The photographer Joseph Shaw shares these photos in August 2010 of a Latin Mass Training Conference at Downside. Below are some of the photos in that set.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
In the Office for the Dead throughout the year | |
| Oratio Orémus. Deus, qui inter apostólicos sacerdótes fámulos tuos pontificáli seu sacerdotáli fecísti dignitáte vigére : præsta, quæsumus ; ut eórum quoque perpétuo aggregéntur consórtio. | Collect Let us pray. O God, who didst cause thy servants, for whom we pray, to enjoy the dignity of the priesthood, and some to be bishops, after the order of thine Apostles : grant unto them, we beseech thee, finally to rejoice in the company of those Saints in heaven whose ministry they did sometime share on earth. |
| Deus, véniæ largítor et humánæ salútis amátor : quæsumus cleméntiam tuam ; ut nostræ congregatiónis fratres, propínquos et benefactóres, qui ex hoc sæculo transiérunt, beáta María semper Vírgine intercedénte cum ómnibus Sanctis tuis, ad perpétuæ beatitúdinis consórtium perveníre concédas. | O God, who desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that all mankind should be saved : we beseech thee mercifully to grant that the brethren, kinsfolk, and benefactors of our congregation, who have passed out of this world, may by the intercession of blessed Mary Ever-Virgin and of all thy Saints come to enjoy with them everlasting blessedness. |
| Fidélium, Deus, ómnium cónditor et redémptor, animábus famulórum famularúmque tuárum remissiónem cunctórum tríbue peccatórum : ut indulgéntiam, quam semper optavérunt, piis supplicatiónibus consequántur : Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum. R. Amen. | O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all them that believe : grant unto the souls of thy servants and handmaidens the remission of all their sins ; that as they have ever desired thy merciful pardon, so by the supplications of their brethren they may receive the same. Who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen. |
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
On August 23, 2010, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI gave the 11th Golden Rose of his pontificate to Mary at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Valley in Argentina. This occasion is an appropriate time to examine the history and tradition of the Papal Golden Rose.
To explain this devotion we quote from texts in the public domain as follows.
The rose is blessed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, Lætare Sunday (hence also known as Rose Sunday), when rose-coloured vestments and draperies are substituted for the penitential purple, symbolizing hope and joy in the midst of Lenten solemnity. Throughout most of Lent, Catholics pray, fast, perform penance, and meditate upon the malice of sin and the terrible punishment it brings; Rose Sunday is an opportunity to look beyond Christ's death at Calvary and see Christ, the redeemer, risen in the first rays of the Easter sun, and rejoice. The shining golden flower shows forth Christ's majesty, appropriate because prophets called him "the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys."[1] Its fragrance, according to Pope Leo XIII "shows the sweet odor of Christ which should be widely diffused by His faithful followers" (Acta, vol. VI, 104), and the thorns and red tint refer to His Passion. See Isaiah 63:2: "Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in the winepress?"
The earliest roses were not blessed; instead, blessing was introduced to render the ceremony more solemn and induce greater reverence for it on the part of the recipient. According to Cardinal Petra (Comment. in Constit. Apostolicas, III, 2, col. 1), Pope Innocent IV (1245–54) was the first to bless it. However, others claim that Pope Innocent III (1198–1216), Pope Alexander III (1159–81) or Pope Leo IX (1049–55) was the first. It is said that Leo IX, in 1051, obliged the monastery (nuns) of Bamberg in Franconia, to furnish a Golden Rose to be blessed and carried on Lætare Sunday each year (Theop. Raynaud, De rosa mediana a pontifice consecrata, IV, 413). Pope Benedict XIV attests that the ceremony of blessing originated at the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century. Catalanus, papal master of ceremonies, believes that even the earliest roses were anointed with musk and balsam, but the blessing with prayers, incense, and holy water had its inception later on, sometime before pontificate of Pope Julius II (1503–13). Currently, the pope blesses the rose every year, but it is not always a new and different rose; the old one is used until it has been given away.
