RITE OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE – 1962 RITUALE ROMANUM
Instruction on the Day of Marriage
by
The Most Rev. William O. Brady, S.T.D., Archbishop of Saint Paul
My beloved brethren in Christ, this man and woman present themselves today before human witnesses and before the Church to bind themselves in a solemn contract that will end only when death "does them part." This man will pledge a husband’s fidelity to his wife. This woman will, in her turn, pledge a wife’s fidelity to her spouse. By an exchange of promises, they will take each other as man and wife. They begin their married life in faith and they understand that the perfection of life is love.
The marriage of man and woman is, in part, like any human contract. One pledges; the other accepts. Both pledge; both accept. In human marriage, the exchange is of the body and of the heart with full giving and accepting without reserve.
The marriage of those who are baptized, however, is more than an ordinary contract, much more than an exchange of promises. The baptized find their vows blessed by God, and, in the Sacrament of their union, they discover the grace to support their marriage pledge and the special spiritual help they will need for holiness in their state of life. In Christian marriage, husband and wife give more than themselves to each other. They exchange the gifts of God. They share the grace of God. Living with God as their witness in true Christian modesty, they lift each other up to spiritual ways that surpass any human counting.
The woman in the married union is meant to be the helpmate of her husband. The man is meant to be the comfort and strength of his true wife. If God will give this couple children as the fruit of their union, they will count themselves honored by their Creator and they will watch their present love come alive anew in the children committed to their care. Should their hopes of children be without realization, they will cling to each other all the more and know that, together, with ever deepening resolution, they must find their joy and their happiness in mutual help and consolation.
Blessed is the married couple whose home is a shrine even more than a house. Blessed is the married pair who understand that their union is their way to Heaven. Blessed are those husbands and wives who are given children in the flesh so that they may lead them to be the children of God. Doubly blessed are men and women when their marriage is sealed and sanctified by the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
There is a sacred unity in every marriage. Keep it well and be one together always in thought and action and in prayer.
This is an unbreakable union in marriage. See to it that in little things there are no fractures of charity and in big things no division of hearts.
There is a high dignity to marriage. Walk always proud of this man and this woman as you are proud today to be joined in sacred wedlock.
There is a special sacredness in marriage since God has willed it so. Kneel often before God in thankfulness for your union. Speak often to God for the helps you will need. Pray often to God in gratitude for his gifts, not the least for today’s gift of this husband or this wife. Let Christ be the head of your household, One who shares those days that will be worse as well as those that will be better. May today’s joyful exchanges extend until you will have grown old together in each other’s comforting companionship, growing holy together by each others’ help and example. May God bless you both and bless the family you will found.
Exhortation Before Marriage
My dear friends: You are about to enter upon a union which is most sacred and most serious. It is most sacred, because established by God himself. By it, he gave to man a share in the greatest work of creation, the work of the continuation of the human race. And in this way he sanctified human love and enabled man and woman to help each other live as children of God, by sharing a common life under his fatherly care.
Because God himself is thus its author, marriage is of its very nature a holy institution, requiring of those who enter into it a complete and unreserved giving of self. But Christ our Lord added to the holiness of marriage an even deeper meaning and a higher beauty. He referred to the love of marriage to describe his own love for his Church, that is, for the people of God whom he redeemed by his own blood. And so he gave to Christians a new vision of what married life ought to be, a life of self-sacrificing love like his own. It is for this reason that his apostle, St. Paul, clearly states that marriage is now and for all time to be considered a great mystery, intimately bound up with the supernatural union of Christ and the Church, which union is also to be its pattern.
This union, then, is most serious, because it will bind you together for life in a relationship so close and so intimate, that it will profoundly influence your whole future. That future, with its hopes and disappointments, its successes and its failures, its pleasures and its pains, its joys and its sorrows, is hidden from your eyes. You know that these elements are mingled in every life, and are to be expected in your own. And so not knowing what is before you, you take each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death.
Truly, then, these words are most serious. It is a beautiful tribute to your undoubted faith in each other, that recognizing their full import, you are, nevertheless, so willing and ready to pronounce them. And because these words involve such solemn obligations, it is most fitting that you rest the security of your wedded life upon the great principle of self-sacrifice. And so you begin your married life by the voluntary and complete surrender of your individual lives in the interest of that deeper and wider life which you are to have in common. Henceforth you will belong entirely to each other; you will be one in mind, one in heart, and one in affections. And whatever sacrifices you may hereafter be required to make to preserve this mutual life, always make them generously. Sacrifice is usually difficult and irksome. Only love can make it easy, and perfect love can make it a joy. We are willing to give in proportion as we love. And when love is perfect, the sacrifice is complete. God so loved the world that he gave, his only-begotten Son, and the Son so loved us that he gave himself for our salvation. "Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
No greater blessing can come to your married life than pure conjugal love, loyal and true to the end. May, then, this love with which you join your hands and hearts today never fail, but grow deeper and stronger as the years go on. And if true love and the unselfish spirit of perfect sacrifice guide your every action, you can expect the greatest measure of earthly happiness that may be allotted to man in this vale of tears. The rest is in the hands of God.
Nor will God be wanting to your needs; he will pledge you the life-long support of his graces in the Holy Sacrament, which you are now going to receive.
THE ROMAN RITUAL
TITLE VII - CHAPTER 2
RITE FOR THE CELEBRATION OF
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
1. The priest is vested in a surplice and white stole. If, however, the marriage ceremony is performed by the priest who is going to say the Nuptial Mass and this Mass follows immediately, the priest puts on all the vestments except the maniple, which should be placed on the altar, whence he takes it and puts it on after the marriage ceremony. To assist the priest there should be at least one acolyte, who wears a surplice and carries the book and a vessel with Holy Water. The priest interrogates the man and woman concerning their consent to marry.
First the priest asks the groom:
N., do you take N. here present, for your lawful wife according to the rite of our holy mother, the Church?
The bridegroom responds: I do.
2. Then he asks the bride:
N., do you take N., here present, for your lawful husband according to the rite of our holy mother, the Church?
She replies: I do.
The consent of one does not suffice, but consent must be given by both-expressed in words, if possible, but otherwise through equivalent signs, whether personally or through a proxy.
After he has received the consent of the parties, the priest tells them to join their right hands. et dicat:
Ego conjúngo vos in matrimónium. In nómine Patris, et Fílii, X et Spíritus Sancti. Amen. Vel aliis utatur verbis juxta receptum uniuscujusque loci ritum.
Then he sprinkles them with holy water.
Next the priest blesses the ring saying:
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to you.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. Prayer
Bless X O Lord, this ring, which we are blessing X in Thy name, so that she who wears it, keeping faith with her husband in unbroken loyalty, may ever remain at peace with Thee, obedient to Thy will, and may live with him always in mutual love. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
3. The priest then sprinkles the ring with holy water. The husband, taking the ring from the priest's hand, places it upon the ring finger of his wife's left hand, saying:
Take and wear this ring as a sign of our marriage vows.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, X and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Then the priest adds:
V. Strengthen, O God, what you have wrought in us.
R. From your holy temple, which is in Jerusalem.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Our Father silently as far as
V. And lead us not into temptation.
R. But deliver us from evil.
V. Save your servants.
R. Who trust in you, my God.
V. Send them help, O Lord, from your sanctuary.
R. And sustain them from Sion.
V. Be a tower of strength for them, O Lord.
R. Against the attack of the enemy.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to you.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. Prayer
We beg you, Lord, to look on these your servants, and graciously to uphold the institution of marriage established by you for the continuation of the human race, so that they who have been joined together by your authority may remain faithful together by your help. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
4. After this, if the nuptial blessing is to be given, the Mass pro Sponso et Sponsa is celebrated, according to the rubrics of the Roman Missal.
5. If several couples are married at the same time, the exchange of consent and contracting of marriage, as well as the formula Ego conjúngo vos in matrimónium, etc., are to take place separately for each individual couple, but the blessing of ring and other prayers are said only once, in the plural.
6. Wherever other praiseworthy customs and ceremonies are used in the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, it is fitting that they be retained.
7. After the marriage has been celebrated, the pastor, or the one who takes his place, as soon as possible should inscribe in the Book of Marriages the names of the spouses and witnesses, and the place and day of the marriage celebrated, and the other things according to the prescribed form. And this is done even though another priest or one delegated by the pastor or by the Ordinary has taken the pastor's place.
Moreover, the pastor should note in the Book of Baptisms that the party has contracted marriage on such day in his (her) own parish. But if the party should have been baptized elsewhere, the pastor, having drawn up a note of the marriage entered into, should transmit to the pastor of the Baptism, either by himself or through the episcopal chancery, the fact that the marriage be set down in the Book of Baptisms.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS: PRIESTHOOD
INTRODUCTION
Christ, eternal High Priest and mediator between God and men, redeemed us as a priest by offering Himself in sacrifice on the cross. And at the Last Supper, wishing to bequeath to the Church for all time an all- perfect offering to God--the sacramental reenactment of the sacrifice on the cross--instituted both the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Christian priesthood, the latter to perpetuate the former.
To all who are united with Him in the mystical body, the Church, Christ has given a share in His priesthood, a share which differs, however, in degree as well as in kind. First there is the priesthood of all Christians given in baptism and raised to a higher perfection in confirmation, by which the Christian people are empowered and privileged to have an active part in the offering of Holy Mass. In this participation they give to God the highest and most pleasing gift possible, that of the body and the blood of His divine Son, and get back from God in return the very same gift in holy communion.
But since God has made the faithful of His Church priests only in a limited sense, He has placed at their head priests endowed with the higher priestly powers of Jesus Christ. These are the priests in holy orders. In the Sacrifice of the Mass it is they who stand at the altar, representing Christ as priest and victim, and representing the people as offerers with them in the act of rendering to their Creator this all-perfect act of homage.
In offering the sacrifice of the New Covenant the Church does not offer something new, but a continuation and a representation, through efficacious sacramental signs, of Christ's saving act in His paschal sacrifice of death and resurrection. Consequently, the priests of the Church are not new mediators between God and men, but continue to act in the place of the one and only mediator, the Son of God and our Lord and Savior. Their function is to relate the unique priesthood of Christ to the general priesthood of the new people of God.
Although the highest function of the Christian priesthood is to offer worship at God's altar, and after that to carry out the related liturgical acts of administering the other sacraments, the priests of the Church participate in Christ's priesthood in another ministerial position. They participate also in the prophetic mediatorship of our Lord and His apostles, by making present God's holy word through the continued proclamation to men of the good news of salvation. Here too, as in the case of the sacrifice of the Church, there is not a new teaching, not a new revelation, not a new message which priests of the Church proclaim in their own name, but again it is the word of Christ, of the one final and definitive prophet of the Most High, being proclaimed and made present until the end of time. In fact, the priesthood of the Church would be degraded if it did not include the ministry of the word, the word of preaching and teaching. It is true, of course, that the ministry of preaching belongs in the first place to the bishop of the diocese, with whom the priests in holy orders are associated. But since the bishop practically speaking cannot carry out this important duty alone, the Council of Trent repeatedly emphasized that priests have a grave responsibility of sharing in this prophetic office of their bishop. The Sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments need to be accompanied by the word of the priest. And when priests utter the saving words and when they engage in the ministry of preaching they are not speaking in their own name but in the person of our Lord.
The Council of Trent has emphasized, moreover, that a priest of the Church is to resemble in all ways the Good Shepherd of the New Covenant. In imitating the Good Shepherd priests are associated with the bishop, who himself is absorbed in the charge of ruling the people and feeding the flock. And the work of ruling and feeding the flock does not stop within the sacred precincts of the house of God, it does not stop at the altar or in the pulpit, but extends outside the sacred place to other places that are to be made sacred, to the homes of the faithful or wherever there are men in need of hearing the saving truths of the Gospel, in need of the saving graces and helps that priests are empowered to bestow on them, in mind, heart, body, and soul. As the prayers, in particular the solemn preface, of the ordination rite so clearly and precisely bring out, the Christian priesthood is not only of a liturgical or ritual kind, but is charismatic and spiritual in other respects as well. The gifts conferred on a man in ordination are designed to edify the Church, edify in the original sense of that word, that is, to build up the spiritual building or kingdom of the people of God. Therefore, another conviction, of which the Church has been strongly aware from the beginning, is expressed in the prayers of the ordination rite, namely, that the full effectiveness of sacred functions is conditional upon the sanctity of those who exercise them. The graces of the Holy Spirit are given to priests not merely to ensure the sacramental validity of certain actions, but also to help them acquire a sanctity which might serve as a pattern for the Christian people.
St. John Chrysostom sums up the function of priests as the ministers of God by referring to Elias on Mt. Carmel. He describes the scene where the people of God are assembled in silence, the prophet at prayer, and fire is falling from heaven. And then goes on to say: "All these things were wonderful and amazing. But today the mysteries exceed all amazement. The priest stands there to cause not fire but the Holy Spirit to descend. He prays at length, not that fire falling from on high may consume the offerings, but that grace may descend on the community and may reach men's souls, making them brighter than silver that is tried by fire" (PG 48.642).
PART VIII. ORDINATION OF PRIESTS
{The rite of ordination of a priest is taken from the latest edition of the Roman Pontifical, Part I, issued on February 28, 1962. It has been requested that it be included here as a convenience, because of its special importance in the Church's liturgy and because it may be a long time before the Roman Pontifical is translated into English.}
The ordination of a priest must normally take place within the Mass, after the tract has been sung or recited up to the last verse exclusive; or on certain days before the alleluia verse.
The bishop is seated on the faldstool, which has been placed for him at the middle of the altar. He is wearing the mitre.
The candidates are vested in amice, alb, maniple, and stole worn in the manner of a deacon. Over the left arm they carry a folded chasuble, the vestment of priesthood; and in the right hand a lighted candle and the white linen hand, used later to bind their hands (in some places the band is attached to the cincture).
The Preparatory Ceremony
{The first part of the rite consists of the calling of the ordinands and the formal presentation of them to the bishop; the reading of the interdict; the archdeacon's petition and testimony; and the bishop's address to the ordinands.}
The archdeacon summons the ordinands with the formula: Let those who are to be ordained to the order of priesthood come forward.
As their names are read out one by one by the notary, each one replies: "Present" and steps forward; they arrange themselves in a semicircle before the bishop and kneel.
Then one of the assistants reads the interdict, a last warning that if anyone receives the sacrament under false pretences, he will incur the penalty of excommunication.
The most reverend father and ruler in Christ, His Excellency, N.N., by the grace of God and of the Apostolic See Bishop of N., commands and charges, under pain of excommunication, that no one here present for the purpose of taking orders shall come forward to be ordained under any pretext, if he be irregular, excommunicated by law or by judicial sentence, under interdict or suspension, illegitimate, infamous, or in any other way disqualified, or of another diocese, unless he has the permission of his bishop. He enjoins, moreover, that none of the ordained shall depart until the Mass is over and the bishop's blessing has been received.
Now the archdeacon presents the candidates to the bishop, saying:
Most Reverend Father, our holy Mother the Catholic Church asks you to ordain these deacons here present to the burden of the priesthood.
The bishop inquires:
Do you know if they are worthy? The archdeacon replies:
As far as human frailty allows one to know, I am certain and I testify that they are worthy to undertake the burden of this office.
The bishop says:
Thanks be to God.
The Bishop's Address
{In the first place the bishop addresses himself to the clergy and the people, consulting with them about the fitness of the men who are being presented for ordination. This is reminiscent of olden times when the custom prevailed of having priests and other clergy chosen by the will of the people. It must be kept in mind, then, that in the present discipline of the Church the people can merely raise objections, but it is the bishop who makes the choice.}
The bishop addresses the clergy and the people as follows:
My dear brethren, since the captain of a ship and its passengers alike have reason to feel safe or else in danger on a voyage, they ought to be of one mind in their common interests. Not without reason, then, have the fathers decreed that the people too should be consulted in the choice of those who are to be raised to the ministry of the altar.
For sometimes it happens that one or another person has knowledge about the life and conduct of a candidate that is not generally known. And the people will necessarily be more inclined to be loyal to a priest if they have given consent to his ordination.
As far as I can judge, the conduct of these deacons, who with God's help are to be ordained to the priesthood, is commendable and is pleasing to God. In my opinion, then, they are deserving of being promoted to a higher honor in the Church. Yet it is well to consult the people as a whole, rather than to rely on one or a few, whose approval might be a consequence of partiality or of misjudgment.
Be perfectly free, then, to say what you know about the conduct and character of the candidates and what you think of their fitness. But let your approval of their elevation to the priesthood be based more on their merits than on your own affection for them. Consequently, if anyone has anything against them, let him for God's honor and in God's name come forward and sincerely speak his mind. Only let him remember his own state.
After a brief pause the bishop continues, addressing himself now in exhortation to the candidates:
My dear sons, who are about to be consecrated to the office of the priesthood, endeavor to receive that office worthily, and once ordained, strive to discharge it in a praiseworthy manner. A priest's duties are to offer sacrifice, to bless, to govern, to preach, and to baptize. So high a dignity should be approached with great awe, and care must be taken that those chosen for it are recommended by eminent wisdom, upright character, and a long-standing virtuous life.
Thus it was that when the Lord commanded Moses to choose as his helpers seventy men from the whole tribe of Israel, to whom He would impart the gifts of the Holy Spirit, He said to him: "Choose the ones whom you know to be elders of the people" (Num 11.16). It is you yourselves who are prefigured in these seventy elders, if now, by the help of the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit, you are faithful to the Ten Commandments, and display soundness and maturity in knowledge and in action.
Under the same kind of sign and figure, our Lord, in the New Law, chose the seventy-two disciples, and sent them before Him two by two to preach. Thus He taught us both by word and by deed that the ministers of His Church should be perfect both in faith and in works; in other words, that their lives should be founded on the twofold love of God and of neighbor. Strive, then, to be such, that by God's grace you may be worthy of being chosen to assist Moses and the twelve apostles, that is, the Catholic bishops who are prefigured by Moses and the apostles. Then indeed is Holy Church surrounded, adorned, and ruled by a wonderful variety of ministers, when from her ranks are consecrated bishops, and others of lesser orders, priests, deacons, and subdeacons, each of a different dignity, yet comprising the many members of the one body of Christ.
Therefore, my dear sons, chosen as you are by the judgment of our brethren to be consecrated as our helpers, keep yourselves blameless in a life of chastity and sanctity. Be well aware of the sacredness of your duties. Be holy as you deal with holy things. When you celebrate the mystery of the Lord's death, see to it that by mortifying your bodies you rid yourselves of all vice and concupiscence. Let the doctrine you expound be spiritual medicine for the people of God. Let the fragrance of your lives be the delight of Christ's Church, that by your preaching and example you help to build up the edifice which is the family of God. May it never come about that we, for promoting you to so great an office, or you, for taking it on yourselves, should deserve the Lord's condemnation; but rather may we merit a reward from Him. So let it be by His grace.
All: Amen.
Litany of the Saints
If ordination to the priesthood was not preceded earlier by ordination to the subdiaconate or the diaconate, then the Litany of the Saints is chanted at this time. During the litany the candidates humbly lie prostrate on the floor of the sanctuary. The bishop kneels on the altar predella. For the litany see Litany of the Saints (and for the music see the music supplement).
After the invocation "That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed" the bishop stands and turns to the ordinands (who remain prostrate on the floor). Holding the crozier in his left hand and still wearing the mitre, the bishop chants or recites the following:
That you bless these elect. R. We beg you to hear us.
That you bless and sanctify these elect. R. We beg you to hear us.
That you bless and sanctify and consecrate these elect. R. We beg you to hear us.
Then the bishop kneels again at the faldstool, and the chanters finish the litany up to "Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord have mercy," inclusive.
The Laying-on of Hands
{When the litany is ended the candidates rise and go in pairs to kneel before the bishop. The bishop places both his hands on the head of each candidate in turn, without saying anything. This very simple though impressive action, unaccompanied by prayer or chant, is called the essential matter of the sacrament. It signifies that the power of priesthood is conferred by the bishop imposing hands on the candidate, transmitting to the latter the power which the bishop himself has received from Christ through the apostles and their successors.}
After the bishop has imposed hands on them, they return to their former place and kneel. When all are in place the bishop holds his right hand outstretched over them. Next the priests who are present come forward and lay both their hands on the head of each candidate Then, forming a semicircle beginning at the gospel side, they stand behind the candidates and hold their right hand outstretched over them just as the bishop is doing.
The act of the priests taking part in the ceremony of laying-on of hands is perhaps a relic of the time when more than one bishop took part in the ordination of priests, and each bishop present imposed hands on the ordinands. The present ceremony of the priests, imposing hands has no other purpose than to make more forceful the outward sign of power being conferred through this kind of action.
The bishop (wearing the mitre) now says the following prayer:
My brethren, let us implore God the Father almighty to multiply His heavenly gifts in these servants of His whom He has chosen for the office of the priesthood. May they fulfill by His grace the office they receive by His goodness; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Then the bishop removes the mitre, turns to the altar, and says:
Let us pray.
The ministers: Let us kneel down. R. Arise.
Then the bishop turns around to the ordinands and says:
Hear us, we pray, O Lord God, and pour out on these servants of yours the blessing of the Holy Spirit and the power of priestly grace. And now as we present them for consecration in your benign presence, may you sustain them forever by the bounty of your gifts. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God,
Here the bishop extends his hands and chants or recites the conclusion to the preceding prayer and the following versicles:
B: Forever and ever.
All: Amen.
B: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
B: Lift up your hearts.
All: We have lifted them up to the Lord.
B: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is fitting and right to do so.
