Liturgical Prayers Concerning the Jews in Holy Week

As we draw closer to Good Friday, there are often liturgical questions on the prayer of the Church for the conversion of the Jews. But first, please understand what we mean by the involvement in the Jews in Christ's Passion and Death. It's important to first read "Are the Jews Responsible for Christ's Death" before continuing.

The primary question concerning references to Jews during Holy Week is usually around the prayer for the Jews in the Good Friday Liturgy (known traditionally as the Liturgy of the Presanctified). Here is a summary of those changes

Traditional Pre-1955 Prayer for the Jews

As part of the Great Intercessions, the priest prays, "Let us pray also for the perfidious Jews: that our God and Lord would remove the veil from their hearts: that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ." Then after he says "Oremus" this prayer is prayed: "Almighty and everlasting God, who drivest not away from Thy mercy even the perfidious Jews: hear our prayers, which we offer for the blindness of that people: that, acknowledging the light of Thy truth, which is Christ, they may be rescued from their darkness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen."

What differs in pre-1955 is that while in all of the Great Intercessions one kneels after the Oremus, it does not take place during the Good Friday Prayer for the Jews. Why? The Church's Year by Father Leonard Goffine explains:

"After the [chanting of the account of the Passion according to St. John] the priest prays in behalf of the one, only true Church, that she may increase, and that peace and unity may always remain with her; for the pope, that his government may be blessed; for the bishops, priests, the clergy, and the people, that they may serve God in justice; for those converted to the faith, that they may continue to grow a knowledge and a zeal for the holy religion; for rulers as defenders of the Church, that they may govern with wisdom and justice, and that those under them may be loyal to them with fidelity and obedience; for the unfortunate, that God may have mercy on them; for heretics and apostates, that they may be brought back from error to the truth of the Catholic faith; for the Jews, that they may be enlightened; for the heathens, that they may be converted. Before each prayer the priest says Oremus, Let us pray Flectamus genua, (Let us kneel) when kneeling, we say Amen, and at the call Levate (Rise up) we rise: except at the prayer for the Jews, when the genuflection is omitted because the Jews bent the knee in mockery before our Lord."

1955 Prayer for the Jews

As part of the changes to Holy Week, the flectamus genua was added back to the prayer.

1959 Prayer for the Jews

Likely due to failure to understand the meaning of "perfidious", which means "incredulous" but which some people falsely thought to mean “treacherous," Pope John XXIII removed the word from the prayer and interrupts the Good Friday Liturgy when the prayer was read, asking for it to be read again without using the word.

1962 Prayer for the Jews:

The prayer as changed in 1959, omitting perfidious and adding the flectamus genua, is what was included in the 1962 Missal and stayed as such until 2008.

The 1962 Prayer for the Jews (Amended in 2008):

The 1962 Missal which is the most widely used Missal for the Traditional Latin Mass was ordered to change the prayer from its prior version, as mentioned immediately above, to a new prayer composed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. That modified prayer reads:

"Let us pray for the Jews: May our God and Lord enlighten their hearts, so that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ, Saviour of all men." The priest prays "Oremus" and then adds the flectamus genua to kneel, still in rupture with the past tradition.

Rising, he prays: "Almighty and Everlasting God, who desirest that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth; mercifully grant that, as the fullness of the Gentiles enters into Thy Church, all Israel may be saved. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Novus Ordo Prayer for the Jews

In the Novus Ordo, the changes become even more drastic and straying from our purpose of praying for the conversion of the Jews. The prayer currently prayed in the Novus Ordo as written in 1970 by Pope Paul VI is as follows.

The priest prays as part of the General Intercessions: "Let us pray also for the Jewish people, to whom the Lord our God spoke first, that he may grant them to advance in love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant."

The priest adds: "Almighty ever-living God, who bestowed your promises on Abraham and his descendants, hear graciously the prayers of your Church, that the people you first made your own may attain the fullness of redemption. Through Christ our Lord."

The website of Corpus Christi Watershed has more information on these prayers as they changed over the years.

Victimae Paschali Laudes

Yet, this is not the only matter concerning mention of the Jews in prayers during Holy Week. The following is taken from the Easter Sequence, the Victimae Paschali Laudes.

Before the Tridentine Reforms, the Victimae Paschali Laudes included a line that read, "It is more fitting to believe in truthful Mary alone, rather than in the lying multitude of the Jews." For those looking to chant this version of the prayer, which was changed nearly 500 years ago, a pdf is available for download.

The key takeaway is that while politically incorrect, we can and should still pray for the conversion of the Jews. We desire for them, and for all mankind, to enter the Catholic Church, the ark outside of which no salvation may be found. We pray for the Jews in the traditional Octave of Christian Unity in January of each year as well.

