SAINT ANDREW

Apostle

A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, a fisherman by trade, and a former disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew was the one who introduced his brother Peter to Jesus, saying, "We have found the Messias." Overshadowed henceforth by his brother, Andrew nevertheless appears again in the Gospels as introducing souls to Christ. In St. John 12:22, he goes with St. Philip to tell Our Lord of a group of Gentiles who wish to speak with the Master.
After Pentecost, Andrew took up the apostolate on a much wider scale, and is said to have been martyred at Patras in southern Greece on a cross which was in the form of an "X". This type of cross has long been known as "St. Andrew's cross."

ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 138:17)
Your friends are greatly honored by me, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established. (Ps. 138:1-2) O Lord, You have proved me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, we humbly implore Your divine majesty to give us for our perpetual intercessor in heaven the blessed apostle Andrew, who was so outstanding a preacher and ruler in Your Church. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Rom. 10:10-18)
Brethren: For, with the heart, we believe unto justice: but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith: "Whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded." For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent, as it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them that bring glad tidings of good things?" But all do not obey the gospel. For Isaias saith: "Lord, who hath believed our report?" Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say: Have they not heard? Yes, verily: "Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the whole world."

GRADUAL (Ps. 44:17-18)
You shall make them princes through all the land; they shall remember Your name, O Lord. V. To take the place of fathers, sons shall be born to you; therefore peoples shall praise you.

Alleluia, alleluia!
V. The Lord loved Andrew as a sweet fragrance.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 4:18-22)
At that time, Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers). And he saith to them: "Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men." And they immediately leaving their nets, followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them. And they forthwith left their nets and father, and followed him.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 138:17)
Your friends are greatly honored by me, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established.

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 4:19-20)
"Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." And at once they left their nets, and followed the Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
We have received Your divine Mysteries with joy, O Lord, on the feast of Your blessed apostle Andrew. Grant that our reception of the Holy Eucharist may give glory to Your saints and bring us Your forgiveness. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT SATURNINUS

Martyr

Saturninus is said to have been a priest who came to Rome from Carthage. At an advanced age he was arrested for his faith. After suffering long imprisonment and barbarous tortures, he was beheaded in the year 309.

Mass of a Martyr, except:

PRAYER

O God, who fills us with joy at the celebration of Your martyr Saturninus' heavenly birthday, grant that the merits of this saint may help us. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER

Bless the gifts we have set apart for You, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr Saturninus help these offerings to win Your mercy for us. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER

O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament sanctify us and make us acceptable to You through the intercession of Your saints. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CATHERINE LABOURE' Virgin

In 1830, 24 years before the dogma of the Immaculate Conception became an article of faith, Our Lady showed to Catherine Laboure', a Sister of Charity in Paris, the pattern of the medal that was to popularize this belief. During her 46 years of community life, Sister Catherine never revealed by word or sign the favors granted her by the Blessed Virgin, but gave herself in obscure devotion to the care of derelict old men. The medal has received the name of "Miraculous Medal," because of the many wonders God has worked by its means.

Mass of a VIRGIN, except:

PRAYER
O Lord Jesus Christ, You blessed the holy virgin Catherine with the wondrous apparition of Your Immaculate Mother. May we follow the example of this saint in honoring Your most holy Mother with childlike devotion and obtain the happiness of eternal life; who lives and rules with God the Father.

SECRET PRAYER
May the prayer of the blessed virgin Catherine make our sacrifice pleasing to You, O Lord, so that as we celebrate it in her honor it may be acceptable to You through her merits. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Be merciful to Your servants, O Lord, so that we, who have been wonderously refreshed by these Holy Rites, may now live a virtuous life through the example of blessed Catherine. Through Our Lord . . .

OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
(1830)

The Blessed Virgin May appeared to the young Sister Catherine Laboure while she was at prayer with the Sisters in a chapel in Paris. Our Lady appeared in an oval frame, standing on a globe of the world. She was dressed in a white robe with a blue cloak edged with silver, having as it were diamonds in Her hands from which fell streams of golden rays upon the earth. A voice was heard saying: "These rays are the graces that Mary obtains for men." Then golden words formed around the oval: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!" The oval picture then turned around, and on the reverse side the Sister saw the letter M, with a cross above it, having a crosspiece at its base, and below the letter the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the former surrounded by a crown of thorns, and the latter pierced with a sword. Then the voice said: "A medal must be struck on this pattern; the persons who shall carry it with indulgences attached to it, and shall offer the above prayer, shall enjoy a very special protection from the Mother of God."
The medal was struck and spread all over the world, and immediately the most wonderful conversions and cures attested to its miraculous efficacy. Devout Catholics everywhere attest to its wonder-working power!

