{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_33596/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_33596","id":"gutenberg_33596","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33596","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Religion/Spirituality","Catholic Church -- Customs and practices","Catholic Church -- Prayers and devotions","Christian saints -- Cult","Christian saints -- Prayers and devotions","Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Prayers and devotions","Sacramentals","Sacraments -- Catholic Church"],"text":"Produced by Michael Gray, the Diocese of San Jose\n\n\n\n\n  MARY, THE HELP OF CHRISTIANS\n\n\n\n  MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS\n  AND THE\n  Fourteen Saints Invoked as Holy Helpers\n\n  Instructions, Legends, Novenas and Prayers\n  WITH\n  Thoughts of the Saints for Every Day in the Year\n\n\n\n  COMPILED BY\n  REV. BONAVENTURE HAMMER, O.F.M.\n\n\n\n  TO WHICH IS ADDED AN APPENDIX ON THE\n  Reasonableness of Catholic Ceremonies and Practices\n  BY REV. JOHN J. BURKE\n\n\n---\n\n\n  NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO\n  BENZIGER BROTHERS\n\n  PRINTERS TO THE HOLY APOSTOLIC SEE\n  PUBLISHERS OF BENZINGER'S MAGAZINE\n\n\n\n  Imprimi Permittitur.\n               FR. CHRYSOSTOMUS THEOBALD, O.F.M.,\n               _Minister Provincialis._\n               Cincinnati, Ohio, die 30, Martii, 1908.\n\n  Nihil Obstat.\n                REMY LAPORT, S.T.L.,\n                     _Censor Librorum._\n\n  Imprimatur.\n                JOHN M. FARLEY,\n                Archbishop of New York.\n\n\n\n  NEW YORK, March 4, 1909.\n\n  COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY BENZIGER BROTHERS.\n\n\n\nPREFACE\n\nTHE contents of the following pages are based on the Catholic doctrine\nof the veneration and invocation of the saints, and of the efficacy of\nthe prayer of intercession. The legends of the individual \"Holy Helpers\"\nwere compiled from authors whose writings have the approval of the\nChurch.\n\nIn compliance with the decrees of Pope Urban VIII of 1625, 1631, and\n1634, the compiler formally declares that he submits everything\ncontained in this little book to the infallible judgment of the Church,\nand that he claims no other than human credibility for the facts,\nlegends, and miracles related, except where the Church has otherwise\ndecided.\n\n                          THE COMPILER.\n\n\n  Contents\n\n  PREFACE\n\n  PART I\n  The Veneration and Invocation of Saints and the Efficacy of Prayer\n\n  CHAPTER I\n  THE VENERATION AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS\n\n  CHAPTER II\n  EFFICACY OF THE INTERCESSION OF THE SAINTS\n\n  CHAPTER III\n  FOR WHAT THE INTERCESSION OF THE SAINTS MAY AND SHOULD BE INVOKED\n\n  CHAPTER IV\n  THE QUALITIES OF PRAYER\n\n  PART II\n  Mary, the Help of Christians\n  Novenas in Preparation for the Principal Feasts of the Blessed Virgin\n\n  RULES FOR THE PROPER OBSERVANCE OF NOVENAS\n  ON THE MANNER OF READING THE MEDITATIONS AND OBSERVING THE PRACTICES\n\n  INTRODUCTION\n\n  MARY, THE HELP OF CHRISTIANS\n\n  I. NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED\nVIRGIN MARY\n\n  FIRST DAY.--THE PREDESTINATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\n  SECOND DAY.--MARY'S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION\n  THIRD DAY.--MARY, THE VICTRIX OF SATAN\n  FOURTH DAY.--MARY WITHOUT ACTUAL SIN\n  FIFTH DAY.--MARY, FULL OF GRACE\n  SIXTH DAY.--MARY, OUR REFUGE\n  SEVENTH DAY.--MARY, THE MOTHER OF CHASTITY\n  EIGHTH DAY.--THE IMAGE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION\n  NINTH DAY.--THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION\n\n  II. NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\n\n  FIRST DAY.--THE BIRTH OF MARY\n  SECOND DAY.--MARY, THE ELECT OF GOD\n  THIRD DAY.--MARY, THE CHILD OF ROYALTY\n  FOURTH DAY.--MARY, THE CHILD OF PIOUS PARENTS\n  FIFTH DAY.--MARY'S SUPERNATURAL PREROGATIVES\n  SIXTH DAY.--MARY, THE JOY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY\n  SEVENTH DAY.--THE ANGELS REJOICE AT MARY'S BIRTH\n  EIGHTH DAY.--THE JOY OF THE JUST IN LIMBO AT MARY'S BIRTH\n  NINTH DAY.--THE HOLY NAME OF MARY\n\n  III. NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN\nMARY\n\n  FIRST DAY.--THE ANNUNCIATION\n  SECOND DAY.--THE IMPORT OF THE ANGEL'S SALUTATION\n  THIRD DAY.--THE EFFECT OF THE ANGEL'S SALUTATION\n  FOURTH DAY.--MARY'S QUESTION\n  FIFTH DAY.--THE SOLUTION\n  SIXTH DAY.--MARY'S CONSENT\n  SEVENTH DAY.--MARY'S FORTITUDE IN SUFFERING\n  EIGHTH DAY.--MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD\n  NINTH DAY.--MARY OUR MOTHER\n\n  IV. NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY\n\n  FIRST DAY.--DEVOTION TO THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY\n  SECOND DAY.--MARY'S FIRST SORROW: SIMEON'S PROPHECY IN THE TEMPLE\n  THIRD DAY.--MARY'S SECOND SORROW: THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT\n  FOURTH DAY.--MARY'S THIRD SORROW: JESUS LOST IN JERUSALEM\n  FIFTH DAY.--MARY'S FOURTH SORROW: SHE MEETS JESUS CARRYING HIS CROSS\n  SIXTH DAY.--MARY'S FIFTH SORROW: BENEATH THE CROSS\n  SEVENTH DAY.--MARY'S SIXTH SORROW: THE TAKING DOWN OF JESUS' BODY FROM\nTHE CROSS\n  EIGHTH DAY.--MARY'S SEVENTH SORROW: JESUS IS BURIED\n  NINTH DAY.--WHY MARY HAD TO SUFFER\n\n  V. NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\n\n  FIRST DAY.--MARY'S DEATH WAS WITHOUT PAIN\n  SECOND DAY.--AT MARY'S TOMB\n  THIRD DAY.--THE EMPTY TOMB\n  FOURTH DAY.--REASONS FOR THE BODILY ASSUMPTION OF MARY INTO HEAVEN\n  FIFTH DAY.--MARY'S GLORIOUS ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN\n  SIXTH DAY.--MARY CROWNED IN HEAVEN\n  SEVENTH DAY.--MARY'S BLISS IN HEAVEN\n  EIGHTH DAY.--MARY, THE QUEEN OF MERCY\n  NINTH DAY.--MARY IN HEAVEN THE HELP OF CHRISTIANS ON EARTH\n\n  PART III\n  The Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\n  CHAPTER I\n  THE FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS\n\n  CHAPTER II\n  LEGENDS\n\n  THE LEGENDS OF THE FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS\n     I.--ST. GEORGE, MARTYR\n    II.--ST. BLASE, BISHOP AND MARTYR\n   III.--ST. ERASMUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR\n    IV.--ST. PANTALEON, PHYSICIAN AND MARTYR\n     V.--ST. VITUS, MARTYR\n    VI.--ST. CHRISTOPHORUS, MARTYR\n   VII.--ST. DIONYSIUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR\n  VIII.--ST. CYRIACUS, DEACON AND MARTYR\n    IX.--ST. ACHATIUS, MARTYR\n     X.--ST. EUSTACHIUS, MARTYR\n    XI.--ST. GILES, HERMIT AND ABBOT\n   XII.--ST. MARGARET, VIRGIN AND MARTYR\n  XIII.--ST. CATHERINE, VIRGIN AND MARTYR\n   XIV.--ST. BARBARA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR\n\n  PART IV\n  I. Novenas to the Holy Helpers\n\n  NOVENA TO EACH OF THE HOLY HELPERS\n     I.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. GEORGE\n    II.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. BLASE\n   III.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. ERASMUS\n    IV.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. PANTALEON\n     V.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. VITUS\n    VI.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. CHRISTOPHORUS\n   VII.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. DIONYSIUS\n  VIII.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. CYRIACUS\n    IX.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. ACHATIUS\n     X.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. EUSTACHIUS\n    XI.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. GILES\n   XII.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. MARGARET\n  XIII.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. CATHERINE\n   XIV.--NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. BARBARA\n\n  NOVENA TO ALL THE HOLY HELPERS\n\n  FIRST DAY.--THE DEVOTION TO THE FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS\n  SECOND DAY.--THE DESTINY OF MAN\n  THIRD DAY.--THE VIRTUE OF FAITH\n  FOURTH DAY.--THE VIRTUE OF HOPE\n  FIFTH DAY.--THE LOVE OF GOD\n  SIXTH DAY.--THE VIRTUE OF CHARITY\n  SEVENTH DAY.--HUMAN RESPECT\n  EIGHTH DAY.--PRAYER\n  NINTH DAY.--PERSEVERANCE\n\n  II. Prayers and Petitions\n\n  PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION\n\n    I.--THREE INVOCATIONS\n   II.--PRAYER IN ILLNESS\n  III.--PRAYER FOR THE SICK\n   IV.--PRAYER OF PARENTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN\n    V.--PRAYER OF CHILDREN FOR THEIR PARENTS\n   VI.--PRAYER FOR MARRIED PEOPLE\n\n  PART V\n  General Devotions\n\n  MORNING PRAYERS\n  EVENING PRAYERS\n  PRAYERS AT HOLY MASS\n  PRAYERS AFTER MASS\n  PRAYERS FOR CONFESSION\n       Before Confession\n       After Confession\n  PRAYERS FOR HOLY COMMUNION\n       Before Communion\n       After Communion\n  VISIT TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT\n  PRAYER TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS\n  PRAYERS TO JESUS SUFFERING\n  THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS\n  PRAYER TO OUR SUFFERING REDEEMER\n  PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\n  PRAYER FOR ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO SALVATION\n\n  THE FOUR APPROVED LITANIES\n  LITANY OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS\n  LITANY OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS\n  LITANY OF LORETO, IN HONOR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\n  LITANY OF ALL SAINTS\n\n  PART VI\n  Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year\n\n  JANUARY\n  FEBRUARY\n  MARCH\n  APRIL\n  MAY\n  JUNE\n  JULY\n  AUGUST\n  SEPTEMBER\n  OCTOBER\n  NOVEMBER\n  DECEMBER\n\n  PART VII\n  Reasonableness of Catholic Ceremonies and Practices\n\n  THE CEREMONIES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH\n    I.--Ceremonies Necessary to Divine Worship\n   II.--Vestments Used by the Priest at Mass\n  III.--Ceremonies of the Mass\n\n  THE PRACTICES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH\n      I.--Vespers and Benediction\n     II.--Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament\n    III.--Holy Communion\n     IV.--Confirmation\n      V.--Honoring the Blessed Virgin\n     VI.--Confession of Sin\n    VII.--Granting Indulgences\n   VIII.--The Last Sacraments\n     IX.--Praying for the Dead\n      X.--Praying to the Saints\n     XI.--Crucifixes, Relics, and Images\n    XII.--Some Sacramentals--The Books Used by the Priest, the Sign of\nthe Cross, Holy Water, Blessed Candles, Palm and Ashes, Holy Oils,\nScapulars, Medals, Agnus Dei, Prayers, Litanies, Rosary, Angelus,\nStations, Funeral Service, and Various Blessings\n   XIII.--The Celebration of Feasts\n    XIV.--Infant Baptism\n     XV.--The Marriage Tie--One and Indissoluble\n    XVI.--Respect Shown to Ecclesiastical Superiors\n   XVII.--Celibacy\n  XVIII.--Conclusion\n\n\n\nPART I\n\nThe Veneration and Invocation of Saints, and the Efficacy of Prayer\n\n\n\"Remember your prelates who have spoken the word of God to you; whose\nfaith follow, considering the end of their conversation\" (_Heb._ xiii.\n7).\n\n\"Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I am also of Christ\"\n(_1 Cor._ iv. 16).\n\n\n[Illustration: Presentation of Mary in the temple.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nThe Veneration and Invocation of Saints\n\nIN THE Creed of the Council of Trent, which the Catholic Church places\nbefore the faithful as the Rule of Faith, we read: \"I firmly believe\nthat the saints reigning with Christ are to be venerated and invoked.\"\n\nThe Church therefore teaches, first, that it is right and pleasing to\nGod to venerate the saints and to invoke their intercession; and second,\nthat it is useful and profitable to eternal salvation for us to do so.\n\nThe veneration of the saints is useful and profitable to us. Men\nconspicuous in life for knowledge, bravery, or other noble qualities and\nunusual merits are honored after death. Why, then, should Catholics not\nbe permitted to honor the heroes of their faith, who excelled in the\npractice of supernatural virtue and are in special grace and favor with\nGod? That this veneration is profitable to us is evident from the fact\nthat the example of the saints incites us to imitate them to the best of\nour ability.\n\nThe veneration of the saints is not only in full accord with the demands\nof reason, but we are, moreover, enjoined explicitly by Holy Scripture\nto venerate the memory of the holy patriarchs and prophets: \"Let us now\npraise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation\" (_Ecclus_.\nxliv. 1). \"And their names continue for ever, the glory of the holy men\nremaining unto their children\" (_Ecclus_. xlvi. 15).\n\nReason and Holy Scripture, then, are in favor of the veneration of the\nsaints. We find it practised, therefore, also in the early Church. She\nwas convinced from the very beginning of its propriety and utility. As\nearly as the first century the memorial day of the martyrs' death was\nobserved by the Christians. They assembled at the tombs of the sainted\nvictims of pagan cruelty and celebrated their memory by offering up the\nHoly Sacrifice over their relics. We know this not only from the\ntestimony of the earliest ecclesiastical writers, as Origen, Tertullian,\nand St. Cyprian, but also from the history of St. Ignatius the Martyr\n(d. 107), and of St. Polycarp of Smyrna (d. 166). Over one hundred\npanegyrics of various saints written by St. Augustine are still extant.\n\nAnd why should it not be right and useful to invoke the _intercession_\nof the saints? Everybody deems it proper to ask a pious friend for his\nprayers. St. Paul the Apostle recommended himself to the prayers of the\nfaithful (_Rom._ xv. 30), and God Himself commanded the friends of Job\nto ask Him for His intercession that their sin might not be imputed to\nthem (_Job_ xlii. 8). How, then, can it be wrong or superfluous to\ninvoke the intercession of the saints in heaven? The saints are\n_willing_ to invoke God's bounty in our favor, for they love us. They\nare _able_ to obtain it for us, because God always accepts their prayer\nwith complacency. That they really hear our prayer and intercede with\nGod for us is clearly shown by many examples in Holy Scripture. And if,\naccording to the testimony of St. James (v. 16), the prayer of the just\nman here on earth availeth much with God, how much more powerful, then,\nmust be the prayer of the saints, who are united with God in heaven in\nperfect love and are, so to say, partakers of His infinite goodness and\nomnipotence?\n\nA most striking proof of the efficacy of the prayers of the saints is\nthe numerous miracles wrought and the many favors obtained at all times\nthrough their intercession. Among these miracles are a great number\nwhose authenticity was declared by the Church after the most scrupulous\nand strict investigation, as the acts of canonization prove.\n\nThat the invocation of the saints was a practice of the early Church is\nproved by the numerous inscriptions on the tombs of the Roman catacombs\npreserved to this day. We read there, for instance, on the tomb of\nSabbatius, a martyr, \"Sabbatius, O pious soul, pray and intercede for\nyour brethren and associates!\" On another tomb is inscribed, \"Allicius,\nthy spirit is blessed; pray for thy parents!\" And again, \"Jovianus, live\nin God, and pray for us!\"\n\nWe have also the testimony of one of the greatest thinkers and\nProtestant philosophers, Leibnitz, for the claim that the veneration and\ninvocation of the saints is founded in reason, on Holy Scripture, and on\nthe tradition of the Church. He writes: \"Because we justly expect great\nadvantage by uniting our prayers with those of our brethren here on\nearth, I can not understand how it can be called a crime if a person\ninvokes the intercession of a glorified soul, or an angel. If it be\nreally idolatry or a detestable cult to invoke the saints and the angels\nto intercede for us with God, I do not comprehend how Basil, Gregory\nNazianzen, Ambrose, and others, who were hitherto considered saints, can\nbe absolved from idolatry or superstition. To continue in such a\npractice would indeed not be a small defect in the Fathers, such as is\ninherent in human nature--it would be an enormous public crime. For if\nthe Church, even in those early times, was infected with such abominable\nerrors, let any one judge for himself what the Christian faith would\neventually come to. Would not Gamaliel's proposition, to judge whether\nChrist's religion be divine or human from its effects, result in its\ndisfavor?\"\n\nBut whilst the Catholic Church practises and recommends the veneration\nand invocation of the saints, she does not teach us to honor and invoke\nthem as we do God, nor to pray to them as we do to Him. She makes a\ngreat distinction.\n\nThe veneration of the saints differs from the worship of God in the\nfollowing:\n\n1. We _adore_ God as our supreme Lord. We _honor_ the saints as His\nfaithful servants and friends.\n\n2. We _adore_ God for His own sake. We _honor_ the saints for the gifts\nand prerogatives with which God endowed them.\n\nTherefore there is a difference between the prayer to God and the\ninvocation of the saints. We pray to God asking Him to help us by His\nomnipotence: we pray to the saints to help us by their intercession with\nGod.\n\nOur veneration of the saints should consist, primarily, in the imitation\nof their virtues. It is truly profitable only when we are intent upon\nfollowing their example; for only by imitating their virtues shall we\nshare their eternal bliss in heaven. A veneration which contents itself\nwith honoring the saints without imitating their virtues is similar to a\ntree that produces leaves and blossoms but bears no fruit.\n\nThe saints themselves desire that we should follow their example. Each\nof them, so to say, exhorts us with St. Paul, \"Be ye followers of me, as\nI also am of Christ\" (_1 Cor._ iv. 16). There is no age, no sex, no\nstation in life for which the Catholic Church has not saints, whose\nexample teaches us to avoid sin and to observe faithfully the\ncommandments of God and the Church at this or that age, or in this or\nthat station. Therefore the principal object of our invocation of the\nsaints ought to be the obtaining of their help in following their\nexample. Thus we shall move them to come to our aid all the more\nreadily.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nEfficacy of the Intercession of the Saints\n\nNOTHING is more consoling and comforting than the assurance that in the\nsaints of heaven we have powerful protectors and advocates with God.\nThrough their intercession they obtain for us from Him the grace to lead\na virtuous life and to gain heaven.\n\nHowever, is there any reasonable doubt that the saints are able to\nrender us such a service? In virtue of the communion of saints, which\ncomprises the Church militant on earth, the Church suffering in\npurgatory, and the Church triumphant in heaven, all members of the\nChurch are members of one body, whose head is Christ. Hence the saints\nare united with us in spirit, though separated from us in body. United\nwith Christ, they are imbued with a superior knowledge, and through Him,\nthe All-Knowing, they know everything that concerns us, and for which we\nhave recourse to them in prayer.\n\nOur confidence in the intercessory power of the saints is founded on\ntheir relation to God and to us. As friends of God they have influence\nwith Him now, even more than during their sojourn on earth, because\ntheir intercessory power is one of their glorious prerogatives in\nheaven. Their love of God and their charity for their fellow-men, and\nthe zeal for the salvation of souls resulting therefrom, together with\ntheir conformity with Christ, induces them to use their influence\nreadily in our favor. Because God dispenses His gifts according to His\nown adorable will, it may please Him to grant a certain favor at the\nparticular intercession of a certain saint; hence it is not superstition\nto invoke His aid in such cases. Moreover, we justly place our\nconfidence in saints whom we have selected to be our special patrons, or\nwho were given us as such by ecclesiastical authority.\n\nBy the intercession of the saints the mediatorship of Christ is not set\naside or restricted. The power of intercession, the intercession itself,\nand its invocation are an effect of the grace of Christ; therefore He\nremains our only mediator. God remains Our Lord and Father, although men\nshare in His lordship and paternity; for all power and authority comes\nfrom God, who is pleased to operate in His creatures through other\ncreatures. Hence, only a dependent mediatorship can be ascribed to the\nsaints. Whoever admits that the living can pray for each other can not\ndenounce the intercession of the saints as an usurpation of the\nmediatorship of Christ. The saints are not the authors and dispensers of\ngrace and heavenly gifts, but they are able to obtain them for us from\nGod.\n\nThe saints, moreover, do not only pray for mankind in general, but for\ntheir clients in particular. As co-reigners with Christ, the denizens of\nheaven have knowledge of the conditions and events of His kingdom; hence\nthe saints may pray for us individually; therefore it is permissible and\nprofitable for us to invoke them. It is obvious that the knowledge of\nindividual occurrences does not mar the bliss of the saints. How they\ngain this knowledge is not clear to the spiritual authors; but most of\nthem incline to the view that they attain it by direct divine mediation.\nGod reveals our condition and our invocation to the saints.\n\nCan we doubt the willingness of the saints to aid us by their\nintercession? According to St. Paul, charity is the greatest of all\nvirtues. If, then, the saints, whilst on earth loved their fellow-men,\ncared for and prayed for them, how much more will they do so now, when\ntheir charity is perfected? They, too, were pilgrims on earth, who had\nto suffer the adversities and miseries of life and therefore know by\nexperience how sorely in need of divine assistance we poor mortals are.\nPersons who have themselves experienced trials have more compassion for\nthe adversities of others. Therefore it is certain that the saints have\ncompassion on us, that they wish our prayers to be heard and bring them\nbefore the throne of God. \"The saints,\" says St. Augustine, \"being\nsecure of their eternal welfare, are intent upon ours.\" Holy Scripture\nestablishes this beyond doubt, saying that the saints bring the prayers\nof the faithful before the throne of God (_Apoc._ v. 8).\n\nOr is there any one that doubts the _efficacy_ of the saints' prayer\nwith God? At any rate, we must concede that their prayer is more\neffectual than ours; for they are confirmed in justice, and therefore\nfriends and favorites of God, whilst we are sinners, of whom Holy\nScripture says, \"The Lord is far from the wicked, and He will hear the\nprayers of the just\" (_Prov._ xv. 29). On this subject, let us hear St.\nBasil in his panegyric on the Forty Martyrs: \"You often wanted to find\nan intercessor: here you have forty who intercede unanimously for you.\nAre you in distress? Have recourse to the holy martyrs. Rejoicing, do\nthe same. The former that you may find relief, the latter that you may\ncontinue to prosper. These saints hear the mother praying for her\nchildren, the wife invoking aid for her sick or absent husband. O brave\nand victorious band, protectors of mankind, generous intercessors when\ninvoked, be our advocates with God!\"\n\nThere is no doubt, then, that during our earthly pilgrimage the saints\nare our intercessors with God. True, we know that there is One who\nguides our destinies and whose providence watches over all; but who\nwould not choose, also, to have a friend already abiding with God,\nsharing His bliss and confirmed for ever in His grace, and who therefore\nis in a position to aid us, and certainly will do so if we invoke Him?\n\nThe following is an example illustrating the power of the saints'\nintercession with God:\n\nBasilides was one of the guards that led St. Potamiana to a martyr's\ndeath. Whilst the rest of the soldiers and the crowd of spectators\ninsulted the holy virgin, he treated her with great respect and\nprotected her from the assaults of the rabble. The martyr thanked him\nfor his kindness, and promised to pray for him when she came into God's\npresence. A few days after her death the grace of God touched Basilides'\nheart, and he professed himself a Christian. His comrades at first\nimagined that he was jesting. But when he persevered in the confession\nof the Faith, he was brought before the judge, who sentenced him to be\nbeheaded next day. Taken to prison, he was baptized, and at the\nappointed time, executed.\n\nWhat else but the intercession of the saint whom he had befriended\nobtained for this heathen the grace of the Faith and martyrdom?\nConvinced of the power of the intercession of the saints, Origen writes:\n\"I will fall on my knees, and because I am unworthy to pray to God on\naccount of my sins, I will invoke all the saints to come to my aid. O ye\nsaints of God, I, filled with sadness, sighing and weeping, implore you;\nintercede for me, a miserable sinner, with the Lord of mercies!\"\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nFor What the Intercession of the Saints May and Should be Invoked\n\nIT IS obvious that there are objects to attain which we ought not to\npray. We shall try to specify them as follows:\n\n1. _We may not pray for things that are evil or injurious in themselves,\nor injurious on account of circumstances._ Amongst these are comprised\nall those that are opposed to the salvation of the person praying, or of\nsome one else. It is contrary to the very idea of prayer that God should\ngrant to His creature anything evil, anything that is in itself, and not\nonly by abuse, harmful. Prayer, according to the rules of morality, must\nhave for its object only the attainment of whatever is good and\nprofitable, and only then is it heard by God.\n\n2. _Things completely indifferent are not comprised in the efficacy of\nprayer. Hence prayer imploring for temporal goods is heard only inasmuch\nas they relate to the salvation of souls._ Reason, as well as faith,\nteaches us that God orders all His actions first for the promotion of\nHis glory, and secondly for the salvation of souls. Matters, therefore,\nthat are either in general, or on account of circumstances, positively\nindifferent, must be excluded from the general plan of God's providence\nwhen there is question of His positive agency, and not simply of His\npermission. It is obvious that temporal goods, such as health, wealth,\netc., are classed with things indifferent, in as far as they are not\nconnected with the moral order.\n\nThus considered, the various goods of the temporal order do, or at least\nmay, under certain conditions, co-operate unto man's salvation, and then\nthey belong to the supernatural order. As such, the efficacy of prayer\nin their regard must be judged according to the principles applying to\nthe latter.\n\n3. _All those things which any one can obtain himself without\nextraordinary effort, are not comprised within the scope of prayer._\nThis restriction results from the very nature of prayer. Obviously,\nprayer is not the only means by which man can obtain those things which,\non the one hand, he momentarily does not possess, and which, on the\nother hand, are necessary or advantageous for his supernatural life. As\na rule, man can, by labor and application, procure his sustenance.\nPersons unable to work can have recourse to the charity of their\nfellow-men, and will, as a rule, find the necessary assistance. In\nregard to salvation, it must first be ascertained whether in many or at\nleast in some cases, the faithful co-operation with the graces which\nGod gives to all men is not sufficient.\n\nConsidered from this view, we may, and even must, in a certain sense\nsay: When there is question of attaining specified goods and specified\ngraces, prayer is often not the primary, but only the secondary and\nsubordinate means. From this premise follows that God in His wise\nprovidence does not have regard for our prayer when we easily can help\nourselves, either by our own exertion and industry, or by the faithful\ncooperation with graces already received, or by the reception of the\nholy sacraments. This self-evident idea is expressed in Holy Scripture\nas follows, \"Because of the cold the sluggard would not plow; he shall\nbeg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him\" (_Prov._ xx.\n4). For this reason formal miracles are, as a rule, not to be expected\nfrom the efficacy of prayer. God ordained the world and its course in\nsuch a manner, that mankind in general and each individual in particular\ncan be provided, without the intervention of a miracle, with all things\nnecessary for their temporal and eternal welfare.\n\nTheologians, therefore, teach that to ask God for a miracle, generally,\nis the same as to tempt Him. This rule, however, admits of exceptions.\nAnd if we may, in exceptional cases, ask for miracles, we may,\nlogically, expect them; for miracles in general are not excluded from\nthe plan of divine Providence. They are rather an essential part of the\nexisting order of God's government of the world. At most we may say: As\nmiracles of their nature belong among the extraordinary manifestations\nof Providence, they are not obtained by the prayer of each and every\none, but only in exceptional cases.\n\nHowever, if we consider how feeble and helpless man's nature is, even\nwith the assistance of divine grace, we may not apply the above\nprinciples too strictly. This, for the following reason: Cases in which\nwe can not help ourselves with the aid of the grace given us are rare.\nTherefore God gives us, in reward of our confident prayer, not only that\nwhich is strictly necessary, but also that which is profitable and\nconducive to our welfare. This being so, the logical deduction is, that\nGod is willing to hear our prayer not only when we, of ourselves, are\ntotally incapable of helping ourselves, but also when great difficulties\nbeset us in this our self-help. Hence, in a certain sense, we may\nmaintain that in the work of our salvation prayer and its efficacy must\nbe considered, together with the sacraments, as one of the chief means,\nand not as a mere accessory.\n\n[Illustration: The Annunciation]\n\nThis limitation of the main principle is founded on the generality of\nthe divine promises concerning the hearing of prayer, and on the great\ngoodness and bounty of God in which these promises originated. When man,\nmaking use of all the means placed at his disposal, can not help\nhimself, a cry for help is sent to Heaven is not presumptuous or\nunreasonable, and therefore the hope of being heard is not unfounded or\nin vain.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nThe Qualities of Prayer\n\nFOR greater convenience of explanation, we condense the various\nqualities of prayer taught by theologians as conditions of its efficacy\ninto the following four: (1) Devotion; (2) Confidence; (3) Perseverance;\n(4) Resignation to the will of God.\n\nTreating of prayer, some theological authors demand, above all, the\nintention of praying. This intention is indeed so necessary that it does\nnot belong to the qualities or attributes of prayer, but to its very\nessence. For whosoever has not the intention or will to pray may recite\na formula of prayer with the greatest attention, yet does not really and\ntruly pray.\n\nAgain, the teachers of the spiritual life tell us that prayer must be\n\"in the name of Jesus.\" This being a condition insisted upon by our\ndivine Lord Himself, it also belongs to the essence of prayer. It means\nthat we offer up our prayer to God in the name of Jesus His Son, that\nis, with reference to Him and in the firm confidence that we shall be\nheard on His account and because of His promises. Again, to pray in the\nname of Jesus means to pray according to His manner and in His spirit.\n\nWe now proceed to explain the qualities of true prayer:\n\n1. _Devotion._--What is meant by devotion in prayer? Devotion in prayer\nmeans: (_a_) that our prayer must be attentive; that is, the person\npraying must direct his thoughts as uninterruptedly as possible to his\nprayer, _viz.,_ to the formula he uses to state the object of his\ndesires, and above all to God, to whom his prayer is directed. (_b_) The\nperson praying must know and acknowledge his own needs, and that of\nhimself he has no claims whatsoever on God, and thus engender in himself\nsentiments of true humility, (_c_) These sentiments must, moreover,\nembrace reverence for God and the acknowledgment of dependence on Him,\nthus giving to prayer the character of piety, (_d_) All this must\nculminate in full abandonment to God, the Giver of all good things. This\nabandonment is an essential part of our divine cult.\n\nAs to the question whether devotion, and what grade of it, is necessary\nin prayer, and whether prayer without it loses its entire efficacy, and\nespecially its imploring efficiency, it is evident that prayer without\ndevotion is ineffective; it is simulation. An example of this, that is,\nof a man pretending to pray and not praying in reality, is given us in\nthe parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (_Luke_ xviii. 10-12). To\ndetermine accurately what grade of devotion, that is, what degree of\nattention, humility, and piety is necessary to render prayer from a\nformality into a reality, is possible only when all the circumstances,\ndispositions, and qualities of mind of the person praying can be taken\ninto account. Suffice it to remark that when all the other conditions,\ntogether with the intention of praying, combine, strict but reliable\ntheologians declare that the true essence of prayer is compatible with a\nless degree of attention and recollection.\n\n2. _Confidence._--There is no doubt but that strong confidence, or the\nfirm hope of being heard, contributes much to the perfection of prayer\nand renders it especially effective. Therefore confidence, like devotion\nor attention, must be reckoned among the essential qualities or\nattributes of prayer. For it is inconceivable that a rational being\nshould resolve on presenting a petition when he has not the least hope\nof its being granted. In this case his petition would be entirely\nuseless, and therefore irrational. Again, it is inconceivable that God\nshould have regard for a prayer or the petition of a man who has\nabsolutely no confidence in His mercy. A prayer without confidence is\nhypocrisy, rather than true and sincere supplication. If we address a\npetition to God without the confidence that He can and will grant it, He\nmust rather feel offended than honored thereby. How, then, shall He feel\nmoved to grant us new benefits? If we nevertheless receive them, it is\nthe effect of His bountiful goodness, and not the result of our sham\nprayer.\n\nTherefore, to be effective, our prayer must be inspired by confidence.\nThe apostle St. James inculcates this, saying: \"But let him ask in\nfaith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea,\nwhich is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let not that man\nthink that he shall receive any thing of the Lord\" (_James_ i. 6-7). By\nthese words the apostle designates not a common and ordinary confidence,\nbut one firm and steadfast. At the same time he speaks in general; that\nis, his words have reference not only to extraordinary petitions, but to\neverything for which we are accustomed to pray.\n\nMoreover, the explicit and positive promises made by Christ in regard to\nprayer manifestly have the purpose of inspiring the person praying with\nfirm confidence and the sure hope of being heard. If, then, our prayer\nbe wanting in this quality, we do not pray in the spirit of Christ, nor\nin the terms in which we ought to pray, and can not claim the fulfilment\nof His promises.\n\n3. _Perseverance._--To understand properly in how far perseverance is a\nquality of prayer, we must, above all, know what may be the objects of\nour prayer. Of these there are three classes. To the first class belong\nthose cases in which a person needs divine help at the present moment or\nat least at a time definitely near, and seeks it through prayer. Such a\npetition would be, for instance, to obtain the necessary and effective\naid of divine grace for overcoming an existing transient temptation, or\nthe conversion of a certain sinner approaching death. To the second\nclass belongs the avoidance of temporal evils, or of continuous\ntemptations, or the conversion of a certain sinner now in good health.\nTo the third class belong such benefits which can be granted only for a\nlater period, perhaps at the hour of death. The grace of final\nperseverance is the foremost among these.\n\nHaving stated the preliminary conditions, the answer to the question of\nperseverance in prayer is:\n\n_a._ Inasmuch as our prayer is directed toward the attainment of\nbenefits of the first class, that is, of graces which we need\nimmediately, perseverance can obviously not be an essential condition of\nour prayer. Either we can not attain our object by prayer, or a\ntransient prayer which has the other necessary qualities must suffice\nfor its attainment. The first supposition is contrary to the divine\npromises; therefore the alternative must stand.\n\n_b._ When there is question of benefits and graces of the second and\nthird class, we must concede that perseverance or continuance in prayer\nis neither impossible, nor is it unreasonable. God is willing to grant\nus His almighty help, but at the same time He desires that we, being\nconvinced of its necessity, implore it all the more eagerly, and thereby\nbecome more worthy to receive it when He shall be pleased to grant our\npetitions. Therefore\n\n4. _Resignation_ to the will of God is a necessary condition for the\nefficacy of our prayer. This quality of our prayer needs no lengthy\nexplanation; its application to prayer is self-evident.\n\nFinally the petition for a certain benefit, in order to be reasonable\nand permissible, must include the following two attributes: (_a_) The\nobject prayed for must not be harmful, but profitable; (_b_) it must not\nbe opposed to the will of God.\n\n_Conclusions._--Careful observation will convince us that prayer is\noften wanting in one or more of the above qualities. Often that which\none seeks to obtain by prayer is not promotive of God's glory and of the\nsalvation of souls, even considered from a human point of view, much\nless in the designs of Providence.\n\nIn cases where the object of prayer in itself presents no difficulties,\nit is often defective for want of devotion or perseverance. But oftenest\nour prayer is wanting in confidence and trust, which want originates in\nthe feeble faith of the person praying, or in too little reliance on the\npromises of Christ and in the merits of His redemption. Thus there is\nnothing to surprise us if we are not heard.\n\nAgain, we must never forget that very many, and generally the most\nprecious gifts of divine grace are bestowed secretly. Remember the many\nand great benefits conferred daily and hourly by God on mankind,\nuniversally and individually. Considering them, it is presumption to\nmaintain that in a special case the prayer of the Church, or of a\ncommunity, or of an individual, was not granted. The opposite is fully\nproved by the goodness, bounty, and mercy which God shows so profusely\nto us.\n\nWe must, moreover, never lose sight of the principle that the promises\nmade to prayer concern directly only the supernatural order of\nsalvation. To the goods of the temporal order they are applicable only\nrelatively. If we, therefore, experience that our prayers relative to\ntemporal things remain unheard, we must, instead of doubting the divine\npromises, be firmly convinced that the attainment of the object for\nwhich we prayed was, under the circumstances, not conducive to our real\nwelfare. We must, moreover, be convinced that God, in order not to leave\nour petition ungranted, conferred on us some other real benefit.\n\nFinally, when the refusal of our prayer is clearly and unmistakably\nestablished, the reasons for this may be the following: (_a_) Perhaps\nthe person praying was wanting in effort, or in cooperation with graces\nformerly received, a deficiency which can not be repaired by prayer\nalone. (_b_) Or the prayer itself is wanting in one or the other\nnecessary qualities, especially in confidence. (_c_) God does not intend\nto refuse the desired grace, but, for reasons of His own, delays it\n(_d_) God gives us in place of what we asked some other grace more\nsalutary to us.\n\n\n\nPART II\n\nMary, the Help of Christians\n\nNovenas in Preparation for the Principal Feasts of the Blessed Virgin\n\n\n\"Holy Mary, aid the miserable, assist the desponding, strengthen the\nweak, pray for the people, plead for the clergy, intercede for the\ndevout female sex. Let all who have recourse to thee experience the\nefficacy of thy help!\"--HOLY CHURCH.\n\n\n\nRules for the Proper Observance of Novenas\n\n_By St. Alphonsus Liguori_\n\n1. THE soul must be in the state of grace; for the devotion of a sinful\nheart pleases neither God nor the saints.\n\n2. We must persevere, that is, the prayers for each day of the novena\nmust never be omitted.\n\n3. If possible, we should visit a church every day, and there implore\nthe favor we desire.\n\n4. Every day we ought to perform certain specified acts of exterior\nself-denial and interior mortification, in order to prepare us thereby\nfor the reception of grace.\n\n5. It is most important that we receive holy communion when making a\nnovena. Therefore prepare yourself well for it.\n\n6. After obtaining the desired grace for which the novena was made, do\nnot omit to return thanks to God and to the saint through whose\nintercession your prayers were heard.\n\n\n\nOn the Manner of Reading the Meditations and Observing the Practices\n\nHOLY SCRIPTURE says, \"Before prayer prepare thy soul; and be not as a\nman that tempteth God\" (_Eccles._ xviii. 23). Therefore place yourself\nin the presence of God, invoke the assistance of the Holy Ghost, and\nmake a most sincere act of contrition for your sins. Offer up to God\nyour will, your intellect, and your memory, so that your prayer may be\npleasing to God and serve to promote your spiritual welfare.\n\nThen read the meditation slowly, reflecting on each point of the thought\nor mystery treated, and consider what you can learn from it, and for\nwhat grace you ought to implore God. This is the principal object to be\nattained by mental prayer.\n\nNever rise from your prayer without having formed some special\nresolution for practical observance. The practices at the end of each\nconsideration in the following novenas will aid you to do so. Finally,\nask for grace to carry out effectively your good purposes, and thank God\nfor enlightening your mind during the meditation.\n\n\nIntroduction\n\nMary, the Help of Christians\n\nNO CATHOLIC denies that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only mediator\nthrough whose merits we became reconciled to God. Nevertheless, it is a\ndoctrine of our faith that God willingly grants us grace if the saints,\nand especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, the queen of saints, intercede\nfor us. If the saints, during their life on earth, were so potent with\nGod that through their prayers the blind obtained sight, the deaf\nhearing, and the dumb speech, that the sick of all conditions were\nhealed, the dead restored to life, and the most obstinate sinners\nconverted; if thousands of other miracles in the order of nature and of\ngrace were performed through their intercession; what, then, will not\nshe obtain for us from God, whose virtue and merits transcend those of\nall the saints, and who did more for the greater honor and glory of God\nthan they all? Mary is the queen of saints not only because she is the\nMother of the Most High, but also because her sanctity is more perfect\nthan theirs, and she therefore thrones above them all in heaven. Hence\nthe favor with which God regards her, and consequently the power of her\nintercession with Him is so much the greater.\n\nIf Mary's sanctity thus impressively illustrates the potency of her\nintercession, the contemplation of her dignity as the Mother of God does\nstill more so. Mary brought forth Him who is the Almighty. She calls Him\nher Son, who by the word of His omnipotence created from out of nothing\nthe whole world with all its beauties, and who can call into being\ncountless millions of other worlds. She calls Him her Son, whose throne\nis heaven and whose footstool is the earth, who governs all nature with\nalmighty power and reveals His name to mankind through the most\nastounding miracles. In a word, Mary calls Him her Son, whose\nomnipotence fills heaven and earth; and this great, almighty God, who\nhonors her as His Mother and has wrought in her such great things, will\nHe not heed her word of intercession, and hear her pleading for those\nwho have recourse to her? On earth He was subject to her. Her\nintercession moved Him to exercise His omnipotent power at the wedding\nfeast at Cana; and now, when He has glorified and raised her up so high\nHe would let her invoke Him in vain? No, it is inconceivable that God\nshould not hear the prayers of His Mother!\n\n[Illustration: The Blessed Virgin visits St. Elizabeth]\n\nThe holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church vie with each other in\nproclaiming the power of Mary's intercession with the Heart of her\ndivine Son. Some say that having been subject to her on earth, He\ndesires to be so in heaven, inasmuch as to refuse her nothing she asks.\nHence St. Bernard calls her the \"Intercessory Omnipotence.\" Indeed, when\nall the angels and saints in heaven join in supplication to God, their\nprayers are but those of servants; but when Mary prays her intercession\nis that of His Mother.\n\nTherefore we can not sufficiently thank God for having given us in Mary\nso powerful an advocate. St. Bernard aptly says: \"The angel announces,\n'thou hast found grace before God.' O supreme happiness! Mary shall\nalways find grace. And what else could we wish? If we seek grace, let us\nseek it through Mary; for what she seeks, she finds. Never can she plead\nineffectually.\"\n\nGod, then, who in His infinite mercy has been pleased to provide for all\nour needs, desires through Mary to console us, to comfort us, to remove\nall distrust, to strengthen our hope. How consoling to him who calls\nupon God in sore distress, or implores His pardon for sins committed, is\nthe thought that at the throne of divine Mercy he has in Mary an\nadvocate as mighty as she is gracious, who supplements his great\nunworthiness by her sublime dignity, and who makes good the defects of\nhis prayer by her intercession! Therefore St. Bonaventure exclaims:\n\"Verily, great is Our Lord's mercy! That we, through fear of our divine\nJudge, depart not forever from Him, He gave us His own Mother for our\nadvocate and mediatrix of grace.\"\n\n\n\nI.\n\nNovena in Honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\nINDULGENCES\n\nTO ALL the faithful who by themselves or with others, in church or at\nhome, with at least contrite heart and devotion, shall make this novena:\n(1) 300 days indulgence for each of the nine days; (2) a plenary\nindulgence on one day of the novena or of the eight days following it.\n(Pius IX, January 5, 1849.) Conditions: Confession, communion, and\nprayer, according to the intentions of the Holy Father.\n\n_Remark._--Whenever, in the following pages, an indulgence is said to be\ngranted \"under the usual conditions,\" these conditions are the same as\nabove.\n\n_Note._--The above indulgences may also be gained for making the novena\nat any other time of the year, and are not attached to any prescribed\nformula of prayer. The same applies to all other novenas in honor of the\nBlessed Virgin.\n\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nPredestination of the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\nIN THY conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to\nthe Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost,\nthou didst bring forth.\n\nIndulgence. 200 days, every time. (Pius VI, November 21, 1793.)\n\nMEDITATION\n\nHOLY Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent\neverything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the\ncoming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and\nhelpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in\nthe fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy\nChurch celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed\nVirgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.\n\nThe Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ,\nour promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin.\nThe Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be\nborn. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the\nspiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of\nthe Sun of Justice in this world.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIN MARY appeared the woman who was to crush the serpent's head, who was\nto repair by her willing co-operation with God's designs the damage\nwrought by the disobedience of our first parents, and who was to become\nour mother and mighty advocate with God.\n\nThe designs of God concerning Mary were fully accomplished. God also has\ndesigns concerning us. Our life was planned by Him from all eternity,\nand we were destined to co-operate with Him harmoniously and\nconscientiously in working out our salvation. Have we corresponded with\nGod's designs? Did we not oppose them by yielding to our evil\ninclinations and passions? What a disparity between God's intentions\nconcerning us and our own co-operation, between His merciful designs and\nour cowardly resistance to them!\n\nPRAYER OF THE CHURCH\n\nO GOD, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare\na worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of\nThy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst\nvouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too\nmay arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord.\nAmen.\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nBEHOLD, Virgin immaculate, at thy sacred feet I bow, while my heart\noverflows with joy in union with thine own, because from eternity thou\nwast the Mother-elect of the eternal Word, and was preserved stainless\nfrom the taint of Adam's sin. Forever praised, forever blessed be the\nMost Holy Trinity, who in thy conception poured out upon thy soul the\nriches of that matchless privilege. I humbly pray thee, most gracious\nMother, obtain for me the grace to overcome the bitter results of\noriginal sin. Make me victorious over them, that I may never cease to\nlove my God.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\n_Ejaculation_\nO Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!\n\nIndulgence. 100 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, March 25, 1884.)\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nMary's Immaculate Conception\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nACCORDING to the definition of Pope Pius IX, the immaculate conception\nof the Blessed Virgin Mary is that privilege by which she was preserved,\nin view of the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, from original sin in\nthe first moment of her conception.\n\nBy solemnly proclaiming the dogma of Mary's immaculate conception, the\nChurch confirmed anew the fundamental principles of Christianity which\nin our times are so frequently attacked, derided, or forgotten. God\nreserved the solemn proclamation of this dogma, which seemingly has no\npractical bearing on the Christian life, for our age, to recall to our\nmind the doctrines resulting from it.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE most important of these doctrines is that of original sin, which\nto-day is rejected by many as a debasement of human nature, and is\nforgotten by others as having no practical influence on our moral state.\nBy the promulgation of the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the\nBlessed Virgin Mary, the Church solemnly declares and defines as an\narticle of faith, that the Blessed Virgin Mary is conceived without the\nstain of original sin by a special privilege and grace of God. If, then,\nMary's sinlessness is an exception, the general rule remains in force,\nand all other human beings enter this world in the state of original\nsin.\n\nThus, by the proclamation of the dogma of the immaculate conception, the\nChurch combats human pride and sensuality, the foremost vices of the\nage.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY, unsullied lily of heavenly purity, I rejoice with thee, because at\nthy conception's earliest dawn thou wast full of grace and endowed with\nthe perfect use of reason. I thank and adore the ever-blessed Trinity,\nwho gave thee such high gifts. I am overwhelmed with shame in thy\npresence, to see myself so poor in grace. O thou who wast filled with\nheavenly grace, impart some portion of it to my soul, and make me share\nthe treasures of thy immaculate conception.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nMary, the Victrix of Satan\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary inaugurated the\nfulfilment of the divine promise made to our first parents in paradise\nin the words addressed to the serpent: \"I shall put enmities between\nthee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head\"\n(_Gen._ iii. 15). Mary is the woman in whom Satan never had a part. Her\nintimate connection with God was announced by the angel: \"Hail, full of\ngrace; the Lord is with thee.\" Now was fulfilled the saying of the\nPsalmist, \"The Most High hath sanctified His own tabernacle. God is in\nthe midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the\nmorning early\" (_Ps._ xlv. 5-6). Mary was chosen to be the glorious\ntabernacle of the Son of God \"in the morning early,\" that is, in the\nfirst moment of her existence. God called her into being that she might\nassume the exalted dignity of the Mother of His Son, and therefore\ngranted her the singular privilege of exemption from original sin. In\nher were fulfilled Solomon's prophetic words of praise, \"Thou art all\nfair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee\" (_Cant._ iv. 7). It\nwas in view of her Son's merits applied to her beforehand that God thus\nproduced in her the image of the new man regenerated in the Holy Ghost.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE spirit of darkness holds mankind enslaved, but one human being\nescapes him. A destructive fire lays waste the whole earth, but one tree\nremains unscathed. A terrible tyrant conquers the whole world, but one\nfortified city repels his assaults. This human being retaining liberty,\nthis tree escaping destruction, this city repelling the enemy's attack\nis the Blessed Virgin Mary.\n\nWill the almighty and merciful God, who has accomplished such great\nthings in Mary, who has selected her for His Mother, not listen to her\nprayers when she intercedes for us? St. William of Paris exclaims: \"No\nother created being can obtain for us so many and so great graces from\nGod as His Mother. By the all-powerful might of her intercession He\nhonors her not only as His handmaid, but also as His Mother.\" Therefore\nwe ought not be surprised when the holy Fathers maintain that a single\nsigh of Mary is more effective with God than the combined intercession\nof all the angels and saints. If, then, Mary's power is so great, she\nwill surely hear us when we invoke her help in our combat with Satan.\nHaving conquered him herself, she will also help us to conquer him.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY, thou mystical rose of purity, my heart rejoices with thine at the\nglorious triumph which thou didst gain over the infernal serpent by thy\nimmaculate conception, and because thou wast conceived without stain of\noriginal sin. I thank and praise with my whole heart the ever-blessed\nTrinity, who granted thee this glorious privilege; and I pray thee to\nobtain for me strength to overcome all the wiles of the infernal foe,\nand never to stain my soul with sin. Be thou mine aid; make me, by thy\nprotection, victorious over the common foe of our eternal welfare.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nMary without Actual Sin\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY conceived without sin is the most blessed daughter of the eternal\nFather, the real and true Mother of the divine Son, the elect spouse of\nthe Holy Ghost. But in the world, in what condition do we behold her?\nShe dwells not in a splendid palace; she is not surrounded by a retinue\nof servants ready at every moment to do her bidding; she is not exempt\nfrom trials and suffering. On the contrary, she is poor; she lives in\nobscurity, and suffered so much on earth that, without shedding her\nblood, she merits to be styled the queen of martyrs. Her heart was\ntransfixed with the sword of sorrow. Mary is not exempt from\ntribulations and adversity; but one thing God does not permit to touch\nher, _i.e.,_ sin. Hence Holy Church applies to her the words, \"Thou art\nall fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee\" (_Cant._ iv. 7).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHOUGH we were not preserved from sin like Mary, yet God in His\nineffable goodness and mercy granted us the grace to be cleansed from\nsin and to be clothed with the garment of sanctifying grace in Baptism.\nNo treasure of the world can be compared with this prerogative. But as\nwe bear this grace in a fragile vase, we must be most careful to protect\nand preserve it in ourselves and others from all danger. Let the Blessed\nVirgin Mary be our example. Well knowing the inestimable value of the\ngrace conferred upon her, she guarded it with the greatest care.\nAlthough exempt from concupiscence and \"full of grace,\" she was so\ndistrustful of herself as if she were in continual danger. How much\nmore, then, must we use precaution to preserve in ourselves and in\nothers this treasure of grace, since we feel in ourselves constantly the\nlaw of the flesh, which resists the law of the spirit, and urges us on\nto evil, whilst the world and the devil never weary in placing snares\nfor us in order to accomplish our ruin. Therefore let us have recourse\nto Mary, and invoking her aid bravely resist all temptations.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMIRROR of holy purity, Mary, Virgin immaculate, great is my joy while I\nconsider that, from thy immaculate conception, the most sublime and\nperfect virtues were infused into thy soul, and with them all the gifts\nof the Holy Ghost. I thank and praise the Most Holy Trinity, who\nbestowed on thee these high privileges. I pray thee, gentle Mother,\nobtain for me grace to practise virtue, and to make me worthy to become\npartaker of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nMary, Full of Grace\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nSATAN'S relation to God as His child was severed by sin. The beautiful\nimage of God imprinted on man's soul was disfigured by it. But with the\nimmaculate conception of Mary, a being full of grace, an object of God's\nsupreme complacency entered this world. After the lapse of four thousand\nyears God, in His wisdom, power, and love, for the first time again\ncreated a human being in that state in which He had originally created\nour first parents. Mary, from the first moment of her existence was, in\nvirtue of the sanctifying grace infused into her soul, most intimately\nunited with God, and endowed with the most precious gifts of heaven.\nBecause she was predestined to become the Mother of the Redeemer of\nmankind, it was befitting that she should unite in herself all the gifts\nbecoming to such an ineffable dignity. Hence she surpassed in grace and\nholiness all other created beings, and was consecrated a worthy temple\nof the incarnate Word. Therefore she was saluted by the angel as \"full\nof grace,\" and the Church, in our behalf, addresses the Almighty: \"O\nGod, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a\nworthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant, that, as in view of the\ndeath of that Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou\nwouldst vouchsafe unto us that, cleansed from all sin by her\nintercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE world considers men according to their rank and station, their\nwealth and knowledge. God recognizes in them but one difference, that\ncaused by the presence or absence of sanctifying grace in their soul. A\nsoul in the state of sanctifying grace is God's friend; without it, His\nenemy. A man dying in the state of sanctifying grace is sure of eternal\nbliss. Therefore we ought to prize this grace above all else, and do\neverything in our power to preserve it. St. Leo exhorts us, \"Recognize,\nO man, thy dignity! As thou hast received divine grace, beware of\nreturning to your former sinful condition by a wicked life.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY, bright moon of purity, I rejoice with thee, because the mystery of\nthy immaculate conception was the beginning of salvation for the race of\nman and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever-blessed\nTrinity, who thus did magnify and glorify thee; and I beg of thee to\nobtain for me the grace so to profit by thy dear Son's death and\npassion, that His precious blood may not have been shed in vain for me\nupon the cross, but that, after a holy life, I may reach heaven in\nsafety.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nMary, Our Refuge\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWE CARRY the precious treasure of sanctifying grace in a frail vessel.\nOur inclination to evil remains with us, and continues to impel us to\nthat which is forbidden. On whom shall we call for aid? Call on Mary!\nShe is conceived without sin. She, the lily among thorns, who never lost\nGod's friendship, is our advocate. Let her, who was found worthy to\nbecome the Mother of our Redeemer, inspire you with trust and\nconfidence. The Church invokes her as the refuge of sinners, and under\nno other title does she show her love for us more convincingly and her\npower with God more efficiently.\n\n[Illustration: The Adoration of the Shepherds]\n\nPRACTICE\n\nWE MAY trust confidently in Mary's intercession and aid in all\ntemptations and trials, if we but have recourse to her. Therefore St.\nJohn Damascene writes: \"Come to my aid, O Mother of my Redeemer! Thou\nart my help, my consolation in life. Come to my aid, and I shall escape\nunscorched from the fire of temptation; amongst a thousand I shall\nremain unharmed; I shall brave the storms of assault unwrecked. Thy name\nis my shield, thy help my armor, thy protection my defense. With thee I\nboldly attack the enemy and drive him off in confusion; through thee I\nshall achieve a triumphant victory.\" In all temptations, therefore, let\nus have recourse to Mary and through her intercession we shall overcome\nthem.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY immaculate, most brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee\nbecause thy immaculate conception has bestowed upon the angels in\nparadise the greatest joy. I thank and bless the ever-blessed Trinity,\nwho enriched thee with this high privilege. O let me, too, one day enter\ninto this heavenly joy, in the company of angels, that I may praise and\nbless thee, world without end.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nMary, the Mother of Chastity\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nHOLY Scripture and the Fathers agree in the statement that the Blessed\nVirgin Mary made the vow of perpetual virginity. For when the Archangel\nGabriel brought God's message to the immaculate spouse of St. Joseph,\nthat she was to become the Mother of the Most High, she asked, \"How\nshall this be done, because I know not man?\" (_Luke_ i. 34.) Indeed,\nMary would not have been, in the full and most excellent sense of the\nword, the \"Virgin of virgins,\" had she not from her own free choice\nvowed her virginity to God.\n\nDuring the whole Christian era there have been heroic souls who made the\nvow of perpetual chastity, consecrating themselves to God. Trusting in\nthe powerful protection of the immaculate Virgin, they persevered in\ntheir resolve to bear this priceless treasure before God's throne\ndespite the dangers of the world, the temptations of concupiscence, and\nthe assaults of hell, and with the help of the queen of virgins they\nachieved a triumphant victory.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nSINCE the fall of Adam our senses are in rebellion against the law of\nGod. \"I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my\nmind, and captivating me in the law of sin\" (_Rom._ vii. 23). Chastity\nis the virtue which causes us the greatest struggles. St. Augustine\nsays: \"The fiercest of all combats is the one for the preservation of\nchastity, and we must engage in it every day.\" Fierce as this combat is,\nthe aid which Mary gives her children to achieve victory is\nall-powerful. She sustains them by her maternal love and protection.\nThose who lead a chaste life receive the Divine Spirit, are happy in\nthis life, and will receive a special crown in heaven.\n\nAmong the means for the preservation of chastity, the following are\nspecially recommended: The assiduous and constant practice of\nself-denial; the frequentation of the sacraments; the daily invocation\nof Mary for her aid and protection; scrupulous avoidance of the\noccasions of sin. St. Chrysostom writes: \"He errs who believes that he\ncan overcome his sensual propensities and preserve chastity by his own\nefforts. God's mercy must extinguish nature's ardor.\" Have recourse to\nthe intercession of the immaculate Virgin and rest assured that you will\nobtain this mercy.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, gazing in\nwonder upon thy soul confirmed in grace from the very first moment of\nthy conception, and rendered inaccessible to sin. I thank and magnify\nthe ever-blessed Trinity, who chose thee from all our race for this\nspecial privilege. Holy Virgin, obtain for me utter and constant hatred\nof all sin above every other evil, and let me rather die than ever again\nfall into sin.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nThe Image of the Immaculate Conception\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nCHRISTIAN art represents the Immaculate Conception as follows: The\nBlessed Virgin appears standing on a globe, about which is coiled a\nserpent holding an apple in its mouth. One of Mary's feet rests upon the\nserpent, the other is placed on the moon. Her eyes are raised toward\nheaven; her hands are either joined in prayer, or she holds a lily in\nher right, and places the left on her breast. Her dress is white; her\nample mantle is of blue color. A crown of twelve stars encircles her\nhead. These emblems typify in a most striking manner Mary's power and\nglory. \"And a great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the\nsun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve\nstars\" (_Apoc._ xii. 1).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE representation of the Immaculate Conception is very instructive. (1)\nMary appears standing on the globe. This signifies that being human, she\nbelongs to the earth, and yet is exalted above the world and sin; also,\nthat she trampled under foot earthly possessions, vanities, and joys.\n(2) A serpent is coiled about the globe, bearing an apple in its mouth.\nThis reminds us of the fall of our first parents, and of the\nconsequences of their sin. (3) Mary's foot rests on the serpent,\nindicating that she never was under Satan's dominion, but was preserved\nfrom sin in the first moment of her existence. (4) Mary stands on the\nmoon. The moon, on account of its changes, is an emblem of inconstancy.\nWe see it at Mary's feet, to be reminded that we ought to be constant in\nfaith and virtue. (5) Mary wears a crown, to indicate that she is a\nqueen. The crown is composed of twelve stars: she is the queen of\nheaven. (6) Mary's dress is white, to denote her spotless purity and\ninnocence. (7) She folds her hands in prayer, reminding us to imitate\nher example. (8) Or she holds a lily in her right hand, to indicate her\nvirginity and chastity, and the sweet odor of her virtues. (9) Mary's\nmantle is blue, which color is emblematic of humility. Its folds are\nample, to remind us that all who have recourse to her find a secure\nrefuge in all dangers and necessities.\n\nTherefore let us invoke her intercession in the words of Holy Church:\n\"We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our\npetitions, and deliver us from all danger, O ever glorious and blessed\nVirgin!\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO SPOTLESS sun! O Virgin Mary! I congratulate thee. I rejoice with thee\nbecause in thy conception God gave thee grace greater and more boundless\nthan He ever shed on all His angels and all the saints, together with\nall their merits. I am thankful and I marvel at the surpassing\nbeneficence of the ever-blessed Trinity, who conferred on thee this\nprivilege. O make me correspond with the grace of God and never abuse\nit. Change this heart of mine; make me now begin to amend my life.