Originally (before the papacy moved to Avignon) the rose was blessed in the Hall of Vestments (sacristy) in the palace where the pope was; but the solemn Mass and the donation of the rose took place in the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (a figure, according to Pope Innocent III, of the heavenly Jerusalem). The blessing was followed by a solemn Mass sung either by the pope himself or the first Cardinal Priest. In the former case the rose was placed on a veil of rose-colored silk richly embroidered with gold; in the latter the pope held the rose in his hand, except while kneeling, or during the Introit, Confiteor, Elevation and the singing of "Laudemus in Domino". Rose in hand, the pope returned processionally to the Lateran Palace; the Prefect of Rome led his horse by the bridle and aided him in dismounting. Upon arrival, he gave the rose to the Prefect, as a recompense for these acts of respect and homage. Prior to 1305, the rose was given in Rome to no foreigner, except the Emperor on the day of his coronation. While residing at Avignon (1305–1375), the popes, unable to visit Roman churches and basilicas, performed many of their sacred functions, among them the blessing of the rose, in the private chapel of their palace (whence the origin of the Cappella Pontificia). On their return to Rome they (Sixtus V excepted) retained this custom.
The blessing of the rose now takes place in the Hall of Vestments (camera dei parimenti), and the solemn Mass in the papal chapel. The rose is placed on a table with lighted candles, and the pope, vested in alb and rose-colored stole and cope with precious mitre on his head, begins the ceremony with the usual versicles and the following poetical prayer:
Zenit reports on the use of the Papal Golden Rose by Pope Benedict XVI as follows:
The Golden Rose is a papal decoration conferred on prominent Catholic personalities; it has gone through a significant evolution. Initially, kings and dignitaries received it, later it was conferred almost exclusively on queens and, more recently, on Our Lady. The distinction was created by Pope Leo IX in 1049.
In more recent times, after the Second Vatican Council, the papal decoration has become almost exclusively a gift from popes to Our Lady. This was the 11th Golden Rose that the Pontiff has given to Our Lady in the more than five years of his pontificate. The other 10 were given to the Shrine of Jasna Góra in Poland (2006), the Basilica of Aparecida in Brazil (2007), the Mariazell Basilica in Austria (2007), the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. (2008), Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Pompeii, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar (2009), and the "Virgen de la Cabeza" (literally, Virgin of the Head) of the Diocese of Jaen, Spain (2009), the Shrine of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu (2010), and Our Lady of Fatima (2010).
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To explain this devotion we quote from texts in the public domain as follows.
The rose is blessed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, Lætare Sunday (hence also known as Rose Sunday), when rose-coloured vestments and draperies are substituted for the penitential purple, symbolizing hope and joy in the midst of Lenten solemnity. Throughout most of Lent, Catholics pray, fast, perform penance, and meditate upon the malice of sin and the terrible punishment it brings; Rose Sunday is an opportunity to look beyond Christ's death at Calvary and see Christ, the redeemer, risen in the first rays of the Easter sun, and rejoice. The shining golden flower shows forth Christ's majesty, appropriate because prophets called him "the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys."[1] Its fragrance, according to Pope Leo XIII "shows the sweet odor of Christ which should be widely diffused by His faithful followers" (Acta, vol. VI, 104), and the thorns and red tint refer to His Passion. See Isaiah 63:2: "Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in the winepress?"
The earliest roses were not blessed; instead, blessing was introduced to render the ceremony more solemn and induce greater reverence for it on the part of the recipient. According to Cardinal Petra (Comment. in Constit. Apostolicas, III, 2, col. 1), Pope Innocent IV (1245–54) was the first to bless it. However, others claim that Pope Innocent III (1198–1216), Pope Alexander III (1159–81) or Pope Leo IX (1049–55) was the first. It is said that Leo IX, in 1051, obliged the monastery (nuns) of Bamberg in Franconia, to furnish a Golden Rose to be blessed and carried on Lætare Sunday each year (Theop. Raynaud, De rosa mediana a pontifice consecrata, IV, 413). Pope Benedict XIV attests that the ceremony of blessing originated at the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century. Catalanus, papal master of ceremonies, believes that even the earliest roses were anointed with musk and balsam, but the blessing with prayers, incense, and holy water had its inception later on, sometime before pontificate of Pope Julius II (1503–13). Currently, the pope blesses the rose every year, but it is not always a new and different rose; the old one is used until it has been given away.
