Regina Sanctorum omnium. Queen of all Saints, for all the Saints in heaven, burning with eternal love of Jesus, have ever found in thee a guide, a loving advocate, and a most tender mother; pray for us.

Regina sine labe concepta. Queen conceived without sin, singular glory of thine own dear Son, not only redeemed by Him from sin, but by His especial grace exempted and preserved from having contracted the original stain; thy last title, yet most glorious of all. By thy immaculate heart, fit temple for God's spotless Lamb; sweet Mary, pray for us.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, parce nobis, Domine. O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, exaudi nos, Domine. O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Sub tuum præsidium, &c. We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and ever blessed Virgin.

. Pray for us, Ŏ holy Mother of God.

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

Form of Benediction for Rosaries.

A priest who has authority to bless Rosaries, vested with stole, and having before him the chaplets which have to be blessed, shall say as follows:

y. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who hath made heaven and earth.

. O Lord, hear my prayer.

Ry. And let my supplication come before Thee.

Let us pray.

O almighty and most merciful God, who out of the exceeding charity wherewith Thou hast loved us, hast vouchsafed that Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, should come down from heaven upon this earth, and being announced by an angel, and taking flesh in the most sacred womb of the most blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady, should undergo the torments of the Cross and of death, that Thou mightest deliver us out of the hands of the devil; we beseech Thy unspeakable mercy that Thou wouldest vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these signs of the Rosary to the honour and praise of the Mother of Thine only Son, and give to them such power of Thy Holy Spirit, that whosoever shall bear them may be delivered always, and in all places, from all enemies, visible and invisible, in the present life; and at the hour of death, being filled with all good works, may be found worthy to be presented unto Thee by the same most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Then he will sprinkle the beads with holy water, saying: In the name of the Father,

of the Holy

Ghost. Amen.

and of the Son, and

ONCE A MONTH.

UR eternal salvation depends, in an especial manner, on our making a good and happy death; for if we have the good fortune to close our mortal career in the state of grace, we shall secure our eternal welfare, and our lot will be for ever amongst the saints of God in the enjoyment of everlasting bliss. But woe, woe to us if we have the misfortune of meeting unprepared the grasp of death; for in this case we shall pass from our bed of sorrow to a place of eternal torment, and the dissolution of our body will be succeeded by that second death which will last for

ever.

It is, then, of the highest importance, O Christian soul, that you should bestow your best attention and care upon preparing yourself betimes for that awful hour upon which depends your eternal welfare, that when the Lord shall come He may find you watchful, having your loins girt, and bearing burning lamps in your hands.

Amongst the various means which are calculated to aid you to attain to this holy object, one is that of abstract

ing one day every month from all earthly cares, and of consecrating it entirely to the especial purpose of preparing yourself for death. You may be sure that this holy practice, being piously and devoutly performed, will prove most beneficial to you, by most especially enriching you with the two following blessings. The first is, that if, when you are at the point of death, you should not be able to perform these pious acts, the Lord, as He once said to St. Gertrude, will accept them as if they had been done at the time, and will grant His blessing to your departure. The second is, that, by frequently performing such pious acts, you will become so habituated to the use of them, that your soul will derive comfort from making them, not only during your life, but also in your agonies, and you will be assisted by them to unite yourself even more and more to God.

On the morning of the day which you have chosen for the preparation for death, upon your first awaking, imagine that an angel has come to you, as he did to the prophet Ezechias, saying: "Set your house in order, for you must die." Employ your mind in this salutary reflection, and in considering for a short time upon what you would desire to have done if you were at the point of death. Whilst dressing, recite a De profundis for the souls of those who have died during the night, and consider that you are to die like them; and make a firm resolution to employ this day as you would if it were to be the last of your life. Then, kneeling before the crucifix, say your accustomed prayers with as much devotion as if they were the last you would ever say. Make an offering of yourself to God, humbly praying that He would be pleased to help you to do well what you are about to do; and then with great tranquillity make the following

Reflections.

I am still alive, but how soon I may be no more! I shall die as so many whom I have known have died, and are gone for ever. What do I, then, care for earthly goods, for the honours and pleasures of this life? Why do I not prepare myself for eternity? What would be my lot if I were this moment to appear in the presence of God? In what state is my conscience? Is there any thing which prevents my loving God, and dying in His love? Is my heart free from all dangerous ties, and from every evil passion? Do I retain any hatred or secret aversion? Is my conscience cleansed from every stain? Have I so arranged my affairs that, when called upon to depart, I may be able to think only of eternity?

In answering all these interrogations, tremble within yourself if you find that you have reason to reproach yourself upon any one of them; lament your blindness, ask pardon of God, thank Him for the manifold blessings which He has bestowed upon you, and pray to Him to help you with His divine grace and mercy, that you may be able, by a holy life, to prepare yourself to make the death of the just. Think that this may be the last time that the Lord will grant you the grace to prepare for death, and then make some efficacious resolutions which may assist in the terrible moment upon you which your eternal salvation depends. Prepare yourself, then, for the holy communion with greater care than usual, and imagine that you are receiving it as the viaticum; and as if Jesus Christ had come to visit you on the bed of death to Strengthen and fortify you, and to be Himself your guard and defence in your last combat. Oh, what a happy and wonderful effect this consideration will produce in your heart! Offer the holy Mass, and all the good works of the day to God, in suffrage for those souls in purgatory