Table of Contents
Prayers for the Beginning of the Day
Prayers for Church
Prayers during the Day
Prayers at the End of the Day
Prayers to Help one Pray
Prayers in times of Trial
Prayer asking for Mary's Intercession
An Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Virgin Mary
Prayers for Franciscan Meetings
Meditations
Prayer on Sighting a Church or Cross
We adore Thee, Our Most Holy Lord, Jesus Christ, in all Thy churches which are in the world, and we bless Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world, with Mary.
Prayer on Entering a Church (where the Most Blessed Sacrament is reserved)
O Sacred Banquet in which Christ is recieved, the memory of His Passion is renewed, our souls are filled with grace and a pledge of future glory is given to us!
V.: Thou has given them Bread from heaven!
R.: The Bread that has all sweetness within!
O God who in this wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of Thy Passion, grant we beseech Thee, that we may so venerate the Sacred Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as to come to experience the Fruit of Thy redemption, who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
The Praises of God Most High
by St. Francis of Assisi
Thou art the Holy Lord, the Only God, who works miracles (Ps. 76:15) Thou art strong, Thou art great (cf. Ps 85:10), Thou are the Most High, Thou art King Eternal, Thou Holy Father (cf. Jn 17:11) King of Heaven and earth. (Mt 11:25)
Thou art three in one Lord, God of gods (cf Ps 135:2), Thou art Good, all good, Highest Good, Lord God living and true. (cf. 1 Thes 1:9).
Thou art Love, Charity; Thou art Wisdom, Thou art humility, Thou art patience (Ps 70:5), Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness; Thou art security, Thou art quiet, Thou art joy; Thou art our Hope and Joy, Thou art justice, Thou art temperance, Thou art all our riches unto sufficiency.
Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness, Thou art Protector (Ps 30:5), Thou art our guard and defender, Thou art fortitude (cf. Ps 42:2), Thou art refreshment.
Thou art our Hope, Thou art our Charity, Thou art our Sweetness, Thou art our eternal Life: Great and admirable Lord, God Omnipotent, merciful Savior.
An Exhortation to praise God
by St. Francis of Assisi
Fear the Lord and give Him honor (Apoc. 14:7). Worthy is the Lord to receive praise and honor (cf. Apoc 4:11) All who fear the Lord, praise Him (cf. Ps 21:24)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. (Lk 21:24)
Praise Him Heaven and earth. (cf. Ps 68:35) Praise the Lord all you rivers. (cf. Dan 3:78) Bless the Lord you sons of God (cf. Dan 3:82)
This is the day which the Lord has made, let us exult and rejoice in it. (Ps. 117:24) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! King of Israel! (John 12:13)
Every spirit praise the Lord. (Ps. 150:6) Praise the Lord, since He is Good. (Ps. 146:1) All you who read this, bless the Lord. (Ps. 102:21)
All you creatures bless the Lord. (cf. Ps. 102:22) All you birds of heaven praise the Lord. (Dan 3:90; cf. Ps 148:7-10) All you children praise the Lord. (cf Ps 112:1) You youths and virgins praise God (cf. Ps 148:12)
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive praise, glory and honor (cf. Apoc 5:12).
Blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity.
St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle.
The Exposition of the Our Father
by St. Francis of Assisi
O Most Holy Our Father: Creator, Redeemer, Consoler and Our Savior.
Who art in Heaven: in the Angels and in the Saints; enlightening them unto knowledge, since Thou, Lord, art Light; inflaming them unto love, since Thou, Lord, art Love; indwelling and filling them unto blessedness, since Thou, Lord, art the Highest, the Eternal Good, from whom is all good, without whom nothing is good.
Hallowed be Thy Name: may the knowledge of Thee in us be made bright, so that we may know, what is the breadth (cf. Eph 3:18) of Thy kindnesses, the length of Thy promises, the sublimity of Thy Majesty and the depth of Thy judgments.
