Chaplet of the Twelve Stars

(From "St. Vincent's Manual" published in the 19th century, and highly approved and recommended by Cardinal Gibbons.)

All praise and thanksgiving be to the ever-blessed Trinity who has manifested to us Mary, ever-Virgin, clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet and on her head a mystic crown of twelve stars.
Response: For ever and ever. Amen.
Let us praise and give thanks to God the Father, who elected her for His Daughter.
Response: Amen. Our Father...
Praise be to God the Father, who predestined her as the Mother of His Son.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Father, who saved her from all stain in her conception.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Father, who on her birthday decked her with His choicest gifts.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Father, who gave her Joseph for her pure Spouse and companion.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary... and Glory be...

Let us praise and give thanks to God the Son, who chose her vor His Mother.
Response: Amen. Our Father...
Praise be to God the Son who became incarnate in her bosom and abode in her nine months.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Son, who was born of her and gave her milk wherewith to nourish Him.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Son, who in His childhood willed that Mary should teach Him.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Son, who revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary... and Glory be...

Let us praise and give thanks to God the Holy Spirit, who made her His Spouse.
Response: Amen. Our Father...
Praise be to God the Holy Spirit, who first revealed to her His name of Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Holy Spirit, through whose operation she bacame Virgin and Mother.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Holy Spirit, through whom she became the living Temple of the Most Holy Trinity.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary...
Praise be to God the Holy Spirit, by whom she was exalted in Heaven high above all creatures.
Response: Amen. Hail Mary... and Glory be...

For the Holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the Faith, for world peace and for the uprooting of all heresy, we shall say the Hail Holy Queen.

Promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ to all those devout to His Sacred Face

1. Thanks to my Humanity imprinted in them, they will obtain a living reflection of my Divinity; they will be irradiated to the depth of the soul in such a way that, thanks to their resemblance to my Face, they will be more glorious in Eternity than many others.
2. At the moment of death I will restore in them the image of God which has been disfigured by their sins.
3. By venerating my Holy Face in a spirit of expiation, they will be as pleasing to Me a St. Veronica; they will render Me a service equal to hers, and I will engrave my divine Features in their souls.
4. This adorable Face is like the Seal of the Divinity which has power to imprint on the souls who turn towards It, the image of God.
5. The more they endeavour to restore my Face, disfigured by insults and profanity, the more I shall concern Myself with their souls disfigured by sin. I shall imprint my Image anew on them and make them as beautiful as they were at the moment of Baptism.
6. By offering my Holy Face to my Father, they will appease his Divine Wrath and obtain the conversion of sinners, as if with heavenly money.
7. My Heavenly Father will refuse them nothing when they offer Him my Holy Face. I Myself will speak to my Father, laying before Him all their needs.
8. They will work great marvels by means of my Holy Face. I will enlighten them with my light, enfold them in my love and grant them perseverance in well-doing.
9. I will never abandon them.
10. Close to my Father, I will be the advocate of all those who by word, prayer or writintg, will uphold my cause in this work of reparation. At the hour of death, I shall purify their souls from all stain of sin and I will restore to them their original beauty.

Extracts from the life of St. Gertrude, St. Mechtilde and of the servant of God, Sister Mary of St. Peter, Carmelite of Tours.

Prayer of Saint Theresa of the Infant Jesus to the Holy Face

O Jesus, Who in your cruel passion became the 'opprobrium of men and the man of sorrows', I venerate your divine countenance, upon which once shone the beauty and gentleness of the Divinity, and which has now become for me the countenance of a 'leper'. But under these disfigured traits I recognize your infinite love, and I am consumed with the desire to love you and to make all men love you. The tears which flow so abundantly from your eyes appear to me as precious pearls, which I love to gather in order to redeem with their infinite value the souls of poor sinners.
O Jesus, whose countenance is the only beauty which ravishes my heart, I beseech you to impress in me your divine resemblance, to set me on fire with your love, in order that I may soon come to see your glorious countenance in heaven. Amen.

Nihil obstat: fr. M-St. Morard O.P., libr. cens. - Imprimatur: Friburgi Helv., die 2. III. 1956, L. Saeber, vic. gen. - Published by: Typografy St. Canisius, Fribourg, Switzerland

A House Blessing

Dear St. Joseph here preside
Our home with blessings fill,
Let peace and charity prevail
And deference to God's Will.

May fear of Him and His chaste law
Our path to Heaven guide.
Dwell with us, we most willingly
To you the key confide.

Bar out all harm and lock us all,
Me and my loved ones too,
In Jesus' and in Mary's Heart
At Nazareth like you.