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Votive Mass in Times of Pestilence Mass Propers

Last weekend the Dominican Rite was celebrated in Berkeley, California. The Mass was the Votive Mass in Times of Pestilence (Recordare, Domine). This Votive Mass is the same in both the Traditional Roman Rite as in the Dominican Rite, among others.

This votive Mass has increased in popularity as of late due to the COVID-19 crisis and the spread of disease throughout much of the world, which has led to the widespread suspension of public Masses and the Sacraments. As I mentioned previously in my article "An Authentic Catholic Response to A Public Health Crisis" the offering of the Votive Mass in Times of Pestilence is one of the ways our priests can implore the help of God during the crisis.

As Father Augustine noted in his sermon, the Votive Mass in times of Pestilence came about in 1348 at the time of the Black Death when Pope Clement V reigned. The text of that Mass is given below. What is truly interesting though, as Father noted, is that the Mass text, while mentioning the disease, implores most of all help in the spiritual domain from our Lord. We do not ask God to remove the scourge outright. We implore that He be merciful to His people and keep us in grace. Written at a time when the Black Death killed 30% to 60% of Europe's population, the Church implored for spiritual help the most.

The Collect from the Mass reads: “O God, Who willest not the death of the sinner but that he should repent: welcome with pardon Thy people’s return to Thee: and so long as they are faithful in Thy service, do Thou in Thy clemency withdraw the scourge of Thy wrath.”

Are there things we need to be purged of and forgiven? And secondly, what more can I do to be of service to those in sickness or those in need during this economic time? These are key questions that come from this Mass. We do not ask God to remove the plague from us so that the world can return to its former evils. Our goal is to perform penance as the Ninevites of old under Jonah so that the scourge may be removed and we are interiorly more pleasing to the Lord.

Click here to download these prayers in PDF.

Introit (2 Kings 24:16)

Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy covenant and say to the destroying Angel: Now hold thy hand, and let not the land be made desolate, and destroy not every living soul. (P.T. Alleluia, alleluia.) Psalm. Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. ℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. — Be mindful, O Lord …

Collect

O God, who willest not the death of the sinner but that he should repent: welcome with pardon Thy people’s return to Thee: and so long as they are faithful in Thy service, do Thou in Thy clemency withdraw the scourge of Thy wrath. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son…

Lesson (2 Kings 24:15 – 19; 25)

In those days: The Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, from the morning unto the time appointed, and there died of the people from Dan to Bersabee seventy thousand men. And when the Angel of the Lord had stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord had pity on the affliction, and said to the Angel that slew the people: It is enough: now hold thy hand. And the Angel of the Lord was by the thrashing-floor of Areuna the Jebusite. And David said to the Lord, when he saw the Angel striking the people: It is I, I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these that are the sheep, what have they done? Let Thy hand, I beseech Thee, be turned against me, and against my father’s house. And the Prophet Gad came to David that day, and said: Go up, and build an altar to the Lord in the thrashing-floor of Areuna the Jebusite. And David went up according to the word of Gad which the Lord had commanded him: and he built there an altar to the Lord, and offered holocausts and peace-offerings: and the Lord became merciful to the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

Gradual (Psalm 106:20 – 21) 

The Lord sent his word, and healed them: and delivered them from their death. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to Him: and His wonderful works to the children of men.

Tract (Psalm 102:10) [Prayed between Septuagesima Sunday and the end of Lent]

O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. (Ps. 78:8-9.) O Lord, remember not our former iniquities, let Thy mercies speedily prevent us: for we are become exceeding poor. Help us, O God, our Savior: and for the glory of Thy Name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for Thy Name’s sake

Alleluia (Psalm 68:2) [Prayed during Pascaltide in place of Gradual and Tract]

Alleluia, alleluia. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul. Alleluia. (Zach. 8:7-8.) I will save my people Israel in the evil day: and I will be their God in truth and in justice. Alleluia.

Gospel (Luke 4:38 – 44)

At that time Jesus rising up out of the synagogue, went into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought Him for her. And standing over her, He commanded the fever: and it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them. And when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them to Him. But He, laying His hands on every one of them, healed them. And devils went out from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God; and rebuking them, He suffered them not to speak, for they knew that He was Christ. And when it was day, going out He went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought Him, and came unto Him: and they stayed Him that He should not depart from them. To whom He said: To other cities also I must preach the Kingdom of God: for therefore am I sent. And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Offertory (Num. 16:48)

The high priest stood between the dead and the living, having a golden censer in his hand: and offering the sacrifice of incense, he appeased the wrath of God, and the affliction from the Lord ceased.

