg 532]and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Offertory.
I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.
Lavabo.
O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.
Orate Fratres.
The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I[pg 533]unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.
Preface.
Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.
Consecration.
Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity,[pg 534]under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.
Elevation Of The Host.
(Here the bell is rung thrice.)
Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.
Elevation Of The Chalice.
Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.
Pater Noster.
Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child[pg 535]to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.
Agnus Dei.
In saying to Thy apostles,“Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,”Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.
Domine, Non Sum Dignus.
God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.
Act Of Spiritual Communion.
For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.
O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day,[pg 536]suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.
Last Gospel.
O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!
After Mass.
Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.
To Be Said Throughout Advent.Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.V.O Lord, hear my prayer.R.And let my cry come unto Thee.Let Us Pray.O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.
V.O Lord, hear my prayer.
R.And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let Us Pray.
O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Litany for Christmas.(For Private Devotion Only.)Glory be to God on high.And peace on earth to men of good will.We praise Thee.We bless Thee.We adore Thee.We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.Who takest away the sins of the world,Hear our prayers.Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,Have mercy on us.For Thou only art holy,Thou only art Our Lord.[pg 538]Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.In holiness and justice before Him all our days.Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.Glory be to the Father, etc.Let Us Pray.O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
(For Private Devotion Only.)
Glory be to God on high.And peace on earth to men of good will.We praise Thee.We bless Thee.We adore Thee.We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.Who takest away the sins of the world,Hear our prayers.Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,Have mercy on us.For Thou only art holy,Thou only art Our Lord.[pg 538]Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.Praise and glory be to Thee forever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.In holiness and justice before Him all our days.Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to God on high.
And peace on earth to men of good will.
We praise Thee.
We bless Thee.
We adore Thee.
We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty.
Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Who takest away the sins of the world,
Hear our prayers.
Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father,
Have mercy on us.
For Thou only art holy,
Thou only art Our Lord.
Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant.
Praise and glory be to Thee forever.
Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode.
Praise and glory be to Thee forever.
Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger.
Praise and glory be to Thee forever.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.
And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant.
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.
The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us.
That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.
In holiness and justice before Him all our days.
Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.
To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
Let Us Pray.
O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
Crown of the Twelve Stars, Or Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.R.Forever and forever. Amen.Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.[pg 540]R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.R.Amen. Our Father, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say
Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.
R.Forever and forever. Amen.
Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.
R.Amen. Our Father, etc.
Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.
Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.
R.Amen. Our Father, etc.
Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.
Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.
R.Amen. Our Father, etc.
Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, etc.
Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.
R.Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.
For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say
The Salve Regina.Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.V.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Novena In Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.2An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).To be Said Every Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within 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.O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us[pg 542]in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.Preparatory Prayer.(To be Said Every Day.)O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother.Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following:[pg 543]First Day.Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God.Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following:Hymn.V.Thou art all fair, O Mary.R.Thou art all fair, O Mary.V.And the original stain is not in thee.R.And the original stain is not in thee.V.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.R.Thou art the joy of Israel.V.Thou our people's special honor.R.Thou the advocate of sinners.V.O Mary.R.O Mary.V.Virgin prudent above all.R.Mother too most merciful.V.Pray thou for us.R.Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord.V.In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate.[pg 544]R.Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth.Let Us Pray.O God, Who by the Virgin's immaculate conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, we beseech Thee, that Thou, Who, by the death of that same Son of Thine, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee.Second Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, immaculate lily of purity, I congratulate thee that from the very first instant of thy conception thou wast filled with grace, and also that the perfect use of reason was conferred upon thee. I thank and adore the most Holy Trinity for having imparted to thee graces so sublime; and I am utterly confounded before thee to see myself so poor in grace. Do thou, who wast so entirely filled with heavenly grace, give some portion of it to my soul, and make me a partaker of the treasures of thy immaculate conception.Here the Litany or Hymn is to be said.Third Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, mystical rose of purity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy[pg 545]immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most Holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fourth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin Mary, mirror of purity, I rejoice with the utmost joy to see that the most sublime and perfect virtues have been from thy first conception infused into thee, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the most Holy Trinity for having favored thee with these privileges; and I implore thee, O gracious Mother, to obtain for me the practice of virtues, and to render me thus worthy to receive the gifts and the grace of the Holy Spirit.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Fifth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee, inasmuch as the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of the salvation[pg 546]of all the human race and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having so exalted and glorified thy person; and I implore thee to obtain for me grace to know how to profit by the Passion and death of thy Jesus, and that the blood shed upon the cross may not be unavailing for me, but that I may live holily and be saved.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Sixth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, most resplendent star of purity, I rejoice with thee that thy immaculate conception has brought a most exceeding joy to all the angels of paradise. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with so beautiful a privilege. Ah, grant that I may enter one day into a participation of that joy, and may be able, in the company of the angels, to praise and bless thee for eternity.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Seventh Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Mary, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and am glad that in the moment of thy conception thou wast confirmed in grace and made incapable of sin. I thank and extol the most Holy Trinity for having distinguished thee alone with this special privilege.[pg 547]Ah, obtain for me, O holy Virgin, an entire and constant abhorrence of sin above every other evil, and that I may sooner die than commit it any more.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Eighth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O Virgin Mary, sun without spot, I congratulate thee, and rejoice that in thy conception a greater and more abundant grace was bestowed upon thee than all the angels and saints possessed in the fulness of their merits. I thank and admire the sovereign goodness of the most Holy Trinity in having enriched thee with this privilege. Ah, enable me to correspond to divine grace, and nevermore abuse it! Change my heart, and let me from this moment begin to amend my life.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.Ninth Day.Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.O most pure Virgin, etc.O immaculate Virgin and Mother Mary, living light of holiness and model of purity, thou, when scarcely yet conceived, didst profoundly adore God and thank Him, because by thy means, the ancient curse being taken away, the fulness of blessing was coming upon the children of Adam. Ah, let this blessing enkindle in my heart a love of God! Do thou inflame it, that I may love Him constantly, and then enjoy Him eternally in paradise, where I may be able to thank Him more ardently for the[pg 548]singular privileges granted to thee, and behold thee also crowned as thou art with such exceeding glory.Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).
