April 25th, Feast of St. Mark: Major Rogation Day
by VP
Posted on Thursday April 25, 2024 at 01:00AM in Tradition
Jules Breton, "The Blessing of the Fields," 1857
According to the previous liturgical calendar (1962), today is the Feast of St. Mark, and the Major Rogation Day. While no longer required after Vatican II, Rogation Days can still be observed by the faithful. Fasting and penance were required, and there were special liturgy and litanies for this day. Catholic Culture)
"On the feast of St. Mark Rogations take place, which are called the major Rogations or Litanies. The word Rogation is of Latin derivation, and means a petition, a prayer. A litany, originally meant a common, alternately spoken prayer. In the course of time this word was transferred to rogation, so that, in the language of the Church, Litany and Rogation are synonymous. The rogations of St. Mark's day are called the major rogations or Litanies, because from the beginning they were held with greater solemnity than the rogations in Rogation Week. These rogations on the feast of St. Mark are of very ancient date, for they can be traced back to St. Gregory the Great, who introduced them in the year 590. They have for their object to beg God in the spirit of humility and penance, that He may graciously protect us from all those evils with which natures threatens us. For, on account of the sins by which we have desecrated it, nature is in opposition to us, and causes us many damages. God being the Lord of nature, we supplicate Him by united prayers, that He may avert from us everything dangerous to our person and property." (The Pulpit Orator, page 147, By Rev. John Evangelist Zollner, 1884.)
"The object of these days? devotions is to ask of God, from whom every good and perfect gift proceeds, that He would be pleased to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, and bestow upon His creatures all those temporal blessings that are necessary for them in the course of their mortal pilgrimage. Besides the actual graces received by the devotions of the Rogations Days, the fact itself of being reminded to have recourse to Almighty God for temporal blessings is of great advantage in this material age, when the all-sufficiency of man has become one of the leading dogmas of misguided persons." (The Litanies, The Sacramentals of the Holy Catholic Church Page 197.)
St. Mark, Evangelist
"He was a disciple of St. Peter, and one of the Evangelists. Pray that the Gospel may be the rule of your life; and while you profess a faith of what it teaches, see that your practice be not a confutation of your profession. Pray for all those who read the Gospel, that they may not wrest it to their own perdition, through presumption and rashness; but being assisted by the same spirit, by which it was written, may be led into all truth.
St. Mark went into Egypt, and was the first who preached the Christian faith at Alexandria, where by his labours the Church was established, and by his example the faithful were trained up in that exact discipline conformable to the rules of the Gospel, that they were a pattern to all believers, and admired even by the enemies of their faith. And after having suffered great persecution, he was called to the reward of his labours, in the fourteenth year of the Emperor Nero. Pray for all who embrace the true faith; and for all the professors of it; that they may live up to the maxims of the Gospel, and give no occasion to unbelievers to blaspheme the name of Christ. There is nothing so scandalous, as a wicked life, joined with the true faith: it carries everywhere contagion with it, infecting both friends and enemies. There is nothing so provoking to Almighty God, as it involves a contempt of His greatest mercies, and therefore draws down His heaviest judgments. Pray for the reformation of all believers, that infidelity may not be the punishment of abused Christianity.
The litany of the saints is sung, or said, on this day, to beg that God would avert from us the scourges, which our sins deserve. It is the day of humiliation and penance, instituted by St. Gregory the Great, in acknowledgment of the Divine Mercy for putting a stop to a mortality in his time at Rome, which had
carried away many thousands. It has been ever since observed by the whole Church, as a day of humiliation
and prayer, for turning away God's anger from us, for preventing all
contagious and pestilential distempers, and for begging the divine blessing on the fruits of the earth. Join devoutly in the public devotion; and offer up your prayers with the Church. Implore God's mercy on all sinners, and beg pardon for your own offences, that so your sins may have no part in drawing down public calamities." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
On this day of Rogation, we beg of Thee, O Lord, in Thy mercy, to hear and answer our fervent petitions:
Do Thou, O Lord, defend Thy Holy Church and all Its members against the snares of the enemy, the powers of evil, and all temporal misfortunes; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all false doctrine and loss of faith; Deliver us, O Lord.
From famine, disease, and plague; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all captivity by our enemies; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the snares of the legions of Hell; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of the world and the flesh; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of pride and disobedience; Deliver us, O Lord.
That Godʼs Holy Church may dwell in peace and unity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thy True Catholic Church may spread throughout all nations; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve, bless, and defend the Bishop Thou hast chosen to govern Thy flock; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to the members of Thy Church the grace to live in humility and obedience; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all the members of Thy Holy Church be preserved from all spiritual and physical harm; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst sustain all the members of Thy One, True, Church in holiness, physical well-being, and material necessity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst convert all peoples to Thy One, True, Holy, Catholic Church; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church and our parishes from all division, dissension, and disunity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church from all those who have fallen into heresy and schism; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst inspire in the hearts of the faithful a greater spirit of charity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant the blessings of wisdom and holiness to our Clerics in preparing for the Priesthood; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our Priests and Religious in the spirit of charity, piety, holiness, and fervent zeal for souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Thou wouldst bless all of our missionary and apostolic labors and grant abundant conversion of souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant abundant laborers to work in the harvest of souls, and grant to all of our Religious perseverance in their holy Vocation; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst imbue our youth with the spirit of piety and love of their Holy Faith; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to Thy Church a favorable outcome in all our court cases, legal actions, and attacks of the press and all of our enemies; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bless our Diocese, our Priory, our Friary, our Seminary, our Convent, our schools, and all our apostolic undertakings; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Let us pray:
Almighty and Everlasting God, we commend unto Thee Thy Holy Catholic Church: that Thou wouldst grant unto Her peace, unity, and Thy protection, while shielding Her against the attacks of Her enemies and subjecting to Her the powers of evil. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the many blessings Thou hast bestowed upon us, and we beseech Thee to assist us to live peaceful and tranquil lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Patronage of St. Joseph. -Third Sunday after Easter.
by VP
Posted on Sunday April 21, 2024 at 01:00AM in Tradition
St. Joseph, Mother of Mercy, Washington, NC
"The Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, which a decree of the Congregation of Rites has fixed on the third Sunday after Easter, originated among the Carmelites in 1680. A general chapter of the Carmelites had already, in 1621, solemnly recognized St. Joseph as patron and father of all the order. Some churches soon adopted the Feast of the Patronage. At present, in virtue of a decree of the 10th September, it extends to all Catholicity. Among the Redemptorists and Passionists, in the Society of Mary and the Society of Jesus, it is celebrated with its own octave and office, with the double rite of first class." Devotion to Saint Joseph by Fr. Giuseppe Antonio Patrignani 1897
PRAYER
O glorious St. Joseph, to whom God has confided, as to a most loving and powerful patron, His universal Church, protect, I beseech thee, in the first place, the Sovereign Pontiff, who is the Vicar of thy Son on earth; protect also all the prelates of Holy Church, and extend thy patronage over all the faithful, that both the pastors and their sheep may enjoy eternal happiness together in heaven. Amen.
In proclaiming St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church, the Sovereign Pontiffs seem to have wished to implicitly acknowledge the hidden but real influence which the holy Patriarch has exercised and still does exercise not only over the Church Militant, but also over the souls that are suffering in purgatory. It may be assumed that St. Joseph, through his powerful intercession, hastens the liberation of those souls. Furthermore, the patronage of St. Joseph may be said to extend in some way over the saints who reign with Christ in heaven. For there is not one who is not in some manner indebted to the holy Patriarch for the happy attainment of his eternal salvation, since to his wonderful guardianship was due the preservation of the Redeemer's life. The angels also must in some way acknowledge their dependence on the most holy spouse of Mary, since they are inferior to him in glory, and thus form, as it were, a crown for him in heaven.
But it is especially in regard to ourselves who are still paying the penalty of the transgression of our first parents in this land of exile that St. Joseph exercises with special efficacy his all-powerful patronage. The more perfect a saint is in charity, the more eager is he in praying for us poor wayfarers here below, and the more efficacious are his prayers as he stands nearer the throne of God.
St. Joseph, therefore, whose charity is surpassed by that of no other saint, his holy spouse alone being excepted, prays for us sinners oftener and with greater efficacy than does any other saint. He even anticipates our requests, interpreting our desires and presenting our needs before the Throne of divine mercy. Wherefore, to him may be applied these words spoken of Jeremias: "This is a lover of his brethren and of the people of Israel: this is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the Holy City."
As the patronage of St. Joseph extends over the entire Church, there is therefore no earthly necessity for which the holy Patriarch cannot efficaciously provide. No man on this earth can assist us in all our needs, since human mercy and power are necessarily limited. But so unbounded is the compassion which St. Joseph feels toward us, so great is his power in heaven, that his patronage is restricted neither by time nor place, and there is no manner of grace which he cannot obtain for us. His fatherly care extends to all our needs and embraces even our future wants. It seems, therefore, as if Jesus Christ Himself would say to us what Pharao once said to the Egyptians: "Go to Joseph; and do all that he shall say to you."
St. Joseph's provident care extends, then, to all the faithful who have recourse to him with confidence. He asks of God
for them whatever spiritual graces they may need to lead holy lives.
Nor does he forget to obtain for them the temporal graces necessary for
their eternal salvation. In fact, as the ancient Joseph, once in charge of the granaries of Pharao, procured food for the people of Egypt during the time of famine, so St. Joseph's solicitous care embraces the domestic needs of the faithful who trust in him and call on his help with filial confidence." Go to Joseph, Our Unfailing Protector: Considerations on the Life and Virtue ...Very Rev. By Alexis Henri Marie Lepicier, O.S.M. 1923
April: Month of the Holy Spirit
by VP
Posted on Monday April 01, 2024 at 02:00AM in Tradition
April: Month of the Holy Spirit
Virtue: Patience
O Holy Spirit, Creator, be propitious to the Catholic Church; and by Thy heavenly power make it strong and secure against the attacks of its enemies; and renew in charity and grace the spirit of Thy servants, whom Thou has anointed, that they may glorify Thee and the Father and His Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. amen.
Manual of prayers to the Holy Ghost by Very Rev. Fr. Felix of Jesus 1941
Prayer to the Holy Ghost for Priests
O Holy Ghost, Thou Friend of priests, send them daily Thy seven gifts, that they may live
worthy of their calling, and become all to all in order to win souls for heaven. Give them
patience with children, pity for the sick, humility toward the poor, and generosity toward
the enemies of Thy holy Church. Make them active in teaching, untiring in the tribunal of
penance, and zealous in distributing Holy Communion. Let them be terrible to the demons
of hell and messengers of peace to all who are of good will.
May Thy blessing accompany
them wherever they may go; may Thy peace enter with them in the dwellings they may
visit; mayest Thou bless all whom they may bless. Make them true apostles and saints. Amen.
Come Holy Ghost, a compilation of prayers in honor of the Divine Spirit.
1932 Fr. Lester Martin Dooley.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit by Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier (1851-1926)
"I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness. Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to the things of sense and your ears to all the noises of the world in order to enter into yourself Then, in the sanctity of your baptized soul (which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit), speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to Him:
Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.
Tell me what I should do; give me your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me
and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know Your will. Amen.
If you do this, your life will flow along happily, serenely, and full of consolation, even in the midst of trials. Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you the strength to carry it, and you will arrive at the gate of Paradise, laden with merit. This submission to the Holy Spirit is the secret of sanctity."