The Solemn Prayer and Form of the Sacrament
{This very beautiful prayer, also called the consecratory preface, is the actual form of the sacrament, and in early times the Roman rite for ordination had nothing more than a prayer or prayers of this kind, along with the imposition of hands. A theology of the sacrament could quite easily be constructed on this prayer. In brief, it asks for God's grace, for He is the source of all honors and dignities, as also of all growth and order. It states the principle that God's loving providence guides His rational creatures through stages of gradual progress and perfection. It points out how this principle operated in the Old Testament, in God's choosing Moses and the seventy elders to assist Him; and in the New, in Christ's choosing the apostles and their successors to carry out the ministry of His Church. Then follows a petition that the bishop may have helpers in the men being ordained, who will prove themselves to be elders in the best sense of the term. Lastly the Holy Spirit and His gifts are invoked on the candidates, that they be raised to the priesthood and be filled with the holiness which should characterize this office.}
The bishop continues with the consecratory preface:
It is indeed fitting and right, praiseworthy and salutary that we should always and everywhere give thanks to you, O holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, the source of all honors and the dispenser of all dignities. Through you all things make progress and receive their permanence. In accord with your wise designs all rational creatures advance to a higher excellence. And in accord with this same principle the various grades of priests and the offices of levites, instituted for sacred functions, grew and developed. For after appointing chief priests to rule the people, you selected men of lesser degree and second rank to be their associates and their helpers. Thus in the desert you propagated Moses' spirit in the hearts of seventy judicious men, with whose help he was enabled to govern easily the countless multitude. Thus too you imbued Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, with the abundant graces of their father, in order to assure a sufficient number of priests for the offering of saving sacrifices and the performance of the more common sacred rites. By the same providence, O Lord, you gave the apostles of your Son associate teachers of the faith, and by their help as preachers of a second rank the apostles made their voice heard to the ends of the earth. Therefore, we beg you, Lord, to support us in our weakness with similar helpers, for inasmuch as we are weaker, so much the more we stand in need of them.
The Essential Form
At this point the bishop interrupts the chant and recites the following words, which constitute the essential form of the sacrament:
Almighty Father, we pray that you bestow on these servants of yours the dignity of the priesthood. Renew in their hearts the spirit of holiness, so that they may be steadfast in this second degree of the priestly office received from you, O God, and by their own lives suggest a rule of life to others.
Here the bishop resumes the chant of the rest of the preface:
May they be prudent fellow-workers in our ministry. May they shine in all the virtues, so that they will be able to give a good account of the stewardship entrusted to them. and finally attain the reward of everlasting blessedness.
The bishop recites the conclusion in a low voice, but loud enough to be heard by those near him:
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Investiture of the New Priests
Now the newly ordained priests go and kneel before the bishop one by one. The bishop is seated on the faldstool and is wearing the mitre. He takes the stole, until now worn by the newly ordained on the left shoulder, draws it over the right shoulder, and arranges it in the form of a cross over the chest (in the manner worn by a priest). As he does so he says to each one:
Take the yoke of the Lord, for His yoke is sweet and His burden light.
Next he invests each one with the chasuble, leaving it folded and pinned at the back but hanging down in front. As he does so he says:
Take the vestment of priesthood which signifies charity; for God is able to advance you in charity and in perfection.
To this the ordained adds: Thanks be to God.
The bishop rises, removes the mitre, and says the following prayer, during which all the others kneel:
O God, the source of all holiness, whose consecration is ever effective, whose blessing is ever fulfilled, pour out on these servants of yours, whom we now raise to the dignity of the priesthood, the gift of your blessing. By their noble and exemplary lives let them prove that they are really elders of the people, and true to the norms laid down by Paul to Timothy and Titus. Let them meditate on your law day and night, so that they may believe what they have read, and teach what they have believed, and practice what they have taught. May justice, constancy, mercy, courage, and all the other virtues be reflected in their every way of acting. May they inspire others by their example, and hearten them by their admonitions. May they keep pure and spotless the gift of their high calling. For the worship of your people may they change bread and wine into the body and blood of your Son by a holy consecration. May they through persevering charity mature "unto the perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ," and rise on the day of the just and eternal judgment of God with a good conscience, true faith, and the full gifts of the Holy Spirit. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
The bishop kneels, facing the altar, and intones the hymn, "Veni Creator" which is then continued by the choir (for the music see the music supplement):
Veni Creator
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our souls take up your rest;
Come with your grace and heavenly aid
To fill the hearts which you have made.
O Comforter, to you we cry,
You heavenly gift of God Most High,
You, fount of life and fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above.
You in your sevenfold gifts are known;
You, finger of God's hand we own;
You, promise of the Father, you
Who do the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our senses from above,
And make our hearts o'erflow with love;
With patience firm and virtue high
The weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
And grant us your peace instead;
So shall we not, with you for guide,
Turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may your grace on us bestow
The Father and the Son to know;
And you, through endless times confessed,
Of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
With you, O holy Comforter,
Henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.
The Anointing of Hands
After the first verse of the hymn the bishop rises and sits on the faldstool (wearing the mitre). He removes his gloves but puts the episcopal ring back on his finger. The gremiale is placed over his knees. The ordained come forward and one by one kneel before the bishop. He then takes the oil of catechumens and anoints both of their hands which they hold together palms upward. First he anoints the inside of the hands, tracing a cross from the thumb of the right hand to the index finger of the left, and from the thumb of the left hand to the index finger of the right. Next he anoints the entire palms. He says as he performs the anointings:
May it please you, O Lord, to consecrate and sanctify these hands by this anointing and our blessing.
All: Amen.
And having made the sign of the cross over the hands of the ordained he continues:
That whatever they bless may be blessed, and whatever they consecrate may be consecrated in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To the above form each of the ordained adds:
Amen.
Then the bishop closes or joins together the hands of the ordained. The latter, keeping his hands joined, goes to the side of the altar where one of the assistants of the bishop binds the consecrated hands together with a white cloth, leaving the fingers free. Each of the ordained goes back to his place. The bishop cleanses his fingers with a piece of bread.
Presentation of the Host and Chalice
The bishop now presents each of the ordained with a chalice containing wine and water and a paten upon it with a host. The ordained touches with the fore and middle fingers both the paten and the cur of the chalice. During this ceremony the bishop says:
Receive the power to offer sacrifice to God, and to celebrate Masses for the living and the dead, in the name of the Lord.
All: Amen.
Having cleansed his hands the bishop goes to the throne or to the faldstool at the epistle side. Mass is resumed with the singing of the last verse of the tract or sequence or alleluia verse.
Concelebration of the Mass
After the offertory antiphon the bishop puts on the mitre and is seated before the middle of the altar. The ordained come to the altar, and two by two kneel before the bishop and present him with a lighted candle, kissing his hand as they do so. After this they return to their places.
From now on all the newly ordained priests pray the Mass along with the bishop, saying all prayers aloud, even those usually said in a low voice. They receive the kiss of peace from the bishop at the usual time. At holy communion the ordained, before receiving the sacred host, say "Amen" to the formula and then kiss the bishop's ring.
After receiving communion they go to the epistle side of the altar to partake of some wine, not from the chalice which the bishop has consecrated, but from another containing ordinary wine. One of the assisting priests holds a chalice and a purificator in readiness for this purpose.
After taking the ablution and washing his hands, the bishop removes the mitre, stands at the epistle side, and intones the following responsories, which are continued by the choir (for the music see the music supplement):
Responsory
No longer do I call you servants * but my friends, for you have known all things I have wrought in your midst, (alleluia).*
Receive the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, within you. * It is He whom the Father will send to you, (alleluia).
V. You are my friends if you do the things that I command you. * Receive the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, within you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * It is He whom the Father will send to you, (alleluia).
The alleluia is omitted from Septuagesima to Easter.
Having said the responsory the bishop puts on the mitre, goes to the middle of the altar, and turns to the ordained. The latter now recite the Creed which is a summary of the faith they will henceforth preach:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell, the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The Commission to Absolve
When the Creed is finished the bishop sits on the faldstool at the middle of the altar (he is wearing the mitre). As the ordained kneel before him one by one, he places both his hands on the head of the ordained and says to each one:
Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
Then the bishop unfolds the chasuble, which the ordained has worn folded on his shoulders until now; and as he lets the chasuble drop at the back he says to each one:
The Lord clothe you with the robe of innocence.
The Promise of Obedience
Then each of the ordained comes again before the bishop, kneels and places his folded hands between the hands of the bishop. If the bishop is the Ordinary of the ordained he says to him:
Do you promise me and my successors reverence and obedience?
The priest replies: I promise.
But if the bishop is not the Ordinary of the newly ordained he says to him as he holds his hands (if he is a secular priest):
Do you promise reverence and obedience to the bishop who is your Ordinary for the time being? R: I promise.
Or he says to a priest of a religious order:
Do you promise reverence and obedience to the prelate who is your Ordinary for the time being? R: I promise.
Then the bishop, still holding the newly ordained's hands within his own, kisses him on the right cheek, saying:
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
The ordained responds: Amen.
Admonition and Blessing
Afterward when the ordained have returned to their place, the bishop sits down, puts on the mitre, takes the crozier, and addresses the ordained as follows:
My dear sons, as the office you are undertaking is hazardous enough, I admonish you, before you begin to celebrate Mass, to learn carefully from other experienced priests the ritual of the whole Mass--the consecration, the breaking of the host, and the communion.
The bishop rises, and retaining the mitre and crozier, blesses the priests who kneel before him, saying in a loud voice:
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come upon you, that you may be blessed in the priestly order, and may offer for the sins and transgressions of the people appeasing sacrifices to almighty God, to whom be honor and glory forever and ever.
All: Amen.
At the end of Mass the bishop gives the pontifical blessing in the usual way:
B: Blessed be the name of the Lord.
All: Now and forevermore.
B: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth.
B: May almighty God bless you, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Final Exhortation
The bishop sits down and speaks a final word to the ordained, saying:
My dear sons, ponder well the order you have taken and the burden laid on your shoulders. Strive to lead a holy and devout life, and to please almighty God, that you may obtain His grace. May He in His kindness deign to bestow it on you.
Now that you have been ordained to the priesthood, may I ask you, after you have offered your first Mass, to celebrate three other Masses, namely, one in honor of the Holy Spirit, a second in honor of blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, and a third for the faithful departed. I ask you also to pray to almighty God for me.
Mass is concluded as usual.
PART IX. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS AND LITANY OF THE SAINTS
These are used on a number of occasions, for example, as prayers for the sick, especially during the administration of the last sacraments.
Antiphon: Do not call to mind, Lord, our offenses or those of our parents; * nor take retribution on our sins.
P: Lord, reprove me not in your anger, * nor chastise me in your wrath.
All: Have pity on me, Lord, for I am languishing; * heal me, Lord, for my body is in terror;
P: My soul, too, is utterly terrified; * but you, O Lord, how long
All: Return, O Lord, save my life; * rescue me because of your kindness,
P: For among the dead no one remembers you; * in the nether world who gives you thanks?
All: I am wearied with sighing; every night I flood my bed with weeping; * I drench my couch with my tears.
P: My eyes are dimmed with sorrow; * they have aged because of all my foes.
All: Depart from me, all evildoers, * for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping;
P: The Lord has heard my plea; * the Lord has accepted my prayer.
All: All my enemies shall be put to shame in utter terror; * they shall fall back in sudden shame.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
P: Happy is he whose fault is taken away, * whose sin is covered.
All: Happy the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, * in whose spirit there is no guile.
P: As long as I would not speak, my bones wasted away * with my groaning all the day.
All: For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; * my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
P: Then I acknowledged my sin to you, * I did not conceal my guilt.
All: I said, "I confess my faults to the Lord," * and you took away the guilt of my sin.
P: For this shall every faithful man pray to you * in time of stress.
All: Though deep waters overflow, * they shall not reach him.
P: You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; * with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
All. I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk; * I will counsel you, keeping my eye on you.
P: Be not senseless like horses or mules; with bit and bridle their temper must be curbed, * else they will not come near you.
All: Many are the sorrows of the wicked, * but kindness surrounds him who trusts in the Lord.
P: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just; * exult, all you upright of heart.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 37
P: Lord, in your anger punish me not, * in your wrath chastise me not;
All: For your arrows have sunk deep in me, * and your hand has come down upon me.
P: There is no health in my flesh because of your indignation; * there is no wholeness in my bones because of my sin,
All: For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; * they are like. a heavy burden, beyond my strength.
P: Noisome and festering are my sores * because of my folly,
All: I am stooped and bowed down profoundly; * I go all day in mourning,
P: For my loins are filled with burning pains; * there is no health in my flesh.
All: I am numbed and severely crushed; * I roar with anguish of heart.
P: O Lord, all my desire is before you; * my groaning is not hid from you.
All: My heart throbs; my strength forsakes me; * the very light of my eyes has failed me.
P: My friends and my companions stand back because of my affliction; * my neighbors stand afar off.
All: Men lay snares for me seeking my life; they look to my misfortune, they speak of ruin, * treachery they talk of all the day.
P: But I am like a deaf man, hearing not, * like a dumb man who opens not his mouth.
All: I am become like a man who neither hears * nor has in his mouth a retort.
P: Because for you, Lord, I wait; * you, Lord my God, will answer
All: When I say, "Let them not be glad on my account * who, when my foot slips, glory over me."
P: For I am very near to falling, * and my grief is with me always.
All: Indeed, I acknowledge my guilt; * I grieve over my sin.
P: But my undeserved enemies are strong; * many are my foes without cause.
All: Those who repay evil for good * harass me for pursuing good.
P: Forsake me not, Lord; * my God, be not far from me.
All: Make haste to help me, * O Lord, my salvation!
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 50
P: Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; * in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
All: Thoroughly wash me from my guilt * and cleanse me of my sin.
P: For I acknowledge my offense, * and my sin is before me always:
All: "Against you only have I sinned, * and done what is evil in your sight,"
P: That you may be justified in your sentence, * vindicated when you condemn.
All: Indeed, in guilt was I born, * and in sin my mother conceived me;
P: See, you are pleased with sincerity of heart, * and in my inmost being you teach me wisdom.
All: Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; * wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
P: Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; * the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
All: Turn away your face from my sins, * and blot out all my guilt.
P: A clean heart create for me, O God, * and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
All: Cast me not out from your presence, * and take not your holy spirit from me.
P: Give me back the joy of your salvation, * and sustain a willing spirit within me.
All: I will teach transgressors your ways, * and sinners shall return to you.
P: Free me from blood guilt, God, my saving God; * then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
All: Lord, open my lips, * and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
P: For you are not pleased with sacrifices; * should I offer a holocaust, you would not accept it.
All: My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; * a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
P: Be bountiful, Lord, to Sion in your kindness * rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
All: Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts; * then shall they offer up bullocks on your altar.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 101
P: O Lord, hear my prayer, * and let my cry come to you.
All: Hide not your face from me * in the day of my distress.
P: Incline your ear to me; * in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
All: For my days vanish like smoke, * and my bones burn like fire.
P: Withered and dried up like grass is my heart; * I forget to eat my bread.
All: Because of my insistent sighing * I am reduced to skin and bone.
P: I am like a desert pelican; * I have become like an owl among the ruins.
All: I am sleepless, and I moan; * I am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
P: All the day my enemies revile me; * in their rage against me they make a curse of me.
All: For I eat ashes like bread * and mingle my drink with tears.
P: Because of your fury and your wrath; * for you lifted me up only to cast me down.
All: My days are like a lengthening shadow, * and I wither like grass.
P: But you, Lord, abide forever, * and your name through all generations.
All: You will arise and have mercy on Sion, * for it is time to pity her, for the appointed time has come.
P: For her stones are dear to your servants, * and her dust moves them to pity.
All: And the nations shall revere your name, O Lord, * and all the kings of the earth your glory.
P: When the Lord has rebuilt Sion * and appeared in His glory;
All: When He has regarded the prayer of the destitute, * and not despised their prayer.
P: Let this be written for the generation to come, * and let His future creatures praise the Lord:
All: "The Lord looked down from His holy height, * from heaven He beheld the earth;
P: To hear the groaning of the prisoners, * to release those doomed to die,"
All: That the name of the Lord may be declared in Sion; * and His praise in Jerusalem,
P: When the peoples gather together, * and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
All: He has broken down my strength in the way; * he has cut short my days.
P: I say: O my God, take me not hence in the midst of my days; * through all generations your years endure.
All: Of old you established the earth, * and the heavens are the work of your hands.
P: They shall perish, but you remain * though all of them grow old like a garment.
All: Like clothing you change them, and they are changed, * but you are the same, and your years have no end.
P: The children of your servants shall abide, * and their posterity shall continue in your presence.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 129
P: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; * Lord, hear my voice!
All: Let your ears be attentive * to my voice in supplication:
P: If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
All: But with you is forgiveness, * that you may be revered.
P: I trust in the Lord; * my soul trusts in His word.
All: My soul waits for the Lord * more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
P: More than sentinels wait for the dawn, * let Israel wait for the Lord,
All: For with the Lord is kindness * and with Him is plenteous redemption;
P: And He will redeem Israel * from all their iniquities.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 142
P: Lord, hear my prayer; hearken to my pleading in your faithfulness; * in your justice answer me.
All: And enter not into judgment with your servant, * for before you no living man is just.
P: For the enemy pursues me; he has crushed my life to the ground; * he has left me dwelling in the dark, like those long dead.
All: And my spirit is faint within me, * my heart within me is appalled.
P: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all your doings, * the work of your hands I ponder.
All: I stretch out my hands to you; * my soul thirsts for you like parched land.
P: Hasten to answer me, Lord, * for my spirit fails me.
All: Hide not your face from me * lest I become like those who go down into the pit.
P: Let me feel your kindness without delay, * for in you I trust.
All: Show me the way in which I should walk, * for to you I lift up my soul.
P: Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, * for in you I hope.
All: Teach me to do your will, * for you are my God.
P: Your spirit is good; * may it guide me on level ground.
All: For your name's sake, Lord, preserve me; * in your mercy free me from distress.
P: And in your kindness destroy my enemies; bring to nought all my foes, * for I am your servant.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
Antiphon: Do not call to mind, Lord, our offenses or those of our parents; * nor take retribution on our sins.
LITANY OF THE SAINTS
{The Litany of the Saints is used in ordination, Forty Hours', processions, and other occasions. Both the Roman Ritual and the Roman Pontifical direct that the first three invocations be repeated. The music for this litany is given in the music supplement. The invocations are sung (or recited) by the chanters or the priest; the responses by all.}
P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P: Christ, hear us.
All: Christ, graciously hear us.
P: God, the Father in heaven.
All: Have mercy on us.
P: God, the Son, Redeemer of the world.
All: Have mercy on us.
P: God, the Holy Spirit.
All: Have mercy on us.
P: Holy Trinity, one God.
All: Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us, (After each invocation: "Pray for us.")
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
St. Michael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
All holy angels and archangels,
All holy orders of blessed spirits,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Joseph,
All holy patriarchs and prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. James,
St. James,
St. John,
St. Thomas,
St. James,
St. Philip,
St. Philip,
St. Bartholomew,
St. Matthew,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
All holy apostles and evangelists,
All holy disciples of the Lord,
All holy Innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
St. Lawrence,
St. Vincent,
SS. Fabian and Sebastian,
SS. John and Paul,
SS. Cosmas and Damian,
SS. Gervase and Protase,
All holy martyrs,
St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
St. Martin,
St. Nicholas,
All holy bishops and confessors,
All holy doctors,
St. Anthony,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
All holy priests and levites,
All holy monks and hermits,
St. Mary Magdalen,
St. Agatha,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
All holy virgins and widows,
P: All holy saints of God,
All: Intercede for us.
P: Be merciful,
All: Spare us, O Lord.
P: Be merciful,
All: Graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, deliver us, O Lord.* (After each invocation: "Deliver
us, O Lord."
From all sin,
From all sin,
From your wrath,
From sudden and unprovided death,
From the snares of the devil,
From anger, hatred, and all ill will,
From all lewdness,
From lightning and tempest,[1]
From the scourge of earthquakes,
From plague, famine, and war,[2]
{The following invocation is used only at Forty Hours': From dangers
that threaten us,}
From everlasting death,
By the mystery of your holy incarnation,
By your coming,
By your birth,
By your baptism and holy fasting,
By your cross and passion,
By your death and burial,
By your holy resurrection,
By your wondrous ascension,
By the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate,
On the day of judgment,
P: We sinners,
All: We beg you to hear us.
That you spare us, * (After each invocation: "We beg you to hear us.")
That you pardon us,
That you bring us to true penance,
That you govern and preserve your holy Church,
That you preserve our Holy Father and all ranks in the Church in holy
religion,
That you humble the enemies of holy Church,
That you give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers,
That you give peace and unity to the whole Christian world,
That you restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from
the truth, and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,
That you confirm and preserve us in your holy service,
That you lift up our minds to heavenly desires,
That you grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors,
That you deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives,
and benefactors from everlasting damnation,
That you give and preserve the fruits of the earth,[3]
That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,[4]
That you graciously hear us,
Son of God,
P: Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
All: Spare us, O Lord.
P: Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
All: Graciously hear us, O Lord.
P: Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
All: Have mercy on us.
P: Christ, hear us.
All. Christ, graciously hear us.
P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
P: Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
Psalm 69
P: Deign, O God, to rescue me; * O Lord, make haste to help me.
All: Let them be put to shame and confounded * who seek my life.
P: Let them be turned back in disgrace * who desire my ruin.
All: Let them retire in their shame * who say to me, "Aha, aha!"
P: But may all who seek you * exult and be glad in you,
All: And may those who love your salvation * say ever, "God be glorified!"
P: But I am afflicted and poor; * O God, hasten to me!
All: You are my help and my deliverer; * O Lord, hold not back!
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
After the psalm the celebrant (still kneeling) sings the following prayers in the ferial tone:
P: Save your servants.
All: Who trust in you, my God.
P: Let us find in you, Lord, a fortified tower.
All: In the face of the enemy.
P: Let the enemy have no power over us.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm us.
P: Lord, deal not with us as our sins deserve.
All: Nor take retribution on us on account of our sins.
P: Let us pray for our sovereign Pontiff N..
All: The Lord preserve him and renew his life, make him happy on earth, and deliver him from the ill will of his enemies.
P: Let us pray for our benefactors.
All: Lord, for the glory of your name, reward with everlasting life all those who do good to us.
P: Let us pray for the faithful departed.
All: Lord, grant them eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
P: May they rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: For our absent brethren.
All: Save your servants who trust in you, my God.
P: Lord, send them aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over them from Sion.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
The Collects for Forty Hours' are given in their proper place (see Forty Hours' Adoration).
Let us pray.
God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, accept our prayer that we and all your servants, bound by the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your loving kindness.
We beg you, Lord, hear the plea of your suppliants, pardon the sins of your penitents, and kindly grant us your tender forgiveness along with your peace.