Secret

Let the sacrifice which we now offer succour us, O Lord; may it wholly release us from sin and deliver us from all ruin and destruction. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee …

Preface

Preface of Lent or Eastertide or Common Preface, as determined by the season

Communion (Luke 6:17, 18, 19)

A multitude of sick and they that were troubled with unclean spirits, came to Him: for virtue went out from Him, and healed all. (P.T. Alleluia.)

Post Communion

Graciously hear us, O God our Savior: deliver Thy people from the terrors of Thy wrath, and assure them of that safety which is the gift of Thy mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son: Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

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Holy Tuesday Traditional Mass Propers

You may download a PDF of the Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, and Spy Wednesday Mass propers in the pre-1955 rubrics by clicking here. Today's stational church is at St. Prisca.

Vestments: Violet

INTROIT (Gal. 6:14)

But it is fitting that we should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is salvation, life, and resurrection for us, by whom we are saved and delivered. Ps. 66:2. May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He let his face shine upon us; and may He have mercy on us. But it is fitting . . .

COLLECT

Almighty and Eternal God, grant that we may celebrate the sacred rites of our Lord's passion in such a manner that we may be worthy of Your pardon. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

LESSON (Jer. 11:18-20)

In those days, Jeremiah said, "But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings. And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: 'Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.' But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause."

GRADUAL (Ps. 34:13, 1-2)

But I, when they were afflicting me, clothed myself in sackcloth, humbled myself with fastings, and prayed with head bent low. V. Fight, O Lord, against those who fight me, war upon me. Tale Your sword and shield, and rise up to help me.

GOSPEL (Mark 14:1-72; 15:1-46)

In the Pre-1955 rubrics, the Passion starts with the 1st verse of the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Mark. Starting with the Missal in 1955, and preserved in the 1962 Missal, is the omission of the first 31 verses:

Now the feast of the pasch, and of the Azymes was after two days; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on him, and kill him. But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head. Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her

But Jesus said: Let her alone, why do you molest her? She hath wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them.

Who hearing it were glad; and they promised him they would give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pasch, the disciples say to him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the pasch? And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith to them: Go ye into the city; and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; And whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, The master saith, Where is my refectory, where I may eat the pasch with my disciples? And he will shew you a large dining room furnished; and there prepare ye for us.

And his disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the pasch. And when evening was come, he cometh with the twelve. And when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith: Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me. But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one: Is it I? Who saith to them: One of the twelve, who dippeth with me his hand in the dish.

And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born. And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many. Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had said an hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in my regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter saith to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I. And Jesus saith to him: Amen I say to thee, today, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shall deny me thrice. But he spoke the more vehemently: Although I should die together with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all.

Continuing with verse 32:

At that time, they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And Jesus saith to his disciples: "Sit you here, while I pray." And he taketh Peter and James and John with him: and he began to fear and to be heavy. And he saith to them: "My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch." And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground: and he prayed that, if it might be, the hour might pass from him. And he saith: "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt."

And he cometh and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter:"Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch ye: and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. And when he returned, he found them again asleep (for their eyes were heavy): and they knew not what to answer him. And he cometh the third time and saith to them: "Sleep ye now and take your rest. It is enough. The hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up: let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand."

And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. And he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying: "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Lay hold on him: and lead him away carefully." And when he was come, immediately going up to him he saith: "Hail, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. But they laid hands on him and held him. And one of them that stood by, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus answering, said to them: "Are you come out as to a robber, with swords and staves to apprehend me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching: and you did not lay hands on me. But that the scriptures may be fulfilled."Then his disciples, leaving him, all fled away. And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body. And they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.

And they brought Jesus to the high priest. And all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the court of the high priest. And he sat with the servants at the fire and warmed himself. And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death: and found none. For many bore false witness against him: and their evidences were not agreeing. And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying: "We heard him say, I Will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands." And their witness did not agree. And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: "Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to thy charge by these men?" But he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him: "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God?" And Jesus said to him: "I am.

And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest rending his garments, saith: "What need we any further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What think you?" Who all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to buffet him and to say unto him: "Prophesy." And the servants struck him with the palms their hands.

Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. And when she had seen Peter warming himself looking on him, she saith: "Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth." But he denied, saying: "I neither know nor understand what thou sayest." And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: "This is one of them." But he denied again. And after a, while they that stood by said again to Peter: "Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean." But he began to curse and to swear, saying: "I know not this man of whom you speak." And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: "Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me." And he began to weep.

And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: "Art thou the king of the Jews?" But he answering, saith to him: "Thou sayest it." And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying: "Answerest thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse thee." But Jesus still answered nothing: so that Pilate wondered.

Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them and said: "Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them: "What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews?" But they again cried out: "Crucify him." And Pilate saith to them: "Why, what evil hath he done?" But they cried out the more: "Crucify him."

And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas: and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace: and they called together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple: and, platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him: "Hail, king of the Jews." And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him and put his own garments on him: and they led him out to crucify him. And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary.

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh. But he took it not. And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour: and they crucified him. And the inscription of his cause was written over: "THE KING OF THE JEWS." And with him they crucify two thieves: the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: "And with the wicked he was reputed." And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying: "Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God and in three days buildest it up again: Save thyself, coming down from the cross." In like manner also the chief priests, mocking, said with the scribes one to another: "He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." And they that were crucified with him, reviled him.

And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani?" Which is, being interpreted: "My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?"And some of the standers by hearing, said: "Behold he calleth Elias." And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: "Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down." And Jesus, having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. [Here pause and kneel]

And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost. said: "Indeed this man was the son of God." And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph and Salome,

Who also when he was in Galilee followed him and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem.

And when evening was now come (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead.

And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph, buying fine linen and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 139:5)

Save me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the unjust.

SECRET 

O Lord, may this Sacrifice revive us more quickly because of our salutary fast which we offer with it. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 68:13-14)

They who sit at the gate were working against me, and the wine-bibbers made me the butt of their songs. But I, O Lord, do pray to You; in Your good time, O God, show me Your great mercy.

POSTCOMMUNION 

Almighty God, let Your sanctifying grace cure our inclination to evil and provide us with a never-failing remedy. Through Our Lord . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE

O God, by Your mercy prevent us from falling into the habits of our old selves and make us increase in new holiness. Through Our Lord . . .

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Holy Monday Traditional Mass Propers

You may download a PDF of the Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, and Spy Wednesday Mass propers in the pre-1955 rubrics by clicking here. Today's stational church is at St. Praxedes.

Vestments: Violet

INTROIT (Ps. 34:1-2)

Fight, O Lord, against those who fight me; war against those who make war upon me. Take Your sword and shield, and rise up to help me, O Lord, the source of my salvation. Ps. 34:3. Bring up Your lance, and block the way against my persecutors; say to my soul, "I am your salvation." Fight. O Lord, against those . . .

COLLECT

Almighty God, may the merits of the passion of Your only-begotten Son give us new strength, for our own weakness brings nothing but failure in the face of so many difficulties; who lives and rules with You . . .

LESSON (Isa. 50:5-10)

In those days, Isaias said, "The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded: therefore have I set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded. He is near that justifieth me, who will contend with me? let us stand together, who is my adversary? let him come near to me. Behold the Lord God is my helper: who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they shall all be destroyed as a garment, the moth shall eat them up. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that heareth the voice of his servant, that hath walked in darkness, and hath no light? let him hope in the name of the Lord, and lean upon his God."

GRADUAL (Ps. 34:23, 3)

Arise, O Lord, and be watchful in my defense and my cause, my God and my Lord. V. Bring up Your lance and block the way against my persecutors.

TRACT (Ps. 102:10; 78:8-9)

O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. V. O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past; let Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (Here all kneel.) V. Help us, O God our Saviour, and for the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver me; and pardon us our sins for Your name's sake.

GOSPEL (John 12:1-9)

Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served. But Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said: "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?" Now he said this not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief and, having the purse, carried the things that were put therein. Jesus therefore said: "Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always."

A great multitude therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 142:9-10)

Rescue me from my enemies, o Lord; I flee to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.

SECRET

O Lord, may these sacred rites we perform cleanse us, so that we may be purified and brought closer to God who is their Founder. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 34:26)

Let all who rejoice at my misfortune be put to shame and confounded. Let those who speak maliciously of me be clothed with shame and disgrace.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, may Your Sacraments fill us with holy fervor so that we may delight in the celebration and grace of this sacred rite. Through Our Lord . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE

Help us, O God of our salvation! Grant that we may come with joy to commemorate Your mercies through which we have been restored to a new life. Through Our Lord...

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Dominican Responses & Antiphons for St. Vincent Ferrer

The following is taken in part from the Dominican Breviary for the Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer:

R. The heavenly Father, the Ruler of all nations, sent, when the evening of the world came on, a new prophet, Vincent, the teacher of Christian people. He announces to men the approach of God’s judgment, * Which all men shall see with their eyes. V. Fear God: this is his favourite exclamation: the time is at hand for his judgment, * Which all men shall see with their eyes.

