SUNDAY - REDEDICATION OF ENGLAND - OUR LADY'S DOWRY

TOMORROW at Midday, at the National Shrine of Our Lady in Walsingham, in every English Cathedral, and in every Parish Church in the land, this our country will be rededicated to Our Lady as the "Dowry of Mary", the title first conferred by King Richard II, see our first post HERE. It is this event which is depicted in the Wilton Diptych above, King Richard, with our patron saints, kneels before Our Blessed Lady, surrounded by Angels wearing his badge and bearing our country's flag, and receives in return the blessing of Our Lord. (click image to enlarge.)

ALL CATHOLICS are encouraged, in this time of isolation, to join in at home at 12 noon, and to raise our voices to Heaven in honour of our Blessed Mother. Do not forget the clocks go forward tonight!

The prayers may be dowloaded HERE, or are given below.

ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT OF ENGLAND TO THE VIRGIN MARY

Based on Prayer of Erasmus 1532, Dedication of England to the Mother of God 1893, 

Prayer for England, Cardinal Griffin’s Act of Consecration 1948, Act of Consecration St John Paul 1982.

Prayer

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy “Dowry” and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. 

Response

We your faithful people assembled here offer you this country in which we live. Once it was yours, all its children were your children and you were honoured throughout England as its Protectress and its Queen. Again do we consecrate it as your Dowry, and entrust it to your maternal care.

Prayer

By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. 

Response

To you we entrust the Church, which invokes you as Mother. On earth you preceded her in the pilgrimage of faith. Comfort her in her difficulties and trials. Make her always the sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race. To you, Mother of the human family, and of the nations, we confidently entrust the whole of humanity with its hopes and fears. Let it not lack the light of true wisdom. Guide it to seek freedom and justice for all. Direct its steps in the ways of peace. Enable all to meet Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Prayer

Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother. 

Response

Pray, O Holy Mother of God, for the conversion of heart of the people of England, restoration of the sick, consolation for the troubled, repentance of sinners, peace to the departed. Queen of Peace, pray for us and give to the world the peace for which all peoples are longing, peace in the truth, justice and charity of Christ. Give peace to the nations and to the souls of all, that in peace, the Kingdom of God may prevail.

Prayer

Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. 

Response

May your prayers bring back this country to the fullness of its ancient faith. May your intercession lead us to a closer union with your divine Son. We offer you all the people of this land, especially those who know you so little or not at all. May all in our country know Christ, the light of the world and its only Saviour.

Prayer

Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home. 

Response

May we who follow your Son, be fruitful in the good work of building a culture of life in our world, where all human life is treasured and the gift of God’s creation is respected and cared for, so that all may share the fruits of Gods generous love.

V. Pray for us O Holy Mother of God 

R. That we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.

O alone of all women, Mother and Virgin, Mother most happy, Virgin most pure; sinful as we are, we come to see you who are all pure, we salute you, we honour you as we may with our humble offerings. May your Son grant us, that imitating your most holy manners, we also, by the grace of the Holy Spirit may deserve spiritually to conceive the Lord Jesus in our inmost soul, and once conceived never to lose Him. Amen.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us
Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us
Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us

DOS TUA VIRGO PIA HÆC EST, QUARE REGE MARIA

URBI ET ORBI - TONIGHT - PLENARY INDULGENCE

URGENT NEWS - The Holy Father will lead a Vigil and give the Blessing Urbi et Orbi this evening at 18.00 Rome time, 5pm GMT.  The conditions for the Plenary Indulgence are as published by the Holy See this week, in our post HERE.  It must be watched Live, not recorded later, to receive the Indulgence.

Watch here:

FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

In aliquibus locis, the Friday after the Fourth Sunday of Lent was celebrated as the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Precious Blood relic kept in Bruges, Flanders.

COLLECT

Almighty everlasting God, who didst ordain Thine only-begotten Son to be the Redeemer of the world, and willedst to be reconciled by His Blood; grant, we beseech Thee, so to venerate in this solemn rite the price of our salvation, and to be so protected from the evils of this present life by its power here on earth, that we may rejoice in its eternal fruits in Heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

ANNUNCIATION JOYFUL DUTIES

The Grand Priory wishes all our readers and their families a very Happy Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady.

