St. Christopher & the Blessing of Cars

Commemoration (1954 Calendar): July 25

Today besides the feast of St. James the Greater is the Commemoration of St. Christopher (i.e. St. Christopherus). He is one of the 14 Holy Helpers and is the patron of travelers, especially motorists, and is invoked in storms and tempests. Today is the ideal day to have a priest bless your vehicles using the traditional Roman Rituale blessing.

BLESSING OF AN AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER VEHICLE

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. P: The Lord be with you. All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray. Lord God, be well disposed to our prayers, and bless + this vehicle with your holy hand. Appoint your holy angels as an escort over it, who will always shield its passengers and keep them safe from accidents. And as once by your deacon, Philip, you bestowed faith and grace upon the Ethiopian seated in his carriage and reading Holy Writ, so also now show the way of salvation to your servants, in order that, strengthened by your grace and ever intent upon good works, they may attain, after all the successes and failures of this life, the certain happiness of everlasting life; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

The following story of St. Christopher's life is taken from Catholic Tradition:

AN ANCIENT tradition concerning St. Christophorus relates: He was born in the land of Canaan, and was named Reprobus, that is Reprobate, for he was a barbarous heathen. In stature and strength he was a giant. Thinking no one his like in bodily vigor, he resolved to go forth in search of the mightiest master and serve him. In his wanderings, he met with a king who was praised as the most valorous man on earth. To him he offered his services and was accepted. The king was proud of his giant and kept him near his person. One day a minstrel visited the king's castle, and among the ballads he sung before the court was one on the power of Satan. At the mention of this name the king blessed himself, making me Sign of the Cross. Reprobus, wondering, asked him why he did that. The king replied: "When I make this Sign, Satan has no power over me." Reprobus rejoined: "So thou fearest the power of Satan? Then he is mightier than thou, and I shall seek and serve him."

Setting forth to seek Satan, he came into a wilderness. One dark night he met a band of wild fellows riding through the forest. It was Satan and his escort. Reprobus bravely accosted him, saying he wished to serve him. He was accepted. But soon he was convinced that his new master was not the mightiest on earth. For one day, whilst approaching a Crucifix by the wayside, Satan quickly took to flight, and Reprobus asked him for the reason. Satan replied: "That is the image of my greatest enemy, Who conquered me on the Cross. From Him I always flee." When Reprobus heard this, he left the devil, and went in search of Christ.

In his wanderings, he one day came to a hut hidden in the forest. At its door sat a venerable old man. Reprobus addressed him, and in the course of the conversation that ensued the old man told him that he was a hermit, and had left the world to serve Christ, the Lord of Heaven and earth. "Thou art my man," cried Reprobus; "Christ is He Whom I seek, for He is the strongest and the mightiest. Tell me where I can find Him."

The hermit then began instructing the giant about God and the Redeemer, and concluded by saying: "He who would serve Christ must offer himself entirely to Him, and do and suffer everything for His sake. His reward for this will be immense and will last forever." Reprobus now asked the hermit to allow him to remain, and to continue to instruct him. The hermit consented. When Reprobus was fully instructed, he Baptized him. After his Baptism, a great change came over the giant. No longer proud of his great size and strength, he became meek and humble, and asked the hermit to assign to him some task by which he might serve God, his master. "For," said he, "I can not pray and fast; therefore I must serve God in some other way." The hermit led him to a broad and swift river nearby, and said: "Here build thyself a hut, and when wanderers wish to cross the river, carry them over for the love of Christ." For there was no bridge across the river.

Henceforth, day and night, whenever he was called, Reprobus faithfully performed the task assigned to him. One night he heard a Child calling to be carried across the river. Quickly he rose, placed the Child on his stout shoulder, took his staff and walked into the mighty current.

Arrived in midstream, the water rose higher and higher, and the child became heavier and heavier. "O child," he cried, "how heavy thou art! It seems I bear the weight of the world on my shoulder." And the Child replied, "Right thou art. Thou bearet not only the world, but the Creator of Heaven and earth. I am Jesus Christ, thy King and Lord, and henceforth thou shalt be called Christophorus, that is, Christ-bearer. Arrived on yonder shore, plant thy staff in the ground, and in token of My power and might tomorrow it shall bear leaves and blossoms."

