Our Morning Offering – 6 Novemer – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
November The Month of “The Holy Souls in Purgatory” or of “The Church Suffering” or “The Faithful Departed”
Pope Clement XII. was the first who, in order to move the piety of Christians to pray for the souls in Purgatory, granted, by a Brief of 4 August 1736, Coelestes Ecclesiae thesauros – i. The Indulgence of 100 days to all the faithful, everytime that, at the sound of the bell, at the first hour after the evening Ave Maria, they say devoutly, on their knees, the psalm De profundis, with a Requiem Aeternamat at the end of, it. (The evening Ave Maria in Rome varies with the season; it is commonly taken as 6 o’clock.) ii. A Plenary Indulgence to those who perform this pious exercise, for a year, at the hour appointed, once in the year, on any one day, after Confession and Holy Communion. Those who do not know by heart the De Profundis, may gain these Indulgences by saying, in the way already mentioned for the De profundis, one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria, with the Requiem Aeternam. Observe also, that the aforesaid Clement XII. declared, on 12 December 1736, that these Indulgences might be gained by saying the De Profundis etc, as above, although, according to the custom of a particular Church or place, the “signal for the dead,” as it is called, be given by the sound of the bell either before, or after one hour after the evening Ave Maria. Pope Pius VI, by a Rescript of 18 March 1781, granted the above-named Indulgences to all the faithful, who should chance to dwell in any place where no bell for the dead is sounded and who, shall say the De Profundis or Pater Noster, as aforesaid, about the time specified above.
Applying Indulgences to the Faithful Departed
“By the practice of Indulgences, the Church places at the charitable disposal of the faithful, the inexhaustible treasure accumulated, from age to age, by the superabundant satisfactions of the Saints, added to those of the Martyrs and united to those of our Blessed Lady and the infinite residue of our Lord’s sufferings. These remissions of punishment, she grants to the living, by her own direct power but, she nearly always approves of and permits, their application to the dead, by way of suffrage, that is to say, in the manner in which, as we have seen, each of the faithful may offer to God, Who accepts it, for another, the suffrage or succour of his own satisfactions.” (The Liturgical Year,Abbot Prosper Guéranger OSB (1805-1875).
A Partial Indulgence may be obtained, by devoutly visiting a Cemetery and praying there for the departed, mentally or vocally. One may gain a Plenary Indulgence visiting a Cemetery each day, between 1 November and 8 November. These Indulgences are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.
A Plenary Indulgence, again applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is also granted when the faithful piously visit a Church or a public Oratory on 2 November. In visiting the Church or Oratory, it is required, that one Our Father and the Creed be recited and then the usual conditions are fulfilled, within 20 days.
A Partial Indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, can be obtained when the Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam) is prayed:
ETERNAL REST
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 29 October – “The Month of The Most Holy Rosary and The Holy Angels”
Salve Regina Hail Holy Queen [An Indulgence of 300 days–1925]
By Blessed Herman of Reichenau (1013–1054)
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, Poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, Mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us; And after this our exile, Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
This line, below, by St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
℣ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, ℟ that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – St Bridget of Sweden (c1303-1373) Widow
“My Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Blessed, Royal and magnificent Heart could never, by torments or terrors or persuasions, be swayed from the defence of Thy Kingdom of Truth and Justice.”
Supplication to St Bridget For Those Separated from the True Church (Can be used as a Novena)
With trusting hearts we turn to thee, blessed Bridget, in these hostile and unbelieving days, to implore thine intercession on behalf of those who are separated from the True Church of Jesus Christ. By that clear knowledge thou didst have of the bitter sufferings of our Crucified Redeemer, the price of our salvation, we offer thee our supplications to obtain the grace of faith for those who are outside the One True fold, so that the sheep who are scattered, may return to the One Trrue Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Saint Bridget, fearless in thy service of God, pray for us. Saint Bridget, patient in the midst of suffering and humiliation, pray for us. Saint Bridget, wonderful in thy love for Jesus and Mary, pray for us.
Quote/s of the Day – 15 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” and The Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin
Hail Mary, Full of Sorrows! A Short Prayer to the Most Holy Virgin in her Desolation By Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) Papal Reign 1846-1878 (+102 Raccolta)
His Holiness Pope Pius IX, by a Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, of 23 December 1847, deigned to grant:
An Indulgence of 100 days to all the faithful, everytime they say, with contrite heart, the following prayer in honour of the most Holy Virgin in her desolation.