While we are all dutifully obeying the Prime Minister, as we should, it behoves all Catholics also to obey Holy Mother Church.

Tomorrow the Holy Father Pope Francis asks all Christians around the world to pray one Pater Noster at midday Rome time, namely 11am here, in honour of Our Lady and against the pestilence. In any language you wish. Set your alarm!

At Midday the Bishops of England and Wales ask all Catholics in this country to recite the ANGELUS PROMISE (click here for text), in preparation for the re-Consecration of England as  the Dowry of Mary next Sunday, 29th March, (see our post HERE).

Holy Mass tomorrow will be streamed live at Midday from the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, LINK HERE.

Many people will also make the personal Consecration to Jesus through Mary following their 33-day preparation, please pray of them.  The Consecration prayers will be recited at Holy Mass after the Homily by Monsignor John Armitage. Those of us who have already made the Consecration should renew it this day.

A Very Happy Feast to you all!

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.

St John the Baptist, pray for us.

St Edward the Confessor, pray for us.

St Edmund King and Martyr, pray for us.

St George, pray for us.

All Holy Angels, guard us.

DOS TUA VIRGO PIA HÆC EST, QUARE REGE MARIA

PRAYER TO OUR LADY FOR PROTECTION

Prayer to Our Blessed Lady of Loreto 

(To be recited on December 10, March 25, August 15, September 8) 

O GLORIOUS VIRGIN MARY OF LORETO, we confidently come to thee: Accept our humble prayer. Humanity is threatened by serious evils from which we would like to free ourselves, but on our own initiative. We need peace, justice, truth, love, and we delude ourselves that we can find these divine realities far from thy Son. 

O Mother, who carried the divine Saviour in thy most pure bosom and lived with Him in the Holy House that we venerate on this hill in Loreto, obtain for us the grace to seek Him and to imitate His examples that lead to salvation. With faith and filial love, we spiritually travel to thy blessed House. 

Thanks to the presence of thy Family, this is the Holy House par excellence that must inspire all Christian families. From Jesus, every child learns obedience and hard work; from thee, O Mary, every woman learns humility and the spirit of sacrifice; from Joseph, who lived for thee and Jesus, every man learns to believe in God and to live in family and society with fidelity and rectitude. 

Many families, O Mary, are not a sanctuary where God is loved and served; That is why we beseech thee to obtain for us the grace that our family may imitate thine by recognizing and loving thy Divine Son above all things and every single day. Just as after many years of prayer and work, He came out of this Holy House to make heard His Word, which is the Light and the Life, so also may all men hear the echo of His Almighty Word, which illuminates and converts, and which still reverberates on the holy walls that speak to us of faith and charity. 

To thee, O Mary, we pray for the Pope, the universal church, Italy and all the peoples of the earth, ecclesial and civil institutions, sinners and all those who suffer, so that all may become disciples of God. 

O Mary, on this day of grace, spiritually united with thy devotees to venerate the Holy House where thou were overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, with living faith we repeat to thee the words of the Archangel Gabriel: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! 

Once again, we pray Hail Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, Refuge of Sinners, Consoler of the Afflicted, Help of Christians. Among trials and frequent temptations, in danger of losing our souls, we look to thee and repeat Hail, Gate of Heaven, Hail, Star of the Sea! 

May our plea, O Mary, rise to thee and express, O Mother, our desires, our love for Jesus, and our hope in thee. May our prayer return to earth with an abundance of heavenly graces. Amen.

Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us

Our Lady of Philermo, pray for us

PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR CORONAVIRUS

The Holy Father has very graciously granted a Plenary Indulgence, under special conditions which include a Spiritual Communion instead of the usual Holy Communion (see our post HERE), to many categories of people, from those infected, to those self-isolating and medical and care workers. The decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary is given below. There is also an Indulgence for the rest of the Faithful, under similar conditions.

Many of us in the Order are simply waiting for something dreadful to happen to our friends and neighbours,  so we can start being useful. 