Show us, O Lord, your indescribable mercy, blot out our transgressions, and graciously deliver us from the condemnation they deserve.
God, who are offended by our sins but appeased by our penances, may it please you to hear the entreaties of your people and to turn away the stripes that our transgressions rightly deserve.
Almighty everlasting God, be gracious to your servant, N., our sovereign Pontiff, and in your kindness lead him on the path of everlasting salvation; may he by your grace seek only that which pleases you and carry it out with all his might.
God, from whom come holy desires, right counsels, and good works, give to your servants that peace which the world cannot give; so that our hearts may be dedicated to the observance of your law, freed from fear of our enemies, and tranquil in the knowledge of your protection.
Lord, inflame our affections and our understanding with the fire of the Holy Spirit, that we may serve you with a chaste body and please you with a pure heart.
God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of your departed servants remission of all sins; and by our fervent prayers may they obtain the pardon they have always desired.
We beg you, Lord, let a breath of your grace prompt our undertakings and guide them along their course, so that our least prayer and work may ever begin in you and end in you.
Almighty everlasting God, Lord of both the living and the dead; deal mercifully with all whom you foresee shall be yours by faith and good works. Hear us, your lowly servants, and grant that those for whom we earnestly offer our prayers, whether this present world still detains them in the flesh or the world to come has already claimed their souls, may obtain pardon of all their sins, through your mercy and goodness and through the intercession of your saints. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
P: May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
All: Amen.
P: May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
All: Amen.
If the papacy is vacant, in place of the invocation "That you preserve our Holy Father and all ranks in the Church" etc., the invocation will be "That you preserve all ranks in the Church," etc. And the verse "Let us pray for our sovereign Pontiff, N.," together with its response and prayer is omitted.
ENDNOTES
1. In the procession for averting tempest this invocation is said twice.
2. In the procession in time of death and plague this invocation is said twice.
3. In the procession in time of famine and want this invocation is said twice (see Procession in Time of Famine).
4. In ordination the bishop rises at this point and inserts three special invocations (see Ordination of Priests).
In the blessing of a new church the priest rises here, and making the sign of the cross inserts a special invocation (see Blessing of a New Church or Public Oratory)
In the reconciliation of a profaned church--see Rite for Reconciling a Profanced Church.
In the reconciliation of a profaned cemetery--see Rite for Reconciling a Profaned Cemetary.
In the procession for petitioning rain--see Procession for Imploring Rain.
In the procession for petitioning calm weather--see Procession for Imploring Fair Weather.
In the procession in time of death and plague--see Procession in Time of Epidemic and Plague.
THE LITURGY FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
INTRODUCTION
The burial of one who has fallen asleep in Christ is in a certain sense a counterpart of his baptism. On the day of baptism he was brought into the house of God, his body alive but his soul dead in sin. Now, before being laid to rest, he returns for a last visit to the church edifice, the earthly image of the heavenly Jerusalem, his body a corpse but his soul gloriously alive in Christ through the bond of sanctifying grace.
It is truly meet and right and conducive to salvation that at all times and in all places we give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father everlasting God, through Christ our Lord. For in the death of your faithful life is merely changed not taken away, and when the shelter of this earthly sojourn falls asunder, an everlasting dwelling in heaven awaits them in reward.[1]
The fragile vessel which was the temple of an immortal soul, the body consecrated and sanctified along with the soul through baptism and the other sacraments, is worthy of honor and respect in death as it was in life. For its committal to the earth is nothing less than the planting of a seed from which will come forth a glorified body on the day of resurrection. At the moment of its departure the soul wings its way to the presence of Him by whom it was fashioned, either to share immediately in the splendor of the beatific vision, or to be detained in a place of purification. However, a disembodied soul in the light of what constitutes human nature, is something incomplete, and it requires for unending perfection and happiness an eventual reunion with its onetime earthly abode. Without faith in purgatory as the state of purification, without faith in man's everlasting transfiguration, without faith in a corruptible body being revivified an incorruptible one, we could not understand the suffrages and ceremonies of the Catholic funeral service. The blessing of the corpse, the prayers, and the Requiem Mass must be seen for what they are, help to the departed Christian given by the communion of saints of which he is a member.
Christian burial--the Office, Mass of Requiem, and interment--is charged throughout in the highest degree with optimism and confidence. Such optimism and hope in the face of death can be appreciated only if one understands the mind of the Church in regard to the passing of her children. One of the finest treatises on the subject is Eugene Walter's "Die Herrlichkeit des Christlichen Sterbens." Although no attempt can be made to summarize the work, we borrow here from its inspiring contents. Death is a summons from God, our almighty sovereign, not when we but when He wills it. In the realization that death is under His dominion, faith begins to triumph and to break out into song: "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"[2] It is true that death has come upon man as one of the penalties for sin: "For by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead."[3] Yet even this penalty can be viewed in our favor more as an opportunity for penance than as a punishment for sin. Adam's fall and our continued transgressions have their malice mainly in the fact that they are a turning away from God toward creatures, a preferring of the handiwork to the Creator. Death once again sets matters in the right order, since it is a complete separation from creature goods, but above all a return to God.
In dying man gives back obedience to God. Death affords man the greatest possibility of making satisfaction for his disobedience. Even in awaiting death there is an opportunity to show obedience to the Almighty's decrees, and the longer one must wait for the sentence to become effective, the more the merit of obedience. While he awaits the end of this life, confidence in Christ increases on the part of one who is baptized: "Neither death, nor life...nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord."[4] Death becomes the complete attainment of his oneness with the divine head. In dying we can imitate Christ in all things, so that after "we suffer with Him we may be also glorified with Him."[5] Homage is rendered to the death of our Lord in all the sacramental worship of the Church, particularly in the eucharistic re-enactment of His sacrifice. Honor to the cross is given, moreover, by the acceptance of our cross as it bears down its heavy weight upon us in the course of life. By these means we "put on Christ," we increase the stature of our "being in Christ." But we honor Him, we imitate Him best, we enter into full possession of Christ especially at the moment of death, when our union with Him through grace gives place to the glory of possessing Him wholly, of seeing Him face to face The life of a Christian is an enduring sacrifice which is brought to its consummation only in death. In dying the member of Christ partakes of His atoning death, wherein are embraced all His faithful followers; therefore, death is more than a consoling thing--it is a holy thing. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."[6] To follow Him unto death is to follow Him unto glory. "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality."[7]
This lofty view which the Church has of death is reflected in the service of laying to rest the bodies of her departed children. From earliest times the Church was most energetic in her efforts "gradually to draw its adherents away from all those funeral customs which were incompatible with its own teaching on this matter."[8] In contrast to the pagan concept of death as the final and irrevocable episode of human existence, our Savior had proposed to the world a new concept of death. For the body it is a sleep, as Christ said of his friend, Lazarus, a sleep while awaiting its final resurrection. "Death for Christians is not death," says St. Jerome, "but a slumber and a passing sleep."[9] We remember our beloved dead in Mass, referring to them "who have gone before us with the sign of faith and who sleep the sleep of peace."
For the soul death is not the end but a birth, a summons to a new existence. Thus St. Cyprian, in preaching about the mortality of man, found it necessary to admonish his people: "It has been made known to us again and again that we should not mourn over our brethren who have been delivered from this world by the summons of the Lord. For we ought to know that they are not lost to us but that they have been sent on ahead of us, that they have departed before us in order to live with God."[10] In respect of the last obsequies he is prompted to add: "Let us give no occasion to the gentiles, lest they deservedly and justly reprove us when we mourn as lost and obliterated those who we say are alive with Christ. For by such manifestation of the heart and the breast we deny the faith that we declare by word of mouth. In acting thus our hope and our faith become a sham, and our words seem to have the ring of pretense, insincerity, and counterfeit."[11]
The spirit of Christian faith, confidence, and joy in the face of death is immediately apparent in the burial rite of infants who have died in the state of baptismal innocence. At their passing the ritual directs that the church bells should not be tolled, but should be rung in festive tone. Around their bodies are placed flowers or fragrant herbs or greens, in token of integrity and virginal purity. The psalms chosen for the rite are delightful songs of praise and thanksgiving, and the prayers speak only of the happiness and bliss which fall to their lot among the saints and the elect in the celestial kingdom. Provided the newborn babe or child of tender age and sinless life has received the purifying waters of baptism, it has accomplished the purpose for which it came into being--to be added to the number of God's adorers in heaven--and when its Maker calls home the soul, there can be only rejoicing over the fact that its eternal goal has been reached. Yet besides the glory of innocence there is the glory of combat, the glory of those who have borne the heat and the burden of living; albeit they have not emerged from the battle of life free from the wounds of sin. God, who is the lover and the rewarder of innocence, is at the same time the most merciful pardoner of guilt. He is the kind Father, desiring that none who believes and trusts in Him should perish.
We appreciate readily enough the manifestation of God's kindness when He forthwith bestows everlasting life on baptized children as soon as they leave this world, without any merit of their own. A corresponding mildness and utter generosity on His part in dealing with departed sinners is discernible in the burial rite for adults, although this is to some extent obscured by the grim character of certain prayers in the Requiem Mass and Office added in the course of the Middle Ages. The Church found it necessary as time went on to sound a somber note in the liturgy of the dead--notably by the addition of the "Dies Irae" and the legislation of black vestments--because men had grown too preoccupied with this life. Thus she used the occasion to rouse them from such spiritual sluggishness, and the grim aspects of death were brought into the foreground. She justified the new attitude, however, without giving up the joyful and festive character of former ages. Both tendencies persist in the funeral office as we have it today, yet it is to be feared that the more serious and threatening notes have captured the imagination of our people, rather than the ones which resound with joy, peace, and victory.
It must be emphasized for our Catholic people that if, as they know and believe, the private suffrages of the faithful are of profit to the departed, how much more are the prayers of the Whole Christ, when the Church through her sacrifice and petitions comes to their assistance in the solemnity of her public worship. Christ and His entire mystical body, the communion of saints, the whole heavenly Jerusalem is present at the death of the baptized. In the sacrament of last anointing first of all, and then in the rite of the apostolic blessing at the hour of death and in the act of commending to God a departing soul, Christ, with His saving suffering and death, stands by to heal the servants whom the true faith and Christian hope commend, graciously to grant pardon and remission of all sin, to act in the role of a merciful judge to the soul at the hour of its departure, to cleanse it from every stain in His blood.
By means of the last rites and the funeral liturgy, we learn that death, which before could be only a punishment, is turned into a sacrifice through its union with Calvary's: "It is consummated." In union with the Christ of Calvary, man, by surrendering his soul, helps to repay humanity's debt. After the soul is born aloft to the bosom of the patriarchs, the body of a Christian, like the body of Christ which in death remained hypostatically united to the divine Word, remains organically incorporated in the mystical body of the Savior, and contains in itself the seed of glory. Therefore, the liturgy refers to the faithful departed in living terminology: "repose in the sleep of peace," "rest in Christ," "the bodies of the saints are laid away in peace, and their names shall live forever." In the Eucharist the body has received the seed of everlasting life.
When death has come the preparation of the body of the deceased ought to take place in a manner befitting so sacred a thing. All manner of worldly display should be absent, so that this corporal work of mercy can be carried out in a spirit of true piety. On whom should this duty devolve if not on the surviving members of the family themselves? Nobody is more suited to this last act of love than they. We might shrink today from imitating Christians of early times in certain practices which accompanied the laying out of the body: catching the last breath with the mouth, bestowing the kiss of peace on the brow, placing the Eucharist in the mouth of the corpse (now absolutely forbidden), washing the body with milk, honey, and wine--all of which was at variance with the Jewish tradition that defilement resulted from contact with a dead body.
Yet there are duties and ministrations to the treasured remains that ought to be accepted without reluctance by relatives and friends: closing the eyes and mouth, arranging the members in a fitting posture, fixing the hands in the form of a cross or placing a crucifix in the hands, washing the corpse and clothing it in its shroud, arranging that the church bells be tolled to announce the departure and to beg prayers of the neighboring community. Happily there still are groups, at least the clergy and religious orders, who regard this office as their own and fulfill it in a spirit of respect and obligation. Certainly it is not proper that it be given over entirely to morticians. A little more concern is in order as to what lengths that profession will be allowed to go. It is nothing if not grotesque to see a dead person painted and rouged, as though about to trip out before the footlights in a danse macabre; and how preposterous to equip a corpse with spectacles (even a lorgnette). While the body lies in state there ought to prevail an atmosphere breathing peace and joy, hope, and resurrection. Nearby should be a crucifix, lighted candles around the body as a reminder that in life he knew the light of Christ and is now to possess it in the beatific vision, and floral decorations in number and arrangement consonant with good taste.
During the time of the wake there should be concern above all for the departed soul, with the Office for the Dead recited either in its official form or in an abbreviated and simplified vernacular, or suitable readings from Sacred Scripture and the rosary service.
From the third century onward there is testimony for the liturgical custom of chanting psalms when carrying the dead to burial, as well as for the offering of Mass on the day of demise or funeral, and on the third, seventh, and thirtieth days after death and on the anniversary. The burial rite of today is found in its essentials in the fourth century,[12] consisting of: (1) the preparation of the corpse and the vigil of players while waking the body; (2) procession from the home to the church; (3) worship in church with the body present; (4) procession to the cemetery and interment. However, an organized Office for the Dead dates only from the eighth century; its texts and rubrics are given in an antiphonary of St. Peter's and in the "Ordines Romani." Because it was the teaching of some that the particular judgment takes place at once at the place where the person expires, the prayer which follows was said immediately: "Come in haste to assist him, you saints of God. Come in haste to meet him, you angels of the Lord. Receive his soul, and offer it in the sight of the Most High. May Christ receive you...and may the angels lead you to Abraham's bosom." Thereupon came the preparation for burial referred to above.
Battifol, when describing the transferal of the remains for the final obsequies, quotes from an ancient source how this was one in Rome:
The body of the departed is brought in the evening to the basilica of St. Peter. Amid the tolling of bells they cross the forecourt of the church, and stop at the threshold of that one of its five doors which is called the "Gate of Jerusalem," because it is the door of the dead. There they chant "Miserere" with these two antiphons: "Thou Who knowest the secrets of all hearts, cleanse thou me from sin. Grant me time to cry in penitence: 'Against thee have I sinned.' Bring him, in O Lord, to the mountain of their inheritance, even to the sanctuary which thine hands have prepared, O Lord." The door is opened, the body brought in, and the office begins. It is a vigil, and includes, as every vigil should, vespers, three nocturns, and lauds. It is the Roman Office in its purest state--no hymn, no short lesson.[13]
The burial service reaches its climax in the Mass of Requiem. In the sacrifice of Christ made present in the Eucharist, the redemptive mysteries are brought to the soul, endowing it with full salvation and transfiguration. Evidence of a funeral Mass exists as early as the second century. The texts of the Requiem are certainly very ancient, except for the "Dies Irae," and they have a joyful and festive character which is carried over into their musical settings. It is necessary to bear in mind that, just as on the feast days of the saints, the Church in the funeral Mass is commemorating the day of demise, in fact, the hour of the coming of the Lord. The coming of the Lord in the Eucharist-sacrifice is joined with His coming at the hour of death and His coming on the last day. So infinite in power are the effects of the Mass, that when it is over the Church can envision the departed in full possession of eternal glory. Thus the procession to the grave is regarded as a festive entrance into Paradise, symbolized by the hymn that is sung when the body is carried out.
The final rite of Christian burial is the interment. The body is laid to rest in consecrated ground among the "saints" who are fallen asleep in Christ. Before it is given to the earth, the grave is blessed, provided the cemetery has not received consecration, or if the grave is not an excavation in the ground but a special tomb or mausoleum. In the course of this blessing God is besought to appoint one of His holy angels to stand watch over the grave, to guard it for all time against desecration. The service of entombment is brought to a beautiful conclusion in the singing of the "Benedictus," the morning-song of redemption uttered by Zachary at the birth of John the Baptist, in acknowledgment of the coming Redeemer. Here in an accommodated sense it proves to be a song of anticipation and longing for the Lord's second coming. At the same time the Church sings a canticle of solemn thanksgiving to God for all the rich graces granted the departed from the cradle to the grave, for the strength received to fight the enemies of salvation, along with an earnest supplication that he may enter into the peace and rest of everlasting glory. Like the rising sun in the east, the Lord appears in the distance in all power and majesty to bring light to him who sleeps in the shadow of the grave. Therefore, it is a tradition practically as old as the Church to bury the body with its feet pointing toward the east. In all confidence that the deceased has departed this life in the charity of Christ and that his body will arise transfigured on judgment day, the hymn concludes with the antiphon: "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me, although he be dead. shall live; and every one that lives and believes in me shall never die."
PART X. THE LITURGY FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
CHAPTER I: GENERAL RULES FOR CHRISTIAN BURIAL
1. The sacred ceremonies and usages which holy Mother Church is wont to follow in the burial of her children, coming down to us as they do from very ancient tradition and the enactments of the popes, must be observed and adhered to with all diligence by the pastors; for they are the bearers of true religious mysteries and signs of Christian piety, as well as most salutary intercessory prayers for the faithful departed.
2. Whenever priests perform this office let them do so with proper demeanor and devotion, so that the people may view these sacred rites for what they really are--introduced for the spiritual welfare of the departed and likewise for the edification of the living, and not as emolument for the clergy.
3. Nobody should be interred, especially in case of sudden demise, until a suitable time has elapsed, so as to preclude all doubt about death having really set in.
4. Except for a weighty reason, the bodies of the faithful, before they are interred, must be brought from where they lie in state into the church, where the obsequies are to be held according to the full ritual of burial, as prescribed by the approved liturgical books.
5. The church to which the corpse should be taken for the funeral is, by ordinary right, the deceased's own parish church, unless he had chosen another for a valid reason or some extraordinary privilege determines otherwise. If the deceased had membership in more than one parish, the church for the funeral is to be reckoned as the one in whose confines he died.
6. Whenever there is a question about the right of some other church, the right to the funeral of the proper parish church must always prevail.
7. As established of old, whenever possible the practice must be retained of celebrating Mass for the deceased with the body present, before it is laid to rest.
8. The funeral Mass for the departed can be celebrated even on a feast of higher rank or on a Sunday, as long as it does not interfere with the parochial or conventual Mass or the Divine Office, nor in any way impede some solemn celebration as prescribed by the rubrics of the missal.[1]
9. It is utterly forbidden on the occasion of final obsequies or interment or on the anniversary of the dead to exact more than the diocesan tax stipulates.
10. Since it is an ancient custom of the Church to carry lighted candles in funeral processions and during the exequies, let pastors and other priests take heed lest this practice be omitted, and at the same time be on their guard against anything that savors of avarice, as well as any other unseemliness in this connection.
11. The poor who at death are destitute or leave behind very little, so that they cannot be buried with the usual outlay, should be given a decent funeral and burial wholly gratis, with obsequies as prescribed by the liturgical rules and by diocesan statutes. If necessary, let the priests who have the care of the aforesaid provide out of their own pockets for the candles usually used, or let some pious confraternity do so if such exists, as local usage warrants.
12. A deceased priest or any cleric should, if possible, be clothed in his accustomed apparel, including the cassock, and over this the sacerdotal or clerical vestment proper to his rank; and everyone should wear the tonsure and biretta.
13. A priest especially, in addition to the cassock, should be vested in amice, alb, cincture, maniple, stole, and purple chasuble.
14. A deacon should be vested in amice, alb, cincture, maniple, stole (worn over the left shoulder and fastened below the right armpit), and purple dalmatic.
15. A subdeacon should be vested in amice, alb, cincture, maniple, and purple tunic.
16. All other clerics in lesser orders ought to be vested in surplice worn over the cassock.
17. Clerics should not act as pallbearers for a layman, no matter what his rank or dignity may have been.
18. The bodies of the dead are to be placed in church with the feet toward the main altar; or if the exequies are held in an oratory or chapel they are placed with the feet toward its altar. The same applies to entombment, insofar as place and location permit. The bodies of priests, however, are placed with head toward the altar.
19. Neither altar antependia nor other altar ornaments may be used to decorate the bier or catafalque.
20. The bodies of the faithful are to be interred in a cemetery properly blessed. Each parish ought to have its own cemetery, unless one in common for several parishes has been lawfully designated by the Ordinary.
21. Wherever it is possible, the graves of priests and other clerics should be separate from those of the laity, and located in some more prominent part of the cemetery. Moreover, if it can be arranged conveniently, there should be one for priests and another for the lesser ministers of the Church.
22. The bodies of the dead should not be interred in a church, except in the cases of resident bishops, abbots, or prelates nullius who are to be given burial in their own church, or likewise the Roman pontiff, royal personages, or cardinals.
23. No corpse should be deposited below the altar. Bodies which are entombed near the altar must be at a distance of at least one meter (40 in.); otherwise it is not allowed to celebrate Mass at the altar until the corpse has been removed.
24. For the rest, no Christian who has died in communion with the faithful should be buried outside a church or a cemetery properly blessed. In some instances where necessity compels a temporary departure from this rule, care should be taken as soon as possible that the remains be transferred to consecrated ground, if this is at all feasible. Until this occurs, a cross should be erected at the head of the grave in every case, to show that the one here interred has fallen asleep in Christ.
25. Furthermore, it is not allowed to exhume a body which has been given permanent ecclesiastical interment in any place, except with the Ordinary's permission.
Denial of Christian Burial
1. A pastor ought to know precisely who are to be excluded from Christian burial according to Church law, lest any such ever be admitted thereto contrary to the decrees of the sacred canons.
2. Persons who depart this life without baptism are not to be allowed Christian burial. Yet catechumens who die without baptism through no fault of their own are to be treated the same as the baptized.
3. The following are to be denied Christian burial, unless before death they manifested some sign of repentance:
(a) persons reckoned as notorious apostates from the Christian faith, and persons who were notorious for belonging to a heretical or schismatical sect, or to the Masonic sect, or to other societies of the same kind;
(b) persons excommunicated or interdicted after a declaratory or condemnatory sentence;
(c) those who committed suicide with full deliberation;
(d) those who died in a duel or from a wound received in a duel;
(e) those who ordered their body to be cremated;
(f) other public and overt sinners.