(Adapted from a German folk prayer)

The Exorcism Prayer against Satan and the apostate Angels

Fully restored to its original text as issued by Pope Leo XIII, May 18th 1890.

RECITE STANDING:
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Let GOD arise and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His Face!
As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the Presence of GOD (Ps 67:1-2). Judge Thou, O' Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.
Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me. Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the Angel of the Lord straighten them. Let their way become dark and slippery: and let the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
Let the snare which he knoweth not, come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden, catch him: and into that very snare let him fall. But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall be delighted in His Salvation (Ps 34:1, 4-9).
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
O' Most Glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in our wrestling against principalities and powers against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Ephes 6:12). Come to the aid of men, whom GOD created incorruptible, and to the Image of His own Likeness He made him (Wis 2:23); and from the tyranny of the devil He bought him at a great price (Cor 7:23).
Fight the battles of the Lord today with the Army of the Blessed Angels, as once thou didst fight against Lucifer, the leader of pride, and his apostate angels; and they prevailed not: neither was their place found anymore in Heaven. But that great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, who is called the devil and satan, who seduceth the whole world. And he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Apoc 12:8-9).
Behold, the ancient enemy and murderer strongly raises his head! Transformed into an angel of light, with the entire horde of wicked spirits he goes about everywhere and takes possession of the earth, so that therein he may blot out the Name of GOD and of His Christ and steal away, afflict and ruin into everlasting destruction the souls destined for a Crown of Eternal Glory. On men depraved in mind and corrupt in heart the wicked dragon pours out like a most foul river, the poison of his villany, a spirit of lying, impiety and blasphemy; and the deadly breath of lust and of all iniquities and vices. Her most crafty enemies have engulfed the Church, the Spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, with sorrows, they have drenched her with wormwood; on all her desirable things they have laid their wicked hands.
Where the See of the Blessed Peter and the Chair of Truth have been set up for the light of the gentiles, there they have placed the throne of the abomination of their wickedness, so that, the Pastor having been struck, they may also be able to scatter the flock. Therefore, O' thou unconquerable Leader, be present with the people of GOD and against the spiritual wickedness which are bursting in upon them; and bring them the victory.
The Holy Church venerates thee as its Guardian and Patron; and it glories in the fact that thou art its Defender against the wicked powers of earth and hell. To thee the Lord has assigned the souls of the redeemed to be placed in Heavenly bliss. Beseech the GOD of Peace to crush satan under our feet, that he may no more be able to hold men captive and to harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that the mercies of the Lord may quickly come to our aid, that thou mayest seize the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan and that having bound him, thou mayest cast him into the bottomless pit, so that he may no more seduce the nations (Apoc 20:3).
Hence confiding in thy protection and guardianship, by the sacred authority of our ministry, we confidently and securely begin the task in the Name of Jesus Christ our GOD and Lord, of driving away the attacks of diabolical deceit.
LEADER: Behold the Cross of the Lord, flee away ye hostile forces.
ALL: The lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David hath conquered
LEADER: May Thy mercy, O' Lord, be upon us.
ALL: Since we have hoped in Thee.
LEADER: O' Lord, hear my prayer.
ALL: And let my cry come unto Thee.
LEADER: The Lord be with you,
ALL: And with thy spirit.
LEADER: LET US PRAY:
O' GOD and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we invoke Thy Holy Name, and we humbly implore Thy mercy, that by the intercession of the Mother of GOD Mary Immaculate Ever Virgin, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of Blessed Joseph the Spouse of the same Blessed Virgin, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the Saints, Thou wouldst deign to afford us help against satan and all the other unclean spirits and against whatever wanders throughout the world to do harm to the human race and to ruin souls, through the same Christ Our Lord, Amen.
We exorcize thee, O' every unclean spirit, satanic power, infernal invader, wicked legion, assembly and sect; in the Name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ (+); may thou be snatched away and driven from the Church of GOD and from the souls made to the Image and Likeness of GOD and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb (+). Most cunning serpent, thou shalt no more dare to deceive the human race, persecute the Church, torment GOD's elect and sift them as wheat (+). The Most High GOD commands thee (+). He with whom in your great insolence, thou still claimest to be equal; He who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim 2:4).
GOD the Father commands thee (+), GOD the Son commands thee (+), GOD the Holy Spirit commands thee (+). The Majesty of Christ, the Eternal Word of GOD made flesh, commands thee (+); He Who to save our race outdone through thy envy, "humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death" (Phil 2:8). He who has built His Church on the firm rock and declared that the gates of hell shall never prevail against Her, because He will dwell with Her "all days even to the end of the world" (Mat 28:20). The Sacred Sign of the Cross commands thee (+), as does also the power of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith (+), the Glorious Mother of GOD, the Virgin Mary, commands thee (+); She who by Her humility and from the first moment of Her Immaculate Conception, crushed thy proud head. The faith of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of the other Apostles command thee (+). The Blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints command thee (+).
Thus, cursed dragon and thee diabolical legion, we adjure thee by the Living GOD (+), by the True GOD (+), by the Holy GOD (+), by the GOD "who so loved the world that He gave up His Only Son, that every soul believing in Him might not perish but have life everlasting" (John 17:1-3); stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation; stop harming the Church and ensnaring her liberty. BEGONE, satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation. Give place to Christ in whom thou hast found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acquired by Christ at the price of His Blood. Stoop beneath the powerful Hand of GOD; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and terrible Name of Jesus, this Name which cause hell to tremble, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly repeating: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, the GOD of Armies!
LEADER: O' Lord, hear my prayer,
ALL: And let my cry come unto Thee
LEADER: May the Lord be with thee,
ALL: And with thy spirit.
LEADER: LET US PRAY:
GOD of Heaven, GOD of Earth, GOD of Angels, GOD of Archangels, GOD of Patriarchs, GOD of Prophets, GOD of Apostles, GOD of Martyrs, GOD of Confessors, GOD of Virgins, GOD Who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other GOD than Thee and there can be no other, for Thou art the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose Reign there shall be no end. We humbly prostrate ourselves before Thy Glorious Majesty and we beseech Thee to deliver us by Thy Power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness; deign, O' Lord, to grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.
LEADER: From the snares of the devil,
ALL: Deliver us O' Lord.
LEADER: Grant that Thy Church may serve Thee in secure liberty,
ALL We beseech Thee, hear us.
LEADER: Deign to crush down the enemies of the Holy Church,
ALL: We beseech Thee, hear us.
LEADER: Holy Water is sprinkled in the place where he may be.
ALL: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May GOD rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, O' Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Power of GOD, cast into hell satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls, Amen.
LEADER: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, (Repeat 3 times)
ALL: Have mercy on us.

