Feast of All Dominican Saints

Allegory of the Virgin Patroness of the Dominicans - Miguel Cabrera

Today we joyously celebrate in the Dominican Tradition the Feast of All Dominican Saints.  This Feast was moved to November 7th after Vatican II; however, my order and those attached to Catholic Tradition still retain it on November 12th.

In Short Lives of the Dominican Saints, by A Sister of the Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena, 1901, we read:

"It may not be without interest to record in this place the number of Saint Dominic's children who, up to the present date, A.D. 1900, have received the honours of canonization and beatification. The canonized Saints of the Order are 14 in number; its Beati, 215. By far the majority of these belong, of course, to the First or Great Order; but the Second Order of cloistered women has 10 representatives, and the Third Order, 66. We may add to the figures given above, Blessed Jane of Aza, the mother of our Holy Father, Saint Dominic, 58 members of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, beatified with our Japanese Martyrs, and 7 Martyrs belonging to the Dominican Mission of Eastern Tonquin." 

"The General Chapter of Valencia caused a list to be drawn up of the martyrs of the Order between the years 1234 and 1335, and it was found to contain 13,370 names. In the sixteenth century alone, 26,000 of the children of Saint Dominic gave their lives for the faith; and an author writing in the year 1882 states as an ascertained fact, that, from the foundation of the Order down to our own day, there has never been a single decade of years without some addition to the blood-stained roll of its martyrs. The century now closing has furnished its quota in the far East, where the chronicle of the Dominican Mission in Tonquin may be said to be written in blood. 

"But there are other martyrdoms besides that of blood, and who shall reckon up the number of Saint Dominic's children whose lives have been consumed for the aim and object of his Order, the salvation of the souls for whom Christ died, in missionary labours, in the pulpit, the confessional, the professor's chair, the hospital, or the school, or in the humbler sphere of domestic labour in the service of their Community, or again in the cloistered seclusion of their Convents, by the secret crucifixion of the spirit and the holy apostleship of intercessory prayer and suffering?" Page 314.

Prayers for the Divine Office specific to this day for Dominicans:

(From left to right) top row: Benedict XI, Innocent V (Peter of Tarentaise), The Virgin Mary, John of Vercelli, John Dominici, Latino Malabranca; 2nd row: Albert the Great, Christian (Patriarch of Antioch), John of Wildeshausen, James of Venice, James Salomoni, Agnes of Montepulciano, Peter González (St. Elmo), Jerome Cala; 3rd row: Unknown friar, Rose of Lima, Louis Bertrand, James of Ulm, The Head Carriers (Céphalophores) of Toulouse, Vincent of St. Etienne, Francis of Toulouse; 4th row: Vincent Ferrer, Thomas Aquinas, James of Bevagna, Jordan of Saxony, Conrad of Marburg, Ambrose of Siena, Henry Suso; bottom row: Raymond of Penyafort, Antonio (Dominic’s eldest brother, priest in the Order of Santiago), Mannes (Dominic’s second brother), Peter Martyr, Hyacinth of Poland, Catherine of Siena, Antoninus of Florence.  Image: J. Rolbels, The Genealogical Tree of St. Dominic

The feast is II Class and therefore contains a full set of propers. At Lauds, the Psalms of Sunday are prayed.

First Vespers:

Ant. He who is mighty hath gone great things for the order: He hath received Dominic, His son; He hath blessed him and his followers forever.

V. Pray for us, all ye Saints of God

R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Lauds:

Ant. The Lord God of Israel hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of Dominic, His son, that in holiness and justice we may serve Him all the days of our life.

V. Rejoice in the Lord, ye Saints and just.

R. God hath chosen you for His inheritance.

Second Vespers:

Ant. The Lord hath magnified His Saints with His salvation, for behold from henceforth all generations shall call them blessed.

V. Pray for us, all ye Saints of God

R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer

Let us Pray: O God, who hast vouchsafed to make the order of Preachers fruitful in an abundant progeny of Saints, and hast sublimely crowned in them the merits of all heroic virtues, grant us to follow in their footsteps, that we may one day be united in perpetual festivity in heaven with those whom we today venerate in common upon earth. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Litany of All Dominican Saints:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us. 

God, the heavenly Father, have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.

All you holy angels and archangels, pray for us.

All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us.

All you holy Apostles and Evangelists, pray for us.

All you holy martyrs, pray for us.

All you holy virgins and widows, pray for us.

All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Saint Michael, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel, pray for us.

Saint Raphael, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint Mary Magdalen, pray for us.

Holy Father Augustine, pray for us.

Holy Father Francis, pray for us.

Blessed Jane of Aza, pray for us.

Blessed Reginald, pray for us. 

Holy Father Dominic, pray for us.

Holy Father Dominic, pray for us. 

Blessed Bertrand, pray for us.

Blessed Mannes, pray for us.

Blessed Diana, pray for us.

Blessed Jordan of Saxony, pray for us.

Blessed John of Salerno, pray for us.

Blessed William and Companions, pray for us.

Blessed Ceslaus, pray for us.

Blessed Isnard, pray for us.

Blessed Guala, pray for us.

Blessed Peter Gonzalez, pray for us.

Saint Zdislava, pray for us.

Saint Peter of Verona, pray for us.

Blessed Nicholas, pray for us.

Saint Hyacinth, pray for us.

Blessed Gonsalvo, pray for us.

Blessed Sadoc and Companions, pray for us.

Blessed Giles, pray for us.

Saint Margaret of Hungary, pray for us.

Blessed Batholomew of Vincenza, pray for us.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.

Saint Raymond of Penyafort, pray for us.

Blessed Innocent V, pray for us.

Blessed Albert of Bergamo, pray for us.

Saint Albert the Great, pray for us.

Blessed John of Vercelli, pray for us.

Blessed Ambrose, pray for us.

Blessed Cecilia, pray for us.

Blessed Benvenuta, pray for us.

Blessed James of Varazze, pray for us.

Blessed James of Bevagna, pray for us.

Blessed Benedict XI, pray for us.

Blessed Jane of Orvieto, pray for us.

Blessed Jordan of Pisa, pray for us.

Saint Emily, pray for us.

Blessed James Salomonio, pray for us.

Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, pray for us.

Blessed Simon, pray for us.

Blessed Margaret of Castello, pray for us.

Blessed Augustine Kazotic, pray for us.

Blessed James Benefatti, pray for us.

Blessed Imelda, pray for us.

Blessed Dalmatius, pray for us.

Blessed Margaret Ebner, pray for us.

Blessed Villana, pray for us.

Blessed Peter Ruffia, pray for us.

Blessed Henry, pray for us.

Blessed Sibyllina, pray for us.

Blessed Anthony of Pavonio, pray for us.

Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us.

Blessed Marcolino, pray for us.

Blessed Raymond of Capua, pray for us.

Blessed Andrew Franchi, pray for us.

Saint Vincent Ferrer, pray for us.

Blessed Clara, pray for us.

Blessed John Dominic, pray for us.

Blessed Alvarez, pray for us.

Blessed Maria, pray for us.

Blessed Peter of Castello, pray for us.

Blessed Andrew Abellon, pray for us.

Blessed Stephen, pray for us.

Blessed Peter Geremia, pray for us.

Blessed John of Fiesole, pray for us.

Blessed Lawrence of Ripafratta, pray for us.

Blessed Anthony della Chiesa, pray for us.

Saint Antoninus, pray for us.

Blessed Anthony Neyrot, pray for us.

Blessed Margaret of Savoy, pray for us.

Blessed Bartholomew of Cerverio, pray for us.

Blessed Matthew, pray for us.

Blessed Constantius, pray for us.

Blessed Christopher, pray for us.

Blessed Damian, pray for us.

Blessed Andrew of Peschiera, pray for us.

Blessed Bernard, pray for us.

Blessed Jane of Portugal, pray for us.

Blessed James of Ulm, pray for us.

Blessed Augustine of Biella, pray for us.

Blessed Aimo, pray for us.

Blessed Sebastian, pray for us.

Blessed Mark, pray for us.

Blessed Columba, pray for us.

Blessed Magdalen, pray for us.

Blessed Osanna of Mantua, pray for us.

Blessed John Liccio, pray for us.

Blessed Dominic Spadafora, pray for us.

Blessed Stephana, pray for us.

Saint Adrian, pray for us.

Blessed Lucy, pray for us.

Blessed Catherine Racconigi, pray for us.

Blessed Osanna of Kotor, pray for us.

Saint Pius V, pray for us.

Saint John of Cologne, pray for us.

Blessed Maria Bartholomew, pray for us.

Saint Louis Bertrand, pray for us.

Saint Catherine de Ricci, pray for us.

Blessed Robert, pray for us.

Blessed Alphonsus and Companions, pray for us.

Saint Rose, pray for us.

Saint Dominic Ibanez and Companions, pray for us.

Blessed Agnes of Jesus, pray for us.

Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companio, pray for us.ns

Saint Martin de Porres, pray for us.

Blessed Peter Higgins, pray for us.

Blessed Francis de Capillas, pray for us.

Saint Juan Macias, pray for us.

Blessed Terence, pray for us.

Blessed Ann of the Angels, pray for us.

Blessed Francis de Posadas, pray for us.

Saint Louis de Montfort, pray for us.

Blessed Francis Gil, pray for us.

Saint Matteo, pray for us.

Blessed Peter Sanz and Companions, pray for us.

Saint Vincent Liem, pray for us.

Saint Hyacinth Castaneda, pray for us.

Blessed Marie, pray for us.

Blessed George, pray for us.

Blessed Catherine Jarrige, pray for us.

Saint Ignatius and Companions, pray for us.

Saint Dominic An-Kham and Companions, pray for us.

Saint Joseph Khang and Companions, pray for us.

Saint Francis Coll, pray for us.

Blessed Hyacinthe Cormier, pray for us.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us.

Blessed Bartolo, pray for us.

Blessed Michael Czartoryski, pray for us.

Blessed Julia Rodzinska, pray for us.

All holy Dominican brothers and sisters, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Let us pray.--

God, source of all holiness, you have enriched your Church with many gifts in the saints of the Order of Preachers. By following the example of our brothers and sisters, may we come to enjoy their company for ever in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Plenary Indulgence for Dominican Jubilee Announced

We are pleased to inform you that His Holiness Pope Francis has granted the possibility of receiving the plenary indulgence to all the faithful participating in the Jubilee celebrations that will take place both internationally and in each province and to all those who will participate in a pilgrimage to the churches and chapels of the Dominican family.

The terms and conditions to receive the indulgence are described in the document sent by the Apostolic Penitentiary. The Holy Father also encourages all the priests of the Order to make themselves available to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance in all Jubilee places and frequently administer the Holy Communion to the infirm.

We invite the entire Dominican family to publicize and to receive the plenary indulgence which strengthens and encourages the common commitment of the renewal of the entire Order in this Jubilee Year.  Source: OP

As mentioned in the above decree, there is a Jubilee Prayer that is to be said to earn this indulgence.  That jubilee prayer is as follows: 

God, Father of mercy, who called your servant Dominic de Guzman to set out in faith as an itinerant pilgrim and a preacher of grace, as we prepare to celebrate the Jubilee of the Order we ask you to pour again into us the Spirit of the Risen Christ, that we might faithfully and joyfully proclaim the Gospel of peace, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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First Friday Devotion for November

Today is the First Friday of November. Because today is the first Friday of the Month, many Catholic parishes will have special Masses today for the First Friday Devotion.

"With foresight, the divine heart of Christ merited and ordered all the favors which we have received, disposing them for each of us in particular. How our hearts would be inflamed with love for so many favors! Consider that they were destined for us by the will of the Father, to be borne in the heart of the Savior, Who earned them for us by His sufferings, above all by His passion." - St. Francis de Sales

Beginning on December 27, 1673, through 1675, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque asking her to receive Him in Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month and to meditate on His passion from 11:00 PM to 12:00 midnight each Thursday. He also revealed to her twelve promises for all who are devoted to His Sacred Heart; he asked for a Feast of the Sacred Heart to be instituted in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with twelve promises for those devoted to His Most Sacred Heart.

Promises for those devoted to the Sacred Heart:

1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Prayer of Reparation:

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly. I offer thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of thee the conversion of poor sinners.

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Incorruptible Body of St. Charles Borromeo

In honor of today's feast day of St. Charles Borromeo, I present some images taken this summer of the incorruptible body of St. Charles Borromeo.  His body rests in a crypt of the Duomo in Milan, Italy.

CatechismClass.com has adopted St. Charles Borromeo as its patron saint.

Prayer: 

O Saintly reformer, animator of spiritual renewal of priests and religious, you organized true seminaries and wrote a standard catechism. Inspire all religious teachers and authors of catechetical books. Move them to love and transmit only that which can form true followers of the Teacher who was divine. Amen.

Images are mine and are copyrighted. You are free to share them if you cite them and include a link back to this post.

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St. John Cantius Displays Over 1,000 Relics for All Saints Day

For the 1st Class Feast of All Saints, St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago had on display over 1,000 relics of our heavenly brethren in the Church Triumphant.

Traditionally, November 5th is regarded as the Feast of the Sacred Relics.  As such, this is a worthy day to visit the relics near you and pray for the intercession of the heavenly host for us and for the repose of the souls of our departed friends and loved ones.