If any doubt exists in regard to the cases mentioned above, the Ordinary should be consulted if time permits; and if a doubt still remains, the body should be given ecclesiastical burial, yet so that all scandal is precluded.
4. Those who are deprived of ecclesiastical burial must also be denied the funeral Mass and even the Mass of anniversary, as well as other public obsequies.
CHAPTER II: RITE FOR BURIAL OF ADULTS
1. At the time designated for taking the remains to church, the clergy are called together, as well as others who should take part in the obsequies. All assemble in the parish church or in another church, as local custom determines. As soon as the bells sound the signal in the usual manner of the locality, the pastor, vested in surplice and black stole or, as the case may be, wearing also a cope of the same color, and preceded by a cleric carrying the cross and another the holy water, goes in company of the others to the home of the deceased. Here candles are distributed and the torches are lighted.
Meanwhile all is arranged for the procession. The lay confraternities (if such are present) go first, followed by the regular and secular clergy according to their rank. Led by the cross they walk two by two, chanting in devout manner the psalms given below. The pastor walks before the hearse with its burning torches. Behind the hearse come the rest of the mourners, devoutly praying in silence for the departed.
2. Previous to removing the body, the pastor sprinkles it with holy water, then at once begins (without chant) the following:
Antiphon: If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
Psalm 129
P: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; * Lord, hear my voice!
All: Let your ears be attentive * to my voice in supplication:
P: If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
All: But with you is forgiveness, ' that you may be revered.
P: I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
All: My soul waits for the Lord * more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
P: More than sentinels wait for the dawn, * let Israel wait for the Lord.
All: For with the Lord is kindness * and with Him is plenteous redemption;
P: And He will redeem Israel * from all their iniquities.
All: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
P: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
Antiphon: If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
The rite given above, if it has not been carried out in the home or mortuary, takes place in the vestibule of the church.
Procession to the Church
As the body is being carried out of the home, the pastor, walking ahead, intones in a clear voice the following antiphon:
Antiphon: The bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
The chanters begin psalm 50, which is carried on alternately by the clergy. This psalm is given elsewhere; but the ending "Glory be to the Father," etc., is changed to "Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest," etc.
3. On entering the church the antiphon is repeated:
Antiphon: The bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
As the body is being carried into the church the following responsory is sung, the chanters intoning it and the clergy alternating with them as indicated (see the music for this in the music supplement):
Responsory During the Procession
Come in haste to assist him (her), * you saints of God; Come in haste to meet him (her), you angels of the Lord. * Enfold in your arms this soul, * and take your burden heavenwards to the sight of the Most High.
V. May Christ receive you, for it was He who called you; And may angels carry you unto Abraham's bosom.
R: Enfold in your arms this soul, * and take your burden heavenwards to the sight of the Most High.
V. Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Take your burden heavenwards to the sight of the Most High.
4. The coffin is placed in the middle of the aisle, arranged so that the feet (unless the deceased is a priest) of the corpse are toward the main altar; in the case of a priest the head is placed toward the altar. Lighted candles are put around the body. If nothing hinders it the Office for the Dead follows immediately, with invitatory, three nocturns, and Lauds; and the antiphons are said in full before and after the respective psalm.
But if the Office for the Dead and the Mass of Requiem are not to take place immediately on bringing the remains into church, but are to follow later in the day or on the next day, then as soon as the responsory has been sung these prayers are added: "Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father," etc., with versicles and the oration as given below in no. 5, using the short conclusion "through Christ our Lord. R. Amen," and concluding with "Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest. R. And let perpetual light shine upon him (her). V. May he (she) rest in peace. R. Amen."
5. At the end of the Office for the Dead, having repeated the antiphon of the Canticle of Zachary (or if Lauds is omitted after the nocturn or nocturns of Matins), all kneel while the following prayers are chanted:
Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord.
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
We beg you, O Lord, to absolve the soul of your servant, N., from every bond of his (her) sins, so that in the glorious resurrection he (she) may be awakened to new life in the company of your saints and your elect. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
If the deceased is a priest one adds the word priest after his name Or another appropriate oration may be selected from those given under Rite for Burial of Adults. If this oration does not immediately precede the burial service or the Mass or the absolution, then one adds the versicles "Lord, grant," etc., udner Prayers at a Wake.
All orations during the exequies and Office for the Dead are chanted in the ferial tone, i.e., without inflections, or in another ferial tone ad libitum. The longer conclusion for the orations is used only in Mass and in the Office; at all other times the shorter one.
6. During the chanting of Lauds the priest and the ministrants repair to the sacristy at the proper time to vest for the solemn celebration of Mass, which will be the one for the day of burial as found in the Missal.
Absolution at the End of Mass
7. At the end of Mass the celebrant lays aside the chasuble and maniple at the epistle side of the altar, and puts on a black cope. The deacon and subdeacon retain their vestments, with the exception of the maniple. The subdeacon takes the cross and goes to the bier preceded by two acolytes, one carrying the thurible and incense boat, the other the holy water with aspersory. He takes his place at the head of the corpse, standing between two acolytes or candle bearers who are holding candlesticks with lighted candles. The rest of the clergy follow him in the order of their rank, all holding lighted candles, and arrange themselves in a circle around the bier. The celebrant comes last, accompanied by the deacon on his left. After making the reverence to the altar he takes his place at the foot of the corpse, facing the cross. Behind him to the left are the two acolytes, the one with thurible and incense boat, the other with holy water and aspersory. As the deacon holds the book for him the celebrant (with hands folded) says the following prayer without any introductory word. No change of forms is made even though the prayer is being said for several deceased or for a woman:
Lord, do not call your servant to account; for no one can stand guiltless in your presence unless you grant him forgiveness of all his sins. Therefore, we pray, that in passing judgment you will not let your sentence fall heavily on one who is commended to you by the sincere prayer of Christian faith. But with the help of your grace may this servant, who during life was sealed with the sign of the Blessed Trinity, be found worthy of escaping the doom of your vengeance. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Responsory
Responsory
Deliver me, O Lord, * from everlasting death on that dread day, When the heavens and the earth are to be stirred;
R. When you shall come to judge the world by fire.
V. I am overcome by fear and foreboding when I ponder the scrutiny and the wrath which is to come. * When the heavens and the earth are to be stirred.
V. That day, the day of wrath, of mortal ruin and fearful wailing, the day of dread and exceeding vengeance.
R. When you shall come to judge the world by fire.
V. Lord, grant them eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
All: Deliver me, O Lord, from everlasting death on that dread day, When the heavens and the earth are to be stirred; When you shall come to judge the world by fire.
9. While the first part of the responsory is being repeated, the celebrant assisted by the deacon takes incense from the boat and puts it into the thurible, blessing it in the usual way. At the end of the responsory the first choir sings:
Lord, have mercy.
The second choir responds: Christ, have mercy.
And all together sing: Lord, have mercy.
10. The priest then intones in a clear voice "Our Father."
All continue to say it inaudibly. Meanwhile the priest receives the aspersory from the deacon, and goes around the coffin sprinkling it with holy water, three times on the left and the same on the right, assisted by the deacon who walks to his right, holding the front hem of the cope. In passing before the altar and the cross which is opposite him the priest makes a profound bow, while the deacon genuflects; but if the Blessed Sacrament is present he genuflects in passing the altar. Returning to his original position he receives the thurible with the aid of the deacon, and in the same manner as before goes around the coffin incensing the body. Then returning the thurible he stands at his place, and with hands folded chants the following (the deacon holds the book open for him):
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell
All: Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord.
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, we humbly entreat you for the soul of your servant, N., who at your bidding has today departed this world; do not deliver him (her) into the enemy's hands, or put him (her) out of mind forever, but bid your holy angels to welcome him (her) and lead him (her) home to Paradise. Let him (her) not undergo the pains of hell, for he (she) put his (her) hope and trust in you, but let him (her) have the joy that knows no ending; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
If the deceased is a priest, the following is said in the above prayer:"...the soul of your servant, N., your priest.
11. If interment is to take place at this time the body is taken to the grave. As the procession is leaving the church the clergy sing the antiphon which follows; or if removal of the body is delayed the antiphon is sung now at any rate. (For the music see the music supplement.)
Antiphon
May the angels lead you into Paradise; May the martyrs receive you at your coming, And take you to Jerusalem, the holy city. May the choir of angels be there to welcome you. And may you, with the once poor Lazarus, have everlasting rest.
At the Grave
12. On reaching the grave the priest blesses it, if it is not yet blessed, saying:
Let us pray.
God, by whose mercy the souls of the faithful have rest, may it please you to bless this grave and to appoint your holy angel to watch over it. Release from all bondage of sin the soul of him (her) who is buried here, so that along with your saints he (she) may ever find lasting joy in you; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
13. He sprinkles the corpse and the grave with holy water and incenses them. If the grave is already blessed, this blessing is omitted, as well as the sprinkling and incensation of the corpse and grave.
14. Even though the remains are not taken to the grave at this time (see no. 11 above), nevertheless, the priest carries out the following part, and it must never be omitted. He intones the antiphon and the rest is taken up by the choir (see the music for this in the music supplement):
Antiphon: I am the resurrection * and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies; and no one that lives and believes in me shall be dead forever.
Canticle of Zachary
Luke 1.68-79
P: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! * He has visited His people and brought about its redemption.
All: He has raised for us a stronghold of salvation * in the house of David His servant,
P: And redeemed the promise He had made * through the mouth of His holy prophets of old--
All: To grant salvation from our foes * and from the hand of all that hate us;
P: To deal in mercy with our fathers * and be mindful of His holy covenant,
All: Of the oath He had sworn to our father Abraham, that He would enable us--
P: Rescued from the clutches of our foes-- * to worship Him without fear,
All: In holiness and observance of the Law, * in His presence, all our days.
P: And you, my little one, will be hailed 'Prophet of the Most High'; * for the Lord's precursor you will be to prepare His ways;
All:. You are to impart to His people knowledge of salvation * through forgiveness of their sins.
P: Thanks be to the merciful heart of our God! * A dawning Light from on high will visit us
All: To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadowland of death, * and guide our feet into the path of peace."
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies; and no one that lives and believes in me shall be dead forever.
After this the priest sings: Lord, have mercy.
The choir continues: Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
The priest, sprinkling the coffin with holy water, says Our Father inaudibly until:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord.
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, we beg you to grant this mercy to your departed servant, that he (she) who aspired to do your will may not be punished for his (her) misdeeds. For as here on earth the true faith joined him (her) in fellowship with the faithful, so in the life beyond let your mercy unite him (her) with the choirs of angels; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
As he makes the sign of the cross over the coffin the priest says:
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: May his (her) soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
All: Amen.
If he so desires the priest may add one or more of the following prayers for the deceased or for all the faithful departed or also for the mourners:
For a Layman
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
In your mercy, Lord, listen to our humble prayer, and grant that the soul of your servant, N., who at your summons has departed this world, may find rest in the realm of light and peace, and may be joined to the company of your saints; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
For a Priest
Let us pray.
For a Priest
Let us pray.
God, who in conferring the priestly dignity on your servant, N., made him share in the priesthood of the apostles; admit him now, we pray, to everlasting fellowship with them; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
For a Priest's Father
Let us pray.
God, who has commanded us to honor our fathers, show your tender mercy to the soul of my (our) father, forgive his sins, and permit me (us) to see him in the joy of everlasting splendor; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
For a Priest's Mother
Let us pray.
God, who has commanded us to honor our mothers, show your tender mercy to the soul of my (our) mother, forgive her sins, and permit me (us) to see her in the joy of everlasting splendor; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
For Those at Rest in the Cemetery
Let us pray.
God, in whose mercy the souls of the faithful find rest, kindly forgive the sins of your servants and of all who here and elsewhere sleep in Christ; absolve them from all guilt, and let them share in your presence the happiness that has no end; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
For All the Faithful
Let us pray.
God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of your departed servants remission of all sins; and by our fervent prayers may they obtain the pardon they have always desired. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever. All: Amen.
For the Mourners
Let us pray.
Lord, while in our sorrow we lament the departure of our brother (sister), your servant, we beg you to help us keep in mind that we shall most certainly follow him (her); give us the grace to prepare for that last hour by a devout and holy life; protect us from a sudden and unprovided death; teach us to watch and pray, so that when your summons comes we may go forth to meet the divine bridegroom and enter with Him the halls of heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
15. On leaving the grave to return to the church the cross-bearer leads the way. The celebrant begins (without chant) the antiphon "If you, Lord, mark iniquities," and then recites alternately with the clergy the psalm "Out of the depths," as given above, Psalm 129.
In concluding the psalm he says in the plural form:
P: Lord, grant them eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon them.
And the antiphon is repeated by all.
In the sacristy, before removing his vestments, the priest says the following prayers:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver their souls, O Lord.
P: May they rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of your departed servants remission of all sins; and by our fervent prayers may they obtain the pardon they have always desired. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever. All: Amen.
16. If for a valid reason (e.g., lack of time, or if other funerals are to follow immediately) the Office for the Dead with its three nocturns and Lauds cannot be said, then as soon as the body has been brought into church at least the first nocturn and Lauds (or even omitting Lauds) ought to be said, beginning with the invitatory. After the Office and Mass all that usually concludes the burial service should be said, as prescribed above.
17. If there is a good reason for not saying even one nocturn, nevertheless, the rest of the prayers and suffrages should never be omitted.
18. The proper Mass for this occasion, provided the hour allows it, is the one listed in the Missal for the day of death or burial--to be celebrated with the body present. It must never be omitted, unless a high feast forbids it or some other necessity dictates otherwise. After Mass everything takes place as above.
19. The rite as given above is prescribed for every funeral of an adult, for the clergy or the laity, and is to be observed also when a deacon presides at the obsequies. A deacon may act in this capacity with the permission of the Ordinary or the pastor, which permission can be granted for a serious reason. In a case of necessity this may lawfully be presumed.
CHAPTER III: THE EXEQUIES WHEN THE BODY IS NOT PRESENT
(On the third, seventh, or thirtieth day after death, on the anniversary, or on any other day)
1. If the exequies take place when the body is not present, the Office for the Dead is held in church at the proper time, with one or three nocturns and Lauds, or even without Lauds. Then the solemn Requiem Mass is celebrated, provided the rubrics permit it. The absolution follows with the ceremonial used on the day of burial, however, with these noteworthy differences. A catafalque stands in place where the casket and body would ordinarily be. The prayer "Lord, do not call your servant to account" is omitted, and the responsory "Deliver me, O Lord," is sung at once.
2. While the priest says the "Our Father" inaudibly he sprinkles and incenses the catafalque; after this he adds the following:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver his (her) (their) soul(s), O Lord.
P: May he (she) (they) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
We beg you, O Lord, to absolve the soul(s) of your servant(s), N., (or N. and N.), from every bond of his (her) (their) sins, so that in the glorious resurrection he (she) (they) may be awakened to new life in the company of your saints and your elect; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
If the deceased is a priest or a bishop the title of his office is expressed in the oration. In place of the preceding oration the celebrant may use the one said in Mass or another suitable one as given in the Missal, but using the short form in the conclusion.
The celebrant then makes the sign of the cross over the catafalque, saying:
P: Lord, grant him (her) (them) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her) (them).
P: May he (she) (they) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P: May his (her) (their) soul(s) and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
All: Amen.
3. As the ministers return to the sacristy, led by the cross-bearer the celebrant begins the antiphon (without chant) of the "De profundis" and then recites this psalm itself alternately with the clergy (see above). After the psalm the antiphon is repeated, and the prayers which go with it are finished in the sacristy.
If the absolution has been said for all the faithful departed, in that case the versicle "May their souls" and the antiphon, psalm, and other prayers are omitted.
4. The ceremony described above is used for deceased adults, whether clergy or laity, whenever the exequies are held without the presence of the body, be it on the third, seventh, or thirtieth day after death or the anniversary, or on another day.
CHAPTER IV: RITE FOR BURIAL OF CHILDREN
1. First of all let it be the concern of pastors that, in compliance with ancient and praiseworthy ecclesiastical custom, the bodies of little children are not interred in that part of the cemetery which is used for the general public. Rather, as far as possible, they should have their own special and separate plot, where none but baptized infants and children who die before attaining the use of reason should be buried.
2. At funerals of children the church bells, if rung, ought not to be tolled but rather rung out in festive tones.
{The rite given here for the burial of a child is not to be regarded as a prayer of petition of the Church for the soul of the child. Rather, it is to be seen as a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for having taken the child to the glory and happiness of everlasting life. Viewed in this light Catholic parents will desire that a child of theirs be laid to rest with these beautiful prayers and ceremonies, in full accord with the mind of the Church. In this very act of giving glory to God they will find resignation to His will, and with it peace and consolation for themselves.}
Rites at the Home
1. When a baptized infant or child dies before attaining the age of reason, the body is clothed as befits its age, and around it are placed flowers or fragrant herbs or greens, in token of the child's integrity and virginal purity. The pastor, vested in surplice and white stole, goes to the home of the deceased. He should be accompanied by other clergy if they are available, one of whom carries the aspersory. The procession is led by the cross-bearer who carries a cross that has no shaft.
The priest sprinkles the body as he intones the following antiphon, which is then continued by the choir (for the music see the music supplement for this psalm and the rest of the service):
P: Ant. Blessed be the name of the Lord, * both now and forevermore.
Psalm 112
P: Praise, you servants of the Lord, * praise the name of the Lord.
All: Blessed be the name of the Lord, * both now and forevermore.
P: From the rising to the setting of the sun * is the name of the Lord to be praised.
All: High above all nations is the Lord; * above the heavens in His glory.
P: Who is like the Lord, our God, who is enthroned on high * and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
All: He raises up the lowly from the dust * He lifts up the poor from the dunghill.
P: To seat them with princes, * with the princes of His own people.
All: He establishes in her home the barren wife * as the joyful mother of children.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
All: Ant. Blessed be the name of the Lord, * both now and forevermore.
2. While the body is being taken to the church the first two sections of psalm 118 are said.
Procession into the Church
As the procession enters the church the following antiphon and psalm are sung:
All: Ant. This child shall receive a blessing from the Lord, * a reward from God, his (her) Savior; such is the race that seeks the Lord.
Psalm 23
P: The Lord's are the earth and its fullness; * the world and those who dwell in it.
All: For He founded it upon the seas * and established it upon the rivers.
P: Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? * or who may stand in His holy place?
All: He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain, * nor swears deceitfully to his neighbor.
P: He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, * a reward from God, his Savior.
All: Such is the race that seeks for Him, * that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
P: Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, * that the king of glory may come in!
All: "Who is this king of glory?" * "The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle."
P: Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, * that the king of glory may come in!
All: "Who is this king of glory?" * "The Lord of hosts; He is the king of glory."
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
All: Ant. This child shall receive a blessing from the Lord, * a reward from God, his (her) Savior; such is the race that seeks the Lord.
{The Roman Ritual does not say where the coffin is to be placed; nor that Mass is to be celebrated; nor that incense is to be used. In the U. S., however, custom dictates that the coffin is arranged as at adult burial and four lighted candles are placed around it; also that incense is used. And in many places Mass is offered, the Votive Mass of the Angels--why this one precisely is not clear. If Mass is celebrated it should follow at this time. The service in church is then concluded with the blessing of the body, before it is taken to the cemetery.}
The Blessing of the Body
Before sprinkling the body with holy water and incensing it, the priest chants:
P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
P: Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
He then sprinkles the body with holy water and incenses it; after which he says:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: You have taken me because of my innocence.
All: And have placed me in your sight forever.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty and all loving God, we know that whenever a little child, reborn in the font of baptism, departs this life, you forthwith bestow on him the gift of everlasting life, for no merits of his own; and so we believe that you have given it today to the soul of this child. Thus we beg you, O Lord, through the intercession of the blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, to help us serve you with pure hearts here on earth, and to unite us forever with the blessed little ones in Paradise; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Procession to the Cemetery
The following antiphon and psalm are sung while the body is being carried out to the cemetery; or if this is deferred they are sung in church:
All: Ant. Let young men and maidens, old men and boys, * praise the name of the Lord.
Psalm 148
P: Praise the Lord from the heavens, * praise Him in the heights;
All: Praise Him, all you His Angels, * praise Him, all you His hosts.
P: Praise Him, sun and moon; * praise Him, all you shining stars.
All: Praise Him, you highest heavens, * and you waters above the heavens.
P: Let them praise the name of the Lord, * for He commanded and they were created;
All: He established them forever and ever; * He gave them a duty which shall not pass away.
P: Praise the Lord from the earth, * you sea monsters and all depths;
All: Fire and hail, snow and mist, * storm winds that fulfill His word;
P: You mountains and all you hills, * you fruit trees and all you cedars;
All: You wild beasts and all tame animals, * you creeping things and you winged fowl.
P: Let the kings of the earth and all peoples, * the princes and all the judges of the earth,
All: Young men too, and maidens, * old men and boys,
P: Praise the name of the Lord, * for His name alone is exalted;
All: His majesty is above earth and heaven, * and He has lifted up the horn of His people.
P: Be this His praise from all His faithful ones, * from the children of Israel, the people close to Him.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
All: Ant. Let young men and maidens, old men and boys, * praise the name of the Lord.
At the Grave
The Roman Ritual makes no provision for the blessing of the grave; but the Collectio Rituum U.S.A. gives the following blessing:
Let us pray.
Lord, be pleased to bless this grave, and set your holy angel to watch over it; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The priest sprinkles the grave with holy water; after which he says:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Let little children come to me.
All: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, and lover of holy purity, who in your merciful providence have today called the soul of this child to the kingdom of heaven, be pleased, Lord, to extend your mercy also to us; so that, by the merits of your sacred passion and the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, and of all your saints, we too may have lasting joy in that kingdom, in the company of all your saints and your elect. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
3. The body is then sprinkled with holy water and incensed, and along with it the grave. After this the body is interred.
4. This rubric in the 1952 edition of the Roman Ritual directs that the celebrant and his ministers recite the Canticle of the Three Youths as they return to the church. But according to "Ephemerides Liturgicae" 77.3 (1963) 188-89, it may now be omitted.
On returning to the church the priest says the following prayer before the altar:
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who in a marvellous way have disposed the ministries of angels and of men, mercifully grant that our life on earth may be under the protection of those who minister to you in heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
5. The rite given above is to be observed also when a deacon presides at this function. A deacon may act in this capacity with the permission of the Ordinary or the pastor, which permission can be granted for a serious reason. In a case of necessity this may lawfully be presumed.