Thy Kingdom come: so that Thou may reignest in us by grace and makes us come unto Thy Kingdom, where vision of Thee is made manifest, love of Thee made perfect, company with Thee blessed, enjoyment of Thee everlasting.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven: so that we may love Thee with our whole heart (cf. Lk 10:27) thinking of Thee always, with our whole soul desiring Thee always, with our whole mind directing unto Thee all our intentions, seeking Thy honor in all things and with all our strength expending our every strength and sense of soul and body in submission to Thy love and nothing else; and may we love our neighbors as ourselves drawing all to Thy love to the extent of our abilities, rejoicing over the good things of others just as over our own and compassionating them in evils and giving offense to no one (cf. 2 Cor 6:3).
Give us this day, Thy beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, our daily bread: to remember and understand and reverence the love which He had for us , and those things, which He did, said or endured for us.
And forgive us our debts: by Thy ineffable mercy, through the virtue of the Passion of Thy beloved Son and by the merits and intercession of the Blessed Virgin and all Thy elect.
As we forgive our debtors: and what we do not fully forgive, may Thou, Lord, make us, fully forgive, so that we may truly love our enemies for the sake of Thee and intercede devoutly for them with Thee, returning to none evil for evil (cf. 1 Thes 5:15) and striving to advance all unto Thee.
And lead us not into temptation: hidden or manifest, sudden or importune.
But deliver us from evil: past, present, and future.
Glory to the Father, ....
A Prayer before a crucifix
by St. Francis of Assisi
Most High, glorious God, enlighten the shadows of my heart, and grant unto me a right faith, a certain hope and perfect charity, sense and understanding, Lord, so that I may accomplish Thy holy and true command.
A Salutation to the Blessed
Virgin Mary
by St. Francis of Assisi
Hail Lady, Holy Queen, Holy Mary Theotokos,1 who art the Virgin made church and the One elect by the Most Holy Father of Heaven, whom He consecrated with His Most Holy beloved Son and with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; Thou in whom was and is all fulness of grace and every good.
Hail His Palace;
Hail His Tabernacle;
Hail His Home.
Hail His Vestment;
Hail His Handmaid;
Hail His Mother
And hail all you holy virtues, which through the grace and illumination
of the Holy Spirit are infused into the hearts of the faithful, so that
from those unfaithful you make them faithful to God.
1 While St. Francis uses the phrase "Dei genitrix" here, which is usually translated as "Mother of God" in English, "Theotokos" has been chosen instead since this is an exact and familiar equivalent of the latin phrase, and in fact is the term of which the latin is itself the translation.
A Salutation to the virtues
by St. Francis of Assisi
Hail Queen Wisdom, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy-Pure Simplicity.
Lady Holy Poverty, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy Humility.
Lady Holy Charity, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy Obedience.
Most holy virtues, the Lord salute all of you, He from whom you come
and proceed.
There is scarcely a man in all the world, who can have one of you, before
he dies.
He who has one and offends not the others, has all.
And he who offends one, has none and offends all. (cf. Jm 2:10)
And any whatsoever confounds vices and sins.
Holy Wisdom confounds Satan and all his wickednesses.
Pure Holy Simplicity confounds all the wisdom of this world (cf. 1 Cor.
2:6) and the wisdom of the body.
Holy Poverty confounds cupidity and avarice and the cares of this world.
Holy Humility confounds pride and all the men, who are in the world, and
likewise all the things, which are in the world.
Holy Charity confounds all the diabolic and carnal temptations and all
carnal fears.
Holy Obedience confounds all things corporal both carnal and one's own
willings and holds the body mortified in obedience to the spirit and in
obedience to one's brother and is subject and submissive to all the men,
who are in the world and not only to men, but even to all the beasts and
wildlife, so that they might do with him, whatever they will, as much as
it will have been given them from above by the Lord (cf. Jn 19:11).
The Canticle of Brother Son
by St. Francis of Assisi
Most High, Omnipotent, Good Lord,
Thine be the praises, the glory, and the
honor and every blessing (cf. Apoc. 4:9.11)
To Thee alone, Most High, to they belong.
and no man is worthy to mention Thee.
May Thou be praised, my Lord, with all Thy creatures, (cf. Tob. 8:7)
especially mister brother sun.
of whom is the day, and Thou enlightens us
through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant with a great spendor,
of Thee, Most High, does he convey the meaning.