Originally (before the papacy moved to Avignon) the rose was blessed in the Hall of Vestments (sacristy) in the palace where the pope was; but the solemn Mass and the donation of the rose took place in the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (a figure, according to Pope Innocent III, of the heavenly Jerusalem). The blessing was followed by a solemn Mass sung either by the pope himself or the first Cardinal Priest. In the former case the rose was placed on a veil of rose-colored silk richly embroidered with gold; in the latter the pope held the rose in his hand, except while kneeling, or during the Introit, Confiteor, Elevation and the singing of "Laudemus in Domino". Rose in hand, the pope returned processionally to the Lateran Palace; the Prefect of Rome led his horse by the bridle and aided him in dismounting. Upon arrival, he gave the rose to the Prefect, as a recompense for these acts of respect and homage. Prior to 1305, the rose was given in Rome to no foreigner, except the Emperor on the day of his coronation. While residing at Avignon (1305–1375), the popes, unable to visit Roman churches and basilicas, performed many of their sacred functions, among them the blessing of the rose, in the private chapel of their palace (whence the origin of the Cappella Pontificia). On their return to Rome they (Sixtus V excepted) retained this custom.
The blessing of the rose now takes place in the Hall of Vestments (camera dei parimenti), and the solemn Mass in the papal chapel. The rose is placed on a table with lighted candles, and the pope, vested in alb and rose-colored stole and cope with precious mitre on his head, begins the ceremony with the usual versicles and the following poetical prayer:
"O God! by Whose word and power all things have been created, by Whose will all things are directed, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty, Who art the joy and gladness of all the faithful, that Thou wouldst deign in Thy fatherly love to bless and sanctify this rose, most delightful in odour and appearance, which we this day carry in sign of spiritual joy, in order that the people consecrated by Thee and delivered from the yoke of Babylonian slavery through the favour of Thine only-begotten Son, Who is the glory and exultation of the people of Israel and of that Jerusalem which is our Heavenly mother, may with sincere hearts show forth their joy. Wherefore, O Lord, on this day, when the Church exults in Thy name and manifests her joy by this sign [the rose], confer upon us through her true and perfect joy and accepting her devotion of today; do Thou remit sin, strengthen faith, increase piety, protect her in Thy mercy, drive away all things adverse to her and make her ways safe and prosperous, so that Thy Church, as the fruit of good works, may unite in giving forth the perfume of the ointment of that flower sprung from the root of Jesse and which is the mystical flower of the field and lily of the valleys, and remain happy without end in eternal glory together with all the saints."The prayer finished, the pope puts incense (handed by the cardinal-deacon) into the censer and incenses the balsam and then the musk, and afterwards puts the balsam and powdered musk into the tiny cup in the heart of the principal rose. He then incenses the rose and sprinkles it with holy water. It is then given to the youngest cleric of the Camera, who carries it in front of the pope to the chapel, where it is placed on the altar at the foot of the cross upon a richly embroidered silk veil, where it remains during the Mass sung by the first cardinal-priest. After the Mass, the rose is carried in procession before the pope to the sacristy, where it is carefully put away in a place set apart for it, until bestowed upon some worthy personage.
Zenit reports on the use of the Papal Golden Rose by Pope Benedict XVI as follows:
The Golden Rose is a papal decoration conferred on prominent Catholic personalities; it has gone through a significant evolution. Initially, kings and dignitaries received it, later it was conferred almost exclusively on queens and, more recently, on Our Lady. The distinction was created by Pope Leo IX in 1049.
In more recent times, after the Second Vatican Council, the papal decoration has become almost exclusively a gift from popes to Our Lady. This was the 11th Golden Rose that the Pontiff has given to Our Lady in the more than five years of his pontificate. The other 10 were given to the Shrine of Jasna Góra in Poland (2006), the Basilica of Aparecida in Brazil (2007), the Mariazell Basilica in Austria (2007), the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. (2008), Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Pompeii, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar (2009), and the "Virgen de la Cabeza" (literally, Virgin of the Head) of the Diocese of Jaen, Spain (2009), the Shrine of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu (2010), and Our Lady of Fatima (2010).
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
On Sunday, August 22nd, Fr. Aaron Huberfeld, Canon of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, offered his first Solemn High Mass in the United States in Norwalk, CT. The following photos are taken from The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny Blog.