CHAPTER V
THE OFFICE FOR THE DEAD (Abbreviated)
Every priest has the full Office for the Dead in his breviary, and for that reason, and also because the Office is practically never said at funerals in the U.S., only Vespers is given here, along with appropriate readings from Sacred Scripture and some prayers for the faithful departed. As all of these are eminently suited for a wake, a priest may want to use them at least one night, particularly the night before the funeral; or he may read the scriptural parts after the rosary service. The psalms appointed for Vespers are in general festive and joyous, thus sounding the note of Christian faith, hope, and confidence that characterizes the Church’s attitude toward death. A musical setting for the antiphons, psalms, and the Magnificat is provided in the music supplement.
Vespers
P: Ant. I shall please the Lord * in the lands of the living.
Psalm 114
P: I love the Lord because He has heard * my voice in supplication.
All: Because He has inclined His ear to me * the day I called.
P: The cords of death encompassed me; the snares of the nether world seized upon me; *
I fell into distress and sorrow,
All: And I called upon the name of the Lord, * "O Lord, save my life!"
P: Gracious is the Lord and just; * yes, our God is merciful.
All: The Lord keeps the little ones; * I was brought low, and He saved me.
P: Return, O my soul, to your tranquillity, * for the Lord has been good to you.
All: For He has freed my soul from death, * my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
P: I shall walk before the Lord * in the lands of the living.
All: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
P: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. I shall please the Lord * in the lands of the living.
P: Ant. Woe is me, O Lord, * that my sojourn is prolonged.
Psalm 119
P: In my distress I called to the Lord, * and He answered me.
All: Lord, deliver me from lying lip, * from treacherous tongue.
P: What will He inflict on you, with more besides, * O treacherous tongue?
All: Sharp arrows of a warrior * with fiery coals of brushwood.
P: Woe is me that I sojourn in Mosoch, * that I dwell amid the tents of Cedar!
All: All too long have I dwelt * with those who hate peace.
P: When I speak of peace, * they are ready for war.
All: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
P: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Woe is me, O Lord, * that my sojourn is prolonged.
P: Ant. The Lord guards you from all evil; * may the Lord guard your life.
Psalm 120
P: I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; * whence shall help come to me?
All: My help is from the Lord, * who made heaven and earth.
P: May He not suffer your foot to slip; * may He not slumber who guards you;
All: Indeed He neither slumbers nor sleeps, * the guardian of Israel.
P: The Lord is your guardian; * the Lord is your shade;
He is beside you at your right hand.
All: The sun shall not harm you by day, * nor the moon by night.
P: The Lord will guard you from all evil; * He will guard your life.
All: The Lord will guard your coming and your going, * both now and forever.
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. The Lord guards you from all evil; * may the Lord guard your life.
P: Ant. If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand.
Psalm 129
(see p. 351 for this psalm)
After psalm 129:
All: Ant. If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
P: Ant. Forsake not * the work of your hands, O ord.
Psalm 137
P: I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart, *
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
All: In the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; *
I will worship at your holy temple.
P: And give thanks to your name, * because of your kindness and your truth.
All: For you have made great above all things * your name and your promise.
P: When I called, you answered me; * you built up strength within me.
All: All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, Lord, *
when they hear the words of your mouth;
P: And they shall sing of the ways of the Lord: * "Great is the glory of the Lord."
All: The Lord is exalted, yet the lowly He sees, * and the proud He knows from afar.
P: Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me;
against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand; * your right hand saves me.
All: The Lord will complete what He has done for me;
your kindness, Lord, endures forever; * forsake not the work of your hands.
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Forsake not * the work of your hands, O Lord.
Antiphon for the Magnificat;
P: Only one whom the Father entrusts to me will come to me; *
and when anyone comes to me, I will certainly not reject him.
Canticle of the Magnificat (Luke 1.46-55)
P: "My soul * extols the Lord;
All: And my spirit leaps for joy * in God, my Savior.
P: How graciously He looked upon His lowly maid. *
Oh, see, from this hour onward age after age will call me blessed!
All: How sublime is what He has done for me * the Mighty One, whose name is ‘Holy.’
P: From age to age He visits those * who worship Him in reverence.
All: His arm achieves the mastery; * He routs the haughty and proud of heart;
P: He puts down princes from their thrones, * and exalts the lowly;
All: He fills the hungry with blessings, * and sends away the rich with empty hands.
P: He has taken by the hand His servant, Israel, * and mercifully kept His faith,
All: As He had promised our fathers *
with Abraham and his posterity forever and evermore."
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Only one whom the Father entrusts to me will come to me; *
and when anyone comes to me, I will certainly not reject him.
P: Our Father the rest inaudibly until:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord.
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P; Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May he also be with you.
Let us pray.
We entreat you, O Lord, to grant full pardon to the soul of your servant, N., that having died to the world he (she) may live only for you; and in your all loving mercy blot out the sins he (she) has committed during life through human frailty. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Or in place of the above one may substitute the prayer given on 359, and then add any of those on pp. 359-61. The concluding verses are always said in the plural:
P: Lord, grant them eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon them.
P: May they rest in peace.
All: Amen.
Lesson From the Book of Job
7.16-21; 14.1-6; 17.1-3, 11-15; 19.20-27
Spare me, Lord, for my days are but a breath. What is man, that you make much of him, or pay him any heed? You observe him with each new day and try him at every moment. How long will it be before you look away from me, and let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle? Though I have sinned, what can I do to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me up against you; or why should I be a burden to myself? Why do you not pardon my offense, or take away my guilt? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; and should you seek me in the morning, I shall be gone.
Man, born of woman, is shortlived and full of trouble. Like a flower he springs up and fades; he flees like a shadow, and never continues in the same state. Upon such a one will you cast your eyes so as to bring him into judgment with you? Who can make clean one that is conceived of unclean seed? Who but you alone? Short are the days of man. You know the number of his months; you have fixed the limit which he cannot pass. Look away from him and let him be, while like a hireling he completes his day.
My spirit is broken, my lamp of life extinguished; my burial is at hand. I have not sinned, and my eye rests on bitter sights. Deliver me, Lord, and set me beside you, and it matters not whose hand fights against me. My days are passed away, my plans are at an end, leaving my heart tormented. Such men change the night into day; and after darkness I hope for light again. If I wait, the nether world is my dwelling, and I have spread my couch in the darkness. I have called corruption "my father," and the maggot, "my mother" and "my sister." Where then is my hope, and who is concerned about my patience?
The flesh has been consumed, and my bones cleave to my skin, and nothing but lips are left about my teeth. Pity me, pity me, at least you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me? Who will see to it that my words are written down? Who will do me the favor of inscribing them in a record, engraving them with an iron chisel in a plate of lead or cutting them in stone? But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that on the last day I shall rise out of the earth and be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see my God. It will not be some other being, but I myself who see Him; my own eyes shall look upon Him. This my hope lies deep in my heart.
Lesson From St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians
15.12 ff
If what is preached about Christ is that He was raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say there is no resurrection from the dead? If there is no resurrection from the dead, Christ was not raised. If Christ was not raised, then there is nothing to our preaching, there is nothing to your faith. Further, it is discovered that we are guilty of misrepresenting God, because we testified that God raised Christ when He did not raise Him, if it is true that the dead are not raised. If the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. But if Christ has not been raised, your faith is groundless; you are still in your sins. It follows also that those who have fallen asleep in death in Christ are lost. If in view merely of this present life we have nothing but hope in Christ, we are more to be pitied than all other men.
But Christ has been truly raised from the dead. He is the first fruits of those that have fallen asleep in death, because since man is the cause of death, so man is the cause of the resurrection from the dead. Just as in Adam all men die, so too in Christ all men are brought to life.
But someone will ask, "How can the dead be raised? With what kind of body will they come back?" Senseless man! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And when you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or something else.... It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. What is sown is sordid; what is raised is glorious. What is sown is weak; what is raised is mighty. The body sown is natural; the body raised is glorified. As surely as there is a natural body, so surely is there a glorified body.
But I affirm this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, any more than what is perishable can inherit what is imperishable. Here I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet call, when the trumpet sounds, then the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. Because this perishable nature of ours is destined to be clothed in imperishable glory, and this mortal nature of ours must be clothed in immortality. When this perishable nature is clothed in imperishable glory, and this mortal nature is clothed in immortality, then will be realized the words of Scripture, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" Death’s sting comes from sin; sin’s force comes from the Law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Gospel According to St. John
11.11 ff
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "Lazarus, our friend has fallen asleep. Well, then, I will go and wake him from his sleep." "Master," the disciples said to Him, "if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." But Jesus had spoken of his death, whereas they imagined he had referred to the restfulness of sleep. Jesus now told them plainly: "Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. Come now; let us go to him." … When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been four days in the tomb. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away; and many Jews had called on Martha and Mary to express their sympathy with them in the loss of their brother.
As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained at home. Martha said to Jesus: "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will grant you." Jesus replied: "Your brother will rise again." "I know," Martha said to Him, "he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies; and no one that lives and believes in me shall be dead forever. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Master," she replied; "I firmly believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
With this, she returned and called her sister Mary privately. "The Master is here and asks for you," she said. As soon as Mary heard this, she rose quickly and went to meet Him. Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the spot where Martha had gone to meet Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house to offer their sympathy, on seeing Mary rise hurriedly and go out, followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb, there to give vent to her tears. When Mary came where Jesus was, she threw herself down at His feet as soon as she saw Him, and said to Him: "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." She was weeping; and weeping, too, were the Jews who accompanied her. The sight of them stirred Jesus deeply and shook His inmost soul. "Where have you laid him to rest?" Jesus asked. "Come, and see, Master," they replied. Jesus burst into tears; and the Jews remarked: "Look, how dearly He loved him." But some of them said: "He opened the eyes of the blind man; was He not able to prevent this man’s death?"
Then Jesus, His inmost soul shaken again, made His way to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against the entrance. "Remove the stone," Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to Him, "Master, his body stinks by this time; he has been dead four days." Jesus replied, "Did I not tell you that, if you have faith, you will see the glory of God?" So they removed the stone. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and said: "Father, I thank you for listening to me. For myself, I knew that you always hear me; but I said it for the sake of the people surrounding me, that they might believe that I am your ambassador."
Having said this, He cried out in a strong voice: "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had been dead came forth, wrapped hand and foot with bands, and his face muffled with a scarf. Jesus said to them: "Unwrap him and let him go." Now many of the Jews – those who had called on Mary and witnessed what He did – believed in Him. Some of them, however, went to see the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Thereupon the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a meeting of the Supreme Council. "This man," they urged, "is giving many proofs of power. What, then, are we to do? If we let him go without interference, all the world will believe in Him; and then the Romans will come and put an end to our rank and race alike." … On that day, accordingly, they passed a resolution to put Him to death.
THE OFFICE FOR THE DEAD (Abbreviated)
Every priest has the full Office for the Dead in his breviary, and for that reason, and also because the Office is practically never said at funerals in the U.S., only Vespers is given here, along with appropriate readings from Sacred Scripture and some prayers for the faithful departed. As all of these are eminently suited for a wake, a priest may want to use them at least one night, particularly the night before the funeral; or he may read the scriptural parts after the rosary service. The psalms appointed for Vespers are in general festive and joyous, thus sounding the note of Christian faith, hope, and confidence that characterizes the Church’s attitude toward death. A musical setting for the antiphons, psalms, and the Magnificat is provided in the music supplement.
Vespers
P: Ant. I shall please the Lord * in the lands of the living.
Psalm 114
P: I love the Lord because He has heard * my voice in supplication.
All: Because He has inclined His ear to me * the day I called.
P: The cords of death encompassed me; the snares of the nether world seized upon me; *
I fell into distress and sorrow,
All: And I called upon the name of the Lord, * "O Lord, save my life!"
P: Gracious is the Lord and just; * yes, our God is merciful.
All: The Lord keeps the little ones; * I was brought low, and He saved me.
P: Return, O my soul, to your tranquillity, * for the Lord has been good to you.
All: For He has freed my soul from death, * my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
P: I shall walk before the Lord * in the lands of the living.
All: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
P: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. I shall please the Lord * in the lands of the living.
P: Ant. Woe is me, O Lord, * that my sojourn is prolonged.
Psalm 119
P: In my distress I called to the Lord, * and He answered me.
All: Lord, deliver me from lying lip, * from treacherous tongue.
P: What will He inflict on you, with more besides, * O treacherous tongue?
All: Sharp arrows of a warrior * with fiery coals of brushwood.
P: Woe is me that I sojourn in Mosoch, * that I dwell amid the tents of Cedar!
All: All too long have I dwelt * with those who hate peace.
P: When I speak of peace, * they are ready for war.
All: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
P: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Woe is me, O Lord, * that my sojourn is prolonged.
P: Ant. The Lord guards you from all evil; * may the Lord guard your life.
Psalm 120
P: I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; * whence shall help come to me?
All: My help is from the Lord, * who made heaven and earth.
P: May He not suffer your foot to slip; * may He not slumber who guards you;
All: Indeed He neither slumbers nor sleeps, * the guardian of Israel.
P: The Lord is your guardian; * the Lord is your shade;
He is beside you at your right hand.
All: The sun shall not harm you by day, * nor the moon by night.
P: The Lord will guard you from all evil; * He will guard your life.
All: The Lord will guard your coming and your going, * both now and forever.
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. The Lord guards you from all evil; * may the Lord guard your life.
P: Ant. If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand.
Psalm 129
(see p. 351 for this psalm)
After psalm 129:
All: Ant. If you, Lord, mark iniquities, * Lord, who can stand?
P: Ant. Forsake not * the work of your hands, O ord.
Psalm 137
P: I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart, *
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
All: In the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; *
I will worship at your holy temple.
P: And give thanks to your name, * because of your kindness and your truth.
All: For you have made great above all things * your name and your promise.
P: When I called, you answered me; * you built up strength within me.
All: All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, Lord, *
when they hear the words of your mouth;
P: And they shall sing of the ways of the Lord: * "Great is the glory of the Lord."
All: The Lord is exalted, yet the lowly He sees, * and the proud He knows from afar.
P: Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me;
against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand; * your right hand saves me.
All: The Lord will complete what He has done for me;
your kindness, Lord, endures forever; * forsake not the work of your hands.
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Forsake not * the work of your hands, O Lord.
Antiphon for the Magnificat;
P: Only one whom the Father entrusts to me will come to me; *
and when anyone comes to me, I will certainly not reject him.
Canticle of the Magnificat (Luke 1.46-55)
P: "My soul * extols the Lord;
All: And my spirit leaps for joy * in God, my Savior.
P: How graciously He looked upon His lowly maid. *
Oh, see, from this hour onward age after age will call me blessed!
All: How sublime is what He has done for me * the Mighty One, whose name is ‘Holy.’
P: From age to age He visits those * who worship Him in reverence.
All: His arm achieves the mastery; * He routs the haughty and proud of heart;
P: He puts down princes from their thrones, * and exalts the lowly;
All: He fills the hungry with blessings, * and sends away the rich with empty hands.
P: He has taken by the hand His servant, Israel, * and mercifully kept His faith,
All: As He had promised our fathers *
with Abraham and his posterity forever and evermore."
P: Lord, grant him (her) eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
All: Ant. Only one whom the Father entrusts to me will come to me; *
and when anyone comes to me, I will certainly not reject him.
P: Our Father the rest inaudibly until:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: From the gates of hell.
All: Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord.
P: May he (she) rest in peace.
All: Amen.
P; Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May he also be with you.
Let us pray.
We entreat you, O Lord, to grant full pardon to the soul of your servant, N., that having died to the world he (she) may live only for you; and in your all loving mercy blot out the sins he (she) has committed during life through human frailty. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Or in place of the above one may substitute the prayer given on 359, and then add any of those on pp. 359-61. The concluding verses are always said in the plural:
P: Lord, grant them eternal rest.
All: And let perpetual light shine upon them.
P: May they rest in peace.
All: Amen.
Lesson From the Book of Job
7.16-21; 14.1-6; 17.1-3, 11-15; 19.20-27
Spare me, Lord, for my days are but a breath. What is man, that you make much of him, or pay him any heed? You observe him with each new day and try him at every moment. How long will it be before you look away from me, and let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle? Though I have sinned, what can I do to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me up against you; or why should I be a burden to myself? Why do you not pardon my offense, or take away my guilt? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; and should you seek me in the morning, I shall be gone.
Man, born of woman, is shortlived and full of trouble. Like a flower he springs up and fades; he flees like a shadow, and never continues in the same state. Upon such a one will you cast your eyes so as to bring him into judgment with you? Who can make clean one that is conceived of unclean seed? Who but you alone? Short are the days of man. You know the number of his months; you have fixed the limit which he cannot pass. Look away from him and let him be, while like a hireling he completes his day.
My spirit is broken, my lamp of life extinguished; my burial is at hand. I have not sinned, and my eye rests on bitter sights. Deliver me, Lord, and set me beside you, and it matters not whose hand fights against me. My days are passed away, my plans are at an end, leaving my heart tormented. Such men change the night into day; and after darkness I hope for light again. If I wait, the nether world is my dwelling, and I have spread my couch in the darkness. I have called corruption "my father," and the maggot, "my mother" and "my sister." Where then is my hope, and who is concerned about my patience?
The flesh has been consumed, and my bones cleave to my skin, and nothing but lips are left about my teeth. Pity me, pity me, at least you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me? Who will see to it that my words are written down? Who will do me the favor of inscribing them in a record, engraving them with an iron chisel in a plate of lead or cutting them in stone? But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that on the last day I shall rise out of the earth and be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see my God. It will not be some other being, but I myself who see Him; my own eyes shall look upon Him. This my hope lies deep in my heart.
Lesson From St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians
15.12 ff
If what is preached about Christ is that He was raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say there is no resurrection from the dead? If there is no resurrection from the dead, Christ was not raised. If Christ was not raised, then there is nothing to our preaching, there is nothing to your faith. Further, it is discovered that we are guilty of misrepresenting God, because we testified that God raised Christ when He did not raise Him, if it is true that the dead are not raised. If the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. But if Christ has not been raised, your faith is groundless; you are still in your sins. It follows also that those who have fallen asleep in death in Christ are lost. If in view merely of this present life we have nothing but hope in Christ, we are more to be pitied than all other men.
But Christ has been truly raised from the dead. He is the first fruits of those that have fallen asleep in death, because since man is the cause of death, so man is the cause of the resurrection from the dead. Just as in Adam all men die, so too in Christ all men are brought to life.
But someone will ask, "How can the dead be raised? With what kind of body will they come back?" Senseless man! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And when you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or something else.... It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. What is sown is sordid; what is raised is glorious. What is sown is weak; what is raised is mighty. The body sown is natural; the body raised is glorified. As surely as there is a natural body, so surely is there a glorified body.
But I affirm this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, any more than what is perishable can inherit what is imperishable. Here I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet call, when the trumpet sounds, then the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. Because this perishable nature of ours is destined to be clothed in imperishable glory, and this mortal nature of ours must be clothed in immortality. When this perishable nature is clothed in imperishable glory, and this mortal nature is clothed in immortality, then will be realized the words of Scripture, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" Death’s sting comes from sin; sin’s force comes from the Law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Gospel According to St. John
11.11 ff
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "Lazarus, our friend has fallen asleep. Well, then, I will go and wake him from his sleep." "Master," the disciples said to Him, "if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." But Jesus had spoken of his death, whereas they imagined he had referred to the restfulness of sleep. Jesus now told them plainly: "Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. Come now; let us go to him." … When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been four days in the tomb. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away; and many Jews had called on Martha and Mary to express their sympathy with them in the loss of their brother.
As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained at home. Martha said to Jesus: "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will grant you." Jesus replied: "Your brother will rise again." "I know," Martha said to Him, "he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies; and no one that lives and believes in me shall be dead forever. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Master," she replied; "I firmly believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
With this, she returned and called her sister Mary privately. "The Master is here and asks for you," she said. As soon as Mary heard this, she rose quickly and went to meet Him. Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the spot where Martha had gone to meet Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house to offer their sympathy, on seeing Mary rise hurriedly and go out, followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb, there to give vent to her tears. When Mary came where Jesus was, she threw herself down at His feet as soon as she saw Him, and said to Him: "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." She was weeping; and weeping, too, were the Jews who accompanied her. The sight of them stirred Jesus deeply and shook His inmost soul. "Where have you laid him to rest?" Jesus asked. "Come, and see, Master," they replied. Jesus burst into tears; and the Jews remarked: "Look, how dearly He loved him." But some of them said: "He opened the eyes of the blind man; was He not able to prevent this man’s death?"
Then Jesus, His inmost soul shaken again, made His way to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against the entrance. "Remove the stone," Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to Him, "Master, his body stinks by this time; he has been dead four days." Jesus replied, "Did I not tell you that, if you have faith, you will see the glory of God?" So they removed the stone. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and said: "Father, I thank you for listening to me. For myself, I knew that you always hear me; but I said it for the sake of the people surrounding me, that they might believe that I am your ambassador."
Having said this, He cried out in a strong voice: "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had been dead came forth, wrapped hand and foot with bands, and his face muffled with a scarf. Jesus said to them: "Unwrap him and let him go." Now many of the Jews – those who had called on Mary and witnessed what He did – believed in Him. Some of them, however, went to see the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Thereupon the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a meeting of the Supreme Council. "This man," they urged, "is giving many proofs of power. What, then, are we to do? If we let him go without interference, all the world will believe in Him; and then the Romans will come and put an end to our rank and race alike." … On that day, accordingly, they passed a resolution to put Him to death.
PART XI. BLESSINGS AND OTHER SACRAMENTALS
BLESSINGS AND OTHER SACRAMENTALS
INTRODUCTION
A subheading to the above heading could well be: "The Sacramentals--Christ in Daily Life." In the ordination service, the Church, through the bishop, anoints and blesses the hands of the newly made priest, accompanying the action with these words: "May it please you, O Lord, to consecrate and sanctify these hands by this anointing and our blessing; that whatever they bless may be blessed, and whatever they consecrate may be consecrated in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." By this and other ceremonies in the rite for ordination the young priest has it impressed on him that his sacramental ministry, namely, the power to offer sacrifice, the duty of preaching the word of God in Mass and of distributing the Bread of life to the people, the duty of administering the other sacraments, the duty of dispensing blessings and other sacramentals--that all these constitute the main reason for his being what he is, a mediator between God and men, the dispenser of God's mysteries.