HAIL MARY, full of sorrows! the Crucified is with thee; tearful art thou amongst women and tearful is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, grant tears to us crucifiers of thy Son, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
LATIN
Ave Maria, doloribus plena, Crucifixus tecum; lacrymabilis te in mulieribus et lacrymabilis Fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Crucifixi, lacrymas impertire nobis crucifixoribus Filii tui, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 13 September – Our Holy Mother’s Day – Sanctæ Mariæ Sabbato
Indulgenced Daily Consecration to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
My Queen! my Mother! I give myself entirely to thee And to show my devotion to thee, I consecrate to thee, this day, my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my hands, my heart, my whole being, without reserve. Wherefore, good Mother, as I am thine, keep me, guard me, and protect me as thy own. Amen
Aspiration:My Queen! my Mother! remember I am thine own. Keep me, guard me, as thy property and possession.
His Holiness, Pope Pius IX, by a Decree of the Sacred Congr.egation of Indulgences, on 5 August 1851, granted to all the faithful who, with fervour and a contrite heart, shall say, morning and evening, one Hail Mary, together with this prayer and aspiration, to implore of the Blessed Virgin, victory over temptations, especially over those against chastity: An Indulgence of One Hundred Days, once a day.
The Memorare Indulgence of three years – Raccolta 339. Plenary indulgence – once a month for the daily recitation of this prayer.
The Memorare By St Bernard (1090-1153) Father and Mellifluous Doctor
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen
Sweet Heart of Mary be my salvation.
An Indulgence of 300 days. A Plenary Indulgence once a month under the usual conditions, if repeated daily Pope Pius IX, Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, 30 September 1852.
Quote/s of the Day – 1 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.
(1943 Raccolta – Indulgence 300 days)
“May the Blessed Virgin, unique in her merits, stand in the presence of her Creator interceding always in our favour. She will be radiant in the fullness of glory, she who brought forth, from her virginal womb, the King of glory.”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
“The Blessed Virgin was chosen to be the Mother of God and, therefore, it is not to be doubted, but that God fitted her for it by His graces.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus / Doctor Communis
“To ask favours without interposing Mary is to attempt to fly without wings!”
“The prayers of Mary, have the force of command with Jesus Christ. Hence, it is impossible for the Son not to grant a grace for which the Mother asks.”
Our Morning Offering – 18 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
By the Merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered, 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
The IndulgencedPentecost Novena to the Holy Ghost for the Seven Gifts
“We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Ghost, for, each one of us, greatly needs His protection and His aid. The more we are lacking in wisdom, weak in strength, burdened with trouble, prone to sin, the more we should turn to Him, Who, is the never-ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness!”
The Novena in honour of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all Novenas, since it was first prayed at the direction of Our Lord Himself, when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the Light and Strength and Love, so sorely needed by every Catholic today. To encourage devotion to the Holy Ghost, the Church has granted the following Indulgences:
“The faithful who devoutly assist at the public Novena in honour of the Holy Ghost, immediately preceding the Solemn Feast of Pentecost, may gain a Partial Indulgence for themselves or, as an offering for the intentions of the faithful departed.”
An Indulgence of 10 years on any (and every) day of the Novena. A Plenary Indulgence, if they take part in at least five of the exercises and go to Confession, receive Holy Communion and pray for the Holy Father’s intentions.
“Those who make a private Novena in honour of the Holy Ghost, either before the Solemn Feast of Pentecost or at any other time in the year, may also gain a Partial Indulgence for themselves or, as an offering for the intentions of the faithful departed.”
An Indulgence of 7 years on any (and every) day of the Novena. A Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions but, if a public Novena is held, this Indulgence is available only to those who are lawfully hindered from being part of the same.
FIRST DAY (Friday after Ascension)
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Thy clear celestial height, Thy pure beaming radiance give!
The Holy Ghost
Only one thing is important — eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared–sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness and indifference. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for “The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us.”
