Though public penances are not so frequent as they formerly were, the Council of Trent expressly orders them for public crimes, Sess. xxiv. c 8. de Reform. And the directions given in the Roman Ritual, de Sacram Penit. are: "Let not the priest absolve those who have given public scandal, till they have made public satisfaction, and removed the scandal."

We are therefore to perform this holy ceremony with an humble and contrite soul, with a firm resolution of entering upon penitential practices in order to punish our sins, and to satisfy for them in a manner that may bear some proportion to the enormity of our offences. THE BLESSING OF THE ASHES.

ANT.

m

HEAR us, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind: look on us, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy mercies. Ps. Save me, O God: for the waters have reached my soul. V. Glory.

ANT. Hear us, &c. to Ps.

The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray.-Omnipotens.

Almighty and eternal God spare those that repent, shew mercy to those that humbly intreat thee and vouchsafe to send from heaven thy holy angel, to bless, and sanctify these ashes, that they may be a wholesome remedy to all who humbly call upon thy holy name, and conscious of their sins, accuse themselves, and deplore their crimes in sight of thy divine Majesty, or humbly and earnestly have recourse to thy sovereign bounty: and grant, by our calling on thy most holy name, that whoever shall be touched by these ashes for the remission of their sins, may receive health of body and defence of soul. Thro'.

Let us pray.-Deus, qui non mortem.

God, who desirest the conversion, and not the death of sinners, graciously consider the weakness of human nature, and mercifully vouchsafe to bless these ashes, which we design to re

ceive on our heads, in token of our humiliation and to obtain forgiveness: that we, who know that we are but ashes, and must return to dust because of our wickedness, may obtain, through thy mercy, pardon of all our sins, and the recompense promised to penitents. Thro'.

Let us pray.-Deus, qui humiliatione.

God, who art appeased by humiliation, and pacified by satisfaction, incline to our prayers the ears of thy mercy; and pour upon the heads of thy servants, covered with these ashes, the grace of thy blessing; so as both to fill them with the spirit of compunction, and to grant them the effects of their just desires, and when granted to remain stable and untouched for ever. Thro'.

Let us pray.-Omnipotens.

Almighty and eternal God, who forgavest the Ninivites, when they did penance in sackcloth and ashes: mercifully grant us so to imitate their penance, that we may obtain pardon of our sins. Thro'. R. Amen.

The Priest having sprinkled the Ashes with Holy Water, saying the Anthem, Asperges, &c. p. xiii. without the Psalmi, and fuming them thrice, receives or gives them to himself; then he lays them on the heads of every one, saying to each:

Pr. Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and shalt return to dust again.

In the meantime, the following Anthems are sung by the Choir.

ANT. Let us change our dress for ashes and sackcloth: let us fast and weep in the presence of the Lord; for our God is very merciful to forgive us our sins.

ANT. The priests, the ministers of the Lord, shall weep between the porch and the altar, and say: Spare, O Lord, O spare thy people, and shut not the mouths of those who praise thee, O Lord.

ANT. Let us amend of the sins we have committed through ignorance: lest suddenly overtaken by the day of our death, we seek for time to do penance, and be not able to find it.* Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity: for we have sinned against thee. V. Help us, O God our Saviour, and deliver us for the glory of thy name, O Lord.* Look down on us, &c. to V. Glory, &c. Look down on us, &c. to V.

The Lord be with thee. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray.-Concede nobis.

GR

RANT us, O Lord, to begin with holy fasting our christian warfare; that being to fight against spiritual wickedness, we may be aided therein by temperance. Thro'.

INTROIT. Wisd. xi. Ps. lvi.

THOU, O Lord, hast mercy on all, and hatest

none of those things, which thou hast created; thou winkest at the sins of men, to draw them to repentance, and thou pardonest them: because thou art the Lord our God. Ps. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me; for my soul trusteth in thee. V. Glory.

COLLECT. Præsta, Domine.-Grant, O Lord, that thy faithful may enter on this solemn fast with suitable piety, and go through it with unmolested devotion. Thro'.

After the II. Collect, A cunctis, p. xx. the following, with its Secret and P. COMM. is continued till Passion-Sunday.

III. COLLECT. Omnipotens.-O Almighty and eternal God, who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all, whom thou know. est will be thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech thee, that they, for whom we have proposed to offer our prayers, whether this world still retains them in the flesh, or the next world hath already received them divested of their bodies, may,

by the clemency of thine own goodness, and the intercession of thy saints obtain pardon and full remission of their sins.

Thro'.

LFSSON. Joel ii. 12. 19.-- -Thus saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of the bride-chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests the Lord's ministers shall weep, and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for his land, and hath spared his people. And the Lord answered and said to his people: Behold I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, you shall be filled with them: and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations: saith the Lord Almighty.

GRAD. Ps. lvi.-Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me: for my soul hath trusted in thee. V. He hath sent from heaven, and delivered me he hath made them a reproach that trode upon

ine.

*TRACT. Ps. cii. and lxxviii.-Deal not with us, O Lord, according to our sins, which we have conmitted, nor punish us according to our iniquities. V. Remember not, O Lord, our former iniquities

let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor. (At this verse kneel down.) V. Help us, O God our Saviour, and for the glory of thy name O Lord deliver us, and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake.

The above Tract is said every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, till Wednesday in Holy Week, except there be a proper one appointed.

GOSPEL. Matt. vi. 16. 21.-At that time; Jesus said to his disciples: When you fast be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face: that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father, who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will reward thee. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

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OFFERT. Ps. xxix.-I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upholden me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me. O Lord, I have cried to thee, and thou hast healed me.

SECRET. Grant, O Lord, that we may be duly prepared to present these our offerings, by which we celebrate the institution of this venerable mystery. Thro'.

II. SECRET. Ordinary, p. xxvii.

III. SECRET. O God, to whom alone is known the number of thine elect to be placed in eternal bliss: grant, we beseech thee, by the intercession of all thy saints, that the book of predestination may