Well, you can start NOW! Many people are dying around the world, and need all the supernatural assistance they can get. The greatest act of Charity we can give in such circumstances is to gain as many plenary indulgences for their souls as we can. You can gain one each day. You don't even need to go to Church now, there really is no excuse!

"The Plenary Indulgence is granted to the faithful suffering from Coronavirus, who are subject to quarantine by order of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a spirit detached from any sin, they unite spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion, or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters, with the will to fulfil the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father's intentions), as soon as possible. 

"Health care workers, family members and all those who, following the example of the Good Samaritan, exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, care for the sick of Coronavirus according to the words of the divine Redeemer: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15: 13), will obtain the same gift of the Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions."

For the rest of us, for all the Faithful, a plenary indulge is available through a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Stations of the Cross, or spiritual reading for half-an-hour.  For those in Central London, the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, Corpus Christi Maiden Lane, will have Exposition every lunchtime, which the possibility of Confession daily. They are also streaming Holy Mass at 8am. Website click here to check details.

The Apostolic decree may be read in full by clicking below:

"Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on the granting of special Indulgences to the faithful in the current pandemic"

Finally, Cardinal Nichols offers many words of comfort in his Pastoral Letter HERE.  His Eminence says:

"I want to make it exceptionally clear that the teaching of the Church is that, in these circumstances, the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days no longer applies. Please have no doubt about this. 

"This does not mean that we lose our love of the Mass or our desire to take part in the celebration of the Mass. Mass will be celebrated, day by day, in your church. There are many ways of taking part in this prayer. Associate yourself with the celebration of the Mass spiritually. Read the Scriptures of the day. Use some of the materials that are available to be close in your heart. Learn again the practice of spiritual communion. If you are helped by a visual participation in the Mass, then go to one of the websites on which that celebration is being streamed. The list of those websites is available to you. 

"There are many ways in which we can deepen our participation in the Mass and our life of prayer in these strange and stressful days. Indeed, they are an opportunity for us to do so. 

Being unable to attend Mass is the experience of many, many Catholics around the world. They are deprived of the Mass through distance, or through violence, or through persecution. We can unite our experience with them and, like them, return to the Mass with fresh love and enthusiasm when, again, it is possible for us to do so, in bigger numbers than ever."

Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for us 
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, pray for us 
Mary, Mother of Joys, pray for us. 

FEAST OF THE FIVE HOLY WOUNDS

In aliquibus locis, the Friday after the Third Sunday of Lent was celebrated as the feast of the Five Most Precious Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Tudor banner of the Five Holy Wounds which led the Pilgrimage of Grace

COLLECT

O God, who by the Passion of Thine Only Son, and by the pouring out of the Blood of His Five Wounds, hast restored human nature lost by sin, grant unto us, we beseech Thee, that by venerating the protective Wounds on earth, we may thereby merit the fruits of the same Precious Blood in Heaven. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.

PRAY THE ROSARY WITH THE POPE TONIGHT AT 8PM

The Holy Father asks us to join him in reciting the Luminous Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary simultaneously with him at 21.00 Rome time, 8pm Greenwich Mean Time. 

At the end of the General Audience on March 18, the Pope evoked the feast of St Joseph, this "just and wise man": "In his life, in his work, in his family, in joy and in suffering, he always sought and loved the Lord." 

Speaking principally to the people of Italy, but also to us all, His Holiness said: “Each family, each faithful, each religious community: all spiritually united tomorrow at (8pm GMT) to recite the Rosary, with the Luminous Mysteries." 

"Mary, Mother of God, salvation of the sick, leads us to the luminous and transfigured Face of Christ and to his Heart", underlined the Pope: "let us turn to her by the prayer of the Rosary, under the loving gaze of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family and of our families." 

"Let us ask," he then recommended, "that (Saint Joseph) protect our families in a special way, that he protect our sick and the people who take care of our sick: doctors, nurses, nurses, volunteers, who risk their life in this service."