NOTE: (+) denotes that the Sign of the Cross is to be made: "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen," between the prayer, as indicated.
Source: Catholic Apologetics Information

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
People: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to savor what is right, and always to rejoice in his consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Leader: O Mary, conceived without sin,
People: Pray for us who have recourse to you.

PRAYERS
Leader and People: Lord Jesus Christ, who has glorified your mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, immaculate from the first moment of her conception, grant that all who devoutly implore her protection on earth may eternally enjoy your presence in heaven. Lord Jesus Christ, who for the accomplishment of your greatest works have chosen the weak things of the world, that no flesh may glory in your sight, and who for a better and more widely diffused belief in the Immaculate Conception of your Mother, have wished that the Miraculous Medal be manifested to Saint Catherine Laboure, grant, we ask you that filled with like humility, we may glorify this mystery by word and work. Amen.

NOVENA PRAYER
Leader and People: Immaculate Virgin Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus and our mother, we have confidence in your powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested often through the Miraculous Medal. We your loving and trustful children, ask you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena if they will be for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. (Here privately form your petitions.) You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word, and deed may tend to his greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the queen of angels and of men. Amen.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
Leader and People: Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, we unite ourselves to you under your title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this medal be for each one of us a sure sign of your motherly affection for us and a constant reminder of our filial duties towards you. While wearing it, may we be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. Most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to you every moment of our lives so that like you we may live and act according to the teaching and example of your Son. Obtain for us, your children, the grace of a happy death so that in union with you we may enjoy the happiness of heaven forever. Amen.
Leader: O Mary, conceived without sin,
People: Pray for us who have recourse to you.

CLOSING PRAYER
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us: O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Source: Association of the Miraculous Medal

Prayer to Our Lady - Queen of Peace

Hail, thou most sublime Queen of Peace, most holy Mother of God! By the Sacred Heart of Jesus, thy Son, the Prince of Peace, appease His anger and obtain that He may reign over us in peace. Remember, O most sweet Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who had recourse to thee was left unaided. Full of confidence I come to thee, Mother of the Word Incarnate; despise not my prayers, but, in thy mercy, hear and answer me, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Potest Imprimi: William Condon, SS. CC., Provincial - Imprimatur: + Moses E. Kiley, Archbishop of Milwaukee

Sacrifice Yourself for Sinners

Do we know the meaning of Our Lady's words at Fatima: "Sacrifice yourself for sinners?" How can we put into practice this important cousel of our heavenly Mother?
There are two ways -
First: we can impose sacrifices upon ourselves. Surely, if the little children of Fatima did, we too can endure deprivations in eating and drinking, in rest and recreation; we too can bear up with heat and cold. And why should we hesitate to imitate them even in their afflictive penances, according to our state of life and generosity?
Secondly, if we would do penance, we must accept the trials God sends in His divine Providence. These trials are a more perfect penance because they are unsought for; they are more effective more crucifying, because they are often constant and irremovable; they are safer, being proofs against vanity and illusion; they are the end of all the other sacrifices, the real purpose of the penances we inflict upon ourselves. Voluntary restraint paves the way for voluntary acceptance of every day trials:

• Trials through bodily sufferings: sickness, accidents, infirmities, age; even the inclemencies of weather and climate constitute an annoying cross;
• Trials on the economic side: in business, in the raising of crops, reverses, losses, failures, poverty and stress.
• Trials in the family: from the rearing of children, the insubordination of youth; the inevitable frictions, quarrels, differences, separations, the death of loved ones - all heavy crosses.
• Trials in intellectual and vocational pursuits: mental sufferings, worries, the hardships of learning, the tests and trials that are examinations, the anguish of the vocation problem, disappointments heartbreaks bitterness...
• Trials in the apostolate: the pastor toils and wears himself out only to reap indifference, forgetfulness, ingratitude.
• Trials even in the spiritual and interior life: trials in prayer, dryness, temptation, apparent abandonment by God...

The Litany is long - as long as life.

Yet, to be of value, these trials must not only be endured, they must be accepted:

1. With resignation, since they come from heaven, even if they are the result of the ill will of men, even if they are distateful and repugnant, even while we endeavor to rid ourselves legitimately from them. "Not my will, but Thine be done", should be the watchword.
2. We should endure our God-given trials with love. The prayer of the children of Fatima before making or accepting a sacrifice can well be our prayer too: "O my Jesus, I offer this for the love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, for the Holy Father, and in reparation for all the wrongs done to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
3. We should receive our trials with gratitude. "Yet more, O Lord, yet more", was the fervent reaction of the saints in the midst of sufferings. They realized that no better lot can befall the disciple and the child than that of resembling his Master and his Mother.
4. We should bear our trials with the intention of applying the satisfactory merits of our sufferings to souls, to beg graces for them; we should offer our sacrifices for specific intentions, for the specific intentions recommended by Our Lady. This counsel is as sound theologically as it is simple in practice. It is sound, for in complying with it we can imitate the Divine Model und unite ourselvers with Him, offering Himself and His life and Passion for the expiation of sin. It is simple: even little children can understand und practice it. Parents and teachers fulfill their sacred mission when they teach their litte ones "to offer it up".

Paul C. Schulte, D.D., The Grail, St. Meinrad, Indiana ("Peace Through Sacrifice")

Prayer for Holy Mother Church

In union with the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary we hail and adore the Holy Wound of Thy right Hand. O Dearest Jesus, and in this Wound we place The Poor Souls in Purgatory and all the Priests of Thy Holy Church. Each time they offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass give them the Fire of Thy Divine Love and they may give it, in turn, to the souls entrusted to them. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We hail and adore the Holy Wound of Thy left Hand, and in this Wound we give to Thee the Poor Souls in Purgatory and all those in error and nonbelievers, those poorest of the poor who don't know Thee. For the sake of these souls, O Dearest Jesus, send many good workers into Thy vineyards, that they all may find their way to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We hail and adore the Holy Wounds of Thy Holy Feet, and in these Wounds we give Thee the hardened sinners, who love the world more than Thee, especially those who must die today. O Dearest Jesus, don't let Thy Precious Blood be lost to them. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We hail and adore the Holy Wounds of Thy Most Sacred Head, and in these Wounds we give Thee the Poor Souls in Purgatory and the enemies of Holy Mother Church, all those who today still make bloody persecutions on Thy Mystical Body. We pray Thee, O Dearest Jesus, convert them, summon them, as Thou didst summon Saul to Paul, that there may soon be one Flock and one Shepherd. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We hail and adore the Wounds of Thy Most Sacred Heart, and in this Wound we give Thee the Poor Souls in Purgatory, our souls and all for whom Thou wishest us to pray, especially all the suffering and oppressed, all the persecuted and abandoned. Grant to them all, O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Light and Thy grace. Fill all of us with Thy Love and Thy true Peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary we offer Thee Thy most-loved Son and ouselves with Him, in Him, and through Him, completeley according to His intentions and in the name of, for and from all creatures from the beginning to the end of the world. Amen!

"My dear little soul, if you knew how much I love this prayer you would pray it often. You can save the WORLD with it!" (Words of Christ to Mother Maria Graf, Appenzell, Switzerland, feast of St. Maurice, 1961)

Imprimatur: Friburgi Helv., die 30.10.1964 R. Pittet, Vic. Gen.

A Universal Prayer for All Things Necessary to Salvation by Pope Clement IX

O my God, I believe in Thee; do Thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in Thee; do Thou secure them. I love Thee with my whole heart; teach me to love Thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended Thee; do Thou increase my sorrow.
I adore Thee as my first beginning; I aspire after Thee as my last end. I give Thee thanks as my constant benefactor; I call upon Thee as my sovereign protector.
Vouchsafe, O my God, to conduct me by Thy wisdom, to restrain me by Thy justice, to comfort me by Thy mercy, to defend me by Thy power.
To Thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings; that henceforward I may think only of Thee, speak of Thee, refer all my actions to Thy greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever Thou shallt appoint.
Lord, I desire that in all thigs Thy will may be done, because it is Thy will, and in the manner that Thou willest.
I beg of Thee to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my heart, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.
Give me strength, O my God, to expiate my offenses, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper for my state.
Fill my heart with tender affection for Thy goodness, hatred of my faults, love of my neighbor, and contempt of the world.
Let me always remember to be submissive to my superiors, condescending to my inferiors, faithful to my freinds, and charitable to my enemies.
Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity by devotion.
O my God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in affliction, and humble in prosperity.
Grant hat I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent at my employments, and constant in my resolutions.
Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my comportment regular.
Assist me that I may continually labor to overcome nature, to correspond with Thy grace, to keep Thy commandments, and to work out my salvation.
Discover to me, O my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.
Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear Thy judgments, escape hell, and in the end obtain heaven; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Te Deum laudamus

We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
Thee, the Father everlasting, all the earth doth worship.
To Thee all the angels, to Thee the heavens, and all the powers,
To Thee the cherubim and seraphim cry out without ceasing:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.
Full are the heavens and the earth of the majesty of Thy glory.
The glorious choir of the apostles praises Thee:
The admirable company of the prophets praises Thee;
The white-robed army of martyrs praises Thee.
Thee, the holy Church throughout the world doth confess.
The Father of infinite majesty,
Thine adorable, true, and only Son,
Also the Holy Ghost, the comforter,
Thou, O Christ, art the king of glory,
Thou art the evelasting Son of the Father,
Thou, having taken upon Thee to deliver man, didst not disdain the virgin's womb.
Thou, having overcome the sting of death, hast opened to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
Thou, we believe, art the judge to come.
We beseech Thee, therefore, to help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
And govern them, and exalt them for ever.
Day by day we bless Thee.
And we praise Thy name for ever: yea, for ever and ever.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day, to keep us without sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; as we have trusted in Thee.
In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted; let me not be confounded for ever.

V. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
R. And worthy to be praised, and glorified for ever.
V. Let us bless the Father and the Son, with the Holy Ghost.
R. Let us praise and magnify Him for ever.

Let us pray. O God, of whose mercies there is no number, and the treasure of whose goodness is infinite; we render thanks to Thy most gracious majesty for the gifts Thou hast bestowed upon us, evermore beseeching Thy clemency; that as Thou grantest the petitions of those that ask Thee, Thou wilt never forsake them, but wilt prepare them for the rewards to come. Through Jesus Christ...

Devotions for Confession

Since confession is one of the most efficacious means of advancing in virtue, you should resolve to approach the sacred tribunal at regular, stated times. The longer you delay going to confession, the more difficulty you will feel in doing so. You will, besides, forfeit the interior happiness of a good conscience, you will lose the habit of attention to the presence of God, your customary exercises of piety will become irksome; the duties of your state will be discharged negligently, and at last be totally disregarded. Delay not, then, to return to your merciful Redeemer, whose heart is open to receive you; seek Him in the holy tribunal, and you will assuredly find Him; consider in Him the future Judge of the loving and the dead, who at the end of ages will come in terrible majesty to require an account of His blood and His graces. Adore His infinite goodness, which will enbrace you, heal your wounds and forgive your sins, if you truly repent.

BEFORE CONFESSION

Whoever you are, Christian reader, that designs to approach the holy Sacrament of Penance, remember that you are going to undertake a work on the good performance of which, more than any other duty, your eternal welfare depends.
Therefore, retire apart from every external source of distraction, place yourself in the presence of God, and humbly adore Him. Represent to yourself that this may be the last confession you will ever have the opportunity of making. Let this reflection induce you to discharge every part of your duty, both as to the examination of your conscience, your sorrow for your sins, your firm purpose of amending your life, and the sincerity of your confession, in the most perfect manner possible. Begin by imploring the light and grace of almighty God, who alone can discover to you the malice of your sins, and give you true repentence. For this end you may pray as follows:

Supreme and adorable majesty, God of heaven and earth, I firmly believe that Thou art present, and that Thou seest me and knowest the disposition of my heart. I adore Thee, and render Thee my humble homage, acknowledging thee for my God, my Creator, and my Sovereign Redeemer. In testimony of this, my faith, I prostrate my soul and body before the throne of Thine infinite majesty, and offer Thee adoration which is due Thee alone. O Father of lights, who enlightenest every man that cometh into the world, send into my heart a ray of light, of love, and of sorrow, that I may know, detest, and confess the sins which I have committed against Thee! I desire to see my sins in all their enormity, and just as they are in Thy sight, I wish to detest them for the love of Thee, and to confess them with the same sincerity as I should be glad to do at the moment of my death. But, my God, this knowledge of my sins, and these dispositions of sorrow for them, and sincerity in declaring them to Thy minister, can come only from the hand of Thy bounty. Since, then, in Thy desire that the sinner should not die, Thou didst send Thy Son into the world to purchase his forgiveness, I implore this grace through the merits of Jesus Christ, who died upon the cross of my sins, and who is now sitting at Thy right hand, where He continually shows Thee in my behalf the wounds which he endured for me.
Mother of my God, who art so charitable to sinners that desire to repent, assist me by thine intercession. My holy angel, who hast been a spectator of all my crimes, help me to discover the sins which I have committed against my God. My blessed patron and all ye saints of heaven, pray for me, that I may bring forth fruits of penance. Amen.

OFFERING OF THE EXAMINATION

Jesus, my God and Saviour, I offer Thee the examination which I am going to make, that Thy divine justice may be glorified in it. I look to Thee with confidence for the grace to do it well. Thus, therefore, in the spirit of charity, in order to please Thee, and to accomplish Thy holy will, together with every intention that can procure Thee the greatest honor and glory, I undertake it.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

O Lord Jesus, lover of our souls, who, for the great love wherewith Thou hast loved us, willed not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live, I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I have offended Thee, my most loving Father and Redeemer, unto whom all sin is infinitely displeasing, who hast so loved me that Thou didst shed Thy blood for me, and endured the bitter torments of a most cruel death. O my God! O infinite Goodness! would that I never offended Thee! Pardon me, O Lord Jesus, most humbly imploring Thy mercy. Have pity upon a sinner for whom Thy blood pleds before the face of the Father.
O merciful and forgiving Lord, for the love of Thee, I forgive all who have ever offended me. I firmly resolve to forsake and flee from all sins, and to avoid the occasions of them: and to confess, in bitterness of spirit, all those sins which I have committed against Thy divine goodness, and to love Thee, O my God, for Thine own sake, above all things and for ever. Grant me grace so to do, O most gracious Lord Jesus!

A PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION

What thanks do I not owe to Thee, my God, not only for having created me, redeemed me, and called me to the bosom of Thy Church, but still more for having waited for my return, whilst I was wandering from Thee in the miserable paths of sin, for having so often pardoned me as I hope thou hast done this day, and for having preserved me from so many other sins, into which I should have fallen had I not been prevented by Thy gracious hand. But my enemies will not cease to tempt until death, and if Thou support me not, alas! I shall soon begin again to offend Thee more grievously than ever. Grant me, then, through the merits of Jesus Christ, the precious grace of final perseverance. This divine Saviour has assured me that whatever we ask in His name Thou wilt grant to us. I entreat Thee therefore, through all that Thy dear Son has suffered for me, never to let me forsake Thee any more. I feel the greatest confidence that, if I continue to pray for His grace, I shall obtain it, because Thou hast promised to hear our prayers. But I tremble with fear lest, in some unguarded moment, I should forget my dependence on Thee, fail to involke Thy help, and thus relapse into my former misery. Grant therefore that, under all my temptations, I may have instant recourse to Thee, by invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary. Thus, O my God, I may confidently hope to die in Thy grace, and to love Thee for ever in heaven, where I shall be sure never to be separated from Thee, and to be consumed in the fire of Thy holy love for all eternity. Amen.

From: The New Marian Missal for Daily Mass by Sylvester P. Juergens, S.M., Doctor of Sacred Theology, Regina Press, New York, Imprimatur C. Eykens, vic. gen., Antverpiae, 24 Februarii 1963

The Thirty Days' Prayer to The Blessed Virgin Mary

In Honor of the Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

By the devout recital of this prayer for the above space of time, we may mercifully hope to obtain our lawful request. It is particularly recommended as a proper devotion for every day in Lent, and all Fridays throughout the year.

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of virgins, Mother of mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart, whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy sorrows, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John; take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries. Thou art the mother of mercies, the sweet consolatrix and refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and the afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer, for since, in just punishment of my sins, I now find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, whither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son, through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine will, thou gavest thy consent; and whom, after the expiration of nine months, thou didst bring forth from thy chaste womb, to visit this world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it through the anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on Mount Olivet, when He besought His eternal Father, "to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice" of His future passion. I ask it through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards with sorrowful steps and mournful tears thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it through the stripes and sores of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted, the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it through His bitter tears and bloody sweat, His silence and resignation, His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it through the blood which trickled from His royal and sacred head when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it through the excruciating torments He suffered when His hands and feet were fastened with large nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it through His vehement thirst and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it through His dereliction on the cross, when He exlaimed: "My God! My God! why hast Thou fortsaken Me?" I ask it through His mercy extended to the repentant thief; and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father, before he expired, saying: "All is comsumated." I ask it through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His sacrted side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it through His immaculate life, bitter passion, and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the temple, the earthquake and darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it through His descent into hell, where He comforted the saints of the Old Law with His presence, and led captivity captive. I ask it through His glorious victory over death, when he arose again to life on the third day; and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed mother, His apostles, and the rest of His disciples, when in thine and their presence, He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, infused into the hearts of His disciples when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the Gospel. I ask it through the awful appearance of thy Son at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and destroy the world by fire. I ask it through the compassion He bore thee in this life, and the ineffable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever-blessed Virgin, comfort the heart of thy suppliant, by obtaining for me:

(Here mention or reflect on your lawful request, with the reservation of its being agreeable to the will of God, who sees whether it will contribute towards your spiritual good.)

And as I am persuaded, my Divine Saviour doth honor thee as His beloved mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because you ask nothing contrary to His honor, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests, and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most Blessed Virgin, besides the object of my petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, a horror of sin, love of God and my neighbor, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies: nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Obtain likeweise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me worthily to receive the last sacraments of the Church, and die in thy friendship and favor. Lastly, obtain, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives, and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting. Amen.

Attach Great Importance to Your Scapular - It is an Assurance of Salvation

"Whosoever dies clothed in this (Scapular) shall not suffer eternal fire."

This is Mary's Promise made July 16, 1251 to Saint Simon Stock.

Your SCAPULAR, then should take on deep meaning for you. It is a rich present brought down from Heaven by OUR LADY HERSELF.

"Wear it devoutly and perseveringly", she says to each soul, "it is my garment. To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of me, and I in turn, am always thingking of you and helping you to secure eternal life."

St. Alphonsus says:

"Just as men take pride in having others wear their livery, so the most holy Mary is pleased when her servants wear her scapular as a mark that they have dedicated themselves to her service, and are members of the Family of the Mother of God."

True Devotion to Mary consists in Three Things: Veneration - Confidence - Love.

Without saying to Mary that we venerate her, love her and trust her, we tell her these things every moment of the day, by simply wearing the scapular.

The Scapular then Is a Prayer.

Our Lord taught us to say the "Our Father". Mary taught us the value of the scapular. When we use it as a prayer, Our Lady draws us to the Sacred Heart of her Divine Son. It is well, therefore, to hold the scapular in the hand, while addressing Our Lady. A Prayer uttered thus while holding the mystical scapular is as perfect as a prayer can be. It is especially in TIME OF TEMPTATION that we need the powerful intercession of God's Mother. The evil spirit is utterly powerless when a scapular-wearer, besides his silent devotion, faces temptation calling upon Mary.

"If thou hadst recommended thyself to me, thou wouldst not have run into such danger", was Our Lady's gentle reproach to Blessed Alan.

The Scapluar Medal

Many Catholics may not know that it is the wish of our Holy Father, the Pope, that the SCAPULAR MEDAL should not be worn in place of the CLOTH SCAPULAR without sufficient reason. Mary cannot be pleased with any one who substitutes the medal out of vanity, or fear to make open profession of religion. Such persons run the risk of not receiving the Promise. The medal has never been noted for any of the miraculous preservations attributed to the BROWN CLOTH SCAPULAR.

Because you love Mary's scapular, venerate if often.

Pope Benedict XV granted an indulgence of 500 days each time the scapular is kissed. MARY'S MOTHERHOOD is not limited to Catholics, it is extended to ALL MEN. Many miracles of conversion have been wrought in favor of good non-Catholics who have been induced to practice the scapular devotion.

