26 January 2008

Saint Peter's in the Morning



O Happy Day!
O Blessed Morning!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

24 January 2008

Passion exposed


"It often happens that someone sees himself sitting peacefully and quietly, but when his brother says a word that upsets him, he is troubled. Thus, he thinks that he is justly upset with him, saying, ‘If he hadn’t come and spoken to me and troubled me, I wouldn’t have sinned.’ But this is folly and absurdity. Did the person that spoke to him give him that passion? He simply showed him the passion that existed within him, so that, if he wanted to, he could repent of it. He is like fine bread that shines on the outside, but when one breaks it, he sees its moldiness. In just the same way, he was sitting, as he thought, in peace, but he had this passion inside him he was unaware of. His brother said one word and revealed the filth hidden inside him. Therefore if he wants to receive mercy, he must repent, purify himself, progress and he must understand that he ought to thank his brother for being the great cause if his spiritual benefit."

St. Abba Dorotheos of Gaza


22 January 2008

A New Pro-Life Collect for the Day


O SON OF GOD, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that when we serve the least of thy brothers and sisters, we are serving thee : bless all who are working for the establishment of just laws which respect the dignity of every human being ; that all children, born and unborn, may be protected from all evil and come to know the joy of thy creation ; who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, now and for ever. Amen.



This beautiful collect was written by Preston Schultz, a parishioner of Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church (Anglican Usage) in Houston Texas. I thank him for his permission to reprint his collect on my blog. I pray we will see many more collects from Preston Schultz.


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Today is the Feast of St. Vincent of Saragossa, the Proto-Martyr of Spain and my patron saint! So today is my Name Day, and a wonderful Name Day it has been ... fairly overflowing with graces, mercies, and kindnesses.

Many do not realise how important St. Vincent is to Anglo-Catholics and thereby should be important to all Catholics of Anglican Heritage. The reason for his significance is because a major relic of his is housed in a beautiful ferretory in the Anglican Shrine at Walsingham in England. It stands hard by the Holy Well of Walsingham. Here is a collect from the Anglican Heritage that expresses well our common devotion to St. Vincent of Saragossa:


ALMIGHTY GOD, whose deacon Vincent, upheld by thee, was not terrified by threats nor overcome by torments: Strengthen us, we beseech thee, through his intercession, to endure all adversity with invincible and steadfast faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.


May we all be as bold as St. Vincent in the defense of Life, that most sacred and holy gift of God.

"Catholic Anglican Martyrs"


I must raise my former Angl0-Catholic biretta to Scelata for learning of this fascinating post:

http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2008/01/catholic-anglicans-martyred.html

Certainly important to Anglo-Catholics as well as Roman Catholics of the Anglican Use!

19 January 2008

Father Paul's prayers for the Octave for Christian Unity

Antiphon: That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Here recall the intention for the day's prayer.

January 18
For the return of the "other sheep" to the One Fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.

January 19
For the return of the Eastern Orthodox Christians to communion with the Apostolic See.

January 20
For the return of the Anglicans to the authority of the Vicar of Christ.

January 21
For the return of all Protestants throughout the world to the unity of the Catholic Church.

January 22
That Christians in America may be one, in union with the Chair of Saint Peter.

January 23
That lapsed Catholics will return to the Sacraments of the Church.

January 24
That the Jewish people will be converted to the Catholic Faith.

January 25
That missionary zeal will conquer the world for Christ.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Father Paul and Mother Lurana, please pray for us.


A Collect of Life through the Cross of Christ


O GOD, our salvation and truth, grant that we thy children, rejecting the proud wisdoms of the world, may betake ourselves to the Cross of thy dear Son, to walk by its way, to repose in its shadow, to venerate its mercy, and to embrace its scorn : through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Very Reverend Eric Milner-White
Dean of York
A Procession of Passion Prayers
S.P.C.K., London, 1956

12 January 2008

Self-definition


My heart is Anglican,
my mind is Catholic,
my spirit is Orthodox,
and the nous of it all is Christian,
seeking the full stature of Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Father Mark on St. Aelred


Father Mark's beautiful entries on St. Aelred are well worth reading this Saturday.

Indeed his blog Vultus Christi remains the most consoling, uplifting, and instructive blog on the internet for me.

I have great spiritual affection for St. Aelred and wish the wider Church knew him better.

10 January 2008

Epiphany Collects from the Anglican Heritage


These beautiful collects are part of the Catholic heritage of the Anglican Communion:


These beautiful collects are part of the Catholic heritage of the Anglican Communion.

09 January 2008

Our Lady of Prompt Succour, pray for us.


In the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Feast of Our Lady of Prompt Succour is still kept with great solemnity.

Clementissime Jesu, qui divitias misericordiae tuae in sinu Matris Mariae collocasti: concede propitius; ut ejus patrocinio a cunctis malis mentis et corporis liberemur. Qui vivis.

Most clement Jesus, Who hast placed the riches of Thy mercy in the bosom of Thy Mother Mary: graciously grant that, by her protection, we may be delivered from every evil of mind and of body. Who livest and reignest.

The Litany of Our Lady of Prompt Succour may be found here.

Epiphany Collects

from The People's Missal (Anglican)

O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant, that we which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O GOD, whose only begotten Son did appear in substance of our flesh: grant, we beseech thee, that, by him whom we have known in that outward likeness to ourselves, we may be accounted worthy to be inwardly transformed after the same image, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect of St. Hilary, Bishop and Confessor
BE favourable, O Lord, to these our supplications; and at the plea of the blessed Hilary thy confessor and bishop, whose passing we commemorate, overshadow us, continually, with thy most merciful lovingkindness and thy grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Post-Communion in the Octave of the Epiphany
We beseech thee, O Lord, that thy heavenly light may go before us, always and everywhere; that we may behold with clear vision, and receive with blessed effect, this Sacrament of which we have been permitted to partake: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The People's Missal
The Rev. E.A.I. Clarke, AKC
1919

06 January 2008

Post-Sanctus, 1718 Liturgy of the Non-Jurors

Adapted from the Clementine Liturgy


Immediately after the Sanctus, the Priest shall say,

HOLINESS is thy nature and thy gift, O Eternal King; Holy is thine only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom thou hast made the worlds; Holy is thine Ever-blessed Spirit, who searcheth all things, even the depths of thine infinite perfection. Holy art thou, almighty and merciful God; thou createdst Man in thine own image, broughtest him into Paradise, and didst place him in a state of dignity and pleasure: And when he had lost his happiness by transgressing thy command, thou of thy goodness didst not abandon and despise him. Thy Providence was still continued, thy Law was given to revive the sense of his duty, thy Prophets were commissioned to reclaim and instruct him. And when the fulness of time was come, thou didst send thine only begotten Son to satisfy thy Justice, to strengthen our Nature, and renew thine Image within us: For these glorious ends thine Eternal Word came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Ghost, born of the Blessed Virgin, conversed with mankind, and directed his life and miracles to our salvation: And when his hour was come to offer the Propitiatory Sacrifice upon the Cross; when he, who had no sin himself, mercifully undertook to suffer death for our sins, in the same night that he was betrayed (a) took bread; and when he had given thanks, (b) he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, (c) THIS IS MY BOcrossDY, which is given for you, Do this in remembrance of me.

a) Here the Priest is to take the Paten into his hands:
(b) And here to break the Bread:
(c) And here to lay his hand upon all the Bread.


Here the People shall answer,
Amen.

Then shall the Priest say,

LIKEWISE after Supper, (d) he took the Cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying Drink ye all of this, for (e) THIS IS MY BLOcrossOD of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins; Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

d) Here he is to take the Cup into his hands:
(e) And here to lay his hand upon every vessel (be it Chalice or Flagon) in which there is any Wine and Water to be consecrated.


Here the People shall answer,
Amen.

Then shall the Priest say,

WHEREFORE, having in remembrance his Passion, Death, and Resurrection from the dead; his Ascension into heaven, and second coming with glory and great power to judge the quick and the dead, and to render to every man according to his works; we Offer to thee, our King and our God, according to his holy Institution, this Bread and this Cup; giving thanks to thee through him, that thou hast vouchsafed us the honour to stand before thee, and to Sacrifice unto thee. And we beseech thee to look favourably on these thy Gifts, which are here set before thee, O thou self-sufficient God: And do thou Accept them to the honour of thy Christ; and send down thine Holy Spirit, the witness of the passion of our Lord Jesus, upon this Sacrifice, that he may make this (f) Bread the Body of thy Christ, and this (g) Cup the Blood of thy Christ; that they who are partakers thereof, may be confirmed in godliness, may obtain remission of their sins, may be delivered from the Devil and his snares, may be replenished with the Holy Ghost, may be made worthy of thy Christ, and may obtain everlasting life, Thou, O Lord Almighty, being reconciled unto them through the merits and mediation of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.

(f) Here the Priest shall lay his hand upon the Bread.
(g) And here upon every vessel (be it Chalice or Flagon) in which there is any Wine and Water.



Priest's Prayer before the Canon

Prayer based on the Non-Jurors 1718 Liturgy's use
of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil


Then the Priest shall turn to the Altar, and standing humbly before it, he shall say the Collect following.

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast created us, and placed us in this ministry by the power of thy Holy Spirit; may it please thee, O Lord, as we are ministers of the New Covenant, and stewards of thy Holy Mysteries, to receive us who are approaching thy Holy Altar, according to the multitude of thy mercies, that we may be worthy to offer unto thee this reasonable and unbloody Sacrifice for our Sins and the Sins of the People. Receive it, O God, as a sweet smelling savour, and send down the grace of thy Holy Spirit upon us. And as thou didst accept this worship and service from thy Holy Apostles: so of thy goodness, O Lord, vouchsafe to receive these Offerings from the hands of us sinners, that being made worthy to minister at thy Holy Altar without blame, we may have the reward of good and faithful servants at that great and terrible day of account and just retribution; through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.


Prayer of Humble Access

This is the version I believe should be employed at Mass


We do not presume to come to this thy Table,
O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in thy manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy so much
as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table.
But thou art the same Lord,
whose property is always to have mercy:
Grant us therefore, gracious Lord,
in these holy Mysteries
so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ,
and to drink his blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood,
and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.