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for sister moon and the stars, (cf. Ps. 148:3)
in heaven Thou has made them clear and precious
and beautiful.
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for brother wind,
and for the air and clouds and clear weather
and every weather, (cf. Dan 3:64-65)
through which to all Thy creatures Thou gives
sustenance. (cf. Ps. 103:13-14)
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for sister water,
who is very useful and humble and precious
and chaste.
May Thou be praised, my lord, for brother fire (cf. Dan 3:66),
through whom Thou illumines the night,
and he is beautiful and glad and robust and
strong.
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for our sister, mother earth, (cf Dan 3:74)
who sustains us and governs,.
and produces various fruits, colored flowers
and green plants. (cf Ps 103:13-14)
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for the sake of Thy
love, (cf. Mt 6:12)
and endure infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed those who endure them in peace, (cf. Mt 5:10)
because by Thee, Most High, will they be
crowned.
May Thou be praised, my Lord, for our sister, bodily death,
whom no man living can escape.
Woe to those, who die in mortal sin,
blessed those whom it will find in Thy most
holy desires,
because the second death will do them no
evil. (cf. Apoc 2:11;20:6)
Praise and bless my Lord, (cf. Dan 3:85)
and give Him thanks and serve Him with great
humility!
This translation is based upon the original italian text, with reference to the latin translation by Fr. K Esser.
Prayer for Final Perseverance
by St. Francis of Assisi
Omnipotent, Eternal, just and merciful God, grant to us wretches that doing for Thy sake, what we know Thou wants, and always wanting, what pleases Thee, as ones interiorly cleansed, interiorly illumined and inflamed with the fire of the Holy Spirit, we might follow the footsteps of Thy Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and attain to Thee, Most High, by Thy grace alone, who in perfect Trinity and simple Unity lives and reigns and is glorified as the Omnipotent God, for all the ages of ages. Amen.
Praises to be said at every
hour
by St. Francis of Assisi
Here begin the praises which our most blessed Father Francis ordained and himself said at every hour of the day and night and before the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning thus: Most Holy, Our Father who art in heaven, etc.. with the Glory be. Then the praises are to be said:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty, who is and who was and who is to come (cf Apoc 4:8) :
And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Worthy are Thee, Our Lord God, to accept praise,
glory and honor, and blessing (cf Apoc 4:11) : And let us
praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to accept
virtue and riches1 and wisdom and fortitude and honor
and glory and blessing (Apoc 5:12) : And let
us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy
Spirit : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the
ages.
All you works of the Lord bless the Lord (Dan 3:57) : And let us
praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Recite praise to Our God all you His servants and
you who fear God, tiny and great (cf Apoc 19:5) : And let
us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Praise Him the Glorious One you heavens and earth
(cf Ps 68:35; Ps Rom) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all
throughout the ages.
And every creature, which is in Heaven
and on the earth and which is beneath the earth and the sea and
those which are in it (cf Apoc 5:13) : And
let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit : And let us praise and exalt
Him above all throughout the ages.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be always
and unto the ages of ages. Amen
And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
Prayer
Omnipotent, Most Holy, Most High, and Highest God, all good, highest Good, wholely good, who alone is good (cf Lk 18:19), to Thee do we render all praise, all glory, all thanks, all honor, all blessing and all goods. So be it. So be it. Amen.
Prayer for imitating
St. Francis
Collect from St. Francis' Feast Day, October 4th
O God, who increase Thy Church with the merits of blessed Francis by the heavenly birth of this Thy newborn: grant unto us, that through imitating him we may dispise earthly goods and always rejoice in the participation in Thy heavenly gifts. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns God forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer
asking God for St. Francis' intercession
Collect for the Feast of St. Francis' Stigmata, September 17th
O Lord Jesus Christ, who, when the world was growing cold, did renew in the flesh of the most blessed Francis the sacred stigmata of Thy Passion, in order to inflame our hearts with the fire of Thy love, graciously grant unto us, that yoked to his merits and prayers we may bear the Cross, and bring forth fruits worthy of penance: You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer asking for
Mary's Intercession
by St. Francis of Assisi
Holy Virgin Mary, there is no one like Thee born in the world among
women,
Daughter and Handmaid of the Most Highest King, the Heavenly Father,
Mother of Our Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ,
Spouse of the Holy Spirit:
Pray for us with St. Michael the Archangel
and all the powers of Heaven and all the Saints
before Thy Most Holy and Beloved Son, the Lord and Master.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, ...