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The apostle St. Bartholomew, who preached the Gospel of Christ in India. Passing thence into the Greater Armenia where, after converting many to the faith, he was flayed alive by the barbarians, and having his head cut off by order of King Astyages, he fulfilled his martyrdom. His holy body was first carried to the island of Lipara, then to Benevento, and finally to Rome in the Island of the Tiber, where it is venerated by the pious faithful.
Source: Pre-1960 Martyrology
Read my prior post dedicated to St. Bartholomew for more information and prayers on this holy saint. St. Barholomew, ora pro nobis!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Update: As of 10/23/2013, the monks have won their lawsuit!
Original Post: Under Louisiana law, it is a crime for anyone but a licensed funeral director to sell “funeral merchandise,” which includes caskets. To sell caskets legally, the monks of Saint Joseph Abbey would have to abandon their calling for one full year to apprentice at a licensed funeral home, learn unnecessary skills and take a funeral industry test. They would also have to convert their monastery into a “funeral establishment” by, among other things, installing equipment for embalming human remains.
Just a few days ago I was surprised to see a Catholic posting a question on an online Catholic forum asking for more information on a Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary in which he was invited to attend. He was confused as to the reason that the priest intended to say Holy Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God when it was not a feastday dedicated to her.
To alleviate such confusion and to better educate the faithful on the concept of Saturday Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I offer this post as a reflection on the Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For more information on our Lady for other topics, such as apparitions, dogmas, prayers, etc., please see my post dedicated to our Blessed Lady.
Please also pick up a copy of my organization's newest book: To Mary our Morning Star: 10 Lessons in Mariology.
Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tridentine Mass celebrated by Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo, Parish of Our Lord of Divine Mercy, Sikatuna, Q.C., Philippines; Source: Flickr
The poster "jrny from FR" on Angelqueen explains the rubrics for the Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary as follows:
If you are unfamiliar with the Traditional Latin Mass, consult my post on the Mass structure to best understand where the following prayers (the propers) fit into the unchanging prayers of the Mass.
INTROITSedulius; Ps. 44:2
COLLECT(S)
EPISTLEEcclus. 24:14-16
GRADUAL
ALLELUIA
GOSPELLk. 11:27-28
OFFERTORYLk. 1:28,42
SECRET(S)
PREFACEPreface of the Blessed Virgin Mary
COMMUNION
POSTCOMMUNION(S)
First Saturdays Devotion
On Saturdays, Catholics traditionally have taken part in the "First Saturdays Devotion" which entails going to Mass and receiving Communion for the first Saturday of the month for 5 consecutive months in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This devotion is not to be confused with the First Friday's Devotion, which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On July 1, 1905, Pope Pius X approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the First Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the Immaculate Conception. The First Saturday Devotion did not originate as part of the apparitions of our Blessed Lady in Fatima, but the devotion did quickly spread further following our Lady's series of appearances to the three shepherd children in 1917.
Our Blessed Lady's words to Sr. Lucia at Fatima:
While the laity is not bound to pray the Divine Office, they are still encouraged to pray the Divine Office (also known as the Liturgy of the Hours). To pray the Divine Office, I would highly encourage you to pray the 1962 Breviary or even the 1955 version as opposed to the modern version which I find lacking in the spiritual depth present in the earlier editions.
Since you are not bound under ecclesial law to pray the Office, you can and should start by praying the English version of the Breviary. You can find various breviaries available for sale that will fulfill this purpose. For centuries Catholics prayed most commonly not with personal prayers and devotion as such individual prayers originated from protestant individualism. Instead, Catholics prayed the Liturgical texts of the Church (e.g. the Prayers of the Holy Mass, the Rosary, etc) daily and many were saved. In our world we see the majority of mankind entrenched in sin and debauchery. Let us pray for a return to our praying the Liturgical prayers of the Holy Church. Pray the Daily Rosary as Mary has asked of us!
However, please also consider, in addition or instead of the standard Divine Office, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for your daily prayers! The text is available in English and Latin online for free viewing though many prefer an actual physical copy.