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nThe Feast of the Immaculate Conception\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nEARLY in the Christian era the feast of Mary's immaculate conception was\nobserved in several countries. St. Anselm, Bishop of Canterbury,\nintroduced it in England. A great number of Popes favored the doctrine\nof Mary's absolute sinlessness, and the adversaries of the Immaculate\nConception were bidden to be silent and not publicly assert or defend\ntheir view. In 1477, Pope Sixtus IV prescribed the feast of the\nImmaculate Conception to be observed in the whole Church, and made it\nobligatory on priests to recite the special canonical office and to use\nthe Mass formula published for the purpose. In 1846, the bishops of the\nUnited States assembled in plenary council in Baltimore elected the\nBlessed Virgin under the title of her immaculate conception Patroness of\nthe Church in their country.\n\nFinally, Pope Pius IX, after consulting with the bishops throughout the\nworld, and having implored the Holy Ghost for His guidance in prayer and\nfasting, promulgated, on December 8, 1854, the dogma which teaches that\nthe Blessed Virgin Mary was in her conception, by a special grace and\nthrough the merits of her divine Son, preserved from the stain of\noriginal sin. This doctrine was received throughout the world with\nineffable joy; and, indeed, no one who loves the Blessed Virgin can help\nrejoicing at this her most glorious privilege.\n\nThe invocation, \"Queen conceived without the stain of original sin,\" was\nadded to the Litany of Loreto. In 1866, at the Second Plenary Council in\nBaltimore, the feast of the Immaculate Conception was raised to the rank\nof a holyday of obligation for the Church of the United States.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIN THE inscrutable designs of His providence God ordained that the\nmystery of the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary should\nbe proclaimed an article of faith as late as the middle of the\nnineteenth century. But, then, its proclamation was attended by\ncircumstances that undeniably proved that the Holy Father in pronouncing\nthe dogma had been inspired and guided by the Holy Ghost.\n\nLet us praise God and thank Him for bestowing this glorious privilege on\nour beloved Mother, and let us often invoke her under her favorite\ntitle, the Immaculate Conception. St. Alphonsus Liguori tells us that\nthe devotion to this mystery is especially efficacious in overcoming the\ntemptations of impurity. Therefore he was accustomed to recommend to his\npenitents thus tempted to recite three times every day the Hail Mary in\nhonor of Mary immaculate. And the Venerable John of Avila assures us\nthat he never found any one who practised a true devotion to the\nImmaculate Conception of Mary, who did not in a short time obtain the\ngift of that virtue which renders us so dear to her immaculate heart.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO LIVING light of holiness, model of purity, Mary immaculate, virgin and\nmother! As soon as thou wast conceived thou didst profoundly adore thy\nGod, giving Him thanks that in thee the ancient curse was revoked, and\nblessing came again upon the sinful sons of Adam. O make this blessing\nkindle in my heart love for God; and do thou fan this flame of love\nwithin me, that I may love Him constantly and one day in heaven\neternally enjoy Him, there to thank Him more and more fervently for all\nthe wondrous privileges conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for\nthy high crown of glory.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nII\n\nNovena in Honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\n\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nThe Birth of Mary\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\nWE FLY to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions\nin our necessities, and deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and\nblessed Virgin!\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY is born! The dawn announcing the coming salvation of mankind is at\nhand. The deep significance of Mary's birth is expressed in the words of\nthe Church: \"Thy birth, O virgin Mother of God, has brought joy to the\nworld; for from thee is to come forth the Sun of Justice, Christ our\nLord, to dispel the curse and bring the blessing, to conquer death and\nbring us everlasting life. On this day a light broke forth to brighten\nthe paths of men through all time. Let us, then, rejoice in Mary's\ncoming.\"\n\nEqually expressive and touching are the reflections of that great Doctor\nof the Church, St. Augustine: \"The day has dawned, the long-wished-for\nday of the blessed and venerable Virgin Mary. Well may this earth of\nours rejoice and be glad for having been honored and sanctified by the\nbirth of such a virgin.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLET us, then, rejoice in Mary's coming. Let us hail the birth of her who\nattained the dignity of mother without losing the high privilege of a\nvirgin. Let us imitate her holy life, that she may become our\nintercessor before the throne of her Son, our judge and redeemer. By\nbecoming the Mother of God she became also our Mother. As Mother of the\nRedeemer she is also the Mother of the redeemed. Richard of St. Lawrence\nwrites: \"If we desire grace and help, let us have recourse to Mary and\nwe shall obtain what we desire.\" For, as St. Alphonsus remarks: \"All\ngraces and gifts which God has resolved to bestow upon us He gives us\nthrough the hands of Mary.\"\n\nPRAYER OF THE CHURCH\n\nGRANT to us, Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of heavenly\ngrace; that to those for whom the delivery of the Blessed Virgin was the\ncommencement of salvation, the commemoration of her nativity may give\nincreasing peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMOST lovely child, who by thy birth hast comforted the world, made glad\nthe heavens, struck terror into hell, brought help to the fallen,\nconsolation to the sad, health to the sick, joy to all; we pray thee\nwith all fervent love, be thou born again in spirit in our souls through\nthy most holy love. Renew our fervor in thy service, rekindle in our\nhearts the fire of thy love, and bid all virtues blossom there, which\nmay cause us to find more and more fervor in thy gracious eyes. O Mary,\nmay we feel the saving power of thy sweetest name! Let it ever be our\ncomfort to call on that great name in all our troubles; let it be our\nhope in dangers, our shield in temptation, and in death our last\naspiration.\n\n_Ejaculation_\n\nO Mary, who didst come into the world free from stain: obtain of God for\nme that I may leave it without sin!\n\nIndulgence. 100 days, once a day. (Pius IX, March 27, 1863.)\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nMary, the Elect of God\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWE FIND the explanation of the great prerogatives and privileges which\nGod bestowed upon the Blessed Virgin Mary by reflecting on her singular\nand glorious predestination. From all eternity she was predestined to\nbecome the Mother of His divine Son; therefore, says Pope Pius IX, God\nloved her above all created beings, and in His special predilection made\nher the object of His divine complacency. With singular appropriateness\nwe may apply to her the words of Holy Scripture, \"I have loved thee with\nan everlasting love\" (_Jer._ xxxi. 3). The eternal Father regarded Mary\nas His beloved Daughter; the divine Son honored her as His dearest\nMother; the Holy Ghost loved her as His spotless Spouse. \"And,\" says St.\nAnselm, \"they loved each other with an affection unsurpassed by any\nother.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nINSPIRED by the contemplation of Mary's extraordinary privileges, St.\nAnselm exclaims: \"Thou, O Mary, art more exalted than the patriarchs,\ngreater than the martyrs, more glorious than the confessors, purer than\nthe virgins, and therefore thou, alone, canst achieve more than they can\nwithout thee.\" Let us, then, rejoice that we possess such a powerful\nadvocate in heaven, and let us place implicit trust in her. But let us\nalso co-operate with the graces and favors which she obtains for us.\nMoreover, let us remember that we grievously offend God and Mary if we\nabuse what we obtain through her intercession to gratify our evil\ninclinations, and that the graces she obtains for us for our salvation\nwill redound to our ruin if we do not use them for the glory of God and\nthe promotion of our soul's welfare.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, Mary, who, sprung from the royal line of David, didst come\nforth to the light of heaven with high honor from the womb of holy Anna,\nthy most happy mother.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nMary, the Child of Royalty\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nACCORDING to her lineage, as traced in two Gospels, Mary numbers among\nher paternal and maternal ancestors the holiest and most renowned\npersonages of the Old Testament. We find amongst them Abraham, the\nfriend of God, the father of Israel and of all the faithful; then David,\nthe man after God's own heart, the inspired Royal Prophet; and Solomon,\nthe wise and mighty king, and the whole line of the kings of Juda. On\nher mother's side she belonged to the tribe of Levi, and was descended\nfrom its noblest and most prominent family, that of Aaron the High\nPriest, and was therefore a relative of the High Priests of the Old\nTestament. Thus royal and sacerdotal prestige distinguished Mary's\nlineage.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE Blessed Virgin was not proud of her illustrious ancestry, and not\ndepressed because of the downfall of her family, but applied herself\ndiligently to adhere to the faith and follow the example of her\nancestors. Remembering the wicked members of her family, she learned\nfrom them that temporal greatness, success, wealth, and glory are more\ndangerous to virtue than poverty, retirement, and work. Let us imitate\nMary's example. Even possessed of the most excellent prestiges of the\nnatural order, of ourselves we are nothing. \"What hast thou that thou\nhast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory as if\nthou hadst not received?\" (1 _Cor._ iv. 7.) Therefore do not\noverestimate yourself; do not be conceited; do not strive for praise,\nhonors, and high station; be not boastful or arrogant; do not presume on\nyour merits; rather be distrustful of yourself and patiently bear\naffronts, neglect, and humiliations. However poor you may be, be content\nwith your lot, remembering the words of the Apostle: \"They that will\nbecome rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and\ninto many unprofitable and hurtful desires which draw men into\ndestruction and perdition. For the desire of money is the root of all\nevils: which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled\nthemselves in many sorrows\" (1 _Tim._ vi. 9, 10).\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, O Mary, heavenly babe, white dove of purity, who, despite\nthe infernal serpent, was conceived free from the taint of Adam's sin.\nWith all our hearts we pray thee to vouchsafe in thy goodness to come\ndown again and be born in spirit in our souls, that, led captive by thy\nloveliness and sweetness, they may ever live united to thy most sweet\nand loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n[Illustration: The Purification]\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nMary, the Child of Pious Parents\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTRADITION tells us that Mary's parents were called Joachim and Anna. The\nholy Fathers rival each other in praising the virtue of this holy\ncouple. St. Epiphanius writes: \"Joachim and Anna were pleasing in the\nsight of God because of the holiness of their lives.\" St. Andrew of\nCrete remarks: \"Joachim was eminent for the mildness and fortitude of\nhis character. The law of God was his rule of life. He was just, and\nnever relaxed in the fervor of his love of God. Anna was no less noted\nfor her meekness, continence, and chastity.\" St. Jerome relates: \"The\nlife of this holy couple was simple and just before the Lord, edifying\nand virtuous before men.\" St. John Damascene exclaims: \"O happy, chaste,\nand immaculate couple, Joachim and Ann! You are known, according to the\nLord's word, by your fruit. Your life was pleasing in the sight of God,\nand worthy of her who was born of you.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIT is a great blessing, and one to be esteemed more highly than wealth\nand high station, to have God-fearing, pious parents. For their sake God\nis gracious to the children and lavishes His gifts on them. It is\ncertainly a great privilege to be offered up to God immediately after\nbirth by the hands of a pious mother. To have, from childhood up, the\nexample and guidance of virtuous parents is certainly of the greatest\nimportance. St. Chrysostom writes: \"The parents' example is the book\nfrom which the child learns.\" A pious bishop was wont to say: \"The good\nexample of the parents is the best catechism and the truest mirror that\na family can have.\" If Christian parents imitate the example of Joachim\nand Ann the blessing of God will rest on them and on their children; for\nbecause her parents were so dear to Mary, she will not refuse to join\nthem in their prayers for us.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, brightest morn, forerunner of the heavenly Sun of Justice,\nwho didst first bring light to earth. Humbly prostrate, with all our\nhearts we pray thee to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in\nspirit in our souls, that, led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness,\nthey may ever live united to thy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nMary's Supernatural Prerogatives\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY was the masterpiece of God's creation; her soul was the most\nperfect ever dwelling in a human body. A pious tradition tells us that\nshe possessed the use of reason much earlier than other children. Her\nintellect was illuminated by supernatural light; her will was exempt\nfrom concupiscence. Being preserved from original sin, she surpassed in\nholiness, from the first moment of her existence, all angels and men.\nShe possessed all virtues in the highest degree, because of her faithful\nco-operation with sanctifying grace and with the countless actual graces\ngranted to her. She lived in constant communion with God, undisturbed by\nevil inclinations from within or temptations from without.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHROUGH the effects of original sin we have lost the supernatural\nprerogative of original justice, and even after receiving sanctifying\ngrace in holy Baptism we are exposed to many temptations. Our life is a\nconstant warfare. We must, however, not despair in this struggle, for if\nwe are true children of Mary she will come to our aid. In all\ntemptations Mary is the \"Help of Christians\" if we have recourse to her.\nBut if we wish her to help us, we must not expose ourselves\nunnecessarily to temptation. \"He that loveth danger shall perish in it\"\n(_Ecclus._ iii. 27). This sad experience has come to many. Let us,\ntherefore, avoid the danger and occasion of sin; and whenever evil\napproaches us in any shape, let us call upon Mary, and we may rest\nassured that she will assist us. \"I shall certainly triumph over my\nenemies,\" exclaims St. Alphonsus, \"if I place my trust in thee, O Mary,\nand if thou art my shield and protection against them.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, O chosen one! who like the untarnished sun didst burst\nforth into being in the dark night of sin. Humbly prostrate at thy feet,\nO Mary, we give thee our homage, and with all our hearts we pray thee to\nvouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in our souls, that, led\ncaptive by thy loveliness and sweetness, they may ever live united to\nthy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nMary, the Joy of the Most Holy Trinity\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nIN THE child Mary the eternal Father beheld His unsullied glorious\nimage, which image had been defaced in all other human beings by\noriginal and actual sin. What a joy to Him to behold this stainless,\nimmaculate child! And how great must have been the joy of the Son of God\nat the birth of her who was to be His Mother! From her He was to take\nthat sacred body in which He was to dwell on earth, the blood of which\nHe was to shed on the cross for our redemption, and in which He was to\nreturn to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. He will call\nher Mother, and regard her with all the filial tenderness of a child for\nhis mother. She will love Him in return with a true mother's affection\nand devotion. As the Mother of Sorrows she will weep over His inanimate\nbody taken down from the cross. But like Himself, she will leave the\ntomb, and reign at His side as the queen of heaven. How great, then,\nmust have been His joy at the birth of this child!\n\nThe Holy Ghost, too, rejoiced at Mary's birth. He infused into her the\nplenitude of His holy love, for she was destined to become the Mother of\nGod. And how Mary will love God, from whom she received so many and so\ngreat graces, and whom she is to bear in her arms as her real and true\nSon! This, her divine Son's love for mankind, will be imparted also to\nher. Therefore the Holy Ghost rejoices at this child, who received into\nher heart the fulness of His grace, and shall be the helper of those who\nhave recourse to her.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nRAISE your spirit above time and space; try to contemplate well the\nmystery of Mary's predestination. To make us realize the great\nprivileges conferred upon her, the Church applies to her the words of\nHoly Scripture, \"He that shall find me, shall find life, and have\nsalvation from the Lord\" (_Prov._ viii. 35). Only when we consider Mary\nas the Mother of God, do we arrive at a right conception of her great\ndignity. Hence St. Bonaventure exclaims, \"God might have created a more\nbeautiful world; He might have made heaven more glorious; but it was\nimpossible for Him to exalt a creature higher than Mary in making her\nHis Mother.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, beauteous moon, O Mary most holy, who didst shed light\nupon a world wrapped in the densest darkness of sin. Humbly prostrate at\nthy feet, we give thee our homage, and with all our hearts we pray thee\nto vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in spirit in our souls,\nthat led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness they may ever live\nunited to thy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nThe Angels Rejoice at Mary's Birth\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nDESCRIBING God's power and wisdom as shown in creation, Holy Scripture,\naccording to the explanation of the Fathers, introduces Him as saying,\n\"When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God\nmade a joyful melody\" (_Job_ xxxviii. 7), and by these words intends to\nconvey with what joy the angels praised God's omnipotence on beholding\nthe wonders of creation. What, then, must have been their joy on\nbeholding this new wonder of divine power and wisdom, the child Mary,\ndestined to be their queen. Filled with admiration they exclaimed, \"Who\nis she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright\nas the sun, terrible as an army set in array?\" (_Cant._ vi. 9.) And\nmoreover, if, as Our Lord declares, the angels rejoice at the conversion\nof a sinner, how great must have been their joy at the birth of her who\nwas to be the refuge of sinners and the mother of Him who was to be the\nRedeemer of sinners? Again, the angels rejoiced at Mary's birth, because\nshe would fill, through the salvation of mankind by her divine Son, the\nplaces made vacant in heaven by the apostate angels.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nGOOD children rejoice on the birthday of their parents and gratefully\nremember all the benefits they have received from them. Thus should we,\nalso, celebrate the nativity of the Blessed Virgin by a grateful\nremembrance of the innumerable graces, individual and general, we\nreceived through her intercession. In acknowledging Mary's co-operation\nwith our salvation, Holy Church calls her our mediatrix, and greets her\nas the \"Cause of our joy,\" because, though we receive grace from Christ,\nit comes to us through her mediation. What cause, then, have we not for\nrejoicing at her birth! Again, greeting Mary as the cause of our joy,\nlet us remember the protection she extended to the Church in times of\nadversity and persecution; let us, furthermore, remember all the graces\nwhich, according to the holy Fathers, are dispensed to us by Mary's\nhands. \"Of her plenitude,\" says St. Bonaventure, \"we have all received;\nthe captive liberty, the sick health, the sad consolation, the sinner\npardon, the just grace.\" Therefore the Church invokes Mary as the mother\nof mercy, the health of the sick, the comforter of the afflicted, the\nrefuge of sinners, the help of Christians, in a word, as the cause of\nour joy.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, fair soul of Mary, who from all eternity wast God's, and\nGod's alone; sanctuary and living temple of the Holy Ghost; sun without\nblemish, because free from original sin. With all our hearts we pray to\nthee, O Mary, to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in spirit in\nour souls, that, led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness, they may\never live united to thy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nThe Joy of the Just in Limbo at Mary's Birth\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nFOR four thousand years the just in limbo sighed for redemption, and\nsent up to Heaven the plaintive cry, \"O that Thou wouldst rend the\nheavens, and wouldst come down!\" (_Is._ xiv. 1.) \"Drop down dew, ye\nheavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just; let the earth be\nopened and bud forth a Saviour\" (_Is._ xlv. 8). What joy must have\nfilled the souls of the just when they heard the welcome tidings of the\nbirth of Mary, the virgin Mother of the promised Messias; how great\ntheir consolation at the rising of that dawn which preceded the Sun of\nJustice, whose splendor was to illuminate the darkness of them that sat\nin the shadow of death!\n\nPRACTICE\n\nA JOY similar to that which filled the captive souls in limbo at Mary's\nbirth now fills the souls in purgatory when we implore her to come to\ntheir relief. Contemplating the immense love of the Most Holy Trinity\nfor Mary, we may not doubt but that, by her intercession, she might at\nonce deliver all the suffering souls from their prison, if such were in\naccordance with God's will. But God's wisdom and providence have decreed\notherwise. Therefore Mary does not pray for the release of all souls in\npurgatory, but recommends them, in conformity with God's will, to His\nmercy. St. Bernardine of Sienna applies to Mary the words of Holy\nScripture, \"I have penetrated into the bottom of the deep and have\nwalked in the waves of the sea\" (_Ecclus._ xxiv. 8), and says: \"She\ndescends into that sea of suffering and soothes the pains of the poor\nsouls.\" St. Denis the Carthusian remarks, that when the name of Mary is\nmentioned in purgatory, the souls there imprisoned experience the same\nrelief as when a sick person hears words of consolation on his bed of\npain.\n\nTherefore let us entrust our prayers for the souls in purgatory to Mary.\nShe will present our petitions to God, and thus presented, He will\nspeedily hear and graciously grant them.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, strong child, who didst put to flight all hell and the\npowers of darkness. We give thee our homage, and with all our hearts we\npray thee to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in spirit in our\nsouls, that, led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness, they may ever\nlive united to thy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nThe Holy Name of Mary\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nST. ALPHONSUS writes of the name of Mary: \"This name was neither\ninvented on earth, nor imposed by human agency. It came from heaven and\nwas given to the Mother of God by divine command.\" Just as it is a\npeculiar glory of our Saviour's name, that \"God hath given Him a name\nwhich is above all names, that in the name of Jesus every knee should\nbow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth\"\n(_Philipp._ ii. 9), thus it also behooves that Mary, the most perfect,\nthe most pure, and most exalted of all created beings, should receive a\nmost holy, lovely, and powerful name. St. Methodius declares that the\nname of Mary is so rich in grace and blessing, that no one can pronounce\nit devoutly without at the same time receiving a spiritual favor. Bl.\nJordan exclaims: \"Let a heart be ever so obdurate, let a man even\ndespair of God's mercy, if he have recourse to thee, O Mary, virgin most\nclement, he can not fail to be softened and filled with confidence if he\ninvokes thy name; for thou wilt inspire him with hope in God's mercy,\npardon, and grace.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIT IS, then, meet and just that we should devoutly honor and praise the\nname of Mary. Let us never mention it except in reverence and devotion.\nLet us invoke Mary by it in all dangers of body and soul, mindful of the\nwords of St. Bernard: \"O sinner, when the floods and tempests of this\nearthly life overwhelm thee so that thou canst not firmly set thy foot,\nturn not away thy gaze from the light of this guiding star. When the\nstorms of temptation assail thee, and the rocks and quicksands of\nvexation and trial threaten to shatter thy bark of hope, look up to that\nbright star in the heavens, and call on the name of Mary. When the\nbillows of pride and of ambition, when the floods of calumny are about\nto submerge thee, look up to this star and call on the name of Mary.\nWhen anger, avarice, and concupiscence convulse the peace of thy soul,\nlook up to this star and call on Mary. When thy sins rise up like\nhideous monsters before thy troubled vision, when thy conscience stings\nthee, when the terrors of future judgment fill thee with deadly anguish,\nwhen gloom and sadness overpower thee, when thou findest thyself on the\nbrink of hellish despair, take courage; think of Mary, and thou wilt\nfind from thy own inward experience how true are the sayings of those\nwho tell thee that the name of the Blessed Virgin is 'Star of the Sea,'\nthe name of the Virgin is Mary.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE HAIL thee, beloved child Mary, adorned with every virtue,\nimmeasurably above all the saints, and therefore worthy Mother of the\nSaviour of the world, who by the operation of the Holy Ghost didst bring\nforth the incarnate Word. We give thee our homage, and with all our\nhearts we pray thee to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in our\nsouls, that, led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness, they may ever\nlive united to thy most sweet and loving heart.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).\n\n\n\nIII\n\nNovena for the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nThe Annunciation\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\nMY QUEEN, my Mother, remember I am thine own. Keep me, guard me, as thy\nproperty and possession!\n\nIndulgence. 40 days, every time. (Pius IX, August 5, 1851.)\n\nMEDITATION\n\nAT NAZARETH, a mountain village in Judea, lived poor and in obscurity\nMary, the virgin selected by God to become the Mother of His Son. On\nMarch 25th she was in prayer in her chamber, and perhaps sent up to\nheaven the yearning petition, \"Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above,\nand let the clouds rain the just; let the earth be opened and bud a\nSaviour\" (_Is._ xlv. 8). Behold, suddenly the chamber is suffused by a\nheavenly light. The archangel Gabriel stands reverently before her and\nsays, \"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou\namong women. And when Mary heard the angel's words, she was troubled at\nhis saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this\nshould be\" (_Luke_ i. 28, 29).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHE angel's salutation comprises two titles of ineffable greatness. Mary\nis called \"full of grace,\" because of her innocence and purity; she is\ncalled \"blessed among women,\" because she is the elect Mother of God.\nNever before was a human being thus greeted. It was God Himself who sent\nthe message to Mary. A good angel now repaired the harm once done by a\nbad angel. For Lucifer, the fallen angel, seduced Eve to sin and thereby\ncaused the ruin of the whole human race; now another angel, Gabriel, was\nsent to announce the glad tidings to Mary, that she was to conceive the\nRedeemer from sin, who was to accomplish the salvation of mankind.\n\nMary was troubled at the angel's words, and reflected on the meaning of\nthe message. St. Ambrose writes: \"Mary was troubled, not because the\nangel was a heavenly spirit, but because he appeared to her in the form\nof a youth. Still more was she troubled at the praises spoken to her.\nShe was innocent and humble, and therefore reflected on the meaning of\nthe message. She had always considered herself as a poor and unknown\nvirgin; she deemed herself unworthy of God's grace; therefore she was\ntroubled at the salutation. In that decisive moment she was and remained\nour model.\"\n\n[Illustration: The Flight into Egypt]\n\nPRAYER OF THE CHURCH\n\nPOUR forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we\nunto whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the\nmessage of an angel, may, by His passion and cross, be brought to the\nglory of the resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWITH wonder I revere thee, holiest Virgin Mary; for of all God's\ncreatures thou wast the humblest on the very day of thy annunciation,\nwhen God Himself exalted Thee to the sublime dignity of His own Mother.\nO mightiest Virgin, make me, wretched sinner that I am, know the depths\nof my own nothingness, and make me humble myself at last with all my\nheart, beneath the feet of all men.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\n_Ejaculation_\n\nVirgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me!\n\nIndulgence. 50 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, March 20, 1894.)\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nThe Import of the Angel's Salutation\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\n\"HAIL, full of grace!\" Mary was greeted as full of grace by the Giver of\ngrace Himself. The angel's salutation meant: \"The grace of God has\npreserved thee from all sin. Neither the stain of original sin, nor the\nguilt of actual sin, ever obscured the mirror of thy soul. By the\nspecial favor of God the most sublime virtues were infused into thy\nsoul.\"\n\n\"The Lord is with thee.\" From all eternity the Lord was with Mary. He\nwas with her not only as He is with His whole creation, but He was with\nher in a special manner. The eternal Father was with her from all\neternity as with His beloved Daughter. The divine Son was with her from\nall eternity as with His chosen Mother. The Holy Ghost was with her from\nall eternity as with His beloved Spouse. This intimate union never was\ndisrupted. Therefore Mary is \"Blessed among women,\" and ever was, and\never shall be the beloved of the Lord.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nCONSIDER how Mary receives the angel's message. She is troubled, she is\ndisturbed at the praise, at the reverence of the angel. What an example\nof humility! Let us imitate her in this virtue by the acknowledgment\nbefore God of our weakness, our unworthiness, our nothingness, and by\nordering our whole being accordingly. Humility renders us pleasing in\nthe sight of God and makes us susceptible of His grace. Hence St.\nAugustine writes: \"God resists the proud and gives His grace to the\nhumble. What a terrible punishment for the proud, what a splendid reward\nfor the humble! The proud man resembles a rock, the humble man a\nbeautiful valley. The grace of God descends from heaven like a gentle\nrain. It can not penetrate the rock of pride, and hence the proud man\nloses God's grace and love. But in the valley of humility the waters of\ndivine grace can diffuse themselves and fructify the soul of the humble\nman, so that it may bring forth fruit unto eternal life.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO MARY, holiest Virgin, who, when the archangel Gabriel hailed thee in\nthy annunciation, and thou wast raised by God above all choirs of the\nangels, didst confess thyself \"the handmaid of the Lord\"; do thou obtain\nfor me true humility and a truly angelic purity, and so to live on earth\nas ever to be worthy of the blessings of God.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nThe Effect of the Angel's Salutation\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE effect of the angel's salutation on Mary was striking. Imbued with\nsentiments quite different from ours, she was troubled at the praise\naddressed to her. Meanwhile she is silent and considers within herself\nwhat might be the meaning of these words. And now the angel calls her by\nname, saying, \"Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.\nBehold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and\nthou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called\nthe Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the\nthrone of David His father: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for\never, and of His kingdom there shall be no end\" (_Luke_ i. 30-33).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLET us admire the prudence shining forth in Mary. After hearing the\nangel's words of praise she was silent and thought within herself what\nkind of a salutation this was. She is very careful and prudent. On this\nher conduct St. Thomas Aquinas remarks: \"Mary did not refuse to believe,\nnor did she receive the message with credulity. She avoided Eve's\ngullibility and the distrust of Zachary the high priest.\" And St.\nBernard writes: \"Mary preferred to remain silent in humility, rather\nthan to speak inconsiderately.\" Let us strive always to speak and act\nwith deliberation. Our conversation ought always to be judicious; for\noften a word spoken inconsiderately causes bitter regret. St. Thomas\nAquinas observes: \"Song was given to a number of creatures, but human\nbeings alone were endowed with the faculty of speech, to indicate that\nin speaking we should use our reason.\" And St. Chrysostom says: \"Let us\nalways guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that\nit should speak at the proper time.\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI REJOICE with thee, O Virgin ever blessed, because by thy humble word\nof consent thou didst draw down from the bosom of the eternal Father the\ndivine Word into thy own pure bosom. O draw, then, ever my heart to God;\nand with God bring grace into my heart that I may ever sincerely bless\nthy word of consent, so mighty and so efficacious.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nMary's Question\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWELL versed as Mary was in Holy Scripture, she fully understood the\nwords she had heard and knew their great import. She was destined to\nbecome the Mother of the Most High, the Son of God. But there is an\nobstacle which prevents her from giving immediate assent. She has\nsolemnly vowed her virginity to God. Not knowing how the mystery\nannounced to her was to be accomplished, and intent above all on keeping\ninviolate her vow, she interrupts her silence by the short but\ncomprehensive question, \"How shall this be done, because I know not\nman?\" (_Luke_ i. 34.) This is the first word of Mary recorded in the\nGospel.\n\nPRACTICE\n\n\"HOW shall this be done, because I know not man?\" Truly a momentous\nquestion, proceeding from her knowledge of the great excellence and\nvalue before God of virginity, which, before Mary, was unknown to the\nworld.\n\nLet us follow Mary's example and esteem holy purity and chastity above\nall things. Let us remember how highly Holy Scripture extols this\nvirtue. \"O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory; for the\nmemory thereof is immortal, because it is known both with God and with\nmen\" (_Wis._ iv. 1). St. Athanasius writes: \"O chastity, thou precious\npearl, found by few, even hated by some, and sought only by those who\nare worthy of thee! Thou art the joy of the prophets, the ornament of\nthe apostles, the life of the angels, the crown of the saints.\" Let us\ntherefore carefully guard this inestimable treasure.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY, mighty Virgin, thou who on the day of thy annunciation wast found\nby the archangel so prompt and ready to do God's will, and to correspond\nwith the desires of the august Trinity, who wished for thy consent in\norder to redeem the world; obtain for me that, whatever happens, good or\nill, I may turn to my God, and with resignation say, \"Be it done unto me\naccording to thy word.\"\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nThe Solution\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE angel explains to Mary how, without detriment to her virginity, she\nwill become a mother. He says, \"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and\nthe power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the\nHoly which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God\" (_Luke_\ni. 35). St. Bernard remarks: \"Let him who can, comprehend it. Who, but\nthat most happy Virgin who was worthy to experience the influence and\neffect of the power of the Most High and to penetrate this sublime\nmystery, can understand how the divine Light was poured into the\nVirgin's womb? The Most Holy Trinity alone co-operated in the sacred\nact, and it remains an impenetrable mystery to all, except to her who\nwas called to so sublime a destiny.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nMARY did not entertain a single doubt concerning the wonders which the\nangel announced to her about the coming Messias and His kingdom. She\nbelieved with simple faith the words of the heavenly messenger. Only\nabout that which concerned her personally she asked a question. When the\nwonderful mystery was explained to her, she did not ask how this _can_\nbe done, but only how it _shall_ be done. And after the angel had\ndeclared to her that she shall conceive by the Holy Ghost, she was fully\nresigned and announced her implicit belief in these humble words:\n\"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy\nword\" (_Luke_ i. 38). Therefore the Holy Ghost Himself praised her by\nthe mouth of Elizabeth: \"Blessed art thou that hast believed\" (_Luke_ i.\n45).\n\nLet us remain steadfast in the profession of all articles of faith, and\nlet us oppose, like a strong shield, the words, \"Nothing is impossible\nwith God,\" to all attacks of unbelievers, and to all doubts that may\narise in our own minds.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMARY most holy, I see that thy obedience united thee so closely to God,\nthat all creation never shall know again union so fair and so perfect. I\nam overwhelmed with confusion in seeing how my sins have separated me\nfrom God. Help me, then, gentle Mother, to repent sincerely of my sins,\nthat I may be reunited to thy loving Jesus.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nMary's Consent\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWE ADMIRE the creative word of God, by which heaven and earth were\ncalled into existence. But Mary's word, \"Be it done to me according to\nthy word,\" is even mightier and more efficacious; for it commands the\nobedience even of the almighty Creator. Without this word of humility\nand obedience the incarnation of our divine Saviour would not have been\naccomplished. Mary does not say, \"I accept the proposal, I agree to the\nproposition,\" nor does she use other words of similar import. She simply\nsays, \"Be it done to me according to thy word.\" It was not her own\nchoice, nor her own decision, but a voluntary, full, and complete\nsurrender to the will of God that the message found in Mary's soul,\nwhich was expressed in these words. What a source of consolation to her\nin the subsequent sorrowful and afflicted stages of her life was this\ncomplete surrender to God's will! It comprised the tranquilizing\nassurance that He to whose designs she submitted, would endow her with\nthe fortitude and strength necessary to co-operate with them.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nJUST as our divine Lord Himself became obedient unto death, thus also\nHis incarnation and the motherhood of Mary were the result of obedience.\nAgain, in contemplating the works that in the course of time were\nundertaken in the Church for the glory of God and the salvation of man,\nwe find that only those were really great, effective, and enduring,\nwhich had their beginning, continuation, and consummation in obedience.\n\nRejoice, then, if it is your happy lot to walk in the safe path of\nobedience. Avail yourself of every opportunity to submit your will to\nthe will of your Superiors. They are the representatives of God. By\nobeying them we fulfil His will, not the will of men. St. Bonaventure\ncalls obedience the key of heaven.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nHOLIEST Mary, if through thy modesty thou wert troubled at the\nappearance of the archangel Gabriel in thy dwelling, I am terrified at\nthe sight of my monstrous pride. By thy incomparable humility, which\nbrought forth God for men, reopened paradise and let the captive souls\ngo free from their prison, draw me, I pray thee, out of the deep pit\ninto which my sins have cast me, and make me save my soul.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nMary's Fortitude in Suffering\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nALTHOUGH Mary's consent was free, and freely given, she was clearly\nconvinced and perfectly conscious of the responsibility, the\nobligations, and the duties involved by that consent, and which she now\nassumed. Great are the duties and tearful the days of a mother who has\nto raise her Son, who is also God, to be sacrificed on the cross. Mary\nassumes with the dignity this responsibility. She consents to conceive\nthe Son of God, to give birth to Him, to nourish Him, to educate Him for\nthe ignominious death of the cross. When she pronounced the words, \"Be\nit done,\" her eyes were fixed on the distant tragedy of Golgotha, on the\ncross towering upon its height. Yet she accepts it, together with the\ndignity of Mother of God.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nMARY, in consenting to become the Mother of Jesus, became not only His\nMother, but the Mother of all mankind. She became, for all time, the\nrefuge of sinners, the health of the sick, the intercessor with God for\nman; she consented to exercise a mother's love for suffering and sinful\nhumanity. But alas, how many of those adopted by Mary as her children\nunder the cross of her dying Son are unworthy of her mother love! How\nmany are rebellious children, who fill her heart with sorrow and\nanguish! Others, faithless and obdurate, become a reproach to her. Have\nyou, during your past life, always been a good child of this loving\nMother? Are you to her an honor or a disgrace, a joy or a sorrow?\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nTHOUGH my tongue is unhallowed, yet, purest Virgin, I presume to hail\nthee every day with the angel's salutation, \"Hail Mary, full of grace!\"\nFrom my heart, I pray thee, pour into my soul a little of that mighty\ngrace wherewith the Holy Spirit, overshadowing thee, filled thee to the\nfull.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nMary, the Mother of God\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY'S true greatness consists in her having been chosen the Mother of\nGod. This sublime dignity, pre-eminently her own and shared by no other\ncreature, elevates her to a station inconceivably exalted. Mother of\nGod! St. Peter Damian thus gives expression to his conception of this\ndignity: \"In what words may mortal man be permitted to pronounce the\npraises of her who brought forth that divine Word who lives for all\neternity? Where can a tongue be found holy and pure enough to eulogize\nher who bore the author of all created things, whom the elements praise\nand obey in fear and trembling? When we essay to extol a martyr's\nconstancy, to recount his heroic acts of virtue, to describe his\ndevotion to his Saviour's cause and honor, we are supplied with words by\nfacts and occurrences that belong to the province of human experience.\nBut when we undertake to describe the glories of the Blessed Virgin, we\nare on unknown ground, on a subject transcending all human effort. We\nfail to find words suitable to portray her sublime prerogatives,\nprivileges, and mysteries.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nST. ANSELM, writing on the motherhood of Mary, says: \"It was eminently\njust and proper that the creature chosen to be the Mother of God should\nshine with a luster of purity far beyond anything conceivable in any\nother creature under heaven. For it was to her that the eternal Father\ndecreed to give His only-begotten Son, whom He loves as Himself; and to\ngive Him in such a mysterious manner that He should be at the same time\nthe Son of God and the Son of the Virgin Mary. She must indeed be purity\nitself, whom the Son of God elected as His Mother, and who was the\nchosen Spouse of the Holy Ghost, to be overshadowed by Him to bring\nforth the Second Person of that Most Blessed Trinity from whom He\nHimself proceeds.\"\n\nLet us honor the virgin Mother with filial devotion, gratefully greeting\nher often in the words of the angel, \"Hail Mary, full of grace!\" Let us\nremember that God alone is above Mary, and beneath her is all that is\nnot God.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI BELIEVE, holiest Mary, that almighty God was ever with thee from thy\nconception, and is, by His incarnation, still more closely united to\nthee. Make it thy care, I pray thee, that I may be with that same Lord\nJesus ever one heart and soul by means of sanctifying grace.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nMary, Our Mother\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY could not consent to become the Mother of the Redeemer without\nincluding in her consent those to be redeemed. \"She bore one man,\" says\nSt. Antonine, \"and thereby has borne all men again. Beneath the cross\nof her divine Son she has reborne us to life with great pain, just as\nEve our first mother, has borne us under the tree of forbidden fruit\nunto death. That there be no doubt concerning it, her divine Son made\nthis declaration in His last will.\" \"When therefore Jesus had seen His\nMother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother,\nWoman, behold thy son. After that He saith to the disciple, Behold thy\nMother\" (_John_ xix. 26 27). She gave up her Son for the redemption of\nmankind, and He gave us, in the person of His beloved disciple St. John,\nto her as her children, declaring her our Mother. From that moment we\nbelong to Mary, and Mary belongs to us: \"Behold thy Mother!\"\n\n[Illustration: The rest in Egypt]\n\nPRACTICE\n\nMARY loves us because she loves God, and because God loves us. She loves\nus as her brethren who share human nature with her. She loves us as her\nchildren, whom she has borne to eternal life. She loves us because we\nare miserable and helpless. True, we offended her divine Son, but she\nknows our frailty, our blindness, the assaults of the flesh and the\ndevil to which we are exposed; and by all this she is moved to come to\nour aid.\n\nDo not, however, imagine that this good and amiable Mother will hear\nyour call for assistance if you continue to offend her divine Son with\nmalice prepense. To obtain her aid you must make yourself in a manner\nworthy of it. This you do by striving to imitate her virtues. Or is\nthere anything in her example that we are unable to imitate? True, we\ncan not attain to her perfection in virtue, but we can copy it to a\ncertain degree. To follow Mary's example there is no need of performing\nmiracles, of having ecstasies, or of doing any other extraordinary\ndeeds. All that is necessary is to persevere faithfully in the ordinary\nduties of life, and to perform them to the best of our ability.\n\n\"Behold thy Mother!\" These words of our dying Lord were addressed to the\nbeloved disciple St. John, but were intended for all mankind. Even as\nMary never ceases to be the Mother of God, she never will cease to be\nour Mother.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO HOLIEST Mary, bless me, my heart and my soul, as thou thyself wast\never blessed of God among all women; for I have this sure hope, dear\nMother, that if thou bless me while I live, then, when I die, I shall be\nblessed of God in the everlasting glory of heaven.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nIV\n\nNovena in Honor of the Seven Sorrows of Mary\n\nNOTE.--Besides the indulgences granted for every novena in honor of the\nBlessed Virgin Mary by Pius IX, Pope Leo XIII, January 27, 1888, granted\nthat all the faithful may gain, on the _third Sunday in September_,\nbeing the second feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (the other is\nobserved on the Friday before Palm Sunday), a plenary indulgence _as\noften_ as they visit, after confession and communion, a church where the\nArchconfraternity of the Seven Sorrows is canonically established, and\npray there for the intentions of the Holy Father. This indulgence is\napplicable to the souls in purgatory.\n\n\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nDevotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\n  BID me bear, O Mother blessed,\n  On my heart the wounds impressed\n  Suffered by the Crucified!\n\nIndulgence. 300 days, once a day. A plenary indulgence, on any one day,\nin each month, to those who shall have practised this devotion for a\nmonth, saying besides seven Hail Marys, followed each time by the above\ninvocation. Conditions: Confession, communion, and prayer for the\nintentions of the Pope. (Pius IX, June 18, 1876.)\n\nMEDITATION\n\nFROM the dolorous way of Our Lord's passion Holy Church selected\nfourteen incidents to place before us for consideration, which are\ncalled the Stations of the Cross. In the same manner the pious devotion\nof the faithful selected seven events in the life of the Blessed Virgin\nMary, and gives itself to their religious contemplation. They are: (1)\nSimeon's prophecy in the Temple; (2) the flight into Egypt with the\ndivine Child; (3) the loss of the divine Child at Jerusalem; (4) Mary's\nmeeting with her Son bearing the cross; (5) Mary beneath the cross; (6)\nMary receives the body of her Son from the cross; (7) the placing of\nJesus' body in the tomb.\n\nPRACTICE\n\n\"FORGET not the sorrows of thy mother\" (_Ecclus._ vii. 29). According to\nthis exhortation of Holy Scripture it is our duty to remember and\nmeditate often on the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We ought never\nto forget that our sins were the cause of the sufferings and death of\nJesus, and therefore also of the sorrows of Mary.\n\nHoly Church celebrates two feasts in honor of the sorrows of Mary; she\napproved of the Rosary and of many other devotions in honor of the Seven\nDolors, and enriched them with numerous indulgences. Let us practise\nthese devotions to enkindle in our hearts a true and ardent love for our\nsorrowful Mother.\n\nPRAYER OF THE CHURCH\n\nGRANT, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the most blessed\nVirgin Mary, Thy Mother, may intercede for us before the throne of Thy\nmercy, now and at the hour of our death, through whose most holy soul,\nin the hour of Thine own passion, the sword of sorrow passed. Through\nThee, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, who livest and reignest with\nthe Father and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nEVER glorious Blessed Virgin Mary, queen of martyrs, mother of mercy,\nhope, and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through the sorrows\nthat pierced thy tender heart I beseech thee take pity on my poverty and\nnecessities, have compassion on my anxieties and miseries. I ask it\nthrough the mercy of thy divine Son; I ask it through His immaculate\nlife, bitter passion, and ignominious death on the cross. As I am\npersuaded that He honors thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses\nnothing, let me experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession,\naccording to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, now and at the\nhour of my death. Amen.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\n_Ejaculation_\n\nMother of Sorrows, queen of martyrs, pray for us!\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nMary's First Sorrow: Simeon's Prophecy in the Temple\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nFORTY days after the birth of our divine Saviour, Mary His Mother\nfulfilled the law of Moses by offering Him to His divine Father in the\nTemple. \"And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this\nman was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the\nHoly Ghost was in Him. And he received an answer from the Holy Ghost,\nthat he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.\nAnd he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when His parents brought\nin the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he\nalso took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now dost Thou\ndismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace; because my\neyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face\nof all peoples. A light to the revelation of the gentiles and the glory\nof Thy people Israel. And His father and mother were wondering at these\nthings which were spoken concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them, and\nsaid to Mary His Mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for\nthe resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be\ncontradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many\nhearts thoughts may be revealed\" (_Luke_ ii. 25-35).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nMARY was familiar with the predictions of the prophets and knew that\nignominy, sorrow, and suffering would be her divine Son's portion\nthroughout His earthly career. But to have this secret of her anxious\nsoul thus publicly and solemnly declared by Simeon, was a sharp thrust\nof that seven-edged sword which was to pierce her loving heart. In\nspirit she viewed that boundless, surging sea of trials, pain, and death\non which her Son was to be tossed about, and was willing to be engulfed\nin its bitter waters. Her affliction would have scarcely been greater\nhad the death sentence of her divine Son been pronounced then and there\nand put into execution. What a sorrow, what an affliction, what a trial\nfor such a tender Mother! Well might she exclaim with the Royal Prophet:\n\"My life is wasted with grief, and my years in sighs\" (_Ps._ xxx. 11).\nLet us often contemplate this sorrow, and excite our hearts to a tender\ncompassion with the Mother of Sorrows.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, in the grief thy tender heart\nunderwent when the holy old man Simeon prophesied to thee. Dear Mother,\nby thy heart then so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and\nthe gift of the holy fear of God.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nMary's Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nFOR the second time the sword of sorrow pierced Mary's heart when she\nwas commanded to fly into Egypt with her divine Child. Without\nmanifesting undue perplexity or discontent, she hastily gathered a few\nnecessaries for the journey, while St. Joseph saddled the beast of\nburden. Then taking the infant Jesus into her arms and pressing Him to\nher throbbing heart, the holy pilgrims set forth into the cold, starry\nnight, away to a foreign land, through the trackless desert, and into a\nheathen country. Arrived in Egypt, the experience of Bethlehem was\nrenewed; no one gave them shelter.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nDURING this second great sorrow, what was Mary's behavior? She was\ncontent to fulfil the will of God; she did not ask for reasons, or\ncomplain of the fatigues of the journey, but preserved her peace of\nheart amid all the trials of this severe probation. She is poor, but her\npoverty does not render her unhappy or querulous. If God sends us\ntrials, we ought not murmur or complain. Following the example of Mary,\nlet us bear them submissively. If we suffer patiently with Mary on\nearth, we shall enjoy eternal bliss with her in heaven.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the anxiety which thy most\ntender heart underwent during thy flight into Egypt and thy sojourn\nthere. Dear Mother, by thy heart then so sorrowful, obtain for me the\nvirtue of liberality, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nMary's Third Sorrow: Jesus Lost in Jerusalem\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWHO can describe Mary's sorrow when, returning from Jerusalem, she\nmissed her divine Son? With St. Joseph she retraced her steps in anxious\nsearch of Him whom her soul loved. She went to all her relatives and\nacquaintances in Jerusalem, but heard no tidings of her lost Child. She\npassed three long days of anxiety in her search, and this constitutes\nher third sorrow. Of it, Origen writes: \"On account of the ineffable\nlove of Mary for her divine Son, she suffered more by His loss than the\nmartyrs suffered amid the most cruel tortures.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIN MEDITATING on this sorrow of Mary, we ought to remember how\nindifferent so many Christians are after having lost God by sin. They\nfeel no compunction, no sorrow at having offended Him, and yet they can\nweep at the loss of a trifle; they shed copious tears when their will is\ncrossed, or when they receive a deserved reprimand; but for the loss of\ntheir God they have not a tear. They have lost Him, perhaps years ago,\nand never make the least effort to find Him. Pray to the sorrowful\nMother that she preserve you from such a deplorable fate!\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the terrors felt by thy\nanxious heart when thou didst lose thy dear Son, Jesus. Dear Mother, by\nthy heart, then so agitated, obtain for me the virtue of chastity, and\nwith it the gift of knowledge.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nMary's Fourth Sorrow: She Meets Jesus Carrying His Cross\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE time was at hand when mankind's redemption was to be accomplished.\nAlready the divine Victim of our sins is bearing the instrument of our\nsalvation. Torn by the cruel scourging, crowned with thorns, and covered\nwith blood He proceeds on His way to Calvary, and in this pitiful\ncondition meets His blessed Mother. What a spectacle, what a sight for a\nMother such as Mary! Anxious to look upon her, and with one fond glance\nto thank her for her heroic, unselfish love, He made an effort to change\nHis bowed position beneath the cross, feebly raised His head, and\ndirected toward her one loving glance of ineffable anguish, mingled with\ngrateful recognition and humble resignation. Then the sad procession\nmoves on, Mary following her divine Son on His way to death.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nWE, BY our sins, placed into the hands of the Jews and executioners the\nweapons by which Jesus suffered, and thus we thrust the sword of sorrow\ninto Mary's heart. We repeat this, in a certain sense, as often as we\ncommit a grievous sin, because we thereby number ourselves among those\nwhom the Apostle describes as \"crucifying again to themselves the Son of\nGod, and making Him a mockery\" (_Heb._ vi. 6). Cardinal Hugo writes:\n\"Sinners crucify, as far as is in them, Christ our Lord, because they\nrepeat the cause of His crucifixion.\" Doing this, we thrust anew the\nsword of sorrow into Mary's heart. Let this consideration fill us with\nhatred for and fear of sin.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the shock thy mother heart\nexperienced when Jesus met thee as He carried His cross. Dear Mother, by\nthat heart of thine, then so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of\npatience and the gift of fortitude.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nMary's Fifth Sorrow: Beneath the Cross\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nAT THE crucifixion of Jesus the soul of Mary was plunged into a sea of\nsorrow when she stood three hours under the cross. Writhing in\nexcruciating pain, the Son of God hung upon the tree of disgrace and\ninfamy, yet Mary continued to stand at its foot, tearful, grieving, yet\npersevering, filled with anguish because she could do nothing to help\nHim. Another great sorrow befell the heart of Mary when she slowly\nwithdrew her tearful gaze from the face of Jesus, and cast her weeping\neyes upon the cold and indifferent world that lay in darkness around and\nabout Calvary. And yet, \"When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and\nthe disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother, Woman,\nbehold Thy son. After that He saith to the disciple, Behold thy Mother\"\n(_John_ xix. 26, 27).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHESE words, \"Behold thy son, behold thy Mother,\" contain and express\nthe mystery of unbounded love, which Jesus has for all mankind, but more\nespecially for the Church which is appointed and authorized to lead men\nto salvation. O blessed, O happy bequest! It was not enough for the love\nof Jesus to have restored heaven to us by His atoning death; He wished\nalso to give us His dearest Mother. And she has always shown herself as\nsuch. To each of us individually she was and is a kind and loving\nMother. Give thanks to her, bless and praise her for having adopted you\nas her child, and strive to become worthy of so great a privilege.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the martyrdom thy generous\nheart bore so nobly whilst thou didst stand by Jesus agonizing. Dear\nMother, by thy heart then so cruelly martyred, obtain for me the virtue\nof temperance and the gift of counsel.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nMary's Sixth Sorrow: The Taking Down of Jesus' Body from the Cross\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nWHO can describe the sorrow and anguish of Mary's heart when the body of\nJesus was taken from the cross, when her tearful eyes fell upon His\ndisfigured features! The pure and holy and beauteous form of her Son was\na mass of clotted blood and unsightly wounds; and yet, disfigured as it\nwas, there shone in His countenance a clear, calm expression of divine\nmajesty. Now Mary views the wounds of that sacred body; she looks at the\ngap made in His side by the cruel spear, and can almost see the Sacred\nHeart of Jesus, all bruised and broken for love of man. Before her\nvision passes in detail His life and her own. Memory presents to her\nmind every day and hour of their quiet, happy life at Nazareth. Is it to\nbe wondered, then, that at this bitter moment her sorrow was so great\nthat, as St. Anselm observes, she should have died had she not been\nsustained by a miracle of divine omnipotence?\n\nPRACTICE\n\nOUGHT not the contemplation of the sorrows of our blessed Mother confirm\nus in patience, in resignation to the will of God in our trials and\nsufferings? If the Son of God said of Himself: \"Ought not Christ to have\nsuffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?\" (_Luke_ xxiv.\n26); if the most pure and holy Mother of God, despite her great\nprerogatives and merits, had to suffer a sorrow so ineffable, do not\nmurmur if the word of Christ is addressed also to you: \"And he that\ntaketh not up his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me\" (_Matt._\nx. 38).\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the pain thou didst suffer\nwhen the body of thy divine Son, taken down all torn and bloody from the\ncross, was placed in thy arms. Dear Mother, by thy heart pierced\nthrough, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of\nunderstanding.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n[Illustration: On the Way to Jerusalem]\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nMary's Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Buried\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE sacrifice for the redemption of the world was accomplished. \"And\nJoseph, taking the body, wrapt it up in a clean linen cloth, and laid it\nin his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled\na great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way\" (_Matt._\nxxvii. 59). Mary also took part in the burial of her beloved Son, though\nthe evangelists do not mention her name amongst those who were present\non that mournful occasion. Never, most assuredly, was human soul visited\nby such woe and desolation, as that which overwhelmed hers as she cast a\nlast glance on the precious remains of her dead Son.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLET us learn of the sorrowful Mother at the tomb of her divine Son\nsubmission to God's holy will in all things, but especially when He\ntakes from us one of our dear ones. Again, the contemplation of the\nsufferings of Mary should fortify us in patience, whenever God is\npleased to visit us with a light and small cross of affliction, or even\nwith a sorrow that causes our heart to bleed. It should inspire us with\na filial confidence in Mary, who thus suffered for us and gave her\ndivine Son for our salvation. We can and ought to prove our love for\nher, not by sentimental feelings of affection, but by a sincere hatred\nof sin and great fervor in the service of her divine Son.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the anguish felt by thy loving\nheart when Jesus' body was laid in the sepulcher. Dear Mother, by all\nthe bitterness of desolation thou didst know, obtain for me the virtue\nof diligence and the gift of wisdom.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nReasons Why Mary Had to Suffer\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE reasons why God permitted Mary to suffer so much may be briefly\nstated as follows: He did so from His love for Mary and from His love\nfor us. He did so from His love for Mary, because by suffering she\nmerited greater glory in heaven. As Mother of the Crucified she\npersevered beneath the cross, and now she thrones in heaven as the\nglorious Mother of the risen Redeemer. Because she shared in His\nsuffering, she now shares His glory. Again, God permitted Mary to suffer\nbecause He loved us. If she had not experienced such bitter sorrow, we\nwould not have recourse to her, for whosoever has not suffered himself\ncan not have sympathy with the sufferings of others. Mary knows the\npangs of sorrow by experience, and therefore knows also how to console\nand help us.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nBECAUSE she herself drained the most bitter cup of sorrow, Mary is\nalways willing to help those who invoke her aid. But above all she is\ninclined to help repentant sinners, because she knows how great the\nprice of their redemption was, paid by the blood of her divine Son. She\nis able to help us, because, after God, she is most powerful; she is\nmost willing to help us, because she loves us, whom God so has loved \"as\nto give His only-begotten Son\" (_John_ iii. 16). Let us, therefore, have\nrecourse to her in all our needs, and we shall experience the power of\nher help in life and death.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nI COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for all thy sorrows. I beseech\nthee, dear Mother, by thy heart pierced through by them, obtain for me\nfull abandonment to the will of God in everything and perseverance to\nthe end.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nV\n\nNovena for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\n\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nMary's Death was without Pain\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\nO MARY, Virgin most blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus\nChrist, through thy mercy I beseech thee to come to my aid, and to\ninspire me with such confidence in thy power, that I may have recourse\nto thee, pray to thee, and implore thy aid in all needs of soul and\nbody.