R. Treading in the arduous path of Christ, and shunning earthly pleasures, he convinced men of the truth, and put to flight the darkness of error. * He gave light to the countries of the west, and his name was proclaimed throughout the whole world. V. His doctrines were more welcome than sunlight, his word was more ardent than fire. * He gave light to the countries of the west, and his name was proclaimed throughout the whole world.

R. He spent the night over the sacred Scriptures, wakeful to contemplation and study: in the mom, like to a fair star, he shines with a wondrous ray of wisdom: * At evening he has a saving remedy for every kind of disease. V. There passes not an hour of his day, wherein he does not some good deed.
* At evening he has a saving remedy for every kind of disease.

R. He inflames the minds of his hearers by his words of eternal life: he inspires the hearts of men with a love of heavenly gifts: sublimely does he treat of virtues. * Teaching men how to bridle every vice. V. Eager crowds follow him, when he preaches his divine doctrines. * Teaching men how to bridle every vice.

ANT. Vincent, blessed with light prophetic, spoke admirably of the end of the world: he set, as the sun, in the western world, and surrounded by a troop of angels, he ascended to the bright mansions of heaven.

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Pre-1955 Holy Week Livestreams

As a follow up to my previous post, Comprehensive List of Live Streaming Traditional Latin Masses, here is a link of some places where you may watch live streams of the pre-1955 Holy Week services. Why is the 1954 Holy Week superior in many respects to the changes in 1955 that became part of the 1962 Missal? That topic is worthy of significant study. I would direct you to the Pre 1955 Holy Week Website or to the series of articles on this topic published by the New Liturgical Movement.

Many chapels and oratories of the FSSP and the ICKSP will be offering the pre-1955 rites. Unfortunately, the SSPX is stuck in a 1962 only mentality so you will notice they are not listed here. Besides the FSSP chapels that are listed here, more can be found on the FSSP website.

St. Mary's Oratory in Wausau, Wisconsin

UPDATED. They will now be live streaming on Youtube through Sensus Fidelium and not through their Facebook Page, as was done for Palm Sunday. All times are in Central Daylight Time (CDT).

Mater Ecclesia in Berlin, New Jersey

The liturgies will be live-streamed on the parish's Facebook. Yet the parish advised, "The ceremonies will be very stark and most basic. This will be the lowest Holy Week we have ever had at Mater, but we will plow ahead in the Spiritus Domini." Times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

St. Joseph's Shrine in Detroit, Michigan

These are all in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles in Gower, Missouri

All broadcasts may be watching, along with other parts of the Divine Office, on their website.

St. Stephen the First Martyr in Sacramento, California

All times in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT):  Palm Sunday 8 a.m.; Holy Thursday 6 p.m.; Good Friday 5 p.m.; Holy Saturday Vigil Mass 4 p.m.; Easter Sunday 8 a.m. Livestreamed on YouTube.

St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis, MO

All times in Central Daylight Time. The live stream is viewable on YouTube.

THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS WILL BE OFFERING THE PRE-1955 RITES ALONG WITH THE PRE-1955 PRAYER FOR THE JEWS. THE ABOVE LOCATIONS WILL USE THE MODIFIED PRAYER CREATED BY POPE BENEDICT XVI.

St. Pius V Chapel in Oyster Bay, New York (SSPV)

St. Gertrude the Great in West Chester, Ohio

All liturgies will be live-streamed on their website and available for playback later. All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

Additional locations and times will be listed here as I learn of them.

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Traditional Catholic Prayer for Epidemics

℣. Dómine, non secúdum peccáta nostre facias nobis.

℣. Deal not with us, Lord, according to our sins.

℟. Neque secúndum iniquittátes nostras retribuas nobis.

℟. And take not vengeance on us because of our misdeeds.

℣. Adjuva nos, Deus, salutáris noster.

℣. Help us, O God, our Deliverer.

℟. Et propter glóriam nóminis tui, Dómine, libera nos.

℟. And for Thy name’s sake, O Lord, free us.

℣. Dómine, ne memineris iniquitatum nostrarum antiquárum.

℣. Remember not, O Lord, our sins of old.

℟. Cito anticipent nos misericórdiæ tuæ, quia páuperes facti sumus nimis.

℟. Hasten to us with Thy compassion, for we are become exceeding poor.

℣. Ora pro nobis, sancte Sebastiáne.

℣ St. Sebastian, pray for us.

℟. Ut digni efficiátmur promissiónibus Christi.

℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

℣. Dómine, exaudi oratiónem meam.

℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟. Et clamor meus ad te véniat.

℟. And let my cry come unto thee.

℣. Dominus vobiscum.

℣. The Lord be with you.

℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.

℟. And with Thy spirit.