1. The Baptism of the Lord by St John the Baptist in the Jordan.
2. Our Lord changes water into wine at the Wedding Feast at Cana, at the request of His most holy Mother.
3. Our Lord proclaims the Kingdom of Heaven and charges the Church with her Mission.
4. The Transfiguration of Our Lord, the "beloved Son of God", with Moses and Elijah before the Apostles.
5. The Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper in the Upper Room.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us

Saint Joseph, pray for us

St John the Baptist, pray for us

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH FOR THE DYING

At this time of plague, please place the souls who will die into the fatherly hands of Saint Joseph, patron of the dying. May they enjoy the death promised to those who die in Faith, shared with Saint Joseph, in the words of the Office Hymn for Lauds this morning :

O nimis felix, nimis o beátus,

Cuius extrémam vígiles ad horam

Christus et Virgo simul astitérunt

Ore seréno.

Blest beyond others, and exceeding blissful,

For when the moment of his death was nearing,

Jesus and Mary at his side were standing,

Soothing his spirit.

St Joseph, grant them a holy death.

HAPPY FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH, PROTECTOR OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Happy and blessed art thou, O Joseph, to whom it was given not only to see and to hear that God whom many kings desired to see, and saw not, to hear, and heard not; but also to hold Him in thine arms, to embrace Him, to clothe Him, and to guard and defend Him. 

V. Pray for us, O blessed Joseph,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray.  

O GOD, who hast given unto us a royal priesthood, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, that as Blessed Joseph was found worthy to touch with his hands, and bear within his arms, Thine Only-begotten Son, born of the Virgin Mary, so may we be made fit, by cleanness of heart and purity of work, to serve at Thy holy altars; that we may worthily receive the Most Sacred Body and Blood of Thy Son, now in this present world, and deserve to attain an everlasting reward in the world to come. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Great Saint Joseph, pray for us at the hour of our death.

HAPPY FEAST OF SAINT PATRICK

The Grand Priory extends greetings to all Members, Companions and friends of the Order on this joyous feast, bathed, at least in some parts, in glorious Spring weather.

May Saint Patrick, who banished the snakes of evil from the Emerald Isle, now likewise banish all disease and fear from our dear country, the land of his birth.

Holy Saint Patrick, pray for us.

The photos shows the statue at Corpus Christ Maiden Lane, the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament. (credit John Aron)

HOLY COMMUNION IN SELF-ISOLATION

What to do if you cannot go to Confession or receive Holy Communion because of the COVID-19 virus.

If you need to isolate or quarantine yourself because of the COVID-19 virus, you are unlikely to be able to receive the Sacraments normally. Self-isolation is also an act of charity, and under such circumstances your Sunday obligation is dispensed, even if you are not feeling truly ill. Please remember, through charity to the priest and other penitents, do not go to Confession through the grille if you believe you are ill, the risk of infecting him is very high. (Go to confession now before this happens!)

In these circumstances there are devotions that allow you to receive absolution for your sins (under certain conditions) and the consolation of Eucharistic grace.

These devotions are officially encouraged by Holy Mother Church and have been practised by saints.

HOW TO MAKE AN ACT OF PERFECT CONTRITION

Through an act of Perfect Contrition you can receive the forgiveness of your sins outside of confession, even mortal sins, provided that you determine yourself to correct your life and make a firm resolution to go to sacramental confession as soon as you can, when it becomes possible. Remember, these are extraordinary measures only, for times when a priest is truly not available to you.

Perfect Contrition is sorrow and detestation of sin arising out of the love of God. One way of exciting this contrition in our hearts is by considering the passion of Jesus Christ and making acts of love for Him. We can also think of the infinite love which God has for us, and express sorrow in our heart in the presence of this great love which we have offended.

Imperfect Contrition is sorrow and detestation for sin arising from a consideration of the ugliness of sin or out of the fear of hell. Disgust at the ugliness of sin is more common today than fear of hell. That is because priests do not preach enough, or with sufficient conviction about the four last things.

If a person commits an act of impurity, for example, the person may be disgusted afterwards by the ugliness of the sin. Such contrition is not perfect, but it is sufficient sorrow for that person to go to confession and receive God’s forgiveness. This is imperfect contrition; it is good, but it can certainly be improved on.

If the person is instead sorry because they think of the love of God whom they have offended, or the passion of Christ to which they have contributed, then they have made an act of Perfect Contrition.

Perfect Contrition is a grace of God, therefore sincerely ask that this gift be granted to you on the day preceding that in which you will make the act of contrition: "My God, grant me the Perfect Contrition for my sins".

1. In reality, or in your mind, kneel at the foot of a Crucifix and mentally repeat: 

"Jesus, my God and my Saviour, in the midst of Your agony you remembered me, You suffered for me, You wished to purify me from my sins".  

2. Contrition is ‘perfect’ if you repent of your sins because you love God and you sincerely regret having offended Him and having caused Christ's sufferings on the Cross. Before the Crucified Christ, remember your sins, ideally speaking them aloud, and repent that they caused the sufferings borne by Our Lord on the Cross. Promise Him that with His help you will sin no longer.  

3. Recite, slowly and sincerely, an Act of Contrition focusing on the goodness of God and your love for Jesus, for example (you would be well to recite the words you normally use in sacramental confession) :  

"O my God, since you are so good I am sincerely repentant for having sinned against you and with the help of your grace I will sin no more. Amen".

4. Make a firm resolution to go to sacramental confession as soon as you are again able to. (Note that when you make this confession, it is not necessary to remember in detail all the sins you have confessed secretly, they have already been wiped away by Our Blessed Lord; merely to recall to the priest the fact that you made an act of Perfect Contrition.)

 

HOW TO MAKE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The key to Spiritual Communion is to make a constant desire for the Blessed Sacrament grow in your heart. It brings you, under the conditions described here, all the graces of a Sacramental Communion. Remember, the Angels are never able to receive our Blessed Lord bodily, and yet are in a permanent state of perfect Communion.

(Please note that a Spiritual Communion can only be made in a state of grace. Outside of times of pestilence it is not something to do when one is prohibited by sin from receiving Our Blessed Lord sacramentally. While clearly, unlike receiving Our Lord physically under such circumstances, there is no sacrilege or mortal sin in making a Spiritual Act, nevertheless the graces and benefits would not be forthcoming, and this is not the purpose of this exercise. One cannot make an act of Communion when one is not in Communion, and the presumption, without real contrition, would therefore remain offensive to God.)

1. If you are aware that you have committed mortal sins, make an Act of Perfect Contrition.   

2. Imagine the sacred words and actions of the Mass, or watch them online or on television. (Remember that watching on television can never constitute assisting at Holy Mass, even if you are housebound, there is no supernatural benefit, it is no different from simply reading the texts at home, but may be an aid to devotion.)    

3. Recite all the acts of faith, humility, sorrow, adoration, charity and requests that you usually express before Holy Communion.  

4. Sincerely desire to receive Our Lord present - in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - in the Blessed Sacrament.  

5. Recite this prayer of Saint Alfonsus-Maria de Liguori :  

“My Jesus, I believe you are present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul. Since I cannot receive you in Holy Communion now, at least come spiritually into my heart. As if you have already come to me, I embrace you and join myself wholly to you; do not allow me to distance myself from you. Amen." 

You may also say, as at Benediction, which is a long-practised custom :

“Adoremus in aeternum, Sanctissimum Sacramentum”, then Our Father, Hail Mary x3, Glory be, and repeat the “Adoremus.” It is customary to do this three times. It has the benefit of providing a formal framework while our mind is free to adore. 

UPDATE: St Louis-Marie de Montfort counselled the Magnificat as an act of Spiritual Communion. The Virgin Mary was the first to receive Christ into her body as into a tabernacle, of which she is the prototype, so the song of thanksgiving she sang at that moment, meditating on the Lord she addresses as the Eucharistic body of her Son, is for us a very fitting and fruitful devotion. 

6. After a few moments of silent adoration recite those acts of faith, humility, charity, thanksgiving and offerings that you normally make in prayers after Holy Communion.

If through self-isolation you have not gone to Holy Mass but made an Act of Spiritual Communion on Sunday, it is sensible to mention this to the priest at your next confession, but there is of course no sin attached to missing Holy Mass under these circumstances. On the contrary, going to a public Mass when you believe yourself to be potentially contagious would be confessable.

H/T to Rorate Caeli and The Hermeneutic of Continuity. For more excellent advice on Contrition, read Father Tim Finigan HERE, to whom we are grateful for some quotations above.

REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS

ST GREGORY'S PRAYERS ON THE PASSION

I

I ADORE Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, hanging upon the Cross, and wearing on Thy head the Crown of Thorns. I beseech Thee that Thy Cross may deliver me from the destroying angel. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

II

I ADORE Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, wounded on the Cross, and given gall and vinegar to drink. I beseech Thee that Thy Wounds may be the healing of my soul. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.

III

I PRAY Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, by that bitterness of Thy Passion, which Thou sufferest at the hour of Thy Death, and then above all when Thy Most Holy Soul passed forth from Thy blessed Body; pity my soul when it is departing out of my body, and bring it to everlasting life. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.

IV

I ADORE Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, laid in the Sepulchre, embalmed with myrrh and spices; I beseech Thee that Thy Death may be my life. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary, Glory be.

V

I ADORE Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, descending into hell, and sending forth Thy prisoners. I beseech Thee, suffer me not to enter therein. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.

VI

I ADORE Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, rising again from the dead, and ascending into Heaven, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, I beseech Thee that I may be found worthy to follow Thee thither, and dwell in Thy Presence. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary, Glory be.

VII

O LORD Jesu Christ, the good Shepherd, preserve the righteous, justify sinners, have mercy upon all the faithful, and be gracious to me, a miserable and wretched sinner. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary, Glory be. 

PRAYER OF THE PASSION

I BESEECH Thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, that Thy Passion may be unto me virtue, whereby I may be fenced, protected and defended. Let Thy Wounds be to me meat and drink, by which I may be fed, refreshed and gladdened. Let the sprinkling of Thy Blood be to me the washing away of all my sins. Let Thy Death be my unfailing life, Thy Cross my everlasting glory. In these let me find the refreshment, exultation, health and desire of my heart: Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS

You may wish to say this prayer, to invoke Our Lady's prayers for Divine assistance against the physical and spiritual dangers of Pestilence, at home, or indeed to chant it 'en famille'. That would be laudable (see video below).

The Star of Heaven that nourished the Lord drove away the plague of death which the first parents of man brought into the world. May this bright Star now vouchsafe to extinguish that foul constellation whose battles have slain the people with the wound of death. O most pious Star of the Sea, preserve us from pestilence; hear us, O Lady, for Thy Son honours Thee by denying Thee nothing. Save us, O Jesus, for whom Thy Virgin Mother supplicates Thee. 

V. In all our trials and necessities.

R. Succour us, O most pious Virgin.

Let us pray : O God who wouldst not the death of a sinner, but rather than he should repent : look down in mercy upon Thy people who turns again to Thee; that as they stand before Thee with pure devotion, so Thou wouldst mercifully take from them the scourges of Thy wrath. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.

The origins of this prayer are, as some writings have detailed, from the Sisters of the Monastery of Santa Clara in Coimbra, Portugal, during the plague in 1317. It is fitting that we should sing this in England, our two countries united by the oldest political alliance in existence, signed in 1386, under King Richard II (he of the Dowry of Mary, see our post HERE) and King John I of Portugal, brokered by John of Gaunt, invoked again in the 1940s, and Coimbra is well-known to students of the Duke of Wellington's campaigns. God save the good people of Portugal.

For those who wish to learn the chant, here is a video of the plainsong.

For those who wish to listen to polyphony, here are two recordings, the second one English. Your full and active participation as you listen is then at a spiritual level.

H/T to Rorate Caeli. We see this has now been taken up by several blogs, but this organ was never one to be left behind!  Rotate Caeli also has an excellent Spiritual Communion for those who cannot or do not wish at this time to receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion, HERE, for some reason it is only in Italian, but your machine will translate it.  We shall do a post on this later.

REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS

FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY SHROUD

In aliquibus locis, the Friday after the Second Sunday of Lent was celebrated as the feast of the Most Holy Shroud of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in which he was wound in the Holy Sepulchre, and upon which the image of His sacred and wounded Body may be seen.