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth upon us from Heaven, Thy sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thyr justice and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul! In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy Light, listen to Thy Voice and follow Thy gracious Inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Thy grace, that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Thy servant hears.” Amen
Our Morning Offering – 4 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament”– The Feast of the Most Precious Blood for the Friday after Laetare Sunday
By the Merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered, 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
Thought for the Day – 29 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
29th Day – St Joseph’s Happy Death
+1. Never, to any of the children of men, did death come so bereft of its terrors, as to St Joseph. One who had lived so continually in the Presence of his God, had no cause to fear it. One whose thoughts, aspirations, hopes affections, had always been in Heaven, regarded death as a stepping-stone to his true home and to the presence of his God. One on whose breast Jesus had nestled lovingly, had already had a foretaste of Paradise and was absorbed by the longing desire to be there. Have I the same reasons to welcome death?
+2. Yet, if anyone ever had reason to dread the separation from earth, it was St Joseph. None ever left behind, wife or child, who were a thousandth part as dear as Mary and Jesus were to Joseph. Did it cost him nothing to say farewell? No , for from Jesus he could never be separated and, if the veil of flesh prevented him for a short time, from unity with his virgin spouse, yet they would soon meet in endless union before the throne of God. The pain of separation disappeared at the thought of eternal bliss. If the company of Jesus and Mary was so sweet on earth, what would it be in Heaven where all is perfect!?
+3. What a beautiful death was St Joseph’s! Nursed in the arms of Jesus and Mary, his last hours were one long ecstasy. No anxious, no distressing thought, was possible in that sweet company . For St Joseph death was only falling asleep to wake in Paradise. He is, therefore, the Patron of a good death . Pray earnestly to Jesus, Mary and Joseph that you may die in peace in their blessed company.
Indulgenced Holy Family Aspiration
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with Thee.”
(Indulgence of 300 days, Each Time. Pope Pius VII, 26 August 1814)
Quote/s of the Day – 24 March – Feast of St Gabriel the Archangel It is piously believed that St Gabriel, who assisted in His Mission to Redeem mankind, is also the Angel of the Agony, who assisted Jesus in His terrible sufferings in the completion of that Redemption.
St Gabriel “Strength of God” By St Aloysius de Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)
O Angel truly strong, strengthen, guide and protect us, thou who, by thy embassy didst usher even God Himself to earth! most strong of all, Who, having carried off the spoils and having routed that strongly armed one who for so long a time, had exercised his destructive tyranny over us, didst rescue us from slavery and restore us to the liberty of the sons of God!
“O holy Angel who didst strengthen Jesus Christ our Lord, come and strengthen us also, come and tarry not!”
An indulgence of 300 day
The Angel of the Agony John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Jesu! by that shuddering dread which fell on Thee; Jesu! by that cold dismay which sicken’d Thee; Jesu! by that pang of heart which thrill’d in Thee; Jesu! by that mount of sins which crippled Thee; Jesu! by that sense of guilt which stifled Thee; Jesu! by that innocence which girded Thee; Jesu! by that sanctity which reign’d in Thee; Jesu! by that Godhead which was one with Thee; Jesu! spare those souls which are so dear to Thee; Who in prison, calm and patient, wait for Thee; Hasten, Lord, their hour and bid them come to Thee; To that glorious Home, where they shall ever gaze on Thee. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 20 March – Thursday after the Second Sunday in Lent
Look Down, O Lord By St Cajetan (1480-1547)
Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary and from the high habitation of Heaven and behold this Sacred Oblation which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Servant, the Lord Jesus, immolates unto Thee, for the sins of His brethren and be propitious to the multitude of our iniquities. Behold, the Voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the Cross. Graciously hear, O Lord, be appeased, O Lord, hearken and do. Delay not for Thy own sake, my God because Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and do with us, according to Thy mercy. Amen
Plenary Indulgence on the First Thursday of each month for Communicants visiting the Blessed Sacrament and reciting this prayer. Partial Indulgence of seven years and seven Quarantines, on all other Thursdays. –Pope Pius VII. “Quarantines” signifies a strict Ecclesiastical penance of forty days, performed according to the practice of the early Church. Hence an Indulgence of “Seven Quarantines,” for instance, implies. the remission of as much temporal punishment, as would be blotted out by the corresponding amount of Ecclesiastical Penance i.e. 7 x 40 = 280 days.
Quote/s of the Day – 19 March – “The Month and Feastday of Saint Joseph”
“Saint Joseph was the just man: by his constant fidelity -an effect of justice; by his perfect discretion – a sister to prudence; by his upright conduct – a mark of strength and by his inviolable chastity – a flower of temperance.”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
Indulgenced Holy Family Aspiration
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with Thee.”