For a priest all else must be kept subordinate to his sacramental ministry. In the first age of the Church the apostles, as soon as they discovered that other works were interfering with their strictly priestly ministrations, ordained other men as deacons or assistants, whose function it was to take over a large share of those activities not absolutely required of pastors of souls. So nowadays too the priest can find auxiliaries to aid him in the office of teaching, in the good work of visiting the sick and seeking out the stray sheep, in tending to the needs of the poor and the widows and orphans, in keeping files and financial books, in running parish organizations and recreational programs. But he cannot turn over to them his sacramental powers, neither the greater ones of consecrating at Mass, of baptizing, of absolving, of anointing, nor even the lesser ones of bestowing on persons and objects the official blessing of the Church. Her sacramentals, then, ought not to be "the twentieth-century stepchildren of Mother Church," as someone has referred to them.
If it is true that in the world of today conditions are not conducive to a high evaluation and appreciation of the seven sacraments of Christ, then surely it can be admitted all the more readily that the sacramentals fare even worse. If a certain measure of humility and simplicity is needed by man to recognize God at work with, and in, and for us in the greater mysteries, the Eucharist and the other sacraments, it is required even in greater measure to recognize His action in those consecratory acts which are lesser than those seven, namely, the sacramentals. Pride and sophistication are a hindrance to understanding that God, when He created the universe, consecrated all creation, not alone man, but every lower form; and that Christ, in redeeming the world after the Fall, removed the curse fallen on creation, not only from man but from the lesser species as well. Thus for a long time the sacramental acts such as the many consecrations and blessings of the Church have been, if not actually disdained, looked upon with apathy and indifference by her children. So much so that some are apt to be disedified rather than edified when they are made aware that the Church has a mind to speak a blessing on horse, silkworm, bonfire, beer, bridal chamber, medicine, or lard.
God's ultimate purpose in creating the world is the manifestation of His goodness and excellence, and a communication of them in part to His creatures. Consequently, creation's first reason for existence is to glorify the Creator. Human beings fulfill this obligation to glorify God by living in conformity with the laws which govern human existence, but they do so more nobly still in those positive acts of religion, sacrifice, sacraments, social and private prayer, consecrations, and blessings. For in this latter way man does not praise God in isolation, but he is united with the praise which his elder brother, Jesus Christ, everlastingly renders to the Blessed Trinity. Irrational creatures fulfill their obligation also in their existence and functions, according to the laws that govern their nature. This is their silent voice of praise. But lower creation too is destined to take part in the direct and positive act of praising the Creator. The psalms and canticles leave no doubt about this. The fall of man caused lower creatures to be separated from God, for they were bound to God through mankind. And they became once more consecrated in the redemption, not purely for their own sake, but for the purposes of higher creation. Therefore, in union with man, and in union with the God-man, the rest of creation participates in the praise which without ceasing raises its voice to the adorable Trinity. In the Epistle to the Romans St. Paul records that the complete emancipation of creation will not be effected until the end of time. But ever since our Lord transfigured lower creatures by employing them in sacramental ways--consider His use of bread, wine, water, oil, sacred signs--material things have been participating with Him and with man in divine worship. And where Christ left off, the Church continues. The consecration and transfiguration of the creatures of God is done through sacraments and sacramentals. The passion and resurrection of Jesus notwithstanding, the individual man is not justified until the fruit of these momentous acts is communicated to him by way of sacramental sanctification. Lower creatures in similar fashion are freed from their enslavement by being sacramentalized. Before the Church will use them in the service of God or of men, she wills that first they be exorcised of any allegiance to Satan, then sanctified by her consecratory hand.
Certainly there is a difference of kind and of efficacy between the seven sacraments and the lesser sacraments called sacramentals. There is a difference of degree in the seven sacraments themselves. One is not so necessary or sublime as another. Furthermore, it is not true to say without qualification that one distinction between sacraments and sacramentals is that the former owe their institution to Christ, the latter to the Church. For some of the sacramentals definitely come directly from Christ, exactly how many and actually which ones is not clear. There is one sacramental, however, of whose origin there is not a particle of doubt. This is the mandatum, the washing of feet, carried out by our Lord at the Last Supper, and today still used in the liturgy of Maundy Thursday. What requires stressing here is that men should not belittle the sacramentals because of the fact that they owe their institution in greatest part not to the positive will and act of Christ, but instead to the will and act of the Church. For in the light of the doctrine of the mystical body both have a sacred origin, the sacraments from the personal, historical Christ, the sacraments from the mystic Christ--Christ living and working in His mystical bride, the Church. The sacramentals are aptly designated as extensions and radiation of the sacraments. Both are sources of divine life; both have an identical purpose, divine life. They have, moreover, an identical cause, the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ; albeit they differ in nature, efficacy, and intensity.
Because man is weakened by sin both in his mental and physical faculties, he needs in striving for salvation, in addition to the sacraments themselves, other supernatural aids constantly at hand, in order to overcome his own inherent weakness as well as the obstacles put in his way by creature things. These auxiliaries, the sacramentals, are the many powerful supports by which man's course to heaven can be lightened, affording protection against the enemies of his soul and promoting bodily well-being in the interests of the soul. As the code of Canon Law defines them: sacramentals are objects and actions which the Church is wont to use, somewhat as she uses the sacraments, in order to obtain through her intercession effects, especially effects of a spiritual nature (can. 1144).
As Christ has endowed with infallible grace the outward signs by which sacraments are effected, so in a similar way the Church has endowed with spiritual powers the outward signs by which sacramentals are constituted. And why are such simple things like the sacramentals so efficacious in the life of grace? Because their efficacy is dependent on the power of the Church's impetration, and not solely on the devotion of the subject who uses them. We say that the sacraments work "ex opere operato," that is, in virtue of the outward signs that are posited. On the other hand, we are accustomed to hear that the sacramentals work "ex opere operantis," which would mean in virtue of the intensity of devotion in those who use them. Yet this is only part of the truth. The thing is cast in an altogether different light when it is stated in full precision, namely, that the sacramentals work "ex opere operantis Ecclesiae," which means that their efficacy is in first place dependent on the power of the Church's intercession, and only secondly on the devout dispositions of the subject concerned. Back in the Middle Ages, William of Paris stated: "The efficacy of the sacramentals is rooted in the nobility of the Church, which is so pleasing to God and so beloved by Him that she never meets with a refusal from Him."[1] The matter could hardly be expressed better. Owing to the resurgence of the doctrine of the mystical body, it has been granted to our times to view the Church once more in her true nature as the body of Christ, flesh of His flesh, bone of His bone, more intimate a part of Him than a bride is of her bridegroom. Therefore, it is not exactly improper to speak of an efficacy "ex opere operato" in the case of sacramentals. For example, an altar that receives the consecration of the Church is consecrated and remains consecrated, no matter how fervent and devout was the bishop who performed the consecration.
Sacramentals have been classified in many ways. But a simple and clear way of classifying them is to divide them into three groups. First, those that lay the basis for divine worship by creating the place and the atmosphere, by raising up certain persons--apart from bishops, priests, and deacons--officially designated to perform divine worship, and by supplying the appurtenances necessary for divine worship, for example: (a) the consecration of a church and an altar, or the consecration of a cemetery; (b) the blessing of an abbot, of monks and virgins, of the ministers in minor orders; (c) the consecration of a chalice or paten, the consecration of a church bell, the blessing of vestments, etc. Second, those used in the course of celebrating Mass and administering the sacraments; for example, the incensation of the altar, the reading of the Gospel, the last blessing, or the giving of salt and the anointings in baptism. Third, those that extend from the worship in church to the Christian home and family circle, to the occupations of farming, industry, and trades; for example, the blessing of a home, field, animals, printing presses, fire-engine, etc.
Although we have stressed the truth that the sacramentals derive their efficacy chiefly from the intercessory power of the Church, we may not minimize the role played by man's own subjective dispositions. The sacraments, too, for that matter, demand something of the individual recipient--at the very least that the subject place no obstacle in the way of grace. But in the case of the sacramentals man's cooperation has a very large part to play if they are to attain their full purpose. Their function is to provide an atmosphere in which the virtue of religion can thrive, and to produce a psychological reaction in man, to raise his thoughts and aspirations out of the realm of the profane and up to the realm of the sacred, to fix his heart on the things of the spirit, to impress on his consciousness God's will for him and God's providence always hovering over him.
Before ascending into heaven our Lord, in His infinite wisdom and love, bequeathed to His followers the seven sacraments, which were to occupy the center of their religious life, to be like so many milestones for them on the journey to heaven. But He also foresaw that the periphery of the Christian life could be sanctified by further supports of a lesser kind, supernatural helps that would be constantly at hand, even every hour, serving to consecrate the works and activities of the day and to lighten its burdens and sorrows. Thus He indicated to the apostles in broad lines how they might make use of other signs and symbols in furthering the work of sanctifying souls. Seeing that the Master Himself had employed the sign of the cross, the act of exorcism, the washing of feet at the Last Supper, and had commanded them to do like things in His name, the apostles were soon imitating Him, performing exorcisms and blessing creatures, as St. Paul has testified in 1 Timothy 4.5. Certainly the Church was inspired by the Holy Spirit, when, following the apostolic period, she began to introduce rites that we now call sacramentals, such as the solemn blessing of baptismal water, of oils, salt, and bread, of first-fruits, and the blessing of milk and honey in connection with first holy communion of the neophytes on Easter morning, to mention only some of the ceremonies that very early embellished the celebration of Mass and the administration of the other sacraments. How wrong were men like Luther and Harnack when they asserted that the sacramentals of the Catholic Church were an invention of the Middle Ages, and scarcely better than a return to the legalistic rites of the Talmud and the Pharisees. In response to the natural craving of man for ritual and ceremonial, for tokens and memorials, the Church gave her children, instead of "panis et circenses," blessed bread and religious processions, instead of antiques, sacred relics and medals. The legitimate demands of a Christian people were as much a factor as the will of the Church herself in promoting the development and the multiplication of pious ceremonies. Soon every province of life was consecrated by the Church's benediction. From the church edifice the sacramentals widen out to embrace the totality of Christian life. Home and hearth, granary and workshop, field and meadow, vineyard and orchard, fountain and river receive a consecration. In private life there was a blessing for the wife who had recently conceived and one for the woman in the pangs of labor; a blessing for the lad who had just reached the age when he could be introduced to the ABC's, and one for the young man about to sprout his first beard; for the sick, blessed medicaments of water, salt, bread, and herbs, instead of a doctor, harder to come by then than even now. Public life also had its blessings, a blessing of a king and queen, emperor and empress, a blessing of a knight and his accouterments of sword and lance, a blessing of public penitents, of pilgrims, of crusaders. In time of plague and famine, a deprecatory blessing against rats, mice, locusts, and noxious vermin. In time of calamity, a blessing to protect the people against fire, wind, earthquake, and flood.
In all this, to be sure, abuse and superstition eventually crept in, especially in the later Middle Ages. When diocesan synods failed to stem such misuse of sacred things, Paul V finally stepped in, and by a Bull of June 16, 1614, published the official Roman Ritual for the universal Church, to which model all diocesan rituals were thenceforth to conform. But in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the abuse was revived, particularly through the religious orders, who printed private collections of blessings and especially exorcisms with prayers and formulas of such a nature as to outdo even the superstitions of the late Middle Ages.
Perhaps it is a conscientious fear of reviving superstition that prompts us to be so hesitant about restoring the sacramentals to their onetime place of honor. Or perhaps, as we say, you can't turn back the clock. Young men no longer grow beards, save for an exceptional group, and professional exterminators have arisen to make short shrift of every kind of pest, from bedbug to termite. Admittedly we would look foolish trying to revive some of the olden pious customs. Yet there are a good many sacramentals, most of those given in this ritual, that could be resurrected to considerable profit. With some efforts at instruction and with continual encouragement, the people's sensibilities as to their significance and value would be aroused, as it has been shown where it has been tried.
PART XI. BLESSINGS AND OTHER SACRAMENTALS
CHAPTER I: GENERAL RULES CONCERNING BLESSINGS
1. Any priest may confer the blessings of the Church, except those reserved to the Pope, to bishops, or to others.
A reserved blessing which is conferred by a priest who does not have the required delegation is valid, but illicit, unless the Holy See has declared otherwise in the reservation.
Deacons and lectors can give validly and licitly only those blessings expressly allowed by law.
2. Both constitutive and invocative blessings are invalid if the forms prescribed by the Church are not observed.
3. Blessings are designed primarily for Catholics, but may likewise be given to catechumens. Moreover, unless the Church expressly forbids, they may be imparted to non-Catholics to assist them in obtaining the light of faith, or together with it, bodily health.
4. Objects which have received the constitutive blessing should be treated reverently, and should never be put to profane or improper use, even though they may be personal possessions.
5. Blessings of the sacred appurtenances which, according to liturgical law, should be blessed before they are used, may be conferred by:
(a) cardinals and all bishops;
(b) an ordinary who is not a bishop, in the churches and oratories of his own province;
(c) a pastor in the churches and oratories located within the confines of his parish, and rectors of churches in their own churches;
(d) priests delegated thereto by the Ordinary of the place, subject to the extent of the delegation and the power of the one delegating;
(e) religious superiors and their priest subjects whom they delegate, in their own churches and oratories and in churches of nuns who are under their spiritual care.
N.B. Rule No. 5 with its five parts is now obsolete in view of the new "Instruction" of September 26, 1964.
6. In every blessing outside of Mass the priest should be vested in surplice and stole of the color proper to the day, unless the rubrics prescribe otherwise.
7. The one who blesses should stand with head uncovered; and at the beginning of each blessing, unless otherwise stated, he says:
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. May He also be with you.
He then says the proper prayer or as many as are given.
Lastly he sprinkles the object with holy water, and if called for, incenses it, without saying anything.
8. When a priest blesses he should be assisted by a server who holds the holy water and aspersory, and he should follow the Ritual or the Missal.
9. Care should be taken that during a blessing nothing indecorous is placed upon the altar, e.g., eatables. But things of this nature should be placed upon a table conveniently arranged.
CHAPTER II: BLESSINGS FOR SPECIAL DAYS AND FEASTS OF THE CHURCH YEAR
1. RITE FOR PROVIDING HOLY WATER
Some minor changes have been made in this rite, such as the omission of certain words, putting salt into the water only once, and the use of the short conclusion for the orations (see "Ephemerides Liturgicae" 75 [1961] 426). The holy-water font is a counterpart of the baptismal font; and the sacramental use of holy water is related to the great sacrament of water, baptism. Easter is the day par excellence for baptism, and every Sunday is a little Easter. Consequently, on the Lord's day the Church blesses water to be used in the ceremony of renewal of baptism, for as often as she sprinkles us with the blessed water a sign is given us of that sacrament which once bestowed the gift of life. The rubrics direct that the water may be blessed either in the church proper or in the sacristy. For the edification of the people it might be well to perform this blessing in the sight of the people, at least occasionally. The practice of putting salt into the water comes no doubt from the incident of the miraculous cure of the poisonous well (see 4 Kings 2.19-21), where the prophet Eliseus used salt to purify the water of the well.
1. On Sundays, or whenever this blessing takes place, salt and fresh water are prepared in the church or in the sacristy. The priest, vested in surplice and purple stole, says:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
2. The exorcism of salt follows: God's creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water- spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless this creature, salt, which you have given for mankind's use. May all who use it find in it a remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Exorcism of the water:
God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour forth your blessing on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:
May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, source of irresistible might and king of an invincible realm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrain the force of the adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantly subduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, Lord, to regard with favor this creature thing of salt and water, to let the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that wherever it is sprinkled and your holy name is invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread of the serpent's venom be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we may be; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
4. On Sundays after the water is blessed and before Mass begins the celebrant sprinkles the altar, himself, the ministers, and the people as prescribed in the Missal and in the ceremony of the Ritual given below.
5. Christ's faithful are permitted to take holy water home with them to sprinkle the sick, their homes, fields, vineyards, and the like. It is recommended too that they put it in fonts in the various rooms, so that they may use it to bless themselves daily and frequently.
2. THE SUNDAY BLESSING WITH HOLY WATER
There has been a slight change made in this ceremony--the priest no longer says the Miserere while he sprinkles the people (see "Ephemerides Liturgicae" 75 [1961] 426), and the wording of the rubric for Passiontime and Eastertime also has been altered. The significance of this blessing is touched on in the commentary given above, and the frequent omission of this blessing is noted with regret. Some say that it interferes with the introit procession, but some solution could be found.
The priest who is to offer the Mass, vested in cope of the proper color, comes to the altar, and as he kneels on the step with the ministrants (also in Eastertime) he receives the aspersory from the deacon. First he sprinkles the altar three times (simultaneously intoning the antiphon), then himself, and then he stands and sprinkles the ministrants. The choir takes up the singing of the antiphon, during which time the celebrant sprinkles the clergy and the people. The proper antiphons are given below (for the music for these see the music supplement).
Antiphon outside Eastertime
Purify me with hyssop, * Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Ps. 50.1. Have mercy on me, God, * in your great kindness. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
The antiphon is sung thus at the sprinkling with holy water on all Sundays outside Eastertime; but the doxology is not said during Passiontime, and the antiphon is repeated right after the psalm verse.
During Eastertime, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost inclusive the following antiphon is sung:
Antiphon during Eastertime
I saw water * flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom this water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. 117. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, * for His mercy endures forever. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom this water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia.
The first antiphon given above is resumed on Trinity Sunday.
On Easter Sunday, in churches where there is a baptismal font, the water used for the sprinkling is that which has been blessed during the Easter Vigil, that which was taken from the font before the holy oils were poured in.
After the singing of the antiphon the priest, who by this time has returned to the altar, stands at the foot of the altar, and with hands folded chants the following:
P: Lord, show us your mercy (alleluia).
All: And grant us your salvation (alleluia).
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in your goodness send your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who are assembled in this dwelling, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
3. BLESSING OF WINE
on the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
At the end of the principal Mass on the feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, after the last Gospel, the priest, retaining all vestments except the maniple, blesses wine brought by the people. This is done in memory and in honor of St. John, who drank without any ill effects the poisoned wine offered to him by his enemies.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
If it please you, Lord God, bless and consecrate this vessel of wine (or any other beverage) by the power of your right hand; and grant that, through the merits of St. John, apostle and evangelist, all your faithful who drink of it may find it a help and a protection. As the blessed John drank the poisoned potion without any ill effects, so may all who today drink the blessed wine in his honor be delivered from poisoning and similar harmful things. And as they offer themselves body and soul to you, may they obtain pardon of all their sins; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Lord, bless this creature drink, so that it may be a health- giving medicine to all who use it; and grant by your grace that all who taste of it may enjoy bodily and spiritual health in calling on your holy name; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come on this wine (or any other beverage) and remain always.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water. If the blessing is given privately outside of Mass, the priest is vested in surplice and stole and performs the ceremony as given above.
4. ANOTHER FORM FOR BLESSING WINE
on the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
At the end of Mass, after the last Gospel, the following is said:
Psalm 22
(for this psalm see Rite for Baptism of Children)
After the psalm: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Save your servants.
All: Who trust in you, my God.
P: Lord, send them aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over them from Sion.
P: Let the enemy have no power over them.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm them.
P: Then if they drink anything deadly.
All: It will not harm them.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, who willed that your Son, co-eternal and consubstantial with you, come down from heaven and in the fulness of time be made flesh for a time of the blessed Virgin Mary, in order to seek the lost and wayward sheep and carry it on His shoulders to the sheepfold, and to heal the man fallen among robbers of his wounds by pouring in oil and wine; may you bless and sanctify this wine which you have vintaged for man's drink. Let all who taste or drink of it on this holy feastday have health of body and soul; by your grace let it be a solace to the man who is on a journey and bring him safely to his destination; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who spoke of yourself as the true vine and the apostles as the branches, and who willed to plant a chosen vineyard of all who love you, bless this wine and empower it with your blessing; so that all who taste or drink of it may, through the intercession of your beloved disciple John, apostle and evangelist, be spared every deadly and poisonous affliction and enjoy bodily and spiritual well-being. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
God, who in creating the world brought forth for mankind bread as food and wine as drink, bread to nourish the body and wine to cheer the heart; who conferred on blessed John, your beloved disciple, such great favor that not only did he himself escape the poisoned potion, but could restore life by your power to others who were dead from poison; grant to all who drink this wine spiritual gladness and everlasting life; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water.
5. BLESSING OF EPIPHANY WATER
on the Eve of Epiphany
(Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites, Dec. 6, 1890)
{This blessing comes from the Orient, where the Church has long emphasized in her celebration of Epiphany the mystery of our Lord's baptism, and by analogy our baptism. This aspect is not neglected in western Christendom, although in practice we have concentrated on the visit of the Magi. Many years before the Latin Rite officially adopted the blessing of Epiphany water, diocesan rituals, notably in lower Italy, had contained such a blessing.}
1. At the appointed time the celebrant, vested in white cope (if a bishop, the mitre is worn but removed during the prayers), and the deacon and subdeacon, vested in white dalmatic and tunic respectively, come before the altar. They are preceded by acolytes, who carry the processional cross and lighted candles (which are put in their proper place), and by the other clergy. A vessel of water and a container of salt are in readiness in the sanctuary.
First the Litany of the Saints is sung, during which time all kneel. After the invocation "That you grant eternal rest," etc. the celebrant rises and sings the following two invocations, the second in a higher key:
That you bless this water. R. We beg you to hear us. That you bless and sanctify this water R. We beg you to hear us.
Then the chanters continue the litany up to and including the last Lord, have mercy.
After this the celebrant chants Our Father the rest inaudibly until:
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
2. Then the following psalms are sung:
Psalm 28
(for this psalm see Rite for Baptism of Adults)
Psalm 45
P: God is our refuge and our strength, * an ever-present help in distress.
All: Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea;
P: Though its waters rage and foam * and the mountains quake at its surging.