Dies Irae
by Bl. Thomas of Celano, St. Francis' First Biographer
Introduction
The Dies Irae is commonly attributed to the authorship of Friar Thomas of Celano, author of the First and Second Life of Saint Francis. It is a hymn of singular awe and piety. It is customarily sung as part of the Requiem Mass, the mass said for the repose of the deceased. It is also said by thirds during the canonical hours on days commemorating the dead.
The date of composition is the mid thirteenth century.
The hymn is a meditation on the Last Jugement, when Christ will come again in glory, no longer granting mercy, but as the Just Judge who will separate the just from the wicked, casting the latter into eternal fire, and welcoming the former to eternal bliss. The hymn closes with a supplication for mercy before the coming of that terrible day.
The Latin text from the Roman Breviary is found below. The English translation is not official.
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Latin Text from the Roman Breviary Dies irae, dies illa Quantus tremor est futurus, Tuba mirum spargens sonum Mors stupebit et natura,
Iudex ergo cum sedebit, O tu, Deus maiestatis,
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, Rex tremendae maiestatis, Recordare, Iesu pie, Quaerens me sedisiti lassus, Iuste iudex ultionis, Ingemisco tamquam reus, O tu, Deus maiestatis,
Peccatricem qui solvisit Preces meae non sunt dignae, Inter oves locum praesta Confutatis maledictis, Oro supplex et acclinis, Lacrimosa dies illa, O tu, Deus maiestatis, |
A Literal English Translation Day of wrath, day that How great a tremor is to be, A trumpet sounding an astonishing sound Death will be stunned and so will Nature, Therefore when the Judge shall sit, O Thou, God of Majesty,
What then is the wretch that I am to say, King of tremendous Majesty, Remember, faithful Jesus, Thou has sat down as one wearied seeking me, Just judge of the punishment, I groan just as the accused, O Thou, God of Majesty,
Thou who for gave the sinful woman, My prayers are not worhty, Among the sheep let me stand After the accursed have been silenced, Knelling and bowed down I pray, That sorrowful day, O Thou, God of Majesty, |
A Spiritual Communion
By St. Conrad of Parzham
I have come to spend a few moments with Thee, O Jesus, and in spirit I prostrate myself in the dust before Thy Holy Tabernacle to adore Thee, my Lord and God, in deepest humiliy. Once more a day has come to its close, dear Jesus, another day which brings me nearer to the grave and my beloved heavenly home. Once more, O Jesus, my heart longs for Thee, the true Bread of Life, which containes all sweetness and relish. O my Jesus, mercifully grant me pardon for the faults and ingratitutde of this day, and come to me to refresh my poor heart which longs for Thee. As the heart pants for the waters, as the parched earth longs for the dew of heaven, even so does my poor heart long for Thee, Thou Fount of Life. I love Thee, O Jesus, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and out of love for Thee I regret sincerely all my sins. May Thy peace and Thy benediction be mine now and always and for all eternity. Amen.
Resolutions of a Novice
By St. Conrad of Parzham
Resolutions taken with great deliberation and full confidence in the assistance of Jesus and Mary to help me keep them.
1. I will strive earnestly to form the habit of always placing myself in the presence of God and of often asking myself: Would I do this or that if my confessor or my superior were observing me, and especially in the presence of God and my guardian angel?
2. I will often ask myself when crosses and pain come upon me: Conrad, why are you here?
3. I will avoid as much as possible going out of the monastery, unless love of neighbor or obedience or health demand it, or for some other good reason.