 

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Traditional Mass Propers: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

INTROIT
Jer. 29:11, 12, 14 Said the Lord: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity. V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT - Forgive the offenses of Your people, O Lord, so that through Your merciful goodness we may be freed from the bondage of sin into which we were led by our own weakness. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE
Philipp. 3:17-21; 4:1-3
Brethren: Be ye followers of me, and mark those who walk after the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown: so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beg of Evodia and I beseech Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, my sincere companion, help those women who have labored with me in the gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

GRADUAL
You have freed us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day, and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2 V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer! Alleluia!

GOSPEL
St. Matthew 24:15-35

At that time, as Jesus was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: "Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.

And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself: "If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed." But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: "Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole." And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout, He said: "Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed him to scorn. And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.

OFFERTORY
Ps. 129:1-2
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET We offer this sacrifice of praise, O Lord, to fulfill our debt of service to You. May Your blessings which we cannot merit, continue to reach us through Your boundless mercy. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION
Mark 11:24
Amen I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.


POST COMMUNION - You have given us the happiness of participating in this Heavenly Banquet, O Almighty God. Let us not now fall victim to any human danger. Through Our Lord . . .

Sources: Saint Andrew Daily Missal and the Marian Missal , 1945

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Mass Offered for the Donors to the Shrine of Christ the King's Fire Restoration Fund

On Friday, October 23, 2015, Canon Matthew Talarico offered Mass for the intentions of all contributors to the Shrine's Fire Restoration Fund, the fund set up in the aftermath of the October 7 fire. As they state on their GoFundMe Page:

Your friendship and generosity have moved us more than words can express, and for which no material gift can repay. In gratitude, Holy Mass was offered for you and your intentions. 

The Mass was celebrated in the chapel of the priory, adjacent to the fire-ravaged Shrine of Christ the King. Although the priory was not damaged in the fire, it did sustain smoke and water damage that required extensive restorative cleaning. Earlier this week, the priests and candidates were allowed to return to the priory after the cleaning.  

A Mass will be offered weekly for the intentions of all donors. Your kindness and generosity will not be forgotten. Thank you again!

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Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

This prayer is similar to the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart. This prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII in 1889 and included in his encyclical Annum sacrum.

Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thine altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart.

Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to Thy Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy towards the children of the race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: "Praise be to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever." Amen.

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Prayer for the Printing of Good Books

This prayer to St. Paul is listed in the Raccolta as having an indulgence of 300 days.  I have highly recommended the propagation of good books and the destruction of evil books.  As I posted before, evil books that attack the Faith need to be destroyed and we should do what we can to help destroy materials offered by the pro-abortion and anti-catholic organizations.  This was taught clearly by St. Pius X who wrote in his catechism:  "A Christian to whom a Bible has been offered by a Protestant or an agent of the Protestants should reject it with disgust, because it is forbidden by the Church. If it was accepted by inadvertence, it must be burnt as soon as possible or handed in to the Parish Priest" (Catechism of Pius X).

Prayer for the Printing of Good Books

O glorious Apostle of the Gentiles, Saint Paul, who with such zeal didst busy thyself in destroying at Ephesus those books which thou knewest well would have perverted the minds of the faithful: turn upon us thy gracious eyes also at this present day. Thou seest how an unbelieving and licentious press is attempting to rob our hearts of the precious treasure of faith and spotless morals. Enlighten, we beseech Thee, O holy Apostle, the minds of so many perverted writers, that they may cease once for all to do harm to souls with their evil doctrines and lying insinuations; move their hearts to hate the evil that they have done and are doing to the chosen flock of Jesus Christ. For us, too, obtain the grace of being ever docile to the voice of the Supreme Pontiff, that so we may never allow ourselves to indulge in the reading of bad books, but may seek instead to read and, so far as it is given to us, to diffuse those books which by their salutary doctrine shall assist all of us to promote the greater glory of God, the exaltation of His Church and the salvation of souls. Amen.

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Shrine of Christ the King: Post Fire Relics

Last week's devastating fire destroyed the entirety of the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago. The Shrine is my spiritual home, so I have personally felt the trial from this loss. Despite this great trial, there have been consolations.

Last Sunday a Solemn High Mass was said at the neighboring St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.  On display were a number of items salvaged from the fire-ravaged building.  The images of them are below.

Please say a prayer for the Shrine's priests, the Faithful who call the Shrine home, and the neighboring community.

Please consider making a donation to help this monumental rebuilding using the Shrine's Go Fund Me.

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