And the Child disappeared. On reaching the other shore, Christophorus stuck his staff into the ground, and behold, it budded forth leaves and blossoms. Then, kneeling, he promised the Lord to serve Him ever faithfully. He kept his promise, and thenceforth became a zealous preacher of the Gospel, converting many to the Faith. On his missionary peregrinations he came also to Lycia, where, after his first sermon, eighteen thousand heathens requested Baptism. When Emperor Decius heard of this, he sent a company of four hundred soldiers to capture Christophorus. To these he preached so convincingly, that they all asked for Baptism. Decius became enraged thereat and had him cast into prison. There he first treated him with great kindness, and surrounded him with every luxury to tempt him to sin, but in vain. Then he ordered him to be tortured in the most cruel manner, until he should deny the Faith. He was scourged, placed on plates of hot iron, boiling oil was poured over and fire was lighted under him. When all these torments did not accomplish their purpose, the soldiers were ordered to shoot him with arrows. This, too, having no effect, he was beheaded, on July 25, 254.

Two great Saints refer to the wonderful achievements of St. Christophorus. St. Ambrose mentions that this Saint converted forty-eight thousand souls to Christ. St. Vincent Ferrer declares that when the plague devastated Valencia, its destructive course was stayed through the intercession of St. Christophorus.

THE life of St. Christophorus conveys a wholesome truth. We ought all to be Christ-bearers, by preserving in our hearts faith, hope, and charity, and by receiving Our Lord worthily in Holy Communion. He alone is worthy of our service. In the service that we owe to men, we ought to serve God by doing His will. We can not divide our heart, for Our Lord Himself says, "No man can serve two masters" [Matt. 6: 24]. If you serve the world, it deceives you, for it can not give you what it promises. If you serve sin, Satan is your master. He, too, deceives his servants, and leads them to perdition. Christ on the Cross conquered these two tyrants, and with His help you can also vanquish them. Therefore, give yourself to Him with all your heart, and you shall find peace in this world, and eternal bliss in the next. St. Augustine learned this truth by sad experience, and therefore exclaims:

"Thou hast created us for Thee, O Lord, and our heart is restless till it rests in Thee."

Collect:

O Almighty God, grant that we who celebrate the birthday of Your blessed martyr Christopher, may be made stronger in our love of You through his intercession. Through our Lord . . .

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Commoration of St. Christina

In the pre-1955 Calendar, today is the Vigil of St. James.  It is also the Commemoration of St. Christina.  After the changes in 1955, today is only the Commemoration of St. Christina in the 1962 Missal.

Born in Tuscany, she secretly took her father’s idols, made of gold and silver, and, after breaking them, divided the pieces among the poor. In consequence, she was delivered to the prosecutors, survived many torments, was tied to a post, and pierced with arrows.

The following reflection is taken from Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger:

Those who consider the life and the different kinds of martyrdom of this holy Virgin, and do not remember what we said in the preface to these volumes, may easily be tempted to suppose that much of what we relate is impossible, and the work of imagination. But as the whole history is founded on indubitable and unobjectionable testimony, we shall relate her life plainly and faithfully, remembering that God chose this holy Virgin, in preference to innumerable others, to honor and glorify His holy faith among the blind heathen, to confound the tyrants and persecutors of Christendom, and to reveal to the world the wonders of His Omnipotence.

The Saint was a native of Tyro, in Tuscany, where her father Urban, was prefect. He was a sworn enemy to the Christians, and hardly passed a day in which he did not call some one of the faithful into his presence, and doom him to suffering and to death.

Christina, who on seeing this, observed at the same time how fearless and happy the Christians were during their torments, was curious to know what kind of men they were, why they were thus persecuted, and what gave them strength to bear so uncomplainingly, nay, so cheerfully, the sufferings they endured. When instructed about all this, the grace of God worked so strongly in her, that she felt an intense desire to be, by means of holy Baptism, numbered among the Christians. She rested not until her desire was fulfilled, and at the age of nine years, she received holy Baptism and with it the name of Christina.

Her zeal was greater than could have been expected at her tender age. She secretly took her father's idols, composed of gold and silver, and breaking them into pieces with the assistance of others, divided them among the poor.

Her father, almost beside himself with rage when he was informed of this, resolved to avenge, with his daughter's blood, the dishonor done to the gods, but not until he had endeavored to win her by kindness from the faith of Christ. Hence he called her to him and all alone with her, urged her, with many manifestations of kindness and at last with menaces, to forsake Christ. Christina, however, said fearlessly:

"Do with me whatever you like, my dear father; you can take my life, but the faith of Christ you have no power to tear out of my heart. My Saviour will strengthen me to suffer patiently all that you have threatened."

Scarcely had she spoken these words, when the inhuman father commanded the executioners whom he had called to scourge her most cruelly over her whole body.

Christina gave no signs of pain during this suffering. After this, the tyrant ordered that the wounds she had received should be enlarged with iron combs and whips with sharp points, which was done with such ferocity, that whole pieces of flesh were torn from the tender body of the Virgin.

Christina stood at first immovable with her eyes turned to heaven, and then praised and thanked the Almighty for so visibly aiding her to bear her pains. The father,--who was no father, but a savage beast,--still more embittered by her conduct, ordered an iron wheel to be brought. Christina was then bound upon it, oil was poured over her, and then the wheel was raised in such a manner that it could be turned. When this was done, a fire was prepared under it, in order slowly to roast the maiden.

Almighty God, however, so effectually strengthened His heroic confessor, that she sang loudly during this terrible torment. She remained unhurt by the flames, while many of the spectators were seized by them and severely injured. The tyrant, astonished at this miracle, would still not relent, but ordered her to be dragged to a dungeon, with the intention to renew her torture on the following day.

Hardly had Christina entered the dungeon, when an angel of the Most High appeared to her and healed her wounds, encouraged her to persevere, and gave her assurance of divine assistance.

When her father was informed that she was so miraculously healed, he immediately sent some executioners into the prison, with orders to tie a large stone around her neck, and cast her into a lake, so that nothing further might be seen or heard of her. But the same angel who had visited her the day before, carried her safely to the shore.

Christina was sent again to the dungeon, and Urban thought of new ways and means to torment her. But when morning dawned, he was found dead in his bed. He had probably died from a stroke of apoplexy, brought on by his uncontrolled anger.

Thus God punished, by a sudden and unhappy death, his inhuman wickedness. Christina was much more pained by the eternal destruction of her father, than by all the tortures she had suffered. The latter, however did not end with her father's death: for Dio, who was Urban's successor, not only in his functions, but also in his cruelty, had Christina brought before him, and as she remained firm in her refusal to abandon the Christian faith, he commanded an iron cradle to be constructed and filled with boiling oil and tar, into which Christina should be cast.

The heroine evinced not the slightest fear of this instrument of torture, but signing herself with the sign of the Cross, she said to the soldiers who cast her into the cradle: "Well have you reason to lay me like a child in a cradle; for it is hardly a year since I was born in holy baptism."

She remained in it a considerable time ; but when they at length perceived that she neither felt pain nor was in the least harmed, they took her out and brought her into the temple of Apollo, commanding her to sacrifice to him. No sooner, however, had Christina set foot in the temple, than she made the sign of the Cross, and the idol, falling from the altar upon the ground, was broken into a thousand pieces.

At the same moment, the prefect Dio, struck with apoplexy, sank dead upon the earth. The soldiers, who had brought Christina into the temple, were terrified by this twofold wonder, and freeing the Virgin from her fetters, they cried aloud: "Truly, the God of the Christians is the only true God." Many of those present abandoned idolatry and became converts to the Christian faith.

When Julian, Dio's successor, heard of Christina and the sudden end of his predecessor, he feared that the people might accuse him of cowardice, if he did not continue the process against a weak woman. Hence he said to her: "Thou must either immediately sacrifice to the gods, or I will cast thee alive into a burning furnace." Christina refused more earnestly than ever to obey, and Julian ordered her to be cast into the furnace, which meanwhile had been prepared.

The order was executed, and Christina remained in it until the fifth day, unharmed, as, in ages past, the three companions of Daniel had been in the furnace of Babylon. She also imitated these in constantly praising God and giving thanks for so many mercies received. Julian ascribed this miracle to magic, and following the advice of a magician, he had Christina thrown into a dark cavern, into which this magician had charmed a great many of the most venomous animals. The holy Virgin once more signed herself with the cross, and none of the animals touched her.

She stood in the midst of them, giving praise to the Almighty, her Protector. To prevent this they tore out her tongue, at the command of Julian; but even then she ceased not praising God. This new miracle converted many to the Christian faith, and the tyrant commanded them at length to fasten her to a stake and pierce her with arrows.

While they bound her fast, her heart was filled with the desire to behold in heaven Him for whom she had suffered so much on earth. She therefore called on God to impart to her the long-desired crown of martyrdom. Her prayer was answered, for one of the arrows found the way to her heart, and her heroic soul went to Him by whose mighty assistance she had conquered three tyrants. Her glorious death took place in the year of our Lord, three hundred. We conclude the life of this Saint with the words of St. Augustine:

"When we consider the perseverance of a human being, tortured in so many ways, it seems incredible. But when we think of the omnipotence of the Most High, the relation will not be deemed impossible."

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.

I. Saint Christina made use of the opportunity offered her to instruct herself in the new faith, and thus was sooner convinced of its truth. Those tyrants by whom she was tormented had the same opportunity to instruct themselves, but used it not. They therefore did not become convinced of its truth, but remaining in their error, became more hardened in their wickedness, and were thus lost to all eternity; while Christina was saved by the true faith.

So much depends on rightly using opportunities which lead to the path of heaven. How despairing must now be the grief of those tyrants to think that they had the opportunity, but used it not to their salvation. It is now lost to them, and will never again return. Oh! how sad!

Compare with this the happiness which St. Christina now enjoys, because she made use of the opportunities God gave her.

You have also, in your station, opportunities enough to do good and to work out your salvation. Why do you not make better use of them? Believe me, the greatest pain that one endures in hell is to think: "I could have saved my soul, escaped hell, and gained heaven. I had time and opportunity to use the means necessary for it; but I have forfeited them. I have no more time and opportunity now, and shall have them nevermore."

"Oh! how dreadful will be the torment of the damned when they remember that they did not use the opportunity they had to correct their lives, and thus have precipitated themselves into everlasting punishment," says St. Chrysostom. If you wish not to experience these torments yourself, improve better in future the opportunities which are offered to you.

II. Saint Christina, a tender virgin, scarcely ten or eleven years old, suffered for the true faith such terrible tortures, not only with invincible fortitude, but with happiness, praising God, during her martyrdom. What do you suffer for the love of God, and what is your conduct during your suffering?

Your suffering does not deserve the name, when compared with that of St. Christina, and still your conduct is far from that of this holy martyr. Can so different a suffering expect an equal glory in heaven, or do you perhaps think that you can enter heaven without having suffered, although the Saints took possession of it only by suffering?

You yourself will hardly have the heart to affirm this. Oh! then resolve to bear your small trials with greater patience. Murmur not against the Almighty, but praise His wisdom and give thanks to Him that He leads you by the same path by which He led His Saints to heaven, and on which walked even Christ our Lord.

"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory?" (Luke 24) "All that have pleased God passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful." (Judith 8) Why then would you seek another way than that of the cross?

"The entire life of Christ consisted of crosses and martyrdom, and you desire nothing but peace and pleasure in this world?" Thus speaks the pious Thomas a Kempis; while St. Bernard says : "The only true path that leads us to heaven is the cross and suffering."

Collect:

O Lord, pardon our sins through the intercession of the blessed virgin martyr Christina, who pleased You by her purity and faith. Through our Lord . . .

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7 Times Christ Shed His Blood for Us

1. Circumcision during His Presentation in the Temple

2. The Agony in the Garden
3. The Scourging at the Pillar
4. The Crowning of Thorns
5. The Carrying of the Cross
6. The Crucifixion
7. The Piercing of His Sacred Heart

The Seven offerings of the Gloria Patri Prayer taken from the Raccolta. An indulgence of 300 days to all the faithful who, with contrite hearts, shall make to the Eternal Father the following offerings of the Precious Blood of His well-beloved Son Jesus Christ, together with seven Gloria Patri's, and an ejaculation with the intention of making thereby a compensation for all the outrages which are done to the Precious Blood, which is the price and ransom of our souls.

THE OFFERINGS.

I. Eternal Father!  I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for the propagation and exaltation of my dear Mother Thy holy Church, for the safety and prosperity of her visible head, our chief pastor the Bishop of Rome; for the cardinals, bishops, and pastors of souls, and for all the ministers of the sanctuary.

Then say one Gloria Patri, and the ejaculation,

Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus, who hath saved us with His Blood.

II. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for the peace and concord of Catholic kings and princes, for the humiliation of the enemies of our Holy Faith, and for the welfare of all Christian people.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

III. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for the repentance of unbelievers, the uprooting of heresy, and the conversion of sinners.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

IV. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my relations, friends, and enemies; for the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, and for all those for whom Thou my God knowest that I ought to pray, or wouldst have me pray.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

V. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all who this day are passing to the other life; that Thou wouldst save them from the pains of Hell, and admit them quickly to the possession of Thy glory.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

VI. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all those who love this great treasure, for those who join with me in adoring it and honouring it, and for those who strive to spread devotion to it.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

VII. Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in suffrage for the holy souls in purgatory, and chiefly for these who were most devout to this Blood, the price of our redemption, and to the sorrows and pains of our dear Mother, most holy Mary.

One Gloria Patri, and Blessed and praised, &c.

Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, new and for ever, and throughout all ages. Amen.

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What Happens to Our Guardian Angel at Our Death?

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga taught that as our soul is brought before the Judgment Seat of Almighty God at the moment of our death, it will be conducted to this place by our guardian angel. In fact, our guardian angel will, according to St. Aloysius, present to our Lord our merits earned in life. And should we be sentenced to a time in Purgatory to expiate the sins on our soul, our guardian angel will visit us bringing us both comfort and consolation. Our angel will present to us the prayers that have been offered for us and console our soul in its future in Heaven.

 Yet alas, to those miserable souls who are sentenced to eternity in Hell, they will lose all – hope, salvation, and even the presence and support of their guardian angel. Souls in Hell have no guardians.

Lord, have mercy on us! Angel of God, my guardian, from such a miserable fate, save me and pray for me!

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St. John the Baptist was Born Without (But Not Conceived Without) Original Sin

On this feast of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, we recall a particular aspect of our Faith that is often not taught at all anymore.

Did you know that St. John the Baptist, the Precursor of Christ, was cleansed from original sin in his mother's womb?

It is not a dogma, but most theologians agree with this. And it makes sense. To be a forerunner of Christ, St. John the Baptist should have been freed of original sin. So while not an Immaculate Conception, like the Blessed Mother, St. John the Baptist was purified in the womb and born without original sin. Though he was still conceived with original sin.

“Then was accomplished the prophetic utterance of the angel that the child should 'be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb'. Now as the presence of any sin whatever is incompatible with the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the soul, it follows that at this moment John was cleansed from the stain of original sin.” - Catholic Encyclopedia

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Octave Day of Corpus Christi

Today up until 1955 was the Octave of Corpus Christi.  As this blog seeks to preserve our Catholic heritage, we will celebrate the Octave Day of Corpus today by sharing the prayers of the Mass for this Octave Day. Priests who regularly offer the 1962 Missal may generally choose to offer a Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament today. And laypeople of all walks of life may choose to pray these prayers today in thanksgiving for the great gift of the Blessed Sacrament.

The following text for the Octave Day of Corpus Christi in the Roman Rite is the same as the Feastday itself. As the New Liturgical Movement notes, "Some of the oldest Roman octaves, such as those of Ss Peter and Paul and St Lawrence, have a Mass on the octave day itself which is different or partly different from that of the main feast; Peter and Paul also have another Mass for the days within the octave. However, by the time the feast of Corpus Christi was promulgated in the mid-13th century, this custom was no longer being developed for new celebrations, and the Mass of the feast was simply repeated through the octave."

INTROIT  Ps. 80:17

He fed them with the finest wheat, alleluia! and filled them with honey from the rock, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 80:2. Sing joyfully to God, our helper, sing aloud to the God of Jacob. V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT 

Grant, O Lord, that we may always fear and love Your holy Name, for You never fail to guide those whom You firmly establish in Your love. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

EPISTLE I Cor. 11:23-29 

Breathren: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, And giving thanks, broke and said: "Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me." In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: "This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come." Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself.

GRADUAL Ps. 144:15-16 

The eyes of all look hopefully to You, O Lord, and You give them food in due season.
V. You open Your hand and fill every living creature with blessing.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. John 6:56-57 My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him, alleluia!

SEQUENCE

Sion, lift thy voice and sing:
Praise thy Savior and thy King;
Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true:
Dare thy most to praise Him well;
For He doth all praise excel;
None can ever reach His due.

Special theme of praise is thine,
That true living Bread divine,
That life-giving flesh adored,
Which the brethren twelve received,
As most faithfully believed,
At the Supper of the Lord.

Let the chant be loud and high;
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt to-day in every breast;
On this festival divine
Which recounts the origin
Of the glorious Eucharist.

At this table of the King,
Our new Paschal offering
Brings to end the olden rite;
Here, for empty shadows fled,
Is reality instead;
Here, instead of darkness, light.

His own act, at supper seated,
Christ ordained to be repeated,
In His memory divine;
Wherefore now, with adoration,
We the Host of our salvation
Consecrate from bread and wine.

Hear what holy Church maintaineth,
That the bread its substance changeth
Into Flesh, the wine to Blood.
Doth it pass thy comprehending?
Faith, the law of sight transcending,
Leaps to things not understood.

Here in outward signs are hidden
Priceless things, to sense forbidden;
Signs, not things, are all we see:-
Flesh from bread, and Blood from wine;
Yet is Christ, in either sign,
All entire confessed to be.

They too who of Him partake
Sever not, nor rend, nor break,
But entire their Lord receive.
Whether one or thousands eat,
All receive the selfsame meat,
Nor the less for others leave.

Both the wicked and the good
Eat of this celestial Food;
But with ends how opposite!
Here 'tis life; and there 'tis death;
The same, yet issuing to each
In a difference infinite.

Nor a single doubt retain,
When they break the Host in twain,
But that in each part remains
What was in the whole before;
Since the simple sign alone
Suffers change in state or form,
The Signified remaining One
And the Same forevermore

Lo! upon the Altar lies,
Hidden deep from human eyes,
Angels' Bread from Paradise
Made the food of mortal man:
Children's meat to dogs denied;
In old types foresignified;
In the manna from the skies,
In Isaac, and the Paschal Lamb.

Jesu! Shepherd of the sheep!
Thy true flock in safety keep.
Living Bread! Thy life supply;
Strengthen us, or else we die;
Fill us with celestial grace:
Thou, who feedest us below!
Source of all we have or know!
Grant that with Thy Saints above,
Sitting at the Feast of Love,
We may see Thee face to face.
Amen. Alleluia.

GOSPEL  John 6:56-59

At that time, Jesus said to the crowds of the Jews: "For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever."

Creed is said.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Lev. 21:6

The priests of the Lord offer incense and loaves to God; therefore they shall be sacred to their God and shall not profane His name, alleluia!

SECRET  

May the sacrifice we are about to offer unto Your holy Name, O Lord, make us pure, and day by day help us to live a more heavenly life. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Preface

The Preface of the Nativity, as was used in the pre-1955 Rubrics for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON I Cor. 11:26-27 

As often as you shall eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION  

We beseech You, O Lord, that having received Your gifts, each partaking of this sacrament may increase within us its saving effects. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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

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Top 10 Churches of Lisbon: A Photo Review

When you think of beautiful testaments to the Catholic Faith of Europe, you are likely to think of the great and majestic churches of Paris, Chartres, Rome, or Florence. You may also think of the cathedrals and monasteries of Spain, the royal chapels and domed churches of Vienna, or the many churches that dot the Bavarian countryside in southern Germany. Yet, often not on the top of many lists, Portugal remains a largely Catholic country. Despite the atheistic government of the early 20th century which sought to repress the Catholic religion, the Virgin Mary appeared there in the town of Fatima in 1917 and worked a verifiable miracle seen by over 70,000 people. And despite the growing secularism of Europe, in which Portugal is not immune, the city of Lisbon remains home to many beautiful testaments of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith founded by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

I was privileged to visit Lisbon a few weeks ago and visit several dozen churches in Lisbon, in addition to Fatima.  Here are my Top 10 Churches in Lisbon to visit and pray in.

Jerónimos Monastery

Jerónimos Monastery is arguably the most beautiful church in all of Lisbon. It is one of the top ones and inside you can see the tomb of the great Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama. The Church includes beautiful side altars and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was formerly part of the Order of St. Jerome before it was secularized by state decree in 1833. Mass is still offered in the church. It is located on the western side of Lisbon is the one furthest away from the city center but it is an absolute must-see.

Church of Saint Anthony of Lisbon

While he is almost universally invoked under the name of St. Anthony of Padua, St. Anthony is to the people of Lisbon still one of their own. St. Anthony (1195 - 1231) was born on August 15, 1195, in Lisbon, Portugal to Martin and Mary Bulhom. He was given the name of Fernando. In fact, he lived in Lisbon most of his life. While his family wanted him to become a great nobleman, he followed the call of Christ and became a poor Franciscan priest taking the name of Anthony. He lived his life in holiness curing many. After his death, he was canonized 352 days after his death, the second fastest canonization in history, with over 50 documented miracles.

Pilgrims may visit the Church of St. Anthony, which is located right next to the main Cathedral (Se Cathedral) in the historic Alfama district of Lisbon. Make sure you see the side altar which contains the relics of Justina of Padua who was a 4th-century martyr. Finally, don't neglect to go down to the crypt to pray before the exact spot where St. Anthony was born.

St. Justina is Venice's second patron saint.  Who is the actual patron saint of Lisbon? It's actually not St. Anthony, although he is unofficially invoked as a patron. In fact, few Lisbonians know the city's actual patron. Who is the patron? For that, we will visit our next church...

Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls

St. Vincent the Deacon is the actual patron saint of Lisbon. In addition to a nice statue of their patron, who is holding a ship, the symbol of the city and the country, not far from the Church of St. Anthony is the impressive Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls. While the inside is less ornate than the Jerónimos Monastery, it is a large and impressive building dedicated to a saint we often hear little about, even though he is one of the illustrious 7 deacons of the Early Church.

Church of St. Madelena

After visiting some of the primary churches of Lisbon, we now turn to a much less visit church but which nevertheless is quite nice. I prayed the Rosary here and found it much less busy than many of the other well-known churches. The church is located at Largo Madalena 1, 1100-404 Lisboa, Portugal, though they are not open over the lunch hours so check the times in advance. It is not far from the Se Cathedral or the St. Anthony Cathedral, although it is on the opposite side from the Monastery of St. Vincent. If you are interested in visiting a church after the Church of St. Anthony, this is one of the closest options.

Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha

Now, take a short 5-minute walk closer to the coast (towards Praça do Comércio) and you will arrive at a favorite of mine, the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha. If you are looking to attend the Traditional Latin Mass during the week, this is the church you will want to know. They are the only Lisbon church to offer a Monday through Friday Tridentine Mass. They offer the Traditional Mass (as it was said for centuries and should still be said) at 7 PM Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, they offer this Mass at 11 AM.

Igreja de São Nicolau

A little further inland now, close to Praça da Figueira, is the Church of St. Nicholas. While I noticed a steady stream of people visiting to pray in Adoration, I saw plenty of tourists also coming in to admire the beautiful side altars. It is a shame that more people don't know about this true gem of a church. 

Church of Sao Roque

What was my personal favorite church? We've arrived at it - it is the Church of St. Rocco, one of the earliest Jesuit churches from the 16th centuries which contains some of the most beautiful baroque chapels. It was the most ornate of the churches in Lisbon. Inside you will find a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Doctrine, a truly insightful title that I have not heard of before, as well as an impressive collection of relics of male saints on one side of the high altar and female saints on the other. The side altars and chapels are truly transcendent. The paintings behind the High Altar are similarly awe-inspiring. Leave yourself at least an hour to pray through the Church of Sao Roque.

Cardaes Convent

Not much further from St. Rocco is the Igreja do Convento dos Cardaes (Convent Cardaes). Unlike the other churches, this convent is only in limited use today and functions more like a museum. As a result, it does require payment of 5 Euros to visit. Just be aware that the hours are very limited - only 2:30 - 5:30 PM Monday through Saturday. However, inside you will find the rare example of a building that survived the cataclysmic earthquake of 1755. The chapel is beautiful as are the nuns quarters with beautiful artwork throughout including a display of the rare Agnus Dei Sacramentals.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs

Now, on to another truly must-see Basilica for its beauty - be sure to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs (Parroquia Dos Martires) which is the lesser visited Basilica of Lisbon. In my opinion, it was more beautiful than the more well-known Basilica da Estrela.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação

Located just feet away from the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs is the small but still beautiful Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação. As a quieter church, it's a great one to spend some quality prayer time in.

Bonus #11: Basilica da Estrela

Last but not least, the Basilica da Estrela is a much larger structure than the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs and features a winding staircase tower where you may for around 5 Euros climb to the top of the church for panoramic views. Truthfully, this was not the most impressive of the many viewpoints of Lisbon (my favorite was from the top of the Castle of St. George) so I'd skip a climb to the top. But a visit to the church is well in order.

Conclusion

In addition to these churches, Lisbon is home to an ancient castle, many wonderful restaurants, and scenic views. It is well worth the visit but if you do visit, please visit some of these wonderful testaments of the Catholic Faith and pray for the people of Portugal to return in greater numbers to regular attendance at Mass and reception of the Sacraments.

If you'd like to learn more, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide)

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