4. I will earnestly strive to preserve brotherly charity in myself and in others. I will be careful never to utter a word against charity. I will patiently bear with the faults, defects and weaknesses of others and as far as possible I will cover them with the mantle of charity, whenever there is no obligation to reveal them to one who has the power to correct them.
5. I will carefully observe silence as much as possible. I will always be sparing of my words in conversation and thereby avoid many faults and be able to converse the better with God.
6. At table I will always place myself in the presence of God and conduct myself with great reserve, denying myself those dishes that I would relish most and practising especially those mortifications which are least noticeable. Outside of mealtime I will take no food unless comanded by holy obedience.
7. I will always go to the choir immediately when the signal is given, if not otherwise prevented.
8. I will avoid association with persons of the other sex as much as possible, unless obedience imposes on me a duty which requires association with them. In that case I will be very serious and keep my eyes in strict control.
9. I will always practise obedience exactly and punctually, and will strive praticularly to conquer my own will in all things.
10. I will earnestly try to be faithful even in small matters and abhor every voluntary imperfection. I will scrupulously observe the Holy Rule and never depart from it by even a hair's breadth, no matter what happens.
11. I will ever strive to cultivate a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and endeavor to imitate Her virtues
The Franciscan Archive wished to thank the Very Rev. Joseph Anthony, O.M. Cap. and the Rev. Andrew Neufeld, O. M. Cap, author and translator respectively of "Blessed Conrad of Parzham," St. Bonaventure's Monastery, Detroit, MI, USA, 1932, for these texts.
Prayer after Communion
by St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, Doctor of the Church
Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee. Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste. May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of widsom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fulness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverence to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.
Stabat Mater (A Prayer
to Share Mary's Sorrows)
by Friar Jacoponi da Todi
At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass'd.
Oh, how sad and sore distress'd Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten
One !
Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying
glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, Whelm'd in miseries so deep Christ's dear
Mother to behold ?
Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's
pain untold?
Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, She beheld her tender child All with
bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit
forth He sent.
O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above; Make my heart
with thine accord.
Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the
love of Christ our Lord.
Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour
crucified.
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for
me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourn'd for me, All the
days that I may live.
By the cross with thee to stay, There with thee to weep and pray, Is all
I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request Let me share thy
grief divine.
Let me, to my latest breath, In my body bear the death Of that dying Son
of thine.
Wounded with His every wound, Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd In His
very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In His awful Judgment
day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defence, Be Thy
cross my victory.
While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise
with Thee.
Amen.
An Act of Total Consecration to the
Immaculate Virgin
By St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and earth, Refuge of sinners and Our most loving Mother, to whom God willed to entrust the entire order of Mercy, I, an unworthy sinner, cast myself at Your feet, humbly begging You to be so good as to accept me wholly and completely as Your possession and property, and to do with me and with all my powers of soul and body, with my whole life, death, and eternity, whatever pleases You.
If it pleases You, use my whole self without reserve to accomplish what has been said of You: "She will crush your head" (Genesis 3:15), and also: "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world" (Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary), so that I may become a useful instrument in Your immaculate and most merciful hands for promoting and increasing Your glory to the maximum in so many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus extend as much as possible the blessed Kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
For, wherever You enter, You obtain the grace of conversion and sanctification, since it is through Your hands that all grace comes to us from the Most Sweet Heart of Jesus.
R. Allow me to praise You, O most Holy Virgin.
V. Give me strength against Your enemies.
A Rule of Life for Those Consecrated
to the Immaculate Virgin
By St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe
1. It is my duty to be a saint and a great saint.
2. For the glory of God, I must save myself and all souls, present and future, through the Immaculate.
3. Before anything else flee not only from mortal but also from deliberate venial sin.
4. Do not permit: a. that evil remain without reparation and destruction; or b. that good be without fruit or increase.
5. Let your rule be obedience_the will of God through the Immaculate_I am nothing but an instrument.
6. Think of what you are doing. Do not be concerned about anything else, whether bad or good.
7. Preserve order, and order will preserve you.
8. Peaceful and benevolent action.
9. Preparation—Action—Conclusion.
10. Remember that you belong exclusively, unconditionally, absolutely, irrevocably to the Immaculate: Whoever you are, whatever you have or can, whatever you do (thoughts, words, action) and endure (pleasant, unpleasant, indifferent things) belong to the Immaculate. Consequently, may she dispose of them according to Her will (and not yours). In the same way it belongs to Her all your intentions; therefore, may she transform them, add others, take them away, as She likes (in fact, She does not offend justice).
