PRAYERS ON THE FIVE WOUNDS.

O most lovely Redeemer of my soul, prostrate before thee on the Cross, my conscience reproaches me with having by my own hands transfixed thee to that Cross as often as I have committed grievous sin, displeasing thee by my monstrous ingratitude. O my God, my most perfect and sovereign good, and worthy of all my affections as my constant benefactor, I, miserable that I am, cannot undo my evil deeds as I would, but with deep sorrow I abhor them as having offended thine infinite goodness, and kneeling at thy feet, I will at least endeavour to compassionate thee, to thank thee, to implore of thee pardon and amendment of life; and with my heart on my lips, I thus say :

O my Jesus, I adore the most sacred wound of thy LEFT FOOT; I compassionate thy bitter sufferings. I thank thee for the love with which thou didst labour to overtake me in the way of perdition, staining thyself with the blood drawn forth by the thorns and briers of my sins. I offer to the eternal Father the sorrows and love of thy sacred humanity, in expiation of my abominable transgressions, which I detest with bitter and sincere contrition.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory.

O my Jesus, I adore the most sacred wound of thy RIGHT FOOT; I compassionate thy bitter sufferings. I thank thee for the love which transfixed thee convulsed and bleeding, in punishment of my wanderings and the guilty indulgence of my unbridled passions. I offer the sorrows and love of thy most holy humanity to the eternal Father, and implore of him the grace to bewail my transgressions with scalding tears, and to persevere in goodness begun, without ever withdrawing myself from obedience to thy divine commandments. Our Father, &c.

O my Jesus, I adore the most sacred wound of thy LEFT I compassionate thy bitter sufferings. I thank

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thee for having averted with such love the scourges and the everlasting condemnation due to my sins. I offer to the eternal Father the sorrows and love of thy divine humanity, and entreat him that I may spend the remainder of my life profitably, in bringing forth fruits worthy of penance, and thus disarming his irritated justice. Our Father, &c.

O my Jesus, I adore the most sacred wound of thy RIGHT HAND; I compassionate thy bitter sufferings. I thank thee for having loaded me with increasing benefits, notwithstanding my miserable want of correspondence with them. I offer to the eternal Father the sorrow and love of thy most holy humanity, entreating him to change my heart and affections, and to enable me to perform all my actions according to his good pleasure. Our Father, &c.

O my Jesus, I adore the most holy wound of thy SACRED SIDE; I compassionate thee for that bitter insult. I thank thee for the love which presented thy breast and heart to the thrust, and gave up the last drops of blood and water for my plentiful redemption. I offer to the eternal Father the outrage and the love of thy most holy humanity, that my soul, having once entered into that most loving heart, so ready and willing to receive the worst of sinners, may go out no more for ever. Our Father, &c. 100 days' Indulgence daily to those who recite the above.

Το those who shall have recited them at least ten times a month, a Plenary Indulgence twice a year, on the Invocation of Holy Cross and Exaltation of Holy Cross.

O Lord Jesus Christ, God of my heart; by the five wounds which thy love for us inflicted on thee, succour thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Amen.

Most merciful Redeemer; by those ineffable torments, and the immense grief which thou wast pleased to suffer for me, a contemptible creature, especially when thy blessed soul was bitterly separated from thy body, I hum

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bly beseech thee to secure my soul at the hour of its departure, and comfort me then, as thou didst the penitent thief, with the blessed assurance that I shall be with thee in Paradise. Amen.

Let us say thrice the "Our Father," and the "Hail Mary," in
memory of the three hours our Redeemer hung upon the cross,
for the souls of the faithful departed in this congregation.
"Our Father," &c.

Let us say once the "Our Father," and the "Hail Mary," for
such as are in the deplorable state of mortal sin. "Our Fa-
ther," &c.
Let us likewise say once the "Our Father," and the "Hail
Mary," for the person who is to die next in this congregation,
that he may depart happily, fortified with the holy sacraments
of the Church. "Our Father," &c.

Let us dispose ourselves, by acts of perfect contrition and pure
love of God, to receive profitably the Benediction of our Lord
and Saviour in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar.

O merciful Redeemer, and God of infinite patience; great is my confusion at appearing in thy divine presence, because I have so frequently preferred vile and contemptible creatures before thee, the Almighty Creator of the universe.

I, who am but a miserable worm of the earth, do utterly detest my presumption in sinning in thy most pure sight. I acknowledge that I am a notorious criminal, and I plead guilty at the bar of thy dread tribunal. Thou mightest have been glorified in thy justice, by striking me suddenly dead, and condemning me to eternal flames for base indignities offered to thee; but thou wast pleased to be glorified in the high prerogative of thy mercy, by calling me back to repentance. I abhor all my crimes of thought, word, and deed, not only for the fear of punishment, and the hope of reward, but likewise for thy own sake, and because thou dost abominate them infinitely. O God of majesty and mercy, look upon the sacred marks in thy hands, feet, and side, which thou still retainest in thy glorified body, to plead in my behalf. By that tender love which induced thee to create, redeem, and sanctify me, unite the abyss of thy merits

to the abyss of my misery. Strengthen my weakness, confirm this my resolution of never offending thee more. Oh, rather let me lose every thing, with life itself, than lose thy favour by mortal sin. My heart was created for thee, and I love thee more than myself. Every day of my life, and especially that on which I shall expire, I will strive to love and serve thee for thy own sake, my God and my Creator. O Saviour of perishing mankind, who openest thy hand, and fillest every creature with benediction, give me now such a blessing as thou didst bestow on thy beloved disciples, when ascending in triumph from the mountain of Olives, that I may live and die in this happy disposition. Amen.

*Prayers for the Stations,

OR THE WAY OF THE CROSS.

(VIA CRUCIS.)

The priests and acolyths, kneeling before the altar, say as follows:

O Jesus, our adorable Saviour, behold us prostrate at thy feet, imploring thy mercy for ourselves, and for the souls of all the faithful departed. Vouchsafe to apply to us the infinite merits of thy passion, on which we are now about to meditate. Grant that while we trace this path of sighs and tears, our hearts may be so touched with contrition and repentance, that we may be ready to embrace with joy all the crosses and sufferings and humiliations of this our life and pilgrimage.

. Domine, labia mea

. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.

Ry. And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

. O God, come to my assistance.

R. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina.

. Gloria Patri, &c.

Ry. Sicut erat, &c.

R. O Lord, make haste

to help me.

. Glory be, &c. R. As it was, &c.

Then moving in procession to the first Station, the following versicle and response are said or sung:

V. Adoramus te, Christe, te benedicimus tibi.

R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee. 1. Because by thy holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

This versicle and response are repeated before each

Station.

First Station.

JESUS CHRIST CONDEMNED TO DEATH.

The Priest reads:

Leaving the house of Caiphas, where he had been blasphemed, and the house of Herod, where he had been mocked, Jesus is dragged before Pilate, his back torn with scourges, his head crowned with thorns; and he, who on the last day will judge the living and the dead, is himself condemned to a disgraceful death.

It was for us that thou didst suffer, O blessed Jesus; it was for our sins thou wast condemned to die. Oh, grant that we may detest them from the bottom of our hearts, and by this repentance obtain thy mercy and pardon.

An Act of Contrition.

O God, we love thee with our whole hearts and above all things, and are heartily sorry that we have offended thee. May we never offend thee any more. Oh, may we love thee without ceasing, and make it our delight to do in all things thy most holy will.