\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY, the virgin Mother of God, was conceived without original sin. She\nnever dimmed the luster of sanctifying grace which beautified her soul\nby actual sin. Nevertheless she had to pass through the dark portal of\ndeath before she was assumed, body and soul, into heaven. She had not\nbeen endowed with the privilege of immortality with which God had\ninvested our first parents in paradise. It was meet that she should be\nlike unto her divine Son in everything, even in death. But as she had\ndrained the bitter cup of suffering during her whole life, and\nespecially when standing beneath the cross, her death was to be free\nfrom pain and suffering. She quietly passed away yielding up her spirit\nin a yearning desire to be united forever with her divine Son in heaven.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIF YOU have dispossessed your heart of all unruly attachment to the\ngoods and enjoyments of this earth, you, too, may hope for a happy and\ntranquil transition from this land of exile to your home in heaven.\nTherefore, if you are still attached to the transitory things of this\nlife, disengage your heart from them now. The voluntary renouncement of\nearthly goods alone is meritorious before God. The separation from them\nenforced by the strong hand of death is of no supernatural value.\n\nPRAYER OF THE CHURCH\n\nWE BESEECH Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants; that\nwe who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by\nthe intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO MOST benign Mother Mary! I rejoice that by thy happy and tranquil\ndeath the yearning of thy heart was appeased, and thy life, so rich in\nmerit and sacrifice, received its crown. I rejoice that after passing\nfrom this life, thou, O most loving Mother, wast made the glorious and\npowerful queen of heaven and dost exercise thy influence as such for the\nbenefit of thy frail, exiled children on earth. Obtain for me, I beseech\nthee, a happy death, that I may praise and glorify thy might and\nkindness forever in heaven.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\n_Ejaculation_\n\nSweet heart of Mary be my salvation!\n\nIndulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A plenary indulgence, once a\nmonth, on any day, to all who shall have said it every day for a month,\nunder the usual conditions.\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nAt Mary's Tomb\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nAN ANCIENT legend relates that, led by Heaven, all the Apostles, except\nSt. Thomas, assembled at the Blessed Virgin's death-bed. After she had\nbreathed forth her pure spirit, her sacred remains were prepared for the\ngrave by wrapping the body in new white linen and decking it with\nflowers. Meanwhile the apostles, assembled in another room, sang psalms\nand hymns in praise of their departed Mother. The apostles, all the\ndisciples, and the faithful dwelling in Jerusalem followed the blessed\nremains to the grave chanting psalms and hymns. Arrived in the valley of\nJosaphat, the body was gently placed in a sepulcher of stone not far\nfrom the Garden of Olives. After the entombment the apostles and crowds\nof the faithful lingered near the sacred spot in prayer, meditation, and\nchanting of psalms in which angels' voices were heard to mingle.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nJOIN in spirit with the apostles and faithful in their prayer and\nmeditation at the grave of our blessed Mother. Contemplate and review\nher whole life. Could a course like hers have terminated more\nappropriately than with so beautiful, painless, and tranquil a passing\naway? Prepare yourself even now for your departure from this life. Do\nnot postpone the settlement of your affairs, spiritual and temporal,\nuntil the last uncertain hours. Above all, remove now, or as soon as\npossible, all doubts, anxieties, and irregularities of conscience,\nbecause delay is dangerous and leads to impenitence, and because in the\nlast hours the powers of hell usually assail the departing soul with all\ntheir might.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nGLORIOUS Virgin, who for thy consolation didst deserve to die comforted\nby the sight of thy dear Son Jesus, and in the company of the apostles\nand angels; pray for us, that at that awful moment we, too, may be\ncomforted by receiving Jesus in the most holy Eucharist, and may feel\nthee nigh when we breathe forth our soul.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nThe Empty Tomb\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nST. JOHN DAMASCENE writes: \"St. Thomas was not with the other apostles\nwhen the Blessed Virgin died, but arrived in Jerusalem on the third day\nafter that event. Ardently desiring to see once more and to venerate the\nsacred body which had given flesh and blood to his beloved Master, the\ngrave was opened for this purpose. The body could nowhere be seen, and a\ndelicious perfume filled the empty tomb. The apostles then became\nconvinced that as God had preserved the body of Mary free from sin\nbefore, in, and after the birth of His Son, He was pleased likewise,\nafter her death, to preserve that same body from corruption, and to\nglorify it in heaven.\"\n\nA council held in Jerusalem in the year 1672 declared: \"It is beyond all\ndoubt that the Blessed Virgin is not only a great and miraculous sign on\nearth, because she bore God in the flesh and yet remained a virgin, but\nshe is also a great and miraculous sign in heaven, because she was taken\nup thither with soul and body. For although her sinless body was\nenclosed in the tomb, yet, like the body of Our Lord, it arose on the\nthird day and was carried up to heaven.\"\n\nAlthough the doctrine of the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven was\nnot defined by the Church as an article of faith in the strict sense,\nyet the learned Pope Benedict XIV remarks, \"It would be presumptuous and\nblameworthy in any one to call into doubt or to question this beautiful\nand consoling belief of ages.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLET us rejoice at the thought of the glorious resurrection of our dear\nMother. Let us unite ourselves in spirit with the apostles in heaven and\nwith Holy Church to congratulate her on this extraordinary privilege.\nBut let us also rejoice at the thought of our own resurrection. True, it\nshall not take place immediately after death, but it is therefore not\nthe less certain, and it depends on us to make it glorious and blessed.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! As thy sacred body after\ndeath was preserved from corruption, and united with thy sinless soul\nwas borne to heaven by the angels; obtain for me the grace that my life\nand death be holy, so that on the Day of Judgment I may arise to glory\neverlasting.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nReasons for the Bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\n1. THE wages of sin is death. Now, as the Blessed Virgin from the first\nmoment of her existence was preserved from all sin, and even from\noriginal sin, it necessarily follows that death could have no permanent\ndominion over her, and that her body would not be permitted to see\ncorruption.\n\n2. This sinless body had been the medium by which the body of Our Lord\nJesus Christ, who was the conqueror of death, had been formed. How,\nthen, could such a highly privileged body, a pure and virginal body, be\npermitted to pass through corruption and decay?\n\n3. As Mary had yielded up her sacred person to be a dwelling-place for\nthe Lord of heaven, it seems fitting that this same Lord, in His turn,\nshould give the kingdom of heaven to her as her resting-place. St.\nBernard expresses this sentiment as follows: \"When Our Lord came into\nthis world, Mary furnished Him with the noblest dwelling on earth, the\ntemple of her virginal womb. In return, the Lord on this day raises her\nup to the highest throne in heaven.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIF YOU desire to look forward to death without fear, and to expect your\ndissolution with confidence, follow the Apostle's injunction,\n\"Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good\" (_Gal._ vi. 10).\nAvoid sin, perform good works, be patient in affliction, and strive to\nexpiate the punishment due to your sins by voluntary acts of penance,\nthus reducing your inclination to sin. Therefore offer up to God every\nmorning, in a spirit of penitence, all your labors, trials, and\nsufferings.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the\nineffable glory thou didst make for thy departure from this world by a\nlife of retirement, full of merits and virtue, dedicated to God alone;\nobtain for me the grace that, following thy example, I may detach my\nheart from this world, and patiently bear affliction and adversity,\ncarefully avoid sin, and always strive to advance in the love of God.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nMary's Glorious Entrance into Heaven\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nA JOY greater than human heart can conceive fills the heavenly spirits\nwhen a soul enters heaven to receive her reward. What jubilant\ntransports, then, must those have been with which they hailed the\nentrance into heavenly bliss of the most pure and holy Virgin, the\nMother of the Son of God, body and soul, transfigured in glory! And she\nis, and shall be, for all eternity, their mistress and queen! What an\nineffable joy, too, for the Blessed Virgin, to behold the countless\nnumbers of angels, to admire their beauty, their purity, their intense\nlove of God! But as the feeble light of a candle disappears before the\nsplendor of the sun's rays, thus are these choirs of angels obscured by\nthe ineffable glory of her divine Son coming to welcome His Mother. Who\ncan describe this affecting meeting? What a superabundant reward for\naffliction and suffering! What an ocean of joy and bliss, when the Son\nof God presented His Mother before the throne of His heavenly Father,\nwho greeted her as His beloved Daughter! What a joy to behold the Holy\nGhost, whose pure Spouse she had been even on earth! These transports of\nbliss baffle all attempts at description.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHOUGH we are unable to have an adequate perception of Mary's glory in\nheaven, by which she is raised above all angels and saints, yet it is in\nour power to do one thing; we can rejoice at the glory of our blessed\nMother, and join the heavenly spirits and the saints in paying homage to\nher. Let us resolve to do this, and never to forget that Mary attained\nto the largest share of her divine Son's glory because she was foremost\nin sharing His sufferings. Let this encourage us to bear our cross, to\nbear it with our Saviour even to the height of Calvary, there to die\nwith Him.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the\npreparation with which thou wast glorified by God--by the Father as His\nmost beloved Daughter, by the Son as His immaculate Mother, and by the\nHoly Ghost as His most pure Spouse--in heaven; obtain for me the grace\nto share to some extent this thy glory, and therefore to live so that I\nmay deserve it.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nMary Crowned in Heaven\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY'S glory received its culmination by her coronation as queen of\nheaven and earth. It was meet that in her should be fulfilled the words\nof Holy Scripture: \"Come from Libanus, my Spouse, come, thou shalt be\ncrowned\" (_Cant._ iv. 8), and that her own prophetic words, \"He hath put\ndown the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble\" (_Luke_ i.\n52), should be exemplified in her. For it was reasonable and becoming\nthat she, who once with Jesus wore the crown of shame and contempt,\nshould now share with Him the crown of immortal glory. It was but fair\nand just that the immaculate being who was chosen, above all inhabitants\nof heaven and earth, to be the true and worthy Mother of God, should now\nbe solemnly installed over all creatures in heaven and on earth as the\nqueen of angels and men, and that to her should be offered homage,\npraise, and honor by the blessed spirits and by the souls of the saints.\nBut the crown which she received is not one made of gold and precious\nstones; it is composed of the virtues with which Mary, in faithful\nco-operation with divine grace, embellished herself; it consists, too,\nof all the homage and glory which she receives as queen of heaven. The\nmost precious gem in this crown is the filial love and gratitude Jesus\nshows toward His Mother in heaven.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nINDEED, \"eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither has it entered\ninto the heart of man,\" what the heavenly Father has prepared in the\nmansions of eternal bliss for His beloved Daughter, the Son for His\nBlessed Mother, and the Holy Ghost for His chosen Spouse. She is now\nqueen of heaven and earth; of heaven, for she is the queen of all angels\nand saints; of earth, for as Mother of God she is the Mother of all\nmankind, the mediatrix between the Redeemer and the redeemed.\n\nYou, too, may contribute a gem toward the crown of your heavenly Mother\nby paying her filial homage, imitating her virtues, and preserving, for\nthe love of her, your innocence and purity of heart.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n[Illustration: The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph Finding Jesus in the\nTemple]\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the\neverlasting crown of glory with which God has crowned thee queen of\nheaven and earth; obtain for me through thy mighty intercession the\ngrace to persevere in virtue to the end, so that finally I may attain\nthe crown of bliss prepared by God for those that love Him.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nMary's Bliss in Heaven\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nACCORDING to Holy Scripture and the doctrine of the Church, there are in\nheaven various grades of glory and bliss, according to the rank and\nmerit of the saints. They probably attain this higher grade of glory and\nbliss by the increase of their ability to enjoy the happiness of heaven.\nTheir intellect is enabled to contemplate more profoundly the\nincomprehensible essence of God; their power of perception is augmented\nso that they may more readily recognize and admire the splendor of the\nangels, saints, and heavenly mansions; their will is enabled to be\nunited, in a higher degree, with God. From this we may conclude that\nMary's bliss in heaven transcends all human conception. Her heavenly\nglory and reward consists in the perfect adaptation of her whole being\nto the enjoyment of God and of eternal bliss.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLOOK up, Christian soul, to this great and brilliant queen of heaven.\nShe is your gentle Mother and assures you of her help, and the diadem\nshe wears upon her brow is a proof that she has the power to help you.\nDo not, therefore, refuse the hand of this mighty friend in heaven, for\nshe will lift you from the depths of your misery, from the rocky shoals\nof temptation, and lead you strong and victorious into the presence of\nher divine Son. Thus you will enter into a new and supernatural life in\nChrist, to share in the grace-laden mysteries of His life, passion, and\ntriumph.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GREAT and glorious queen of heaven, Mary! I beseech thee by that\nexalted throne upon which God has raised thee above all angels and\nsaints; let me one day appear amongst them to join them in their praise\nof thee. Obtain for me the grace that I may never cease to honor thee as\nthou dost deserve to be honored, and thereby to become worthy of thy\nmighty protection in life and death.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nMary, the Queen of Mercy\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY is, then, a queen, but--what a consolation to know it!--a queen\nalways mild and gentle, always willing to confer benefits upon us. Hence\nthe Church teaches us to call her the Mother of mercy. The pious and\nlearned author Gerson says: \"God's dominion comprises justice and mercy.\nHe divided it, retaining the administration of justice for Himself, and\nrelinquishing, in a certain sense, the dispensation of mercy to Mary, by\nconferring through her hands all graces He grants to mankind.\" How\nconsoling, then, the assurance that our merciful Mother is so mighty and\nso loving a queen!\n\nPRACTICE\n\nSO GREAT is the tenderness of Mary's maternal heart \"that never was it\nheard that any one who fled to her protection, implored her help, and\nsought her intercession was left unaided.\" How many prayers, petitions,\nand thanksgivings ascend daily to the throne of this our exalted and\nmerciful protectress! There is not a cry of an afflicted, struggling,\nand suffering soul that she does not graciously hear. Join, therefore,\nconfidently in the prayer of Holy Church, \"Hail, holy queen, Mother of\nmercy!\" Approach her with filial trust. Neglect not to honor her\nyourself, and do all in your power to lead others to do her honor.\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! Holy Church teaches me that\ndespite the glory to which thou wast exalted, thou didst not forget thy\nmiserable clients, and that in heaven thy mercy is still greater than it\nwas during thy life on earth. Therefore I come to thee and trustingly\nlay at thy feet all my needs, miseries, and petitions. My queen, my\nMother, turn not thy gracious eyes from me. Remember me with thy divine\nSon; cease not to pray for me and take me under thy protection, so that\nI may finally have the happiness to see and praise thee in thy glory for\never and ever.\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nMary in Heaven, the Help of Christians on Earth\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nMARY'S help as Mother of mercy is not confined to individuals. She is\nthe protectress and helper of the whole Church. All over the earth,\nwherever we cast our glance, in the records of the history of times long\npast and those of recent occurrence, we find testimony of the graces and\nbenefits obtained through her intercession. The feasts celebrated by the\nChurch throughout the year, what are they but evidences of gratitude\noffered to the queen of heaven for the oftentimes miraculous delivery\nfrom war, pestilence, and other great afflictions? Hence she is rightly\ninvoked as the \"Help of Christians.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIN OUR days, too, storms and dangers threaten the Church. Let us,\ntherefore, by calling on Mary for help, do our part toward shortening\nthe days of visitation and trial. Let us not confine our petitions to\nher within the narrow limits of our own personal needs, but let us join\nin the cry for help ascending to the Mother of mercy throughout all\nChristendom. Let us daily, for Holy Church, send up our petition to\nMary's heavenly throne: \"Help of Christians, pray for us!\"\n\nPrayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GLORIOUS Virgin and Mother of God, Mary, queen of heaven! Forget us\nnot. Thou art the help of Christians; lighten our tribulations, and help\nus with motherly intercession at the throne of thy divine Son. With Holy\nChurch I join in the petition to thee: \"Holy Mary, aid the miserable,\nassist the desponding, strengthen the weak, pray for the people, plead\nfor the clergy, intercede for the devout female sex. Let all who have\nrecourse to thee experience the efficacy of thy help!\"\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nEjaculation (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nPART III\n\nThe Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\n\n\"The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death\nshall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and\ntheir departure was taken for misery, and their going away from us for\nutter destruction; but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men\nthey suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in\na few things, in many they shall be well rewarded; because God has tried\nthem and found them worth of Himself\" (_Wis._ iii 1-5.)\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nThe Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\nAMONG the saints who in Catholic devotion are invoked with special\nconfidence, because they have proved themselves efficacious helpers in\nadversity and difficulties, there is a group venerated under the\ncollective name of Holy Helpers. They are:\n\n  1. St. George, Martyr.\n  2. St. Blase, Bishop and Martyr.\n  3. St. Pantaleon, Martyr.\n  4. St. Vitus, Martyr.\n  5. St. Erasmus, Bishop and Martyr.\n  6. St. Christophorus, Martyr.\n  7. St. Dionysius, Bishop and Martyr.\n  8. St. Cyriacus, Martyr.\n  9. St. Achatius, Martyr.\n  10. St. Eustachius, Martyr.\n  11. St. Giles, Abbot.\n  12. St. Catherine, Virgin and Martyr.\n  13. St. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr.\n  14. St. Barbara, Virgin and Martyr.\n\nThe reason why these saints are invoked as a group is said to have been\nan epidemic which devastated Europe from 1346 to 1349. It was called the\nPlague, or \"Black Death,\" and among its symptoms were the turning black\nof the tongue, parching of the throat, violent headache, fever, and\nboils on the abdomen. The malady attacked its victims suddenly, bereft\nthem of reason, and caused death in a few hours, so that many died\nwithout the last sacraments. Fear caused many attacks and disrupted\nsocial and family ties. To all appearances, the disease was incurable.\n\nDuring this period of general affliction the people in pious confidence\nturned toward Heaven, and had recourse to the intercession of the\nsaints, praying to be spared an attack, or to be cured when stricken.\nAmong the saints invoked since the earliest times of the Church as\nspecial patrons in certain diseases were: St. Christopher and St. Giles\nagainst the plague, St. Dionysius against headache, St. Blase against\nills of the throat, St. Catherine against those of the tongue, St.\nErasmus against those of the abdomen, St. Barbara against fever, St.\nVitus against epilepsy. St. Pantaleon was the patron of physicians, St.\nCyriacus was had recourse to in temptations, especially in those at the\nhour of death; St. Achatius was invoked in death agony; Sts.\nChristopher, Barbara, and Catherine were appealed to for protection\nagainst a sudden and unprovided death; the aid of St. Giles was implored\nfor making a good confession; St. Eustachius was patron in all kinds of\ndifficulties, and, because peculiar circumstances separated him for a\ntime from his family, he was invoked also in family troubles. Domestic\nanimals, too, being attacked by the plague, Sts. George, Erasmus,\nPantaleon, and Vitus were invoked for their protection. It appears from\nthe invocation of these saints, so widespread in olden times during the\nplague and other epidemics, that their being grouped as the Fourteen\nHoly Helpers originated in a like visitation.\n\nThe fourteen saints venerated as the Holy Helpers are represented with\nthe symbols of their martyrdom, or with the insignia of their state of\nlife; also, as a group of children. The latter representation is\naccounted for as follows:\n\nThe abbey of Langheim, in the diocese of Bamberg, Bavaria, owned a farm\non which the monks kept their flocks. The sheep were tended by\nshepherds, who led them along the hillsides, where they grazed quietly\nduring the day, and were driven home in the evening.\n\nOn the evening of September 22, 1445, a young shepherd, Herman Leicht,\nwho was gathering his flock for the homeward drive, heard what seemed to\nhim to be the cry of a child, and looking about, saw a child sitting in\na field near by. Surprised, and wondering how the child came there, he\nwas about to approach, when it disappeared. Feeling rather disturbed,\nthe boy returned to his flock. After reaching it, he turned to look back\nto the place where he had seen the apparition. There the child sat\nagain, this time in a circle of light, and between two burning candles.\nTerrified at this second apparition, he made the sign of the cross. The\nchild smiled, as if to encourage him, and he was about to approach it\nagain, when it vanished a second time. Greatly perplexed, he drove his\nflock home and informed his parents of the occurrence. But they called\nthe apparition a delusion and told him not to mention it to any one.\nNevertheless, feeling uneasy, and desiring an explanation, he went to\nthe monastery and related his experience to one of the Fathers, who\nadvised him to ask the child, if it ever should appear to him again,\nwhat it wanted.\n\nNearly a year later, June 28, 1446, the eve of the feast of Sts. Peter\nand Paul, the child again appeared to the boy in the same place as\nbefore and about sunset; but this time it was surrounded by thirteen\nother children, all in a halo of glory. He boldly approached the group\nand asked the child he had formerly seen in the name of the Father, and\nof the Son, and the Holy Ghost, what it desired. The child replied: \"We\nare the Fourteen Helpers, and desire that a chapel be built for us. Be\nthou our servant, and we shall serve thee.\" Then the group of children\ndisappeared, and the shepherd boy was filled with heavenly consolation.\n\nThe following Sunday, after he had driven his flock to the pasture, it\nseemed to him that he saw two lighted candles descending from the sky to\nthe place where he had seen the apparition. A woman who was passing at\nthe time declared that she also saw them. The boy hastened to the\nmonastery and told about the two apparitions. The abbot, Frederic IV,\nand the rest of the community, were not inclined to believe in the\napparition, and ascribed it to the boy's visionary fancy. But when, in\nthe course of time, several extraordinary favors were granted to people\nwho prayed at the place of the apparition, the monks built a chapel\nthere. It was begun in 1447, and finished and dedicated next year under\nthe invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Fourteen Holy Helpers.\nThe bishop granted an indulgence for the day of the anniversary of the\ndedication, the Papal Nuncio, Cardinal Joannes, granted another, and\nPope Nicholas V a third. These indulgences, and a number of other\nspiritual privileges granted to the chapel, attracted a great many\nvisitors, so that it became a place of pious pilgrimage. Elector\nFrederic III, in fulfilment of a vow made when beset with difficulties,\nvisited the chapel in 1485. Emperor Ferdinand also visited it and left,\nas a votive offering, his gold pectoral chain on the altar.\n\nDevotion to the Fourteen Holy Helpers continued to spread. In 1743, a\nmagnificent church, to replace the old chapel, was begun, and completed\nin 1772. Churches and altars in honor of these saints are found in\nItaly, Austria, Tyrol, Hungary, Bohemia, Switzerland, and other\ncountries of Europe. In the United States of America two churches are\ndedicated under the invocation of the Holy Helpers: one in Baltimore,\nMd., the other in Gardenville, N. Y. Wherever and whenever invoked,\nthese saints have proved themselves willing helpers in all difficulties,\nvicissitudes, and trials of their faithful clients.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nLegends\n\nBEFORE proceeding to relate the lives of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, we\ndeem it opportune to define the term usually applied to the narrative of\nthe lives of the saints.\n\nThe histories of the saints are called Legends. This word is derived\nfrom the Latin, and signifies something that is to be read, a passage\nthe reading of which is prescribed. The legends of the saints are the\nlives of the holy martyrs and confessors of the Faith. Some of them\noccur in the Roman Breviary which the Catholic clergy is obliged to read\nevery day.\n\nJoseph von Goerres, an illustrious champion of the Church during the\nfirst half of the nineteenth century, writes as follows concerning\nlegends:\n\n\"The histories of the lives of the saints were gathered from the\nearliest times. A collection of such histories is found in 'The Golden\nLegend.' The Passionales, too, containing the life of a saint for every\nday in the year, belong to this sort of literature. In Germany these\nhistories were at first translations from the Latin; later, they were\nwritten in the native idiom, and, in style, were of a charming\nsimplicity. At that time, when the upper classes did not yet judge\nthemselves too highly cultivated to share in the Faith, and not too\nprivileged to join in the sentiments and affections of the people, and\nwere therefore more in harmony with the lower ranks of society, these\nlegends were in general circulation among all classes: among the wealthy\nin manuscript, among the poor orally and in the form in which they had\nbecome acquainted with them in church and elsewhere.\n\n\"In early times the science of criticism was unknown; therefore little\ncare was exercised in separating the poetic additions from the authentic\nlegends, especially as the Church had not yet spoken on the subject.\nFaith was yet of that robust sort which is not affected by miraculous\noccurrences. Nearly all Europe then still accepted the adage now current\nonly in Spain, 'It is better sometimes to believe what can not be\nestablished as truth, than to lose a single truth by want of faith.' But\nlater the science of criticism came into its rights. The Church\nestablished canonical rules, according to which a strict investigation\nof all the facts submitted to her judgment was to be made, and rejected\neverything that could not stand the most rigid examination.\n\n[Illustration: Mary, the Mother of Sorrows]\n\n\"Then Art devoted itself to that legendary lore which the Church,\ndeclaring it outside of her domain, permitted to be embellished at will.\nThus poetic legends were multiplied, their authors being more or less\nconvinced that the reader would be able to distinguish truth from\npoetical embellishment. The common people continued to make little\ndistinction and did not permit criticism to influence their ancient\nbeliefs. They regarded these legends as they regard the pictures of the\nsaints; not as portraits of the persons depicted--for in the very next\nchurch the same saint might be represented in a quite different manner--\nbut as illustrations, more or less apt, whose object was to attract the\nattention by their artistic character and thus to draw the mind to the\ncontemplation of their original, and by it to God, and thereby serve the\npurpose of edification.\"\n\nIf we are not devoid of all sentiments of piety, the history of the\ncombats and victories of the saints and martyrs, and the narrative of\nthe miracles wrought through their intercession before and after their\ndeath, will always be a source of joy and consolation to us, and will\ntend to animate us with similar fortitude and love of virtue.\n\nThe legends of the Fourteen Holy Helpers are replete with the most\nglorious examples of heroic firmness and invincible courage in the\nprofession of the Faith, which ought to incite us to imitate their\nfidelity in the performance of the Christian and social duties. If they,\nwith the aid of God's grace, achieved such victories, why should not we,\nby the same aid, be able to accomplish the little desired of us? God\nrewarded His victorious champions with eternal bliss; the same crown is\nprepared for us, if we but render ourselves worthy of it. God placed the\nseal of miracles on the intrepid confession of His servants; and a mind\nimbued with the spirit of faith sees nothing extraordinary therein,\nbecause our divine Saviour Himself said, \"Amen, amen I say to you, he\nthat believeth in Me, the works that I do, he also shall do, and greater\nthan these shall he do\" (_John_ xiv. 12). In all the miraculous events\nwrought in and by the saints appears only the victorious omnipotent\npower of Jesus Christ, and the living faith in which His servants\noperated in virtue of this power. To obliterate the miracles that appear\nin the lives of the saints, or even to enfeeble their import by the\nmanner of relating them, would rob these legends of their intrinsic\nvalue. If our age is no longer robust enough to acknowledge the effects\nof divine omnipotence and grace, it does not follow that they must be\ndisavowed or denied.\n\n\n\nThe Legends of the Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\nI.\n\nSt. George, Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. GEORGE is honored throughout Christendom as one of the most\nillustrious martyrs of Jesus Christ. In the reign of the first Christian\nemperors numerous churches were erected in his honor, and his tomb in\nPalestine became a celebrated place of pilgrimage. But his history is\ninvolved in great obscurity, as no early records of his life and\nmartyrdom are at present in existence. The following are the traditions\nconcerning him which have been handed down to us by the Greek\nhistorians, and which are celebrated in verse by that illustrious saint\nand poet of the eighth century, St. John Damascene.\n\nSt. George is said to have been born in Cappadocia of noble Christian\nparents. After the death of his father, he traveled with his mother into\nPalestine, of which she was a native. There she possessed a considerable\nestate, which fell to him upon her death. Being strong and robust in\nbody, he embraced the profession of a soldier, and was made a tribune,\nor colonel, in the army. His courage and fidelity attracted the\nattention of Emperor Diocletian, who bestowed upon him marks of special\nfavor. When that prince declared war against the Christian religion, St.\nGeorge laid aside the signs of his rank, threw up his commission, and\nrebuked the emperor for the severity of his bloody edicts. He was\nimmediately cast into prison, and alternate threats and promises were\nemployed to induce him to apostatize. As he continued firm, he was put\nto the torture and tormented with great cruelty. \"I despise your\npromises,\" he said to the judge, \"and do not fear your threats. The\nemperor's power is of short duration, and his reign will soon end. It\nwere better for you, to acknowledge the true God and to seek His\nkingdom.\" Thereupon a great block of stone was placed on the breast of\nthe brave young officer, and thus he was left in prison.\n\nNext day he was bound upon a wheel set with sharp knives, and it was put\nin motion to cut him to pieces. Whilst suffering this cruel torture, he\nsaw a heavenly vision, which consoled and encouraged him, saying,\n\"George, fear not; I am with thee.\" His patience and fortitude under the\ntorments inflicted on him so affected the numerous pagan spectators that\nmany of them were converted to the Faith and suffered martyrdom for it.\nOn the next day, April 23, 303, St. George was led through the city and\nbeheaded. This took place at Lydda, the city in which, as we read in the\nActs of the Apostles (ix.), St. Peter healed a man sick with the palsy.\n\nSt. George is usually represented as a knight tilting against a dragon;\nbut this is only emblematical of the glorious combat in which he\nencountered and overthrew the devil, winning for himself thereby a\nmartyr's crown.\n\nLESSON\n\nWE TOO, like St. George, often have opportunity to confess our faith in\nChrist. We confess it by patiently bearing adversity, by suppressing our\nevil inclinations, by suffering injustice without retaliating evil for\nevil, by using every opportunity of performing deeds of charity, by\ndevoting ourselves unremittingly to our daily duties, by carefully\nguarding our tongue, etc. Examine yourself whether you have not often\ndenied your Faith, if not in words, through your works.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who dost rejoice us by the merits and intercession of Thy blessed\nmartyr George; graciously grant that we, who through him implore Thee\nfor Thy bounty, may receive thereby the gift of Thy grace. Through\nChrist our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nII\n\nSt. Blase, Bishop and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. BLASE was born at Sebaste, Armenia. He became a physician, but at\nthe same time devoted himself zealously to the practice of his Christian\nduties. His virtuous conduct gained for him the esteem of the Christian\nclergy and people to such a degree, that he was elected bishop of his\nnative city. Henceforth he devoted himself to ward off the dangers of\nsoul from the faithful, as he had hitherto been intent on healing their\nbodily ills. To all, he was a shining example of virtue.\n\nDuring the reign of Emperor Licinius a cruel persecution of Christians\nbroke out. The persecutors directed their fury principally against the\nbishops, well knowing that when the shepherd is stricken the flock is\ndispersed. Listening to the entreaties of the faithful, and mindful of\nthe words of Our Lord, \"When they shall persecute you in this city, flee\ninto another\" (_Matt._ x. 23), St. Blase hid himself in a cave. But one\nday the prefect Agricola instituted a chase, and his party discovered\nthe holy bishop and brought him before their master.\n\nSt. Blase remained steadfast in the Faith, and by its able confession\nand defense attracted the attention of the attendants at his trial. The\ncruel tyrant had him bound and tortured with iron combs. After suffering\nthese torments with great patience and meekness, the saint was cast into\nprison. He was kept there a long time, because the prefect hoped to\nexhaust his powers of endurance, and to bring him to sacrifice to the\nidols. His jailer permitted the holy bishop to receive visitors in his\nprison, and many sick and suffering availed themselves of this\nprivilege. He cured some of them and gave good advice to others.\n\nOne day a mother brought to him her boy, who, while eating, had\nswallowed a fishbone, which remained in his throat, and, causing great\npain, threatened suffocation. St. Blase prayed and made the sign of the\ncross over the boy, and behold, he was cured. For this reason the saint\nis invoked in throat troubles.\n\nAt length the holy bishop was again brought before the judge and\ncommanded to sacrifice to the idols. But he said: \"Thou art blind,\nbecause thou art not illuminated by the true light. How can a man\nsacrifice to idols, when he adores the true God alone? I do not fear thy\nthreats. Do with me according to thy pleasure. My body is in thy power,\nbut God alone has power over my soul. Thou seekest salvation with the\nidols; I hope and trust to receive it from the only true and living God\nwhom I adore.\"\n\nThen the prefect sentenced him to death. St. Blase was beheaded,\nsuffering death for the Faith February 3, 316.\n\nLESSON\n\nST. BLASE gave us a glorious example of fortitude in the confession of\nthe Faith. According to the teaching of St. Paul, confession of the\nFaith is necessary for our salvation. He says, \"For if thou confess with\nthy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised\nHim up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart we believe\nunto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation\"\n(_Rom._ x. 9, 10). We are, therefore, not permitted to be silent, much\nless to agree, when our Faith, and whatever is connected therewith, as\nthe sacraments, ceremonies, priests, etc., are ridiculed and reviled.\nParents especially must be most careful in speaking of these subjects\nbefore their children and servants, and do so only with due reverence.\n\nOn the contrary, we must confess our Faith, and if necessary, defend it\nagainst all attacks. Often one serious word will suffice to silence a\ncalumniator of the Faith and cause him to blush. We must confess our\nFaith not only in the bosom of our family, but also in public. We must\nlet our fellow-men know that we are true Catholics, who adhere to our\nFaith from conviction, without regard to what others say of us, or how\nthey judge us, remembering the words of Our Lord, \"Every one, therefore,\nthat shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my\nFather who is in heaven\" (_Matt._ x. 32).\n\nIt was remarked above that St. Blase is the patron invoked in throat\ntroubles. Therefore the Church, on his feast, February 3, gives a\nspecial blessing, at which she prays over those receiving it: \"By the\nintercession of St. Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver thee from\nall ills of the throat and from all other ills; in the name of the\nFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.\" Do not neglect to\nreceive this blessing, if you have the opportunity. The blessings of the\nChurch are powerful and effective, for she is God's representative on\nearth. Therefore her blessing is God's blessing, and is always\neffective, except we ourselves place an obstacle in its way.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who dost rejoice us through the memory of Thy blessed bishop and\nmartyr Blase: graciously grant us, that we, who honor his memory, may\nexperience his protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nIII\n\nSt. Erasmus, Bishop and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nTHE pious historians of the early Christian times state, as a rule, only\nwhat the saints did and suffered for the Faith, and how they died. They\ndeemed the martyrs' glorious combat and their victorious entrance into\nheaven more instructive, and therefore more important, than a lengthy\ndescription of their lives.\n\nHence we know little of the native place and the youth of St. Erasmus,\nexcept that at the beginning of the fourth century of the Christian era\nhe was bishop of Antioch in Asia Minor, the city where the name of\n\"Christian\" first came into use. When a long and cruel persecution broke\nout under the Emperor Diocletian, St. Erasmus hid himself in the\nmountains of the Libanon, and led there, for some years, an austere life\nof penance and fasting. Finally he was discovered and dragged before the\njudge.\n\nAt first, persuasions and kindness were employed to induce him to deny\nthe Faith, but when these efforts failed recourse was had to the most\ncruel torments. He was scourged, and finally cast into a caldron filled\nwith boiling oil, sulphur, and pitch. In this seething mass God\npreserved him from harm, and by this miracle many spectators were\nconverted to the Faith. Still more enraged thereat, the judge ordered\nthe holy bishop to be thrown into prison and kept there in chains till\nhe died of starvation. But God delivered him, as He had once delivered\nSt. Peter. One night an angel appeared to him and said: \"Erasmus, follow\nme! Thou shalt convert a great many.\" Thus far he had led numbers to the\nFaith by suffering, now he was to convert multitudes as a missionary.\n\nDelivered from prison by the power of God, he went forth into many lands\nand preached the Faith. Mighty in word and deed, he wrought many\nmiracles and converted great numbers of heathens. At length he came to\nItaly, where Emperor Maximin persecuted the Christians as fiercely as\ndid Diocletian in the East. As soon as Maximin heard of Erasmus and the\nconversions effected by his preaching and miracles, he ordered the\nslaughter of three hundred of the converts. Erasmus himself was most\ncruelly tortured, but to no purpose. He remained firm. Then cast into\nprison, he was again liberated by an angel.\n\nAt last the hour of deliverance came to this valiant and apostolic\nconfessor and martyr of Christ. He heard a heavenly voice, saying:\n\"Erasmus, come now to the heavenly city and rest in the place which God\nhas prepared for thee with the holy martyrs and prophets. Enjoy now the\nfruit of thy labor. By thee I was honored in heaven and on earth.\"\nErasmus, looking toward heaven, saw a splendid crown, and the apostles\nand prophets welcoming him. He bowed his head, saying: \"Receive, O Lord,\nthe soul of thy servant!\" and peacefully breathed forth his spirit on\nJune 2, 308.\n\nLESSON\n\nTHE tortures which St. Erasmus suffered for the Faith seem almost\nincredible, and the events related of him are truly wonderful. Martyrdom\nand miracles illustrated the doctrine he preached; he converted\nmultitudes and gained the crown of heaven.\n\nPerhaps you say that in our times there are no longer any martyrs, at\nleast not in civilized countries. Are you quite sure of it? St.\nAugustine writes: \"Peace also has its martyrs.\" It is certainly not easy\nto suffer torments like the martyrs and to receive finally the\ndeath-dealing blow of the sword. But is it not also a martyrdom to suffer\nfor years the pains of a lingering illness? Again, how difficult the\ncombat with the world, the flesh, and the powers of hell! How carefully\nmust we watch and pray to gain the victory! This is our martyrdom. Let us\nimitate the example of the holy martyrs in bearing the trials and\nsufferings of life, and we shall receive, as they did, the crown of\nheaven.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who dost give us joy through the memory of Thy holy martyrs,\ngraciously grant that we may be inflamed by their example, in whose\nmerits we rejoice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nIV\n\nSt. Pantaleon, Physician and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. PANTALEON was physician to Emperor Maximin and a Christian, but he\nfell through a temptation which is sometimes more dangerous than the\nmost severe trials by the fiercest torments. This temptation was the bad\nexample of the impious, idolatrous courtiers with whom the young\nphysician associated. He was seduced by them and abandoned the Faith.\nBut the grace of God called him, and he obeyed.\n\nHermolaus, a zealous priest, by prudent exhortation awakened Pantaleon's\nconscience to a sense of his guilt, and brought him back into the fold\nof the Church. Henceforth he devoted himself ardently to the advancement\nof the spiritual and temporal welfare of his fellow-citizens. First of\nall he sought to convert his father, who was still a heathen, and had\nthe consolation to see him die a Christian. He divided the ample fortune\nwhich he inherited amongst the poor and the sick. As a physician, he was\nintent on healing his patients both by physical and by spiritual means.\nChristians he confirmed in the practice and confession of the Faith, and\nthe heathens he sought to convert. Many suffering from incurable\ndiseases were restored to health by his prayer and the invocation of the\nholy name of Jesus. His presence was everywhere fraught with blessings\nand consolation.\n\nSt. Pantaleon yearned to prove his fidelity to the Faith by shedding his\nblood for it, and the opportunity came to him when his heathen\nassociates in the healing art denounced him to the emperor as a zealous\npropagator of Christianity. He was brought up before the emperor's\ntribunal and ordered to sacrifice to the idols. He replied: \"The God\nwhom I adore is Jesus Christ. He created heaven and earth, He raised the\ndead to life, made the blind see and healed the sick, all through the\npower of His word. Your idols are dead, they can not do anything. Order\na sick person to be brought here, one declared incurable. Your priests\nshall invoke their idols for him and I shall call on the only true God,\nand we shall see who is able to help him.\" The proposal was accepted. A\nman sick with the palsy was brought, who could neither walk nor stand\nwithout help. The heathen priests prayed for him, but in vain. Then\nPantaleon prayed, took the sick man by the hand, and said: \"In the name\nof Jesus, the Son of God, I command thee to rise and be well.\" And the\npalsied man rose, restored to perfect health.\n\nBy this miracle a great number of those present were converted. But the\nemperor and the idolatrous priests were all the more enraged. Maximin\nnow attempted to gain Pantaleon by blandishments and promises to deny\nthe Faith, but without success. Then he had recourse to threats, and as\nthey too availed nothing, he proceeded to have them put into execution.\nThe brave confessor of the Faith was tortured in every conceivable\nmanner. Finally he was nailed to a tree, and then beheaded. The priest\nHermolaus and the brothers Hermippos and Hermocrates suffered death with\nhim, in the year 308.\n\nLESSON\n\nHAPPY are they who, whatever may be their station or calling in life,\nare intent on bringing those with whom they come into contact under the\ninfluence of religion. But, alas, too many do just the reverse. They\npermit themselves to be led astray by bad example, and set aside the\nclaims of the Church as too severe and exacting. How do you act in this\nregard? Do you shun the company of the wicked? A proverb says: \"Tell me\nin whose company you are found, and I will tell you who you are.\" Bad\ncompany insensibly undermines faith and morals, overcomes the fear of\nevil and the aversion to it and weakens the will. \"He that loveth danger\nshall perish in it\" (_Ecclus_. iii. 27).\n\nAs soon as St. Pantaleon came to a sense of his apostasy, he repented\nand returned to the practice of the Faith. He did this despite the\nknowledge that he thereby incurred hatred and persecution. The true\nChristian will ever follow the dictates of conscience and please God,\nwhether he thereby incur the displeasure of men or not. If, to please\nmen, we become remiss in the service of God, we show that we fear and\nlove Him less than men. What a lamentable folly! Of whom have we to\nexpect greater benefits or to fear greater evils--from God or man? Do\nnot act thus unwisely; rather imitate St. Pantaleon, and live for God\nand His service.\n\n_Prayer of the church_\n\nALMIGHTY God, grant us through the intercession of Thy blessed martyr\nPantaleon to be delivered and preserved from all ills of the body, and\nfrom evil thoughts and influences in spirit. Through Christ our Lord.\nAmen.\n\n[Illustration: Our Lord in the Lap of His Blessed Mother]\n\n\n\nV\n\nSt Vitus, Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. VITUS belonged to a noble pagan family of Sicily, and was born about\nthe year 291, at Mazurra. His father, Hylas, placed him in early\nchildhood in charge of a Christian couple named Modestus and Crescentia,\nwho raised him in the Christian faith, and had him baptized. He grew in\nyears and in virtue, till, at the age of twelve, he was claimed by his\nfather, who, to his great anger, found him a fervent Christian.\nConvinced, after many unsuccessful attempts, that stripes and other\nchastisements would not induce him to renounce the Faith, his father\ndelivered the brave boy up to Valerian, the governor, who in vain\nemployed every artifice to shake his constancy. Finally he commanded\nVitus to be scourged, but when two soldiers were about to execute this\norder their hands and those of Valerian were suddenly lamed. The\ngovernor ascribed this to sorcery, yet he invoked Vitus' help, and\nbehold, when the Christian boy made the sign of the cross over the lamed\nmembers, they were healed. Then Valerian sent him back to his father,\ntelling him to leave no means untried to induce his son to sacrifice to\nthe idols.\n\nHylas now tried blandishments, pleasures, and amusements to influence\nthe brave boy. He even sent a corrupt woman to tempt him, and for that\npurpose locked them both together in one room. But Vitus, who had\nremained firm amid tortures, resisted also the allurements of\nsensuality. Closing his eyes, he knelt in prayer, and behold, an angel\nappeared, filling the room with heavenly splendor, and stood at the\nyouth's side. Terrified, the woman fled. But even this miracle did not\nchange the obstinate father.\n\nFinally Vitus escaped, and with Modestus and Crescentia fled to Italy.\nThey landed safe in Naples, and there proclaimed Christ wherever they\nhad an opportunity. Their fervor and many miracles which they wrought\nattracted the attention of Emperor Diocletian to them. He ordered them\nto be brought before his tribunal, which being done, he at first treated\nthem kindly, employing blandishments and making promises to induce them\nto renounce Christ. When this had no effect, they were cruelly\ntormented, but with no other result than confirming them in their\nconstancy. Enraged, the emperor condemned them to be thrown to the wild\nbeasts. But the lions and tigers forgot their ferocity and cowered at\ntheir feet. Now Diocletian, whose fury knew no bounds, ordered them to\nbe cast into a caldron of molten lead and boiling pitch. They prayed, \"O\nGod, deliver us through the power of Thy name!\" and behold, they\nremained unharmed. Then the emperor condemned them to the rack, on which\nthey expired, in the year 303.\n\nLESSON\n\nTHE heroic spirit of martyrdom exhibited by St. Vitus was owing to the\nearly impressions of piety which he received through the teaching and\nexample of his virtuous foster-parents. The choice of teachers, nurses,\nand servants who have the care of children is of the greatest importance\non account of the influence they exert on them. The pagan Romans were\nmost solicitous that no slave whose speech was not perfectly elegant and\ngraceful should have access to children. Shall a Christian be less\ncareful as to their virtue? It is a fatal mistake to imagine that\nchildren are too young to be infected with the contagion of vice. No age\nis more impressionable than childhood; no one observes more closely than\nthe young, and nothing is so easily acquired by them as a spirit of\nvanity, pride, revenge, obstinacy, sloth, etc., and nothing is harder to\novercome. What a happiness for a child to be formed to virtue from\ninfancy, and to be instilled from a tender age with the spirit of piety,\nsimplicity, meekness, and mercy! Such a foundation being well laid, the\nsoul will easily, and sometimes without experiencing severe conflicts,\nrise to the height of Christian perfection.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nWE BESEECH Thee, O Lord, to graciously grant us through the intercession\nof Thy blessed martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, that we may not\nproudly exalt ourselves, but serve Thee in humility and simplicity, so\nas to avoid evil and to do right for Thy sake. Through Christ our Lord.\nAmen.\n\n\n\nVI\n\nSt. Christophorus, Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nAN ANCIENT tradition concerning St. Christophorus relates: He was born\nin the land of Canaan, and was named Reprobus, that is Reprobate, for he\nwas a barbarous heathen. In stature and strength he was a giant.\nThinking no one his like in bodily vigor, he resolved to go forth in\nsearch of the mightiest master and serve him. In his wanderings, he met\nwith a king who was praised as the most valorous man on earth. To him he\noffered his services and was accepted. The king was proud of his giant\nand kept him near his person. One day a minstrel visited the king's\ncastle, and among the ballads he sung before the court was one on the\npower of Satan. At the mention of this name the king blessed himself,\nmaking the sign of the cross. Reprobus, wondering, asked him why he did\nthat. The king replied: \"When I make this sign, Satan has no power over\nme.\" Reprobus rejoined: \"So thou fearest the power of Satan? Then he is\nmightier than thou, and I shall seek and serve him.\"\n\nSetting forth to seek Satan, he came into a wilderness. One dark night\nhe met a band of wild fellows riding through the forest. It was Satan\nand his escort. Reprobus bravely accosted him, saying he wished to serve\nhim. He was accepted. But soon he was convinced that his new master was\nnot the mightiest on earth. For one day, whilst approaching a crucifix\nby the wayside, Satan quickly took to flight, and Reprobus asked him for\nthe reason. Satan replied: \"That is the image of my greatest enemy, who\nconquered me on the cross. From him I always flee.\" When Reprobus heard\nthis, he left the devil, and went in search of Christ.\n\nIn his wanderings, he one day came to a hut hidden in the forest. At its\ndoor sat a venerable old man. Reprobus addressed him, and in the course\nof the conversation that ensued the old man told him that he was a\nhermit, and had left the world to serve Christ, the Lord of heaven and\nearth. \"Thou art my man,\" cried Reprobus; \"Christ is He whom I seek, for\nHe is the strongest and the mightiest. Tell me where I can find Him.\"\n\nThe hermit then began instructing the giant about God and the Redeemer,\nand concluded by saying: \"He who would serve Christ must offer himself\nentirely to Him, and do and suffer everything for His sake. His reward\nfor this will be immense and will last forever.\" Reprobus now asked the\nhermit to allow him to remain, and to continue to instruct him. The\nhermit consented. When Reprobus was fully instructed, he baptized him.\nAfter his baptism, a great change came over the giant. No longer proud\nof his great size and strength, he became meek and humble, and asked the\nhermit to assign to him some task by which he might serve God, his\nmaster. \"For,\" said he, \"I can not pray and fast; therefore I must serve\nGod in some other way.\" The hermit led him to a broad and swift river\nnearby, and said: \"Here build thyself a hut, and when wanderers wish to\ncross the river, carry them over for the love of Christ.\" For there was\nno bridge across the river.\n\nHenceforth, day and night, whenever he was called, Reprobus faithfully\nperformed the task assigned to him. One night he heard a child calling\nto be carried across the river. Quickly he rose, placed the child on his\nstout shoulder, took his staff and walked into the mighty current.\nArrived in midstream, the water rose higher and higher, and the child\nbecame heavier and heavier. \"O child,\" he cried, \"how heavy thou art! It\nseems I bear the weight of the world on my shoulder.\" And the child\nreplied, \"Right thou art. Thou bearest not only the world, but the\nCreator of heaven and earth. I am Jesus Christ, thy King and Lord, and\nhenceforth thou shalt be called Christophorus, that is, Christ-bearer.\nArrived on yonder shore, plant thy staff in the ground, and in token of\nmy power and might tomorrow it shall bear leaves and blossoms.\"\n\nAnd the child disappeared. On reaching the other shore, Christophorus\nstuck his staff into the ground, and behold, it budded forth leaves and\nblossoms. Then, kneeling, he promised the Lord to serve Him ever\nfaithfully. He kept his promise, and thenceforth became a zealous\npreacher of the Gospel, converting many to the Faith. On his missionary\nperegrinations he came also to Lycia, where, after his first sermon,\neighteen thousand heathens requested baptism. When Emperor Decius heard\nof this, he sent a company of four hundred soldiers to capture\nChristophorus. To these he preached so convincingly, that they all asked\nfor baptism. Decius became enraged thereat and had him cast into prison.\nThere he first treated him with great kindness, and surrounded him with\nevery luxury to tempt him to sin, but in vain. Then he ordered him to be\ntortured in the most cruel manner, until he should deny the Faith. He\nwas scourged, placed on plates of hot iron, boiling oil was poured over\nand fire was lighted under him. When all these torments did not\naccomplish their purpose, the soldiers were ordered to shoot him with\narrows. This, too, having no effect, he was beheaded, on July 25, 254.\n\nTwo great saints refer to the wonderful achievements of St.\nChristophorus. St. Ambrose mentions that this saint converted\nforty-eight thousand souls to Christ. St. Vincent Ferrer declares,\nthat when the plague devastated Valencia, its destructive course\nwas stayed through the intercession of St. Christophorus.\n\nLESSON\n\nTHE legend of St. Christophorus conveys a wholesome truth. We ought all\nto be Christ-bearers, by preserving in our hearts faith, hope, and\ncharity, and by receiving Our Lord worthily in holy communion. He alone\nis worthy of our service. In the service that we owe to men, we ought to\nserve God by doing His will. We can not divide our heart, for Our Lord\nHimself says, \"No man can serve two masters\" (_Matt_. vi. 24). If you\nserve the world, it deceives you, for it can not give you what it\npromises. If you serve sin, Satan is your master. He, too, deceives his\nservants, and leads them to perdition. Christ on the cross conquered\nthese two tyrants, and with His help you can also vanquish them.\nTherefore, give yourself to Him with all your heart, and you shall find\npeace in this world, and eternal bliss in the next. St. Augustine\nlearned this truth by sad experience, and therefore exclaims: \"Thou hast\ncreated us for Thee, O Lord, and our heart is restless till it rests in\nThee.\"\n\n_Prayer of the church_\n\nGRANT us, almighty God, that whilst we celebrate the memory of Thy\nblessed martyr St. Christophorus, through his intercession the love of\nThy name may be increased in us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nVII\n\nSt. Dionysius, Bishop and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nWHEN St. Paul the Apostle, in the year of Our Lord 51, came to Athens to\npreach the Gospel, he was summoned to the Areopagus, the great council\nwhich determined all religious matters. Among the members of this\nillustrious assembly was Dionysius. His mind had already been prepared\nto receive the good tidings of the Gospel by the miraculous darkness\nwhich overspread the earth at the moment of Our Lord's death on the\ncross. He was at that time at Heliopolis, in Egypt. On beholding the sun\nobscured in the midst of its course, and this without apparent cause, he\nis said to have exclaimed: \"Either the God of nature is suffering, or\nthe world is about to be dissolved.\" When St. Paul preached before the\nAreopagus in Athens, Dionysius easily recognized the truth and readily\nembraced it.\n\nThe Apostle received him among his disciples, and appointed him bishop\nof the infant Church of Athens. As such he devoted himself with great\nzeal to the propagation of the Gospel. He made a journey to Jerusalem to\nvisit the places hallowed by the footsteps and sufferings of our\nRedeemer, and there met the Apostles St. Peter and St. James, the\nevangelist St. Luke, and other holy apostolic men. He also had the\nhappiness to see and converse with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was so\noverwhelmed by her presence that he declared, that if he knew not Jesus\nto be God, he would consider her divine.\n\nThe idolatrous priests of Athens were greatly alarmed at the many\nconversions resulting from the eloquent preaching of Dionysius, and\ninstigated a revolt against him. The holy bishop left Athens, and, going\nto Rome, visited the Pope, St. Clement. He sent him with some other holy\nmen to Gaul. Some of his companions remained to evangelize the cities in\nthe south, while Dionysius, with the priest Rusticus and the deacon\nEleutherius continued their journey northward as far as Lutetia, the\nmodern Paris, where the Gospel had not yet been announced. Here for many\nyears he and his companions labored with signal success, and finally\nobtained the crown of martyrdom on Oct. 9, 119. Dionysius was beheaded\nat the advanced age of 110 years.\n\nThe spot where the three martyrs Dionysius, Rusticus, and Eleutherius\nsuffered martyrdom, is the well-known hill of Montmartre. An ancient\ntradition relates that St. Dionysius, after his head was severed from\nhis body, took it up with his own hands and carried it two thousand\npaces to the place where, later, a church was built in his honor. The\nbodies of the martyrs were thrown into the river Seine, but taken up and\nhonorably interred by a Christian lady named Catulla not far from the\nplace where they had been beheaded. The Christians soon built a chapel\non their tomb.\n\nSt. Dionysius was not only a great missionary and bishop, but also one\nof the most illustrious writers of the early Church. Some of his works,\nwhich are full of Catholic doctrine and Christian wisdom, are still\nextant, and well worthy of a convert and disciple of St. Paul, whose\nspirit they breathe.\n\nLESSON\n\nTHE apostolic men like St. Dionysius, who converted so many to Christ,\nwere filled with His spirit, and acted and lived for Him alone. They\ngave their lives to spread His religion, convinced that the welfare of\nindividuals and nations depends upon it.\n\nOn religion depends the security and stability of all government and of\nsociety. Human laws are too weak to restrain those who disregard and\ndespise the law of God. Unless a man's conscience is enlightened by\nreligion and bound by its precepts, his passions will so far enslave\nhim, that the impulse of evil inclinations will prompt him to every\nvillainy of which he hopes to derive an advantage, if he can but\naccomplish his purpose secretly and with impunity.\n\nTrue religion, on the contrary, insures comfort, peace, and happiness\namid the sharpest trials, safety in death itself, and after death the\nmost glorious and eternal reward in God. How grateful, therefore, must\nwe be to the men who preached the true religion amid so many\ndifficulties, trials, and persecutions; and also to those who preach it\nnow, animated by the same spirit. And how carefully should we avoid all\npersons, books, and periodicals that revile and calumniate our holy\nFaith, and attempt its subversion!\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who didst confer on Thy blessed servant Dionysius the virtue of\nfortitude in suffering, and didst join with him Rusticus and\nEleutherius, to announce Thy glory to the heathens, grant, we beseech\nThee, that following them, we may despise, for the love of Thee, the\npleasures of this world, and that we do not recoil from its adversities.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nVIII\n\nSt. Cyriacus, Deacon and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nEMPEROR MAXIMIN in token of his gratitude to Diocletian, who had ceded\nthe western half of his empire to him, ordered the building of that\nmagnificent structure in Rome, whose ruins are still known as the \"Baths\nof Diocletian.\" The Christians imprisoned for the Faith were compelled\nto labor under cruel overseers at this building. A zealous Christian\nRoman, touched with pity at this moving spectacle, resolved to employ\nhis means in improving the condition of these poor victims of\npersecution.\n\nAmong the deacons of the Roman Church at that time was one by the name\nof Cyriacus, who was distinguished by his zeal in the performance of all\ngood works. Him, with two companions, Largus and Smaragdus, the pious\nRoman selected for the execution of his plan. Cyriacus devoted himself\nto the work with great ardor. One day, whilst visiting the laborers to\ndistribute food amongst them, he observed a decrepit old man, who was so\nfeeble that he was unable to perform his severe task. Filled with pity,\nCyriacus offered to take his place. The aged prisoner consenting, the\nmerciful deacon thenceforth worked hard at the building. But after some\ntime he was discovered, and cast into prison. There he again found\nopportunity to exercise his zeal. Some blind men who had great\nconfidence in the power of his prayer, came to ask him for help in their\naffliction, and he restored their sight. He and his companions spent\nthree years in prison, and during that time he healed many sick and\nconverted a great number of heathens from the darkness of paganism.\n\nThen Emperor Diocletian's little daughter became possessed by an evil\nspirit, and no one was able to deliver her from it. To the idolatrous\npriests who were called, the evil spirit declared that he would leave\nthe girl only when commanded to do so by Cyriacus, the deacon. He was\nhastily summoned, and prayed and made the sign of the cross over the\ngirl, and the evil spirit departed. The emperor loved his daughter,\ntherefore he was grateful to the holy deacon, and presented him with a\nhouse, where he and his companions might serve their God unmolested by\ntheir enemies.\n\nAbout this time the daughter of the Persian King Sapor was attacked by a\nsimilar malady, and when he heard what Cyriacus had done for\nDiocletian's daughter, he wrote to the emperor, asking him to send the\nChristian deacon. It was done, and Cyriacus, on foot, set out for\nPersia. Arrived at his destination, he prayed over the girl and the evil\nspirit left her. On hearing of this miracle, four hundred and twenty\nheathens were converted to the Faith. These the saint instructed and\nbaptized, and then set out on his homeward journey.\n\nReturned to Rome, he continued his life of prayer and good works. But\nwhen Diocletian soon afterward left for the East, his co-emperor Maximin\nseized the opportunity to give vent to his hatred for the Christians,\nand renewed their persecution. One of the first victims was Cyriacus. He\nwas loaded with chains and brought before the judge, who first tried\nblandishments and promises to induce him to renounce Christ and to\nsacrifice to the idols, but in vain. Then the confessor of Christ was\nstretched on the rack, his limbs torn from their sockets, and he was\nbeaten with clubs. His companions shared the same tortures. Finally,\nwhen the emperor and the judge were convinced that nothing would shake\nthe constancy of the holy martyrs, they were beheaded. They gained the\ncrown of glory on March 16, 303.