(Indulgence of 300 days, Each Time. Pope Pius VII, 26 August 1814)
“To all fathers of families, Joseph is verily the best model of paternal vigilance and care. In the most holy Virgin Mother of God, mothers may find an excellent example of love, modesty, resignation of spirit and the perfecting of faith. And in Jesus, Who was subject to His parents, the children of the family, have a Divine Pattern of obedience which they can admire, reverence and imitate.”
Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)
Apostolic Letter, “Breve Neminem Fugit” 1892
“It is impossible, that he could be denied the favours for which he asks and which we should request him to obtain for us. Let us go to him trustingly but, let us remember, that the surest way of being heard by him, is to imitate his wonderful virtues, especially his humility, his spirit of prayer, his purity and his calm desire always, to do God’s Will.”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family”and the Feast of the Holy Family
Indulgenced Holy Family Aspiration
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with Thee.”
(Indulgence of 300 days, Each Time. Pope Pius VII, 26 August 1814)
“When husband and wife are united in marriage they no longer seem like something earthly but rather, like the image of God Himself!”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
“The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father, put His arms around her neck, the One Who is the strength, that gives movement to everything, sat in her arms. He Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29) rested on her motherly breast. … Filled with the Holy Spirit, she held Him close to her heart … She never had enough of seeing Him or of hearing Him, ,,, Thus Mary grew evermore in love and her mind was unceasingly attached to Divine contemplation.”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
“Since God could choose for the Guardian of His Son, the man in the world, the most accomplished in all sorts of perfections, according to the dignity and excellence of his Charge, Who was His most Glorious Son, the universal Prince of Heaven and earth, how could it be that being able, He did not will it and did not do it? There is, then, NO DOUBT that St Joseph was endowed with all the graces and all the gifts that were required for the care which the Eternal Father willed to give him, of the temporal and domestic economy of our Lord and of the guidance of his family … ”
Our Morning Offering – 7 January – Within the Octave of Epiphany – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” and the Feast of the Holy Family
Grant Us, O Lord Jesus Indulgenced Prayer in Honour of the Holy Family (Indulgence: 200 days, Once a Day Pope Leo XIII)
Grant us, O Lord Jesus, faithfully to imitate the examples of Thy Holy Family, so that in the hour of our death, in the company of Thy glorious Virgin Mother and St Joseph, we may deserve to be received by Thee, into eternal tablernacles. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Pius X (1835-1914) Pope, Confessor
Ejaculation at the Elevation in the Mass and at the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
“Dominus meus, et Deus meus! My Lord and my God!”
(These words are to be said with faith, piety, and love, while looking upon the Blessed Sacrament, either during the Elevation in the Mass, or when exposed on the Altar. Indulgence of 7 years — Pius X, 1907)
“JESUS, meek and humble of HEART, make my heart like unto Thine.” INDULGENCE: 300 Days, EVERYTIME. (Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) St Pope Pius X, 15 September 1905
“Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in Thee.”
(300 Days Indulgence. St. Pius X 1906.)
“EUCHARISTIC Heart of JESUS, have mercy on us.” INDULGENCE: 300 Days. TQ Toties Quoties = any number of times. St Pius X, 26 July 1907; 26 December 1907 – Raccolta 176.
“Is it permitted for Catholics to be present at, or to take part in, conventions, gatherings, meetings, or societies of non-Catholics which aim to associate together under a single agreement everyone who, in any way, lays claim to the name of Christian? IN THE NEGATIVE! … It is clear, therefore, why this Apostolic See has never allowed its subjects, to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics.”
Our Morning Offering – 19 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” –
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 13 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and the Feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus instituted by Pope Benedict XV
O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus! By Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922)
O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus! O Fount of every good! I adore Thee, I love Thee and sincerely repenting of my sins, I present to Thee my poor heart. Give it back to me humble, patient, pure and in everything, conformed to Thy wishes. Make me, O good Jesus, live in Thee and for Thee. Protect me in dangers, comfort me in afflictions, grant me health of body, succour in my temporal needs, Thy blessing in all my works and the grace of a holy death. Amen
Indulgence – 100 days Once a day Pope Benedict XV 4 December 1916
One Minute Reflection – 8 June – The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Ecclesiasticus 24:5; 14:7; 14:9-11; 24:30-31; Luke 1:26-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace!”– Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “The degeneration caused by sin had obscured the beauty of our original nobility. But when the mother of supreme Beauty is born, our nature finds its purity once more and sees itself moulded according to the perfect model, worthy of God (Gn 1:26)… We had all preferred the world below to that above. There no longer remained any hope of salvation. The state of our nature cried aloud to Heaven to come to the rescue… Then, at last, in His good pleasure, the world’s Divine Artificer determined to make a new world appear, a different world full of harmony and youth.