Green Scapular
While certainly not only permitted for use on Saturdays, Saturday is an appropriate time to focus on the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin and on her great promises with the Green Scapular. Many of you should be familiar with the Brown Scapular as you should have been invested in the Brown Scapular following your First Holy Communion. I have written before on the merits of the Brown Scapular. While they are not to be underestimated, I will not focus additional time on the Brown Scapular. Instead, we focus in this post on the Green Scapular of our Lady.
The website of Fish Eaters succinctly and accurately describes the Green Scapular of our Lady:
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To alleviate such confusion and to better educate the faithful on the concept of Saturday Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I offer this post as a reflection on the Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For more information on our Lady for other topics, such as apparitions, dogmas, prayers, etc., please see my post dedicated to our Blessed Lady.
Please also pick up a copy of my organization's newest book: To Mary our Morning Star: 10 Lessons in Mariology.
Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The poster "jrny from FR" on Angelqueen explains the rubrics for the Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary as follows:
The Saturday Mass of the BVM is 4th. Class, not 3rd. Class. It is said on any Saturday of the year which otherwise would have been a 4th. class Ferial Day if it fell on Monday-Friday.This is the normal, "obligatory" Mass (i.e. the Mass of the day per the rubrics) on Saturdays of the 4th. class which means it is not a Votive Mass (a Mass proper said by choice as allowed), strictly speaking.
The Mass "Rorate" in Advent is a Votive Mass of the 3rd. class, but this differs from the above because this Mass can be said by choice (and not by assigned "obligation") on any day not ranked I or II Class during Advent.The following text is of the propers of the Mass as said on those Saturdays and Votive Masses After Trinity Sunday until Advent (Salve of the Blessed Virgin). The other four versions have slight variations in the proper prayers and are grouped into the following categories: In Advent (Rorate Coeli of the Blessed Virgin), From the Epiphany to the Purification (Vultum Tuum of the Blessed Virgin), From the Purification until Shrove Tuesday (Salve of the Blessed Virgin), and In Eastertide (Salve of the Blessed Virgin)
If you are unfamiliar with the Traditional Latin Mass, consult my post on the Mass structure to best understand where the following prayers (the propers) fit into the unchanging prayers of the Mass.
INTROITSedulius; Ps. 44:2
| Salve Sancta Parens, enixa purerpera Regem: qui coelum terramque regit in saecula saeculorum.(Psalm) Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea regi. Gloria Patri. Salve Sancta Parens, enixa purerpera... | Hail, holy Parent, that didst bring forth the King Who ruleth heaven and earth for ever and ever.(Psalm) My heart hath uttered a good work: I speak of my works to the King. Glory be to the Father. Hail, holy Parent.... |
COLLECT(S)
| Concede nos famulos tuos, quaesumus, Domine Deus perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere, et gloriosa beatae Mariae semper Viginis intercessione, a praesenti liberari tristitia, et aeterna perfrui laetitia. Per Dominum nostrum. | Grant to us Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; and through the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin may be delivered from present sorrow and possess eternal joy. Through our Lord. |
EPISTLEEcclus. 24:14-16
| Ab initio, et ante sawedcula cretat sum, et usque ad futurum saeculum non desinam, et in havitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi. Et sic in Sion firmata sum, et in civitate sanctificata similiter requievi, et in Jerusalem potestas mea. Et radicavi in populo honorificato, et in parte Dei mei haereditas illius, et in plenitudine sanctorum detentio mea. | From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honorable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and mine abode is in the full assembly of saints. |
GRADUAL
| Benedicta et venerabilis es, Virgo Maria: quae sine tactu pudoris inventa es mater Salvatoris. Virgo De Genitrix, quem totus non capit oribis in tua se clausit viscera factus homo. | Blessed and venerable art thou, O Virgin Mary: who without loss of purity wert found to be the Mother of our Savior. Virgin Mother of God, He Whom the whole world cannot hold enclosed Himself in thy womb, and became man. |
ALLELUIA
| Alleluia, alleluia. Post partum Virgon inviolata permansisti: Dei Genitrix intercdede pro nobis. Alleluia. | Alleluia, alleluia. After His birth a Virgin entire thou dost remain: O Mother of God, intercede for us. Alleluia. |
GOSPELLk. 11:27-28
| In illo tempore: Loquente Jesu ad turbas, extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba, dixit illi: Beatus venter qui te portavit et ubera, quae suxisti. At ille dixit: Quinimo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei, et custodiunt illud. | At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it. |
OFFERTORYLk. 1:28,42
| Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. | Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. |