\n\nLESSON\n\nIN THE life of St. Cyriacus two virtues shine forth in a special manner;\nhis love of God and his charity toward his fellow-men. His love of God\nimpelled him to sacrifice all, even his life, for His sake, thereby\nfulfilling the commandment: \"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy\nwhole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind\" (_Matt_.\nxxii. 37). A greater love of God no man can have than giving his life\nfor Him.\n\nSt. Cyriacus also fulfilled the other commandment, of which Our Lord\ndeclared, \"And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor\nas thyself\" (_Matt_. xxii. 39). He helped his fellow-Christians to bear\ntheir burdens, relieved them in their sufferings, assisted and\nencouraged them by word and deed, and edified them by his example. His\nsole aim was to do good to all men, mindful of the words of the Royal\nProphet: \"Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the\npoor\" (_Ps_. xl. 2). He was so imbued with the virtue of charity, that\nhe was disposed even to sacrifice his life for the relief and assistance\nof others.\n\n[Illustration: The Holy Women at the Tomb.]\n\nHow shall we justify our unfeeling hardness of heart, by which we seek\nevery trifling pretense to exempt us from the duty of aiding the\nunfortunate? Remember the threat of the apostle, \"Judgment without mercy\nto him that hath not done mercy\" (_James_ ii. 13).\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who rejoicest us by the remembrance of Thy blessed martyrs\nCyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, by\ncelebrating their memory, may imitate their fortitude in suffering.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nIX\n\nSt. Achatius, Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nOF THE saints named Achatius, that one is reckoned among the Holy\nHelpers who, as a Roman soldier, died for Christ.\n\nAchatius was a native of Cappadocia and as a youth joined the Roman army\nduring the reign of Emperor Hadrian, attaining the rank of captain. One\nday, when leading his company against the enemy, he heard a voice saying\nto him, \"Call on the God of Christians!\" He obeyed, was instructed, and\nreceived Baptism. Filled with zeal, he henceforth sought to convert also\nthe pagan soldiers of the army. When the emperor heard of this, Achatius\nwas thrown into prison, then placed on the rack, bound to a post and\nscourged, because he refused to offer sacrifice to the idols. When all\nthese tortures availed nothing, he was brought before the tribune\nBibianus.\n\nAsked by him what was his name and country, Achatius replied, \"My name\nis Christian, because I am a follower of Christ; men call me Achatius.\nMy country is Cappadocia. There my parents lived; there I was converted\nto the Christian faith, and was so inspired by the combats and\nsufferings of the Christian martyrs that I am resolved to shed my blood\nfor Christ to attain heaven.\" Then Bibianus ordered him to be beaten\nwith leaden clubs, after which he was loaded with chains and returned to\nthe prison.\n\nAfter Achatius had been in prison seven days, Bibianus was called to\nByzantium, and ordered all prisoners to be transported there. On the\njourney Achatius suffered greatly, for his entire body was covered with\nwounds, his chains were galling, the guards were cruel and the roads\nwere bad. He thought himself dying. Praying to God, a voice from the\nclouds answered him, \"Achatius, be firm!\" The soldiers of the guard were\nterrified and asked each other, \"What is this? How can the clouds have a\nvoice?\" Many prisoners were converted. Next day some of the converts saw\na number of men in shining armor speaking to Achatius, washing his\nwounds and healing them, so that not even a scar remained.\n\nArrived in Byzantium the saint was again cast into prison, and after\nseven days dragged before the judge. When neither promises nor the most\ncruel torments shook the constancy of the brave confessor of the Faith,\nthe judge sent him to Flaccius, the proconsul of Thracia, who imprisoned\nhim for five days, and meanwhile read the records of his former trials.\nThen he ordered him to be beheaded. Achatius suffered death for Christ\non May 8, 311.\n\nLESSON\n\nACHATIUS manfully and without fear confessed the Faith amid persecutions\nand sufferings. We, too, are often placed in circumstances where the\nprofession of our Faith and the practice of the virtues inculcated by it\ncause us trials. But so deplorable are the effects of sensuality,\navarice, and ambition, and such is the laxity and spiritual callousness\nof many Christians, that there is real cause for every one to be filled\nwith alarm for the safety of his soul. It is not the crowd we are to\nfollow, but the precepts of the Gospel. Therefore we ought to strive to\ngive a good example by our faithful compliance with the demands of\nreligion. For Our Lord Himself exhorts us: \"So let your light shine\nbefore men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father,\nwho is in heaven\" (_Matt._ v. 16).\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who dost give us joy through the remembrance of Thy blessed\nmartyrs, Achatius and his companions; grant, we beseech Thee, that we\nmay be inflamed by the example of those for whose merits we rejoice.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nX\n\nSt. Eustachius, Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nAT THE beginning of the second century, during the reign of Emperor\nTrajan, there lived in Rome a famous general by the name of Placidus,\nwho was distinguished among his fellow-citizens for his wealth and\nmilitary prowess. It happened one day, that while following the chase he\nbecame separated from his companions, and was pursuing with eagerness a\nstag of extraordinary size, when suddenly it turned toward him, and he\nbeheld raised aloft between its antlers the image of Jesus Christ\nsuspended on the cross. At the same time our blessed Saviour addressed\nhim in loving words, inviting him henceforth to follow Him by embracing\nthe Christian faith, and to make eternal life in future the object of\nhis pursuit.\n\nFaithful to the grace which he had received, Placidus on his return home\ncommunicated the heavenly vision to his wife Tatiana, who informed him\nthat she too had been favored with a heavenly apparition. Together they\nwent immediately to the Pope, related their experience, and after due\ninstruction received Baptism.\n\nAt the sacred font Placidus received the name of Eustachius, and his\nwife was called Theopista, while his sons were baptized by the names of\nAgapitus and Theopistus.\n\nUpon returning to the spot where he first received the call, Eustachius\nwas favored with another communication from Our Lord, announcing to him\nthat he was destined to endure many and great afflictions for the sake\nof Christ. It was not long before his faith and patience were put to a\nsevere trial. Stripped of all his possessions and forced to flee from\nthe fury of the persecution, he was reduced to extreme distress, and in\nthe course of his wanderings was by a series of calamitous events\nseparated from his wife and children, of whom he lost all trace. For\nmany years he dwelt in a remote spot, following the occupation of a farm\nlaborer, until he was found by the messengers of the emperor, who was\nsadly in need of the skill of his former general, because a fierce war\nhad broken out, in which the Romans sustained severe losses.\n\nBeing again invested with the command of the imperial troops, Eustachius\nset out for the seat of war, and achieved a decisive victory. In the\ncourse of his march he had the happiness, by a singular providence of\nGod, to recover his wife and children, with whom he returned to Rome.\nHis entrance into the city was attended with great rejoicings, and many\nwere the congratulations which he received on his extraordinary good\nfortune. But soon afterward a solemn sacrifice of thanksgiving to the\npagan deities was proclaimed, in which he was ordered by the emperor to\ntake a part. Upon his refusal, after every effort had been made to shake\nhis constancy, he was condemned to be exposed to the lions in the public\namphitheater along with his wife and children. Finally, as the savage\nanimals, laying aside their natural ferocity, refused to injure the\nconfessors of Christ, Eustachius and his family were by order of the\nemperor enclosed in the body of an immense brazen bull, which was heated\nby means of a great fire enkindled beneath. The last moments of these\nheroic martyrs was spent in chanting the divine praises, in the midst of\nwhich their happy souls passed to the enjoyment of everlasting bliss.\nTheir bodies, miraculously preserved uninjured, were buried with great\ndevotion by the faithful Christians, and were afterward transferred to a\nmagnificent church erected in their honor.\n\nLESSON\n\nHOW inspiring, to see a great man preferring justice, truth, and\nreligion to the favor of the mighty, readily quitting estate, friends,\ncountry, and even sacrificing life, rather than consent to do violence\nto his conscience; and to see him, at the same time, meek, humble,\npatient in suffering, forgiving sincerely and loving his unjust and\ntreacherous persecutors! Passion and revenge often beget anger and\ntriumph over virtue and integrity. Ambition and the desire of wealth\nmay, for a time, urge men on to brave danger, but finally they reduce\nthem to the most abject slavery, and result in grievous crimes and\nmisery. Religion alone is the source of charity, magnanimity, and true\ncourage. It so enlightens the mind, as to place a man above the\nvicissitudes of the world; it renders him steadfast and calm in\nadversity, preserves him from error, teaches him to bear injustice and\ncalumny in a tranquil spirit, and gives him that ineffable peace and joy\nwhich springs from the conviction that God's will is always most just\nand holy and that He protects, aids, and rewards His servants.\n\nDoes religion exert this powerful influence on us? Do we show it in our\nactions and conduct? Our courage and constancy must be apparent not only\nwhen we encounter danger and opposition, but also when our evil\npropensity urges us to yield to temptations that present sin to us in\nthe guise of pleasure.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who dost permit us to celebrate the remembrance of Thy blessed\nmartyrs, Eustachius and companions, grant us, that we may enjoy their\ncompany in eternal bliss. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nXI\n\nSt. Giles, Hermit and Abbot\n\nLEGEND\n\nATHENS, in Greece, was the native city of St. Giles. He was of noble\nparentage, and devoted himself from early youth to piety and learning.\nAfter the death of his parents he distributed his rich inheritance to\nthe poor, and to escape the applause of men for his charity left his\ncountry to bury himself in obscurity.\n\nHe sailed for France, and on his arrival there retired to a deserted\ncountry near the mouth of the river Rhone. Later he made his abode near\nthe river Gard, and finally buried himself in a forest in the diocese of\nNimes. In this solitude he passed many years, living on wild herbs and\nroots, with water for his drink. It is related that for some time a hind\ncame daily to be milked by him, thus furnishing him additional\nsustenance. Here he lived, disengaged from earthly cares, conversing\nonly with God, and engaged in the contemplation of heavenly things.\n\nOne day the king instituted a great hunt in the forest where Giles\nlived, and encountered the hind. Giving chase, the royal hunter was led\nto the saint's hut, where the panting animal had sought refuge. The king\ninquired who he was, and was greatly edified at the holiness of his\nlife. The fame of the saintly hermit now spread far and wide, and was\nmuch increased by the many miracles wrought through his intercession.\nThe king tried to persuade him to leave his solitude, but prevailed upon\nhim only in so far, that Giles accepted several disciples and founded a\nmonastery in which the rule of St. Benedict was observed, and of which\nhe was chosen the abbot. He governed his community wisely and well, and\nat the earnest solicitation of his monks was ordained priest.\n\nThe fame of St. Giles' sanctity induced the Frankish King, Charles\nMartel to call him to his court to relieve him of a great trouble of\nconscience. The saint made the journey, and told the king that he would\nfind relief and comfort only by the sincere confession of a sin which he\nhad hitherto concealed. The king followed his advice, found interior\npeace and dismissed Giles with many tokens of gratitude. On his homeward\njourney the saint raised the recently deceased son of a nobleman to\nlife.\n\nAfter a short stay in his monastery St. Giles went to Rome, to obtain\nfrom the Pope the confirmation of some privileges and the apostolic\nblessing for his community. The Pope granted his wishes, and presented\nhim, besides, with two grand and beautifully carved doors of cedar wood\nfor his church.\n\nSt. Giles died at a ripe old age on September 1, 725. Many miracles were\nwrought at his tomb.\n\nLESSON\n\nST. GILES left his native country and retired into solitude to escape\nthe notice and applause of the world, and served God as a recluse. To\nlead such a life, there must be a special call from God. It is not\nsuited to all, and even inconsistent with the duties of most men. But\nall are capable of disengaging their affections from the inordinate\nattachment to creatures, and of attaining to a pure and holy love of\nGod. By making the service of God the motive of their thoughts and\nactions, they will sanctify their whole life.\n\nIn whatever conditions of life we may be placed, we have opportunities\nof subduing our evil inclinations and mortifying ourselves by frequent\nself-denials, of watching over our hearts and purifying our senses by\nrecollection and prayer. Thus each one, in his station of life, may\nbecome a saint, by making his calling an exercise of virtue and his\nevery act a step higher to perfection and eternal glory.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO LORD, we beseech Thee to let us find grace through the intercession of\nthy blessed confessor Giles; that what we can not obtain through our\nmerits be given us through his intercession. Through Christ our Lord\nAmen.\n\n\n\nXII\n\nSt. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. MARGARET was the daughter of a pagan priest at Antioch. She lost her\nmother in infancy and was placed in the care of a nurse in the country,\nwho was a Christian, and whose first care was to have her little charge\nbaptized and to give the child a Christian education. Margaret grew up a\nmodest, pious virgin, and when she returned to her father he was charmed\nwith the grace and virtue of his daughter. He regretted only one thing;\nshe took no part in the worship of the idols. When she told him the\nreason he was greatly displeased, for she stated that she was a\nChristian, and that nothing should separate her from the love of Christ.\n\nHer father tried every means to change her mind, and when all his\nendeavors failed became enraged and drove her forth from his house.\nMargaret returned to her nurse and became her servant, doing all kinds\nof menial work, and at the same time perfecting herself in virtue.\n\nAbout this time Emperor Diocletian began to persecute the Christians.\nOne day Alybrius, the prefect of the city, saw Margaret, and fell in\nlove with her. He sent a messenger to ask her in marriage. The pious\nvirgin was filled with consternation at the proposal and replied to the\nmessenger: \"I can not be espoused to your master, because I am the\nspouse of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am promised to Him, and to Him I wish\nto belong.\" When the prefect heard this, he became furious with rage,\nand gave orders to have the virgin brought to him by force. When she\nappeared before him he thus addressed her: \"What is your name and\ncondition?\" She replied: \"I am called Margaret, and belong to a noble\nfamily. I adore Christ and serve Him.\" The prefect now advised her to\nabandon the worship of a crucified God. Margaret asked him, \"How do you\nknow that we worship a crucified God?\" The prefect replied: \"From the\nbooks of the Christians.\" Margaret continued: \"Why did you not read\nfurther on? The books of the Christians would have told you that the\nCrucified rose on the third day, and that He ascended into heaven. Is it\nlove of truth to believe in the abasement of Christ and to reject His\nglorification, when both are related in the selfsame book?\"\n\nAt this reproof the prefect became angry and ordered the tender virgin\nto be cruelly scourged, placed on the rack, and torn with iron combs.\nThen she was cast into prison. There Margaret fervently thanked God for\nthe victory she had achieved and implored His help for the combat yet in\nstore for her. Suddenly there appeared to her the arch-enemy of mankind\nin the shape of a furious dragon, threatening to swallow her. The brave\nvirgin feared him not, but made the sign of the cross, and the monster\nvanished. Then her desolate prison cell became suffused with heavenly\nlight, and her heart was filled with divine consolation. At the same\ntime her terrible wounds were suddenly healed, and not the least scar\nwas left.\n\nNext day Margaret was again brought before the prefect. Surprised at her\ncomplete recovery from the effects of his cruelty, he remarked that no\ndoubt it was due to the power of the pagan gods, and exhorted her to\nshow her gratitude to them by sacrificing to the idols. Margaret\nmaintained that she had been healed by the power of Christ alone and\ndeclared that she despised the heathen gods. At this, the rage of\nAlybrius knew no bounds. He ordered lighted torches to be applied to\nMargaret's body, and then had her cast into icy water to intensify her\ntorture. But scarcely had this been done when a violent earthquake\noccurred. Her bonds were severed and she rose unscathed from the water,\nwithout a mark of the burns caused by the flaming torches. On witnessing\nthis miracle, a great number of spectators were converted to the Faith.\n\nFinally the prefect ordered Margaret to be beheaded. Her glorious\nmartyrdom and death occurred about the year 275.\n\nLESSON\n\nTHE history of the virgin martyr St. Margaret teaches us that we can and\nought to serve God even in youth. In the Old Law God commanded all the\nfirst-born and the first-fruits to be offered to Him. \"Thou shalt not\ndelay to pay thy tithes and first-fruits. Thou shalt give the first-born\nof thy sons to Me\" (_Ex._ xxii. 29).\n\nCertainly our whole life ought to be dedicated to the service of God;\nbut from the above command we are to understand that God especially\ndesires our service during the early years of our life. They are our\nfirst-fruits. St. Augustine calls the years of youth the blossoms, the\nmost beautiful flowers of life, and St. Thomas Aquinas writes: \"What the\nyoung give to God in their early years, they give of the bloom, of the\nfull vigor and beauty of life.\"\n\nYouth is the age beset with countless temptations. Safety is found only\nin the service of God, by obedience, humility, and docility. This is not\nso difficult as it appears, and Our Lord Himself invites you to His\nservice, saying: \"My son, give Me thy heart\" (_Prov._ xxiii. 26), and,\n\"Taste and see that the Lord is sweet\" (_Ps._ xxxiii. 9).\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nWE BESEECH Thee, O Lord, grant us Thy favor through the intercession of\nThy blessed virgin and martyr Margaret, who pleased Thee by the merit of\nher purity and by the confession of Thy might. Through Christ our Lord.\nAmen.\n\n\n\nXIII\n\nSt Catherine, Virgin and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nST. CATHERINE was a native of Alexandria, Egypt, a city then famous for\nits schools of philosophy. She was a daughter of Costis, half-brother of\nConstantine, and of Sabinella, queen of Egypt. Her wisdom and\nacquirements were remarkable, the philosophy of Plato being her favorite\nstudy. While Catherine was yet young her father died, leaving her\nheiress to the kingdom. Her love of study and retirement displeased her\nsubjects, who desired her to marry, asserting that her gifts of noble\nbirth, wealth, beauty, and knowledge should be transmitted to her\nchildren.\n\nThe princess replied that the husband whom she would wed must be even\nmore richly endowed than herself. His blood must be the noblest, his\nrank must surpass her own, his beauty without comparison, his benignity\ngreat enough to forgive all offences. The people of Alexandria were\ndisheartened, for they knew of no such prince; but Catherine remained\npersistent in her determination to wed none other.\n\nNow, it happened that a certain hermit who lived near Alexandria had a\nvision in which he saw the Blessed Virgin, who sent him to tell\nCatherine that her divine Son was the Spouse whom she desired. He alone\npossessed all, and more, than the requirements she demanded. The holy\nman gave Catherine a picture of Jesus and Mary; and when the princess\nhad gazed upon the face of Christ she loved Him so that she could think\nof naught else, and the studies in which she had been wont to take\ndelight became distasteful to her.\n\n[Illustration: The Descent of the Holy Ghost on the Blessed Virgin and\nthe Apostles.]\n\nOne night Catherine dreamed that she accompanied the hermit to a\nsanctuary, whence angels came to meet her. She fell on her face before\nthem, but one of the angelic band bade her, \"Rise dear sister Catherine,\nfor the King of glory delighteth to honor thee.\" She rose and followed\nthe angels to the presence of the queen of heaven, who was surrounded by\nangels and saints and was beautiful beyond description. The queen\nwelcomed her and led her to her divine Son, Our Lord. But He turned from\nher, saying: \"She is not fair and beautiful enough for me.\"\n\nCatherine awoke at these words and wept bitterly until morning. She then\nsent for the hermit and inquired what would make her worthy of the\nheavenly Bridegroom. The saintly recluse instructed her in the true\nFaith and, with her mother, she was baptized. That night, in a dream,\nthe Blessed Virgin and her divine Son again appeared to her. Mary\npresented her to Jesus, saying: \"Behold, she has been regenerated in the\nwater of Baptism.\" Then Christ smiled on her and plighted His troth to\nher by putting a ring on her finger. When she awoke the ring was still\nthere, and thenceforth Catherine despised all earthly things and longed\nonly for the hour when she should go to her heavenly Bridegroom.\n\nAfter the death of Sabinella, Emperor Maximin came to Alexandria and\ndeclared a persecution against the Christians. Catherine appeared in the\ntemple and held an argument with the tyrant, utterly confounding him.\nThe emperor ordained that fifty of the most learned men of the empire be\nbrought to dispute with her; but, sustained by the power of God,\nCatherine not only vanquished them in argument, but converted them to\nthe true Faith. In his fury Maximin commanded that the new Christians be\nburned; and Catherine comforted them, since they could not be baptized,\nby telling them that their blood should be their baptism and the flames\ntheir crown of glory.\n\nThe emperor then tried other means to overcome the virtue of the noble\nprincess; but, failing to do this, he ordered her to be cast into a\ndungeon and starved to death. Twelve days later, when the dungeon was\nopened, a bright light and fragrant perfume filled it, and Catherine,\nwho had been nourished by angels, came forth radiant and beautiful. On\nseeing this miracle, the empress and many noble Alexandrians declared\nthemselves Christians, and suffered death at the command of the emperor.\n\nCatherine was not spared, for Maximin made a further attempt to win her.\nHe offered to make her mistress of the world if she would but listen to\nhim, and when she still spurned his proposals, he ordered her to the\ntorture. She was bound to four spiked wheels which revolved in different\ndirections, that she might be torn into many pieces. But an angel\nconsumed the wheels by fire, and the fragments flying around killed the\nexecutioners and many of the spectators. The tyrant then ordered her to\nbe scourged and beheaded. The sentence was carried into effect on\nNovember 25, 307.\n\nA pious legend, recognized by the Church, says that angels bore\nCatherine's body to Mount Sinai, and buried it there.\n\nLESSON\n\nST. CATHERINE, for her erudition and the spirit of piety by which she\nsanctified it, was chosen the model and patroness of Christian\nphilosophers.\n\nLearning, next to virtue, is the noblest quality and ornament of the\nhuman mind. Profane science teaches many useful truths, but when\ncompared with the importance of the study of the science of the saints,\nthey are of value only inasmuch as when made subservient to the latter.\nThe study of the saints was to live in the spirit of Christ. This\nscience is taught by the Church, and acquired by listening to her\ninstructions, by pious reading and meditation.\n\nBe intent on learning this science, and order your life according to its\nrules. It is the \"one thing necessary,\" for it is the foundation of all\nwisdom and true happiness. \"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of\nwisdom\" (_Ps._ cx. 10).\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who didst give the law to Moses on the summit of Mount Sinai, and\nby the holy angels didst miraculously transfer there the body of blessed\nCatherine, virgin and martyr; grant us, we beseech Thee, to come,\nthrough her intercession, to the mountain which is Christ. Through the\nsame Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nXIV\n\nSt. Barbara, Virgin and Martyr\n\nLEGEND\n\nNICOMEDIA, a city in Asia Minor, was St. Barbara's birthplace. Her\nfather Dioscurus was a pagan. Fearing that his only child might learn to\nknow and love the doctrines of Christianity, he shut her up in a tower,\napart from all intercourse with others. Nevertheless Barbara became a\nChristian. She passed her time in study, and from her lonely tower she\nused to watch the heavens in their wondrous beauty. She soon became\nconvinced that the \"heavens were telling the glory of God,\" a God\ngreater than the idols she had been taught to worship. Her desire to\nknow that God was in itself a prayer which He answered in His own wise\nway.\n\nThe fame of Origen, that famous Christian teacher in Alexandria, reached\neven the remote tower, and Barbara sent a trusty servant with the\nrequest that he would make known to her the truth. Origen sent her one\nof his disciples, disguised as a physician, who instructed and baptized\nher. She practised her new religion discreetly while waiting for a\nfavorable opportunity of acquainting her father with her conversion.\n\nThis opportunity came in a short time. Some workmen were sent by\nDioscurus to make another room in the tower, and when they had made two\nwindows she directed them to make a third. When her father saw this\nadditional window, he asked the reason for it. She replied, \"Know, my\nfather, that the soul receives light through three windows, the Father,\nthe Son, and the Holy Ghost, and the three are one.\" The father became\nso angry at this discovery of her having become a Christian, that he\nwould have killed his daughter with his sword, had she not fled to the\ntop of the tower. He followed her, and finally had her in his power.\nFirst he wreaked his vengeance on her in blows, then clutching her by\nthe hair he dragged her away and thrust her into a hut to prevent her\nescape. Next he tried every means to induce her to renounce her faith;\nthreats, severe punishments, and starvation had no effect on the\nconstancy of the Christian maiden.\n\nFinding himself powerless to shake his daughter's constancy, Dioscurus\ndelivered her to the proconsul Marcian, who had her scourged and\ntortured, but without causing her to deny the Faith. During her\nsufferings, her father stood by, exulting in the torments of his child.\nNext night, after she had been taken back to prison, Our Lord appeared\nto her and healed her wounds. When Barbara appeared again before him,\nMarcian was greatly astonished to find no trace of the cruelties that\nhad been perpetrated on her body. Again she resisted his importunities\nto deny the Faith, and when he saw that all his efforts were in vain, he\npronounced the sentence of death. Barbara was to be beheaded. Her\nunnatural father claimed the privilege to execute it with his own hands,\nand with one blow severed his daughter's head from her body, on December\n4, 237.\n\nAt the moment of the saint's death a great tempest arose and Dioscurus\nwas killed by lightning. Marcian, too, was overtaken by the same fate.\n\nLESSON\n\nSINCE early times St. Barbara is invoked as the patroness against\nlightning and explosions, and is called upon by those who desire the\nsacraments of the dying in their last illness, and many are the\ninstances of the efficacy of her intercession.\n\nWe all wish for a happy and blessed death. To attain it, we must make\nthe preparation for it the great object of our life; we must learn to\ndie to the world and to ourselves, and strive after perfection in\nvirtue. There is no greater comfort in adversity, no more powerful\nincentive to withdrawing our affections from this world, than to\nremember the blessing of a happy death. Well prepared, death may strike\nus in any form whatsoever, and however suddenly, it will find us ready.\n\nWe can be guilty of no greater folly than to delay our preparation for\ndeath, repentance, the reception of the sacraments, and the amendment of\nour life, from day to day, from the time of health to the time of\nillness, and in illness to the very last moments, thinking that even\nthen we can obtain pardon. St. Augustine observes: \"It is very dangerous\nto postpone the performance of a duty on which our whole eternity\ndepends to the most inconvenient time, the last hour.\" And St. Bernard\nremarks: \"In Holy Scripture we find one single instance of one who\nreceived pardon at the last moment. He was the thief crucified with\nJesus. He is alone, that you despair not; he is alone, also, that you\nsin not by presumption on God's mercy.\" If you, therefore, wish for a\nhappy death, prepare for it in time.\n\n_Prayer of the Church_\n\nO GOD, who among the wonders of Thy might didst grant the victory of\nmartyrdom also to the weaker sex, graciously grant us that we, by\nrecalling the memory of Thy blessed virgin and martyr Barbara, through\nher example may be led to Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nPART IV\n\nI\n\nNovenas to the Holy Helpers\n\nII\n\nPrayers and Petitions\n\n\n\"In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your\npetitions be made known to God\" (_Philipp._ iv. 6).\n\n\"God is wonderful in His saints. The God of Israel is He who will give\npower and strength to His people; blessed be God\" (_Ps._ lxvii. 36).\n\n\n\nNovena to Each of the Holy Helpers\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\n_For Each of the Following Novenas_\n\nALMIGHTY and eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping\nThy divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with\nfilial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my\nintellect with a ray of Thy heavenly light and inflame my heart with the\nfire of Thy divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and\nmerits of the saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his\nexample imitate, like him, the life of Thy divine Son.\n\nMoreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and\nintercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I\nhumbly place before Thee, devoutly saying, \"Thy will be done on earth as\nit is in heaven.\" Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy\ngreater glory and to the salvation of my soul. Amen.\n\nI\n\nNovena in Honor of St. George\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. GEORGE\n\nO GOD, who didst grant to St. George strength and constancy in the\nvarious torments which he sustained for our holy faith; we beseech Thee\nto preserve, through his intercession, our faith from wavering and\ndoubt, so that we may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto\ndeath. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. GEORGE\n\nFAITHFUL servant of God and invincible martyr, St. George; favored by\nGod with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ,\nthou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and\ndeceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from\nthe love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love\nto help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround\nme, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may\npatiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither\ndistress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus\nChrist. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against\nevil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the\nend.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMY LORD and my God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the\nbitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the\nmerits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of\nall the saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose\nhonor I make this novena.\n\nLook down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and\ngraciously hear my prayer. Amen.\n\n\n\nII\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Blase\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. BLASE\n\nO GOD, deliver us through the intercession of Thy holy bishop and martyr\nBlase, from all evil of soul and body, especially from all ills of the\nthroat; and grant us the grace to make a good confession in the\nconfident hope of obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise with worthy\nlips Thy most holy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. BLASE\n\nST. BLASE, gracious benefactor of mankind and faithful servant of God,\nwho for the love of our Saviour didst suffer so many tortures with\npatience and resignation; I invoke thy powerful intercession. Preserve\nme from all evils of soul and body. Because of thy great merits God\nendowed thee with the special grace to help those that suffer from ills\nof the throat; relieve and preserve me from them, so that I may always\nbe able to fulfil my duties, and with the aid of God's grace perform\ngood works. I invoke thy help as special physician of souls, that I may\nconfess my sins sincerely in the holy sacrament of Penance and obtain\ntheir forgiveness. I recommend to thy merciful intercession also those\nwho unfortunately concealed a sin in confession. Obtain for them the\ngrace to accuse themselves sincerely and contritely of the sin they\nconcealed, of the sacrilegious confessions and communions they made, and\nof all the sins they committed since then, so that they may receive\npardon, the grace of God, and the remission of the eternal punishment.\nAmen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nIII\n\nNovena in Honor of St Erasmus\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. ERASMUS\n\nO GOD, grant us through the intercession of Thy dauntless bishop and\nmartyr Erasmus, who so valiantly confessed the Faith, that we may learn\nthe doctrine of this faith, practise its precepts, and thereby be made\nworthy to attain its promises. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. ERASMUS\n\nHOLY martyr Erasmus, who didst willingly and bravely bear the trials and\nsufferings of life, and by thy charity didst console many\nfellow-sufferers; I implore thee to remember me in my needs and to\nintercede for me with God. Staunch confessor of the Faith, victorious\nvanquisher of all tortures, pray to Jesus for me and ask Him to grant me\nthe grace to live and die in the Faith through which thou didst obtain\nthe crown of glory. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nIV\n\nNovena to St. Pantaleon\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. PANTALEON\n\nO GOD, who didst give to St. Pantaleon the grace of exercising charity\ntoward his fellow-men by distributing his goods to the poor, and hast\nmade him a special patron of the sick, grant, that we, too, show our\ncharity by works of mercy; and through the intercession of this Thy\nservant preserve us from sickness. But if it be Thy will that illness\nshould afflict us, give us the grace to bear it patiently, and let it\npromote our soul's salvation. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. PANTALEON\n\nST. PANTALEON, who during life didst have great pity for the sick and\nwith the help of God didst often relieve and cure them; I invoke thy\nintercession with God, that I may obtain the grace to serve Him in good\nhealth by cheerfully fulfilling the duties of my state of life. But if\nit be His holy will to visit me with illness, pain, and suffering, do\nthou aid me with thy powerful prayer to submit humbly to His\nchastisements, to accept sickness in the spirit of penance and to bear\nit patiently according to His holy will. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n[Image: The Blessed Virgin Receives Holy Communion from St. John.]\n\n\n\nV\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Vitus\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. VITUS\n\nGRANT us, O God, through the intercession of St. Vitus, a due estimation\nof the value of our soul and of its redemption by the precious blood of\nThy Son Jesus Christ; so that, for its salvation, we bear all trials\nwith fortitude. Give this Thy youthful servant and heroic martyr as a\nguide and protector to Christian youths, that following his example they\nmay after a victorious combat receive the crown of justice in heaven.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. VITUS\n\nST. VITUS, glorious martyr of Christ; in thy youth thou wast exposed to\nviolent and dangerous temptations, but in the fear of God and for the\nlove of Jesus thou didst victoriously overcome them. O amiable, holy\nyouth, I implore thee by the love of Jesus, assist me with thy powerful\nintercession to overcome the temptations to evil, to avoid every\noccasion of sin, and thus to preserve spotless the robe of innocence and\nsanctifying grace, and to bring it unstained to the judgment-seat of\nJesus Christ, that I may forever enjoy the beatific vision of God which\nis promised to the pure of heart. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nVI\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Christophorus\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. CHRISTOPHORUS\n\nO GOD, who didst make St. Christophorus a true Christ-bearer, who\nconverted multitudes to the Christian faith, and who didst give him the\ngrace to suffer for Thy sake the most cruel torments; through the\nintercession of this saint we implore Thee to protect us from sin, the\nonly real evil. Preserve us, also, against harmful elementary forces,\nsuch as earthquake, lightning, fire, and flood. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. CHRISTOPHORUS\n\nGREAT St. Christophorus, seeking the strongest and mightiest master thou\ndidst find him in Jesus Christ, the almighty God of heaven and earth,\nand didst faithfully serve Him with all thy power to the end of thy\nlife, gaining for Him countless souls and finally shedding thy blood for\nHim; obtain for me the grace to bear Christ always in my heart, as thou\ndidst once bear Him on thy shoulder, so that I thereby may be\nstrengthened to overcome victoriously all temptations and resist all\nenticements of the world, the devil, and the flesh, and that the powers\nof darkness may not prevail against me. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nVII\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Dionysius\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. DIONYSIUS\n\nO GOD, who didst confer Thy saving faith on the people of France through\nThy holy bishop and martyr Dionysius, and didst glorify him before and\nafter his martyrdom by many miracles; grant us through his intercession\nthat the Faith practised and preached by him be our light on the way of\nlife, so that we may be preserved from all anxieties of conscience, and\nif by human frailty we have sinned, we may return to Thee speedily by\ntrue penance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. DIONYSIUS\n\nGLORIOUS servant of God, St. Dionysius, with intense love thou didst\ndevote thyself to Christ after learning to know Him through the apostle\nSt. Paul, and didst preach His saving name to the nations, to bring whom\nto His knowledge and love thou didst not shrink from martyrdom; implore\nfor me a continual growth in the knowledge and love of Jesus, so that my\nrestless heart may experience that peace which He alone can give. Help\nme by thy powerful intercession with God to serve Him with a willing\nheart, to devote myself with abiding love to His service, and thereby to\nattain the eternal bliss of heaven. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nVIII\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Cyriacus\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. CYRIACUS\n\nO GOD, who didst grant to St. Cyriacus the grace of heroic charity and\ntrustful resignation to Thy holy will; bestow upon us, through his\nintercession, the grace to walk before Thee in self-denying charity and\nto know and fulfil Thy will in all things. Through Christ our Lord.\nAmen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. CYRIACUS\n\nST. CYRIACUS, great servant of God, loving Christ with all thy heart,\nthou didst for His sake also love thy fellow-men, and didst serve them\neven at the peril of thy life, for which charity God rewarded thee with\nthe power to overcome Satan, the arch-enemy, and to deliver the poor\nobsessed from his dreadful tyranny; implore for me of God an effective,\nreal, and true charity. Show thy power over Satan also in me; deliver me\nfrom his influence when he tries to tempt me. Help me to repel his\nassaults and to gain the victory over him in life and in death. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nIX\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Achatius\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. ACHATIUS\n\nO GOD, who didst fortify Thy holy martyr Achatius with constancy and\ntrustful reliance on Thee in death; grant us through his intercession at\nthe hour of our death to be free from all anxiety and victorious in our\nlast combat with the enemy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. ACHATIUS\n\nVALIANT martyr of Christ, St. Achatius, who preached Christ faithfully\nbefore kings and judges, and didst gain the victory over the enemies of\nGod; help me through thy powerful intercession to resist and gain the\nvictory over all the enemies of my salvation, over the world and its\nallurements, over the concupiscence of the flesh, and over the\ntemptations of Satan. I implore thee particularly to assist me in my\nagony, when the powers of hell rise against me to rob my soul. Then do\nthou come to my aid and repel the assaults of the enemy, so that I\nsurrender my soul into the hands of my Redeemer in faith, hope, and\ncharity, and confiding in His infinite merits. Through the same Christ\nour Lord. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nX\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Eustachius\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. EUSTACHIUS\n\nO GOD, who didst lead Thy holy martyr Eustachius safely through many\ntrials and dangers to the glorious crown of martyrdom; enlighten and\nstrengthen us through his intercession, that we persevere in Thy love\namid the trials of this life, and by resignation to Thy holy will come\nforth from the darkness of this earth into the light of Thy eternal\nglory. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. EUSTACHIUS\n\nHEROIC servant of God, St. Eustachius, cast from the height of earthly\nglory and power into the deepest misery, thou wast engaged for a long\ntime in the labor of a menial servant, eating the bitter bread of\ndestitution; but never didst thou murmur against the severe probation to\nwhich God subjected thee. I implore thee to aid me with thy powerful\nintercession, that in all conditions I may resign myself to the holy\nwill of God, and particularly that I may bear poverty and its\nconsequences with patience, trusting in God's providence, completely\nresigned to the decrees of Him who humbles and exalts, chastises and\nheals, sends trials and consolations, and who has promised to those who\nfollow Him in the spirit of poverty His beatific vision throughout all\neternity. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nXI\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Giles\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. GILES\n\nO GOD, we beseech Thee to grant us through the merits and intercession\nof St. Giles to flee from the vanity and praise of this world, to avoid\ncarefully all occasions of sin, to cleanse our hearts from all\nwickedness by a sincere confession, to leave this world in Thy love and\nrich in good works, and to find Thee gracious on the day of judgment.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. GILES\n\nZEALOUS follower of Christ, St. Giles; from early youth thou didst take\nto heart the words of our Saviour: \"Learn of Me, because I am meek and\nhumble of heart.\" Therefore thou didst flee from the praise and honors\nof the world, and wast rewarded with the grace to preserve thy heart\nfrom all sin and to persevere in a holy life to a ripe old age. I, on my\npart, through pride, self-confidence, and negligence, yielded to my evil\ninclinations, and thereby sinned grievously and often, offending my God\nand Lord, my Creator and Redeemer, my most loving Father. Therefore I\nimplore thee to help me through thy mighty intercession to be\nenlightened by the Holy Ghost, that I may know the malice, grievousness,\nand multitude of my sins, confess them humbly, fully, and contritely,\nand receive pardon, tranquillity of heart, and peace of conscience from\nGod. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nXII\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Margaret\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. MARGARET\n\nO GOD, grant us through the intercession of thy holy virgin and martyr\nMargaret, undauntedly to confess the Faith, carefully to observe the\nchastity of our state of life, and to overcome the temptations of the\nworld, the devil, and the flesh, and thereby escape the punishments of\neternal damnation. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. MARGARET\n\nST. MARGARET, holy virgin and martyr, thou didst faithfully preserve the\nrobe of holy innocence and purity, valiantly resisting all the\nblandishments and allurements of the world for the love of thy divine\nSpouse, Jesus Christ; help me to overcome all temptations against the\nchoicest of all virtues, holy purity, and to remain steadfast in the\nlove of Christ, in order to preserve this great gift of God. Implore for\nme the grace of perseverance in prayer, distrust of myself, and flight\nfrom the occasions of sin, and finally the grace of a good death, so\nthat in heaven I may \"follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.\" Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nXIII\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Catherine\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. CATHERINE\n\nO GOD, who didst distinguish Thy holy virgin and martyr Catherine by the\ngift of great wisdom and virtue, and a victorious combat with the\nenemies of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, through her\nintercession, constancy in the Faith and the wisdom of the saints, that\nwe may devote all the powers of our mind and heart to Thy service.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. CATHERINE\n\nST. CATHERINE, glorious virgin and martyr, resplendent in the luster of\nwisdom and purity; thy wisdom refuted the adversaries of divine truth\nand covered them with confusion; thy immaculate purity made thee a\nspouse of Christ, so that after thy glorious martyrdom angels carried\nthy body to Mount Sinai. Implore for me progress in the science of the\nsaints and the virtue of holy purity, that vanquishing the enemies of my\nsoul, I may be victorious in my last combat and after death be conducted\nby the angels into the eternal beatitude of heaven. Amen.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nXIV\n\nNovena in Honor of St. Barbara\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of Part IV).\n\nPRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. BARBARA\n\nO GOD, who didst adorn Thy holy virgin and martyr Barbara with\nextraordinary fortitude in the confession of the Faith, and didst\nconsole her in the most atrocious torments; grant us through her\nintercession perseverance in the fulfilment of Thy law and the grace of\nbeing fortified before our end with the holy sacraments, and of a happy\ndeath. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF ST. BARBARA\n\nINTREPID virgin and martyr, St. Barbara, through thy intercession come\nto my aid in all needs of my soul. Obtain for me the grace to be\npreserved from a sudden and unprovided death; assist me in my agony,\nwhen my senses are benumbed and I am in the throes of death. Then, O\npowerful patroness of the dying, come to my aid! Repel from me all the\nassaults and temptations of the evil one, and obtain for me the grace to\nreceive before death the holy sacraments, that I breathe forth my soul\nconfirmed in faith, hope, and charity, and be worthy to enter eternal\nglory. Amen.\n\n  St. Barbara, at my last end\n    Obtain for me the Sacrament;\n  Assist one in that direst need\n    When I my God and Judge must meet:\n  That robed in sanctifying grace\n    My soul may stand before His face.\n\nPrayer (located in St. George's novena).\n\n\n\nNovena to All the Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\n_(By St Alphonsus Liguori.)_\n\nGREAT princes of heaven, Holy Helpers, who sacrificed to God all your\nearthly possessions, wealth, preferment, and even life, and who now are\ncrowned in heaven in the secure enjoyment of eternal bliss and glory;\nhave compassion on me, a poor sinner in this vale of tears, and obtain\nfor me from God, for whom you gave up all things and who loves you as\nHis servants, the strength to bear patiently all the trials of this\nlife, to overcome all temptations, and to persevere in God's service to\nthe end, that one day I too may be received into your company, to praise\nand glorify Him, the supreme Lord, whose beatific vision you enjoy, and\nwhom you praise and glorify for ever. Amen.\n\nFIRST DAY\n\nThe Devotion to the Fourteen Holy Helpers\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE practice of honoring and invoking the saints to obtain, through\ntheir intercession, help in the various needs of body and soul, is as\nold as the Church. At what period, however, the custom of having\nrecourse to the fourteen saints called Holy Helpers originated, is\nunknown. Nevertheless it is certain that each one of them was invoked\nfor his intercession with God since his entrance into heaven. Prayer is\nthe Christian's resource in every difficulty: and difficulties and\ntrials are never wanting on earth.\n\nBecause the needs of mankind on earth are various, the faithful selected\ncertain saints as intercessors in certain cases of distress, and\nobtained relief; hence these saints came to be regarded as special\npatrons in such trials, and were called Holy Helpers.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nMAKE this novena with full confidence in the power of the intercession\nof the Fourteen Holy Helpers. During their earthly life they devoted\ntheir whole energy to the spreading of God's kingdom and the relief and\nsuccor of their fellow-men. Much more efficiently can they do so now\nwhen they are in the enjoyment of eternal happiness, and can supplicate\nfor us at the very throne of God.\n\nThe saints _can_ help us through their intercession. God hears their\nprayers and He wrought miracles to confirm us in this belief, even\nwhilst His servants sojourned here on earth. They _desire_ and are\nwilling to help us. St. Bernard says: \"In heaven hearts do not grow\ncold; they are rather rendered more affectionate and tender. By\nreceiving the crown of justice the saints were not hardened against the\nsufferings of their brethren on earth.\"\n\nTherefore, in calling on them, have full confidence in their power and\nability to come to your aid.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nWE BESEECH Thee, O Lord, to hear the prayer which we send up to Thee in\nhonor of Thy glorified servants, the Fourteen Holy Helpers: and as we\ncan not rely upon our own justice, grant our petition through the\nintercession of those whose merits have made them especially dear to\nThee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n[Image: Death of the Blessed Virgin]\n\nLITANY OF THE FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS\n\n  LORD, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, hear us.\n  Christ, graciously hear us.\n  God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.\n  God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Mary, queen of martyrs, pray for us.\n  St. Joseph, helper in all needs, pray for us.\n  Fourteen Holy Helpers, pray for us.\n  St. George, valiant martyr of Christ, pray for us.\n  St. Blase, zealous bishop and benefactor of the poor, pray for us.\n  St. Erasmus, mighty protector of the oppressed, pray for us.\n  St. Pantaleon, miraculous exemplar of charity, pray for us.\n  St. Vitus, special protector of chastity, pray for us.\n  St. Christophorus, mighty intercessor in dangers, pray for us.\n  St. Dionysius, shining mirror of faith and confidence, pray for us.\n  St. Cyriacus, terror of hell, pray for us.\n  St. Achatius, helpful advocate in death, pray for us.\n  St. Eustachius, exemplar of patience in adversity, pray for us.\n  St. Giles, despiser of the world, pray for us.\n  St. Margaret, valiant champion of the Faith, pray for us.\n  St. Catherine, victorious defender of the Faith and of purity, pray\nfor us.\n  St. Barbara, mighty patroness of the dying, pray for us.\n  All ye Holy Helpers, pray for us.\n  All ye saints of God, pray for us.\n  In temptations against faith, pray for us.\n  In adversity and trials, pray for us.\n  In anxiety and want, pray for us.\n  In every combat, pray for us.\n  In every temptation, pray for us.\n  In sickness, pray for us.\n  In all needs, pray for us.\n  In fear and terror, pray for us.\n  In dangers of salvation, pray for us.\n  In dangers of honor, pray for us.\n  In dangers of reputation, pray for us.\n  In dangers of property, pray for us.\n  In dangers by fire and water, pray for us.\n  Be merciful, spare us, O Lord!\n  Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord!\n  From all sin, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From the scourge of earthquake, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From lightning and storms, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord.\n  From eternal damnation, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through Thy birth and Thy life, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through Thy cross and passion, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through Thy death and burial, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through the merits of Thy blessed Mother Mary, deliver us, O Lord.\n  Through the merits of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, deliver us, O Lord.\n  On the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord!\n  We sinners, beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou convert us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee,\nhear us.\n  That Thou protect and propagate Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear\nus.\n  That Thou preserve peace and concord among the nations, we beseech\nThee, hear us.\n  That Thou give eternal rest to the souls of the departed, we beseech\nThee, hear us.\n  That Thou come to our aid through the intercession of the Holy\nHelpers, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. George Thou preserve us in the\nFaith, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Blase Thou confirm us in hope, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Erasmus Thou enkindle in us Thy\nholy love, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Pantaleon Thou give us charity\nfor our neighbor, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Vitus Thou teach us the value of\nour soul, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Christophorus Thou preserve us\nfrom sin, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Dionysius Thou give us\ntranquillity of conscience, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Cyriacus Thou grant us\nresignation to Thy holy will, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Eustachius Thou give us patience\nin adversity, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Achatius Thou grant us a happy\ndeath, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Giles Thou grant us a merciful\njudgment, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Margaret Thou preserve us from\nhell, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Catherine Thou shorten our\npurgatory, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of St. Barbara Thou receive us in\nheaven, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That through the intercession of all the Holy Helpers Thou wilt grant\nour prayers, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear\nus, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us,\nO Lord.\n\nV. Pray for us, ye Fourteen Holy Helpers.\n\nR. That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.\n\n_Let us Pray_\n\nALMIGHTY and eternal God, who hast bestowed extraordinary graces and\ngifts on Thy saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus,\nChristophorus, Dionysius, Cyriacus, Eustachius, Achatius, Giles,\nMargaret, Catherine, and Barbara, and hast illustrated them by miracles;\nwe beseech Thee to graciously hear the petitions of all who invoke their\nintercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nO God, who didst miraculously fortify the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the\nconfession of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, to imitate their\nfortitude in overcoming all temptations against it, and protect us\nthrough their intercession in all dangers of soul and body, so that we\nmay serve Thee in purity of heart and chastity of body. Through Christ\nour Lord. Amen.\n\nINVOCATION OF THE HOLY HELPERS\n\nFOURTEEN Holy Helpers, who served God in humility and confidence on\nearth and are now in the enjoyment of His beatific vision in heaven;\nbecause you persevered till death you gained the crown of eternal life.\nRemember the dangers that surround us in this vale of tears, and\nintercede for us in all our needs and adversities. Amen.\n\nFourteen Holy Helpers, select friends of God, I honor you as mighty\nintercessors, and come with filial confidence to you in my needs, for\nthe relief of which I have undertaken to make this novena. Help me by\nyour intercession to placate God's wrath, which I have provoked by my\nsins, and aid me in amending my life and doing penance. Obtain for me\nthe grace to serve God with a willing heart, to be resigned to His holy\nwill, to be patient in adversity and to persevere unto the end, so that,\nhaving finished my earthly course, I may join you in heaven, there to\npraise for ever God, who is wonderful in His saints. Amen.\n\n\n\nSECOND DAY\n\nThe Destiny of Man\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE Holy Helpers faithfully co-operated with God's designs concerning\ntheir eternal destiny. No obstacle could prevail on them to stray from\nthe path of duty. Always and everywhere they fulfilled the will of God.\n\nYou, too, have an eternal destiny. You are not your own master, but\nbelong to God, whose servant and property you are. Therefore you must\nobey Him, and not your own inclinations; you must do His will, and not\nyour own. God had the right of requiring our submission to Him without\ngiving us a reward, because He is Our Lord; nevertheless He promised to\ngive us Himself in reward for our faithful service. Ought this not be\nsufficient inducement for us to serve Him zealously and gratefully?\n\nRemember, moreover, that you shall be unhappy both in this and in the\nnext world if you do not give yourself entirely to God, for whom you\nwere created. St. Augustine says: \"Thou hast created us for Thee, O\nLord, and our heart remains restless till it rests in Thee.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nTHANK God for the undeserved grace of creation and redemption. Make an\nact of contrition for having served Him so negligently. Promise\namendment, and invoke the aid of God's grace through the intercession of\nthe Holy Helpers.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD, who according to the decrees of Thy providence hast created man\nfor eternal bliss; grant, through the intercession of the Holy Helpers,\nthat I may attain to my destiny by being united with Thee in this life\nand loving and praising Thee for ever in heaven. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nTHIRD DAY\n\nThe Virtue of Faith\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE Holy Helpers were so thoroughly imbued with the virtue of divine\nfaith, that they believed its sacred truths with perfect abandonment of\ntheir intellect, will, liberty, and whole being. They wavered not amid\nthe severest torments, but remained firm until death in the confession\nof Christ.\n\nOur time is noted for assaults on the Faith and on the Church that\nteaches it. The Church, the depository of divine revelation, is\nblasphemed in her doctrine, in her precepts, in her sacraments, in her\nministers, in her cult, in her entire essence. Were you never ashamed of\nyour Catholic name? What cowardliness, what timidity, what downright\nmalice!\n\nPRACTICE\n\nREVIVE your faith by the consideration of the example of the Holy\nHelpers. Do not, from human respect, neglect the sanctification of the\nLord's Day, the observance of days of fast and abstinence, the reception\nof the holy sacraments, the profession of your belief in the real\npresence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, etc. Meditate frequently\non the words of Christ: \"He that shall deny Me before men, I will also\ndeny him before My Father who is in heaven\" (_Matt._ x. 33).\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD, I beseech Thee, through the faith of the Holy Helpers, grant me\nthe grace to treasure in my heart the doctrines of our holy faith, to\nbelieve them firmly, to confess them bravely, and to live according to\ntheir precepts, that through that same faith I may become worthy to be\nadmitted to Thy beatific vision in heaven. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFOURTH DAY\n\nThe Virtue of Hope\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\n\"HOPE confoundeth not\" (_Rom._ v. 6). According to the commentators\nthese words of Holy Scripture are to be understood in the sense that our\nworks must be in conformity with that which is the object of our hope;\nthat is, we must live in such a manner that we really merit the reward\nof heaven.\n\nWe sin against hope also by presumption in God's mercy, by despair, and\nby over-confidence in our own righteousness. According to Holy Scripture\nwe can not, of our own efficacy, perform a good act, but can do all in\nHim that strengthens us.\n\nAll these truths are exemplified in the lives of the Holy Helpers. Their\nhope was based on the firm foundation of faith, and consequently, like\nit, firm, constant, and unwavering.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nLIKE the Holy Helpers, hope to obtain from God all things necessary to\nsalvation, for \"the Lord is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul\nthat seeketh Him\" (_Lam._ iii. 25). Live so that He can fulfil His\npromises. Place no obstacle to His bounty and might by a sinful life.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nETERNAL God of love and mercy, I thank Thee for all the benefits Thou\nhast conferred upon me, and hope to obtain, through the intercession of\nthe Holy Helpers, all the graces necessary for my salvation. Through\nChrist our Lord. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nFIFTH DAY\n\nThe Love of God\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE love of God which inflamed the Holy Helpers showed forth in their\nwhole life, and particularly at their death. We, too, ought to be\ninflamed with such love, for without it faith, wisdom, the gift of\ntongues, and good works in general, avail nothing; for the love of God\nmust inspire them all. \"And we know that to them that love God, all\nthings work together unto good\" (_Rom._ viii. 28). Such, and such alone,\nwill receive the crown of life. Did not God love us first? To redeem us\nfrom sin and eternal death He spared not His only begotten, divine Son.\nAll goods of life and fortune are gifts of His love, evidences of His\ninfinite love. And we find it difficult to return this love? How\nungrateful not to love God with your whole heart!\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIMITATE the Holy Helpers in their ardent love of God. Implore their\nintercession to obtain it. Meditate often on God's love for you, and\nyour heart will be enflamed with love for Him.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD of mercy and love, I thank Thee from all my heart for the\ncountless graces which Thy infinite love has bestowed on me. By the\nardent love which the Holy Helpers had for Thee, I implore Thee to\nenkindle in my heart the flame of Thy love, so that I may remain in Thee\nand Thou in me. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSIXTH DAY\n\nThe Virtue of Charity\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nCHARITY is one of the fundamental virtues of the Christian religion. The\nmoral doctrine preached by Christ is comprised in the words: \"Thou shalt\nlove the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and\nwith thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And\nthe second is like to this. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On\nthese two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets\"\n(_Matt._ xxii. 37-40).\n\nAs in everything else, the Holy Helpers are our exemplars also in\ncharity. Charity consists in wishing well to our fellow-men, rejoicing\nwith the glad and sympathizing with the sad, doing good to all, excusing\ntheir faults whenever possible, disclosing them only when necessary,\nbeing friendly, indulgent, meek, and helpful toward them. We love our\nneighbor if we succor the poor and distressed, if we harbor no envy for\nthe rich, if we esteem the just for their virtue, and hate--not the\nsinner--but sin. We love our neighbor if we are not content with\nharboring these sentiments in our heart, but show them by our actions.\n\nPRACTICE\n\nENDEAVOR to exercise this charity according to the spirit of Christ. The\nlove of your neighbor must not be a sentimental affection; it must not\noriginate in casual qualities of character or rank, in inclination,\netc., but must have the love of God for its motive. We must exercise\ncharity toward all because God wills it, and in the manner in which He\nwills it. \"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.\"\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD of charity, who dost will that I love my neighbor for Thy sake,\ngrant me the grace, through the intercession of the Holy Helpers, to be\nanimated with that spirit of charity which embraces all and excludes\nnone, which \"is patient, kind, envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is\nnot puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to\nanger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with\nthe truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all\nthings, and never falleth away\" (1 _Cor._ xiii. 4-8). Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nSEVENTH DAY\n\nHuman Respect\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nBY THE conscientious fulfilment of the duties of their state of life the\nHoly Helpers show us that the will of God alone was the motive of all\ntheir actions. Human respect, regard for the opinion of others, did not\ninfluence them.\n\nThe cowardly fear, \"What will people say?\" was the ruin of many a soul.\nThe enemy of mankind is ever intent upon preventing us from doing good\nthrough human respect. He insinuates that virtue and piety are out of\ndate and ridiculed. From human respect many a person boasts of that\nwhich ought to make him blush; he thinks it discreditable to be less\nremiss in his religious obligations than others. Ought the opinion and\nridicule of the world influence us to prevent our pleasing God? St. Paul\nsays: \"If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ\"\n(_Gal._ i. 10). Our Lord Himself tells us, \"He that shall deny Me before\nmen, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven\" (_Matt._ x.\n33).