to die next, that he may be prepared, and depart hap pily, fortified with the holy sacraments of the Church. Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Let us dispose ourselves, by acts of perfect contrition, and pure love of God, to receive worthily the benediction of our Lord and Saviour, in the adorable sacrament of the altar. M ERCIFUL Redeemer, and holy God of infinite patience! great is my confusion to appear in thy divine presence, having so frequently preferred contemptible creatures to thee, the omnipotent Creator of the universe. I utterly detest my presumption in sinning in thy most pure sight; I acknowledge myself a 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 prerogativo of thy mercy, in calling me back to repentance. I abhor all my crimes of thought, word, and deed; not only for the hope of reward, or fear of punishment, but for thy own sake, and be cause thou dost infinitely abominate them. O God of majesty and mercy! look upon those sacred marks in thy hands, feet, and side, which thou still retainest in thy glorified body, to plead my pardon. 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; O rather let me lose everything, with life itself, than lose thy favour by mortal sin. My heart was created for thee, and I love thee more than myself. Every aspiration of my life, especially the last, shall be a protestation of my pure and sincere love of thy divine majesty. Sweet 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 Mount Olivet, that I may live and die in this happy disposition. Amen. LITANY OF THE PASSION OF JESUS. In Thy bitter agony, By the scourge so meekly borne, Jesu, Saviour, hear our cry, Thou wert suffering once as we; We Thy children sing to Thee. By the thorns that crowned Thy head, By Thy footstep, faint and slow, By the nails and pointed spear, By the darkness, thick as night, By Thy weeping Mother's woe, J. M. J. ASSOCIATION OF PRAYER, IN HONOUR OF THE SACRED THIRST AND AGONY OF JESUS, TO REPRESS INTEMPERANCE. Approved of by His Holiness Pope Pius IX. Afterwards, Jesus said, I thirst; and they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall."-S. John xix. 28; and S. Matt. xxvii. 34. OBJECT.-This Association has for its object, the union of all the faithful, especially those who are in the friendship of God, in devotion to the Sacred Tairst and Agony of Jesus, and the Compassionate Heart of Mary, to obtain the repres sion of the vice of intemperance, which, as S. John Chrysostom tells us, is the "joy of demons, and the parent of ten thousand evils." (Hom. 27.) On its extirpation depend the education of children, and, therefore, the future of society itself, the peace of families, the conversion of many sinners, and even their happiness for eternity. MEANS.-I. Each member shall recite daily "Our Father" once, and "Hail Mary" three times, in honour of the Saered Thirst and Agony of Jesus, and of the Compassionate Heart of Mary, for the intentions of the Association, and the repression of this awful vice.-II. All are requested to offer their other good works for this purpose, especially Holy Communion on the second Sunday of the month. This offering, far from taking away or diminishing the efficacy of these good works for other intentions, will greatly increase it. -III. As "prayer is good with fasting and alms," (Tobias xii. 8,) the zealous are recommended to add some small act of mortification, especially in the use of drinks on Fridays, or oftener if their devotion suggests it. ADVANTAGES.-His Holiness has granted (July 28th, 1868,) to this work of charity the following Indulgences. PARTIAL.-For every good work done for the Association, accompanied by prayer, 100 days. Thus, to enrol a member and say one Hail Mary," will gain 100 days. To enrol ten members, 7 years and 7 quarantines, on the same condition. PLENARY, on the usual conditions, and provided that the prayers for the intentions of the Church are said in the church in which Communion has been received, on the fol lowing Feasts: the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Precious Blood, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Holy Name of Jesus, the Five Wounds, the Most Pure Heart of Mary, the Espousals of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, Auxilium Christianorum (May 24), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (May 31), St. Patrick, Patron of Ireland, St. George, Patron of England, and St. Andrew, Patron of Scotland. RICHARDSON AND SONS, PRINTERS, DERBY, PRAYER OF ST. BERNARD. REMEMBER, O most Holy Virgin Mary, that no one ever had re course to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy mediation, without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in thy goodness, behold me, a penitent sinner, sighing out my sins before thee, beseeching thee to adopt me for thy son, and to take upon thee the care of my eternal salvation. Despise not, O Mother of Jesus, the petition of thine humble client, but hear and grant my prayer. Amen. AVE MARIS STELLA. Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star, Pray for the wanderer, pray for me. O pious, chaste, and spotless maid, Virgin most pure, star of the sea, Sojourners in this vale of tears, Pity our sorrows, calm our fears, Do thou, bright Queen, star of the sea, LOVE OF THE SACRED HEART. The lone lamp softly burns, "Long! long, I've waited here, In the womb of Mary meek, Ever pleading, day and night, RICHARDSON AND SONS, PRINTERS, DERBY. |