SECRET(S)
| Tua Domine, propitiatione et beatae Mariae sumper Virginis intercessione, ad perpetuam atque praesentem haec oblatio nobis proficiat proseperitatem et pacem. Per Dominum nostrum. | By Thy gracious mercy, O Lord, and the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, may this offering be of avail to us for welfare and peace now and for evermore. Through our Lord. |
PREFACEPreface of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus. Et te in Assumptione beatae Mariae semper Virginis collaudare, benedicere, et praedicare. Quae et Unigenitum tuum Sancti Spiritus obumbratione concepit: et virginitatis gloria permanente, lumen aeternum mundo effudit, Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates. Coeli, coelorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphim, socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti jubeas deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes: | It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Festivity of the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise: |
COMMUNION
| Beata viscera Mariae Virginis, quae portaverunt aeterni Patris Filium. | Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father. |
POSTCOMMUNION(S)
| Sumptis, Domine, salutis nostrae subsidiis: da, quaesumus, beatae Mariae semper Virginis patrociniis nos ubique protegi : in cugus veneratione haec tuae obtulimus majestati. Per Dominum nostrum. | O Lord, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who have received these aids unto salvation, may be always and everywhere protected by the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, in whose honor we offered this Sacrifice to Thy Majesty. Through our Lord. |
First Saturdays Devotion
On Saturdays, Catholics traditionally have taken part in the "First Saturdays Devotion" which entails going to Mass and receiving Communion for the first Saturday of the month for 5 consecutive months in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This devotion is not to be confused with the First Friday's Devotion, which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On July 1, 1905, Pope Pius X approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the First Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the Immaculate Conception. The First Saturday Devotion did not originate as part of the apparitions of our Blessed Lady in Fatima, but the devotion did quickly spread further following our Lady's series of appearances to the three shepherd children in 1917.
Our Blessed Lady's words to Sr. Lucia at Fatima:
Look, my daughter, at my Heart encircled by these thorns with which men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, strive to console me, and so I announce: I promise to assist at the hour of death with the grace necessary for salvation all those who, with the intention of making reparation to me, will, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the beads, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.The First Saturday Devotion consists of offering the First Saturday of the month for five consecutive months in reparation for the many and grievous sins committed in our world. A further explanation of our Lady's request is below:
- You must go to the Sacrament of Confession. Your reception of the Sacrament may be 8 days before the Saturday as long as you stay in a state of grace.
- You must receive the Holy Eucharist and as always, it must be in the state of grace or risk the most grievous sin of sacrilege
- You must pray 5 decades of the Holy Rosary of our Lady, including the Fatima Prayer.
- Finally, the last requirement consist of "keeping Mary company" for 15 minutes while meditating on all of the Mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to her. This can be done by reading Scripture or other writings relevant to the Mysteries, meditating on pictures of the Mysteries, or simple meditation. Materials for meditation and education on each of the Rosary mysteries is available online.
While the laity is not bound to pray the Divine Office, they are still encouraged to pray the Divine Office (also known as the Liturgy of the Hours). To pray the Divine Office, I would highly encourage you to pray the 1962 Breviary or even the 1955 version as opposed to the modern version which I find lacking in the spiritual depth present in the earlier editions.
Since you are not bound under ecclesial law to pray the Office, you can and should start by praying the English version of the Breviary. You can find various breviaries available for sale that will fulfill this purpose. For centuries Catholics prayed most commonly not with personal prayers and devotion as such individual prayers originated from protestant individualism. Instead, Catholics prayed the Liturgical texts of the Church (e.g. the Prayers of the Holy Mass, the Rosary, etc) daily and many were saved. In our world we see the majority of mankind entrenched in sin and debauchery. Let us pray for a return to our praying the Liturgical prayers of the Holy Church. Pray the Daily Rosary as Mary has asked of us!
However, please also consider, in addition or instead of the standard Divine Office, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for your daily prayers! The text is available in English and Latin online for free viewing though many prefer an actual physical copy.
