surprised with our sins uncancelled, or our duties unfulfilled; but when our bodies shall go down into the grave, our souls may ascend to thee, and dwell with thee for ever in the mansions of eternal bliss. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.

Litany for the Faithful Departed, p. 345.

An Invocation of the Most Holy Trinity for the Souls in Purgatory.

O God of all goodness, Father of mercies, who, at the prayers and fastings of thy faithful people, didst vouchsafe to send thy angels to break asunder the fetters of thy holy apostle Peter, and to open the doors of his prison; hear even also on this day the prayers and supplications of thy Church, and send thy angel to the souls for whom we pray, that, the doors of their prison being opened wide, they may be happily received into the bosom of thy inercy. Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O Son of God, Saviour of souls, who didst refresh the three children in the burning fiery furnace, pour down upon the souls that cry to thee from the flames thy heavenly dew. Thy precious blood alone can quench the flames of purgatory; oh, let it now flow down upon these suffering souls, and do thou, O Lord, have mercy upon them. Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O Spirit of love, have compassion on the cruel torment which these souls endure, that are filled with the purest charity, and, aspiring without ceasing towards their God, cry aloud in their distress, "I thirst: I thirst after my God!" and yet cannot attain unto the object of their love, nor receive the least drop of that torrent of pure delights. O Holy Spirit, grant that, having felt the fiercest pangs of love, they may taste its heavenly delights in a blessed eternity. Amen. Pater, Ave, Gloria.

Method of Hearing Mass for the Dead.

Make your Intention.

O God of all mercy, I come to offer thee the blood of the Lamb without spot for the souls which thou lovest, and which sigh only after the blessedness of seeing thee and glorifying thee. Just as are the punishments which thou inflictest, open to them this day, I beseech thee, the boundless treasure of the satisfaction of thy divine Son; and bestow upon them in this holy sacrifice wherewithal to discharge the debt which they still owe to thy sovereign justice.

[If you are intending to communicate, and wish to offer your Communion for particular Souls, say:

I beseech thee, O Lord, to apply to the souls of N. N. the indulgences which I shall be able to obtain by the communion I am about to make.]

Whilst the Priest is at the foot of the Altar.

We confess our sins, O God; and we acknowledge that, if thou hadst regard only to our iniquities, no man could be justified in thy sight, and endure the severity of thy countenance. Woe to us if thou judgest us without mercy! To appease thy justice, we have recourse, after the example of thy saints, to the unbloody sacrifice of Him who was pleased to be nailed to the cross for us, and who never ceaseth to make intercession with thee in our behalf. Forgive us our sins; forgive also our brethren departed the sins which they committed against thee whilst they abode in this land of exile. Let thy mercy prevail over thy justice, since thou hast promised graciously to hear those who shew mercy, and be thou faithful to thy promises.

Introit.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis. Ps. 64. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam: ad te omnis caro veniet. Requiem.

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. Ps. To thee is due the hymn, O God, in Sion; and to thee shall the vow be paid in Jerusalem. Oh, hear my prayer to thee all flesh shall come. Eternal, &c.

At the Kyrie.

O Jesus, shew thyself a God of mercy; have pity on the souls that groan in the place of suffering and expiation.

Collect.

Fidelium Deus omnium Conditor et Redemptor, animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum; ut indulgentiam, quam semper obtaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur. Qui vivis et regnas, &c.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins; that, through pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest, &c.

Epistle.

"Brethren, we will not have you ignorant concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them who have slept through Jesus, will God bring with him. For this we say unto you in the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who have slept. For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead who are in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort ye one another with these words." 1 Thes. iv. 12-17.

Gradual.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis. V. Ps. 111. In memoria æterna erit justus: ab auditione mala non timebit.

Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum. V. Et gratia tua illis succurrente, mereantur evadere judicium ultionis. V. Et lucis æternæ beatitudine perfrui.

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. V. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not be afraid for any evil report.

Release, O Lord, the souls of all the faithful departed from the bonds of their sins. V. And by the assistance of thy grace, may they merit to escape the sentence of condemnation. V. And enjoy the bliss of eternal light.

Gospel.

"At that time, Martha said to Jesus: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But now, also, I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith to her: Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to him: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life: He that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live. And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? She saith to him: Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, who art come into this world." John xi. 21-28.

Offertory.

Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriæ, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de pœnis inferni, et de profundo lacu: libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum: sed signifer sanctus Michael repræsentet eas in lucem sanctam : quam olim Abrahæ promisisti, et semini ejus. V. Hostias et preces tibi,

Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell, and from the deep pit: deliver them from the lion's mouth, lest hell swallow them up, lest they fall into darkness: and let the standard-bearer, St. Michael, bring them into the holy light: * as thou promisedst of old to Abra

Domine, laudis offerimus: tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus: fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam. • Quam, &c.

ham and to his seed. y. We offer thee, O Lord, a sacrifice of praise and prayers: accept them in behalf of the souls we commemorate this day; and make them pass, O Lord, from death to life. ⚫ As, &c.

At the Secreta.

I will go down, O just Judge of the living and the dead, I will go down in spirit to that dread place where thy hand is heavy on thy children, the heirs of thy glory. There I will sigh and lament, I will unite my prayers to the sacrifice of thy dear Son, that thou mayest shorten their pains, and change their sufferings into consolation, their humiliation into glory. Lord, in the grief that oppresses them, their soul cries unto thee. Have mercy for I acknowledge that I have sinned in thy sight. One thing have I asked of thee, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in thy house for ever, to behold the fair beauty of thy temple. I believe verily to see thy face in the land of the living.

on me,

During the Preface.

It is just and reasonable, right and salutary, to give thee thanks at all times and in all places, Father almighty, eternal God, through Jesus Christ our Lord; through whom thou hast given us the hope of a blessed resurrection, to the end that, if the recollection of the sentence of death passed upon all men comes to sadden us, the promise of immortality may encourage and console our faith; for to those who are faithful to thee, O Lord, to die is to lose a mortal life to pass into a better, and when this their earthly tabernacle is dissolved, they obtain one in the heavens, which shall endure eternally. And therefore, with all the heavenly host, we sing a hymn to thy glory, saying, without ceasing: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the