\n\nPRACTICE\n\nOUR Lord says: \"So let your light shine before men, that they may see\nyour good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven\" (_Matt._ v.\n16). Do not stray from the path of duty on account of human respect; do\nnot let yourself be influenced by the judgments of the world.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMERCIFUL God, who gavest the Holy Helpers the grace to fulfil Thy will\nregardless of human respect; grant that we may obtain through their\nintercession and merits the courage to despise the opinion of men, and\never serve Thee with a fearless heart. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nEIGHTH DAY\n\nPrayer\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nTHE Holy Helpers, well knowing the efficacy of prayer, assiduously\ndevoted themselves to it. From it they drew that wonderful strength\nwhich sustained them in their combat for the Faith.\n\nPrayer is the elevation of the mind to God, intercourse with Him by acts\nof adoration, praise, thanksgiving, and petition. St. Chrysostom says of\nprayer: \"Without prayer it is impossible to lead a good life; for no one\ncan practise virtue except he humbly implores God for it, who alone can\ngive him the necessary strength. Who ceases to love and practise prayer,\nno longer possesses the gifts of the Spirit. But he that perseveres in\nthe service of God, and deems it an irreparable loss to miss constant\nprayer, possesses every virtue and is a friend of God.\"\n\nPRACTICE\n\nOFFER yourself at the beginning of each day to God, and thereby you will\nbelong to Him throughout its whole course. Renew your consecration to\nHim frequently during the day by short acts of virtue and especially by\na good intention, thus rendering all your work a prayer, and you will\nattain perfection.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD, I implore Thee through the merits and intercession of the Holy\nHelpers, to grant me the spirit of prayer, that following their example\nI may walk in Thy presence and ever enjoy the consolation of intercourse\nwith Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\n\n\nNINTH DAY\n\nPerseverance\n\nPreparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).\n\nMEDITATION\n\nA VICTORIOUS death was the reward of the Holy Helpers' perseverance in\nthe service of God. During this novena you have, no doubt, formed many\ngood resolutions, exclaiming with the Royal Prophet, \"And I said, now I\nhave begun\" (_Ps._ lxxvi. 11). But it happens that many, despite their\ngood will, become remiss in the pursuit of virtue. Satan is assiduously\ntrying to accomplish their ruin, representing to them and exaggerating\nthe difficulties to be encountered on the path of virtue. They hesitate,\nfalter, and finally turn back. This is the most unfortunate happening\nthat can occur. Of the condition of such a one Our Lord Himself says:\n\"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places\nwithout water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith: 'I will return\ninto my house whence I came out.' And when he is come, he findeth it\nswept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven spirits\nmore wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last\nstate of that man becometh worse than the first\" (_Luke_ xi. 24-26). Are\nthese words not a sufficient warning to encourage us to persevere in our\ngood resolves?\n\n[Image: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven.]\n\nPRACTICE\n\nIN concluding this novena, survey again the depth of that\nincomprehensible eternity which is awaiting you. Contemplate in spirit\nthe endless chain of centuries following each other there in reward or\nin punishment. Does this thought not banish all the difficulties of\nperseverance?\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO GOD, whose mercies are infinite and whose goodness is without limit, I\nbeseech Thee through the merits and intercession of the Holy Helpers,\ngrant me the grace of perseverance in Thy love and service to the end.\nThou, who dost dispense so many favors through the Holy Helpers, despise\nnot my prayer, but graciously hear and grant it. Amen.\n\nLitany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).\n\nCONCLUDING PRAYER\n\nO FAITHFUL servants of God and powerful protectors of man, Holy Helpers!\nSince Our Lord appointed you the heavenly advocates for our needs on\nearth, I confidently turn to you for help in my distress. Countless\nnumbers praise you for aiding them with counsel in doubt, with\nconsolation in anxiety, with health in illness, with safety in danger,\nwith delivery from prison, and with help and assistance in all\ntribulations. Therefore I, too, have recourse to you, and implore you\nnot to refuse me your aid.\n\nGive thanks to God for me for all the graces He granted me during this\nnovena. I ascribe them to your great merits and powerful intercession. I\nthank you all together, and each one in particular, for your interest in\nmy favor before the throne of God. I commend myself to your continued\nprotection, that I may one day be united with you in heaven, there to\nthank the Giver of all good things and to praise Him for all eternity.\nAmen.\n\n\n\nPrayers of Petition and Intercession\n\nI. Three Invocations\n\n1. GREAT friends of God, Holy Helpers, humbly saluting and venerating\nyou, I implore your help and intercession. Bring my prayers before the\nthrone of the Most Holy Trinity, so that I may experience in all the\ndifficulties and trials of life the mercy of the eternal Father, the\nlove of the incarnate divine Son, and the assistance of the Holy Ghost;\nthat despondency may not depress me when God's wise decree imposes on my\nshoulders a heavy burden. Above all, I implore your assistance at the\nhour of death. Help me then to gain the victory over the temptations and\nassaults of Satan, and to leave this world hopefully trusting in God's\nmercy, to join you in heaven, there to praise Him for ever and ever.\nAmen.\n\n2. With confiding trust I turn to you, Holy Helpers, who were selected\nby God before many other saints to be the special intercessors and\nadvocates of the distressed. Obtain for me strength and courage to\nstruggle and suffer on earth for the glory of God, for the propagation\nof our holy faith, and for my own perfection. You are fruitful branches\nof the true and living vine, Jesus Christ, for whom you heroically\nsuffered hunger and thirst, persecution and ignominy, afflictions and\nadversity, tortures and death. Here on earth you were true disciples and\ndauntless martyrs of Christ. Assist me to follow your example and to\nsuffer for His sake, so that I may not be parted from Him as a useless\nmember, but persevere in His service despite all trials and tribulations\nof life. Knowing my inconstancy and weakness, I have recourse to you, O\nglorious members of the Church triumphant, and implore you to support my\nfeeble prayers, and to bear them before the throne of the Almighty, who,\nfor your sake, will hear them. Amen.\n\n3. Great friends and servants of God, Holy Helpers! Humbly saluting and\nvenerating you, I implore your help and intercession. God has promised\nand granted that whosoever invokes your aid shall be relieved in his\nneeds and succored at the hour of death. Therefore I have recourse to\nyou and confidently implore your aid. I am surrounded by difficulties\nand my soul is oppressed with grief. Burdened with sins, the fear of\nGod's rigorous judgment appalls me, whilst Satan ceases not to exert all\nhis power to accomplish my eternal ruin.\n\nTherefore I implore your assistance, powerful Holy Helpers, in my dire\ndistress. By the penitential life you led, by the cruel tortures you\nsuffered, and by your holy death I entreat you to pray for me. Obtain\nfor me the remission of my sins and perseverance to the end in God's\ngrace. Assist me in my agony and protect me against the wily assaults of\nSatan, that through your help I may die a happy death and enter a\nblissful eternity. Amen.\n\n\nII. Prayer in Illness\n\nCOMPASSIONATE Holy Helpers, who restored health to so many through the\npower of the name of Jesus; behold me suffering from bodily illness and\nfrom wounds of the soul. Implore the kind, merciful Good Samaritan, your\nand my Lord Jesus Christ, to heal the wounds of my soul by washing them\nin His most precious blood, and to quicken my spirit by His sanctifying\ngrace. If it, then, be God's holy will and for the welfare of my soul,\nlet me experience the powerful effect of your intercession, that,\nrestored to health, I may serve God with greater fervor, and promote\nyour veneration together with so many who experienced your help in\nillness and suffering. Amen.\n\nIII. Prayer for the Sick\n\nMERCIFUL Holy Helpers, look benignly upon me, who implore your\nintercession for a sick person. Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, who\nHimself went about healing and doing good, appointed you the special\nprotectors and intercessors of the sick, and restored to bodily and\nspiritual health many for whom you prayed. Encouraged thereby to invoke\nyou, I implore you to offer up to His sacred Heart all the pains and\ntorments He suffered during His bitter passion. Offer up to Him also\nyour own sufferings for God's glory, which you underwent during life,\nand in death; offer up to Him all the anguish and distress suffered by\nthe sick person for whom I invoke your intercession. Ask Him to restore\nhim to health of body, and to infuse into his soul the grace of\nsalvation, so that he may devote his life with renewed vigor to the\nservice of God and to the fulfilment of his duties, and thereby gather\nrich merits for eternity.\n\nBut if God, in the designs of His providence, should otherwise dispose,\nimplore for the sick person patience in his illness, resignation to the\ndivine will, and the grace of a happy death. Assist him in his agony,\nand conduct his soul to the throne of the Almighty. Amen.\n\nIV. Prayer of Parents for Their Children\n\nHOLY Helpers, assist me to give thanks to God for blessing me with\nchildren. Having received them from Him, it is my duty to train them for\nHis service. Therefore I commend them to your special protection. Guard\nthem from sin, help them to know and fulfil their duties, preserve them\nfrom all harm of body and soul; pray for them that they may be and\nremain children of God. For me, obtain the grace always to take good\ncare of them, to edify them by good example, to punish their faults\nwisely, to preserve their innocence, and to instruct them unto piety, so\nthat they and I may together enjoy the eternal happiness of heaven.\nAmen.\n\nV. Prayer of Children for Their Parents\n\nHOLY Helpers, mighty intercessors with God in all necessities; God\nstrictly commanded that children should love, honor, and obey their\nparents. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself gave them the example\nof submission and obedience by being subject to His mother and\nfoster-father. I commend myself to your powerful intercession and\nimplore you to obtain for me the grace to follow His example. For my\nparents I implore protection from all evil of body and soul, a long\nand prosperous life, and a happy death. Reward them for all the care,\nanxiety, labor, and trouble which they underwent patiently for my sake\nwith the eternal crown of heavenly glory. Amen.\n\nVI. Prayer of Married People\n\nHOLY Helpers, powerful intercessors at the throne of God, by whose\nprovidence we were indissolubly joined in holy wedlock through the\nsacramental bonds of matrimony; obtain for us, through your\nintercession, the grace to dwell together in mutual love and peace, and\nto fulfil faithfully the duties of our state of life; that following the\nexample of the saints and elect who lived in wedlock, we may merit God's\ngrace and blessing by a virtuous life here on earth, and united in\nheaven praise and bless Him for ever. Amen.\n\n\n\nPART V\n\nGeneral Devotions\n\n\n\"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call\nupon Him in truth. He will do the will of them that fear Him, and He\nwill bear their prayer and save them\" (_Ps._  cxliv. 18, 19).\n\n\"Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, instant in prayer\" (_Rom._\nxii. 12).\n\n\n\nMorning Prayers\n\nOn awaking, sign yourself with the sign of the cross, saying:\n\nIN THE name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.\n\nI rise in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed me by His\nprecious blood. Bless, guide, and protect me from all evil, O Lord!\nStrengthen me to all good and lead me to eternal life. Amen.\n\nAfter dressing, kneel and say:\n\nMy Lord and my God! I prostrate myself before the throne of Thy divine\nMajesty, and give Thee infinite thanks, O Lord, that I have passed this\nnight safely and have not died in my sins, but was preserved by Thy\nbounty for Thy further service.\n\nI offer up to Thee all that I shall do and suffer to-day, and unite it\nwith the prayers, labors, and sufferings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of\nHis blessed Mother Mary.\n\nOFFERING\n\nTAKE, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding,\nand my whole will. Thou hast given me all that I am and all that I\npossess; I surrender it all to Thee that Thou mayest dispose of it\naccording to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I\nwill be rich enough, and will have no more to desire.\n\nIndulgence. 300 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, May 26, 1883.)\n\n\n\nActs of Faith, Hope, and Charity\n\nMY LORD and God! I most firmly believe all that Thou hast revealed and\nall that Thy holy Church believes and teaches, because Thou, who art\ninfallible Truth, hast so revealed and commanded.\n\nMy Lord and God! Because Thou art almighty, infinitely good and\nmerciful, I hope that by the merits of the passion and death of Jesus\nChrist, our Saviour, Thou wilt grant me eternal life, which Thou hast\npromised to all who shall do the works of a good Christian, as I purpose\nto do by Thy help.\n\nMy Lord and God! Because Thou art the highest and most perfect good, I\nlove Thee with my whole heart, and above all things; and rather than\noffend Thee, I am ready to lose all things else; and for Thy love, I\nlove and desire to love my neighbor as myself.\n\nIndulgence. (1) A plenary indulgence, once a month, for devoutly making\nthese acts daily; under the usual conditions. (2) A plenary indulgence\nat the hour of death, under the same conditions. (3) Seven years and\nseven quarantines, every time. (Benedict XIV, January 28, 1728.) The\nsame Pope declared that it is not necessary to use any set formula, but\nthat any form of words may be used, provided it expresses the particular\nmotive of each of the three theological virtues.\n\n\nTo the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\nHail Mary, etc.\n\nMY QUEEN, my Mother! I give myself entirely to thee; and to show my\ndevotion to thee I consecrate to thee this day my eyes, my ears, my\nmouth, my heart, my whole being, without reserve. Wherefore, good\nMother, as I am thine own, keep me, guard me, as thy property and\npossession.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 100 days, once a day. (2) A plenary indulgence, once a\nmonth, for saying it every day; under the usual conditions. (Pius IX,\nAug. 5, 1851.)\n\n\nTo the Angel Guardian\n\n  ANGEL of God, my guardian dear,\n  To whom His love committed me here,\n  Ever this day be at my side,\n  To light and guard, to rule and guide! Amen.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A plenary indulgence on the\nfeast of the holy Guardian Angels, for saying it morning and evening\nthroughout the year; under the usual conditions. (3) A plenary\nindulgence at the hour of death, for saying it often during life. (Pius\nVI, Oct 2, 1795, and June 11, 1796.) (4) A plenary indulgence, once a\nmonth, for saying it daily; under the usual conditions. (Pius VII, May\n15, 1821.)\n\n\n\nEvening Prayers\n\nETERNAL and merciful God! I adore Thee and give Thee thanks for all the\ngraces and benefits which Thou hast conferred upon me during my whole\nlife, and particularly during this day. May the saints and elect,\nespecially the Holy Helpers, praise and thank Thee for me.\n\nEnlighten me now through Thy holy Spirit, and let me know whether and\nhow I have offended Thee to-day in thought, word, deed, and omission of\nduty.\n\nExamine your conscience.\n\n\nAn Act of Contrition\n\nO MY God! I am deeply sorry for all my sins, for those I committed\nto-day, and for those of my whole life, because thereby I offended Thy\nsupreme and most loving goodness. Pardon me for the sake of Jesus, Thy\nSon, who shed His most precious blood on the cross for our sins. With\nthe help of Thy grace, I firmly resolve to amend my life, and rather to\ndie than again offend Thee by a mortal sin.\n\nPETITION\n\nPROTECT me and mine and all men during this night, and through the\nintercession of the blessed Virgin Mary and of the Holy Helpers preserve\nus from all dangers of body and soul. Keep away from us sickness, fire,\nand calamities of every kind. Protect us against the assaults of the\nwicked and of Satan. Into Thy hands I commend my body and soul; let me\nrest in Thy most holy wounds.\n\nVisit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this habitation, and repel from it all\nthe snares of the enemy; let Thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us\nin peace, and may Thy blessings be upon us for ever. Through Christ our\nLord. Amen.\n\n\nTo the Sacred Heart of Jesus\n\n(_Prayer of St Alphonsus._)\n\nADORABLE Heart of my Jesus, Heart created expressly for the love of men!\nUntil now I have shown toward Thee only ingratitude. Pardon me, O my\nJesus! Heart of my Jesus, abyss of love and of mercy, how is it possible\nthat I do not die of sorrow when I reflect on Thy goodness to me and my\ningratitude to Thee? Thou, my Creator, after having created me, hast\ngiven Thy blood and Thy life for me; and, not content with this, Thou\nhast invented a means of offering Thyself up every day for me in the\nHoly Eucharist, exposing Thyself to a thousand insults and outrages. O\nJesus, do Thou wound my heart with a great contrition for my sins, and a\nlively love for Thee. Through Thy tears and Thy blood give me the grace\nof perseverance in Thy fervent love until I breathe my last sigh. Amen.\n\n\nTo the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\nREMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any\none who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy\nintercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly\nunto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I\nstand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not\nmy petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 300 days, every time, (2) A plenary indulgence, once a\nmonth, for having said it daily; under the usual conditions. (Pius IX,\nDecember 11, 1846.)\n\nLitany of Loreto (located in the list of litanies).\n\n\nTo St. Joseph\n\nGUARDIAN of virgins and father, holy Joseph, to whose faithful care\nChrist Jesus, very innocence, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, were\ncommitted; I pray and beg of thee by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary,\nfree me from all uncleanness, and make me with spotless mind, pure\nheart, and chaste body, ever most chastely to serve Jesus and Mary all\nthe days of my life. Amen.\n\nIndulgence. 100 days, once a day. (Pius IX, Feb. 4, 1877.)\n\n[Illustration: The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven.]\n\n\nBefore Retiring\n\n(_Prayer of St. Alphonsus._)\n\nMY LORD and God Jesus Christ! I adore Thee and give Thee thanks for all\nthe graces which Thou hast granted me to-day. I offer up to Thee my rest\nand every moment of this night, and implore Thee to preserve me from all\nsin. Therefore I place myself into the wound of Thy sacred side, and\nbeneath the protecting mantle of my Mother Mary. May Thy holy angels\nassist me and watch over my peace, and may Thy holy blessing remain with\nme.\n\nIndulgence. 60 days, once a day, also for the souls in purgatory. (Leo\nXIII, June 30, 1898.)\n\nINVOCATION\n\nJESUS, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.\n\nJesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.\n\nJesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.\n\nIndulgence. 100 days for the recital of any one of these invocations,\n300 days for all three. (Pius VII, Aug. 26, 1814.)\n\n\n\nPrayers at Holy Mass\n\n\nPreparatory Prayer\n\nALMIGHTY and eternal God! I appear in Thy presence to assist at the most\nholy sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, my\nRedeemer, and to offer it up jointly with the priest and the faithful\nhere present, in grateful remembrance of His passion and death, for the\npromotion of Thy glory, and for my salvation. Together with all the holy\nMasses that are celebrated throughout the world, I offer up this august\nsacrifice for the following intentions: To adore Thee, O my God, as Thou\ndost deserve to be adored; to give Thee due thanks for the innumerable\nbenefits which I owe to Thy bounty; to make reparation for the many\noffenses I have committed; to appease Thy just anger, and to invoke Thy\ninfinite mercy for me, for Thy holy Church, for the whole world, and for\nthe souls in purgatory. Amen.\n\n\nAt the Beginning of Mass\n\nO HEAVENLY Father! Hear the prayer of Thy holy Church invoking Thy\ndivine Majesty in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to come to the aid\nof Thy children in all their needs. Turn not from us Thy gracious eyes,\nbut deliver us from all evil, so that we may live to please Thee, die in\nThy love, and enter the kingdom of glory. Amen.\n\n\nAt the Gospel\n\nALMIGHTY God, Thou source of all truth, holiness, and justice; having\nspoken in the Old Law by the mouth of Thy prophets, Thou spokest in the\nfulness of time through Thy divine Son Jesus Christ, and speakest now\nthrough Thy holy Church, appointed by Thee the Teacher of truth. We\nthank Thee for the saving doctrines entrusted to her for our good, and\nimplore Thy grace to practise them and to please Thee by all our\nactions.\n\n\nAt the Credo\n\nSay the Apostles' Creed.\n\nAt the Offering\n\nALMIGHTY and eternal God! Look graciously on the forms of bread and wine\noffered up to Thee on the altar by the priest, imploring Thee to bless\nand sanctify them for the eucharistic sacrifice of the New Law. With\nthis sacrifice, O my God, I offer up to Thee my heart with all its\naffections, desires, and inclinations. Sanctify my thoughts, words, and\ndeeds, that they may become a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to Thee.\n\n\nAt the Preface\n\nTO THEE, O Lord, I raise my heart in gratitude for all Thy mercies. For\ntruly meet and just, right and salutary is it for us to give Thee always\nand everywhere praise and thanks, O holy Lord, almighty Father and\neternal God, through Christ our Lord; through whom the angels and\narchangels, the cherubs and the seraphs praise Thy majesty and adore Thy\nmight. With them I unite my voice, joining in their hymns of praise, and\nsaying:\n\n\nAt the Sanctus\n\nHOLY, holy, holy, Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are filled with\nThy glory. Hosanna in the highest.\n\nBlessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the\nhighest.\n\n\nAt the Canon\n\nO GOD! Let my prayer be acceptable to Thee, and graciously hear the\nintercession which I make confiding in the virtue of this holy\nsacrifice. I commend to Thy mercy our holy Father, N., our bishop, N.,\nand all bishops and priests of Thy holy Church. Let Thy kingdom be\nspread more and more all over the earth; grant peace and concord to the\nnations; protect our country; preserve peace and love in all families.\nRemember graciously my parents, brothers, sisters, and relatives, my\nbenefactors, my enemies, and all for whom I am in justice or charity\nbound to pray.\n\n\nAt the Elevation\n\nHAIL, thou body of my Saviour, conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of Mary\nthe immaculate Virgin! With profound humility I adore Thee. Lord, have\nmercy on me!\n\nEternal Father, I offer Thee the precious blood of Jesus, in\nsatisfaction for my sins, and for the wants of holy Church.\n\nIndulgence. 100 days, every time. (Pius VII, Sept. 22, 1817.)\n\n\nAfter the Elevation\n\nMOST amiable Jesus! Thou art now present on the altar, God and man,\nreally, truly, and essentially. Divine victim for our sins, have mercy\non us! Be our mediator with Thy Father; avert from us the punishment we\nhave deserved for our sins, deliver us from all dangers that threaten\nus, and from all evil. Promote the welfare of Thy Church, and remember\nin Thy mercy those who have gone before us with the sign of faith and\nrest in peace. (_Remember the departed for whom you intend to pray._)\n\nTo these, O Lord, and to all that sleep in Christ, grant, we beseech\nThee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace.\n\nAlso to us sinners, Thy servants, confiding in the multitude of Thy\nmercies, grant some part and fellowship with Thy saints, through whose\nintercession we invoke Thy favor, and into whose company we beseech Thee\nto admit us, not in consideration of our merit, but of Thy own pardon.\nThrough Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\nAt the Pater Noster\n\nINSTRUCTED by Thy saving precepts and following Thy divine directions,\nwe presume to say:\n\nOur Father, etc.\n\n\nAt the Agnus Dei\n\nLAMB of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.\n\nLamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.\n\nLamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, give us peace.\n\n\nAt Communion\n\nLORD, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; say but\nthe word, and my soul shall be healed. (_Three times._)\n\n\nSpiritual Communion\n\nO JESUS, I firmly believe that Thou art truly present in the Blessed\nSacrament. I see Thee therein full of love, willing to pardon us,\nanxious to be united with us. I wish most earnestly to respond to this\nThy desire and love. I detest all the sins by which I have ever\ndispleased Thee. Pardon me, O Lord! I desire to receive Thee into my\nheart, and since I now can not receive Thee sacramentally, come at least\nspiritually to me.\n\nI embrace Thee, I unite myself with Thee as if Thou wert really present\nin my heart. With all my love I cling to Thee. Preserve me from sin,\nthat I may never be separated from Thee, but remain united with Thee for\never.\n\nIndulgence. 60 days, once a day. Also for the suffering souls. (Leo\nXIII, June 30, 1893.)\n\n\nAt the Blessing\n\nBLESS me, O Lord, by the hand of Thy priest, and let the power of this\nblessing remain upon me for ever. In the name of the Father, and of the\nSon, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.\n\n\nAt the Last Gospel\n\nO JESUS, incarnate Word of the eternal Father, Thou true light which\nenlightens the world! I give thanks to Thee at all times for having\ndwelt among us, the only-begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and\ntruth. Amen.\n\n\n\nPrayers after Mass\n\nHail Mary, etc. (_Three times._)\n\n\nSalve Regina\n\nHAIL, holy queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our\nhope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we\nsend up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn\nthen, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after\nthis our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O\nclement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!\n\nV. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.\n\nR. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.\n\n_Let Us Pray._\n\nO GOD, our refuge and our strength! Look down with favor upon Thy people\ncrying to Thee; and through the intercession of the glorious and\nimmaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of her spouse, blessed Joseph, of\nthy holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all Thy saints, mercifully and\ngraciously hear the prayers which we pour forth to Thee for the\nconversion of sinners and for the liberty and exaltation of holy mother\nChurch. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\nSt. Michael the archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection\nagainst the malice and snares of the devil. Command him, O God, we\nhumbly beseech Thee, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly hosts, by the\ndivine power, cast into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who roam\nthrough the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.\n\nIndulgence. 300 days. (Leo XIII, September 25, 1888.)\n\n\n\nPrayers for Confession\n\n\nBefore Confession\n\nMERCIFUL God! I give infinite thanks to Thee for the many and great\ngraces Thou hast bestowed upon me during my whole life. Would that I had\nnever been ungrateful to Thee, that I never had offended Thee. But I\nhave sinned exceedingly and often, and have done so again since my last\nconfession. Therefore I come to Thee, imploring Thee in profoundest\nhumility to give me Thy light and Thy grace, that I may know and\nacknowledge all my sins, faults, and transgressions, be truly sorry for\nthem, sincerely confess them, do penance, and amend my life; for Thy\ngreater glory and for the salvation of my soul.\n\nExamine your conscience.\n\nSUPREME God and Lord! A poor sinner, I cast myself at the throne of Thy\ndivine Majesty, and contritely confess that I have sinned in thought,\nword, and deed, and through the omission of my duties. I am heartily\nsorry that I was ungrateful to Thee and have deserved to be punished in\nthis life and in the life to come. Above all I am sorry because by my\nsins I have offended Thee, my supreme and infinite God, who art worthy\nto be loved and honored above all else for Thy supreme goodness and\nmercy. I detest and abhor my sins above all other evils, and wish I had\nnever committed them. Humbly I implore Thy pardon, and confidently hope\nto obtain it through the merits of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for us\npoor sinners, and through those of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy\nHelpers, and of all the saints.\n\nI firmly purpose to amend my life, to avoid all occasions of sin, to use\nthe means for conquering my passions, and to practise virtue by ordering\nmy life according to Thy divine will and pleasure, and rather to die\nthan to offend Thee again, my God and Lord. I am now ready to make\nreparation to Thy divine Justice for all the offenses of which I have\nbeen guilty against Thee, as far as is in my power. Therefore I will\nconfess my sins sincerely, contritely, fully, and perform the penance\nimposed upon me.\n\nBefore entering the confessional.\n\nThe Lord be in my heart and on my lips that I may worthily and\ncompetently confess my sins.\n\n\n\nAfter Confession\n\nO GOD of infinite mercy! I give Thee due thanks, and praise Thee for\nhaving admitted me to the confession of my sins and for having, through\nThy minister, granted me absolution for them. I implore Thee by the\nmerits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, of Mary, His most blessed Mother, of\nthe Holy Helpers, and of all the saints, to accept my confession, and in\nThy infinite mercy to condone and amend all the defects and faults I\ncommitted in making it, and to ratify in heaven the absolution I\nreceived on earth.\n\nO my Jesus! How blind I was in not knowing Thee and preferring\ntransitory beauty and earthly attractions to Thy grace and love, and\nthereby offending Thee! Now I acknowledge my fault, and am convinced\nthat it is my duty and privilege to love Thee above all things. Too late\nI have learned it, but I shall zealously strive to make reparation for\nmy past neglect. Therefore I renounce the pleasures, vanities, and joys\nof this deceitful world, and abhor sin and all that leads to it. In the\nfuture nothing shall ever part me from Thy love. From this moment on I\nam resolved nevermore to offend Thee. Confirm, O Jesus, this my\nresolution, and with Thy almighty power strengthen my frailty. Seal my\npurpose of amendment with the bestowal of Thy grace, and preserve me in\nThy grace and love unto the end. Amen.\n\n\n\nPrayers for Holy Communion\n\n\n\nBEFORE COMMUNION\n\n\nAn Act of Faith\n\nMY LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ! I firmly believe that Thou art really\npresent in the Blessed Sacrament. I believe it contains Thy body and\nblood, Thy soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths, I believe\nthese wonders. I adore Thy power which has wrought them; I praise Thy\ninfinite goodness which has prepared them for me. \"I will praise Thee,\nmy God, with my whole heart, and will recount all Thy admirable works; I\nwill rejoice in Thee, and bless Thy holy name\" (_Ps._ ix. 2, 3). In this\nfaith, and with this acknowledgment, I presume to approach this adorable\nbanquet, wherein Thou bestowest on me the divine food of Thy body and\nblood to nourish my soul. Grant, O Jesus, that I may approach Thee with\nsuch a sense of reverence and humility as is due to Thy divine Majesty.\nWho am I, O God, that Thou shouldst work such wonders for my sake?\nGrant, O Lord, that I be not altogether unworthy of them, and that I may\nnow receive Thee with a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a sincere\nand lively faith. Pardon my sins, which have rendered me most unworthy\nto approach Thee. I detest them from the bottom of my heart, because\nthey are displeasing to Thee, my God. I renounce them for ever, and\npromise to be faithful to Thee.\n\n\nAn Act of Hope\n\nIN THEE, sweet Jesus, I place all my hope, because Thou alone art my\nsalvation, my strength, my refuge, and the foundation of all my\nhappiness. Were it not for the confidence I place in Thy merits, and in\nthe precious blood Thou didst shed for my redemption, I would not\npresume to partake of this banquet. Encouraged, therefore, by Thy\ngoodness, I come to Thee as one sick to his physician, as a condemned\ncriminal to his powerful intercessor. Heal me as my physician, and as my\npowerful advocate deliver me from the sentence of sin and death. It is\nin Thy mercy that I put all my trust. Have pity, therefore, O Jesus, on\nme, and save me, for Thou forsakest none that place their hope in Thee.\n\n\nAn Act of Love\n\nO DIVINE Redeemer, how strong was the force of Thy love, that, being\nabout to depart from this world to Thy eternal Father, Thou didst\nprovide for us this divine banquet, enriched with all heavenly\nsweetness! It was through an excess of Thy love that Thou hast left us\nThy body and blood for the food and nourishment of our souls; that, as\nThou didst unite Thyself to our humanity, so we might be partakers of\nThy divinity. I desire to love Thee, my Jesus, who art my only comfort\nin this place of banishment, the only hope of my infirm soul, my\nhappiness above all I can enjoy in this life. I love Thee, my God, with\nmy whole heart, with my whole soul, and with all my mind and strength. I\nwish that, as every moment is an increase of my life, so it may also be\nof my love toward Thee. I desire, with all the affections and powers of\nmy soul, that, as the inmost thanks are due to Thee, so they may be\nreturned to Thee by all the faithful, for this divine food, which is our\nrefreshment, support, strength, armor, and defense in all our miseries;\nand that my love may never cease, inflame my heart with the fire of\nheaven, that it may continue burning till, nature and corruption being\nconsumed, I may at length be transformed into Thee. Come, O Lord, hasten\nto release me from the bonds of sin, and prepare me for the blessing\nThou art now about to bestow on me.\n\n\nAn Act of Desire\n\nMY LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ! \"As the heart panteth after the\nfountains of waters so my soul panteth after Thee, O God!\" (_Ps._ xlii.\n1). Tired with my own evil ways, I now return to Thee, to taste Thy\nbanquet, that my soul may be refreshed. I henceforth despise all human\nconsolations, that I may be comforted by Thee, my only good, my God and\nSaviour, whom I love above all things and desire to entertain within my\nheart with as much devotion and affection as is conceived by Thy chosen\nservants, who now sit at Thy table in celestial bliss. And however I may\nhave been wanting hitherto in my duty, I now for ever renounce my folly\nand weakness, and from my heart request that for the future my joy, my\nrelief, my treasure, and rest may be entirely centered in Thee. May I\nnever desire anything besides Thee, and may all things seem contemptible\nand as nothing without Thee, O my God!\n\n\nAn Act of Fear\n\nO MY God and Saviour, it is with fear and trembling that I approach Thy\nbanquet, having nothing to confide in but Thy goodness and mercy, being\nof myself a sinner, destitute of all virtue. My soul and body are\ndefiled with many crimes, my thoughts and tongue have been under no\nrestraint. I have frequently resolved to amend, and yet where do I\nremain but in the midst of sin and vice? How little pains do I take to\nrecover from this misery and return to Thee, to whom I have repeatedly\npromised to be faithful! These thoughts cause me to fear that what Thou\nhast mercifully ordained for my salvation, I should now receive to my\njudgment and condemnation. In this wretched condition I hasten to Thee;\nto Thee I expose all my wounds, to Thee I disclose my depravity. Look,\ntherefore, on me with the eyes of compassion, and have mercy on me, O\nLord and Saviour!\n\n[Illustration: The Mother of Our Saviour.]\n\n\nAn Act of Humility\n\nO IMMENSE, almighty, and incomprehensible God, who am I, that Thou\nshouldst vouchsafe to come to be my food, and to take Thy habitation\nwithin my soul? The consideration of Thy greatness and my unworthiness\npenetrates me with awe and confusion. With the utmost sincerity I can\nonly declare the extent of my misery, and admire that infinite goodness\nwhich induces Thee to visit personally the lowest and basest of Thy\ncreatures. Receive, then, Thy unworthy servant into the compassionate\narms of Thy mercy. Cast all my sins out of Thy sight, and with the\ntenderness of a loving father extend Thy arms to receive me; and let me\neffectually experience the truth of Thy prophet's words: \"A sacrifice to\nGod is an afflicted spirit; a contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou\nwilt not despise\" (_Ps._ l. 19).\n\nIMMEDIATELY BEFORE COMMUNION\n\nLORD, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof: say but\nthe word, and my soul shall be healed.\n\nThe body of Our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting.\n\n\n\nAFTER COMMUNION\n\n\nAn Act of Thanksgiving\n\nO JESUS, my God and Saviour! I return Thee thanks for having, out of Thy\npure mercy, without any desert of mine, been pleased to feed my soul\nwith Thine own most sacred body and blood. Suffer me sooner to be\nforgetful of myself than to be ever unmindful of this great favor.\nAlthough I have hitherto been ungrateful, with the help of Thy grace I\nshall be so no more. But what return can I make Thee, being of myself\ninsolvent, indigent, and miserable? The sacrifice of all that I am or\nhave is not worthy to be presented to Thee; but, behold I offer Thee\nThyself, and consider all my debts as abundantly discharged. May Thy\ninfinite mercy be for ever exalted for having given me such an excellent\nmeans of repaying Thee to the full. O that I could ever remember Thee,\nthink of Thee, ever love Thee alone! Imprint the memory of what Thou\ndidst for me so deeply in my heart, that I spend my whole life in\nthanking Thee for all Thy benefits, but especially for this banquet of\nThy love. Amen.\n\n\nAn Act of Adoration\n\nUNDER the sacred veil of Thy eucharistic presence, where Thy love of man\nconceals the splendor of Thy majesty, I most humbly adore Thee, O\nalmighty God! The grandeur of the heavens is as nothing in Thy sight;\nthey shall perish, but Thou shalt remain for ever. The earth Thou hast\npoised in Thy hand. The ocean is before Thee but as a drop of water. All\nnature bows and trembles in Thy presence. How, then, shall I extol Thee,\nimmortal King of glory? What homage can I give in proportion to Thy\ngreatness? Thou art the perfect image of Thy Father's substance. Thou\nart the splendor of His glory. Thou art His almighty Word, supporting\nall things. Thee He has seated at His right hand. Thy throne, O God, is\nfor ever and ever; a scepter of justice is the scepter of Thy reign. I\nbow before Thy sacred Majesty. I acknowledge with the sincerest\ngratitude that Thou art my redeemer, my creator, the supreme arbiter of\nmy eternal destiny. I desire to humble myself as profoundly for Thy sake\nas Thou art humbled for my love in the center of my soul, and to\nconsecrate to the glory of Thy name the whole extent of my being. Amen.\n\n\nAn Act of Oblation\n\nO MY Saviour! What pledge can I give as an earnest of the gratitude I\nowe to Thee? I have nothing worthy of Thee, and if I had, I have nothing\nbut what is Thine on several accounts. But such is Thy goodness as to be\ncontent to accept from us what is already Thine. Wherefore, behold, I\noffer to Thee my body and soul, which are both now sanctified by the\nhonor of Thy divine presence. I consecrate them to Thee for ever, since\nThou hast chosen them for Thy temple; my body to be continually employed\nin Thy service, and nevermore to become an instrument of sin; my soul to\nknow Thee, to love Thee and be evermore faithful to Thee. And as I am\nnow resolved to serve Thee with body and soul, I will take pains to\ncorrect their evil inclinations. I will declare war against myself,\nrenounce my wonted pleasures, my delights, my passions, my anger, my\nself-love, my pride, my own will, and, in fine, whatever may offend\nThee.\n\n\nOffering and Petition\n\nALMIGHTY God, I offer Thee this holy communion in union with the\nsuperabundant merits of Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, and the infinite\nlove of His adorable Heart; in union with the Blessed Virgin and the\nardent love of her immaculate heart; in union with the Holy Helpers and\nall the happy souls who enjoy Thy glorious vision in heaven, and with\nall the just on earth. O my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, present in me\nin the eucharistic species; fill me with that lively faith, profound\nhumility, tender confidence, pure conscience, and ardent love, with\nwhich so many happy souls are inflamed in partaking of this sacred\nbanquet, and supply by Thy mercy all my deficiencies. I offer my\ncommunion to render Thee the honor and glory which are due to Thy\ninfinite majesty; to satisfy Thy justice, which I have provoked by my\nsins; to thank Thee for the innumerable benefits which I have received\nfrom Thy bounty; and to obtain from Thy infinite mercy the graces\nnecessary for me; particularly the grace to subdue my predominant\npassion and to acquire the virtue in which I am most deficient; but\nespecially the grace of a happy death.\n\nI likewise offer my communion, O merciful Father, in memory of the\npassion and death of Thy dear Son, my divine Redeemer, to love Him with\nmore ardor and perfection; to participate in the merits of His labors\nand sufferings; to acquire His spirit; to imitate His virtues; to model\nmy life on His, and to make His adorable Heart a public reparation for\nall the sacrilegious communions, irreverences, and profanations which\nare committed against Him in this sacrament of His love. I offer it to\nthank Thee, O God, for all the graces Thou hast bestowed on mankind,\nparticularly for all those Thou hast conferred on Thy blessed Mother, on\nall the angels and saints, especially on my guardian angel, on my holy\npatron, and on the Holy Helpers. I offer it, likewise, for the triumph\nof our holy religion, for the exaltation of the Catholic Church, for the\nconversion of infidels, heretics, schismatics, and all those who are in\nthe unhappy state of sin. Also for the needs of my relatives, friends,\nbenefactors, and enemies; for the perseverance of the just, the comfort\nof the afflicted, and the deliverance of the souls in purgatory; in a\nword, for all those for whom I am bound to pray; and I desire to enter\ninto the intentions requisite for gaining the indulgences granted by the\nChurch to-day for worthy communicants.\n\nINVOCATIONS\n\n  SOUL of Christ, sanctify me!\n  Body of Christ, save me!\n  Blood of Christ, inebriate me!\n  Water from the side of Christ, wash me!\n  Passion of Christ, strengthen me!\n  O good Jesus, hear me!\n  Within Thy wounds, hide me!\n  Permit me not to be separated from Thee!\n  From the malignant enemy defend me!\n  In the hour of my death call me!\n  And bid me come to Thee,\n  That, with Thy saints, I may praise Thee\n  For ever and ever. Amen.\n\n\nIndulgence, (1) 300 days, every time. (2) 7 years, once a day, after\nreceiving communion. (3) A plenary indulgence, once a month, to all who\nhave the pious custom of saying it at least once a day for a month;\nunder the usual conditions. (Pius IX, January 9, 1854.)\n\n\nPrayer to Jesus Crucified\n\n[Illustration: A crucifix]\n\nLOOK down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly\nkneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my\nheart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for\nmy sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; while I contemplate with great\nlove and tender pity Thy five wounds, pondering over them within me, and\ncalling to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my\nJesus: \"They pierced my hands and my feet; they numbered all my bones\"\n(_Ps._ xxi. 17, 18).\n\nIndulgence. A plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, if said\nbefore an image or picture of the crucified Redeemer, after holy\ncommunion. (Pius IX, July 31, 1858.)\n\n\n\nVisit to the Blessed Sacrament\n\n(_Prayer of St. Alphonsus._)\n\nLORD Jesus Christ, who through the love which Thou bearest to man, dost\nremain with them day and night in this sacrament, full of mercy and\nlove, expecting, inviting, and receiving all who come to visit Thee; I\nbelieve that Thou art present in the Sacrament of the Altar. From the\nabyss of my nothingness I adore Thee, and I thank Thee for all the\nfavors which Thou hast bestowed upon me, particularly for having given\nme Thyself in this sacrament, for having given me for my advocate Thy\nmost holy Mother Mary, and for having called me to visit Thee in this\nchurch.\n\nI this day salute Thy most loving Heart, and I wish to salute it for\nthree ends: first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; second, in\ncompensation for all the injuries Thou hast received from Thy enemies in\nthis sacrament; third, I wish by this visit to adore Thee in all places\nin which Thou art least honored and most abandoned in this holy\nsacrament. My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. I am sorry for\nhaving hitherto offended Thy infinite goodness. I purpose, with the\nassistance of Thy grace, nevermore to offend Thee; and at this moment,\nmiserable as I am, I consecrate my whole being to Thee. I give Thee my\nentire will, all my affections and desires, and all that I have. From\nthis day forward, do what Thou wilt with me and with whatsoever belongs\nto me. I ask and desire only Thy holy love, the gift of final\nperseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Thy will. I recommend to\nThee the souls in purgatory, particularly those who were most devoted to\nthe Blessed Sacrament and to most holy Mary; and I also recommend to\nThee all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my\naffections with the affections of Thy most loving Heart; and thus united\nI offer them to Thy eternal Father, and I entreat Him, in Thy name and\nfor Thy sake, to accept them.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 300 days, every time this prayer is said before the\nBlessed Sacrament. (2) A plenary indulgence, once a month, for saying it\nevery day for a month; under the usual conditions. (Pius IX, Sept. 7,\n1854.)\n\n\n\nAn Act of Oblation to the Sacred Heart\n\nDIVINE Heart of my Jesus! I adore Thee with all the powers of my soul,\nwhich I consecrate to Thee for ever, with my thoughts, my words, my\nworks, and my whole self. I purpose to offer to Thee, as far as I can,\nacts of adoration, love, and glory, like unto those which Thou offerest\nto Thy eternal Father. Be Thou, I beseech Thee, the repairer of my\ntransgressions, the protector of my life, my refuge and asylum in the\nhour of death. By Thy sighs, and by that sea of bitterness in which Thou\nwast plunged for me throughout Thy whole mortal life, grant me true\ncontrition for my sins, contempt of earthly things, a burning desire of\neternal glory, trust in Thy infinite merits, and final perseverance in\nThy grace.\n\nHeart of Jesus, all love! I offer Thee these humble prayers for myself\nand for all who unite with me in spirit to adore Thee. Vouchsafe out of\nThy great goodness to hear and answer them, chiefly for that one among\nus who will first end this mortal life. Sweet Heart of Jesus! pour into\nhis heart, in his death agony, Thine inward consolations; receive him\nwithin Thy sacred wound; cleanse him from all stains in that furnace of\nlove, so that Thou mayest soon open to him the gates of Thy eternal\nglory, there to intercede with Thee for all those who tarry yet in this\nland of exile.\n\nMost holy Heart of my most loving Jesus! For myself, a wretched sinner,\nand for all who unite with me in adoring Thee, I purpose to renew and\noffer to Thee these acts of adoration and these prayers at every moment\nand to the last instant of my life. I recommend to Thee, my Jesus, our\nholy Church, Thy well-beloved spouse and our true mother; the souls who\nare following the path of justice, poor sinners, the afflicted, the\ndying, all men on the face of the entire earth. Let not Thy blood be\nshed in vain for them; and vouchsafe, lastly, to apply it for the relief\nof the souls in purgatory, and above all, for those who in life were\nforemost in their devotion to Thee.\n\nMost loving heart of Mary, which, amongst the hearts of all God's\ncreatures, is at once the purest and the most inflamed with love for\nJesus, and the most compassionate toward us poor sinners, obtain for us\nfrom the Heart of Jesus, our Redeemer, all graces which we ask of thee.\nMother of mercies, one throb, a single beat of thy burning heart,\noffered by thee to the Heart of Jesus, has power to console us to the\nfull. Grant us, then, this favor. And then the Heart of Jesus, through\nthe filial love He had for thee, and will ever have, will not fail to\nhear and answer our request. Amen.\n\nDAILY OFFERING\n\nO LORD Jesus Christ! In union with that divine intention, with which\nThou, whilst on earth, didst give praise to God through Thy most sacred\nHeart, and which Thou dost still everywhere offer to Him in the Holy\nEucharist, even to the consummation of the world; I, in imitation of the\nmost sacred heart of the ever-immaculate Virgin Mary, do most cheerfully\noffer to Thee, during this entire day, all my thoughts and intentions,\nall my affections and desires, my words and all my works.\n\nIndulgence. 100 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, Dec. 19, 1885.)\n\n_Ejaculation_\n\nJesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine!\n\nIndulgence. 300 days, once a day. (Pius IX, January 25, 1858.)\n\n\n\nPRAYERS TO JESUS SUFFERING\n\nThe Stations of the Cross\n\nPREPARATORY PRAYER\n\nMOST merciful Jesus! With a contrite heart and penitent spirit I bow\ndown in profound humility before Thy divine majesty. I adore Thee as my\nsupreme Lord and master; I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee\nabove all things. I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, my\nsupreme and only good. I resolve to amend my life; and though I am\nunworthy to obtain mercy, yet the sight of Thy holy cross, on which Thou\ndidst die, inspires me with hope and consolation. I will therefore\nmeditate on Thy sufferings, and visit the stations of Thy passion in\ncompany with Thy sorrowful Mother and my guardian angel, with the\nintention of promoting Thy glory and saving my soul.\n\nI desire to gain all the indulgences granted for this exercise, for\nmyself and for the suffering souls in purgatory. O merciful Redeemer,\nwho hast said; \"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all\nthings to myself,\" draw my heart and my love to Thee, that I may perform\nthis devotion as perfectly as possible, and that I may live and die in\nunion with Thee. Amen.\n\n_Before Every Station_\n\nWe adore Thee, O Christ, and praise Thee: Because by Thy holy cross Thou\nhast redeemed the world.\n\n_After Every Station_\n\nLord Jesus, crucified: Have mercy on us.\n\n\nFirst Station\n\nJESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH\n\nJESUS, most innocent, who neither did nor could commit sin, was\ncondemned to death, and, moreover, to the ignominious death of the\ncross. To remain a friend of Caesar, Pilate delivered Him to His\nenemies. A fearful crime--to condemn innocence to death, and to offend\nGod, in order not to displease men.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO INNOCENT Jesus, having sinned I am guilty of eternal death, but Thou\ndost willingly accept the unjust sentence of death, that I might live.\nFor whom, then, shall I henceforth live, if not for Thee, my Lord?\nShould I desire to please men, I could not be Thy servant. Let me,\ntherefore, rather displease men and all the world than not please Thee,\nO Jesus.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nSecond Station\n\nJESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS\n\nON BEHOLDING the cross, our divine Saviour most willingly stretched out\nHis bleeding arms, lovingly embraced it, tenderly kissed it, and placing\nit on His bruised shoulder, despite His exhaustion joyfully carried it.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO MY Jesus, I can not be Thy friend and follower if I refuse to carry\nthe cross. O dearly beloved cross, I embrace thee, I kiss thee, I\nrejoice to receive thee from the hands of God. Far be it from me to\nglory in anything save in the cross of my Lord and Redeemer. By it the\nworld shall be crucified to me, and I to the world, that I may be Thine\nfor ever.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail, Mary, etc\n\n\nThird Station\n\nJESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME\n\nOUR dear Saviour carrying the cross was so weakened by its heavy weight\nas to fall exhausted to the ground. Our sins and misdeeds were the heavy\nburden which oppressed Him; the cross was to Him light and sweet, but\nour sins were galling and insupportable.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO MY Jesus! Thou didst bear my burden and the heavy weight of my sins.\nShould I, then, not bear in union with Thee my easy burden of suffering\nand accept the sweet yoke of Thy commandments? Thy yoke is sweet and Thy\nburden light; I therefore willingly accept it. I will take up Thy cross\nand follow Thee.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc,\n\n\nFourth Station\n\nJESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER\n\nHOW painful and how sad it must have been for Mary, the sorrowful\nMother, to behold her beloved Son laden with the burden of the cross!\nWhat unspeakable pangs her most tender heart experienced! How earnestly\nshe yearned to die instead of, or at least with, Jesus! Implore this\nsorrowful Mother that she assist you in the hour of your death.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS, O Mary! I am the cause of the great and manifold pains which\npierce your loving hearts. O that my heart also would feel and\nexperience at least some of your sufferings! O Mother of sorrows, let me\nparticipate in the sufferings which thou and thy Son endured for me, and\nlet me experience thy sorrow, that, afflicted with thee, I may enjoy thy\nassistance in the hour of my death.\n\n[Illustration: The Immaculate Conception.]\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nFifth Station\n\nSIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS TO CARRY THE CROSS\n\nSIMON of Cyrene was compelled to help Jesus carry His cross, and Jesus\naccepted His assistance. How willingly He would permit you also to carry\nthe cross! He calls you, but you hear Him not; He invites you, but you\ndecline. What a reproach, to bear the cross reluctantly!\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS! Whosoever does not take up His cross and follow Thee is not\nworthy of Thee. Behold, I join Thee in the way of Thy cross; I will be\nThy assistant, following Thy footsteps, that I may come to Thee in\neternal life.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nSixth Station\n\nVERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS\n\nIMPELLED by devotion and compassion, Veronica presents her veil to Jesus\nto wipe His disfigured face. And Jesus imprints on it His holy\ncountenance; a great recompense for so slight a service. What return do\nyou make to your Saviour for His great and manifold benefits?\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMOST merciful Jesus! What return shall I make for all the benefits Thou\ndidst bestow on me? Behold, I consecrate myself entirely to Thy service.\nI offer and consecrate to Thee my heart. Imprint upon it Thy sacred\nimage, never to be effaced again by sin.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nSeventh Station\n\nJESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME\n\nJESUS, suffering under the weight of His cross, again falls to the\nground; but His cruel executioners do not permit Him to rest a moment.\nPushing and striking Him, they urge Him onward. It is the frequent\nrepetition of our sins which oppresses Jesus. Witnessing this, how can I\ncontinue to sin?\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS, son of David, have mercy on me! Offer me Thy helping hand, and\naid me that I may not fall again into my former sins. From this very\nmoment I will earnestly strive to reform; nevermore will I sin. Do Thou,\nO sole support of the weak, by Thy grace, without which I can do\nnothing, strengthen me to carry out faithfully this my resolution.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nEighth Station\n\nTHE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM WEEP OVER JESUS\n\nTHESE devoted women, moved by compassion, weep over the suffering\nSaviour. But He turns to them, saying, \"Weep not for Me, who am\ninnocent, but weep for yourselves and for your children.\" Weep thou\nalso; for there is nothing more pleasing to Our Lord, and nothing more\nprofitable for thyself, than tears shed from contrition for thy sins.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS, who shall give to my eyes a torrent of tears, that day and\nnight I may weep for my sins? I beseech Thee through Thy bloody tears to\nmove my heart by Thy divine grace, so that from my eyes tears may flow\nabundantly, and I may weep all days over Thy sufferings, and still more\nover their cause, my sins.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail, Mary, etc.\n\n\nNinth Station\n\nJESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME\n\nJESUS, arriving exhausted at the foot of Calvary, falls for the third\ntime to the ground. His love for us is not exhausted, not diminished.\nWhat a fearfully oppressive burden our sins must be to cause Jesus to\nfall so often! Had He, however, not taken them upon Himself, they would\nhave plunged us into the abyss of hell.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nMOST merciful Jesus! I return Thee infinite thanks for not permitting me\nto continue in sin, and to fall, as I have so often deserved, into the\ndepths of hell. Enkindle in me an earnest desire of amendment. Let me\nnever again relapse, but vouchsafe me Thy grace to persevere to the end\nof my life.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nTenth Station\n\nJESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS\n\nAFTER arriving on Calvary, our Saviour was cruelly despoiled of His\ngarments. How painful must this have been, because they adhered to His\nwounded and torn body, and with them parts of His bloody skin were\nremoved! All the wounds of Jesus are renewed. He is despoiled of His\ngarments that He might die possessed of nothing. How happy shall I die\nafter laying aside my former self with all evil inclinations and\ndesires!\n\n_Prayer_\n\nINDUCE me, O Jesus! to lay aside my former self, and to be renewed\naccording to Thy will and desire. I will not spare myself, however\npainful this should be for me; despoiled of things temporal, of my own\nwill, I desire to die, in order to live for Thee for ever.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nEleventh Station\n\nJESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS\n\nJESUS, being stripped of His garments, was violently thrown upon the\ncross, and His hands and feet were most cruelly nailed thereto. In such\nexcruciating torments He remained silent, because it thus pleased His\nheavenly Father. He suffered patiently because He suffered for us. How\ndo I act in suffering and affliction? How fretful and impatient, how\nfull of complaints I am!\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS, gracious Lamb of God! I renounce for ever my impatience.\nCrucify, O Lord, my flesh and its concupiscences. Scorch, scathe, and\npunish me in this world; do but spare me in the next! I commit my\ndestiny to Thee, resigning myself to Thy holy will; may it be done in\nall things.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nTwelfth Station\n\nJESUS IS RAISED UPON THE CROSS, AND DIES\n\nBEHOLD Jesus crucified! Behold the wounds He received for the love of\nyou! His whole appearance betokens love. His head is bent to kiss you;\nHis arms are extended to embrace you; His Heart is open to receive you.\nO superabundance of love! Jesus, the Son of God dies that man may live\nand be delivered from everlasting death.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO MOST amiable Jesus! Who will grant me that I may die for love of Thee?\nI will at least endeavor to die to the world. How must I regard the\nworld and its vanities, when I behold Thee hanging on the cross, covered\nwith wounds? O Jesus, receive me into Thy wounded Heart; I belong\nentirely to Thee; for Thee alone do I desire to live and to die.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc\n\n\nThirteenth Station\n\nJESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND PLACED IN THE ARMS OF HIS MOTHER\n\nJESUS did not descend from the cross, but remained on it till after His\ndeath. And when taken down from it, He, in death as in life, rested on\nthe bosom of His Mother. Persevere in your resolutions of reform, and do\nnot part from the cross; he that persevereth to the end shall be saved.\nConsider, moreover, how pure the heart should be that receives the body\nand blood of Christ in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO LORD Jesus! Thy lifeless body, mangled and torn, found a worthy\nresting-place on the bosom of Thy virgin Mother. Have I not compelled\nThee often to dwell in my heart, full of sin and impurity as it was?\nCreate in me a new heart, that I may worthily receive Thy most sacred\nbody in holy communion, and that Thou mayest remain in me, and I in\nThee, for all eternity.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc\n\n\nFourteenth Station\n\nJESUS IS LAID IN THE SEPULCHER\n\nTHE body of Jesus is laid in a stranger's tomb. He who in this world had\nnot whereupon to rest His head, would not even have a grave of His own,\nbecause He was not of this world. You, who are so attached to the world,\nhenceforth despise it, that you may not perish with it.\n\n_Prayer_\n\nO JESUS, Thou hast set me apart from the world; what, then, shall I seek\ntherein? Thou hast created me for heaven; what, then, have I to do with\nthe world? Depart from me, deceitful world, with Thy vanities!\nHenceforth I will follow the way of the cross traced out for me by my\nRedeemer, and journey onward to my heavenly home, there to dwell for\never and ever.\n\nOur Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\n\nALMIGHTY and eternal God, merciful Father, who hast given to the human\nrace Thy beloved Son as an example of humility, obedience, and patience,\nto precede us on the way of life, bearing the cross; graciously grant,\nthat we, inflamed by His infinite love, may take up the sweet yoke of\nHis Gospel, together with the mortification of the cross, following Him\nas His true disciples, so that we shall one day rise gloriously with\nHim, and joyfully hear the final sentence: \"Come, ye blessed of my\nFather, and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the\nbeginning,\" where Thou reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, and\nwhere we hope to reign with Thee throughout all eternity. Amen.\n\n\n\nPrayer to Our Suffering Redeemer\n\nO MY Lord Jesus Christ! Who, to redeem the world, didst vouchsafe to be\nborn amongst men, to be circumcised, to be rejected and persecuted by\nthe Jews, to be betrayed by the traitor Judas with a kiss, and as a\nlamb, gentle and innocent, to be bound with cords and dragged, in scorn,\nbefore the tribunals of Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and Herod; who didst\nsuffer Thyself to be accused by false witnesses, to be torn by the\nscourge and overwhelmed with ignominy; to be spit upon, to be crowned\nwith thorns, buffeted, struck with a reed, blindfolded, stripped of Thy\ngarments; to be nailed to the cross and raised on it between two\nthieves; to be given gall and vinegar to drink, and to be pierced with a\nlance; do Thou, O Lord, by these Thy most sacred pains, which I, all\nunworthy, call to mind, and by Thy holy cross and death, save me from\nthe pains of hell, and vouchsafe to bring me whither Thou didst bring\nthe good thief who was crucified with Thee, who with the Father and the\nHoly Ghost, livest and reignest God, for ever and ever. Amen.\n\nOur Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father, etc., five times.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 300 days, once a day. (2) A plenary indulgence, under\nthe usual conditions, on any one of the last three days of the month,\nafter saying this prayer daily for a month. (Pius VII, August 25, 1820.)\n\n\n\nPrayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary\n\n(_By St. Alphonsus._)\n\nMOST holy and immaculate virgin, O my Mother, thou who art the Mother of\nmy Lord, the queen of the world, the advocate, hope, and refuge of\nsinners! I, the most wretched among them, come now to thee. I venerate\nthee, great queen, and give thee thanks for the many favors thou hast\nbestowed on me in the past. Most of all do I thank thee for having saved\nme from hell, which I so often deserved. I love thee, Lady most worthy\nof love, and by the love which I bear thee I promise ever in the future\nto serve thee, and to do what in me lies to win others to thy love. In\nthee I put all my trust, all my hope of salvation. Receive me as thy\nservant, and cover me with the mantle of thy protection, thou who art\nthe Mother of mercy! And since thou hast so much power with God, deliver\nme from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the grace ever to\novercome them. From thee I ask a true love of Jesus Christ, and the\ngrace of a happy death. O my Mother, by thy love for God I beseech thee\nto be at all times my helper, but above all at the last moment of my\nlife. Leave me not until thou seest me safely in heaven, there for\nendless ages to bless thee and sing thy praises. Amen.\n\nIndulgence, (1) 300 days, every time. (2) A plenary indulgence, once a\nmonth, for having said it daily during the month; under the usual\nconditions. (Pius IX, Sept. 7, 1854.)\n\n\n\nPrayer for All Things Necessary for Salvation\n\nO MY God! I believe in Thee; do Thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes\nare in Thee; do Thou secure them. I love Thee with my whole heart; teach\nme to love Thee more and more. I am sorry that I have offended Thee; do\nThou increase my sorrow. I adore Thee as my first beginning; I aspire\nafter Thee as my last end. I give Thee thanks as my constant benefactor;\nI call upon Thee as my sovereign protector. Vouchsafe, O my God, to\nconduct me by Thy wisdom, to restrain me by Thy justice, to comfort me\nby Thy mercy, to defend me by Thy power. To Thee I desire to consecrate\nall my thoughts, my actions, and my sufferings, that I henceforward may\nthink only of Thee, speak only of Thee, and ever refer all my actions to\nThy greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever Thou shalt appoint. O\nLord, I desire that in all things Thy will be done, because it is Thy\nwill, and in the manner that Thou willest. I beg of Thee to enlighten my\nunderstanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my\nsoul. Give me strength, O my God, to expiate my offenses, to overcome my\ntemptations, to subdue my passions, to acquire the virtues proper for my\nstate. Fill my heart with tender affection for Thy goodness, a hatred of\nmy faults, a love for my neighbor, and a contempt for the world. Let me\nalways be submissive to my superiors, condescending to my inferiors,\nfaithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies. Assist me to\novercome sensuality by mortification, avarice by almsdeeds, anger by\nmeekness, and tepidity by zeal. O my God, make me prudent in my\nundertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in affliction, and humble\nin prosperity. Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers,\ntemperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my\nresolutions. Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior\nmodest, my conversation edifying, my comportment regular. Assist me,\nthat I may continually labor to overcome nature, correspond with Thy\ngrace, keep Thy commandments, and work out my salvation. Discover to me,\nO my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the\nshortness of time, the length of eternity. Grant that I may be prepared\nfor death, fear Thy judgments, escape hell, and, in the end, obtain\nheaven.\n\nAll that I have asked for myself I confidently ask for others; for my\nfamily, my relations, my benefactors, my friends, and also for my\nenemies. I ask it for the whole Church, for all the orders of which it\nis composed; more especially for our Holy Father, the Pope; for our\nbishop, for our pastors, and for all who are in authority; also for all\nthose for whom Thou desirest that I should pray. Give them, O Lord, all\nthat Thou knowest to be conducive to Thy glory and necessary for their\nsalvation. Strengthen the just in virtue, convert sinners, enlighten\ninfidels, heretics, and schismatics; console the afflicted, give to the\nfaithful departed rest and eternal life; that together we may praise,\nlove, and bless Thee for all eternity. Amen.\n\n\n\nThe Four Approved Litanies\n\n\n\nLitany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus\n\n  LORD, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, hear us.\n  Jesus, graciously hear us.\n  God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.\n  God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, brightness of eternal light, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, king of glory, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, sun of justice, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus amiable, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus admirable, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, powerful God, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, angel of the great council, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus most powerful, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus most patient, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus most obedient, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, lover of chastity, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, lover of us, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, author of life, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, model of all virtues, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, our refuge, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, father of the poor, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, good shepherd, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, true light, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, eternal wisdom, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, our way and our life, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, king of patriarchs, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, master of the apostles, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, teacher of the evangelists, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, strength of martyrs, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, light of confessors, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, purity of virgins, have mercy on us.\n  Jesus, crown of all saints, have mercy on us.\n  Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus.\n  Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.\n  From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From eternal death, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  From the neglect of Thy inspirations, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy nativity, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy infancy, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy most divine life, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy labors, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy agony and passion, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy cross and dereliction, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy languors, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy death and burial, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy resurrection, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy ascension, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy joys, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  By Thy glory, deliver us, O Jesus.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Jesus.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear\nus, O Jesus.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us,\nO Jesus.\n  Jesus, hear us.\n  Jesus, graciously hear us.\n\n_Let us pray_\n\nO LORD Jesus Christ, who hast said: Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and\nye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: mercifully attend\nto our supplications, and grant us the gift of Thy divine charity, that\nwe may ever love Thee with our whole hearts, and never desist from Thy\npraise.\n\nGive us, O Lord, a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy name, for Thou\nnever ceasest to direct and govern by Thy grace those whom Thou\ninstructest in the solidity of Thy love; who livest and reignest world\nwithout end. Amen.\n\nIndulgence. 300 days, once a day. (Leo XIII, January 16, 1886.)\n\n[Illustration: The Children's Offering.]\n\n\n\nLitany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus\n\n(_Approved by Pope Leo XIII, April 2, 1899._)\n\n  LORD, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, hear us.\n  Christ, graciously hear us.\n  God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.\n  God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin\nMother, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on\nus.\n  Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, sacred temple of God, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,\nhave mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fulness of divinity, have mercy on\nus.\n  Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, of whose fulness we have all received, have mercy on\nus.\n  Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offences, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, victim for sin, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in thee, have mercy on\nus.\n  Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.\n  Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear\nus, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us,\nO Lord.\n  V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart:\n  R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.\n\n_Let us pray_\n\nO ALMIGHTY and eternal God! Look upon the Heart of Thy dearly beloved\nSon, and upon the praise and satisfaction He offers Thee in the name of\nsinners and of those who seek Thy mercy; be Thou appeased, and grant us\npardon in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son; who liveth and\nreigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.\nAmen.\n\nIndulgence. 300 days. (Leo XIII, April 2, 1899.)\n\n\n\nThe Litany of Loreto\n\n_In Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary_\n\n  LORD, have mercy on us,\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us,\n  Christ, hear us.\n  Christ, graciously hear us.\n  God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.\n  God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Mary, pray for us.\n  Holy Mother of God, pray for us.\n  Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.\n  Mother of Christ, pray for us.\n  Mother of divine grace, pray for us.\n  Mother most pure, pray for us.\n  Mother most chaste, pray for us.\n  Mother inviolate, pray for us.\n  Mother undefiled, pray for us.\n  Mother most amiable, pray for us.\n  Mother most admirable, pray for us.\n  Mother of good counsel, pray for us.\n  Mother of our Creator, pray for us.\n  Mother of our Redeemer, pray for us.\n  Virgin most prudent, pray for us.\n  Virgin most venerable, pray for us.\n  Virgin most renowned, pray for us.\n  Virgin most powerful, pray for us.\n  Virgin most merciful, pray for us.\n  Virgin most faithful, pray for us.\n  Mirror of justice, pray for us.\n  Seat of wisdom, pray for us.\n  Cause of our joy, pray for us.\n  Spiritual vessel, pray for us.\n  Vessel of honor, pray for us.\n  Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.\n  Mystical rose, pray for us.\n  Tower of David, pray for us.\n  Tower of ivory, pray for us.\n  House of gold, pray for us.\n  Ark of the covenant, pray for us.\n  Gate of heaven, pray for us.\n  Morning star, pray for us.\n  Health of the sick, pray for us.\n  Refuge of sinners, pray for us.\n  Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.\n  Help of Christians, pray for us.\n  Queen of angels, pray for us.\n  Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.\n  Queen of prophets, pray for us.\n  Queen of apostles, pray for us.\n  Queen of martyrs, pray for us.\n  Queen of confessors, pray for us.\n  Queen of virgins, pray for us.\n  Queen of all saints, pray for us.\n  Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.\n  Queen of the most holy rosary, pray for us.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear\nus, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us,\nO Lord.\n  V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God:\n  R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.\n\n_Let us pray_\n\nPOUR forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we,\nto whom the incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message\nof an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His\nresurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n  V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.\n  R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.\n\n_Let us pray_\n\nVOUCHSAFE, O Lord, that we may be helped by the merits of Thy most holy\nMother's spouse; that what of ourselves we can not obtain may be given\nus through his intercession. Who livest and reignest, world without end.\nAmen.\n\nIndulgence. (1) 300 days, every time. (2) A plenary indulgence on the\nfollowing five feasts of the Blessed Virgin: Immaculate Conception,\nNativity, Purification, Annunciation, and Assumption; under the usual\nconditions, to all who shall have said it daily during the year. (Pius\nVII, September 30, 1817.) These indulgences are granted for the litany\nalone; hence the prayers following it may be omitted.\n\n\n\nLitany of the Saints\n\n  LORD, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, hear us.\n  Christ, graciously hear us.\n  God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.\n  God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.\n  God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.\n  Holy Mary, pray for us.\n  Holy Mother of God, pray for us.\n  Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.\n  St. Michael, pray for us.\n  St. Gabriel, pray for us.\n  St. Raphael, pray for us.\n  All ye holy angels and archangels, pray for us.\n  All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us.\n  St. John Baptist, pray for us.\n  St. Joseph, pray for us.\n  All ye holy patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.\n  St. Peter, pray for us.\n  St. Paul, pray for us.\n  St. Andrew, pray for us.\n  St. James, pray for us.\n  St. John, pray for us.\n  St. Thomas, pray for us.\n  St. James, pray for us.\n  St. Philip, pray for us.\n  St. Bartholomew, pray for us.\n  St. Matthew, pray for us.\n  St. Simon, pray for us.\n  St. Thaddaeus, pray for us.\n  St. Mathias, pray for us.\n  St. Barnabas, pray for us.\n  St. Luke, pray for us.\n  St. Mark, pray for us.\n  All ye holy apostles and evangelists, pray for us.\n  All ye holy disciples of Our Lord, pray for us.\n  All ye holy innocents, pray for us.\n  St. Stephen, pray for us.\n  St. Lawrence, pray for us.\n  St. Vincent, pray for us.\n  SS. Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us.\n  SS. John and Paul, pray for us.\n  SS. Cosmas and Damian, pray for us.\n  SS. Gervaise and Protaise, pray for us.\n  All ye holy martyrs, pray for us.\n  St. Sylvester, pray for us.\n  St. Gregory, pray for us.\n  St. Ambrose, pray for us.\n  St. Augustine, pray for us.\n  St. Jerome, pray for us.\n  St. Martin, pray for us.\n  St. Nicholas, pray for us.\n  All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us.\n  All ye holy doctors, pray for us.\n  St. Anthony, pray for us.\n  St. Benedict, pray for us.\n  St. Bernard, pray for us.\n  St. Dominic, pray for us.\n  St. Francis, pray for us.\n  All ye holy priests and levites, pray for us.\n  All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us.\n  St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us.\n  St. Agatha, pray for us.\n  St. Lucy, pray for us.\n  St. Agnes, pray for us.\n  St. Cecilia, pray for us.\n  St. Catherine, pray for us.\n  St. Anastasia, pray for us.\n  All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us.\n  All ye men and women, saints of God: Make intercession for us.\n  Be merciful: Spare us, O Lord.\n  Be merciful: Graciously hear us, O Lord.\n  From all evil, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From all sin, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From a sudden and unprovided death, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From the snares of the devil, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From anger, hatred, and ill will, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From the spirit of fornication, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From lightning and tempest, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From the scourge of earthquake, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From pestilence, famine, and war, O Lord, deliver us.\n  From everlasting death, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy coming, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy nativity, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy cross and passion, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy death and burial, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy holy resurrection, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through Thy admirable ascension, O Lord, deliver us.\n  Through the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, O Lord, deliver\nus.\n  In the Day of Judgment, O Lord, deliver us.\n  We sinners, Beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear\nus.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy holy Church, we beseech\nThee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to preserve our apostolic prelate and all\necclesiastical orders in holy religion, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings\nand princes, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all Christian people,\nwe beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou lift up our minds to heavenly desires, we beseech Thee, hear\nus.\n  That Thou render eternal good things to all our benefactors, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou deliver our souls and those of our brethren, kinsfolk, and\nbenefactors from eternal damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe eternal rest to all the faithful departed, we\nbeseech Thee, hear us.\n  That Thou vouchsafe graciously to hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  Son of God, we beseech Thee, hear us.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear\nus, O Lord.\n  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us,\nO Lord.\n  Christ, hear us.\n  Christ, graciously hear us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Christ, have mercy on us.\n  Lord, have mercy on us.\n  Our Father, etc.\n  V. And lead us not into temptation.\n  R. But deliver us from evil.\n\nPSALM LXIX\n\n  INCLINE unto my aid, O God: O Lord, make haste to help me.\n  Let them be confounded and ashamed: that seek after my soul.\n  Let them be turned backward and blush for shame: that desire evils\nunto me.\n  Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame, that say to me:\nTis well, 'tis well.\n  Let all that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee: and let such as\nlove Thy salvation say always, The Lord be magnified.\n  But I am needy and poor: O God, help Thou me.\n  Thou art my helper and my deliverer: O Lord, make no delay.\n  Glory be to the Father, etc.\n  V. Save Thy servants:\n  R. Trusting in Thee, O my God.\n  V. Be unto us, O God, a tower of strength:\n  R. From the face of the enemy.\n  V. Let not the enemy prevail against us:\n  R. Nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt us.\n  V. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins:\n  R. Neither reward us according to our iniquities.\n  V. Let us pray for our chief bishop, N.\n  R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon\nearth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.\n  V. Let us pray for our benefactors:\n  R. Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name's sake, to reward with eternal life\nall those who have done us good.\n  V. Let us pray for the faithful departed:\n  R. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine\nupon them.\n  V. May they rest in peace.\n  R. Amen.\n  V. For our absent brethren:\n  R. O my God, save Thy servants trusting in Thee.\n  V. Send them help, O Lord, from Thy holy place:\n  R. And from Sion protect them.\n  V. O Lord, hear my prayer:\n  R. And let my cry come unto Thee.\n\n_Let us pray_\n\nO GOD, whose property it is always to have mercy and to spare, receive\nour petitions, that we, and all Thy servants who are bound by the chain\nof sin, may, in the compassion of Thy goodness, mercifully be absolved.\n\nHear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayer of Thy suppliants, and pardon\nthe sins of them that confess to Thee, that of Thy bounty Thou mayest\ngrant us pardon and peace.\n\nOut of Thy clemency, O Lord, show Thy unspeakable mercy to us, that so\nThou mayest both acquit us of our sins and deliver us from the\npunishment we deserve for them.\n\nO God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully\nregard the prayers of Thy people who make supplication to Thee, and turn\naway the scourges of Thy anger, which we deserve for our sins.\n\nO almighty and eternal God, have mercy on Thy servant N., our chief\nbishop, and direct him, according to Thy clemency, in the way of\neverlasting salvation, that, by Thy grace, he may desire the things that\nare agreeable to Thy will, and perform them with all his strength.\n\nO God, from whom all holy desires, righteous counsels, and just works do\ncome, give to Thy servants that peace which the world can not give;\nthat, our hearts being disposed to keep Thy commandments, and the fear\nof enemies being taken away, the times, by Thy protection, may be\npeaceable.\n\nInflame, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit;\nto the end that we may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee\nwith a clean heart.\n\nO God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls\nof Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that by pious\nsupplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired.\n\nDirect, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations,\nand carry them on by Thy gracious assistance; that every prayer and work\nof ours may always begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended.\n\nAlmighty and eternal God, who hast dominion over the living and the\ndead, and art merciful to all whom Thou foreknowest shall be Thine by\nfaith and good works; we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we have\npurposed to offer our prayers, whether this present world still detains\nthem in the flesh, or the next world has already received them divested\nof their bodies, may, by the clemency of Thine own goodness and the\nintercession of Thy saints, obtain pardon and full remission of all\ntheir sins. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with\nThee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.\n\n  V. O Lord, hear my prayer.\n  R. And let my cry come unto Thee.\n  V. May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.\n  R. Amen.\n  V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God\nrest in peace.\n  R. Amen.\n\n[Illustration: Mary, Help of Christians.]\n\n\n\nPART VI\n\nThoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year\n\n\n\"Every day will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name forever\" (_Ps._\ncxliv. 2).\n\n\n\nThoughts and Counsels of the Saints for every Day in the Year\n\n\n\nJanuary\n\n1\n\nTHERE are two guarantees of a wise rule of conduct: the thought before\naction, and self-command afterward.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n2\n\nWhen we receive with an entire and perfect resignation the afflictions\nwhich God sends us they become for us favors and benefits; because\nconformity to the will of God is a gain far superior to all temporal\nadvantages.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n3\n\nAll perfection consists in the love of God; and the perfection of divine\nlove consists in the union of our will with that of God.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n4\n\nLeave to every one the care of what belongs to him, and disturb not\nthyself with what is said or done in the world.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n5\n\nPlace before your eyes as models for imitation, not the weak and\ncowardly, but the fervent and courageous.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n6\n\nPrayer is a pasturage, a field, wherein all the virtues find their\nnourishment, growth, and strength.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n7\n\nA single act of resignation to the divine will in what it ordains\ncontrary to our desires, is of more value than a hundred thousand\nsuccesses conformable to our will and taste.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n8\n\nThe shortest, yea, the only way to reach sanctity, is to conceive a\nhorror for all that the world loves and values.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n9\n\nAs long as we are in this mortal life, nothing is more necessary for us\nthan humility.--ST. TERESA.\n\n10\n\nLearning without humility has always been pernicious to the Church; and\nas pride precipitated the rebellious angels from heaven, it frequently\ncauses the loss of learned men.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n11\n\nWhy remain sad and idle? Why exhaust thyself in the anguish of\nmelancholy? Have courage, do violence to thyself; meditate on the\npassion of Jesus Christ, and thou shalt overcome thy sorrow.--BL. HENRY\nSUSO.\n\n12\n\nHere is the difference between the joys of the world and the cross of\nJesus Christ: after having tasted the first, one is disgusted with them;\nand on the contrary, the more one partakes of the cross, the greater the\nthirst for it.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n13\n\nWhen the sky is free from clouds we can see more clearly the brightness\nof the sun. In like manner, when the soul is free from sin and the gloom\nof passion, it participates in the divine light.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n14\n\nOur works are of no value if they be not united to the merits of Jesus\nChrist.--ST. TERESA.\n\n15\n\nIf we are very determined to mortify ourselves and not to be too much\noccupied with our corporal health, we will soon, by the grace of God,\nbecome masters of our bodies.--ST. TERESA.\n\n16\n\nIn every creature, however small it be, we may see a striking image of\ndivine wisdom, power, and goodness.--VEN. BARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.\n\n17\n\nTime is but a period. It passes like the lightning flash. Suffering\npasses with time; suffering, then, is very short.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n18\n\nIn order to bear our afflictions with patience, it is very useful to\nread the lives and legends of the saints who endured great torments for\nJesus Christ.--ST. TERESA.\n\n19\n\nOpen thine ears to the voices of nature, and thou shalt hear them in\nconcert inviting thee to the love of God.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n20\n\nOn the feasts of the saints consider their virtues, and beseech God to\ndeign to adorn you with them.--ST. TERESA.\n\n21\n\nWhen faith grows weak, all virtues are weakened. When faith is lost, all\nvirtues are lost--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n22\n\nA precious crown is reserved in heaven for those who perform all their\nactions with all the diligence of which they are capable; for it is not\nsufficient to do our part well; it must be done more than well.--ST.\nIGNATIUS.\n\n23\n\nNothing created has ever been able to fill the heart of man. God alone\ncan fill it infinitely.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n24\n\nWe should only make use of life to grow in the love of God.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n25\n\nIn vain men try. They can never find in creatures sincere affection,\nperfect joy, or true peace.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n26\n\nGod is supreme strength, fortifying those who place their trust and\nconfidence in Him.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n27\n\nGod gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will,\nand to do it fully.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n28\n\nShun useless conversation. We lose by it both time and the spirit of\ndevotion.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n29\n\nThe upright intention is the soul of our actions. It gives them life and\nmakes them good.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n30\n\nThe truth of faith alone, deeply graven in the soul, is sufficient to\nencourage us to very perfect works; for it strengthens man and increases\nhis charity.--ST. TERESA.\n\n31\n\nIt is folly not to think of death. It is greater folly to think of it,\nand not prepare for it.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nFebruary\n\n1\n\nTHE most perfect and meritorious intention is that by which, in all our\nactions, we have in view only the good pleasure of God and the\naccomplishment of His holy will.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n2\n\nMary's sorrow was less when she saw her only Son crucified, than it is\nnow at the sight of men offending Him by sin.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n3\n\nThere is nothing more unreasonable than to estimate our worth by the\nopinion of others. Today they laud us to the skies, to-morrow they will\ncover us with ignominy.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n4\n\nAct as if every day were the last of your life, and each action the last\nyou perform.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n5\n\nPerfection consists in renouncing ourselves, in carrying our cross, and\nin following Jesus Christ. Now, he who renounces himself most perfectly\ncarries his cross the best and follows nearest to Jesus Christ is he who\nnever does his own will, but always that of God.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n6\n\nThat which would have easily been remedied at first, becomes incurable\nby time and habit--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n7\n\nAmong the gifts of grace which the soul receives in holy communion there\nis one that must be numbered among the highest. It is, that holy\ncommunion does not permit the soul to remain long in sin, nor to\nobstinately persevere in it.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n8\n\nBe assured that one great means to find favor when we appear before God\nis to have pardoned the injuries we have received here below.--VEN.\nLOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n9\n\nWoe to him who neglects to recommend himself to Mary, and thus closes\nthe channel of grace!--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n10\n\nIt is folly to leave your goods where you can never return, and to send\nnothing to that place where you must remain for ever.--VEN. LOUIS OF\nGRANADA.\n\n11\n\nDiscretion is necessary in spiritual life. It is its part to restrain\nthe exercises in the way of perfection, so as to keep us between the two\nextremes.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n12\n\nBy denying our self-love and our inclinations in little things, we\ngradually acquire mortification and victory over ourselves.--ST. TERESA.\n\n13\n\nShould we fall a thousand times in a day, a thousand times we must rise\nagain, always animated with unbounded confidence in the infinite\ngoodness of God.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n14\n\nGod's way in dealing with those whom He intends to admit soonest after\nthis life into the possession of His everlasting glory, is to purify\nthem in this world by the greatest afflictions and trials.--ST.\nIGNATIUS.\n\n15\n\nAfter the flower comes the fruit: we receive, as the reward of our\nfatigues, an increase of grace in this world, and in the next the\neternal vision of God.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n16\n\nGod refuses no one the gift of prayer. By it we obtain the help that we\nneed to overcome disorderly desires and temptations of all kinds.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n17\n\nTo establish ourselves in a virtue it is necessary to form good and\npractical resolutions to perform certain and determined acts of that\nvirtue, and we must, moreover, be faithful in executing them.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n18\n\nLove ought to consist of deeds more than of words.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n19\n\nThere are many things which seem to us misfortunes and which we call\nsuch; but if we understood the designs of God we would call them\ngraces.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n20\n\nLet us abandon everything to the merciful providence of God.--BL. ALBERT\nTHE GREAT.\n\n21\n\nJesus Christ, our great Model, suffered much for us; let us bear our\nafflictions cheerfully, seeing that through them we have the happiness\nof resembling Him.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n22\n\nRemember that virtue is a very high and rugged mountain, difficult to\nascend, and requiring much fatigue and exertion before we arrive at the\nsummit to rest.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n23\n\nLabor to conquer yourself. This victory will assure you a brighter crown\nin heaven than they gain whose disposition is more amiable.--ST.\nIGNATIUS.\n\n24\n\nWe should not examine articles of faith with a curious and subtle\nspirit. It is sufficient for us to know that the Church proposes them.\nWe can never be deceived in believing them.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n25\n\nWe should guard against jealousy, and even the slightest sentiment\nthereof. This vice is absolutely opposed to a pure and sincere zeal for\nthe glory of God, and is a certain proof of secret and subtle pride.--\nST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n26\n\nCharity requires us always to have compassion on human infirmity.--ST.\nCATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n27\n\nWhen one does not love prayer, it is morally impossible for him to\nresist his passions.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n28\n\nDocility and easy acquiescence with good advice are the signs of a\nhumble heart.--VEN. JULIENNE MOREL.\n\n29\n\nThere is nothing richer, nothing surer, nothing more agreeable than a\ngood conscience.--BL. BARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.\n\n\n\nMarch\n\n1\n\nIT SEEMS as if God granted to other saints to free us from some\nparticular needfulness; but I know by experience that the glorious St.\nJoseph assists us generally in all our necessities.--ST. TERESA.\n\n2\n\nA most powerful and efficacious remedy for all evils, a means of\ncorrecting all imperfections, of triumphing over temptation, and\npreserving our hearts in an undisturbed peace, is conformity with the\nwill of God.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n3\n\nIt often happens that when we take less care of our body, we have better\nhealth than when we bestow upon it too much care.--ST. TERESA.\n\n4\n\nDo nothing, say nothing before considering if that which you are about\nto say or do is pleasing to God, profitable to yourself, and edifying to\nyour neighbor.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n5\n\nSometimes God leaves us for a long time unable to effect any good, that\nwe may learn to humble ourselves, and never to glory in our efforts.--\nST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n6\n\nWe easily lose peace of mind, because we make it depend, not on the\ntestimony of a good conscience, but on the judgment of men.--BL.\nBARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.\n\n7\n\nYou may fast regularly, give alms, and pray without ceasing, but as long\nas you hate your brother, you will not be numbered among the children of\nGod.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n8\n\nHe who at the hour of death finds himself protected by St. Joseph, will\ncertainly experience great consolation.--ST. TERESA.\n\n9\n\nTake care that the worldling does not pursue with greater zeal and\nanxiety the perishable goods of this world than you do the eternal.--ST.\nIGNATIUS.\n\n10\n\nWe should consider our departed brethren as living members of Jesus\nChrist, animated by His grace, and certain of participating one day of\nHis glory. We should therefore love, serve, and assist them as far as is\nin our power.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n11\n\nControl thy senses, guard thy mouth, bridle thy tongue, subjugate thy\nheart, bear all provocation with charity, and thou shalt perfectly\nfulfil the will of God.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n12\n\nOur perfection consists in uniting our will so intimately with God's\nwill, that we will only desire what He wills. He who conforms most\nperfectly to the will of God will be the most perfect Christian.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n13\n\nHumility, modesty, sobriety, purity, piety, and prudence, with meekness,\nornament the soul, and make us live on earth a truly angelic life.--BL.\nJORDAN OF SAXONY.\n\n14\n\nIn recalling to mind the life and actions of the saints, walk in their\nfootsteps as much as possible, and humble thyself if thou canst not\nattain to their perfection.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n15\n\nWhen the devil again tempts you to sin, telling you that God is\nmerciful, remember that the Lord showeth mercy to them that fear Him,\nbut not to them who despise Him.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n16\n\nIn prayer we should particularly combat our predominant passion or evil\ninclination. We should devote continual attention to it, because when it\nis once conquered we will easily obtain the victory over all our other\nfaults.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n17\n\nI will carefully consider how, on the day of judgment, I would wish to\nhave discharged my office or my duty; and the way I would wish to have\ndone it then I shall do now.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n18\n\nIt is well to deny ourselves that which is permitted, in order to avoid\nmore easily that which is not.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n19\n\nI have noticed that all persons who have true devotion to St. Joseph and\ntender him special honor, are very much advanced in virtue, for he takes\ngreat care of souls who recommend themselves to him; and I have never\nasked of him anything which he did not obtain for me.--ST. TERESA.\n\n20\n\nHe who forgets himself in the service of God may be assured that God\nwill not forget Him.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n21\n\nLet all our actions be directed to the end that God may be glorified in\nall things.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n22\n\nHe who suffers in patience, suffers less and saves his soul. He who\nsuffers impatiently, suffers more and loses his soul.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n23\n\nWhen we remember or hear that the enemies of the Church burn and destroy\nGod's temples, we should grieve therefor; but we should also rejoice\nmuch when we see new ones built, and we should co-operate in their\nerection as much as we possibly can.--ST. TERESA.\n\n24\n\nWe should carefully beware of giving ourselves so completely to any\nemployment as to forget to have recourse to God from time to time.--ST.\nTERESA.\n\n25\n\nOur Lady, deign to intercede for us sinners with thy divine Son, our\nLord, and obtain of Him a blessing for us in our trials and\ntribulations!--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n26\n\nWhoever would follow Jesus Christ, must walk in His footsteps, if he\nwould not go astray.--ST. TERESA.\n\n27\n\nLet us thank God for having called us to His holy faith. It is a great\ngift, and the number of those who thank God for it is small.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n28\n\nThe trials of life cease to oppress us if we accept them for the love of\nGod.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n29\n\nIf you wish to take up your abode in the tabernacle of the heavenly\nkingdom, you must reach there through your good works, without which you\ncan not hope to enter.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n30\n\nIt is a great folly to be willing to violate the friendship of God,\nrather than the law of human friendship.--ST. TERESA.\n\n31\n\nWhen the afflictions of this life overcome us, let us encourage\nourselves to bear them patiently by the hope of heaven.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nApril\n\n1\n\nTO PUT into practice the teachings of our holy faith, it is not enough\nto convince ourselves that they are true; we must love them. Love united\nto faith makes us practise our religion.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n2\n\nUnite all your works to the merits of Jesus Christ, and then offer them\nup to the eternal Father if you desire to make them pleasing to Him.--\nST. TERESA.\n\n3\n\nGod pardons sin; but He will not pardon the will to sin.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n4\n\nIt is a fault, not a virtue, to wish your humility recognized and\napplauded.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n5\n\nBefore engaging in your private devotions, perform those which obedience\nand your duty toward your neighbor impose upon you in such a manner as\nto make an abnegation of self.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n6\n\nThe world is full of inconstancy; its friendship ceases the moment there\nis no advantage to be expected from us.--BL. JOHN TAULER.\n\n7\n\nThere is nothing better to display the truth in an excellent light, than\na clear and simple statement of facts.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n8\n\nBe careful and do not lightly condemn the actions of others. We must\nconsider the intention of our neighbor, which is often good and pure,\nalthough the act itself seems blameworthy.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n9\n\nHe who does not overcome his predominant passion is in great danger of\nbeing lost. He who does overcome it will easily conquer all the rest.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n10\n\nTo conquer himself is the greatest victory that man can gain.--ST.\nIGNATIUS.\n\n11\n\nA soul which does not practise the exercise of prayer is very like a\nparalyzed body which, though possessing feet and hands, makes no use of\nthem.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n12\n\nWhen you do a good action, have the intention of first pleasing God, and\nthen of giving good example to your neighbor.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n13\n\nThe grace of perseverance is the most important of all; it crowns all\nother graces.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n14\n\nPrayer is the only channel through which God's great graces and favors\nmay flow into the soul; and if this be once closed, I know no other way\nHe can communicate them.--ST. TERESA.\n\n15\n\nTo acquire courage it is very useful to read the lives of the saints,\nespecially of those who, after living in sin, attained great sanctity.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n16\n\nThe truly humble reject all praise for themselves, and refer it all to\nGod.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n17\n\nPrayer should be effective and practical, since it has for its end the\nacquisition of solid virtue and the mortification of the passions.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n18\n\nWe do not keep an account of the graces which God has given us, but God\nour Lord keeps an account of them. He has fixed the measure thereof.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n19\n\nThe more guilty we are, the greater must be our confidence in Mary.\nTherefore, courage, timid soul; let Mary know all thy misery, and hasten\nwith joy to the throne of mercy.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n20\n\nEvil is often more hurtful to the doer than to the one against whom it\nis done.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n21\n\nDuring life despise that which will avail you nothing at the hour of\ndeath.--ST. ANSELM.\n\n22\n\nHe who fails to reflect before acting, walks with his eyes shut and\nadvances with danger. He also falls very often, because the eye of\nreflection does not enable him to see whither his footsteps lead.--ST.\nGREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n23\n\nSanctity and perfection consist not in fine words, but in good\nactions.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n24\n\nAs patience leads to peace, and study to science, so are humiliations\nthe path that leads to humility.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n25\n\nDo not disturb yourself with vain curiosity concerning the affairs of\nothers, nor how they conduct themselves, unless your position makes it\nyour duty to do so.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n26\n\nThe deceitful charms of prosperity destroy more souls than all the\nscourges of adversity.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n27\n\nThe first degree of humility is the fear of God, which we should\nconstantly have before our eyes.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n28\n\nHe who cheerfully endures contempt and is happy under crosses and\naffliction, partakes of the humility and sufferings of Our Lord.--ST.\nMECHTILDIS.\n\n29\n\nHe who is resigned to the divine will shall always surmount the\ndifficulties he meets with in the service of God. The Lord will\naccomplish His designs concerning him.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n30\n\nConsent to suffer a slight temporary pain, that so thou mayst avoid the\neternal pains which sin deserves.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n\n\nMay\n\n1\n\nMARY was the most perfect among the saints only because she was always\nperfectly united to the will of God.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n2\n\nAfter the love which we owe Jesus Christ, we must give the chief place\nin our heart to the love of His Mother Mary.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n3\n\nWhen we feel our cross weighing upon us, let us have recourse to Mary,\nwhom the Church calls the \"Consoler of the Afflicted.\"--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n4\n\nThe devotions we practise in honor of the glorious Virgin Mary, however\ntrifling they be, are very pleasing to her divine Son, and He rewards\nthem with eternal glory.--ST. TERESA.\n\n5\n\nThere is nothing which is more profitable and more consoling to the mind\nthan to frequently remember the Blessed Virgin.--ST. TERESA.\n\n6\n\nBlessed are the actions enclosed between two Hail Marys.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n7\n\nLet us consider what the glorious Virgin endured, and what the holy\napostles suffered, and we shall find that they who were nearest to Jesus\nChrist were the most afflicted.--ST. TERESA.\n\n8\n\nThe servants of Mary who are in purgatory receive visits and\nconsolations from her.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n9\n\nIf you persevere until death in true devotion to Mary, your salvation is\ncertain.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n10\n\nHe who remembers having invoked the name of Mary in an impure\ntemptation, may be sure that he did not yield to it.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n11\n\nMary being destined to negotiate peace between God and man, it was not\nproper that she should be an accomplice in the disobedience of\nAdam.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n12\n\nMary having co-operated in our redemption with so much glory to God and\nso much love for us, Our Lord ordained that no one shall obtain\nsalvation except through her intercession.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n13\n\nHe who wishes to find Jesus will do so only by having recourse to\nMary.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n14\n\nMary having always lived wholly detached from earthly things and united\nwith God, death, which united her more closely to Him, was extremely\nsweet and agreeable to her.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n15\n\nMary being in heaven nearer to God and more united to Him, knows our\nmiseries better, compassionates them more, and can more efficaciously\nassist us.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n16\n\nThe Virgin Mother, all pure and all white, will make her servants pure\nand white.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n17\n\nTo assure our salvation it does not suffice to call ourselves children\nof Mary, therefore let us always have the fear of God.--ST. TERESA.\n\n18\n\nLet us offer ourselves without delay and without reserve to Mary, and\nbeg her to offer us herself to God.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n19\n\nSuch is the compassion, such the love which Mary bears us, that she is\nnever tired of praying for us.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n20\n\nO Queen of heaven and earth! The universe would perish before thou\ncouldst refuse aid to one who invokes thee from the depth of his\nheart.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n21\n\nO most blessed Virgin, who declarest in thy Canticle that it is owing to\nthy humility that God hath done great things in thee, obtain for me the\ngrace to imitate thee, that is, to be obedient; because to obey is to\npractise humility.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n22\n\nMay the two names so sweet and so powerful, of Jesus and Mary, be always\nin our hearts and on our lips!--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n23\n\nWhatsoever we do, we can never be true children of Mary, unless we are\nhumble.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n24\n\nLet us highly esteem devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and let us lose no\nopportunity of inspiring others with it.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n25\n\nAs a mother feels no disgust in dressing the sores of her child, so\nMary, the heavenly infirmarian, never refuses to care for sinners who\nhave recourse to her.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n26\n\nEach of our days is marked with the protection of Mary, who is\nexceedingly anxious to be our Mother, when we desire to be her\nchildren.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n27\n\nWhen the devil wishes to make himself master of a soul, he seeks to make\nit give up devotion to Mary.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n28\n\nLet us have recourse to Mary; for of all creatures she is the highest,\nthe purest, the most beautiful, and the most loving.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n29\n\nLet the name of Mary be ever on your lips, let it be indelibly engraven\non your heart. If you are under her protection, you have nothing to\nfear; if she is propitious, you will arrive at the port of salvation.--\nST. BERNARD.\n\n30\n\nKnow that of all devotions the most pleasing to Mary is to have frequent\nrecourse to her, asking for favors.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n31\n\nLet the servants of Mary perform every day, and especially on Saturday,\nsome work of charity for her sake.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nJune\n\n1\n\nCAN WE, amongst all hearts, find one more amiable than that of Jesus? It\nis on His Heart that God looks with special complacency--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n2\n\nOne must wage war against his predominant passion, and not retreat,\nuntil, with God's help, he has been victorious.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n3\n\nAn act of perfect conformity to the will of God unites us more to Him\nthan a hundred other acts of virtue.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n4\n\nThe love of God inspires the love of our neighbor, and the love of our\nneighbor serves to keep alive the love of God.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n5\n\nLive always in the certainty that whatever happens to you is the result\nof divine Providence; because nothing hard or laborious falls to your\nlot without the Lord permitting it.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n6\n\nWhatsoever good work you undertake, pray earnestly to God that He will\nenable you to bring it to a successful termination.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n7\n\nWhat is a fruitless repentance, defiled almost immediately by new\nfaults?--ST. BERNARD.\n\n8\n\nYou propose to give up everything to God; be sure, then, to include\nyourself among the things to be given up.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n9\n\nIf you can find a place where God is not, go there and sin with\nimpunity.--ST. ANSELM.\n\n10\n\nHe can not err who is constantly with the visible Head which Jesus\nChrist has left to His Church, as its foundation, rule, teacher, and\ndefender of the Faith.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n11\n\nThe more numerous the gifts we have received from God, the greater the\naccount we must render to Him.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n12\n\nTrue penance consists in regretting without ceasing the faults of the\npast, and in firmly resolving to never again commit that which is so\ndeplorable.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n[Illustration: The Sacred Heart of Mary.]\n\n13\n\nWe are not raised the first day to the summit of perfection. It is by\nclimbing, not by flying, that we arrive there.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n14\n\nWhat we do for ourselves during life is more certain than all the good\nwe expect others to do for us after death.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n15\n\nIdleness begets a discontented life. It develops self-love, which is the\ncause of all our misery, and renders us unworthy to receive the favors\nof divine love.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n16\n\nHave death always before your eyes as a salutary means of returning to\nGod.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n17\n\nIf the devil tempts me by the thought of divine justice, I think of\nGod's mercy; if he tries to fill me with presumption by the thought of\nHis mercy, I think of His justice.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n18\n\nIn time of temptation continue the good thou hast begun before\ntemptation.--ST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n19\n\nIn the eyes of the sovereign Judge the merit of our actions depends on\nthe motives which prompted them.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n20\n\nThe benefits to be derived from spiritual reading do not merely consist\nin impressing on the memory the precepts set forth, but in opening the\nheart to them, that they may bear fruit.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n21\n\nAs clouds obscure the sun, so bad thoughts darken and destroy the\nbrightness of the soul.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n22\n\nTo judge rightly of the goodness and perfection of any one's prayer, it\nis sufficient to know the disposition he takes to it, and the fruits he\nreaps from it.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n23\n\nTo commence many things and not to finish them is no small fault; we\nmust persevere in whatever we undertake with upright intention and\naccording to God's will.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n24\n\nThe perfect champion is he who establishes complete control over his\nmind by overcoming temptations and the inclination of his nature to\nsin.--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n25\n\nIf the love of God is in your heart, you will understand that to suffer\nfor God is a joy to which all earthly pleasures are not to be\ncompared.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n26\n\nThe world around us is, as it were, a book written by the finger of God;\nevery creature is a word on the page. We should apply ourselves well to\nunderstand the signification of the volume.--VEN. BARTHOLOMEW OF\nMARTYRS.\n\n27\n\nA man of prayer is capable of everything. He can say with St. Paul, \"I\ncan do all things in Him who strengthened me.\"--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n28\n\nWhilst here below our actions can never be entirely free from\nnegligence, frailty, or defect; but we must not throw away the wheat\nbecause of the chaff.--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n29\n\nStrive always to preserve freedom of spirit, so that you need do nothing\nwith the view of pleasing the world, and that no fear of displeasing it\nwill have power to shake your good resolutions.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n30\n\nWo to us poor sinners if we had not the Divine Sacrifice to appease the\nLord!--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nJuly\n\n1\n\nHOW few there are who avail themselves of the precious blood of Jesus to\npurchase their salvation!--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n2\n\nO Queen of heaven and earth! Thou art the gate of mercy ever open, never\nclosed. The universe must perish before he who invokes thee from his\nheart is refused assistance.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n3\n\nOur Faith will never be true unless it is united to that of St. Peter\nand the Pontiff, his successors.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n4\n\nShort pleasures and long sufferings are all the world can give.--VEN.\nJOHN TAULER.\n\n5\n\nLearn to be silent sometimes for the edification of others, that you may\nlearn how to speak sometimes.--ST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n6\n\nGratitude for graces received is a most efficacious means of obtaining\nnew ones.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n7\n\nTo a useless question we should answer only by silence.--ST. VINCENT\nFERRER.\n\n8\n\nWe should not judge things by their exterior or appearance, but consider\nwhat they are in the sight of God, and whether they be according to His\ngood pleasure.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n9\n\nPreserve purity of conscience with care, and never do anything to sully\nit or render it less agreeable to God.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n10\n\nGive not thyself too much to any one. He who gives himself too freely is\ngenerally the least acceptable.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n11\n\nAffliction strengthens the vigor of our soul, whereas happiness weakens\nit.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n12\n\nTo acquire purity of the soul, it is necessary to guard against passing\njudgment on our neighbor, or useless remarks on his conduct.--ST.\nCATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n13\n\nTurn away the eyes of thy body and those of thy mind from seeing others,\nthat thou mayest be able to contemplate thyself.--ST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n14\n\nThe brightest ornaments in the crown of the blessed in heaven are the\nsufferings which they have borne patiently on earth.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n15\n\nWe are not innocent before God if we punish that which we should pardon,\nor pardon that which we should punish.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n16\n\nIs there any one in the world who has invoked thee, O Mary, without\nhaving felt the benefit of thy protection, which is promised to those\nwho invoke thy mercy?--ST. BERNARD.\n\n17\n\nIt is the key of obedience that opens the door of paradise. Jesus Christ\nhas confided that key to His vicar, the Pope, Christ on earth, whom all\nare obliged to obey even unto death.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n18\n\nIt is true that God promises forgiveness if we repent, but what\nassurance have we of obtaining it to-morrow?--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n19\n\nWe should offer ourselves and all we have to God, that He may dispose of\nus according to His holy will, so that we may be ever ready to leave all\nand embrace the afflictions that come upon us.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n20\n\nNo one has a right to mercy who can not himself show mercy.--VEN. LOUIS\nDE GRANADA.\n\n21\n\nWe should reflect on all our actions, exterior and interior, and before\nwe commence, examine well if we are able to finish them.--VEN. JOHN\nTAULER.\n\n22\n\nThe reason why the lukewarm run so great a risk of being lost is because\ntepidity conceals from the soul the immense evil which it causes.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n23\n\nWe should learn of Jesus Christ to be meek and humble of heart, and ask\nHim unceasingly for these two virtues. We ought, particularly, to avoid\nthe two contrary vices which would cause us to destroy with one hand\nwhat we seek to raise with the other.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n24\n\nThe sufferings endured for God are the greatest proof of our love for\nHim.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n25\n\nIt is in vain that we cut off the branches of evil, if we leave intact\nthe root, which continually produces new ones.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n26\n\nHow little is required to be a saint! It suffices to do in all things\nthe will of God.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n27\n\nWouldst thou know what thou art? Thou art that to which thy heart turns\nthe most frequently.--VEN. BARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.\n\n28\n\nWhen you covet that which delights you, think not only of the sweet\nmoments of enjoyment, but of the long season of regret which must\nfollow.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n29\n\nThey who voluntarily commit sin show a contempt for life eternal, since\nthey willingly risk the loss of their soul.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n30\n\nIt suffices not to perform good works; we must do them well, in\nimitation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it is written, \"He doeth all\nthings well.\"--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n31\n\nPut not off till to-morrow what you can do today.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n\n\nAugust\n\n1\n\nCHRIST Himself guides the bark of Peter. For this reason it can not\nperish, although He sometimes seems to sleep.--ST. ANTONINUS.\n\n2\n\nPrayer teaches us the need of laying before God all our necessities, of\ncorresponding with His grace, of banishing vice from our heart and of\nestablishing virtue in it.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n3\n\nTake this to heart: Owe no man anything. So shalt thou secure a peaceful\nsleep, an easy conscience, a life without inquietude, and a death\nwithout alarm.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n4\n\nIf you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself\nif you have resolved to abandon your sins.--ST. BERNARD.\n\n5\n\nHe who does that which is displeasing to himself has discovered the\nsecret of pleasing God.--ST. ANSELM.\n\n6\n\nAn ordinary action, performed through obedience and love of God, is more\nmeritorious than extraordinary works done on your own authority--VEN.\nLOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n7\n\nVigilance is rendered necessary and indispensable, not only by the\ndangers that surround us, but by the delicacy, the extreme difficulty of\nthe work we all have to engage in the work of our salvation.--VEN. LOUIS\nDE GRANADA.\n\n8\n\nAmong the different means that we have of pleasing God in all that we\ndo, one of the most efficacious is to perform each of our actions as\nthough it were to be the last of our life.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n9\n\nI have to seek only the glory of God, my own sanctification, and the\nsalvation of my neighbor. I should therefore devote myself to these\nthings, if necessary, at the peril of my life.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n10\n\nIdleness is hell's fishhook for catching souls.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n11\n\nWhoever imagines himself without defect has an excess of pride. God\nalone is perfect.--ST. ANTONINUS.\n\n12\n\nAs we take the bitterest medicine to recover or preserve the health of\nthe body, we should cheerfully endure sufferings, however repugnant to\nnature, and consider them efficacious remedies which God employs to\npurify the soul and conduct it to the perfection to which He called\nit.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n13\n\nTo give up prayer because we are often distracted at it is to allow the\ndevil to gain his cause.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n14\n\nCurb the desire of display, and do nothing from human respect.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n15\n\nO Mary, vessel of purest gold, ornamented with pearls and sapphires,\nfilled with grace and virtue, thou art the dearest of all creatures to\nthe eyes of eternal Wisdom.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n16\n\nWe must be careful not to omit our prayers, confession, communion, and\nother exercises of piety, even when we find no consolation in them.--ST.\nVINCENT FERRER.\n\n17\n\nLet us leave to God and to truth the care of our justification, without\ntrying to excuse ourselves, and peace will truly spring up within us.--\nVEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n18\n\nRead good and useful books, and abstain from reading those that only\ngratify curiosity.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n19\n\nSo great is the goodness of God in your regard, that when you ask\nthrough ignorance for that which is not beneficial, He does not grant\nyour prayer in this matter, but gives you something better instead.--ST.\nBERNARD.\n\n20\n\nMen can use no better arms to drive away the devil, than prayer and the\nsign of the cross.--ST. TERESA.\n\n21\n\nHe who knows well how to practise the exercise of the presence of God,\nand who is faithful in following the attraction of this divine virtue,\nwill soon attain a very high degree of perfection.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n22\n\nOne of the most admirable effects of holy communion is to preserve the\nsoul from sin, and to help those who fall through weakness to rise\nagain. It is much more profitable, then, to approach this divine\nSacrament with love, respect, and confidence, than to remain away\nthrough an excess of fear and scrupulosity.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n23\n\nLet us remember that every act of mortification is a work for heaven.\nThis thought will make all suffering and weariness sweet.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n24\n\nCorrection should be given calmly and with discernment, at seasonable\ntimes, according to the dictates of reason, and not at the impulse of\nanger.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n25\n\nThere is nothing more certain, nothing more agreeable, nothing richer\nthan a good conscience.--VEN. BARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.\n\n26\n\nGod, to procure His glory, sometimes permits that we should be\ndishonored and persecuted without reason. He wishes thereby to render us\nconformable to His Son, who was calumniated and treated as a seducer, as\nan ambitious man, and as one possessed.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n27\n\nAll that God gives us and all that He permits in this world have no\nother end than to sanctify us in Him.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n28\n\nIf you can not mortify your body by actual penance, abstain at least\nfrom some lawful pleasure.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n29\n\nOne whose heart is embittered can do nothing but contend and contradict,\nfinding something to oppose in every remark.--VEN. JULIENNE MOREL.\n\n30\n\nWithout prayer we have neither light nor strength to advance in the way\nwhich leads to God.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n31\n\nI have never gone out to mingle with the world without losing something\nof myself.--BL. ALBERT THE GREAT.\n\n\n\nSeptember\n\n1\n\nHE who perseveres with constancy and fervor will, without fail, raise\nhimself to a high degree of perfection.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n2\n\nAn upright intention is the soul of our actions. It gives them life, and\nmakes them good.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n3\n\nYou wish to reform the world: reform yourself, otherwise your efforts\nwill be in vain.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n4\n\nLet all thy care be to possess thy soul in peace and tranquillity. Let\nno accident be to thee a cause of ill-humor.--ST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n5\n\nHumility is a fortified town; it repels all attacks. The sight of it\nobliges the enemy to turn and flee.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n6\n\nThe world is deceitful and inconstant. When fortune forsakes us,\nfriendship takes flight.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n7\n\nPerform all your actions in union with the pure intention and perfect\nlove with which Our Lord did all things for the glory of God and the\nsalvation of the world.--ST. MECHTILDIS.\n\n8\n\nAn air of meekness and a modest speech are pleasing alike to God and\nmen.--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n9\n\nThe saints owed to their confidence in God that unalterable tranquillity\nof soul, which procured their perpetual joy and peace, even in the midst\nof adversities.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n10\n\nLook not to the qualities thou mayest possess, which are wanting to\nothers; but look to those which others possess and which are wanting to\nthee, that thou mayest acquire them.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n11\n\nYour heart is not so narrow that the world can satisfy it entirely;\nnothing but God can fill it.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n12\n\nIf you wish to raise a lofty edifice of perfection, take humility for a\nfoundation.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n13\n\nIt ordinarily happens that God permits those who judge others, to fall\ninto the same or even greater faults.--ST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n14\n\nRaise thy heart and thy love toward the sweet and most holy cross, which\nsoothes every pain!--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n15\n\nOften read spiritual books; then, like a sheep, ruminate the food thou\nhast taken, by meditation and a desire to practise the holy doctrine\nfound therein.--ST. ANTONINUS.\n\n16\n\nLove others much, but visit them seldom.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n17\n\nGod sends us trials and afflictions to exercise us in patience and teach\nus sympathy with the sorrows of others.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n18\n\nArmed with prayer, the saints sustained a glorious warfare and\nvanquished all their enemies. By prayer, also, they appeased the wrath\nof God, and obtained from Him all they desired.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n19\n\nAll souls in hell are there because they did not pray. All the saints\nsanctified themselves by prayer.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n20\n\nThe thought of the presence of God renders us familiar with the practice\nof doing in all things His holy will.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n21\n\nIf we consider the number and excellence of the virtues practised by the\nsaints, we must feel the inefficiency and imperfection of our actions.--\nST. VINCENT FERRER.\n\n22\n\nPrayer without fervor has not sufficient strength to rise to heaven.--\nST. BERNARD.