Orémus

Exáudi nos, Deus salutáris noster: et intercedénte beáta et gloriósa Dei genitrice Maria semper vergine, et beáto Sebastiáno mártyre tuo, et omnibus Sanctis, pópulum tuum ab iracundiæ tuæ terróribus libera, et misericórdiæ tuæ fac largitáte securum.

Let us pray

Vouchsafe to hear us, O God, our only salvation! And through the intercession of the glorious and blessed Mary, Mother of God and ever Virgin, of Thy blessed martyr, Sebastian and of all the saints, deliver Thy people from the terrors of Thy wrath, and restore their confidence by the outpouring of Thy compassion.

Propitiáre, Dónine, supplicatiónibus nostris: et animárum et córporum medére languóribus: ut remissióne percépta, in tua semper benedictióne lætémur.

Be moved to pity, O Lord, at our earnest entreaties, and heal the illnesses of body and soul; so that experiencing Thy forgiveness we may ever rejoice in Thy blessing.

Da nobis, quæsumus, Dómine, piæ petitiónis efféctum: et pestiléntiam mortalitatérmque propitiátus avérte; ut mortálium corda cognóscant, et te indignánte tália flagélla prodire, et te miserante cessáre. Per Dóminum.

We beseech thee, O Lord, grant us a hearing as we devoutly raise our petitions to Thee, and graciously turn away the epidemic of plague which afflicts us; so that mortal hearts may recognize that these scourges proceed from Thine indignation and cease only when Thou art moved to mercy. Through Our Lord.

℟. Amen

Ultimo benedicit cum Refiquia S. Crucis, dicens:

The priest then blesses people with a relic of the True Cross, saying:

Benedictio Dei omnipoténtis, Patris, et Filii, ✠ et Spiritus Sancti, descéndat super vos, máneat semper.

And may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, ✠ Son and Holy Ghost descend upon you and remain forever.

℟. Amen

Rituale Romanum l, Titulus IX, Cap. X

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Miracles Prove the Catholic Church’s Divine Origin

The Miracle of Saint Dominic by Biagio Bellotti

Reason & Miracles

As the book “My Catholic Faith” summarizes: “Divine Revelation comes down to us by two means: through Holy Scripture, written down under divine inspiration, and through Tradition, handed down orally from Apostolic times.”

Those are the two means of divine revelation we have to know the Faith, but we have tools to help us further understand the Faith that has been revealed by God.  One of those tools is our ability as human beings to reason.  Some things can be known by reason alone.  For example, it can be known by reason alone that God exists.  This is affirmed explicitly at the Council of Trent.  As we examine the created world, as we consider the perfection of creation, as we understand that there had to be a First Cause who started all things, we can use our reason to understand that there must be a divine being.  Reason does not inform us who that being is.  It just helps us understand that something doesn’t come from nothing.  That is our reason working. Reasoning should also be informed by strong, scholastic philosophy.

Another tool at our disposal to bring us to know these truths is the immense generosity of God in His miracles.  The miracles of God further prove the divine origin of the Catholic Faith.  So, by two such tools, namely the use of reason and of external proofs of miracles, we can come to believe what the Church teaches.

The Catholic Church as the Bastion of Miracles

The Catholic Church is the great bastion of miracles.  We have numerous miracles testifying to the authenticity of the Catholic Faith:

• The stigmata: Dozens of saints have had the visible marks of Christ on their body. 
• Eucharistic miracles: We have dozens of miracles, some of which have been scientifically examined, testifying to the truth that the Eucharistic Host is actually Christ’s flesh and blood. 
• Incorruptible Saints: We also have over 150 incorruptible saints whose incorruptibly defies all of science. 
• Miracles Worked Through the Saints: The blood of St. Januarius frequently liquefies. Throughout the centuries thousands of reported miracles have occurred at the tombs of the saints. St. Benedict and St. Dominic, among others, by the power of God resurrected people from the dead. Look up the lives of St. Padre Pio, St. Gregory the Wonderworker, St. Charbel, and countless others have performed miracles. To be canonized a saint, a miracle must be performed and found unexplained by science. The Miracles of the Saints are numerous enough to fill volumes of books. Over 400 saints have raised the dead to life.
• The Miracles Performed through the Blessed Virgin Mary: Over 70 people are been healed of incurable diseases in the waters of Lourdes.  The Miracle of the Sun at Fatima was witnessed by over 70,000 people. And we have many miracles of the Rosary including the Miracle at Hiroshima. Many other such Rosary miracles have occurred. The Miraculous Medal and the Brown Scapular continue to work miracles up to this day unexplained by science.