The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a shorter form of the Divine Office in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has long been the Church’s daily liturgical prayer to Our Lady, and these hours of praise have been used by Priests, religious and the laity throughout the centuries. Lay people used to flock to the great Cathedrals to publicly recite The Little Office during the Middle Ages, and during the great persecution, when the practice of the Catholic Faith was illegal in Great Britain, Bishop Challoner commended The Little Office to his flock.
Through its psalms, antiphons, readings, responsorials, and prayers the Little Office stresses the role Our Lady played in salvation history, and how through her fiat the divine Word took flesh in her womb and achieved salvation for us all; and how Our Lord granted her the first fruits of the general resurrection in her holy and glorious assumption.
All Catholics are called to a consistent prayer life. For those who do not feel called to recite the Divine Office, but still wish to participate in the liturgical prayer of the Church, or for those who have a particular devotion to the holy Mother of God, there is no finer form of prayer than the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Green Scapular
While certainly not only permitted for use on Saturdays, Saturday is an appropriate time to focus on the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin and on her great promises with the Green Scapular. Many of you should be familiar with the Brown Scapular as you should have been invested in the Brown Scapular following your First Holy Communion. I have written before on the merits of the Brown Scapular. While they are not to be underestimated, I will not focus additional time on the Brown Scapular. Instead, we focus in this post on the Green Scapular of our Lady.
The website of Fish Eaters succinctly and accurately describes the Green Scapular of our Lady:
In 1840, Mary appeared to Sister Justine Bisqueyburu (a Seminary Sister of the Daughters of Charity) in Paris, France and commended the Green Scapular to her. It's known as "the Scapular of Conversion," and its promises are the strengthening of faith, protection against Satan, a happy death for Catholics, and, most of all, for conversion for those outside the Church. It's to be worn or carried by the faithful, or given to an unbeliever for their conversion.
The following prayer is to be said daily by the wearer:
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death
Latin version:
Cor immaculatum Mariae, ora pro nobis nunc et in hora mortis nostrae
If the scapular is given to an unbeliever for their conversion, the person giving the scapular prays the prayer for them if the unbeliever does not want to pray the prayer himself. If the unbeliever does not want the scapular, it may be hidden in their vicinity and the prayers said for him. Enrollment in a Confraternity is not necessary for this scapular, but the scapular should be blessed by a priest before use.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Via Traditional Vocations Blog
His Lordship Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta confers the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Jude Roman Catholic Church. The following photos are taken from the Flickr Photostream of Jim, the Photographer. Following each photo is a short meditation with a link for more information on that verse.
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace" (Source: Symbolism of a Bishop's Dress)
The priest says, "Introibo ad altare Dei" (I will go up to the altar of God) to which the servers respond "Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem mean" (To God who giveth joy to my youth). Source: The Prayers of the Mass
"But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and thou, being once converted, confirm thy brethren" Source: Luke 22:32
Almighty everlasting God, who once gave new life to these servants of yours by water and the Holy Spirit, forgiving them all their sins; send forth on them from heaven your Holy Spirit, the Advocate, along with His sevenfold gifts. Source: Confirmation Prayer via CatechismClass.com
Fill them with the Spirit of holy fear, and seal them with the sign of the cross +of Christ, in token of everlasting life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Source: Confirmation Prayer via CatechismClass.com
I seal you with the sign of the +cross; and I confirm you with the chrism that sanctifies; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Source: The Prayer of Confirmation
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“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace" (Source: Symbolism of a Bishop's Dress)
The priest says, "Introibo ad altare Dei" (I will go up to the altar of God) to which the servers respond "Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem mean" (To God who giveth joy to my youth). Source: The Prayers of the Mass
"But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and thou, being once converted, confirm thy brethren" Source: Luke 22:32
Almighty everlasting God, who once gave new life to these servants of yours by water and the Holy Spirit, forgiving them all their sins; send forth on them from heaven your Holy Spirit, the Advocate, along with His sevenfold gifts. Source: Confirmation Prayer via CatechismClass.com
Fill them with the Spirit of holy fear, and seal them with the sign of the cross +of Christ, in token of everlasting life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Source: Confirmation Prayer via CatechismClass.com
I seal you with the sign of the +cross; and I confirm you with the chrism that sanctifies; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Source: The Prayer of Confirmation
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