All: The Lord of hosts is with us; * our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
P: There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, * the holy dwelling of the Most High.
All: God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; * God will help it at the break of dawn.
P: Though nations are in turmoil, kingdoms totter, * His voice resounds, the earth melts away;
All: The Lord of hosts is with us; * our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
P: Come, see the deeds of the Lord, * the astounding things He has wrought on earth.
All: He has stopped wars to the end of the earth; * the bow he breaks; He splinters the spears; He burns the shields with fire.
P: Desist, and confess that I am God, * exalted among the nations, exalted upon the earth.
All: The Lord of hosts is with us; * our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
Psalm 146
P: Praise the Lord, for He is good; * sing praise to our God, for He is gracious; it is fitting to praise Him.
All: The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; * the dispersed of Israel He gathers.
P: He heals the brokenhearted * and binds up their wounds.
All: He tells the number of the stars; * He calls each by name.
P: Great is our Lord and mighty in power; * to His wisdom there is no limit.
All: The Lord sustains the lowly; * the wicked He casts to the ground.
P: Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; * sing praise with the harp to our God.
All: Who covers the heavens with clouds, * who provides rain for the earth;
P: Who makes grass sprout on the mountains * and herbs for the service of men;
All: Who gives food to the cattle, * and to the young ravens when they cry to Him.
P: He delights not in the strength of the steed, * nor is He pleased with the fleetness of men.
All: The Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, * with those who hope for His kindness.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
The celebrant then chants:
Exorcism against Satan and the apostate angels
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His power, we cast you out, every unclean spirit, every devilish power, every assault of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect; begone and stay far from the Church of God, from all who are made in the image of God and redeemed by the precious blood of the divine Lamb. Never again dare, you cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute the Church of God, nor to strike the chosen of God and to sift them as wheat. For it is the Most High God who commands you, He to whom you heretofore in your great pride considered yourself equal; He who desires that all men might be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. God the Father commands you. God the Son commands you. God the Holy Spirit commands you. The majesty of Christ, the eternal Word of God made flesh commands you; He who for the salvation of our race, the race that was lost through your envy, humbled Himself and became obedient even unto death; He who built His Church upon a solid rock, and proclaimed that the gates of hell should never prevail against her, and that He would remain with her all days, even to the end of the world. The sacred mystery of the cross commands you, as well as the power of all the mysteries of Christian faith. The exalted Virgin Mary, Mother of God commands you, who in her lowliness crushed your proud head from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception. The faith of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and the other apostles commands you. The blood of the martyrs and the devout intercession of all holy men and women commands you.
Therefore, accursed dragon and every diabolical legion, we adjure you by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by the God who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have life everlasting; cease your deception of the human race and your giving them to drink of the poison of everlasting damnation; desist from harming the Church and fettering her freedom. Begone Satan, you father and teacher of lies and enemy of mankind. Give place to Christ in whom you found none of your works; give place to the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, which Christ Himself purchased with His blood. May you be brought low under God's mighty hand. May you tremble and flee as we call upon the holy and awesome name of Jesus, before whom hell quakes, and to whom the virtues, powers, and dominations are subject; whom the cherubim and seraphim praise with unwearied voices, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts!
Next the choir sings the following antiphon and canticle:
Antiphon
Today the Church is espoused to her heavenly bridegroom, for Christ washes her sins in the Jordan; the Magi hasten with gifts to the regal nuptials; and the guests are gladdened with water made wine, alleluia.
Canticle of Zachary
Luke 1.68-79
P: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! * He has visited His people and brought about its redemption.
All: He has raised for us a stronghold of salvation * in the house of David His servant,
P: And redeemed the promise He had made * through the mouth of His holy prophets of old--
All: To grant salvation from our foes * and from the hand of all that hate us;
P: To deal in mercy with our fathers * and be mindful of His holy covenant,
All: Of the oath he had sworn to our father Abraham, * that He would enable us--
P: Rescued from the clutches of our foes--* to worship Him without fear,
All: In holiness and observance of the Law, * in His presence, all our days.
P: And you, my little one, will be hailed 'Prophet of the Most High'; * for the Lord's precursor you will be to prepare His ways;
All: You are to impart to His people knowledge of salvation * through forgiveness of their sins.
P: Thanks be to the merciful heart of our God! * a dawning Light from on high will visit us
All: To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadowland of death, * and guide our feet into the path of peace."
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
Or instead of the "Benedictus" the "Magnificat" may be chosen (for the Magnificat see Blessing of Homes). At the end of the canticle the antiphon given above is repeated. Then the celebrant sings:
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who on this day revealed your only-begotten Son to all nations by the guidance of a star, grant that we who now know you by faith may finally behold you in your heavenly majesty; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Next he blesses the water:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
From here on the exorcism of salt and the prayer that follows it, the exorcism of water and the two prayers that follow it, the mixing of the salt and water and then the concluding prayer--all of these are the same as the ones used on pp. 395-97.
At the end of the blessing the priest sprinkles the people with the blessed water.
Lastly the "Te Deum" is sung (for the "Te Deum" and its oration see Renewal of the Marriage Vows).
6. BLESSING OF GOLD, INCENSE, MYRRH
on Epiphany
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Accept, holy Father, from me, your unworthy servant, these gifts which I humbly offer to the honor of your holy name and in recognition of your peerless majesty, as you once accepted the sacrifice of the just Abel and the same kind of gifts from the three Magi.
God's creatures, gold, incense, and myrrh, I cast out the demon from you by the Father almighty, by Jesus Christ, His only- begotten Son, and by the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, so that you may be freed from all deceit, evil, and cunning of the devil, and become a saving remedy to mankind against the snares of the enemy. May those who use you, with confidence in the divine power, in their lodgings, homes, or on their persons, be delivered from all perils to body and soul, and enjoy all good things. We ask this through the power and merits of our Lord and Savior, the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and of all the saints, in particular the godly men who on this day venerated Christ the Lord with the very same gifts.
All: Amen.
God, the invisible and endless One, in the holy and awesome name of your Son, be pleased to endow with your blessing and power these creatures of gold, incense, and myrrh. Protect those who will have them in their possession from every kind of illness, injury, and danger, anything that would interfere with the well- being of body and soul, and so be enabled to serve you joyously and confidently in your Church; you who live and reign in perfect Trinity, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon these creatures of gold, incense, and myrrh, and remain always.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
7. BLESSING OF CHALK
on Epiphany
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Bless, O Lord God, this creature, chalk, and let it be a help to mankind. Grant that those who will use it with faith in your most holy name, and with it inscribe on the doors of their homes the names of your saints, Casper, Melchior, and Baltassar, may through their merits and intercession enjoy health in body and protection of soul; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water.
8. BLESSING OF HOMES
on Epiphany
As the priest comes into the home he says:
P: God's peace be in this home.
All: And in all who live here.
P. Ant.: Magi from the East came to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasure chests they presented Him with precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial. Alleluia.
Canticle of the Magnificat
Luke 1.46-55
P: "My soul * extols the Lord;
All: And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Savior.
P: How graciously He looked upon His lowly maid! * Oh, see, from this hour onward age after age will call me blessed!
All: How sublime is what He has done for me, * the Mighty One, whose name is 'Holy'!
P: From age to age He visits those * who worship Him in reverence.
All: His arm achieves the mastery: * He routs the haughty and proud of heart.
P: He puts down princes from their thrones, * and exalts the lowly;
All: He fills the hungry with blessings, * and sends away the rich with empty hands.
P: He has taken by the hand His servant Israel, * and mercifully kept His faith,
All: As He had promised our fathers * with Abraham and his posterity forever and evermore."
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
Meanwhile the home is sprinkled with holy water and incensed. At the end of the Magnificat the antiphon is repeated. Then the priest says Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Many shall come from Saba.
All: Bearing gold and incense.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May he also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who on this day revealed your only-begotten Son to all nations by the guidance of a star, grant that we who now know you by faith may finally behold you in your heavenly majesty; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Responsory: Be enlightened and shine forth, O Jerusalem, for your light is come; and upon you is risen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
P: Nations shall walk in your light, and kings in the splendor of- your birth.
All: And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, bless this home, and under its shelter let there be health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to your commandments, and thanksgiving to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May your blessing remain always in this home and on those who live here; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
9. BLESSING OF CANDLES
on the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, almighty and all-mild, by your Word alone you created the manifold things in the world, and willed that that same Word by whom all things were made take flesh in order to redeem mankind; you are great and immeasurable, awesome and praiseworthy, a worker of marvels. Hence in professing his faith in you the glorious martyr and bishop, Blaise, did not fear any manner of torment but gladly accepted the palm of martyrdom. In virtue of which you bestowed on him, among other gifts, the power to heal all ailments of the throat. And now we implore your majesty that, overlooking our guilt and considering only his merits and intercession, it may please you to bless and sanctify and impart your grace to these candles. Let all men of faith whose necks are touched with them be healed of every malady of the throat, and being restored in health and good spirits let them return thanks to you in your holy Church, and praise your glorious name which is blessed forever; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
10. BLESSING OF THROATS
on the Feast of St. Blaise
{This is one of the most popular blessings. St. Blaise was bishop of Sebaste in Cappadocia, and was martyred by beheading about A.D. 316. Not much more can be affirmed of him with any degree of historical accuracy, but legends about him are numerous. One day- -so goes the legend--Blaise met a poor woman whose only pig had been snatched up in the fangs of a wolf but at the command of the bishop the wolf restored the pig alive to its owner. The woman did not forget the favor, for later, when the bishop was languishing in prison, she brought him tapers to dispel the darkness and gloom. To this story may be attributed the practice of using lighted candles in bestowing the blessing of St. Blaise. While in prison he performed a wonderful cure on a boy who had a fishbone lodged in his throat and who was in danger of choking to death. From this account we have the longtime custom of invoking the Saint for all kinds of throat trouble.}
After blessing the candles on the feast of St. Blaise, the priest holds two candles fastened like a cross to the throat of the person kneeling before him, and says:
By the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every malady of the throat, and from every possible mishap; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
11. BLESSING OF BREAD, WINE, WATER, FRUIT
For the Relief of Throat Ailments
on the Feast of St. Blaise
(Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites on Sept. 25, 1883)
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, Savior of the world, who consecrated this day by the martyrdom of blessed Blaise, granting him among other gifts the power of healing all who are afflicted with ailments of the throat; we humbly appeal to your boundless mercy, begging that these fruits, bread, wine, and water brought by your devoted people be blessed and sanctified by your goodness. May those who eat and drink these gifts be fully healed of all ailments of the throat and of all maladies of body and soul, through the prayers and merits of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr. We ask this of you who live and reign, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
12. IMPOSING BLESSED ASHES on Ash Wednesday
The priest says, as he sprinkles the blessed ashes on the head of the person:
Gen. 3.19: Remember, man, that you are dust, and into dust you will return.
13. BLESSING OF HOMES
on Holy Saturday and during Eastertime[1]
1. The parish priest (or a priest who has his permission), vested in surplice and white stole, visits the homes of his parishioners on Holy Saturday or another day during Eastertime, in order to bless the homes and their occupants with the Easter water. He should be assisted by a server who carries a vessel containing blessed water taken from the baptismal font before the holy oils were added. As he enters the home he says:
P: God's peace be in this home.
All: And in all who live here.
2. Then he sprinkles the dwelling's main room and the occupants, saying the antiphon:
I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom this water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia. (Ps. 117.) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom this water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia.
Next he says:
P: Lord, show us your mercy, alleluia.
All: And grant us your salvation, alleluia.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God; and as you guarded the homes of the Israelites from the avenging angel on their flight from Egypt, if their homes were signed with the blood of a lamb--therein prefiguring our Easter sacrifice in which Christ is the victim--so likewise in your goodness send your holy angel to watch over and protect all who live in this home, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
3. The rite described above is used also when the blessing of homes is carried out on another day in Eastertime, in accord with local custom.
14. THE EASTER BLESSINGS OF FOOD
{The Easter blessings of food owe their origin to the fact that these particular foods, namely, fleshmeat and milk products, including eggs, were forbidden in the Middle Ages during the Lenten fast and abstinence. When the feast of Easter brought the rigorous fast to an end, and these foods were again allowed at table, the people showed their joy and gratitude by first taking the food to church for a blessing. Moreover, they hoped that the Church's blessing on such edibles would prove a remedy for whatever harmful effects the body might have suffered from the long period of self-denial. Today the Easter blessings of food are still held in many churches in the U. S., especially in those of the Slavic peoples.}
A. Blessing of Lamb
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who by your servant Moses commanded your people in their deliverance from Egypt to kill a lamb as a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, and prescribed that its blood be used to sign the two door-posts of their homes; may it please you to bless and sanctify this creature-flesh which we, your servants, desire to eat in praise of you. We ask this in virtue of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water.
B. Blessing of Eggs
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, let the grace of your blessing come upon these eggs, that they be healthful food for your faithful who eat them in thanksgiving for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
C. Blessing of Bread
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, bread of angels, true bread of everlasting life, be pleased to bless this bread, as you once blessed the five loaves in the wilderness, so that all who eat of it may derive health in body and soul. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water.
D. Another Blessing of Bread
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, be pleased to bless this bread, imparting to it your hallowed favor from on high. May it be for all who eat of it a healthful food for body and soul, as well as a safeguard against every disease and all assaults of the enemy. We ask this of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, the bread of life who came down from heaven and gives life and salvation to the world; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
It is sprinkled with holy water.
E. Blessing of New Produce
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, bless this new produce, N., and grant that those who eat of it in praise of your holy name may be nourished in body and soul; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
15. BLESSING OF CROSSES
which are to be set in vineyards, fields, etc., on or about May 3
(Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites, Feb. 10, 1888)
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, merciful Father and our unalloyed comfort, in virtue of the bitter suffering that your only- begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, endured for us sinners on the wood of the cross, bless these crosses which your faithful will set up in their vineyards, gardens, fields, and other places. Shield the land where they are placed from hail, tornado, storm, and every onslaught of the enemy, so that the produce, ripened for the harvest, may be gathered to your honor by those who put their trust in the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
16. BLESSING OF A BONFIRE
on the Vigil of the Birthday of St. John the Baptist
conferred by the clergy outside of church
In the Church's veneration of her saints the cult of John the Baptist had from earliest times and continues to have a most prominent and honored place. John gave testimony of the true light that shines in the darkness, although he proclaimed in utter humility: "He must increase, but I must decrease." And the Master also spoke in highest praise of His precursor: "I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist." Attuned to the words of the Gospel the Christians of former times were filled with love and enthusiasm for this saint, and expressed a justifiable conviviality at the approach of his feastday by lighting a bonfire the night before in front of their churches, in the market-place, on the hilltops, and in the valleys. The custom of St. John bonfires, indicative of a people with unabashed and childlike faith, continues in some places to this day.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord God, almighty Father, the light that never fails and the source of all light, sanctify this new fire, and grant that after the darkness of this life we may come unsullied to you who are light eternal; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The fire is sprinkled with holy water; after which the clergy and the people sing the following hymn (for the music see the music supplement):
Hymn: Ut queant laxis
O for your spirit, holy John, to chasten
Lips sin-polluted, fettered tongues to loosen;
So by your children might your deeds of wonder
Meetly be chanted.
Lo! a swift herald, from the skies descending,
Bears to your father promise of your greatness;
How he shall name you, what your future story,
Duly revealing.
Scarcely believing message so transcendent,
Him for a season power of speech forsaketh,
Till, at your wondrous birth, again returneth,
Voice to the voiceless.
You, in your mother's womb all darkly cradled,
Knew your great Monarch, biding in His chamber,
Whence the two parents, through their offspring's merits,
Mysteries uttered.
Praise to the Father, to the Son begotten,
And to the Spirit, equal power possessing,
One God whose glory, through the lapse of ages,
Ever resounding.
P: There was a man sent from God.
All Whose name was John.
Let us pray.
God, who by reason of the birth of blessed John have made this
day praiseworthy, give your people the grace of spiritual joy,
and keep the hearts of your faithful fixed on the way that leads
to everlasting salvation; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
17. BLESSING OF HERBS
on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
{This blessing comes from Germany, and formulas for it are found as early as the tenth century. The blessing of herbs was reserved only to the feast of the Assumption. Herbs had not our restricted English meaning but included all kinds of cultivated and wild flowers, especially those which in some way had a symbolic relation to our Lady. The people brought herbs to church on her feast not only to secure for themselves another blessed object, but also to make of the occasion a harvest festival of thanksgiving to God for His great bounty manifested in the abundant fruits of the earth. The herbs were placed on the altar, and even beneath the altar-cloths, so that from this close contact with the Eucharist they might receive a special consecration, over and above the ordinary sacramental blessing of the Church.}
After the Asperges if it is a Sunday, otherwise immediately before Mass, the priest, standing before the altar and facing the people who hold the herbs and fruits in their hands, says in a clear voice:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 64
P: To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God, in Sion; to you must vows be fulfilled, you who hear prayers.
All: To you all flesh must come* because of wicked deeds.
P: We are overcome by our sins; * it is you who pardon them.
All: Happy the man you choose, * and bring to dwell in your courts.
P: May we be filled with the good things of your house, * the holy things of your temple.
All: With awe-inspiring deeds of justice you answer us, * O God our Savior,
P: The hope of all the ends of the earth * and of the distant seas.
All: You set the mountains in place by your power, * you who are girt with might;
P: You still the roaring of the seas, * the roaring of their waves and the tumult of the peoples.
All: And the dwellers at the earth's ends are in fear at your marvels; * the farthest east and west you make resound with joy.
P: You have visited the land and watered it; * greatly have you enriched it.
All: God's watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain. * Thus have you prepared the land:
P: Drenching its furrows, * breaking up its clods,
All: Softening it with showers, * blessing its yield.
P: You have crowned the year with your bounty, * and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
All: The untilled meadows overflow with it, * and rejoicing clothes the hills.
P: The fields are garmented with flocks and the valleys blanketed with grain. * They shout and sing for joy.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
P: The Lord will be gracious.
All: And our land will bring forth its fruit.
P: You water the mountains from the clouds.
All: The earth is replenished from your rains.
P: Giving grass for cattle.
All: And plants for the benefit of man.
P: You bring wheat from the earth.
All: And wine to cheer man's heart.
P: Oil to make his face lustrous.
All: And bread to strengthen his heart.
P: He utters a command and heals their suffering.
All: And snatches them from distressing want.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who by your word alone brought into being the heavens, earth, sea, things seen and things unseen, and garnished the earth with plants and trees for the use of man and beast; who appointed each species to bring forth fruit in its kind, not only for the food of living creatures, but for the healing of sick bodies as well; with mind and word we urgently call on you in your great kindness to bless these various herbs and fruits, thus increasing their natural powers with the newly given grace of your blessing. May they keep away disease and adversity from men and beasts who use them in your name; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
God, who through Moses, your servant, directed the children of Israel to carry their sheaves of new grain to the priests for a blessing, to pluck the finest fruits of the orchard, and to make merry before you, the Lord their God; hear our supplications, and shower blessingsin abundance upon us and upon these bundles of new grain, new herbs, and this assortment of produce which we gratefully present to you on this festival, blessing them in your name. Grant that men, cattle, flocks, and beasts of burden find in them a remedy against sickness, pestilence, sores, injuries, spells, against the fangs of serpents or poisonous creatures. May these blessed objects be a protection against diabolical mockery, cunning, and deception wherever they are kept, carried, or otherwise used. Lastly, through the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, whose Assumption we are celebrating, may we all, laden with the sheaves of good works, deserve to be taken up to heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
God, who on this day raised up to highest heaven the rod of Jesse, the Mother of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that by her prayers and patronage you might communicate to our mortal nature the fruit of her womb, your very Son; we humbly implore you to help us use these fruits of the soil for our temporal and everlasting welfare, aided by the power of your Son and the prayers of His glorious Mother; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon these creatures and remain always.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water and incensed.
18. BLESSING OF SEED AND SEEDLINGS
on the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, we ask and beseech you to look with merry countenance and fair eyes on these seeds and seedlings. And as you proclaimed to Moses, your servant, in the land of Egypt, saying: "Tell the children of Israel that when they enter the land of promise which I shall give them, they are to offer the first-fruits to the priests, and they shall be blessed"; so too at our request, O Lord, be merciful and pour out the blessing of your right hand upon these seeds, which you in your benevolence bring forth to sustain life. Let neither drought nor flood destroy them, but keep them unharmed until they reach their full growth and produce an abundant harvest for the service of body and soul. We ask this of you who live and reign in perfect Trinity forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, sower and tiller of the heavenly word, who cultivate the field of our hearts with heavenly tools, hear our prayers and pour out abundant blessings upon the fields in which these seeds are to be sown. By your protecting hand turn away the fury of the elements, so that this entire fruit may be filled with your blessing, and may be gathered unharmed and stored up in the granary; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water and may be incensed.
CHAPTER III: BLESSINGS OF PERSONS
1. BLESSING OF AN EXPECTANT MOTHER
at the approach of confinement
{In the Middle Ages it was customary for a pastor to announce from the pulpit on Sundays the names of women whose time of childbirth was close at hand, and to ask the people's prayers for them. But his solicitude did not stop there. He also visited the homes of such women, first said prayers outside the home, and then entered and administered the sacraments and the sacramentals of the Church. Without going quite to these lengths today, an occasional word of instruction about this very fine blessing would encourage some women to present themselves for it.}
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Save your servant.
All: Who trusts in you, my God.
P: Let her find in you, Lord, a tower of strength.
All: In the face of the enemy.
P: Let the enemy have no power over her.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her.
P: Lord, send her aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over her from Sion.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who enable us, your servants, in our profession of the true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the three Persons in the eternal Godhead, and to adore their oneness of nature, their co-equal majesty; grant, we pray, that by steadfastness in that faith this servant of yours, N., may ever be guarded against all adversity; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Lord God, Creator of all things, mighty and awesome, just and forgiving, you alone are good and kind. You saved Israel from all manner of plagues, making our forefathers your chosen people, and hallowing them by the touch of your Spirit. You, by the co- operation of the Holy Spirit, prepared the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mary to be a worthy dwelling for your Son. You filled John the Baptist with the Holy Spirit, causing him to leap with joy in his mother's womb. Accept the offering of a humble spirit, and grant the heartfelt desire of your servant, N. who pleads for the safety of the child you allowed her to conceive. Guard the life that is yours; defend it from all the craft and spite of the pitiless foe. Let your gentle hand, like that of a skilled physician, aid her delivery, bringing her offspring safe and sound to the light of day. May her child live to be reborn in holy baptism, and continuing always in your service, be found worthy of attaining everlasting life; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The priest sprinkles the woman with holy water and then adds the following:
Psalm 66
P: May God have pity on us and bless us; * may He let His face shine upon us.
