CAPG's Blog 

"Consider first, that as the desire of wisdom is the true beginning of wisdom, so the first step to the love of God, (which is true wisdom indeed,) is an earnest desire to love God. "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after this heavenly justice, for they shall be filled,’" (St. Matthew 5). This desire makes us pray frequently, seek incessantly, knock earnestly at the gate of Divine Love. It makes us rise early in quest of the heavenly wisdom; it makes us glad to part with all things else, that we may purchase this precious pearl, that we may acquire this incomparable treasure. He that with this desire aspires after divine love, already begins to possess what he desires; and the more he relishes the sweetness of what he begins to possess, the more he aspires after it. Thus the desire of love begets love, and love begets a stronger desire, which begets a stronger love. So that the great means of learning to love God is, by repeated desires and acts of love to taste and see how sweet God is, and how sweet a thing it is to love.

Consider 2ndly, that Divine Love will not be found by us, nor come to dwell in our souls, if we take no care to keep our inward house clean and pure for our beloved. "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God," (St. Matthew 5). So that if we entertain in our interior any irregular company, that is, if our affections are set upon worldly vanities, upon filthy lucre, upon sensual pleasures, upon gratifying our corrupt inclinations, Divine Love will not come near us; because it cannot endure such unclean company as this is, nor dwell in a soul that is enslaved to worldly desires and disorderly passions. These are to be parted with, or at least brought into order and subjection, if we would learn to love God. This is the meaning of that Gospel lesson of selling all to acquire the precious pearl of the kingdom of God, by His love reigning in our souls. The kingdom of Divine Love will allow of no rival, no usurper, no rebel in its dominions. The spouse of Divine Love must belong wholly to her spouse alone, she must be a garden close shut to all others, a "fountain sealed up" for Him alone, (Canticle. 5). So that another necessary means of attaining Divine Love is a general mortification of all foreign and irregular affections.

Consider 3rdly, that the sovereign means of acquiring Divine Love is the daily exercise of mental prayer, which employs all the powers of the soul in waiting upon God. Here the memory represents all the motives we have to love Him; here the understanding is taught to know Him; here the affections of the will are inflamed by His presence - this then is the true school of love. O my soul, let us daily frequent it, not only by having a regular time fixed for this great exercise of love, but by practicing it in some measure at all times, by a spirit of recollection, by a continual sense and remembrance of God’s presence, by frequently calling back the soul to Him from all her distractions and evagations, by repeated aspirations and ejaculations of love, etc. This is walking with God indeed, like the ancient saints this is taking God along with us wherever we are going, and whatever we are doing; this is walking in love. O how happy is that life which is thus dedicated to Divine Love.

Conclude to embrace all the means that may bring thee to this happiness. O begin now from this hour to set out in quest of this fountain of life! Let no opposition of earth or hell discourage thee. Never leave off thy search till thou come to drink of this heavenly water, which will become in thee a fountain springing up to everlasting life." Source: Challoner's Meditations

Litany of the Saints

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.