To be Said Every Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within 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.
O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us[pg 542]in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Preparatory Prayer.
(To be Said Every Day.)
O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother.
Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following:
First Day.
Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God.
Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following:
Hymn.
V.Thou art all fair, O Mary.
R.Thou art all fair, O Mary.
V.And the original stain is not in thee.
R.And the original stain is not in thee.
V.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.
R.Thou art the joy of Israel.
V.Thou our people's special honor.
R.Thou the advocate of sinners.
V.O Mary.
R.O Mary.
V.Virgin prudent above all.
R.Mother too most merciful.
V.Pray thou for us.
R.Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord.
V.In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate.
R.Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth.
Let Us Pray.
O God, Who by the Virgin's immaculate conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, we beseech Thee, that Thou, Who, by the death of that same Son of Thine, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee.
Second Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O Mary, immaculate lily of purity, I congratulate thee that from the very first instant of thy conception thou wast filled with grace, and also that the perfect use of reason was conferred upon thee. I thank and adore the most Holy Trinity for having imparted to thee graces so sublime; and I am utterly confounded before thee to see myself so poor in grace. Do thou, who wast so entirely filled with heavenly grace, give some portion of it to my soul, and make me a partaker of the treasures of thy immaculate conception.
Here the Litany or Hymn is to be said.
Third Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O Mary, mystical rose of purity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy[pg 545]immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most Holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Fourth Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O immaculate Virgin Mary, mirror of purity, I rejoice with the utmost joy to see that the most sublime and perfect virtues have been from thy first conception infused into thee, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the most Holy Trinity for having favored thee with these privileges; and I implore thee, O gracious Mother, to obtain for me the practice of virtues, and to render me thus worthy to receive the gifts and the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Fifth Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee, inasmuch as the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of the salvation[pg 546]of all the human race and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having so exalted and glorified thy person; and I implore thee to obtain for me grace to know how to profit by the Passion and death of thy Jesus, and that the blood shed upon the cross may not be unavailing for me, but that I may live holily and be saved.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Sixth Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O immaculate Mary, most resplendent star of purity, I rejoice with thee that thy immaculate conception has brought a most exceeding joy to all the angels of paradise. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with so beautiful a privilege. Ah, grant that I may enter one day into a participation of that joy, and may be able, in the company of the angels, to praise and bless thee for eternity.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Seventh Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O immaculate Mary, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and am glad that in the moment of thy conception thou wast confirmed in grace and made incapable of sin. I thank and extol the most Holy Trinity for having distinguished thee alone with this special privilege.[pg 547]Ah, obtain for me, O holy Virgin, an entire and constant abhorrence of sin above every other evil, and that I may sooner die than commit it any more.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Eighth Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O Virgin Mary, sun without spot, I congratulate thee, and rejoice that in thy conception a greater and more abundant grace was bestowed upon thee than all the angels and saints possessed in the fulness of their merits. I thank and admire the sovereign goodness of the most Holy Trinity in having enriched thee with this privilege. Ah, enable me to correspond to divine grace, and nevermore abuse it! Change my heart, and let me from this moment begin to amend my life.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.
Ninth Day.
Come, O Holy Spirit, etc.
O most pure Virgin, etc.
O immaculate Virgin and Mother Mary, living light of holiness and model of purity, thou, when scarcely yet conceived, didst profoundly adore God and thank Him, because by thy means, the ancient curse being taken away, the fulness of blessing was coming upon the children of Adam. Ah, let this blessing enkindle in my heart a love of God! Do thou inflame it, that I may love Him constantly, and then enjoy Him eternally in paradise, where I may be able to thank Him more ardently for the[pg 548]singular privileges granted to thee, and behold thee also crowned as thou art with such exceeding glory.
Here the Litany or the Hymn is to be said.