You are an instrument in Her hand, therefore do only what She wants; accept everything like a child to his own mother, trust Her in everything.Take an interest about Her, Her veneration, Her things and let Her take care of you and your loved ones. Recognize that everything you have comes from Her and nothing from you. All the fruits of your activities depend on the union with Her, in the same way as She is an instrument of the divine mercy.
O Immaculate, my life (every moment of it), my death (where, when and how) and my eternity belongs totally to you. Of everything You do whatever You like.
THE OATH AGAINST MODERNISM
Given by His Holiness St. Pius X, Third Order
of St. Francis
I N. firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day. And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world (cf. Rom. 1:90), that is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore, his existence can also be demonstrated: Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time. Thirdly, I believe with equally firm faith that the Church, the guardian and teacher of the revealed word, was personally instituted by the real and historical Christ when he lived among us, and that the Church was built upon Peter, the prince of the apostolic hierarchy, and his successors for the duration of time. Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical' misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held previously. I also condemn every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit which has been given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put a philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been developed by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely. Fifthly, I hold with certainty and sincerely confess that faith is not a blind sentiment of religion welling up from the depths of the subconscious under the impulse of the heart and the motion of a will trained to morality; but faith is a genuine assent of the intellect to truth received by hearing from an external source. By this assent, because of the authority of the supremely truthful God, we believe to be true that which has been revealed and attested to by a personal God, our Creator and Lord.
Furthermore, with due reverence, I submit and adhere with my whole heart to the condemnations, declarations, and all the prescripts contained in the encyclical Pascendi and in the decree Lamentabili, especially those concerning what is known as the history of dogmas. I also reject the error of those who say that the faith held by the Church can contradict history, and that Catholic dogmas, in the sense in which they are now understood, are irreconcilable with a more realistic view of the origins of the Christian religion. I also condemn and reject the opinion of those who say that a well-educated Christian assumes a dual personality-that of a believer and at the same time of a historian, as if it were permissible for a historian to hold things that contradict the faith of the believer, or to establish premises which, provided there be no direct denial of dogmas, would lead to the conclusion that dogmas are either false or doubtful. Likewise, I reject that method of judging and interpreting Sacred Scripture which, departing from the tradition of the Church, the analogy of faith, and the norms of the Apostolic See, embraces the misrepresentations of the rationalists and with no prudence or restraint adopts textual criticism as the one and supreme norm. Furthermore, I reject the opinion of those who hold that a professor lecturing or writing on a historico-theological subject should first put aside any preconceived opinion about the supernatural origin of Catholic tradition or about the divine promise of help to preserve all revealed truth forever; and that they should then interpret the writings of each of the Fathers solely by scientific principles, excluding all sacred authority, and with the same liberty of judgment that is common in the investigation of all ordinary historical documents.
Finally, I declare that I am completely opposed to the error of the modernists who hold that there is nothing divine in sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is, but in a pantheistic sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain simple fact-one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history-the fact, namely, that a group of men by their own labor, skill, and talent have continued through subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles. I firmly hold, then, and shall hold to my dying breath the belief of the Fathers in the charism of truth, which certainly is, was, and always will be in the succession of the episcopacy from the apostles. The purpose of this is, then, not that dogma may be tailored according to what seems better and more suited to the culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached by the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never be understood in any other way. I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God. . .
The Franciscan Crown (The Rosary of Our Lady's Seven Joys)
Say the Rosary in this manner: Recite 1 Our Father, and 2 Hail Mary's. Then for each of the Seven Decades, recite the Mystery, 1 Our Father and 10 Haily Mary's, followed by the Glory be.. At the end of the Seventh Decade, two more Hail Mary's are said.
The Seven Mysteries are the Seven Joys of Our Lady:
1) the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary at Nazareth.