All: So may His way be known upon earth; * among all nations, His salvation.
P: May the peoples praise you, O God; * may all the peoples praise you.
All: May all the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; * you guide the nations on earth.
P: May the peoples praise you, O God; * may all the peoples praise you.
All: The earth has yielded its fruits; * God, our God, has blessed us.
P: May God bless us, * and may all the ends of the earth fear him.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
P: Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All: Let us praise and glorify Him forever.
P: God has given His angels charge over you.
All: To guard you in all your paths.
P: Lord, heed my prayer. All: And let my cry be heard by you. P: The Lord be with you. All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, we beg you to visit this dwelling, and to drive away from it and from this servant of yours, N, all the enemy's wiles. Let your holy angels be appointed here to keep her and her offspring in peace; and let your blessing ever rest upon her. Save them, almighty God, and grant them your everlasting light; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come on you and your child, and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
2. BLESSING OF A MOTHER AFTER CHILDBIRTH
{This blessing is often referred to as the churching of women, but the Roman Ritual more appropriately calls it simply the blessing of a woman after childbirth. The practice of "churching a woman" developed out of a related practice in the Old Testament (cf. Lev 12.1-8). According to the Mosaic Law a woman incurred legal uncleanness in childbirth and remained unclean until her legal purification. This view, that a woman incurs some kind of defilement in childbirth, persisted even in Christian times, especially in the East, but in the West too, despite the opposition of Pope Gregory the Great (d. 604). The sufferings of childbirth were looked upon as part of the penalty imposed on Eve and on all her daughters. Yet it must be understood clearly that the Jews did not say there was actually any stain of sin on the mother in consequence of giving birth to a child, but merely a restriction imposed by law. With Christ's coming womankind was elevated and ennobled, and motherhood too was more clearly seen as something honorable, deserving a blessing rather than a purification. The exact time of origin of this sacramental is not known, except that it is very ancient, and dates possibly from the first half of the fourth century.}
1. After giving birth to a child a mother may wish to give thanks to God in church for a safe delivery, and to obtain the Church's blessing. This has long been a devout and praiseworthy practice. The priest, vested in surplice and white stole (assisted by a server who carries the aspersory), goes to the threshold of the church. The woman kneels there, holding a lighted candle.
{The very fact that the priest goes to meet her and escort her into the church is in itself a mark of respect for the mother, and puts one in mind of a bishop who meets a royal personage or anyone of high rank when the latter comes to a cathedral to attend a solemn function. The rest of the rite speaks for itself; but it may be pointed out that psalm 23, which the priest recites over the woman, is a psalm of majesty, praise, and gratitude.}
The priest sprinkles her with holy water, saying:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
He then says the following antiphon and psalm 23:
Antiphon: This woman shall receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from God, her Savior; for she is one of the people who seek the Lord.
Psalm 23
(for this psalm see Rite for Burial of Children)
After psalm 23 the above antiphon is repeated.
{In the "Collectio Rituum," both for Germany and the U. S. A., the antiphon and the psalm are omitted; and according to the same ritual the priest says first "Peace be with you"; then "Come into the temple of God"; and then the "Magnificat." If the priest wishes he may substitute the "Magnificat" for psalm 23.}
2. Then the priest places the end of the stole hanging from his left shoulder in the hand of the woman and leads her into the church, saying:
Come into God's house. Adore the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary, and thank God who has given you the grace of motherhood.
3. The woman kneels before the altar, giving thanks to God for the benefits He has bestowed on her. The priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Save your servant.
All: Who trusts in you, my God.
P: Lord, send her aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over her from Sion.
P: Let the enemy have no power over her.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who by means of the blessed Virgin Mary's childbearing has given every Christian mother joy, even in her pains of bringing forth her child; look kindly on this servant of yours who has come in gladness to your holy dwelling to offer her thanks. And grant that after this life, through the merits and prayers of that same blessed Mary, she and her child may be deemed worthy of attaining the happiness of everlasting life; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The "Collectio Rituum," both for Germany and the U. S. A., provide the following blessing for the child:
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, begotten before time was, yet willing to be an infant within time; who love childhood innocence; who deigned to tenderly embrace and to bless the little ones when they were brought to you; be ready with your dearest blessings for this child as he (she) journeys through life, and let no evil ways corrupt his (her) understanding. May he (she) advance in wisdom and grace with the years, and be enabled ever to please you, who are God, living and reigning with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
4. The priest again sprinkles her with holy water, saying:
May the peace and blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
5. The blessing of a woman after childbirth ought to be given by the pastor, if he is requested to do so. But any priest may impart it in any church or public oratory, in which case he should notify the superior.
3. BLESSING OF A WOMAN AFTER CHILDBIRTH
in a case where the child was stillborn
or died after birth
{The "Collectio Rituum," both of Germany and the U. S., give the following blessing of a mother whose child was stillborn or died after birth.}
The priest meets the woman at the threshold of the church, sprinkles her with holy water, and says:
God's peace be with you. Come into God's house. Adore the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary, and ask God to console and comfort you.
Then he leads her and those who accompany her to the altar. They kneel before the altar; whereas the priest goes up to the altar predella, turns to them, and says the following:
Psalm 120
P: I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; * whence shall help come to me?
All: My help is from the Lord, * who made heaven and earth.
P: May He not suffer your foot to slip; * may He who guards you not slumber;
All: Indeed He neither slumbers nor sleeps, * the guardian of Israel.
P: The Lord is your guardian; * the Lord is your shade; He is beside you at your right hand.
All: The sun shall not harm you by day, * nor the moon by night.
P: The Lord will guard you from all evil; * He will guard your life.
All: The Lord will guard your coming and your going, * both now and forever.
P: Glory be to the Father.
All: As it was in the beginning.
After the psalm the priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, lover of holy purity, who chose in your wisdom and goodness to call this woman's child to your heavenly kingdom; be pleased also, O Lord, to show your mercy to this servant of yours, comforting her with your love, helping her to accept bravely your holy will. Thus comforted by the merits of your sacred passion, and aided by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, and of all the saints, may she be united at last with her child for all eternity in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
As he sprinkles her with holy water in the form of a cross, the priest concludes:
May the peace and blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
4. BLESSING OF AN INFANT OR LITTLE CHILD
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Our God is merciful.
All: He is the Lord who watches over little children.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, begotten before time was, yet willing to be an infant within time; who love childhood innocence; who deigned to tenderly embrace and to bless the little ones when they were brought to you; be ready with your dearest blessings for this child (these children) as he (she) (they) journey(s) through life, and let no evil ways corrupt his (her) (their) understanding. May he (she) (they) advance in wisdom and grace with the years, and be enabled ever to please you, who are God, living and reigning with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Then the priest sprinkles the infant (or infants) with holy water, saying:
May the peace and blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
5. BLESSING OF A CHILD
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these," pour out the power of your blessing on this child, and consider the faith and devotion of the Church and of its parents. Advancing in virtue and wisdom before God and men, may he (she) reach a blessed old age and finally attain everlasting salvation. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Psalm 112
Psalm 112
After the psalm the priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
6. BLESSING OF CHILDREN
when on some special occasion they are assembled in church for this purpose
At the appointed time the children assemble in church under the tutelage of parents or teachers to ensure quiet and order. When they are properly placed, boys and girls separate, the priest approaches and speaks to them very briefly and simply on a suitable topic. Then standing and facing them he says:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
After this the following antiphon and psalm are sung (for the music see the music supplement):
Antiphon: Praise, you children of the Lord, * praise the name of the Lord.
Psalm 112
(for this psalm see Rite for Burial of Children)
At the end of the psalm the antiphon is repeated. This psalm and its antiphon may be omitted if the blessing is imparted less solemnly or only to a few. Next the priest says:
P: Let the little children come to me.
All: The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
P: Their angels.
All: Ever see the face of the heavenly Father.
P: Let the enemy have no power over them.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm them.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who embraced the little children when they came or were brought to you, and laying your hands on them blessed them and said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these; and their angels ever see the face of my Father;" we beg you to look with favor on the innocence of these children here present and on the devotion of their parents, and to bless them today through our ministry. Let them ever advance in your grace and goodness, the better to know you, love you, fear you, and serve you, and happily reach their blessed destiny. We ask this of you, Savior of the world, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
We beg you, Lord, through the intercession of the blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, to defend this family of yours from every kind of adversity; and as they offer their hearts to you, protect them in your kindness and mercy from all wiles of the enemy; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
God, who by your wondrous providence gave us your holy angels as our guardians, grant that we, your suppliants, may ever be shielded by their protection, and finally enjoy their fellowship in heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Making the sign of the cross over them, he blesses them, saying:
May God bless you, and may He be the guardian of your hearts and your understanding, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
He then sprinkles the children with holy water.
7. BLESSING OF CHILDREN
on Feastdays of the Holy Childhood Association
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
We implore you, almighty God, to bless these children, and we ask that you keep them in your love. Strengthen their hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, sanctify their lives, foster their innocence. Keep their minds intent on good, help them to prosper, give them peace, health, and charity. By your might and protection shield them always from every temptation of men or demons. And in your mercy may they finally attain the happiness and rest of Paradise; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who embraced the little children when they came or were brought to you (here the priest extends his hands over them), and laying your hands on them blessed them and said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these; and their angels ever see the face of my Father;" we beg you to look with favor on the devotion of these boys and girls here present, and let your blessing come on them in fullest measure. Let them ever advance in your grace and goodness, the better to know you, love you, fear you, and serve you, and happily reach their blessed destiny. We ask this of you, Savior of the world, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you, keep and direct you, and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
8. BLESSING OF PILGRIMS
before they set out for the holy shrines
In accord with ancient ecclesiastical discipline, pilgrims who are to visit the holy shrines should obtain a letter of recommendation from their Ordinary or pastor before they set out. Having put their affairs in order, they prepare themselves with sacramental confession, assist at Mass and receive holy communion. In this Mass the Collect for pilgrims (pro re gravi) is said. After Mass they kneel before the priest who says the following (for the music see the music supplement):
Antiphon: May the almighty and merciful Lord lead you in the way of peace and prosperity. May the Angel Raphael be your companion on the journey and bring you back to your homes in peace, health, and happiness.
Then the Canticle of Zachary is said; and after the canticle the above antiphon is repeated. Then the priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Save your servants.
All: Who trust in you, my God.
P: Lord, send them aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over them from Sion.
P: Let them find in you, Lord, a fortified tower.
All: In the face of the enemy.
P: Let the enemy have no power over them.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm them.
P: May the Lord be praised at all times.
All: May God, our helper, grant us a happy journey.
P: Lord, shows us your ways.
All: And lead us along your paths.
P: Oh, that our life be bent.
All: On keeping your precepts.
P: For the crooked ways will be made straight.
All: And the rough places plain.
P: God has given His angels charge over you.
All: To guard you in all your undertakings.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who led the children of Israel dry-shod through the sea, and showed the way to the three Magi by the guidance of a star; grant these pilgrims, we pray, a happy journey and peaceful days, so that, with your holy angel as a guide, they may safely reach their destination and finally come to the haven of everlasting salvation.
God, who led your servant, Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and kept him safe in all his wanderings; may it please you, we pray, also to watch over these servants of yours. Be to them, Lord, a help in their preparations, comfort on the way, shade in the heat, shelter in the rain and cold, a carriage in tiredness, a shield in adversity, a staff in insecurity, a haven in shipwreck; so that under your guidance they may happily reach their destination, and finally return safe to their homes.
Lord, we beg you to hear our request that you guide the steps of your servants along the path of well-being that comes from you, and that in the midst of this fickle world they may always live under your protection.
Grant, we pray, O almighty God, that your family of pilgrims find a safe route; and heeding the admonitions of blessed John, the precursor, come finally to Him whom John foretold, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hear, Lord, our prayers, and kindly accompany your servants on their journey; and as you are present everywhere lend them your aid at all times, so that with you as their shield they will be defended from all dangers and pay you their homage of gratitude; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
May the peace and blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
If there is only one pilgrim the prayers are said in the singular; but if the priest who bestows the blessing is a member of the pilgrimage they are said in the plural.
9. BLESSING OF PILGRIMS
on their return
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
Next the following antiphon and psalm are sung (for the music see the music supplement):
Antiphon: See, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.
Psalm 127
(for this psalm see Rite for Marriage within Mass)
After the psalm the above antiphon is repeated. Then the priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Blessed are they who come in the name of the Lord.
All: Blessed be you by the Lord who made heaven and earth.
P: Look with favor, Lord, on your servants and their works.
All: And keep them in the way of your precepts.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
We beg you, Lord, be appeased, and lavish on your servants pardon and peace, so that being cleansed of all their transgressions they may serve you with tranquil hearts.
Almighty everlasting God, the ruler of our lives and destinies, grant to your servants continual and abundant peace, so that those whom you have brought back safely to their various occupations may bask in the security of your protection.
God, the support of the lowly, you who console us by the love of our brethren; bestow your grace on our brotherhood, so that we may always see your presence in those in whom you live by your grace; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
May the peace and blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
PRAYER OF POPE PAUL VI FOR PRISONERS
{This prayer was composed by Pope Paul VI for the inmates of Rome's Regina Coeli prison, which he visited on April 9, 1964. It deserves a place in the Ritual; and we are grateful to the N.C.W.C. News Service for its permission to print it.}
Lord, they tell me I must pray; but how can I pray when I am so unhappy? How can I speak to you in the conditions in which I find myself? I am sad; I am angry. Sometimes I am desperate. I would like to curse rather than pray. I suffer deeply because everyone is against me and criticizes me because I am here, away from my own family and from my activities. I am without peace, and how can I pray, O Lord?
I know you were good, you were wise, you were innocent. Yet they slandered you, they dishonored you, they tried you, they beat you, they crucified you, they put you to death? But why? Where is justice? And you were able to forgive those who treated you so unjustly and so cruelly. You were able to pray for them. Indeed, they tell me that you allowed yourself to be put to death in that manner in order to save your executioners, to save all us sinful men. And also to save me?
If this is so, Lord, it means that one may be good at heart even though the condemnation of the courts of men weighs on one's shoulders. I too, Lord, feel at the bottom of my heart that I am better than others would believe. I know what justice is, what honesty is, what honor is, and what goodness is. Before you, these thoughts stir in me. Do you see them? Do you see how disgusted I am with my miseries? Do you see that I would like to cry out and weep? Do you understand me, Lord? Is this my prayer?
Yes, this is my prayer. From the depths of my bitterness I raise my voice to you. Do not reject it. You at least, who have suffered as I have, more than I have, you at least, Lord, listen to me. I have so many things to ask of you. Give me, Lord, peace of heart. Give me a tranquil conscience, a new conscience capable of good thoughts.
Indeed, Lord, to you I say it. If I have been remiss, forgive me. We all have need of forgiveness and mercy. I am praying to you for myself. And then, Lord, I pray to you for my loved ones, who are still so dear to me. Lord, assist them. Lord, console them. Lord, tell them to remember me and to love me still. I have so much need to know that somebody is still thinking of me and loves me. And also on these companions in misfortune and affliction, together here in this prison, Lord, have mercy. Mercy on everyone. Yes, also on those who make me suffer, on all. We are all men of this unhappy world. But we are, Lord, your creatures, your likeness, your brothers, O Christ. Have pity on us.
To our poor voice we add the sweet and innocent voice of the Madonna, of the most blessed Mary, who is your Mother, and who is for us also a Mother of intercession and consolation. Lord, give us your peace; give us hope. Amen.
11. BLESSING OF SICK PILGRIMS
The priest, vested in surplice and white stole, places the end of the stole on the head of the sick person, and reads the following passage from the Gospel. If he blesses more than one he holds the stole above them with his right hand.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
P: A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.
All: Glory be to you, O Lord.
Matthew 13.44-52
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "The kingdom of heaven reminds me of a treasure buried in the field; as soon as a person discovers it, he hides it again, and off he goes in his joy and sells all his possessions and buys that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven reminds me of a merchant in quest of beautiful pearls; as soon as he discovers one pearl of great value, off he goes and promptly sells all his possessions and buys it.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven reminds me of a dragnet thrown into the sea and taking in fish of every description; when it is filled, the crew haul it on the beach and settle down to sorting what is usable into receptacles, and throwing away what is worthless. So it will be at the end of the world. The angels will go forth and separate the sinners from among the saints and consign them to the blazing furnace. There it is that weeping and gnashing of teeth will really be heard.
"Do you understand all these lessons?" "Yes," they replied. "Therefore," He continued, "every teacher initiated in the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who produces from his store new things and old."
After the Gospel he blesses the sick person, saying:
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
Then he presents the end of the stole to the sick to be kissed, and sprinkles him with holy water, saying:
May God sprinkle you with the dew of His grace and bring you to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
12. BLESSING OF A SICK ADULT
The priest on entering the sick-room says:
P: God's peace be in this home.
All: And in all who live here.
Then he goes up to the sick person and continues:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, as I, in all humility, enter this home, let there enter with me your peace and your mercy. Let all wiles of the devil be driven far from here, and let your angels of peace take over and put down all wicked strife. Teach us, O Lord, to recognize the majesty of your holy name, and bless what we are about to do; you who are holy, you who are kind, you who abide with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
We entreat you, Lord, to look with favor on your servant who is weak and failing, and revive the soul you have created. Chastened by suffering may he (she) know that he (she) has been saved by your healing; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Merciful Lord, consoler of all who believe in you, we appeal to your boundless compassion that at my humble visit you will also visit this servant of yours, lying on his (her) bed of pain, as you visited the mother-in-law of Simon Peter. Graciously stand by him (her), Lord, so that he (she) may recover his (her) lost strength, and join with your Church in returning thanks to you, who are God, living and reigning forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Then he holds his hand outstretched over the sick person and says:
May our Lord Jesus Christ be with you to guard you, within you to preserve you, before you to lead you, behind you to protect you, above you to bless you; He who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
All: Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
He sprinkles the sick person with holy water.
13. BLESSING OF SICK CHILDREN
If children who are ill are old enough to receive the sacrament of anointing of the sick, the same prayers and ceremonies are used as given in the chapter dealing with the visitation and care of the sick, depending on circumstances of time and illness. But for younger children the following can be used:
On entering the room of the sick child the priest says:
P: God's peace be in this home.
All: And in all who live here.
Next he sprinkles the sick child, the bed, and the room without saying anything. Then he says psalm 112; and after the psalm he continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
P: Our God is merciful.
All: He is the Lord who watches over little children.
P: Let the little children come to me.
All: The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, by whose power all things grow to maturity, and once mature retain their strength, reach out your right hand to this boy (girl) who is afflicted at this tender age. Let him (her) regain health, grow up to manhood (womanhood), and serve you in gratitude and fidelity all the days of his (her) life; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Merciful God and Father, our unalloyed comfort, who, having the interests of your creatures at heart, are inclined in your goodness to bestow the grace of healing not only on the soul but on the body as well; be pleased to raise up this sick child from his (her) bed of suffering, and to return him (her) in full health to your Church and to his (her) parents. May he (she) then throughout the days of his (her) life, as he (she) advances in favor and knowledge in your sight and that of men, serve you in righteousness and holiness, and render you due thanks for your goodness; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
God, who in a marvelous way have disposed the ministries of angels and of men, mercifully grant that the life on earth of this boy (girl) may be under the protection of those who minister to you in heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
After this prayer the priest puts his right hand on the head of the child and says:
They shall lay their hands upon the sick and all will be well with them. May Jesus, Son of Mary, Lord and Savior of the world, through the merits and intercession of His holy apostles Peter and Paul and all His saints, show you favor and mercy.
If he wishes, the priest may add the following passage from the Gospel, depending on the child's condition and the desire of the parents:
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
P: The beginning of the holy Gospel according to St. John.
All: Glory be to you, O Lord.
As the priest says "The beginning," etc., he signs himself on the brow, mouth, and breast in the usual way; and signs the sick child in the same way, if the child cannot do so himself.
For this passage from the Gospel see John 1.1-14.
Lastly he blesses the child, saying:
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
He sprinkles him (her) (them) with holy water.
If there are several sick children in the room the prayers given above are said in the plural.
14. RITE FOR IMPARTING THE PAPAL BLESSING TO THE PEOPLE
The rite to be used by those priests to whom this faculty has been granted by the Holy See
(According to a decree of the Congregation of Sacred Rites, March 12, 1940)
1. The people are to be informed of the day, the time, and the church where the papal blessing will be given. When they are assembled in church a short and edifying instruction should be delivered to them in order to arouse a spirit of devotion and compunction. After this the priest, vested in surplice and white stole, kneels at the altar and implores God's help as follows (he is not assisted by anyone):
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Lord, save your people.
All: And bless your inheritance.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Then he stands and says this oration:
Let us pray.
Almighty and merciful God, grant us your aid from your holy place, and graciously hear the prayers of these people who humbly ask for pardon of their sins, and look for your blessing and your grace. Kindly reach out your right hand over them, and pour out your blessing in fullest measure, that fortified with your gifts they may come to everlasting life and happiness; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
2. He then goes to the corner of the altar-steps at the epistle side, and blesses the people with one sign of the cross, saying in a clear voice:
May the almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
3. Priests who enjoy the faculty of imparting the papal blessing are obliged to observe the prescribed form, and may use this faculty only in the church designated. They may not use it on the same day or in the same city or place on and in which a bishop imparts it.
15. THE PAPAL BLESSING
With Plenary Indulgence at the end of a Sermon, Mission, or Retreat
(Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites, May 11, 1911)
If the Brief states that the papal blessing with plenary indulgence at the end of a sermon is to be given with a crucifix- -i.e., according to the rite prescribed here--a single sign of the cross is made with a crucifix, using the form:
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה