resplendent virtues and learning of blessed John thy Confessor and Bp. Thro'.

GRAD. Behold a great Prelate who in his days pleased God. V. There was none found like him in keeping the law of the Most High. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. Blessed is the man who suffereth temptation, for when he hath been tried he shall receive a crown of life. Alleluia.

XXVIII. St. AGNES, Second Feast. INTROIT. Vultum tuum, p. 503.

COLLECT. Deus, qui.-O God, who by the yearly solemnity of blessed Agnes, thy V. and Martyr, fillest thy people with joy; grant, we beseech thee, that we may imitate her life to whose memory we pay this honour. Thro'. Epistle, Grad. and Tract, from the XIX. Mass, Dilexisti, p. 501.

Gospel. Matt. xiii. from the XX. Mass, Vul

tum tuum, p. 504.

OFFERT. Grace is spread on thy lips, therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.

SECRET. May thy blessing, we beseech thee, O Lord, plentifully descend upon these our offer. ings, the t through thy mercy they may both sanctify us and cause us to rejoice in the solemnity of thy martyrs. Thro'.

COMM. The kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls, who having found one of great value, went and sold all his possessions and bought it.

P. COMM. Sumpsimus.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the votive mysteries we have received on this annual solemnity, may both succou us in this temporal life, and procure for us that which will have no end. Thro'.

XXIX. St. FRANCIS de SALES.

All as in the X. Mass, Statuit, p. 485 except COLLECT. Deus, qui.-O God, who for the salvation of souls wast pleased that blessed Francis, thy Confessor and Bishop, should become all to all: mercifully grant, that, being plentifully enriched with the sweetness of thy charity, by following his directions, and by the help of his merits, we may obtain life everlasting. Thro'.

XXXI. St. PETER NOLASCUS, Confessor. All as in the XIV. Mass, Justus ut palma, p. 493. except

COLLECT. Deus, qui-O God, who, in imita. tion of thy charity, didst inspire blessed Peter to institute a new order in the Church for the redemp tion of captives: grant that, by his intercession, being delivered from the slavery of sin, we may enjoy everlasting liberty in our heavenly country. Thro'.

February. I. St. IGNATIUS, Bp. M. sd.

INTROIT. Gal. vi.-God forbid I should glory in any thing but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Ps. cxxxi. Remember David O Lord, and all his meekness in suffering. Glory.

V.

COLLECT. Infirmitatem, from I. Mass, Statuit,

P. 464.

EPISTLE. Rom. viii. 35, 39.-Brethren: Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? (As it is written: "For thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)". But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us. For I am sure

that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

GRAD. Behold, as on Jan. 27, p. 55°.

Alleluia, Alleluia. V. Gul. ii.I am nailed with Christ to his cross: I live, but now it is not I, but Christ that liveth in me, Alleluia.

After Septuagesima, instead of the foregoing Alleluias and V. is said the TRACT, Desiderium, ·P. 465..

Gospel, John xii. as on St. Laurence, Aug. 10. OFFERT. Thou hast crowned, &c. us p. 470. · SECRET. Mercifully receive, from 1. Mass, Statuit, p. 466.

COMM. I am the wheat of Christ; I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread.

P. COMM. Refecti, from I. Mass, Statuit, p. 466.

II. PURIFICATION of the B. V. MARY.

INSTRUCTION.

THIS feast not in the Temple 40 days after HIS feast is kept not only in remembrance of our

his birth, in compliance with the law of Moses, Lev. xii. but also in commemoration of his blessed Mother's purifying herself, by offering that sacrifice in the temple, which was prescribed by the same law. Its institution must be of an early date, since we find mention made of it in the 5th century. By the distribution of the blessed candles, the faithful are exhorted to be as piously disposed as holy Simeon was when he took Christ in his arms, and prophe sied that he should become the lht of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel Let us therefore receive the candles from the hands of the Priest with a becoming piety, as an emblem of Christ, who is the light of our souls, and with him let us also offer up ourselves, as purified by his blood, to his Eternal Father.

The BLESSING of the CANDLES.

May the Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Domine sancte.

HOLY

OLY Lord, Father Almighty, and Eternal God, who didst create all things out of no. thing, and by the labour of the bees following thy commands, hast brought this liquor to the perfection of wax: and who, on this day, didst accom. plish the desire of the righteous Simeon, we humbly beseech thee, that, by the invocation of thy most holy name, and by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, whose festival we this day devoutly celebrate, and by the prayers of all thy saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these candles, for the service of men, and for the good of their bodies and souls in all places: and that thou wouldst please mercifully to hear from thy holy temple, and from the throne of thy ma' jesty, the prayers of this thy people, who desire to carry them in their hands with reverence, and with sacred hymns to praise thy name; and shew mercy to all that cry out unto thee, whom thou hast redeemed by the precious blood of thy beloved Son. Who liveth. R. Amen.

Let us pray. Omnipotens sempiterne.

Almighty and Eternal God, who, on this day

wast pleased that thy only Son should be pre sented in the temple, and be received into the arms of holy Simeon: we humbly beseech thy mercy to bless, sanctify, and give the light of thy heavenly benediction to these candles, which we thy servants desire to carry in honour of thy name: that by offering them to thee, our Lord God, we may be inflamed with the fire of thy sweet love, and made worthy to be presented in the holy temple of thy glory. Thro' the same. R. Amen.

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Let us pray.

Domine Jesu.

ORD Jesus Christ, the true light, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world: pour forth thy blessing upon these candles, and Sanctify them by the light of thy grace and grant in thy mercy, that as these candies, by their visible light, dispel the darkness of the night, so our hearts, burning with invisible fire, and enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, may be delivered from all blindness of sin: that, the eye of our soul being purified, we may discern those things that are pleasing to thee, and beneficial to our souls: that after having finished the darksome passage of this life, we may come to never fading joys thro' thee, O Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, who in perfect Trinity livest and reignest God, world without end. R. Amen.

Let us pray. Omnipotens sempiterne.]

vant Moses, commandedst the purest oil to be prepared for lamps, continually to burn in thy presence, mercifully pour forth the grace of thy blessing on these candles: that as they supply us with the visible light, so, by thy assistance, the light of thy Spirit may never be wanting inwardly in our souls. Thro'. R. Amen.

Let us pray.

Domine Jesu.

LORD; Ustance of our Resta, was pleased ORD Jesus Christ, who, appearing amongst this day to be presented in the temple by thy pa rents, and whom the venerable old Simeon, enlightened by thy holy Spirit, publicly confessed, received in his arms, and blessed: mercifully grant, that, being inspired and taught by the grace of the same holy Spirit, we may sincerely acknowledge and faithfully love thee? who with God the Father, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, livest and R. Amen. reignest one God world without end.