\n\n23\n\nThe path of virtue is painful to nature when left to itself; but nature,\nassisted by grace, finds it easy and agreeable.--VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.\n\n24\n\nAlways give the preference to actions which appear to you the most\nagreeable to God, and most contrary to self-love.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n25\n\nAs the branch separated from the roots soon loses all life and verdure,\nso it is with good works which are not united with charity.--ST. GREGORY\nTHE GREAT.\n\n26\n\nWe should constantly thank the Lord for having granted us the gift of\nthe true faith, by associating us with the children of the holy Catholic\nChurch.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n27\n\nWe should not spare expense, fatigue, nor even our life, when there is a\nquestion of accomplishing the holy will of God.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n28\n\nSome are unable to fast or give alms; there are none who can not pray.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n29\n\nWe meet with contradictions everywhere. If only two persons are together\nthey mutually afford each other opportunities of exercising patience,\nand even when one is alone there will still be a necessity for this\nvirtue, so true it is that our miserable life is full of crosses.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n30\n\nWe should bear our sufferings in expiation for our sins, to merit\nheaven, and to please God.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nOctober\n\n1\n\nALWAYS give good example: teach virtue by word and deed. Example is more\npowerful than discourse.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n2\n\nIf thou wouldst glory, let it be in the Lord, by referring everything to\nHim, and giving to Him all the honor and glory.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n3\n\nThere is nothing more holy, more eminently perfect, than resignation to\nthe will of God, which confirms us in an entire detachment from\nourselves, and a perfect indifference for every condition in which we\nmay be placed.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n4\n\nPrayer consists not in many words, but in the fervor of desire, which\nraises the soul to God by the knowledge of its own nothingness and the\ndivine goodness.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n5\n\nLet us make up for lost time. Let us give to God the time that remains\nto us.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n6\n\nWhen thou feelest thyself excited, shut thy mouth and chain thy\ntongue.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n7\n\nIf it was necessary that Christ should suffer and so enter by the cross\ninto the kingdom of His Father, no friend of God should shrink from\nsuffering.--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n8\n\nWe should grieve to see no account made of time, which is so precious;\nto see it employed so badly, so uselessly, for it can never be\nrecalled.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n9\n\nEvery time that some unexpected event befalls us, be it affliction, or\nbe it spiritual or corporal consolation, we should endeavor to receive\nit with equanimity of spirit, since all comes from the hand of God.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n10\n\nThere are some who sin through frailty, or through the force of some\nviolent passion. They desire to break these chains of death; if their\nprayer is constant they will be heard.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n11\n\n\"Thy will be done!\" This is what the saints had continually on their\nlips and in their hearts.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n12\n\nHe who would be a disciple of Jesus Christ must live in sufferings; for\n\"The servant is not greater than the Master.\"--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n13\n\nHe who submits himself to God in all things is certain that whatever men\nsay or do against him will always turn to his advantage.--ST. VINCENT DE\nPAUL.\n\n14\n\nIf he be blind who refuses to believe in the truths of the Catholic\nfaith, how much blinder is he who believes, and yet lives as if he did\nnot believe!--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n15\n\nThere is no affliction, trial, or labor difficult to endure, when we\nconsider the torments and sufferings which Our Lord Jesus Christ endured\nfor us.--ST. TERESA.\n\n16\n\nOutside of God nothing is durable. We exchange life for death, health\nfor sickness, honor for shame, riches for poverty. All things change and\npass away.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n17\n\nIf you would keep yourself pure, shun dangerous occasions. Do not trust\nyour own strength. In this matter we can not take too much precaution.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n18\n\nAfter knowing the will of God in regard to a work which we undertake, we\nshould continue courageously, however difficult it may be. We should\nfollow it to the end with as much constancy as the obstacles we\nencounter are great.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n19\n\nIn your prayers, if you would quickly and surely draw upon you the grace\nof God, pray in a special manner for our Holy Church and all those\nconnected with it.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n20\n\nPrayer is our principal weapon. By it we obtain of God the victory over\nour evil inclinations, and over all temptations of hell.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n21\n\nWe should never abandon, on account of the difficulties we encounter, an\nenterprise undertaken with due reflection.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n22\n\nBeing all members of the same body, with the same head, who is Christ,\nit is proper that we should have in common the same joys and sorrows.--\nVEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n23\n\nWe should be cordial and affable with the poor, and with persons in\nhumble circumstances. We should not treat them in a supercilious manner.\nHaughtiness makes them revolt. On the contrary, when we are affable with\nthem, they become more docile and derive more benefit from the advice\nthey receive.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n24\n\nLet not confusion for thy fault overwhelm thee with despair, as if there\nwere no longer a remedy.--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n25\n\nAs all our wickedness consists in turning away from our Creator, so all\nour goodness consists in uniting ourselves with Him.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n26\n\nThat which we suffer in the accomplishment of a good work, merits for us\nthe necessary graces to insure its success.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n27\n\nWe ought to have a special devotion to those saints who excelled in\nhumility, particularly to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who declares that the\nLord regarded her on account of her humility.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n28\n\nHe who wishes to find Jesus should seek Him, not in the delights and\npleasures of the world, but in mortification of the senses.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n29\n\nLet us not despise, judge, or condemn any one but ourselves; then our\ncross will bloom and bear fruit.--VEN. JOHN TAULER.\n\n30\n\nIt is rarely that we fall into error if we are humble and trust to the\nwisdom of others, in preference to our own judgment.--VEN. LOUIS DE\nBLOIS.\n\n31\n\nThe best of all prayers is that in which we ask that God's holy will be\naccomplished, both in ourselves and in others.--VEN. LOUIS DE BLOIS.\n\n\n\nNovember\n\n1\n\nWE SHOULD honor God in His saints, and beseech Him to make us partakers\nof the graces He poured so abundantly upon them.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n2\n\nWe may have a confident hope of our salvation when we apply ourselves to\nrelieve the souls in purgatory, so afflicted and so dear to God.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n3\n\nThe example of the saints is proposed to every one, so that the great\nactions shown us may encourage us to undertake smaller things.--VEN.\nLOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n4\n\nLet us read the lives of the saints; let us consider the penances which\nthey performed, and blush to be so effeminate and so fearful of\nmortifying our flesh.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n5\n\nThe greatest pain which the holy souls suffer in purgatory proceeds from\ntheir desire to possess God. This suffering especially afflicts those\nwho in life had but a feeble desire of heaven.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n6\n\nDeath is welcome to one who has always feared God and faithfully served\nHim.--ST. TERESA.\n\n7\n\nTrue humility consists in being content with all that God is pleased to\nordain for us, believing ourselves unworthy to be called His servants.--\nST. TERESA.\n\n8\n\nThe best preparation for death is a perfect resignation to the will of\nGod, after the example of Jesus Christ, who, in His prayer in Gethsemani\nprepared Himself with these words, \"Father, not as I will, but as Thou\nwilt.\"--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n9\n\nThe errors of others should serve to keep us from adding any of our own\nto them.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n10\n\nThere is more security in self-denial, mortification, and other like\nvirtues, than in an abundance of tears.--ST. TERESA.\n\n11\n\nA resolute will triumphs over everything with the help of God, which is\nnever wanting.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n12\n\nIf humble souls are contradicted, they remain calm; if they are\ncalumniated, they suffer with patience; if they are little esteemed,\nneglected, or forgotten, they consider that their due; if they are\nweighed down with occupations, they perform them cheerfully.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n13\n\nWhen we have to reply to some one who speaks harshly to us, we must\nalways do it with gentleness. If we are angry, it is better to keep\nsilence.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n14\n\nThe two principal dispositions which we should bring to holy communion\nare detachment from creatures, and the desire to receive Our Lord with a\nview to loving Him more in the future.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n15\n\nIn doing penance it is necessary to deprive oneself of as many lawful\npleasures as we had the misfortune to indulge in unlawful ones.--ST.\nGREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n16\n\nIn raising human nature to heaven by His ascension, Christ has given us\nthe hope of arriving thither ourselves.--ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.\n\n17\n\nIt is useless to subdue the flesh by abstinence, unless one gives up his\nirregular life, and abandons vices which defile his soul.--ST. BENEDICT.\n\n18\n\nNo prayers are so acceptable to God as those which we offer Him after\ncommunion.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n19\n\nIt avails nothing to subdue the body, if the mind allows itself to be\ncontrolled by anger.--ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.\n\n20\n\nWhat is it that renders death terrible? Sin. We must therefore fear sin,\nnot death.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n21\n\nThe Blessed Virgin is of all the works of the Creator the most\nexcellent, and to find anything in nature more grand one must go to the\nAuthor of nature Himself.--ST. PETER DAMIAN.\n\n22\n\nIf we would advance in virtue, we must not neglect little things, for\nthey pave the way to greater.--ST. TERESA.\n\n23\n\nWhen one has fallen into some fault, what better remedy can there be\nthan to have immediate recourse to the Most Blessed Sacrament?--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n24\n\nAfflictions are the most certain proofs that God can give us of His love\nfor us.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n25\n\nIs it not a great cruelty for us Christians, members of the body of the\nHoly Church, to attack one another?--ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.\n\n26\n\nThe Church is the pillar and ground of truth, and her infallibility\nadmits of no doubt.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n27\n\nHe who truly loves his neighbor and can not efficaciously assist him,\nshould strive at least to relieve and help him by his prayers.--ST.\nTERESA.\n\n28\n\nWe should blush for shame to show so much resentment at what is done or\nsaid against us, knowing that so many injuries and affronts have been\noffered to our Redeemer and the saints.--ST. TERESA.\n\n29\n\nThe reason why so many souls who apply themselves to prayer are not\ninflamed with God's love is, that they neglect to carefully prepare\nthemselves for it.--ST. TERESA.\n\n30\n\nIt is absolutely necessary, both for our advancement and the salvation\nof others, to follow always and in all things the beautiful light of\nfaith.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n\n\nDecember\n\n1\n\nIF WE consider all that is imperfect and worldly in us, we shall find\nample reason for abasing ourselves before God and man, before ourselves\nand our inferiors.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n2\n\nNo one should think or say anything of another which he would not wish\nthought or said of himself.--ST. TERESA.\n\n3\n\nWe should study the interests of others as our own, and be careful to\nact on all occasions with uprightness and loyalty.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n4\n\nIt is God Himself who receives what we give in charity, and is it not an\nincomparable happiness to give Him what belongs to Him, and what we have\nreceived from His goodness alone?--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n5\n\nLet your constant practice be to offer yourself to God, that He may do\nwith you what He pleases.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n6\n\nIt is not enough to forbid our own tongue to murmur; we must also refuse\nto listen to murmurers.--VEN. LOUIS DE GRANADA.\n\n7\n\nWe can obtain no reward without merit, and no merit without patience.--\nST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n8\n\nNo harp sends forth such sweet harmonies as are produced in the\nafflicted heart by the holy name of Mary. Let us kneel to reverence this\nholy, this sublime name of Mary!--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n9\n\nThe life of a true Christian should be such that he fears neither death\nnor any event of his life, but endures and submits to all things with a\ngood heart.--ST. TERESA.\n\n10\n\nWe should abandon ourselves entirely into the hands of God, and believe\nthat His providence disposes everything that He wishes or permits to\nhappen to us for our greater good.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n11\n\nRegulate and direct all your actions to God, offering them to Him and\nbeseeching Him to grant that they be for His honor and glory.--ST.\nTERESA.\n\n[Illustration: Hail, Virgin Most Pure!]\n\n12\n\nConformity to the will of God is an easy and certain means of acquiring\na great treasure of graces in this life.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n13\n\nDo not consider what others do, or how they do it; for there are but few\nwho really work for their own sanctification.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n14\n\nTo-day God invites you to do good; do it therefore to-day. To-morrow you\nmay not have time, or God may no longer call you to do it.--ST.\nALPHONSUS.\n\n15\n\nTo advance in the way of perfection it does not suffice to say a number\nof weak prayers; our principal care should be to acquire solid\nvirtues.--ST. TERESA.\n\n16\n\nHumility is the virtue of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of His blessed Mother,\nand of the greatest saints. It embraces all virtues and, where it is\nsincere, introduces them into the soul.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n17\n\nIt will be a great consolation for us at the hour of death to know that\nwe are to be judged by Him whom we have loved above all things during\nlife.--ST. TERESA.\n\n18\n\nHumble submission and obedience to the decrees of the Sovereign Pontiffs\nare good means for distinguishing the loyal from the rebellious children\nof the Church.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n19\n\nThe devil attacks us at the time of prayer more frequently than at other\ntimes. His object is to make us weary of prayer.--BL. HENRY SUSO.\n\n20\n\nIt is an act as rare as it is precious, to transact business with many\npeople, without ever forgetting God or oneself.--ST. IGNATIUS.\n\n21\n\nGod is our light. The farther the soul strays away from God, the deeper\nit goes into darkness.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n22\n\nTrue Christian prudence makes us submit our intellect to the maxims of\nthe Gospel without fear of being deceived. It teaches us to judge things\nas Jesus Christ judged them, and to speak and act as He did.--ST.\nVINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n23\n\nRemember that men change easily, and that you can not place your trust\nin them; therefore attach yourself to God alone.--ST. TERESA.\n\n24\n\nIf we secretly feel a desire to appear greater or better than others, we\nmust repress it at once.--ST. TERESA.\n\n25\n\nThe King of heaven deigned to be born in a stable, because He came to\ndestroy pride, the cause of man's ruin.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n26\n\nTo save our souls we must live according to the maxims of the Gospel,\nand not according to those of the world.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n27\n\nBe gentle and kind with every one, and severe with yourself.--ST.\nTERESA.\n\n28\n\nIf you wish to be pleasing to God and happy here below, be in all things\nunited to His will.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n29\n\nIn proportion as the love of God increases in our soul, so does also the\nlove of suffering.--ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.\n\n30\n\nHe who keeps steadily on without pausing, will reach the end of his path\nand the summit of perfection.--ST. TERESA.\n\n31\n\nThe past is no longer yours; the future is not yet in your power. You\nhave only the present wherein to do good.--ST. ALPHONSUS.\n\n\n\nPART VII\n\nReasonableness of Catholic Ceremonies and Practices\n\n\n\"Let the children of Israel make the Phase in due time . . . according\nto all the ceremonies thereof\" (_Num._ ix 2, 3).\n\n\nReasonableness of Catholic Ceremonies and Practices\n\n\n\"The priest shall be vested with the tunic\" (_Lev._ vi. 10).\n\n\"And he made, of violet and purple, scarlet and fine linen, the\nvestments for Aaron to wear when he ministered in the holy places, as\nthe Lord commanded Moses\" (_Ex._ xxxix. 1).\n\n\"In every place there is sacrifice and there is offered to My name a\nclean offering\" (_Malach._ i. 11).\n\n\"And another Angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden\ncenser: and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of\nthe prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the\nthrone of God\" (_Apoc._ viii. 3).\n\n\n\nThe Ceremonies of the Catholic Church\n\nTHE Catholic Church in the celebration of Mass and in the administration\nof the sacraments employs certain forms and rites. These are called\nceremonies. By these ceremonies the Church wishes to appeal to the heart\nas well as to the intellect, and to impress the faithful with sentiments\nof faith and piety.\n\nWhat is more capable of raising the heart and mind of man to God than a\npriest celebrating Mass? What more inspiring than some of our sacred\nmusic?\n\nHow beneficial and how lasting the impression formed by the ceremonies\nof the Church, the following incident will show:\n\nOne of our missionaries once went to visit a tribe of Indians who had\nbeen deprived of a priest for nearly half a century. After traveling\nthrough the forest for some days he came near their village.\n\n'Twas Sunday morning. Suddenly the silence was broken by a number of\nvoices singing in unison. He stopped to listen. To his great\nastonishment he distinguished the music of a Mass, and of Catholic hymns\nwell known to him.\n\nWhat could be more touching than this simple, savage people endeavoring\nto celebrate the Lord's Day as they had been taught by the priest fifty\nyears before? What more elevating than those sacred songs--the _Stabat\nMater_, the _O Salutaris_, or the _Te Deum_--uttered by pious lips and\nresounding through the forest primeval? What better evidence could we\nhave of the beneficial effects of our ceremonies in raising the heart to\nGod?\n\nAnd yet few things connected with our holy religion have been more\nfrequently subjected to ridicule than her ceremonies. People scoff at\nthem, laugh at them, call them foolish and unreasonable. Those people do\nnot stop to consider that by doing so they, themselves, are acting most\nunreasonably. For no reasonable person, no judge, will condemn another\nwithout hearing both sides of the question.\n\nThese wiseacres, however, flatter themselves that they know all about\nthe Catholic Church and her ceremonies without hearing her side of the\ncase. Hence the misunderstandings and misrepresentations regarding her\nthat exist among well-meaning people.\n\nIf people would but learn to speak about that which they knew and\nunderstood; if they would accord to the Catholic Church the same\ntreatment as to other institutions; if they would examine both sides of\nthe question before criticising and ridiculing her teachings and her\nceremonies; if they would but treat her with that openness, that\nfairness, that candor, that honesty characteristic of the American\ncitizen when dealing with other questions--what a vast amount of\nignorance, of prejudice, of sin would be avoided!\n\nWe claim that ceremonies used in the worship of God are reasonable,\nbecause they were sanctioned by God in the Old Testament and by Jesus\nChrist and His apostles in the New Law.\n\n\n\nI. Ceremonies Necessary to Divine Worship\n\nTHE angels are pure spirits. They have no body. Consequently the worship\nthey render God is spiritual, interior.\n\nThe heavenly bodies are not spiritual, but entirely material substances.\nThey render God a sort of external worship according to the words of the\nprophet Daniel, \"Sun and moon bless the Lord, . . . stars of heaven\nbless the Lord. Praise and exalt Him forever.\" Man has a soul, a\nspiritual substance similar to the heavenly bodies. He should,\ntherefore, honor God by the twofold form of worship, interior and\nexterior.\n\n\"God is a spirit; and they that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and\nin truth\" (_John_ iv. 24).\n\nFrom these words of the beloved disciple we are not to conclude that\ninterior worship is prescribed as the only essential, and exterior\nworship condemned. True piety must manifest itself externally. Man\nnaturally manifests his feelings by outward signs and ceremonies.\n\nThe Catholic Church recognizes that man has a heart to be moved as well\nas an intellect to be enlightened. She enlightens the intellect by her\ngood books, sermons, etc.; and she moves the heart by the grandeur of\nher ceremonies.\n\nIf any one doubts that God considers ceremonies necessary to divine\nworship, let him read the books of Leviticus and Exodus. Almost the\nwhole of these books treats of the rites and ceremonies used by the then\nchosen people of God in their public worship.\n\nThe 26th, 27th, and 28th chapters of Exodus prescribe the form of the\ntabernacle and its appurtenances, the size of the altar and the oil for\nthe lamps, and the holy vestments which Aaron and his sons were to wear\nduring the performance of the public ceremonies.\n\nThe book of Leviticus treats more particularly of the sacrifices, rites,\nand ceremonies of the priests and Levites.\n\n\"And the Lord called Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of the\ntestimony, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say\nto them: The man among you that shall offer to the Lord a sacrifice of\nthe cattle, that is, offering victims of oxen and sheep, if his offering\nbe a holocaust and of the herd, he shall offer a male, without blemish,\nat the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, to make the Lord\nfavorable to him. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the victim,\nand it shall be acceptable and help to his expiation\" (_Lev._ i. 1_ et\nseq._).\n\nAfter enumerating all the sacrifices and ceremonies, the sacred writer\ncloses the book of Leviticus with the words, \"These are the precepts\nwhich the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount\nSinai,\" thus showing that He considers ceremonies necessary to divine\nworship.\n\nThe religion instituted by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is more\nspiritual than that of the Old Law. Nevertheless He did not discard\nceremonies. In the Garden of Gethsemani He fell upon His knees in humble\nsupplication. He went in procession to Jerusalem preceded by a great\nmultitude strewing palm-branches on the road and singing, \"Hosanna to\nthe Son of David.\" Before He cured the deaf and dumb man, He put His\nfingers into his ears and touched his tongue with spittle, and looking\nup to heaven He groaned and said, \"Ephpheta,\" which is, \"Be thou\nopened.\"\n\nAt the Last Supper He invoked a blessing on the bread and wine, and\nafter the supper He chanted a hymn with His disciples--ceremonies\nsimilar to those used in the Mass. When He imparted the Holy Ghost to\nHis apostles, He breathed upon them. In a similar way they and their\nsuccessors communicated the Holy Ghost upon others by breathing upon\nthem, laying their hands upon them and praying over them, when\nconferring the sacrament of Holy Orders.\n\nSt. James directs that if any man is sick he shall call in a priest of\nthe Church, who shall anoint him with oil, as is done in the sacrament\nof Extreme Unction.\n\nWe must, therefore, admit that ceremonies used in the worship of God are\nreasonable, since they are sanctioned by God in the Old Law and by Jesus\nChrist and His apostles in the New Testament.\n\nAll these acts of Our Saviour--the prostration in the Garden, the\nprocession to Jerusalem, the touching of the deaf man's ears, the\nchanting of the hymn, the laying on of hands, the anointing of the\nsick--are but so many ceremonies serving as models of the ceremonies\nused by the Catholic Church in her public worship and in the\nadministration of her sacraments.\n\n\n\nII. Vestments Used by the Priest at Mass\n\nBEFORE entering upon an explanation of the ceremonies of the Mass, which\nis our principal act of public worship, let us examine the meaning of\nthe vestments worn by the priest during the celebration of that august\nsacrifice. First, it is well to remember that these vestments come down\nto us from the time of the apostles, and have the weight of antiquity\nhanging upon them. Hence, if they did not demand our respect as\nmemorials of Christ, they are at least deserving of attention on account\nof their antiquity.\n\nThe 28th chapter of Exodus tells us the sacred vestments God wished the\npriests of the Old Law to wear during the public worship. \"And these\nshall be the vestments which they shall make: a rational and an ephod, a\ntunic and a straight linen garment, a mitre and a girdle. They shall\nmake the holy vestments for thy brother Aaron and his sons, that they\nmay do the office of priesthood unto Me.\" As God in the Old Law\nprescribed vestments for the priests, so the Church, guided by God,\nprescribes sacred vestments to be worn by the priest of the New Law\nwhile engaged in the sacred mysteries.\n\nThe long black garment which the priest wears around the church in all\nthe sacred functions is called a _cassock_. Kings and officers of the\narmy wear a special uniform when performing their public duties; priests\nwear _cassocks_ and other special garments when performing their public\nduties. These vestments are used to excite the minds of the faithful to\nthe contemplation of heavenly things.\n\nWho, for example, can behold the cross on the chasuble the priest wears\nwithout thinking of all Christ suffered for us on the cross? As the\npriest in celebrating Mass represents the person of Christ, and the Mass\nrepresents His passion, the vestments he wears represent those with\nwhich Christ was clothed at the time of the passion.\n\nThe first vestment the priest puts on over the _cassock_ is called an\n_amice_. It is made of linen, and reminds us of the veil that covered\nthe face of Jesus when His persecutors struck Him. (_Luke_ xxii. 64.)\n\nWhen the priest puts on the _amice_ he first places it on his head, thus\nrecalling to mind the crown of thorns that pierced the head of Jesus.\n\nThe _alb_ (from _albus_, white) represents the white garment with which\nChrist was vested by Herod when sent back to Pilate dressed as a fool.\n(_Luke_ xxii. 11.)\n\nWhite is emblematic of purity. Hence the wearer is reminded of that\npurity of mind and body which he should have who serves the altar of the\nMost High.\n\nThe _cincture_, or girdle, as well as the _maniple_ and _stole_,\nrepresent the cords and bands with which Christ was bound in the\ndifferent stages of His passion. St. Matthew says in the 22d verse of\nthe 27th chapter, \"They brought Him _bound_ and delivered Him to Pontius\nPilate, the governor.\"\n\nThe _chasuble_, or outer vestment the priest wears, represents the\npurple garment with which Christ was clothed as a mock king. \"And they\nclothed Him with purple\" (_Mark_ xv. 17). Upon the back of the\n_chasuble_ you see a cross. This represents the cross Christ bore on His\nsacred shoulders to Calvary, and upon which He was crucified.\n\nIn these vestments, that is, in the _chasuble_, _stole_, and _maniple_,\nthe Church uses five colors--white, red, purple, green, and black.\n\nWhite, which is symbolic of purity and innocence, is used on the feasts\nof Our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, of the angels, and of the saints\nthat were not martyrs.\n\nRed, the symbol of fortitude, is used on the feast of Pentecost, of the\nExaltation of the Cross, of the apostles and martyrs.\n\nPurple, or violet (the color of penance), is used in Advent and Lent.\n\nGreen (the color of hope) is used on all Sundays when no special feast\nis celebrated, except the Sundays of Lent and Advent.\n\nBlack (the color of mourning) is used on Good Friday and during the\ncelebration of Mass for the dead.\n\nThus we see that each vestment and color used has a special\nsignificance.\n\nAll are calculated to attract our attention, elevate our minds to God,\nand fill us with a desire to do something for Him Who has done so much\nfor us--to at least keep His commandments.\n\nOne word about the use of Latin in the celebration of Mass will perhaps\nbe appropriate here. History tells us that when Christianity was\nestablished the Roman Empire had control of nearly all of Europe, Asia,\nand Africa. Wherever the Roman flag floated to the breeze the Latin\nlanguage was spoken, just as English is spoken where the sovereign of\nGreat Britain or the President of the United States holds sway. The\nChurch naturally adopted in her liturgy the language spoken by the\npeople.\n\nIn the beginning of the fifth century vast hordes of barbarians began to\ncome from the north of Europe and spread desolation over the fairest\nportions of the Roman Empire. Soon the Empire was broken up. New\nkingdoms began to be formed, new languages to be developed. The Latin\nfinally ceased to be a living language. The Church retained it in her\nliturgy, 1st, because, as her doctrine and liturgy are unchangeable, she\nwishes the language of her doctrine and liturgy to be unchangeable; 2d,\nbecause, as the Church is spread over the whole world, embracing in her\nfold children of all climes, nations, and languages--as she is\nuniversal--she must have a universal language; 3d, because the Catholic\nclergy are in constant communication with the Holy See, and this\nrequires a uniform language.\n\nBesides, when a priest says Mass the people, by their English Missals or\nother prayer-books, are able to follow him from beginning to end.\n\nThe Mass is a sacrifice. The prayers of the Mass are offered to God.\nHence when the priest says Mass he is speaking not to the people, but to\nGod, to whom all languages are equally intelligible. Are not these\nsufficient reasons for the use of the Latin language? Are not good\nCatholics more attentive, more devout at Mass than others at their\nprayer-meetings? The good Catholic knows that the Mass represents the\npassion and death of Christ; that the passion and death of Christ are\nthe sinner's only refuge, the just man's only hope; that it can not but\nbe good and wholesome to turn our minds and our hearts toward this\nsubject; that frequent meditation on Christ's passion will move us to\navoid sin, which caused it; and that nothing can more efficaciously\ncause us to think of Christ's passion and death than the holy sacrifice\nof the Mass.\n\n\n\nIII. Ceremonies of the Mass\n\nTHE Mass is the great sacrifice of the New Law. It was foreshadowed by\nall the sacrifices ordained by God in the Old Law. They were shadows; it\nis the substance.\n\nWe learn from Genesis of the fall of man. Universal tradition, as well\nas Scripture, informs us that the creature formerly became guilty in the\neyes of the Creator. All nations, all peoples, endeavored to appease the\nanger of Heaven and believed that a victim was necessary for this\npurpose. Hence sacrifices have been offered from the beginning of the\nhuman race.\n\nCain and Abel offered victims; the one the first fruits of the earth,\nthe other the firstlings of the flock. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and\nMelchisedech worshiped this way, and their worship was acceptable to\nGod. Everywhere, even among the heathen, you find the altar, the priest,\nand the sacrifice. As we learn from Leviticus and other portions of the\nOld Testament, God Himself carefully prescribed the quality, manner,\nnumber, and place of the various sacrifices which He was pleased to\naccept from the hands of His chosen people. From this fact that\nsacrifice has ever formed a prominent feature in the worship of all\npeople, we conclude that it belongs to the essentials of religion, and\nthat Christians to-day should have an altar of which, as St. Paul says,\n\"they can not eat who serve the tabernacle.\"\n\nThe sacrifices of the Old Law were provisional and prefigured the great\nsacrifice of the New Law foretold by the prophet Malachy. This glorious\nprophecy of Malachy, \"From the rising of the sun even to the going down\nMy name is great among the Gentiles; in every place there is sacrifice,\nand there is offered to My name a clean offering; for My name is great\namong the Gentiles, saith the Lord of Hosts\"--this glorious prophecy is\nfulfilled only by the great sacrifice of the Catholic Church. We alone\ncan say with St. Paul, \"_Habemus altare_\" \"We have an altar\" and a true\nsacrifice. Of all the blessings bequeathed by Jesus Christ to His\nChurch, there is none better, none greater, none holier than the holy\nsacrifice of the Mass. It is the sacrifice of His own body and blood\noffered to the heavenly Father under the appearances of bread and wine.\nIt was instituted by Our Lord at the Last Supper, when He took bread and\nwine in His sacred hands and blessed them, saying, \"This is My body. . .\n. This is My blood. . . . Do this for a remembrance of Me.\"\n\nHe instituted the holy Mass in order to represent and continue the\nsacrifice of Calvary. St Paul says, in his first epistle to the\nCorinthians, xi. 26, that it was instituted to show the death of the\nLord until His second coming. After the consecration, which the priest\neffects by saying over the bread and wine the same words which Jesus\nChrist said at the Last Supper, there is no longer bread and wine, but\nthe true and living Jesus Christ, God and man, hidden under the\nappearances of bread and wine, just as in the manger He was hidden under\nthe appearance of an infant. The priest offers Him up to His heavenly\nFather in the name of the Catholic Church, or rather He offers Himself\nup, and we can confidently hope that we will obtain more through prayers\nat the holy Mass than through our own unaided prayers. In order to have\npart in the holy sacrifice of the Mass a person should follow the\nactions and prayers of the priest, especially at the offertory,\nconsecration, and communion; meditate on the passion of Christ; say the\nrosary or the prayers in the prayer-books, at the same time uniting his\nintention with the intention of the sacrificing priest.\n\nThe sacrifice of the Mass is a true sacrifice, because it is the\noblation of a victim to God to represent by its destruction or change\nHis supreme dominion over life and death. It is offered to satisfy our\nfour great debts and wants in adoration to God on account of His\nomnipotence, in thanksgiving for His benefits, in atonement for our\nsins, and to obtain His assistance in difficulties and temptations. The\nholy Mass obtains for us all graces and blessings, temporal and\nspiritual.\n\nSince the Mass is the highest act of public worship, it is proper that\nit should be celebrated with fitting sacred ceremonies. Every ceremony\nwhich the Church prescribes has its deep significance. All tend to bring\nbefore our minds the mystery of the passion.\n\nThe _altar_, which is reached by means of steps, represents Mount\nCalvary, upon which Christ died with His arms extended as if to enfold\nall men as brothers. The _crucifix_ recalls Jesus dying on the cross.\nThe _lighted candles_ are symbols of the faith and devotion which ought\nto burn in the hearts of the faithful when present at Mass. The _sacred\nvestments_, embroidered with the sign of the cross, indicate that the\npriest is the minister and visible representative of Jesus Christ, the\ninvisible priest. The sign of the cross made many times by the priest\nover the host and chalice reminds us that we offer to God the divine\nVictim of the cross, and that we ought to unite ourselves to Him by\nloving the cross, by patience and Christian penance. We genuflect\nbecause Our Lord is really present. If we know He is not present on the\naltar we bow in honor of the place where He sometimes reposes. _Holy\nwater_ is used to signify that our souls must be pure if we wish God to\nanswer our prayers. _Incense_ is used at solemn High Mass and at\nVespers. It is symbolic of prayer, agreeably to the words of the 140th\npsalm: \"Let my prayer, O Lord, be directed as incense in Thy sight.\" And\nSt. John, describing the heavenly Jerusalem in the 8th chapter of the\nApocalypse, says: \"Another angel came, and stood before the altar,\nhaving a golden censer; and there was given him much incense, that he\nshould offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which is\nbefore the throne of God.\"\n\nThe sacrifice of the Mass, then, is the sacrifice of Calvary, since the\nsame Victim is offered up and by the same High Priest, Jesus Christ. The\nEmanuel, the God with us, the thought of whom made the prophets tremble\ncenturies before He came, that divine Teacher who loves to dwell with\nthe children of men, the Catholic Church beholds dwelling in the midst\nof us on our altars. If you have visited some of our ancient cathedrals,\nor any of our magnificent modern churches, and admired the varied\nornaments or artistic wonders therein; if you have ever been present at\nour religious solemnities and witnessed the gravity of our ceremonies,\nthe beauty of the chants, the piety of the adorers; if you have\nreflected upon the spirit of sacrifice and self-forgetfulness so common\nto Catholicism and so unknown elsewhere--that spirit which moves\nthousands of the young of both sexes to forsake the world and devote\nthemselves to the care of the sick, the education of the young, and to\nother works of charity--if you have witnessed these things and reflected\nupon them, you can not but have asked yourself why are such gorgeous\ntemples built; why such magnificent works of art as displayed on the\naltar, the sacred vessels, paintings, and other things in the church?\nWhat prompts such sacrifices? And the answer will be, because the church\nis the edifice where God in the holy Mass daily renews the prodigies of\nHis mercy, and it can never be worthy of His love; because God, who\nsacrificed Himself for us, is ever with us in the Blessed Sacrament of\nthe altar, to soothe our cares and answer our prayers. Yes, the grand\nfeature of the Catholic Church is the holy altar. On the altar is the\ntabernacle for the residence of the Lord of Hosts.\n\nThere our \"hidden God,\" Jesus in the Eucharist, dwells night and day in\nthe midst of His people, saying to them with words of love, \"Come to me\nall you that are burdened and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.\"\n\nThe Mass, independent of its sacrificial aspect, consists of the best\nprayers ever uttered. The priest begins by making the sign of the cross,\n\"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\" This\nsign is an epitome of the Christian's belief in the unity and trinity of\nGod and in the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ. After making the\nsign of the cross he repeats the 42d psalm, \"Judge me, O God,\" and then\nmakes an humble confession of his sins to God. He ascends the altar and\nnine times asks God to have mercy on him, _Kyrie Eleison_; then follows\nthe beautiful hymn the shepherds heard the angels singing at the birth\nof the Saviour, _Gloria in Excelsis Deo_.\n\nThe prayer of the feast, the epistle and gospel follow, and then the\nsermon in the vernacular is usually preached. After the Nicene Creed,\n_Credo in Unum Deum_, the priest makes the offering of bread and wine.\nHe then washes the tips of his fingers, saying: \"I will wash my hands\namong the innocent,\" by which he is reminded to be free from stain to\noffer worthily the Holy Sacrifice.\n\nThe preface, canon, and solemn words of consecration follow, during\nwhich the bread and wine are changed by the power of Jesus Christ into\nHis body and blood. In a short time he comes to the best of all prayers,\nthe prayer taught us by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Our\nFather, _Pater Noster_. The _Agnus Dei_ follows, then the communion,\nwhen he partakes of the consecrated bread and wine, and afterward gives\nholy communion to the faithful. He then continues the Mass, gives his\nblessing, and finishes the Mass with the beginning of the Gospel of St.\nJohn. Hence you see that, besides the great sacrifice which makes it an\nact worthy of God, the Mass consists of the best of all prayers.\n\nFrom what has been said it is evident that ceremonies in the worship of\nGod are reasonable, being sanctioned by God in the Old and New\nTestaments; that the holy sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest of all\nacts of worship; and that the Catholic Church in using ceremonies is but\nfollowing the example of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His\napostles. St. John in the Book of Revelations tells us that before the\nthrone of God angels stand with golden censers, multitudes from all\nnations follow and adore the Lamb, while virgins sing the new song which\nthey alone can utter. So, too, before the throne of God on earth we\nswing our censers, multitudes from all nations prostrate themselves in\nadoration, the sweet incense of their praise and prayer ascends to the\nthrone of grace, their minds are enlightened by God's word, while their\nhearts are raised to God by the grandeur of our ceremonies.\n\nThe Son of God, after having taught us by His word, shown us by His\nexample, and merited for us by His grace the virtues necessary for\nsalvation, wished to institute the holy sacrifice of the Mass, that He\nmight come Himself in the Holy Sacrament and imprint them upon us. Of\nthese virtues, the most important are _humility_, _purity_, _obedience_,\n_patience_, and _charity_.\n\nLet us always ask God when present at the holy Mass for a lively faith\nin His _Real Presence_, an ardent love for Him in the Blessed Sacrament\nof the altar, and the grace to imitate His humility, His purity, His\nmeekness, obedience, patience, and charity _here_, and enjoy His\npresence forever _hereafter_.\n\nThe following beautiful words of Cardinal Newman show that the Mass is\nsomething more than a mere form of words, and that ceremonies are\nreasonable as well as necessary in its celebration:\n\n\"To me nothing is so consoling, so piercing, so thrilling, so\novercoming, as the Mass said as it is among us. I could attend Masses\nforever and not be tired. It is not a mere form of words--it is a great\naction, the greatest action that can be on earth. It is not the\ninvocation merely, but, if I dare use the word, the evocation of the\nEternal. He becomes present on the altar in flesh and blood, before Whom\nangels bow and devils tremble. This is that awful event which is the\nscope and the interpretation of every part of the solemnity. Words are\nnecessary, but as means, not as ends; they are not mere addresses to the\nthrone of grace, they are instruments of what is far higher, of\nconsecration, of sacrifice.\n\n\"They hurry on as if impatient to fulfil their mission. Quickly they go,\nfor they are awful words of sacrifice; they are a work too great to\ndelay upon, as when it was said in the beginning, 'What thou doest, do\nquickly.' Quickly they pass, for the Lord Jesus goes with them, as He\npassed along the lake in the days of His flesh, quickly calling first\none and then another; quickly they pass, because as the lightning which\nshineth from one part of the heaven unto the other, so is the coming of\nthe Son of Man.\n\n\"Quickly they pass, for they are as the words of Moses, when the Lord\ncame down in the cloud, calling on the name of the Lord as He passed by,\n'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and generous, long suffering, and\nabundant in goodness and truth.' And as Moses on the mountain, so we,\ntoo, make haste and bow our heads to the earth and adore.\n\n\"So we, all around, each in his place, look for the great Advent\n'waiting for the moving of the water,' each in his place, with his own\nheart, with his own wants, with his own prayers, separate but\nconcordant, watching what is going on, watching its progress, uniting in\nits consummation; not painfully, and hopelessly following a hard form of\nprayer from beginning to end, but like a concert of musical instruments\neach different, but concurring in sweet harmony, we take our post with\nGod's priest, supporting him, yet guided by him. There are little\nchildren there, and old men, and simple laborers, and students in\nseminaries, priests preparing for Mass, priests making their\nthanksgiving, there are innocent maidens, and there are penitent\nsinners; but out of these many minds rises one Eucharistic hymn, and the\ngreat action is the measure and the scope of it.\"\n\n\n\nThe Practices of the Catholic Church\n\nI. Vespers and Benediction\n\n\"Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day\" (_Ex_. xx. 8).\n\nTHIS commandment teaches us that God wills the whole Sunday to be spent\nin His honor. We should sanctify it by good works, and by assisting at\ndivine service. On that day servile works and improper amusements are\nforbidden. A salutary rest and moderate recreation are allowed, but\nnever at the expense of duties of obligation. After hearing Mass on\nSunday morning, which is obligatory on all Catholics, there is no better\nway of sanctifying the remainder of the day than by attending Vespers\nand Benediction.\n\nThe Vesper service is a small portion of the divine office, which\npriests must recite daily, for God's honor and glory. It consists of\nfive of the psalms of David (Dixit Dominus, Ps. 109; Confitebor tibi,\nPs. 110; Beatus vir, Ps. 111; Laudate pueri, Ps. 112; In exitu Israel,\nPs. 113, or Laudate Dominum, Ps. 116), a hymn, the Magnificat, or\ncanticle of the Virgin Mary, from the first chapter of St. Luke, and\nsome prayers. Is it not reasonable thus to praise God in psalms and\nhymns and spiritual canticles?\n\nBenediction of the Blessed Sacrament usually follows Vespers. The\nCatholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ is really present in the\nBlessed Sacrament. The reasonableness of this teaching will be seen in\nthe following article.\n\nSince Jesus Christ is present, He ought to be adored by the faithful.\nFaithful adorers frequently visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament and\nworship Him in \"spirit and in truth.\" Hence, the Blessed Sacrament is\nkept in the Tabernacle on our altars to soothe our cares, answer our\nprayers, and be ready at any time to be administered to the sick and\ndying.\n\nBesides our private devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Church has\nappointed solemn rites to show publicly our faith and devotion toward\nthe Real Presence of Jesus Christ. These rites are processions on Corpus\nChristi, the Forty Hours' devotion, and, especially, the rite called\nBenediction.\n\nWhen it is time for Benediction many candles are lighted on the altar.\nThis is done to show our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. If\nHe were not present, this display would be unreasonable, unnecessary,\nand meaningless. But the candles we light, the incense we burn, the\nflowers and other ornaments we use to decorate the altar, and all that\nwe do for Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can not be too much.\n\nEverything being prepared, the priest takes the Blessed Sacrament out of\nthe tabernacle, and, placing it in the ostensorium, exposes it on an\nelevated throne, while the choir sings in honor of the Blessed Sacrament\nthe hymn \"O Salutaris Hostia,\" \"O Saving Host.\" The priest incenses Our\nLord in the Blessed Sacrament, as, according to the Apocalypse, angels\ndo in heaven. Another hymn or a litany follows; after which is sung the\n\"Tantum Ergo,\" \"Down in adoration falling,\" followed by a prayer by the\npriest. Then in the midst of a solemn silence (except that a small bell\nis tinkled) the priest takes the monstrance, or ostensorium, containing\nthe Blessed Sacrament, and, turning toward the people, makes with it the\nsign of the cross over them, thus blessing the faithful with the Most\nHoly One.\n\nThis is certainly a most touching and impressive rite even to those who\ndo not believe in it. Cardinal Newman calls it one of the most\nbeautiful, natural, and soothing practices of the Church. No one will\ndeny that this practice, or rite of the Church, is reasonable, if Jesus\nChrist is really present in the Blessed Sacrament. That He is really\npresent is our belief. This being our belief, is it not reasonable to\nlight candles as a sign of spiritual joy, and thus to show our faith in\nHim who is the light of the world? He gave us all that we have. He gave\nus the beautiful world we dwell upon with its variety of scenery--with\nits snow-capped mountains, its green-carpeted hills, and its blooming\nvalleys. He has no need of our gifts; for the earth is His \"and the\nfulness thereof.\" Yet as He was pleased to receive the gifts of the Magi\nand the precious ointment of Mary, so, too, is He pleased to receive our\nofferings. And is anything too good, too beautiful, too precious, for\nHim? Can the altar on which He dwells be too richly adorned? Are the\npure candles we light, the sweet incense we burn, the choice flowers and\ncostly ornaments with which we decorate the altar, too much to use in\nhonor of Our Lord and our God? Yes, the Catholic practice or rite of\nBenediction is dictated by right reason. Everything connected with\nBenediction is reasonable, beautiful, and suggestive of the _noblest\nsentiments of the heart of man_.\n\n[Illustration: Mary, Star of the Sea.]\n\n\n\nII. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament\n\n\"And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and\nbroke, and gave to His disciples, and said: take ye and eat. This is My\nbody\" (_Matt_. xxvi. 26).\n\nPERHAPS no mystery of revelation has been so universally attacked as the\nReal Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.\n\nBy the Real Presence is meant that Jesus Christ is really and truly,\nbody and blood, soul and divinity, present in the Blessed Sacrament,\nunder the form and appearance of bread and wine.\n\nThis teaching of the Church is in perfect agreement with Scripture,\ntradition, and reason.\n\nIf the reader will take up his Bible and read carefully the 6th chapter\nof the Gospel according to St. John; the 26th chapter, 26th, 27th, and\n28th verses of St. Matthew; the 14th chapter, 22d verse of St. Mark; the\nFirst Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 10th chapter, 16th verse,\nas well as other portions of the New Testament, he will certainly see\nthat the Catholic teaching and practice concerning the Real Presence of\nJesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament are founded on Scripture. In this\n6th chapter of St. John, we learn that before instituting the Blessed\nSacrament Our Saviour wished to announce or promise it to His disciples\nin order to prepare them for it. He first gave them a figure of the\nBlessed Sacrament in the multiplication of the five loaves of bread by\nwhich He fed five thousand persons. After this miracle He told them that\nHe would give them bread superior to that which they had eaten, and that\nthis bread was His own flesh and blood. \"The bread that I will give is\nMy flesh, for the life of the world.\" It is almost impossible to\nunderstand these words of Our Lord in any other than a literal sense. He\nwas so understood by those who heard Him. \"How can this man give us his\nflesh to eat?\" they said, and many withdrew from Him. It is but\nreasonable to believe that if He did not wish to be understood in a\nliteral sense He would have told His hearers so, rather than have them\nleave Him.\n\nThis promise of a doctrine so difficult to understand was fulfilled at\nthe Last Supper.\n\nThen Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to His\ndisciples, and said: \"Take ye and eat. This is My body.\" And taking the\nchalice He gave thanks; and gave to them, saying: \"Drink ye all of this.\nFor this is My blood of the new testament which shall be shed for many\nfor the remission of sins.\"\n\n\"Do this for a commemoration of Me.\"\n\nThese are substantially the words of SS. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and of the\napostle Paul.\n\nIn the 10th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul\nsays: \"The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the\ncommunion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it\nnot the partaking of the body of the Lord?\"\n\nAny one of these texts abundantly proves the Catholic doctrine of the\nReal Presence, and shows the reasonableness of the Catholic practice\nregarding the Blessed Sacrament. Reflect upon them. Reflect especially\nupon the words of Christ, \"This is My body.\" Think what an insult it is\nto the divinity and veracity of Christ to doubt His word, because you\ncan not understand how what appears to be bread is in reality His own\nbody and blood.\n\nIf you remember that Jesus Christ is God, that He had the power to make\nthis change, that He could confer this power on others, as the apostles\nand their successors, that He did so when He said: \"Do this in\ncommemoration of Me,\" and that this change at the present time as at the\ntime of the apostles is made by His almighty power, you will have no\ndifficulty in believing it.\n\nThe belief and practice of the Catholic Church of to-day regarding the\nBlessed Sacrament is the same as it was in every age since the time of\nChrist. The history of every century tells us this. The Fathers,\nDoctors, and Church writers of every age say the same. If it were not\nso, some one ought to be able to find the time when the doctrine was\ninvented, and the person who invented it. But, since no one has been\nable to find the inventor of this doctrine and practice, the time or\nplace of the invention, we rightly conclude that they came down to us\nfrom the time of Christ, and had Christ for an author. (Berengarius, in\nthe eleventh century, was the first who denied this doctrine.) If, then,\nChrist is the author, is not the Catholic practice reasonable?\n\nBut I don't understand the Catholic doctrine regarding the Blessed\nSacrament, some one may say; therefore it is contrary to reason. Dear\nreader, did the consummate puerility, silliness, foolishness of such an\nobjection ever present itself to you? Do you understand the Blessed\nTrinity? And is it contrary to reason? No. Although above reason, it is\nnot against it. Do you understand how Jesus Christ is both God and man?\nDo you understand any mystery? No. If you did it would no longer be a\nmystery. For a mystery is something above human intelligence. It is\nsomething incomprehensible to us, for it pertains to the divine\nintelligence. And as well might you attempt to pour the mighty ocean\ninto a small hole on the shore, as attempt to hold with your limited\ncapacity the illimitable ocean of divinity. The proper office of reason\nis to examine the evidences of revelation, and see if God has spoken.\nBut it constitutes no part of its office to dispute the word of God.\nThat God has spoken is evident from the fulfilment of many prophecies\nand the authority of many miracles. That these prophecies have been\nfulfilled, and these miracles performed, is as certain as is any\nhistorical fact. Reason teaches us this. It teaches us, too, that no one\nbut God (or by the power of God) can prophesy; no one but God can\nderogate from the order of nature, by the performance of a miracle.\nReason teaches us, then, that God has spoken. When we know God speaks,\ngenuine reason will dictate that we humbly believe His holy word. Thus\nwill true reason ever act. And when God says, \"This is My body,\" it will\nnot hesitate to believe.\n\nWe all believe that at the baptism of Our Saviour by St. John Baptist,\nthe Holy Ghost appeared in the form of a dove. Now, is it not as\nreasonable for Jesus Christ, the second person of the Blessed Trinity,\nto appear in the form of bread as it was for the Holy Ghost, the third\nperson of the Trinity, to appear in the form of a dove? We must\ntherefore admit that the Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence of Jesus\nChrist in the Blessed Sacrament is reasonable; that it has been believed\nby the Christian Church of every age from the time of Christ until the\npresent time; and that it is taught by SS. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and\nJohn, and by St. Paul in clear and unmistakable terms.\n\nNow, dear reader, since Jesus Christ is really present, is not the\nCatholic practice regarding the Blessed Sacrament reasonable? Should we\nnot honor Our Lord and Our God? Should we not adore Him as really\npresent in the Blessed Sacrament? Should we not frequently receive Him\nwith pure and contrite hearts? Should we not, when we enter the church,\ngenuflect, bend the knee in His honor? Should we not show Him every mark\nof respect and devotion? Can we do too much in His honor? Let us, then,\nadore Our Lord and Our God, for we are His people and the sheep of His\npasture. Let us return love for love to the great King of suffering, who\nwas born for love of us, who died for love of us, and who, for love of\nus, remains ever with us in the Blessed Sacrament. Let us ask that our\nfaith and love may persevere to the end; that loving and adoring Him\nhere in the Blessed Sacrament of His love, _we may be united with Him\nforever hereafter_.\n\n\n\nIII. Holy Communion\n\n\"He that eateth this bread shall live forever\" (_John_ vi. 59)\n\nHOLY communion is receiving the body and blood of Christ in the Blessed\nSacrament. The clergy when saying Mass, except on Good Friday, receive\nunder both forms. When not celebrating Mass, they receive only the one\nkind, the consecrated bread. In the early ages of the Church communion\nwas given to the people under both forms.\n\nThe faithful, however, could, if they wished, dispense with one form and\nreceive under the form of bread. This shows that the Church always\ntaught that Christ is entire both under the form of bread and under the\nform of wine. At one time the faithful received under both forms; now\nthey receive under one form, the form of bread. It is merely a matter of\ndiscipline, which the Church could change, if circumstances demanded it.\nWhether you receive under one form or both, you receive whole and entire\nthe body and blood of Christ. This is clearly taught by St. Paul in the\n11th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, where he says:\n\"Whosoever shall eat this bread, _or_ drink the chalice of the Lord\n_unworthily_, shall be guilty of the body _and_ blood of the Lord.\"\n\nHow could a person eating that bread unworthily be guilty of the body\nand blood of the Lord, unless the body and blood of the Lord were there\nunder the form of bread?\n\nSince Jesus Christ is whole and entire under the form of bread, as well\nas under the form of wine, the practice of the Catholic Church of giving\nholy communion under one form is reasonable.\n\nGood Christians frequently receive their Lord and their God in holy\ncommunion. He inspires them with feelings of love, gratitude, and\nadoration. He reminds them to think frequently of their Creator--to give\nHim their first thoughts in the morning and their last in the evening.\nHe gives them strength to restrain their guilty passions.\n\nHoly Communion is the seed of immortality. \"He that eateth this bread\n_shall live forever_.\"\n\n\n\nIV. Confirmation\n\n\"Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost\"\n(_Acts_ viii. 17).\n\nBEFORE the coming of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost, the apostles were weak\nand vacillating. One of them betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of\nsilver; another--the Prince of the Apostles, he whom Christ afterward\nmade head of His Church--thrice denied his Lord and his God.\n\nAfter the descent of the Holy Ghost, what a change! What a wonderful\ntransformation! They who before had been as timid as the lamb, as\nchangeable as the chameleon's hue, became now as bold as the lion, as\nfirm as Gibraltar's rock.\n\nIn a similar way does Confirmation act on the receiver. Confirmation is\nthat sacrament in which, by the imposition of the bishop's hands, we\nreceive the Holy Ghost to make us strong and perfect Christians and\nsoldiers of Jesus Christ. It is the second in the order of the\nsacraments, because the early Christians were accustomed to receive it\nimmediately after Baptism. In the 8th chapter of the Acts of the\nApostles we find the first recorded instance of the administering of\nConfirmation by the apostles. Here we are told that St. Peter and St.\nJohn confirmed the Samaritans who had been baptized by Philip. \"They\nprayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. . . . Then they\nlaid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.\" In a\nsimilar way does the bishop, the successor of the apostles, administer\nConfirmation at the present day. First, he turns toward those to be\nconfirmed and says: \"May the Holy Ghost come down upon you and the power\nof the Most High keep you from sin.\" Then extending his hands over them\nhe prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost.\n\nIn the 6th verse of the 19th chapter of the Acts the sacred writer,\nafter telling about the baptism of the disciples at Ephesus, adds: \"And\nwhen Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them.\" In\nthe 6th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews St. Paul mentions\nConfirmation, the laying on of hands, with Baptism and Penance, as among\nthe principal practices of Christianity.\n\nThe sacrament of Confirmation has been administered to the faithful of\nevery age from the time of Christ until the present. We learn this from\nthe Fathers and writers of the various ages. Among them St. Clement\nsays: \"All must make haste to be confirmed by a bishop, and receive the\nsevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost.\" The practice of administering\nConfirmation is founded on tradition, then, as well as on Scripture. Is\nit not reasonable to believe and practise that which the Christian\nChurch of every age believed and practised?\n\nThe apostles of Christ administered Confirmation by praying that the\nfaithful may receive the Holy Ghost and laying their hands upon them.\nThe successors of the apostles do likewise. Who will say that this\npractice is not reasonable? Baptism gives spiritual life; Confirmation\nincreases it. Baptism makes persons children of God; Confirmation\nstrengthens them, causes them to grow, and makes them strong men and\nsoldiers of Jesus Christ.\n\nAll the morality of life is implied in the sacrament of Confirmation. It\nstrengthens man, it gives him courage to confess God; and as sin is the\ndenial of God, whoever has courage to confess _God will practise\nvirtue_.\n\n\n\nV. Honoring the Blessed Virgin\n\n\"The angel Gabriel was sent from God . . . to a Virgin . . . and the\nVirgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in said to her: Hail,\nfull of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women\"\n(_Luke_ i. 26, 28).\n\n\"From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed\" (_Luke_ i. 48).\n\nTHESE words from St. Luke show that the Catholic practice of honoring\nMary is scriptural. We alone fulfil the prophecy, \"From henceforth all\ngenerations shall call me blessed.\" If Mary was so pure that the\narchangel Gabriel could salute her as full of grace; if she was so\nperfect as to be honored, respected, and loved by her divine Son, Jesus\nChrist, is it not reasonable that we, too, should honor, respect, and\nlove her?\n\nHow we honor the sword of Washington! What a cluster of tender\nrecollections clings to the staff of Franklin! Is there a loyal American\ncitizen who does not think with feelings of love and respect of the\nmother of our Revolutionary hero, or who would not doff his hat at the\nunveiling of a statue of the sage of Monticello? And why? Is it on\naccount of their intrinsic merit? No. We honor them principally on\naccount of the relation they bear to those three brightest stars in the\nAmerican firmament. So it is with the honor we show to Mary, the Mother\nof God. Although she was an example of all virtues, we honor her\nprincipally because it was through her instrumentality He was born by\nwhom we achieved not civil liberty, but the liberty of the children of\nGod. She did not draw lightning from heaven, nor the scepter from kings;\nbut she brought forth Him who is the Lord of heaven and King of kings.\n\nThe principal reason, then, why we honor Mary is because she is the\nMother of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This honor consists of\nlove, respect, and veneration. We love her with an interior love, a love\nproceeding from the heart; nor should we fear to let this love appear\noutwardly. When others revile her, speak disrespectfully of her, we\nshould shrink from the very idea of acting similarly toward her. We\nshould then remember that she is the Mother of Our Saviour, and should\nask ourselves how we would have acted toward her had we lived in her day\nand been witnesses of the honor shown her by her divine Son. By so doing\nwe will show her that love which is her due. Our respect, our veneration\nfor her, should be affectionate and deep. When we remember that it was\nher hand that first lifted from the ground and received in maternal\nembrace the sacred body of Jesus, just born and just dead; when we think\nhow respectfully Elizabeth greeted her; when we recall to mind the\nreverent salutation of the archangel; when we consider the honor shown\nher by the apostles and by her own divine Son, can we help feeling a\ndeep love, respect, and veneration for her? You see, dear reader,\nhonoring Mary is scriptural and reasonable.\n\nBut if we should honor her principally because she is the Mother of God,\nwe should also honor her because she is the peerless glory, the\nmatchless jewel of her sex. She constitutes a sole exception to a\ngeneral law. Sin never contaminated, never touched her fair soul. This\nis what we mean by the Immaculate Conception.\n\nGod created the first man free from sin. But he transgressed the law of\nGod, and, by his transgression, all his posterity are born in sin and\nconceived in iniquity. For St. Paul says: \"By one man sin entered into\nthis world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom\nall have sinned\" (_Rom._ v. 12). But God promised that the woman, Mary,\nshould crush the head of the serpent. Now if she was to crush the head\nof the serpent, it was fit that she should never be under his power,\nthat she should be pure, free from sin of every kind.\n\nThere have been exceptions to all general laws. At the time of the\ndeluge Noe was saved. Lot was saved from the destruction of Sodom. In\nlike manner, the Blessed Virgin is an exception to the general law that\nall sinned in Adam. Isaias and St. John Baptist were sanctified in their\nmother's womb. Was it any more difficult for God to sanctify Mary at the\nmoment of her conception, at the moment of the union of her soul with\nher body? God chose His own Mother. If He had the power to choose her\ndid He not also have the power to preserve her from original sin? And\ndoes it not appear to you most fitting that God, the Holy Ghost, should\npreserve His spouse, and God, the Son, His Mother, from sin of every\nkind?\n\n\"Hail, full of grace,\" the angel said to her. If she was full of grace,\nno vacancy was left for sin. Grace denotes the absence of sin, as light\ndenotes the absence of darkness. Hence if Mary was full of grace, she\nwas never subject to sin; she was always pure and her conception\nimmaculate. It is but natural, then, that we arrive at the belief in the\nImmaculate Conception, at the belief in the sinlessness, the\nspotlessness of the Blessed Virgin from the very beginning of her\nexistence. If we honor Mary principally because the angel honored her,\nbecause God honored her, we honor her, also, because of her immaculate\nconception and total freedom from sin. She was a model of all virtues.\nIs it not reasonable, then, to honor Mary, to love her, and to believe\nthat she loves us? If we honor the good and virtuous, where can we find\na nobler example of virtue than Mary? What a beautiful model Mary is for\nChristians, and especially for Christian women! Good Catholic mothers\nare continually urging upon their daughters the necessity of choosing as\na model Mary, the true type of female excellence. In Mary you find all\nthat is tender, loving, constant, and true. In her you find all virtues.\nIn her humility she refused the highest honors; while in patience she\nendured more anguish and agony than any other creature on earth.\n\nMary is a creature of God. As the praise we bestow on a beautiful\npicture redounds to the glory of the artist, so the honor we give Mary\nredounds to God, since we honor her for His sake. Let us honor her. That\nperson who honors the Blessed Virgin; who loves, respects, and venerates\nher as the Mother of God; who takes her as a model and imitates her\nvirtues; who prays to her in trials and afflictions and asks her\nintercession with her divine Son, does not only act in a reasonable\nmanner, but such action is certain to make the path through this world\nsmooth and easy and at the same time safe to a life of _eternal\nhappiness_.\n\n\n\nVI. Confession of Sin\n\n\"Whom when He saw He said: Go, show yourselves to the priests\" (_Luke_\nxvii. 14).\n\n\"Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins ye shall forgive, they are\nforgiven them, and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained\"\n(_John_ xx. 23).\n\nTHE whole of the life of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be summed\nup in these words of the Acts: \"He went about doing good.\" He healed the\nsick, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and raised the dead\nto life.\n\nThe healing of the body, however, was to Him a secondary object. The\nhealing of the soul was His mission on earth. He frequently called the\nattention of His followers to this. For example, He cured the man of the\npalsy to prove that as man He had the power to forgive sins. Another\nexample is when He gives us in the cure of the lepers a figure of sin\nand its cure.\n\nLeprosy has always been considered a figure of sin. As leprosy covers\nthe body and makes it disgusting and frightful to behold, so sin covers\nthe soul and makes it hideous in the sight of God. The Old Law required\nlepers to separate themselves from society until their cure was\ncertified to by the priests who were appointed for this purpose. Our\nLord has been pleased, in the New Law, to institute a similar method for\nthe cure of the more fatal leprosy of sin. The spiritual leper, the\nsinner, is to show himself to the priest, make known the diseased state\nof his soul, and submit to the inspection and treatment of the priest,\nwho is the divinely appointed physician of the soul. But should we not\ngo directly to God, since God alone has power to justify us? It is true,\nGod alone can effect our justification; but He has appointed the priest\nto judge in His place and pass sentence in His name. To the priests He\nhas said: \"Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound in\nheaven, and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also\nin heaven\" (_Matt._ xviii. 18); and again: \"Whose sins you shall\nforgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins you shall retain, they are\nretained\" (_John_ xx. 23). These two texts clearly show that auricular\nconfession as practised in the Catholic Church was taught by Christ. For\nhow could the apostles and their successors, the pastors of the Church,\nknow what sins to bind and retain and what sins to loose and forgive\nunless the sins were confessed to them and they were allowed to judge?\n\nNo matter how numerous or how great these are, provided they are\nconfessed with a sincere repentance, they will be forgiven. And they\nwill be forgiven by the power of the priest. Properly speaking, God\nalone has power to forgive sins. But no one will deny that He has power\nto confer this power on others. He communicated this power to His\napostles and commanded them, in turn, to communicate it to others by\nmeans of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.\n\nThat Our Saviour communicated this power to His apostles is evident from\nthe words of St. John: \"As the Father hath sent Me I also send you.\nReceive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are\nforgiven.\" But sin was to continue till the end of the world. Hence the\nnecessity of the means of forgiving sin being coextensive with sin. As\nthe people receive from the priests the Word of God and the cleansing\nfrom sin in Baptism, so also do they receive from them the cleansing\nfrom sin in confession.\n\nIt is certain that the apostles conferred the power of forgiving sins\nupon others, if we find that those whom the apostles ordained this\npower. But we find this to be the case.\n\nFrom the time of Christ until the present the writers of every age tell\nus that confession of sins was practised. St. John, who lived until the\nbeginning of the second century, says in the 1st chapter of his First\nEpistle: \"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us\nour sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.\"\n\nSt. Cyprian, who wrote in the third century, says: \"Let each of you\nconfess his faults, and the pardon imparted by the priest is acceptable\nbefore God.\"\n\nSt. Ambrose, in the fourth century, wrote: \"The poison is sin; the\nremedy, the accusation of one's crime. The poison is iniquity:\nconfession is the remedy.\"\n\nSt. Augustine, who lived in the fifth century, seems to be talking to\nsome people of the present day, who say they confess in private to God,\nwhen he says: \"Let no one say to himself, I do penance to God in\nprivate, I do it before God. Is it then in vain that Christ hath said:\n'Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven'? Is it\nin vain that the keys have been given to the Church? Do we make void the\nGospel? void the words of Christ?\"\n\nThese first five centuries were the golden age of Christianity. All\nadmit that the doctrines and practices of those early centuries were\npure and undefiled, as they came from Christ. But among the practices of\nthe time we find confession. Hence it is a reasonable practice, because\nconformable to Christ's teaching. We might continue quotations from\nwriters of every century from the sixth to the nineteenth, showing that\nthe teaching and practice of confession did not vary through the lapse\nof ages from the time of Christ until the present day. But this is\nunnecessary. The quotations from the first five centuries show that the\npower of forgiving sin was not only communicated by Christ to His\napostles, but by them to their successors by means of the sacrament of\nHoly Orders. What would be the necessity of this power if they could not\nexercise it in confession? If, as some say, priests invented confession,\nsome one ought to find out and tell us when and where it was invented,\nand why they did not exempt themselves from such a humiliating practice.\n\nConfession alone, however, will be of no avail without contrition.\nContrition is a sincere sorrow and detestation for sin with a firm\ndetermination to sin no more. To the truly humble and sorrowful sinner\nconfession is not a punishment, but a remedy for a tortured conscience.\nThe most painful secret to be kept by a heart not yet corrupted by\ndisease is the secret of sin and crime. The soul that loves God hates\nsin and desires to separate herself from it. To this desire is\nassociated the desire of expiating it. All, from the mother who\nquestions her child about wrongdoing to the judge who interrogates the\ncriminal, recognize in spontaneous confession an expiatory power.\n\nConfession, it is true, is necessarily accompanied by shame and\nhumiliation. This humiliation is diminished by the knowledge that it is\nof divine origin and that eternal silence is divinely imposed upon him\nwho receives it. Priests never divulge what they know from the\nconfessional. They have been ill-treated, as was Father Kohlmann in this\ncountry; have even been tortured and cruelly put to death, as was St.\nJohn Nepomucene, in order to extort from them knowledge they gained in\nthe confessional, but without avail. For what they knew through the\ntribunal of penance, they knew as ministers of God. And as it is better\nto obey God than man, no minister of state could force them to divulge\nthat which the laws of God forbid.\n\nOnly sinners, who after a thorough preparation, a sincere sorrow, and a\ngood confession, can realize the soothing and beneficial effects of\nconfession, and feel with David, \"Blessed are they whose sins are\nforgiven.\" If you have ever noticed such after leaving the confessional\nyou could see joy beaming on their countenances, as if a heavy burden\nhad been removed.\n\nConfession quiets the conscience. But this is only one of the benefits\nit confers upon those who practise going to confession. It has also a\nsalutary influence upon their morals; for one of its necessary\nconditions is promise of amendment.\n\nThe pagans of the first centuries were aware of the guiding and\nreforming power of the confessional. Voltaire, the leading infidel of\nthe last century, one who made sport of everything Christian, says that\n\"there is, perhaps, no wiser institution, and that confession is an\nexcellent thing, a restraint upon inveterate crime, a very good practice\nto prevent the guilty from falling into despair and relapsing into sin,\nto influence hearts full of hate to forgive and robbers to make\nrestitution--that the enemies of the _Romish_ Church who have opposed so\nbeneficial an institution have taken from man the greatest restraint\nthat can be put upon crime.\" While his everyday experience forced these\nwords of praise from the arch-infidel, his hatred of the Church creeps\nout in the word \"Romish.\"\n\nConfession of sin, as we have seen, is a _reasonable practice_, because\nit was taught by Jesus Christ, and by His apostles and their successors\nfrom Christ's time until the present; but _especially_ because it has\nthe power of soothing and pacifying the conscience by freeing it from\nthe torture of sin, the poison of crime. It is not strange, then, that\nit is so dear to virtuous souls. It is offensive only to those whose\nhearts are so hardened as to blunt the sting of remorse. Confession is\nChristianity using its moral power to correct and perfect the\nindividual. In the confessional the minister of God is continually\ncoming in contact with hearts in which reigns an idol that he\noverthrows, a bad practice that he causes to cease, or some injustice\nthat he has repaired.\n\nConfession is one of the gates by which Christianity penetrates the\ninterior man, wipes away stains, heals diseases, and sows therein the\nseeds of virtue. The lives and experience of millions are witness of the\ntruth of this. Is it not, then, a reasonable, a beneficial practice? It\nis only the malicious or the ignorant who calumniate the practice and\nthe consecrated minister who sits in judgment in the sacred tribunal.\nThose who lay aside their prejudice and study the question soon become\nconvinced of its divine origin. A little study and reflection will show\nthem that confession of sin benefits society by preventing crimes that\nwould destroy government, cause riots, and fill prisons; that it\npromotes human justice, makes men better, nobler, purer, higher, and\nmore Godlike; that it soothes the sorrowful heart whose crime might make\nthe despairing suicide; and that individuals and families who\nfrequently, intelligently, and properly approach this fountain of God's\ngrace will receive His blessing here _and a pledge of His union\nhereafter_.\n\n\n\nVII. Granting Indulgences\n\n\"Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven, and\nwhatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven\"\n(Matt xviii. 18).\n\nOF THE many practices of the Church, few have been the cause of more\ncontroversy than that of granting indulgences. Though not the cause, the\ngranting of an indulgence furnished a pretext for Luther's apostasy. Leo\nX, who was Pope at that time, desiring to complete St. Peter's at Rome,\nappealed to all Catholics for financial aid. There was certainly nothing\nwrong in this. With these alms it was intended that the most magnificent\nChristian temple in the world would be completed.\n\n  \"Majesty, Power, Glory, Strength, and Beauty, all are aisled\n  In this eternal ark of worship undefiled.\"\n\nAll who contributed toward the completion of St. Peter's and complied\nwith the necessary conditions were granted an indulgence.\n\nThe alms were not one of the indispensable conditions. Those conditions\nwere a sincere repentance and confession. Hence, those who did not\ncontribute could gain the indulgence. Perhaps the Dominican Tetzel, who\nwas chosen to announce the indulgence, exceeded his powers and made them\nserve his own ends.\n\nHis action in the affair was not approved by Rome. If it is certain that\nthe Pope did nothing wrong in asking for aid to build that beautiful\nmonument to religion, it is equally certain that he did nothing wrong,\nthat he did not exceed the limits of his powers when he granted the\nindulgence. In order to understand this, we must have a clear idea of\nwhat is meant by an indulgence.\n\nYou frequently hear it said that it is the forgiveness of sin, or that\nit is a permission given to commit sin. It is neither the one nor the\nother. An indulgence is not the forgiveness of sin. In fact, an\nindulgence can not be gained until sin has been forgiven. One of the\nnecessary conditions for gaining an indulgence is confession.\n\nNeither is an indulgence a license, a permission to commit sin. No one,\nnot even God Himself, could give permission to commit sin. For God is\nall good, and although all powerful He can not sanction that which is\nevil in itself. It would be contrary to His very nature. An indulgence,\nthen, is not what it has been painted. Having seen what an indulgence is\nnot, let us see what it is. It is a remission of the whole or a part of\nthe debt of temporal punishment due to sin after the guilt and eternal\npunishment have been forgiven in the sacrament of Penance.\n\nIn the early ages of the Church notorious sinners, after being absolved,\nwere sentenced to long public penances. By sincere sorrow, an indulgence\nor remission of some of the time was granted them. Public confession and\npublic penances have passed away. These public penances are replaced by\npious devotions. Upon the performance of certain pious devotions the\nChurch at times grants an indulgence; that is, a remission of such\ntemporal punishment as is equivalent to the canonical penances\ncorresponding to the sins committed.\n\nAttached to every mortal sin, besides the guilt, is the punishment\nincurred. This punishment is eternal and temporal. That there is this\ntwofold punishment we learn from various places in the Bible. We have an\nexample in the sin of David. God sent the prophet Nathan to warn him of\nhis guilt. When Nathan rebuked the king, he confessed his sin with signs\nof true contrition. Then Nathan told him that God had forgiven his sin,\nbut that many temporal punishments would follow. When God forgave the\nsin, the guilt and eternal punishment were taken away; but temporal\npunishment remained. Other examples could be cited, but this is\nsufficient to show that there is a twofold kind of punishment--eternal\nand temporal. In confession the guilt and eternal punishment are taken\naway, but not always the temporal punishment. This temporal punishment\nis what is taken away in whole by a plenary and in part by a partial\nindulgence.\n\nIn a similar manner we have a twofold punishment attached to crime in\nthis world. A man commits a crime. He is sentenced to a term in the\npenitentiary. After spending his time of punishment he comes back to\nsociety, but finds he has another punishment to undergo in being avoided\nby his friends and others.\n\nThe practice of granting indulgences was founded on many passages of\nScripture, both of the Old and New Testament. In the 12th chapter of the\nbook of Numbers we learn that Mary, the sister of Moses, was forgiven a\nsin which she had committed. But God inflicted upon her the penalty of\nleprosy. This was a temporal punishment. By the prayer of Moses an\nindulgence was granted; for God took away the temporal punishment.\n\nOur divine Lord left with His Church the power of granting indulgences,\nas we learn from His words taken from St. Matthew: \"Whatsoever you shall\nloose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven.\" This promise implies\nthe power of loosing not only from sin and its eternal punishment, but\nalso the power of releasing the bond of temporal punishment, of freeing\nfrom everything that would prevent the soul from entering the kingdom of\nheaven. St. Paul granted an indulgence to the incestuous Corinthian, as\nwe learn from the 2d chapter of his Second Epistle to the Corinthians.\nBy the power and authority which he received from Christ, he granted the\nCorinthian pardon from performing a certain penance. This penance was a\ntemporal punishment. The apostle took away the temporal punishment. That\nis an indulgence.\n\nNon-Catholics grant a kind of plenary indulgence to every one by saying\nthat works of penance are unnecessary. The practice of the Catholic\nChurch of granting an indulgence only to the deserving is certainly more\nconformable to Scripture as well as more reasonable.\n\nExperience teaches us the utility of indulgences. They encourage the\nfaithful to frequent the sacraments, to repent, to do acts of penance,\nand perform works of piety, charity, and devotion.\n\nA practice productive of such beneficial results is reasonable; it is\nalso reasonable because it is sanctioned by Scripture and the Church of\nevery age. For God would not sanction it nor could the Church practise\nit if it were _not conformable to reason_.\n\n\n\nVIII. The Last Sacraments\n\n\"Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church,\nand let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the\nLord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord\nshall raise him up, and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him\"\n(_James_ v. 14, 15).\n\nBY THESE words St. James admonishes Christians when sick to do that\nwhich Our Saviour had previously directed to be done. This you will\nlearn from the 6th chapter of St. Mark: \"And [the apostles] anointed\nwith oil many that were sick.\"\n\nThe historians of the first centuries tell us that the early Christians\nwere as anxious to receive the last sacraments as are the Catholics of\nour own day. St. Cesarius, in the fifth century, writes: \"As soon as a\nperson falls dangerously sick, he receives the body and blood of Jesus\nChrist. Then his body is anointed, and thus is fulfilled what stands\nwritten: 'Is any man sick among you? Let him call in the priests of the\nChurch, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil.'\" What the\nChristians of the first centuries did, we do; and we do it by the\ndirection of Jesus Christ and of St. James.\n\nPenance, Holy Eucharist, and Extreme Unction are administered to the\nsick and are known as the last sacraments. The priest first hears the\nsick person's confession, then he administers holy communion. Afterward\nhe administers the sacrament of Extreme Unction--last anointing.\n\nThis sacrament aids the sick to bear their sufferings with patience. It\nwipes away sin, even mortal sin if the person is unable to confess; and\nit purifies the soul for its entrance into heaven. The other sacraments\nassist us in making our lives holy like the life of our divine Model.\nThis sacrament assists in making our death holy, like the death of\nJesus. The sacrament of Baptism met us at our entrance into this world;\nthe sacrament of Extreme Unction will be our guide at our departure to\nthe other world. Religion, which rocked us in the cradle of life, will\nlull us to sleep in the cradle of death.\n\nGo to the bedside of the dying Catholic and you will see the\nreasonableness of the practice of calling the priest to administer the\nlast sacraments. After the sacraments have been administered, peace and\njoy and contentment are visible on the countenance of the sick person.\nHe clings no more to the things of earth. His thoughts are centered in\nheaven. The minister of God consoles him with the thought of immortality\nand the resurrection of the body. He soon hears the singing of the\nangelic choir; and breathing the sweet names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,\nhis soul takes its flight to the _regions of eternal bliss_.\n\n\n\nIX. Praying for the Dead\n\n\"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that\nthey may be loosed from their sins\" (_2 Mach_. xii. 46).\n\nNO ONE will deny that the practice of praying for the dead is\nreasonable, if the dead are benefited by our prayers. That our prayers\nare beneficial to the departed we will endeavor to show. We are taught\nby revelation that besides heaven and hell, a state of everlasting\npleasure and a state of eternal pain, there also exists a middle state\nof punishment for those who die in venial sin, or who have not\nsufficiently satisfied the justice of God for mortal sins already\nforgiven.\n\nThe people of God in the Old Law believed, and Jesus Christ and His\napostles in the New Law taught, the existence of this middle state. In\nthe Second Book of Machabees, quoted above, we read that the pious\ngeneral Judas Machabeus having made a collection, \"sent twelve thousand\ndrachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifices to be offered for the\ndead [soldiers], thinking well and religiously concerning the\nresurrection [for if he had not hoped that they that were slain should\nrise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the\ndead], and because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with\ngodliness had great grace laid up for them. It is, therefore, a holy and\nwholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from\ntheir sins.\" If prayers were not beneficial to the dead, God would not\nhave sanctioned them.\n\nThis is exactly the practice of the Catholic Church. We pray and offer\nsacrifices for the souls in purgatory, just as Judas Machabeus did. Even\nif the Books of Machabees were not inspired, it is historically true\nthat the Jews and almost all nations of antiquity believed in the\nexistence of purgatory and the utility of prayers for the souls detained\nthere. This universal consent is the voice of nature and of God. Hence\nwe see that the practice of praying for the dead is reasonable.\n\nThis practice is in accordance with the teaching of Christ. In the 12th\nchapter, 32d verse, of St. Matthew, He says: \"He that shall speak\nagainst the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this\nworld nor in the world to come.\"\n\nThese words teach us that some sins will be pardoned in the life to\ncome. They can not be pardoned in heaven, since nothing defiled can\nenter heaven; nor can they be pardoned in hell, out of which there is no\nredemption, for \"their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be\nquenched.\" Therefore, there must be a state in the next world where sins\nwill be forgiven, and we call that place or state purgatory. And the\nexistence of purgatory implies the necessity of praying for those\ndetained there. The belief in the existence of purgatory and the\npractice of praying for the faithful departed have existed in the Church\nfrom the time of its foundation.\n\nTertullian, who lived in the second century, considered it a solemn\nduty, whose obligation came down from the apostles, to offer sacrifices\nand prayers for the faithful departed. St. Augustine says: \"The whole\nChurch received from the tradition of the Fathers to pray for those who\ndied in the communion of the body and blood of Christ.\" The dying\nrequest of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, is well known. \"I\nrequest you,\" she said, \"that wherever you may be, you will remember me\nat the altar of the Lord.\" And he assures us that he frequently and\nfervently prayed for her soul.\n\nThe teaching of the Church of every age confirms the teaching of the Old\nand New Testament regarding purgatory and praying for the dead. To one\nwho believes in heaven and hell, a place of eternal pleasure and of\neternal punishment, the doctrine of purgatory must appear as a\nnecessity, and the practice of praying for the dead reasonable. For it\nis certain that nothing defiled can enter heaven. But it is possible\nthat many die guilty of but slight sins. Therefore, it must be said that\nthese are damned, which is impious and absurd; that what is defiled can\nenter heaven, which is unscriptural; or that there is a purgatory, a\nstate in which such souls are made pure as the driven snow, so that they\ncan enter into the presence of their Maker. For an infinitely just God\ncan not condemn to the same eternal punishment the child who dies guilty\nof a slight fault and the hardened murderer. No. He will render to every\none according to his works.\n\nThe doctrine of purgatory, then, is reasonable as well as scriptural and\ntraditional. Reasonable, too, is the practice of praying for the dead,\nfor they are still members of the Church. All the members of the Church,\nconsisting of the church militant on earth, the church triumphant in\nheaven, and the church suffering in purgatory, are one family bound\ntogether by the bond of charity. The members of the Church on earth pray\nto those in heaven, who love us and pray for us; and we pray for those\nin purgatory. They are God's friends deprived of heaven for a time. As\nthose in heaven rejoice when one sinner does penance, so those in\npurgatory hear us, see us, love us, and are helped by our prayers. We\nlove them and never cease to pray for them and offer the Holy Sacrifice\nfor them. Even the unbeliever will stand or kneel by the remains of his\ndeparted friend and offer a prayer for him, thus showing that praying\nfor the dead is reasonable and the natural dictate of the human heart.\n\n\n\nX. Praying to the Saints\n\n\"And may the angel that delivereth me from all evils bless these boys\"\n(_Gen_. xlviii. 16).\n\n\"So I say to you there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one\nsinner doing penance\" (_Luke_ xv. 10).\n\n\"For in the resurrection they [the saints] shall be as the angels of God\nin heaven\" (_Matt_. xxii. 10).\n\nTHE saints are friends of God. They are like the angels in heaven. We\nhonor them, not as we honor God, but on account of the relation they\nbear to God. They are creatures of God, the work of His hands. When we\nhonor them, we honor God; as when we praise a beautiful painting, we\npraise the artist.\n\nWe do not believe that the saints can help us of themselves. But we ask\nthem to \"pray for us.\" We believe that everything comes to us \"through\nOur Lord Jesus Christ.\" With these words all our prayers end. It is\nuseful, salutary, and reasonable to pray to the saints and ask them to\npray for us. No doubt all will admit the reasonableness of this practice\nif the saints can hear and help us.\n\nThat they hear and help us is evident from many passages of Scripture.\nThe patriarch Jacob would not have prayed to the angel to bless his\ngrandchildren Manasses and Ephraim (as we learn he did from _Gen_.\nxlviii.), unless he knew the angel could do so.\n\nWe are informed (_Luke_ xv.) that the angels rejoice when one sinner\ndoes penance. We are also informed (_Matt_ xxii.) that the saints are\nlike the angels--_i.e._, have the same happiness and knowledge.\n\nHence the saints, as well as the angels, can hear us, can help us, and\nare acquainted with our actions, words, and thoughts.\n\nIt is generally conceded that it is reasonable to ask pious persons on\nearth to pray for us. St. Paul, in his epistles, frequently asks the\nChristians to pray for him. \"Brethren,\" he says, \"pray for us.\" It is\nwell known that God was pleased to answer the prayer of Abraham in favor\nof Abimelech. \"More things are wrought by prayer than this world knows\nof.\" Now, if we poor sinners here on earth do not pray in vain for one\nanother, will the saints in heaven, the friends of God, who rejoice when\na sinner does penance, pray in vain for us? No. We have hosts of friends\nin heaven to speak a good word for us. And as a child who has disobeyed\nhis parents wisely asks a better brother or sister to intercede with his\nparents for mercy, so, too, having disobeyed our heavenly Father by sin,\nwe have recourse to others better than ourselves, to our better brothers\nand sisters, the Blessed Virgin and saints, to intercede with God for\nus.\n\nIs not this a reasonable practice?\n\nIf your mother or sister crosses the sea she will continue to pray for\nyou. And if she crosses the sea of death will she forget you? No. The\nlove she bore you here will continue in heaven. She will pray for you,\nand the \"Lord will hear the prayers of the just.\" Ask the saints to pray\nto your God and their God for you. Honor God by honoring His friends and\nasking their intercession. And all your friends in heaven will unite in\npraying to the Father of us all that one day all who love God and His\nfriends, the saints, may be admitted with them into the _company of the\nSaint of saints, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ._\n\n\n\nXI. Crucifixes, Relics, and Images\n\n\"Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of\nanything that is in the heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of\nthose things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not\nadore them nor serve them\" (_Ex_. xx. 4, 5).\n\nTHIS first commandment teaches us to adore God alone. It does not forbid\nthe making of images, but it forbids the adoring of them, worshiping\nthem as gods. This would be idolatry. If the making of images were\nforbidden, it would be improper to have images or pictures of our\nfriends.\n\nIt has frequently been said that Catholics ate idolaters, because they\nhave in their churches crucifixes, relics, and images of the saints,\nwhich they honor. Perhaps many of those who accuse us of idolatry, if\nasked, could not tell what idolatry is. Idolatry is giving to a creature\n(whether a crucifix, an image, or any created thing) that honor which\nbelongs to God.\n\nThe honor we give those sacred things is a relative honor. We honor them\non account of the relation they bear to God and His friends, the saints.\n\nEvery Catholic, even the child, is taught the difference between the\nidol of the pagan and a Catholic image. Pagans looked upon their idols\nas gods. They thought these senseless objects had power, intelligence,\nand other attributes of the Deity. They worshiped them as gods and\nthought they could assist them. Hence they were image-worshipers or\nidolaters.\n\nCatholics know full well that images have no intelligence to understand,\nno power to assist them. They do not adore nor serve them. That would be\nidolatry. It would be breaking the first commandment. They do not say\nwhen praying before the crucifix or image of a saint, \"I adore thee, O\nCrucifix\"; nor \"Help me, O Image,\" But they say, \"I adore thee, O God,\nwhose cruel death is represented by this crucifix,\" or \"Pray for me, O\nsaint represented by this image.\"\n\nWe have images, pictures, and relics of Our Lord, His Blessed Mother,\nand the saints, for the same reason that we have relics and portraits of\nGeorge Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or of our relatives and friends.\nThey remind us of the original. Who can look upon the crucifix or upon a\npicture of the Crucifixion without being reminded of all the sufferings\nof Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?\n\nAnd who can seriously contemplate those sufferings, borne for us so\npatiently, without being moved to pity and to repentance? Such a person\nwill be moved to say with the heart if not with the lips: \"Oh, my God, I\nam sorry for having offended Thee and caused Thee such suffering. Grant\nthat I may love Thee with my whole heart and never more offend Thee.\"\n\nCatholics, as we have seen, adore God alone. They honor the Blessed\nVirgin and saints represented by images. They use these holy pictures\nand statues to beautify the house of God. These pictures are also a\nsource of instruction. They are a profession of our faith. If you enter\na house and see on one side of the room a picture of the Blessed Virgin,\nCardinal Gibbons, or of Pope Leo XIII, and on the other a picture of\nLincoln, Cleveland, or Washington, you will at once know the religious\nfaith as well as the political belief or patriotism of the occupant.\n\nBy the aid of the relics of the martyrs we are reminded of all they\nsuffered for the faith. By the use of religious pictures, our devotion\nis increased and we are stimulated to imitate the virtues of the saints\nrepresented.\n\nIf it is reasonable to have pictures of our martyred President and\nrelics of our Revolutionary heroes that we may be reminded of their\npatriotism, it is none the less reasonable to have pictures and relics\nof Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints, that we may be reminded\nof their virtues. By imitating their virtues here, we may be _happy with\nthem hereafter_.\n\n\n\nXII. Some Sacramentals\n\n\"Pray without ceasing\" (_2 Thess_. v. 17).\n\n\"Every creature is sanctified by the word of God and prayer\" (_1 Tim_.\n4, 5).\n\nBY SACRAMENTALS we mean the various prayers, blessings, ceremonies and\npious practices of the Church. Here mention will be made of some of the\nmost common of the sacramentals that have not already been treated.\nSacramentals, like sacraments, have an outward sign; the latter,\nhowever, were instituted by Christ, the former by the Church, and while\nthe latter always give grace if we place no obstacle in the way, the\nformer do not give grace, but excite good thoughts, increase devotion,\nand raise the mind to God.\n\nThe chief sacramentals that have not been mentioned are the books used\nby the priest in the performance of his sacred duties, the sign of the\ncross, holy water, blessed candles, blessed palm and ashes, holy oils,\nscapulars, medals, Agnus Dei, prayers, litanies, rosary, the Angelus,\nstations, the funeral service, and various blessings.\n\nThe books used by the priest in the performance of his sacred duties are\nthe _Missal_, which contains the Masses for the various feasts of the\necclesiastical year; the _Breviary_, in which is the office recited by\nthe priest every day; and the _Ritual_, where is to be found the form of\nadministering the different sacraments, the funeral service, and the\nvarious benedictions.\n\nThe sacramental of most frequent use in the Church is the _sign of the\ncross_. It is used to remind us of the Passion and Death of Our Lord and\nSaviour Jesus Christ on the cross. The cross is the emblem of the\nChristian, the \"sign of the Son of Man.\" It is an act of faith in the\nprincipal truths of Christianity. When we say the words, \"In the name,\"\nwe profess our faith in the unity of God, which means that there is but\none God; \"of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,\" are a\nprofession of faith in the Trinity--_i.e._, that there are three divine\npersons in one God. The form of the cross which we trace with our right\nhand from our forehead to our breast, and then from the left to the\nright shoulder, is a profession of faith in the Incarnation of the Son\nof God, who became man and died on the cross for our redemption.\nTertullian and other writers of the early ages of the Church tell us\nthat before every action, before rising or retiring, before meals, at\nevery step, \"we impress on our forehead the sign of the cross.\" The\nCatholic Church of to-day, in accordance with the teachings of Christ,\nHis apostles, and their successors of all time, teaches her children to\nput their trust in the merits of Jesus Christ's sufferings on the cross,\nand to do everything \"in the name of the Father and of the Son and of\nthe Holy Ghost.\"\n\n_Holy water_ is water blessed by a priest. During the blessing beautiful\nprayers are recited. These prayers express the spiritual blessings the\nChurch wishes to follow all who use it. The Church uses holy water in\nall the benedictions and some of her sacraments. It is placed at the\ndoors of her churches, that all who enter may use it and be reminded of\nthat purity of heart which it symbolizes. Holy water is also kept in the\nhouses of Catholics, to be used in times of trial and when the priest\ncomes to administer the sacraments.\n\nThe _blessed candles_ used in the service of the Church receive their\nspecial blessing on Candlemas Day. We use these lighted candles at\ndifferent times to remind us of Jesus, who is the \"Light of the world.\"\nCatholics always keep a blessed candle in the house. The Church puts a\nlighted candle in our hand at our baptism, and wishes us to die with one\nin our hand, to remind us to hope in Him who is our Light and the light\nof the world.\n\nOn Ash Wednesday _ashes_ are blessed and put on the forehead of the\nfaithful in the form of a cross, with the words, \"Remember, man, that\nthou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return,\" to remind them that they\nare only dust and ashes. These are the ashes of burnt _palms_ blessed\nthe Palm Sunday of the previous year. These palms are blessed in memory\nof the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when the people spread\npalm branches along the way. This palm should remind us to perform\nfaithfully our duty if we wish to enjoy the palm of victory.\n\nThe _holy oils_ are blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday of each year.\nThey are of three kinds: oil of the sick, used in the sacrament of\nExtreme Unction; oil of the Catechumens, used in blessing baptismal\nwater and in the sacrament of Baptism; and Holy Chrism, used in the\npreparation of baptismal water in the ceremonies of Baptism,\nConfirmation, and at the consecration of a bishop, of churches, altars,\nbells and chalices. The olive oil used should remind us of Our Saviour's\n_passion_ in the Garden of Olives.\n\n_Agnus Deis_ (blessed by the Pope), _scapulars_, and _medals_ are small\narticles worn by Catholics to remind them of Our Lord (the Lamb of God),\nof the Blessed Virgin, and of the saints. They are emblems of the\nChristian, as the starry banner is the emblem of the American; and as\nthe flag of our country shows that we are under the protection of the\nGovernment of the United States, so the Agnus Dei, scapulars, and medals\nshow that we are under the protection of Jesus Christ, His Blessed\nMother, and His saints.\n\n_Prayer_ is the elevation of our mind and heart to God to ask Him for\nall blessings, temporal and spiritual. Prayer is necessary to salvation.\nWe are taught in St. Luke (xviii.) to pray always and faint not. We\nshould pray with attention and devotion, with confidence and humility.\nWe are told in the Lord's Prayer to pray for others as well as for\nourselves, and God's choicest blessings will be granted us through Jesus\nChrist Our Lord. The best of all prayers is the one God taught us--the\nLord's Prayer. Other prayers common in the Church are Litanies,\nRosaries, the Angelus, Stations, and the Funeral Service for the dead.\nThe Litanies most in use in the Church are the Litany of All Saints, of\nthe Blessed Virgin, of the Holy Name of Jesus. In these Litanies we ask\nGod to have mercy on us and the saints to pray for us; but we ask\neverything through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Few practices of the Church\nare more widespread than the _Rosary_ of the Blessed Virgin. It consists\nof the best of all prayers--the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, three\nHail Marys, and the Glory be to the Father; then the Our Father and ten\nHail Marys repeated five times. This constitutes the beads, or one-third\npart of the Rosary. During the recitation of these prayers the mind\nshould be occupied meditating on the principal mysteries of the life of\nOur Lord. These mysteries are divided into the five joyful mysteries:\nthe Annunciation by the angel Gabriel, the Visitation of the Blessed\nVirgin to St. Elizabeth, the Birth of Our Lord, the Presentation, and\nthe Finding in the Temple; the five sorrowful mysteries: the Agony in\nthe Garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the\nCross, and the Crucifixion; and the five glorious mysteries: the\nResurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Ghost, the\nAssumption of the Blessed Virgin, and the Crowning of the Blessed Virgin\nin heaven. Any one of these mysteries furnishes sufficient material to\noccupy the mind of man for hours. These mysteries contain the whole\nhistory of the Redemption. The prayers and meditations of the Rosary\nsatisfy the minds of the humblest, while they are sufficient to occupy\nthe attention of the most exalted and most cultivated. The _Angelus_ is\na beautiful prayer, said morning, noon, and night. In Catholic countries\nthe bell is rung, when all cease their occupations, kneel, and recite:\n\"The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy\nGhost\"--a Hail Mary. \"Behold the handmaid of the Lord--be it done unto\nme according to Thy Word\"--a Hail Mary. \"And the Word was made flesh,\nand dwelt amongst us\"--a Hail Mary. The prayer: \"Pour forth, we beseech\nThee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the\nIncarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an\nangel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His\nresurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.\" By this beautiful\npractice we show in a special manner our faith in the Incarnation of Our\nLord and Saviour Jesus Christ.\n\nThe _Stations of the Cross_ are fourteen paintings representing the\nvarious stages of the passion and death of Our Redeemer. The faithful\npass from station to station and meditate upon that feature of the\npassion represented by each station. Tradition tells us that from the\nbeginning pious pilgrims were accustomed to tread the path and bedew\nwith their tears the way sanctified by our Saviour on that sorrowful\njourney from Pilate's tribunal to Calvary's heights. But Jerusalem\nfalling into the hands of infidels, and many being unable to visit those\nholy places, permission was obtained to erect in churches fourteen\ncrosses and pictures commemorating these sorrowful acts. From these\nstations all can meditate upon the sufferings of our Saviour, and learn\nfrom Him submission to God's holy will, patience, charity, and\nforgiveness of injuries.\n\nThe _funeral service_ of the Catholic Church is beautiful, touching, and\ninstructive. After blessing, strengthening, and encouraging us through\nlife with her sacraments; after fortifying our souls for the last great\nstruggle, she follows us beyond the grave with her blessings, her\nprayers, and her sacrifices. \"Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,\" she\nprays; \"and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in\npeace.\"\n\nThere are various other prayers and blessings used by the Church on\nspecial occasions. In fact, the Church blesses everything she uses. This\nblessing of the priest is not such an absurd thing as some imagine it to\nbe; it is rather a most reasonable practice. It is simply a prayer said\nby the priest, asking God to send His blessing upon the person or thing\nindicated. People of all denominations say grace before meals, asking\nGod to bless the food they are about to use. This is precisely what the\npriest does when blessing anything. He uses different forms of prayer\nordained by the Church to implore God's blessing upon the water,\ncandles, and other things before using them. This blessing of churches,\nwater, candles, and other things has its foundation on Scripture. We\nread in the Old Testament of the solemn blessing of the Temple of\nSolomon. St. Paul tells us that \"every creature is sanctified by the\nword of God and prayer.\" Churches, water, candles, bells, books,\npersons, and other things blessed by the Church are creatures. Therefore\nwe are following St. Paul in blessing them, for every creature is\nsanctified by the word of God and prayer.\n\nWe do not claim that those articles that are blessed have any efficacy\nin themselves; but we hope and pray that God in His infinite goodness\nand mercy may render those blessed articles beneficial to those using\nthem, may protect them and lead them to _His blessed abode above, where\nall is peace and light and love._\n\n\n\nXIII. The Celebration of Feasts\n\n\"Seven days shalt thou celebrate feasts to the Lord thy God, in the\nplace which the Lord shalt choose\" (_Deut_. xvi. 15).\n\n\"If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and\nthe publican\" (_Matt._ xviii. 17).\n\nFROM these texts we learn that besides the Sunday God wishes certain\nother days to be observed religiously, and that the Church has the power\nof designating these days.\n\nAs the State sets aside certain national holidays in commemoration of\nits founder or of the Declaration of Independence, so the Church sets\naside these holidays in honor of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and\nthe saints.\n\nBesides the feasts celebrated on Sundays, there are in this country but\nsix holidays of obligation. Three of these are commemorative of events\nin the life of Our Lord: Christmas, the Circumcision, and the Ascension;\ntwo, the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, in honor of the\nBlessed Virgin; and one in honor of God's saints--the Feast of All\nSaints.\n\nThe ecclesiastical year begins in Advent. Advent is a period of about\nfour weeks of penance and prayer preparatory to the great feast of\nChristmas and corresponding to the penitential season of Lent before\nEaster. During the ecclesiastical year, the first of the feasts of\nobligation in the order of time is the feast of the _Immaculate\nConception_.\n\nIt is celebrated on the 8th of December. On this day we commemorate the\nfact that Mary was immaculate when she first came into being in her\nmother's womb; that she was always pure; that sin never touched her fair\nsoul. Immaculate Conception, as you will see in the article on the\nBlessed Virgin, means that she was always free from sin.\n\nThe great feast of _Christmas_, in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ,\nis celebrated on December 25th. This feast is a time of joy and peace to\nall mankind, and is celebrated by the Church with much pomp and\nceremony.\n\nThe festival of the _Circumcision_ is kept on the first day of the new\nyear. It is commemorative of Our Lord's strict observance of the law by\nsubmitting to the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. We solemnly celebrate\nthe day in honor of our merciful Lord, who is our model in all things.\n\nNext in the order of time is the feast of the _Ascension_. It is kept\nforty days after the grand feast of Easter, and is in honor of Our\nLord's glorious ascension into heaven.\n\nThe _Assumption_ of the Blessed Virgin, celebrated the 15th of August,\nis commemorative of the glorious taking up to heaven of Mary, soul and\nbody. (This is a pious tradition.)\n\n_All Saints'_ Day is November 1st. Every day is a saint's day. There is\nnot a day that the Catholic Church does not celebrate a feast in honor\nof some special mystery or saint. But as there are more saints in heaven\nthan could be thus specially honored, she sets aside this one day every\nyear in honor of all the saints in heaven.\n\nThere are various other important feasts, some of which fall on Sunday;\nbut these we have mentioned being feasts of obligation to be observed as\nSunday, it was thought that it would not be uninteresting to give a\nshort explanation of them.\n\nOn them we honor God and His special friends. Let us always, by faith,\nhope, and love, _bear Jesus in our minds and hearts_.\n\n\n\nXIV. Infant Baptism\n\n\"Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the\nHoly Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdom of God\" (_John_ iii 5).\n\nWHILE most Christians admit the necessity of Baptism for adults, the\nCatholic Church is alone in insisting upon the practice of infant\nBaptism. This practice is in accordance with the teaching of St. John,\nquoted above. It is also in accordance with apostolic teaching and\npractice.\n\nWe read in the 16th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that St. Paul\nbaptized Lydia \"and her household,\" and that the keeper of the prison\nwas converted and \"was baptized and presently all his family.\" Among\nthese families it is but reasonable to suppose that there were some\ninfants.\n\nInfant Baptism was the practice of the apostles; it was the practice of\nthe Christians of the early Church, as Origen tells us. The Church\nreceived the tradition from the apostles to give Baptism to infants, and\nit has been the practice of the Church from the time of Christ until the\npresent.\n\nSt. Paul tells us that Adam's sin was transmitted to all his posterity.\n\"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death,\nand so death passed unto all men in whom all have sinned\" (_Rom_. v.\n12). Every infant, according to St. Paul, is born to sin--original sin.\nBut as Baptism takes away original sin, and as nothing defiled can enter\nheaven (_Apoc_. xxi.), Baptism of infants is necessary to open for them\nthe gates of heaven.\n\nBaptism may be validly administered by dipping, sprinkling, or pouring.\nThe method practised in this part of Christendom is pouring the water on\nthe head of the person to be baptized, saying at the same time: \"I\nbaptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy\nGhost.\"\n\nThe reasonableness of the practice of baptizing infants will be evident\nif we remember that Christ taught the necessity of baptism for all when\nHe said: \"Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he can\nnot enter into the kingdom of God\"; and that He declared little children\ncapable of entering into the kingdom of God when He said: \"Suffer little\nchildren to come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom\nof heaven.\"\n\nNow, if infants are capable of entering heaven (and Christ so declares),\nthey must be capable of receiving Baptism, without which Christ says no\none can enter the kingdom of God.\n\nWhile in adults faith and sorrow for sin are required before receiving\nBaptism, no disposition is required in infants.\n\nThey contracted original sin without their knowledge; without their\nknowledge they are freed from it.\n\nBy Baptism they are made heirs of the kingdom of heaven.\n\nThey can be made heirs of property, of a kingdom on earth without their\nconsent; why not also of the kingdom of heaven?\n\nBaptism is the first of the seven sacraments which the Church confers\nupon man. It cleanses us from original sin (actual sin also if the\nrecipient be guilty of any), makes us Christians, children of God, and\nheirs of heaven. It prepares us for the reception of the other\nsacraments. By Baptism we all contracted the obligation of believing and\npractising the doctrines of Jesus Christ as taught us by the true\nChurch. We fulfil this obligation by _leading a truly Christian life_.\n\n\n\nXV. The Marriage Tie--One and Indissoluble\n\n\"But I say to you that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for\nthe cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery; and he that\nshall marry her that is put away committeth adultery\" (_Matt_. v. 33).\n\n\"What, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder\"\n(_Matt_. xix. 5, 6).\n\nFEW practices of the Church have been productive of more good to society\nthan that concerning Christian marriage. The Christian family is the\nfoundation of Christian society, and Christian marriage is the basis of\nthe Christian family. Without marriage neither the family nor society\ncould exist. Marriage was instituted by God before society existed, and,\nas a natural consequence, it is subject not to the laws of society, but\nto the laws of God and His Church. The principal law and necessary\ncondition of Christian marriage is its unity and indissolubility. It is\nthe union of one man with one woman for the purposes intended by the\nCreator, which union is to last as long as both survive. Such was\nmarriage in the beginning; to such it was restored by our Saviour when\nHe made it a sacrament of His law and a type of His union with His\nChurch.\n\nThe practice of the Catholic Church in not permitting a divorce that\nwill allow either party to marry during the life of the other, is\nclearly taught by Jesus Christ in the 5th chapter of Matthew: \"He who\nputs away his wife maketh her to commit adultery, and he that marrieth\nher committeth adultery.\"\n\nNo human power can break the bond of marriage. \"What God hath joined\ntogether, let no man put asunder.\" It is the work of God. Let no man\ndare meddle with it. St. Paul teaches the same when he says in the 39th\nverse of the 7th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians: \"A\nwoman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her\nhusband die, she is at liberty, let her marry whom she will.\" The\npractice of the Catholic Church is conformable to this teaching of\nChrist, St. Paul, the apostles, and their successors.\n\nIn defence of this practice of forbidding divorce, since marriage is one\nand indissoluble, the Catholic Church has had many a severe conflict.\nAnd had she not fought this battle bravely for the sanctity, the unity,\nand the indissolubility of the marriage tie, Europe and America would\ntoday be in as degraded a condition as are the Mahometan and other\nnations where the laws of marriage are disregarded. For divorces are not\nonly contrary to Christ's teaching concerning the sanctity, unity, and\nindissolubility of the marriage tie, but are also subversive of society.\nThey sever the marriage tie inasmuch as the law of man can do it. If the\nmarriage tie is loosened, the family is dissolved; and if the family is\ndissolved, society, the state, falls to ruin. Divorce destroys conjugal\nlove, causes unhappiness, renders the proper education of children\nimpossible, and often leads to terrible crimes. Is it not reasonable as\nwell as scriptural to forbid it?\n\nThe Christian husband and wife, knowing the sanctity, the unity, and the\nindissolubility of the marriage tie, live in love and peace and honor\ntogether; together they rear the issue of their union, teaching them to\nbe good children, good citizens, and good Christians; together, after a\nlong, a prosperous, and a happy union, they return to dust; and together\nthey will meet again beyond the confines of the tomb--_yes, they will\nmeet to part no more_.\n\n\n\nXVI. Respect Shown to Ecclesiastical Superiors\n\n\"We are ambassadors for Christ; God, as it were, exhorting by us\" (_2\nCor_. v. 20).\n\n\"As the Father sent me, I also send you\" (_John_ xx. 21).\n\n\"Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature\"\n(_Mark_ xvi. 15).\n\nTHE respect Catholics have for the bishops and priests of the Church is\noften a matter of surprise to those not of the Faith. They do not\nunderstand, as Catholics do, that the priests are \"ambassadors for\nChrist\" sent to \"preach the Gospel to every creature.\" For Christ\ninstituted the priesthood to carry on divine worship, to govern the\nChurch, to preach His doctrine, and to administer the sacraments.\n\nAs in the Old Law God chose His priests from among the family of Aaron,\nso in the New Law He chooses them from among those whom His apostles and\ntheir successors see fit to ordain. Priests and other ministers of the\nChurch receive in the sacrament of Holy Orders the power and grace to\nperform their sacred duties. If we would but consider seriously for a\nmoment the importance of these duties and the great dignity of the\nminister of God, we would have no difficulty in understanding the\nreasonableness of the Catholic practice of showing profound respect to\nGod's priesthood.\n\nThe priest is the minister of Jesus Christ, who chose him that he might\nobtain for himself the greatest good and in return bestow this good upon\nhis fellow-man. Jesus Christ chose him that he might aid Him in the work\nfor which He came on earth. What a noble mission! What important duties!\nWhat a great dignity! To aid Jesus Christ in saving souls, to teach them\nthe truths of salvation, to loose them from their sins, to offer the\neucharistic sacrifice for them, to pray for them, to minister unto them,\nand to fill them with Heaven's choice blessings; for such a high\nmission, for such important duties did Jesus Christ choose the priest.\nIf his duties are so important, his dignity must be correspondingly\ngreat.\n\nOn the banks of the Lake of Genesareth the Great Teacher chose Peter as\nHis vicar and head of His Church. As the pontiff could not be\neverywhere, Peter and the other apostles imposed hands on others as the\nneeds of the growing Church demanded. They understood that it was by a\nliving, teaching ministry this work of salvation was to be carried on.\nFor we find it recorded in the 14th chapter of the Acts that Paul and\nBarnabas ordained priests in Lystra and Iconium.\n\nPaul also consecrated Titus Bishop of Crete, for the express purpose of\nordaining others. Thus we see that as Christ was sent by the Father, the\napostles by Christ, so, too, is the priest invested with the same power\n\"for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for\nthe edification of the body of Christ\" (_Eph_. iv. 12), and that no one\nbut a priest divinely called, rightly ordained, and legitimately sent\nhas power from God to teach God's words to the faithful. He is the\nambassador of God, commissioned to do His work with His authority; the\nvicar of Christ continuing the work He commenced; and the organ of the\nHoly Ghost for the sanctification of souls. He is ever imitating his\nmodel, going \"about doing good.\" He devotes his life to alleviate the\nsufferings of men. To spend one's life instructing man is but second in\nimportance to alleviating his sufferings. This the priest is ever doing.\nHe rescued us from barbarism; saved for us at the risk of his life the\nHoly Scriptures, the classics of Greece and Rome, and the writings of\nthe Fathers; founded the great universities of Europe; and is to-day, as\nin the past, the greatest educator in the world. He does all this for\nlove of God. Do you wonder, then, that Catholics love and revere their\npriests?\n\nNowhere can there be found a body of men or a series of rulers so\nvenerable, so renowned for wisdom, justice, charity, and holiness, as\nthe Popes, bishops, and priests of the Catholic Church in every age,\n_from the time of Christ until the present_.\n\n\n\nXVII. Celibacy\n\n\"He who is unmarried careth about the things of the Lord, how he may\nplease God\" (_i Cor_. vii. 32).\n\nTHE Catholic Church recognizes matrimony as a holy state. She recommends\ncelibacy to those desiring greater perfection, and enjoins it on her\npriests because, as St. Paul says, \"He who is unmarried careth about the\nthings of the Lord.\" It is said that the life of the priest is a hard,\nlonely one, and that it is unscriptural. Let us see. That his life is\none of hardships is certain. His path is by no means one of roses; it is\nrather one covered with thorns. The young man knows this well before he\nenters it. With a full knowledge of its duties and responsibilities, he\nwillingly enters the priesthood. He knows well that it is a life full of\ntrials and crosses. He knows, too, that the whole life of Jesus Christ,\nfrom the stable of Bethlehem to the cross on Calvary's heights, was one\ncontinuous trial, cross, mortification; and that the life of every\nfollower, especially every minister, of Jesus Christ should be fashioned\nafter that of his divine model. \"If any man will come after Me,\" He says\nin the 16th chapter of St. Matthew, \"let him deny himself, take up his\ncross and follow Me.\" The disciple, the minister of Christ, is not above\nhis Master; and it is not becoming that the path of the disciple or\nminister should be covered with flowers while that of the Master was\nstrewn with thorns and sprinkled with His own precious blood.\n\nYes, the priest's life is one of trials, crosses, and hardships. But the\nmore trials he has to bear, the more crosses he has to carry, the more\nhardships he has to endure, the greater is his resemblance to his model,\nJesus Christ; and if he bears those trials, crosses, and hardships,\nwhich he shares with his Master here, with a proper spirit, the more\ncertain he is of sharing with Him a happy eternity hereafter.\n\nBut is the life of celibacy unscriptural? No. In fact, few questions are\nmore clearly defined in Holy Scripture than that of religious celibacy.\nSt. Paul, in the 7th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians,\nsays: \"I would have you without solicitude. He who is unmarried careth\nfor the things of the Lord, how he may please God; but he who is married\ncareth about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and is\ndivided. And the unmarried woman and virgin thinketh about the things of\nthe Lord, how she may be holy in body and spirit. But she that is\nmarried thinketh about the things of the world, how she may please her\nhusband. Therefore,\" he concludes, \"he that giveth his virgin in\nmarriage doth well; and he who giveth her not doth better.\" Could\nlanguage be clearer? Marriage is good; celibacy is better.\n\n\"He that is unmarried careth about the things of the Lord, how he may\nplease God.\" This teaching of St. Paul is the teaching of the Church--\nthat marriage is honorable, is good, but that there is a better, a\nholier state for those who are called by the grace of God to embrace it.\n\nReligious celibacy is one of the principal reasons why the Catholic\npriest and missionary will risk all dangers, overcome all obstacles,\nface all terrors, and in time of plague expose himself to death in its\nmost disgusting forms for the good of his fellow-man.\n\nAll are acquainted with the noble examples of numbers of priests and\nSisters of Charity who, at the risk of their own lives, voluntarily\nnursed the sick and dying during the yellow-fever scourge in the South a\nfew years ago. Do you think they would have done so had they families\ndepending upon them? No; they would have cared for the things of this\nworld. Jesus Christ has said: \"Greater love than this no man hath, that\na man give up his life for his fellow-man.\" This the good priest is ever\ndoing, ever ready to do. Although death stares him in the face, he never\nshrinks from his post of duty, never abandons his flock while there is a\nwound to heal, a soul to save.\n\nWhen his duty calls him, he is not afraid of death, because St. Paul\nsays: \"_He who is without a wife is solicitous about the things of the\nLord._\"\n\n\n\nXVIII. Conclusion\n\n\"If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments\" (_Matt_. xix. 17).\n\nWHEN Jesus Christ died on the cross for us, He did so in order to lead\nus into life, to open heaven for all mankind. How important our\nsalvation must be, then, for which Christ shed His precious blood. If it\nis important, He must have taught us how to attain it. This, too, He did\nby the words, \"keep the commandments.\"\n\nTo assist us in keeping the commandments He left a representative on\nearth. His Church, whose ministers were to teach all nations, is this\nrepresentative. To her He said: \"He that hears you, hears Me.\"\n\nThe night before He died He instituted the adorable sacrifice of the\nMass, saying: \"This is My body . . . This is My blood which shall be\nshed for you.\" He then gave the apostles and their successors power to\ndo what He had just done: \"Do this in commemoration of Me.\" He also gave\nthem power to baptize, to forgive sins, to bless, to be \"dispensers of\nthe mysteries of God.\" He gave them power to confer these powers on\nothers. \"As the Father sent Me [_i.e._, with the same power] I also send\nyou.\" To these apostles and their successors He spoke when He said that\nHe would remain with them until the consummation of the world. To them\nand the Church He said: \"He that hears you hears Me.\" What the Church\nteaches, then, Christ teaches.\n\nAs, in the natural order, man is born, grows to manhood, is nourished,\nand if sick needs proper food and remedies: so, in the supernatural\norder, there is a birth, it is Baptism; there is a manly growth, it is\nConfirmation; there is a nourishing food, it is the Holy Eucharist, the\nBread of Life; there is a medicinal remedy against death, it is Penance;\nand there is a balm to heal the wounds, the scars of sin, it is Extreme\nUnction. These are some of the channels through which God's grace flows\ninto our souls to assist us to keep the commandments.\n\nThe practices of the Church naturally flow from her teachings. She\nteaches that there is but one God, the creator and Lord of heaven and\nearth and all things; that man by his reason alone can find out this\ntruth; that the order, beauty, and harmony of the works of nature show\nGod's work; but that there are some truths which the deepest intellect\nof man can never fathom. Hence she teaches that God has revealed certain\ntruths; such as the mysteries of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, and\nthe Blessed Sacrament. When we know that God has revealed these truths\nwe are acting reasonably not only in believing them, but also in showing\nour belief by practices of respect, adoration, and love.\n\nThe Church teaches that we must not only believe, but practise our\nreligion. For faith alone will not save us. \"Faith without works is\ndead.\" To have these works we must \"keep the commandments.\" We must love\nGod above all things and our neighbor as ourselves. All the commandments\nare comprised in this. In fact, the essence of Christianity is charity.\n\nWhere will you find charity practised in reality except in the Catholic\nChurch? If you wish to see the truth of this, visit our larger towns and\ncities, and you will find hundreds of hospitals, asylums, schools, and\nother charitable institutions in which are thousands of the children of\nthe Catholic Church, who have left everything to alleviate every ill\nthat flesh is heir to, and follow the meek and humble Jesus in His\nmission of love.\n\nThe Catholic Church alone teaches, as Jesus taught while on earth, the\nduty of penance. \"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself,\ntake up his cross and follow Me.\" According to Christ's teaching, the\nChurch sets aside the penitential season of Lent and other times of\nmortification.\n\nThe Church also teaches that we must not only be faithful in the\nobservance of the practices of religion, but that we must also live in\npeace and justice and charity with all mankind, and die with a hope\nbeyond the grave. If we love God we will faithfully observe the\npractices of the Church; these practices will assist us in keeping the\ncommandments, by which we will enter into life.\n\nWe have seen that the various ceremonies and practices of the Catholic\nChurch are dictated by right reason; that they are the rational\ndeduction from Christ's teaching; that they obtain for us divine grace,\nexcite pious thoughts, and elevate our minds to God; and that a true\nChristian is one who not only believes but also practises the teachings\nof Christ and His Church. The observance of these pious practices of the\nChurch makes us Christians in fact as well as in name. They assist us to\nkeep the commandment and to live in accordance with our faith. By\nfaithfully observing them, we show that we are not ashamed to be\nChrist's followers. And if we follow Him, who is the way, the truth, and\nthe life, we will not walk in darkness; but will enter by the narrow way\ninto the presence of truth itself, _in the regions of eternal light_.\n\n\nPRINTED BY BENZINGER BROTHERS, NEW YORK","title":"Mary, Help of Christians, and the Fourteen Saints Invoked as Holy Helpers: Instructions, Novenas and Prayers with Thoughts of the Saints for Every Day in the Year; To Which is Added an Appendix on the Reasonableness of Catholic Ceremonies and Practices","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":95016}