Now, was it not fitting, that a most pure virgin without stain, should place herself at the service of this mysterious plan, first of all?… And where was this virgin to be found if not in this woman, alone of her kind, chosen by the world’s Creator before all generations? Yes, she indeed is Mother of God, divinely named Mary, whose womb gave birth to God Incarnate and whom, He Himself, had supernaturally prepared as His temple…
In this way, then, the design of the Redeemer of our race was to bring about a birth and, as it were, a new creation to replace the one that went before. Therefore, just as in Paradise He had taken a little clay, out of the pure and spotless earth, to fashion the first Adam (Gn 2:7), so, at the moment of bringing about His own Incarnation, He made use of another earth, so to speak, namely this pure and immaculate Virgin, chosen from among all other beings He had created. It is in her that He, Adam’s Creator, has remade us in our very substance and become a new Adam (1 Cor 15:45) that the old might be saved by the new and eternal.” – St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father (Sermon 1 for the Nativity of the Mother of God).
PRAYER – Grant we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we who keep the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Queen, safe under her protection, may be worthy to have peace now and glory, in the future. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
All praise, honour and glory to the divine HEART of JESUS. – Indulgence 50 Days, Once a day. Raccolta 168 Pope Leo XIII, 14 June 1901.
One Minute Reflection – 7 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19, John 19:31-37 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side and, immediately, there came forth, blood and water. ” –
REFLECTION – “Brethren, let us pursue our calling – we are called by Life to the Source of Life and this Source is a source, not just of ‘living water’ (Jn 4:10) but of eternal life, Source of Light and illumination. Indeed, all things flow from it, wisdom, life and eternal light… O Lord, Thou are Thineself this Source Who always exists and is always to be desired and, at where it is always permitted and always necessary for us to draw. ‘Lord Jesus, give us this water always’ that it may also become within us, a spring of water \welling up to eternal life’ (Jn 4:15.14). It is true that I am asking Thee for a great deal, who could deny it? But Thou, O King of glory, know well how to give great things and Thou hast promised them. There is nothing greater than Thou art and, it is Thee Thyself Who give to us, it is Thee Who gave Thyself for us.
Therefore, it is Thee we are asking for … since we desire nothing other than Thee. Thou art our All, our Life, our Light and our Salvation, our Food and our Drink, our God. Breathe into our hearts, I beseech Thee, O our Jesus; with the breath of Thine Spirit, wound our souls with Thy Love that each of us may say in truth – “Show me Him Whom my soul loves” (Sg 3:3) for I have been wounded by Thy Love.
I desire these wounds to be in me, O Lord. Happy the soul who loves wounds in this way – the soul who seeks the Source, who drinks and who, nevertheless, never ceases to thirst even as it drinks, nor to draw continually by desire, nor to continue drinking in its thirst. Thus, it always seeks in loving, for in its wound, it finds healing.” – St Columban (543-615) Father of the Church, Monk, Missionary, Founder of many Monasteries (Spiritual Instructions No 13: 2-3).
PRAYER – O God, Who in the Heart of Thy Son, wounded by our sins, mercifully lavish upon us the infinite riches of Love, grant, we beseech Thee, that as we offer Him the faithful service of our devotion, we may also show forth fitting reparation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
DIVINE Heart of JESUS, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in Purgatory.Indulgence 300 Days Everytime – St Pius X, 11 September, 1907.
One Minute Reflection – 6 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” –St Norbert O. Praem. (c 1080-1134) Bishop, Confessor, Founder of the Premonstratensians –The Octave Day of Corpus Christi – 1 Corinthians 23-29, John 6:56-59 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He who eats this Bread shall live forever.” – John 6:59
REFLECTION – “Since it was the Will of God’s Only-Begotten Son that men should share in His Divinity, He assumed our nature in order that, by becoming Man. He might make men gods . Moreover, when He took our flesh. He dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered His Body to God the Father, on the Altar of the Cross, as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed His Blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed, from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin. But to ensure that the memory of so great a gift would abide with us forever, He left His Body as food and His Blood as drink, for the faithful to consume in the form of bread and wine.
O precious and wonderful banquet which brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old law, it was the flesh of calves and goats, which was offered but here, Christ Himself, the True God, is set before us as our food! What could be more wonderful than this? No other Sacrament has greater healing power; through it, sins are purged away, virtues are increased and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift. It is offered in the Church for the living and the dead, so that what was instituted for the salvation of all, may be for the benefit of all. Yet, in the end, no-one can fully express the sweetness of this Sacrament, in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which, we renew the memory, of that surpassing love for us, which Christ revealed in His Passion.
It was to impress the vastness of this Love, more firmly upon the hearts of the faithful, that our Lord instituted this Sacrament at the Last Supper. As He was on the point of leaving the world to go to the Father, after celebrating the Passover with His disciples, He left it as a perpetual memorial of His Passion. It was the fulfilment of ancient figures and the greatest of all His Miracles, while, for those who were to experience the sorrow of His departure, it was destined to be a unique and abiding consolation.” – St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Dominican Priest and Theologian, Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from On the Feast of the Body of Christ).
PRAYER – To God, Who made blessed Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, a brilliant preacher of Thy Word and through him, enriched Thy Church with a new religious family, grant, we beseech Thee, that by his prayerful intercession and Thy help, we may be able to do what he has taught us by his words and deeds. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
O HEART of love, I place all my trust in Thee; for though I fear all things from my weakness, I hope all things from Thy mercies. – Ejaculation of Saint Margaret Mary – Indulgence 300 Days, Everytime – Raccolta 180St Pius X, 3 June 1908.
One Minute Reflection – 5 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Boniface (672-754) Martyr “The Apostle of Germany,” Confessor, Bishop – Within the Corpus Christu Octave – – 1 Corinthians 23-29, John 6:56-59.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“As the living Father has sent Me and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.” – John 6:58
REFLECTION – “We believe that the Word became Flesh and that we receive His Flesh in the Lord’s Supper. How then can we fail to believe, that He really dwells within us? When He became Man, He actually clothed Himself in our flesh, uniting it to Himself forever. In the Sacrament of His Body, He actually gives us His own Flesh, which He has united to His Divinity. This is why we are all one because the Father is in Christ and Christ is in us. He is in us through His Flesh and we are in Him. With Him, we form a Unity, which is in God.
The manner of our indwelling in Him through the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, is evident from the Lord’s own Words: This world will see Me no longer but you shall see Me. Because I live ,you shall live also, for I am in My Father, you are in Me and I am in you. If it had been a question of mere unity of will, why should He have given us this explanation of the steps, by which it is achieved? He is in the Father by reason of His Divine Nature, we are in Him by reason of His Human Birth and He is in us, through the Mystery of the Sacraments. This, surely, is what He wished us to believe; this is how He wanted us to understand the perfect Unity that is achieved through our Mediator, Who lives in the Father, while we live in Him and Who,, while living in the Father, lives also in us. This is how we attain to Unity with the Father. Christ is in very truth in the Father by His Eternal Generation; we are in very truth, in Christ and He likewise is in us.
Christ Himself bore witness to the reality of His Unity, when He said: He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, lives in Me and I in him. No-one will be in Christ, unless Christ Himself has been in him; Christ will take to Himself only the Flesh of those who have received His Flesh.
He had already explained the Mystery of this perfect Unity, when He said: As the living Father sent Me and I draw life from the Father, so he who eats My Flesh will draw life from Me. We draw life from His Flesh, just as He draws life from the Father. Such comparisons aid our understanding, since we can grasp a point more easily, when we have an analogy. And the point is that Christ is the well-spring of our life. Since we, who are in the flesh, have Christ dwelling in us through His Flesh, we shall draw life from Him in the same way, in which He draws life from the Father.” – St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers , Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (An excerpt from his On the Trinity).
PRAYER – O God, Who, through the zeal of blessed Boniface, Thy Martyr and Bishop, graciously called a multitude of people to the knowledge of Thine Name, mercifully grant that we, who keep his feast, may also enjoy his patronage.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
HEART of JESUS burning with love of us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee. – 100 Days, once a day. (See Instructions. – Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) [169 Raccolta or Collection of Indulgences, 1910] Pope Leo XIII, 16 July 1893.
One Minute Reflection – 4 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Francis Caracciolo CRM (1563-1608) Confessor –Within the Corpus Christi Octave – 1 Corinthians 23-29; John 6:56-59.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For as often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the Death of the Lord, until He comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26
REFLECTION – “In our offering of the Holy Sacrifice we fulfil the Command of our Saviour, as recorded by the Apostle Paul: The Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread and after He had given thanks, broke it and said: This is My Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me. The same way, after the supper, He took the Cup saying: This Cup is the New Covenant in My Blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you shall proclaim the Death of the Lord until He comes.
This Sacrifice is offered, then, to proclaim the Lord’s Death; it is offered in remembrance of Him, Who laid down His Life for our sake. As He says: Greater love than this no man has, that he lay down his life for his friends. Because Christ died for us out of love, we ask, when we make remembrance of His Death, at the time of Sacrifice that we too may be granted love through the coming of the Holy Ghost. We pray, that by the Love which Christ had for us, when He braved the Cross, we may receive the grace of the Spirit and be crucified to the world and the world to us. The Death Christ died, He died to sin, once for all but the Life He lives, He lives to God. Let us imitate our Lord’s Death and also live a new life. Strengthened with the gift of His Love, let us die to sin and live for God.
For God’s Love has been poured out in our hearts, through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us. Indeed our sharing in the Lord’s Body and Blood, when we eat His Bread and drink His Cup, teaches us, that we should die to the world and that we should keep our life hidden with Christ in God, crucifying our flesh with its vices and evil desires.
That is why all the faithful who love God and their neighbour, truly drink the Cup of the Lord’s Love even though, they may not drink the cup of His Bodily Suffering. And becoming inebriated from it, they put to death, whatever in their nature is rooted in earth. They clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not indulge fleshly desires. They do not fix their gaze on visible things but contemplate things, which the eye cannot see. Thus they drink the Lord’s Cup by preserving the holy bond of love – without it, even if a man should deliver his body to be burned, he gains nothing. But the gift of love enables us to become, in reality, what we celebrate as Mystery in the Sacrifice.” – St Fulgentius of Ruspe (c462 – 533) Bishop, Father (An excerpt from Against Fabianus).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Thou Who have given Thy servants, in the confession of the true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of that Majesty, to adore its unity, grant, we beseech Thee, that in the firmness of this faith, we may ever be protected from all harm. And may the example and intercession of Thy Confessor, St Francis Caracciolo ever assist us on our journey to our eternal home. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
MAY the HEART of JESUS be loved everywhere.100 Days, Indulgence Once a day – Bl Pope Pius IX 23 September 1860
One Minute Reflection – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of Corpus Christi – 1 Corinthians 23-29; John 6:56-59– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This is the Bread that has come down from Heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this Bread shall live forever.” – John 6:59
REFLECTION – Christ is “the bread of life” for those who believe in Him: to believe in Christ is to eat the Bread of Life, to possess Christ within one, is to possess eternal life… “I am the Bread of Life,” He says; “your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and they are dead” (Jn 6:48f). By this is to be understood ,spiritual death. Why are they dead? Because they believed in what they saw and did not understand what they could not see… Moses ate manna, Aaron ate it and many others, too, who pleased God and are not dead. Why are they not dead? Because they understood, in a spiritual fashion, they were spiritually hungry, they tasted the manna spiritually, so that they might be spiritually satisfied. “This is the Bread that came down from Heaven: whoever eats It will never die” (v.50). This manna – that is to say, Christ, who Himself spoke like this … was prefigured by the manna but was able to do more than manna could. For manna could not, of itself, prevent dying spiritually… But the righteous saw Christ in the manna, they believed in His coming and Christ, of Whom manna was the symbol, grants to all who believe in Him that they should not spiritually die. Hence He says: “This is the Bread come down from Heaven; whoever eats it will never see death.” Here on earth, here now, before your eyes, your eyes of flesh: here is to be found the “Bread from Heaven” (v.51). The “Bread of Life” we spoke of a moment ago is now called “Living Bread.” Living Bread because it contains, within Itself, the life which abides and can deliver from spiritual death and bestow life. First He said: “Whoever eats It will never die” now He speaks clearly, concerning the life He gives: “Whoever eats this bread will live for ever” (v.58). Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190) Cistercian – The Sacrament of the Altar II
PRAYER – Grant, O Lord, that we may always fear and love Thy holy Name, for Thou never fail to guide those whom Thou firmly establishes in Thine Love. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
SACRED Heart of JESUS, Thy Kingdom come! Indulgence 300 Days. Everytime Raccolta 178 St Pius X, 4 May 1906.
Our Morning Offering – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
1 June – Devotion for June – THE MONTH OF THE MOST SACRED HEART of JESUS
In 1899, Pope Leo XIII Consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since then, his successors have exhorted the faithful to turn to the Sacred Heart and make Acts of personal Consecration. They have also begged the faithful to offer prayers and penances to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the many sins of the world.
In his Encyclical on the Sacred Heart entitled Haurietis Aquas (“You Will Draw Waters”) Pope Pius XII notes that the genesis of the devotion to the Sacred Heart lies in the Covenant of Love from the Old Testament. He writes that “in the New Testament, the love which breathes from the Gospel, from the letters of the Apostles and the pages of the Apocalypse, all portray the Love of the Heart of Jesus.” He is linking this devotion to the Old Testament which was brought to life in Christ in the New Testament.
In the early 17th Century, Devotion to the Sacred Heart was given considerable attention in the preaching and writings of St John Eudes, known as “The Apostle of the Two Holy Hearts.”
St Francis (1567-1622) in his “Treatise on the Love of God,” lays out the foundation of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart. St Francis would greatly influence St Jane Frances de Chantal who was the Foundress of the Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the very Order which St Margaret Mary Alacoque VHM. (1647-1690), the Visionary of the Sacred Heart, would later join.
Our Lord appeared to St Margaret Mary, perhaps close to forty times. The first apparition occurred in the Visitation Chapel at Paray-le-Monial on 27 December 1673. The last apparition occurred less than two years later in June 1675. She saw His heart engulfed in flames and surrounded by thorns and heard His gentle voice:
“Behold this Heart which has so loved men that It spares nothing…to prove to them It’s love. And, in return, I receive from the greater part of men, nothing but ingratitude, by the contempt, irreverence, sacrileges and coldness with which they treat Me in this Sacrament of Love.
I thirst, I burn with a consuming desire for men’s love and I find none to quench this thirst, according to My wish, by making any return of love.”
From her cloister, St Margaret Mary promoted the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, First Friday Devotion, The Twelve Promises and the Holy Hour of Reparation.
The Sacred Heart Enthronement desires to follow in the footsteps of Saints who came before and hold true to the basic request of Jesus to St.Margaret Mary, “I will bless the home in which the Image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honoured.”
Sweet Heart of my JESUS, Make me love Thee ever more and more! –300 Days Indulgence Once a day, Plenary Once a month – Blessed Pope Pius IX – 26 November 1876
Our Morning Offering – 22 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament”
Glory Be to Jesus, Who in Bitter Pains By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori 1696–1787) [Attrib] Transl. Fr Edward Caswell CO (1814-1878) (An Indulgence of 100 days)
Glory be to Jesus, Who in bitter pain Poured for me the life-Blood From His sacred veins.
Grace and life eternal In that Blood I find; Blest be His compassion, Infinitely kind.
Blest through endless ages Be the precious stream, Which from endless torments Dost the world redeem.
Abel’s blood for vengeance Pleaded to the skies; But the Blood of Jesus For our pardon cries.
Oft as it is sprinkled On our guilty hearts, Satan in confusion Terror-struck departs.
Oft as earth exulting Wafts its praise on high, Angel-hosts rejoicing Make their glad reply.
Lift ye then your voices; Swell the mighty flood; Louder still and louder Praise the Precious Blood.
Our Morning Offering – 18 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Within the Octave of the Patronage of St Joseph
Indulgenced Prayer to St Joseph O St Joseph! Pray for Us Daily
O Joseph! virgin father of Jesus, pure Spouse of the Virgin Mother, pray for us daily to the Son of God, that, armed with the weapons of His grace, we may fight as we ought in life and be crowned by Him in death. Amen
(Indulgence of 100 days, twice a day St Pius X 26 November 1906)
Our Morning Offering – 12 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament”
O Most Compassionate Jesus! By Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) Indulgence of 100 days, once a day 6 October 1870
O Most compassionate Jesus! Thou alone art our Salvation, our Life and our Resurrection. We implore Thee, therefore, do not forsake us in our needs and afflictions but by the agony of Thy Most Sacred Heart and by the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, succour Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy Most Precious Blood. Amen
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