Do we have reported Eucharistic miracles in Lutheran churches or Anglican ones?  No.  Yet in the Catholic Church we do. Over 500 people have had the visible (or invisible) wounds of Christ known as the Stigmata on their body including St. Catherine of Siena, St. John of God, St. Francis, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, St. Marie of the Incarnation, and St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  We also have over 150 incorruptible saints whose incorruptibly defies all of science.  And we have dozens of confirmed and verified apparitions in history not only of our Blessed Mother but also of St. Michael the Archangel and other saints. And when miracles are examined by modern science, they still find them unexplainable. 

As the website, ProtestantErrors.com illustrates, the true Church ought to be resplendent with miracles and only the Catholic Church has been shown to be accompanied with repeated first-class miracles.

Satan Knows This. That's Why He Attacks the Catholic Church

God, in His goodness and generosity, showers us with proofs of the accuracy of the Catholic Church’s doctrines.  And this too is why Satan is not attacking Lutherans, or Baptists, or Muslims.  He is attacking the Catholic priesthood; he is infiltrating our seminaries and leading men ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ to betray their office and sexual assault children – an absolutely diabolical and unspeakable blasphemy.  And Satan does this because in the Catholic Church is the truth.  Why would he waste his time on attacking those souls who are already under his rule?

Let us always be prepared to give an account of our faith (cf. 1 Peter 3:15), and we can do this by understanding the truth of the Catholic Faith as seen through both intellectual arguments as well as through miracles. By these means, let us be missionaries to all we encounter.

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Replacing the Glory Be in the Rosary During Passiontide

The Church begins today on Passion Sunday the most penitential time of the year. During these final two weeks leading up to the holy festival of Easter, we are reminded of the penance of the season by the covering of the statues and images in our churches and in our homes. Additionally, in the Traditional Mass we will notice the further omission of several prayers at the beginning of Mass during the Prayers at the foot of the altar in addition to the Glory Be (known in Latin as the Gloria Patri).

The Gloria Patri is omitted in the Mass and in parts of the Divine Office. Concerning the Divine Office, it is suppressed during the responsories in the Office though kept for most of Passiontide at the end of the Psalms. However, starting with Matins of Holy Thursday said on the night of Spy Wednesday it disappears completely. The day draws close at hand when the whole Church will mourn the Lord's Passion and Death.

It can - though it doesn't have to be - omitted in the Rosary as well. While this practice is more common in certain Catholic countries than others, it makes sense to omit the Glory Be during Passiontide from our prayers, including the Rosary, as we feel the increasing reality of Calvary drawing ever closer. This is also consistent with the Church's official prayers which during this period omit this last remaining expression of joy in the Church's liturgy. Darkness closes in. 

In place of the Glory Be, this prayer is traditionally added:

V: Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem
R: Mortem autem crucis

V: Christ became obedient for us even unto death
R: even unto the death of the cross

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Why Pray the Divine Office?

The introduction given below was written by Fr. Pius Parch, and it is included in the beginning of several breviaries as a means to introduce a person to the spirituality of the Divine Office.

If you are new to the Breviary and want to have a guided approach to praying the Office, use Divinum Officium. I recommend either Divinu Afflato, Reduce 1955, or Rubrics 1960. The 1960 rubrics here are the ones that are used in connection with the Tridentine Mass said according to the 1962 Missal.

If you are looking to upgrade to having the books yourself, I recommend the best English/Latin books out there which use the 1960 Rubrics: The Baronius Press Edition.

The following is taken from the excellent work of Fr. Pius Parch:

The breviary is the official prayerbook of the Catholic Church, the prayer said in the name of the Church. It could be said that the Holy Ghost and the Church have been working on it for more than 3,000 years, and it has become the basic book of prayer. It contains the Divine Office, or the formal prayers which the Church puts into the mouths of her priests and religious.

The two chief objectives which the breviary fulfills are:

1. It is the prayer of the Church as a body

1. The breviary is above all the prayer of the Church. It is helpful to understand the difference between private prayer and liturgical prayer. In private prayer I pray, mostly for myself and my own affairs. It is I who stand in the center of action. But in liturgical prayer, that is, in the breviary, it is not primarily I who am praying, but the Church, the Bride of Christ. The object of Her prayer is broader: all the needs of God’s kingdom here on earth. In liturgical prayer, I am like a leaf on the great living tree of the Catholic Church. I share Her life and Her problems. The Church is praying through my mouth; I offer Her my tongue to pray with Her for all the great objectives of redemption, and for God’s honor and glory.