COLLECT

O GOD, who hast left unto us a token of thy Passion in the holy Shroud, in which Thy most holy body was wrapped by Joseph when taken down from the Cross : mercifully grant, that by Thy death and burial, we may be led unto the glory of the Resurrection. Who livest and reignest with the God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

A LINGUISTIC "LOURDES PILGRIMAGE"

It is with a heavy heart that the Order has reported the cancellation of the British Lourdes Pilgrimage on grounds of the Coronavirus. To mitigate the sadness which many will feel, here is a hilarious little polyglot trip around the international Church courtesy of the truly brilliant Monseigneur Léonard, Archbishop Emeritus of Machelen-Brussels, Primate of Belgium, which will surely take pilgrims straight to the Pyrenees. Despite his many funny accents, the Latin is extremely easy to follow for those with the most modest grasp. Around 14.20 he begins the well-known stories of the mouse and the dropped Host, which could never, of course, ever, happen to a Dame in Lourdes uniform!

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY LANCE AND NAILS

In aliquibus locis, the Friday after the First Sunday of Lent was celebrated as the feast of the Most Holy Lance and Nails of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Relic of the Most Holy Nails in Siena

COLLECT

O GOD, Who in assuming the weakness of flesh willed to be pierced by the Nails and wounded by the Lance for the salvation of the world, grant we beseech Thee, that as we venerate the same Nails and Lance here on earth, so may we rejoice in the triumphant glory of Thy victory in Heaven. Who livest and reignest with God the Father Almighty in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

The Most Holy Lance relic in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna

LENT WITH MARY

To those our our readers who, for reasons of legitimate business and the shortage of time which the winter months necessarily impose on us, have not yet looked at the programme of 33-day preparation for the Consecration of England to Our Lady, the Dowry of Mary (see our post HERE), we throughly recommend the series of meditations proposed by BEHOLD 2020 (HERE).

The first week was given to the writings of St Louis-Marie de Montfort on the graces and eternal benefits of total consecration to Mary, the present section deals with the writings of St Maximilian Kolbe, one of the greatest Mariologists of the 20th century, whose teachings have been much proposed by the recent Popes. We give below an excerpt of the Saint's writings, on which these meditations expound, to give a flavour of the riches of these texts.

The meditations are short, and can profitably be used on the journey to work as an additional element of our Lenten devotions. It is not a coincidence that this period chosen by our Bishops and the Shrine at Walsingham should coincide with Lent - a Lent without Mary is no Lent at all.

To inscribe yourself by email is easy and free, go to this LINK, all it needs is your name and email address. Do not waste these precious weeks.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.

DOS TUA VIRGO PIA HÆC EST, QUARE REGE MARIA

"IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. These words fell from the lips of the lmmaculata herself. Hence they must tell us in the most precise and essential manner who she really is.... Who then are you. O lmmaculate Conception?...

"What type of union is this (between the Holy Spirit and Mary)? It is above all an interior union, a union of her essence with the "essence" of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in her, lives in her. This was true from the first instant of her existence. It was always true: it will always be true. 

"In what does this life of the Spirit in Mary consist? He himself is uncreated Love in her: the Love of the Father and of the Son, the Love by which God loves himself, the very love of the Most Holy Trinity. He is a fruitful Love, a "Conception." Among creatures made in God's image the union brought about by married love is the most intimate of all (see Mt 19:6). In a much more precise, more interior, more essential manner, the Holy Spirit lives in the soul of the lmmaculata, in the depths of her very being. He makes her fruitful, from the very first instant of her existence, all during her life, and for all eternity. 

"This eternal "Immaculate Conception" (which is the Holy Spirit) produces in an immaculate manner divine life itself in the womb (or depths) of Mary's soul, making her the Immaculate Conception, the human Immaculate Conception. And the virginal womb of Mary's body is kept sacred for him: there he conceives in time - because everything that is material occurs in time - the human life of the Man-God.

"... If among human beings the wife takes the name of her husband because she belongs to him, is one with him, becomes equal to him and is, with him, the source of new life, with how much greater reason should the name of the Holy Spirit, who is the divine Immaculate Conception, be used as the name of her in whom he lives as uncreated Love, the principle of life in the whole supernatural order of grace?" (St Maximilian Kolbe)