The Director sprinkles the ring with holy water, and the vow is made, or renewed, in the following words: FORM OF THE VOW OF CHASTITY. O Eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I, N., Thine unworthy creature, prostrate before Thine infinite Majesty, in the presence of the whole celestial court, relying on the hope of Thy succour, vow and promise to preserve chastity of soul and body for the remainder of my life.1 Henceforth Thou alone shalt be my portion, Thou alone shalt be my God and the God of my heart. I renounce, then, all that is contrary to holy purity and modesty. I take my loving Jesus for my spouse, and I attach myself entirely to Him for ever. Deign, O my God, to accept this [irrevocable] vow, heap upon me Thy benedictions and graces, that I may stand unshaken under all temptations, and may be victorious over all the efforts of my enemies. Grant that by the consecration I make to Thee of all that I am this day, I may become a new and perfect victim of Thy divine love. Amen. The Director replies: Et ego, tamquam minister Ecclesiæ Dei, ejus nomine hanc tuam promissionem et votum accepto et approbo. In nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. + R. Amen. And I, as the minister of the Church of God, accept and approve in His name of this thy promise and vow. In the name of the Father,+ and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. + R. Amen. 1 When the vow is for a limited period, the time is expressed instead of the words in italics; and, further on, the word "irrevocable" is omitted. The Director then presents the ring to the person making the vow, who places it on her finger, and the Director says: Desponso te Jesu Christo, Filio summi Patris, qui te illæsam custodiat. Accipe igitur annulum fidei, signaculum Spiritus Sancti, ut sponsa Dei voceris: et si ei fideliter servieris, in perpetuum coroneris. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. R. Amen. I espouse thee to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty Father, who may keep thee without spot. Receive also the ring of faith, the sign of the Holy Ghost, that thou mayst be called the spouse of God; and if thou faithfully serve Him, thou wilt be crowned for ever. In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen. ANTIPHON (sung by the Tertiary). I am espoused to Him whom the angels adore, at whose beauty the sun and the moon stand astonished. My Lord Jesus Christ hath espoused me to Himself with this ring, and as a chosen one He hath adorned me with a crown. With a crown of everlasting brightness hath He adorned me. The Director then gives the blessing as follows: May the Creator of heaven and earth, may the eternal Father who hath vouchsafed to elect thee to be the spouse of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, bless thee, His chosen child, that, pure and immaculate, thou mayst observe those things which thou hast promised before God and His holy angels; that thou mayst be firm in thy resolution; that thou mayst love penance and chastity; that thou mayst guard and watch over thyself in holy patience; that so in the end thou mayst be worthy to receive the crown of everlasting life. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. CEREMONY FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE PROFESSION OF THE THIRD ORDER. On the day chosen for this ceremony, the Sacristan decorates the chapel as for holy days. Immediately after Mass the Father Director gives an exhortation; he then intones the Veni Creator, which the Brothers (or Sisters) continue, and adds the antiphons, verses, and prayers as follow: Unica est columba mea, una est perfecta mea, una est genetricis suæ electa. Viderunt eam animæ sanctæ, et immaculatam prædicaverunt. O Patriarcha pauperum, Francisce, tuis precibus auge tuorum numerum in caritate Christi, quos cancellatis manibus cæcutiens, ut moriens Jacob, benedixisti. V. Emitte Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur. R. Et renovabis faciem terræ. One is my dove; my perfect one is but one; she is the only one of her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. Holy souls saw her, and called her immaculate. O Francis, Patriarch of the poor, by thy prayers increase in the charity of Christ the number of thy children, whom, when blind like dying Jacob, thou didst bless, crossing thy hands. V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created. R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. V. Memento congregationis tuæ. R. Quam possedisti ab initio. V. In conceptione tua, Virgo, immaculata fuisti. R. Ora pro nobis Patrem, cujus Filium peperisti. V. Ora pro nobis, beate Pater Francisce. R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. Oremus. Deus, qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti, da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de ejus semper consolatione gaudere. Deus, qui fidelium tuorum gressus dirigis et perficis, famulos tuos (vel famulas tuas), in nomine tuo congregatos (vel congregatas), sic dirige et perfice, ut a mundi illecebris semper effugiant; vota sua, quæ ad altare tuum introeuntes renovant, in V. Remember Thy congregation. R. Which Thou hast governed from the first. V. In thy conception, O blessed Virgin, thou wast immaculate. R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son thou didst bring forth. V. Pray for us, O blessed Father Francis. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. O God, who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant to us in the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. O God, who dost direct and perfect the steps of Thy faithful; so direct and perfect Thy servants, who are here assembled in Thy name, that they may flee from the allurements of the world; confirm for ever their vows, which, approaching Thy altar, they æternum firma, ut fideles oculis tuis inveniantur, et cum venerit ad eos (vel ad eas) Christus Filius tuus, ipsos (vel ipsas) inveniat vigilantes et super omnia bona sua constituat. Infirmitatem nostram respice, omnipotens Deus, et præsta, ut, gratia tua abundante, ubi vires nostræ deficiunt, quæ jam promisimus et quæ promissa renovamus, exsequi possimus; corda subleva, quæ pondus propriæ actionis gravat, et a mundo separata, tibi soli deservire, nobis concede. Deus, qui per Immaculatam Virginis Conceptionem dignum Filio tuo habitaculum præparasti, quæsumus, ut qui ex morte ejusdem Filii tui prævisa, eam ab omni labe præservasti, nos quoque mundos ejus intercessione ad te pervenire concedas. now renew, that they may be found faithful in Thy sight; and when Christ Thy Son shall come to them, He may find them watching, and set them over all His goods. Almighty God, look mercifully upon our infirmities; and grant that where our strength fails, we may, through the abundance of Thy grace, be enabled to perform the promises which we have already made, and which we now renew; raise up our hearts, which are oppressed by the weight of our own deeds, and grant that, separated from the world, they may serve Thee alone. O God, who by the Virgin's Immaculate Conception didst prepare a worthy dwelling for Thy Son; we beseech Thee that Thou, who by the death of that same Son of Thine, by Thee foreseen, didst preserve her from every stain, wouldst grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so come to Thee. |