"I wanted to know if Mary really and truly interested Herself in me. And in the scapular She has given me the most tangible assurance. I have only to open my eyes. She has attached Her protection to this scapular: 'Whosoever dies clothed in this, shall not suffer eternal fire'." (Blessed Claude de la Colombière)

SOUL Magazine: Washington, N. J. - Imprimatur: +Thomas M. O'Leary, D. D., Bishop of Springfield, July 16, 1941

The Golden Arrow

My the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most mysterious and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most Holy Sacrament of the altar.

This prayer was revealed by Our Lord to a Carmelite Nun of Tours in 1843 as a reparation for blasphemy.

"This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully", He said, "and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy."

The Holy Face represents the Divinity and the Holy Name of God outraged by blasphemers. -

Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Holy Face of Jesus covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of atheists, heretics, blasphemers and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day of Sunday. Amen.

Imprimatur: + T. J. Toolen, Archbishop of Mobile-Birm.

Indulgence at Death obtained Now!

One of the ways in which the Church is most evidently a loving Mother is in the dispensation of indulgences, which encourage us to devotions most helpful to our salvation.

There are ten plenary indulgences to be gained at the hour of death.

The First

Of these ten, one most unusual indulgence can be gained NOW, and it will apply automatically at the moment of death: "The faithful who at any time in their lives, from a sincere spirit of love of God and with at least a contrite heart, express their intention of accepting calmly and gladly from the hand of God whatsoever manner of death it may please Him to send them, together with all its anguish and suffering."

When we realize that a plenary indulgence is the application by the Church of the Infinite treasury of Christ to the COMPLETE REMISSION OF ALL TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT DUE TO OUR SINS, this particular indulgence is almost unbelievable.

There are nine other ways to obtain a plenary indulgence at the hour of death, but all of them necessitate Confession and Communion shortly before death or at least a contrite heart, and the invocation of the name of Jesus - verbally if possible - while at the same time accepting death as the wage of sin.

Of these nine ways, eight require daily, or at least "frequent", recitation throughout life of certain prayers:

Eight More

1. "May the most just, the most high and the most lovable will of God be in all things done, praised and evermore exalted."


2. The Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition (all four);


3. "Jesus";


4. "Mary";


5. "Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, O hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished chrildren of Eve; to thee do we sigh, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!"


6. "We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin."


7. "Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here; ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide, Amen."


8. (a) "The faithful who spend at least a quarter of an hour reading Holy Scripture with the reverence due to the Word of God and after the manner of spiritual reading, or
   (b) "who read at least a few verses of the Gospel and further kiss the book of the Gospels, devoutly reciting one of the following invocations: Through the Gospel's words may our sins be blotted out - May the reading of the Gospel be our health and protection - May Christ, the Son of God, teach us the words of the Holy Gospel."

The TENTH
The last way to gain a plenary indulgence at the hour of death can be obtained by doing something only ONCE DURING LIFE. If we have done this one thing, then, for invoking the name of Jesus with a contrite heart and with resignation to death as wage of sin, we may obtain a plenary indulgence at the moment of death.
This one thing is to perform some special exercises of devotion in honor of the Immaculate Virgin Mary ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, in order to atone for blasphemies whereby the name and preprogatives of the same blessed Virgin are reviled, FOR EIGHT CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.

Our Lady's Confirmation
Moreover, each time that we make this practice we gain a plenary indulgence. This was proclaimed on June 13th, 1912, just five years to the day before Our Lady of Fatima appeared for the seocnd time.
In her apparitions Our Lady asked for reparation to her on the First Saturday of the month, and promised to COME AT THE HOUR OF DEATH to those who would do a certain thing on the first Saturday for ONLY FIVE consecutive months, namely:
Say the Rosary, receive Holy Communion in a spirit of reparation, and spend fifteen minutes thinking about one or more mysteries of the Rosary.

Fatima's Influence
Three years after the apparitions of Fatima, Pope Benedict XV, without taking away the plenary indulgence each time anyone made an act of reparation in honor of Our Lady on a First Saturday, added the PLENARY INDULGENCE AT THE HOUR OF DEATH for those who would renew the practice on eight consecutive first Saturdays.
Does ist not seem that this devotion of the "First Saturdays" has more importance than some of us are wont to attach to it?
And it is so easy! Just fifteen minutes of thought, which might even be made and related to attending Mass; the Rosary; and Holy Comunion.
Extraordinary, isn't it?
Why don't YOU begin... next First Saturday?
Know all will happen?
Your life will change.

Blue Army of Our Lady, Washington, N. J. 07882, Imprimatur: Most Rev. Geo. W. Ahr, Bishop of Trenton