2) the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Elizabeth.
3) the Birth of Jesus Christ in the grotto of Bethlehem.
4) the Adoration of the Child Jesus by the Three Holy Magi
5) the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple by the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph
6) the Ressurection of Our Lord on Easter Morning
7) the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven.
1.Christ is unjustly condemned to death by Pontius Pilate
2.Jesus takes up the Cross for our salvation
3.Jesus falls the first time
4.Jesus meets His Blessed Mother
5.Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the Cross behind Jesus
6.Christ's face is wiped by Veronica
7.Jesus falls a second time
8.Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9.Jesus falls a third time
10.The soldiers strip Christ of His garments;
11.Jesus is crucified
12.Jesus dies on the Cross;
13.Jesus' Body is taken down from the cross and laid in the arms of His
Mother, who offers Him to the Eternal Father.
14.Jesus is laid in the tomb.
A Spiritual Communion, with Mary
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every grace: I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly, really, and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul.
O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One who has already come, and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
Prayer for the Restoration and Unity of Holy Mother Church
O Immaculate Mother of God and Our Mother, Mediatrix of every grace and Corredemptrix of mankind: as Thou didst gaze upon Thy Most Beloved Son, filled with suffering and ignominy upon His Holy Cross, on account of His most tender and loving compassion for us poor sinners, deign in Thy great Maternal sollicitude for us Thy children, to obtain from Him every grace and mercy, so that fortified in the unity of the One True Faith and restored to the bonds of charity and authentic worship, His Virgin Bride, Our Mother the Church, may once again offer to the Eternal Father, through the ministry of His sacred Priests, the holy, immaculate, and pure offering of His Body and Blood, in propitiation for our sins and those of the whole world. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
by Pope Leo XIII
Translated from the Latin Text found in the Rituale Romanum
O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle and in the stuggle, which is ours against the princes and powers, against the rulers of the world of these shadows, against the spiritual beings of worthlessness, in the heavens. Come to the aid of men, whom God created inextinguishable, and made to the image of His own likness, and bought from the tyranny of the devil at a great price. Fight today the battles of the Lord with the army of the blessed Angels, as thou did fight against lucifer, the leader of pride, and all his apostate angels: and indeed they did not prevail, nor was their place found any more in Heaven. But that great dragon was cast forth, the ancient serpent, who is caled the devil and satan, who seduces the whole globe; and he was cast forth upon Earth, and his angels were sent with him.
Lo! the ancient enemy and homicide has been fiercly aroused. Transfigured into an angel of light, with the whole troop of malign spirits he entirely surrounds and invades the Earth, to blot out in it the Name of God and of His Christ, and to steal, slay, and destroy in sempiternal ruin, the souls destined for a crown of eternal glory. The venom of his worthlessness, as the most unclean river, the evil-doing dragon pours into men depraved in mind and corrupt in heart; a spirit of lying, impiety and blasphemy; and a breath of mortiferous luxury, of all vices and intiquities.
Be favorable to the Church, the spouse of the Immacluate
Lamb, whom enemies have filled with bitternesses, and inebriated with wormwood;
upon all Her desireable things they have layed their impious hands. Where
the See of the most blessed Peter and the Cathedra of Truth has been constituted
as a light to the nations, there they have placed a throne of their abomination
and impiety; so that with the Pastor struck, they may prevail to disperse
the flock.
Therefore be present, most unconquered Leader, against the spiritual worthlessnesses bursting upon the people of God, and bring about a victory. Thou are venerated by Holy Church as Her guard and patron; Thou are glorified as the defender against the nefarious, earthly and infernal powers; to thee the Lord has handed over the souls of the redemed to be placed in supernal felicity. Entreat the God of peace, to obliterate satan beneath our feet, lest he prevail further to hold men captive, and to injure the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that the mercies of the Lord may swiftly overcome us, and apprehend the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan, and send him bound into the abyss, so that he may no more seduce the nations. Henceforth having been confided to thy escort and protection, we sacred ministers by our authority [if recited by a layman, or cleric who has not yet taken up the order of exorcist, say instead, "by the authority of Holy Mother Church], trusting and fearless in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our God and Lord, we undertake to repell the infestations of diabolic deceit.