The Church weeps through our tears with those who weep, rejoices through our joys with those who rejoice, does penance through our penances with those who are repentant. All the sentiments of Holy Mother Church find their echo in us. This gives a deeper content to our prayer; we spread out far beyond our own selves. It is through the breviary that we participate objectively in the official ministry and care of souls. The objectives of the Church, the objectives of Christ’s redemption, become ours. We should approach our prayer of the breviary saying: Now the Church is praising God through my mouth; now the Church is struggling after souls with my hands!

2. It is a guide to genuine spiritual growth for the individual soul, religious or lay

The breviary fulfills a second purpose. In the universal spirit of prayer as described above, the individual soul is not to lose sight of itself. The individual, too, must grow; that is the subjective side of liturgical prayer. The breviary is a staff and guide to heaven. For us,it can be compared to the Angel Raphael who led the young Tobias successfully through all the dangers of his journey. It leads us through the Church year. As our Catholic churches sanctify space, so the breviary sanctifies time. By the arrangement of prayers in the sequence of canonical hours, we are made to progress in building up the temple of grace within our soul. By means of the “hours” of the Divine Office the Church puts sword and trowel into our hands for every time-segment of the day. The breviary, as the prayer of the canonical hours and as the prayer of the Church year, is in the highest sense the guide for souls.

St. Benedict said, “Let nothing be preferred to the work of God.” Is this the case nowadays? Are we not a race of action, of restless, unwearying activity, and not of quiet, contemplative prayer? We say, of course, that prayer is good, but wonder sometimes what we get by it. We tend to want to work and labor to “make ourselves useful.” Has God changed, or have we, nowadays, less need of Him? Can human activity supply the place of divine grace, and is it not solely by prayer that divine grace is called down upon us?

When Israel fought against Amalec, Moses on the mountain was raising his hands in prayer. It was not the fighting warriors that vanquished the enemy, for as often as Moses let fall his hands it was Amalec that got the upper hand. This Old Testament story has often been used in favor of the Church praying as compared with the Church militant. At the present time, more than ever, we stand in need of prayer, and of the solemn prayer in common (if and where possible) of the Divine Office.

The worship of God is the first and most important duty of the human race. Man is a rational being created to praise God, says St. John Chrysostom, to offer to God the worship of all creation. It is not sufficient that each individual should comply with this duty by only his own prayers. The relation of God to man, of the Creator to the creature, of the King of kings to His subjects, demands a solemn common worship, sacrifice, and prayer, such service as Holy Church offers to God.

The human race must offer to God, socially, either as a united body or by due representation, its tribute of adoration, praise; and thanksgiving. If each individual member of a congress were to offer its respects to the Head of State in private, this would by no means have the same significance as if all did so in common, or by special and solemn deputation. That’s what God requires, for He has written: “All the nations that Thou hast made shall come and adore before Thee, O Lord”; “Praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye peoples.” Next to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which the work and fruit of our Redemption is continually re-presenced and perpetuated, the Divine Office gives the greatest glory to God, and is most closely united and intimately connected with that Sacrifice.

The Holy Mass is the sun and the canonical hours the rays which surround it. Without Christ Himself, there would be no rays, but on the other hand the rays announce and spread far and wide the glory of the sun, and it is by their means that we receive the sun’s light and heat. The Divine Office is divine in its origin and source, divine in the Object of its praise, and divine in form, which is of no human invention. The Holy Ghost lives, works and speaks in the Church, and we-have to thank Him for its contents, its arrangement, and its words, which He has inspired. It is the official prayer of the Church, and as She is the Mystical Body of Christ, every breath in Her Body belongs to Him. He is Her Head, and Her prayer, Her language, Her voice are His, and therefore divine. “He Himself praises Himself,” says St. Augustine.

The sublimity of this solemn praise of God implies also its efficacy. Our divine Lord Himself has said: “Wheresoever two or three are united in My name, there am I in the midst of them,” and again, “Whatsoever you shall ask in My name, I will give it to you.” “Thy prayer,” says St. John Chrysostom, “is not of such efficacy when thou prayest alone as when thou prayest with thy brethren,” for, as St. Ambrose observes, “If many souls unite they become powerful, and God cannot despise the prayers of a multitude.”

They who sing psalms together as a well-ordered army in battle array do violence to heaven most pleasing to God. Individuals are like drops carried on by the force of the stream. Devotion in common arouses, vivifies, enkindles. It overcomes, to a certain extent, the lukewarm distractions of the individual and unites him in the harmony of the choir, and thus the common prayer and praise resound like one voice rich and full-toned, well pleasing to God. It is the one voice of the Catholic Church, of His Son, to which He must listen.

List of the hours:  Matutinum (Matins), Laudes (Lauds), Prima (Prime), Tertia (Terce), Sexta (Sext), Nona (None), Vesperae (Vespers), and Completorium (Compline).

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