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord, fly adverse parties.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, has conquered.
V. Let Thy mercy be upon us Lord.
R. As much as we hope in Thee.
V. Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
[if recited by at least a deacon add the following:
V. The Lord be with you all.
R. And with thy spirit.]
Let us pray.
O God, and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we invoke Thy Holy Name, and as supplicants we implore Thy clemency so that, through the intercession of Mary, the Immaculate ever-Virgin Theotokos, of blessed Michael the Archangel, of blessed Joseph, the Spouse of the same blessed Virgin, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints, Thou may deign to offer us aid against satan, and all the other unclean spirits, who wander through the world to injure the human race and to destroy souls. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to St. Joseph
(to be said after the Rosary)
by Pope Leo XIII
We come to thee, O blessed Joseph, in our sore distress. Having sought the aid of thy most blessed Spouse, we now confidently implore thy assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the dutiful affection which bound thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which thou didst cherish the Child Jesus, thou wilt loving watch over the heritage which Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by thy powerful intercession help us in our urgent need. Most powerful guardian of the Holy Family, protect the chosen race of Jeuss Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, every pest of error and corrupting sin. From thy place in heaven, most powerful protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the power of darkness, and as of old thou didst deliver the Child Jesus from supreme peril of life, so now defend the holy Church of God from the snares of Her enemies and from all adversity. Have each of us always in thy keeping, that, following thy example, and borne up by thy strength, we may be able to live holily, die happily, and so enter the everlasting bliss of heaven. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit (before meditation)
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V..: Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall created, R.: And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray:
O God, who didst by the light of the Holy Spirit enlighten the faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
O Almighty, Eternal, Most Just and Merciful God, I prostrate myself before Thy Face, humbly beseeching Thee, who alone are Good, all good, wholly good, ever Good, that remembering the most bitter Passion and Death of Thy Only-Begotten Son, and the most sorrowful compassion of His Immaculate Mother, Thou wouldst deign to look with an eye of pity upon this most wretched of Thy creatures.
So many treasures of nature Thou hast given me and consoled me with, and I have not heeded Thy Word and commands. So many blessings of grace Thou hast lavished upon me, and I have squandered them in vice and iniqitious selfishness. So bountiful has been Thy mercies of forgiveness and pardon to me, and I have rebelled and betrayed Thee yet again.
Truly, am I not worthy of Thy consideration ; nay rather, do I deserve eternal damnation. Even the troubles, sacrifices, and difficulites of a thousand most bitter lifetimes are not sufficent to atone for my wickedness. Truly am I worthy, not of Thee, but of hell alone, of damnation and eternal torments. Yet I, like and inpudent swine, do still complain and murmur.
Daring not to raise my eyes unto Thee, who are infinite Goodness and most exacting Justice, I beseech Thee, through the merits of the Passion and Death of Thy Most Beloved Son, who for mysake became a slave unto death, death on a Cross, upon which in the last moments of His most bitter agony, He didst bestow upon me His own most Beloved Mother, Thy Daughter by grace and election. In virtue of Their merits, by which I have been so many times succored in my great necessities, I beseech Thee hear this my petition.
Have mercy upon me! Have great mercy upon me! For without Thee I can do nothing worthy of Thy consideration. I who am nothing, and by sin even less than nothing. A wretch, a swine, a cesspool of every vice and inquity!
Therefore I beseech Thee, O Most Blessed Trinity, to shed the fire of Thy merciful love upon this most frigid heart, to let shine upon this most darkened mind, the light of the Son, in whom alone is every grace and truth. Have pity on me, most Merciful God, and regard not my sins and offenses, but in Thy mercy forgive me yet again, and grant me the graces to serve Thee now in fidelity and truth.
I am not worthy to serve Thee, but Thou dost deserve all my service. In the Name of Jesus, Thy Mercy, therefore, I beseech Thee. In the name of Mary, I pray. Amen.
This Franciscan Prayerbook has been released to the public domain by The Franciscan Archive.