PRAYER
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast willed that the most blessed Virgin Mary, Thy mother, sinless from the first moment of her conception, should be glorified by countless miracles: grant that we, who never cease from imploring her patronage, may attain in the end to eternal happiness. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, . . .

MEDIATOR DEI
Continued

The Act of Offering:
We must understand the exact meaning of the word offer. The unbloody immolation at the words of Consecration when Christ is made present on the altar in the state of a victim, is performed by the priest alone. He does this as Christ's representative and not as the representative of the faithful. Now the faithful participate in the oblation in a twofold manner. First they offer the sacrifice by the hands of the priest, and also to a certain extent they offer it in union with him. This is why the offering made by the people is also included in liturgical worship.
The priest at the altar, in offering the sacrifice in the name of all Christ's members, represents Christ the Head of the Mystical Body; hence the whole Church may rightly be said to offer up the victim through Christ. The people unite their hearts with the prayers of the priest, in praise, impetration, expiation, and thanksgiving.
The faithful should realize the high dignity conferred upon them by the Sacrament of Baptism. At Mass they should unite themselves most closely with the High Priest and His human representative especially at the Consecration. They should then offer themselves, their problems, their sorrows, their needs in union with their Savior on the cross.

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

ENTRANCE HYMN (Jer. 29:11, 12, 14)
Said the Lord: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." Ps. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, stir up the wills of the faithful that they may be more eager to seek the fruits of divine grace, and to discover in Your mercy greater healing for their sinfulness. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Col. 1:9-14)
Brethren: Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: Strengthened with all might according to the power of his glory, in all patience and long-suffering with joy, giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.

Gradual (Ps. 43:8-9)
You have freed us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day, and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Ps. 129:1-2)
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 24:15-35)
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house: And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child and that give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
"Then if any man shall say to you, 'Lo here is Christ,' or 'there': do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you, 'Behold he is in the desert': go ye not out. 'Behold he is in the closets': believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.
"And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.
"And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 129:1-2)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, lend a responsive ear to our petitions. Receive the offerings and prayers of Your people, and turn the hearts of us all towards Yourself, so that we may be drawn from earthly desires to the joys of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Mark 11:24)
Amen I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, cure the evil in our hearts by the healing power of the Sacrament we have received. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CATHARINE OF ALEXANDRIA
Virgin and Martyr

The saint of philosophers and wheelwrights and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, Catharine of Alexandria was very popular in the Middle Ages. Her legend relates that in the early years of the fourth century, Catharine converted to Christianity a group of philosophers whom Emperor Maximinus had appointed to shake the maiden's own faith. The infuriated ruler had Catharine scourged and bound to wheels on which knives were fixed; but the wheels broke and the knives flew off, killing some of the onlookers. Then she was beheaded. Angels are said to have carried her body up to Mount Sinai in Arabia, as today's Prayer recalls.

Mass of a VIRGIN MARTYR, except:

PRAYER
O God, You gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, and later had the body of the blessed virgin martyr Catharine miraculously carried to the same spot by Your holy angels. Grant that we may reach the mountain which is Christ, through the merits and intercession of this saint; who lives and rules with You . . .

MEDIATOR DEI
Continued

Participation of the Faithful:

The chief duty and supreme dignity of the faithful is to participate in the Eucharistic Sacrifice earnestly and thoughtfully so that they may be united as closely as possible to the High Priest. Together with Him and through Him let them make their oblation, and in union with Him let them offer up themselves.
Christ is a priest not for Himself but for us, when in the name of the whole human race He offers our prayerful homage to the eternal Father. He is also a victim since He substitutes Himself for sinful man. All Christians as far as possible must possess the same dispositions which Christ had when He offered Himself in sacrifice. That means that they should humbly pay adoration, honor, praise, and thanksgiving to the supreme majesty of God. It also means that they should assume to some extent the character of victims, deny themselves, and do penance for their sins. In a word we must all undergo with Christ a mystical death on the cross, and be able to say with St. Paul: "With Christ I am nailed to the cross." (Gal. 2:19)
The fact that the people participate in the Eucharistic Sacrifice does not mean that they possess priestly power. The priest acts for the people only because he represents Christ, who is Head of all His members and offers Himself in their stead. So the priest goes to the altar as the minister of Christ, inferior to Christ but superior to the people. The people, since they in no sense represent the divine Redeemer and are not mediators between themselves and God, do not possess the priestly power.
Not only do the priests offer the sacrifice but also all the faithful; for what the priest does personally by virtue of his ministry, the faithful do collectively by virtue of their intention (Pope Innocent III). It is right that the people should understand in what sense they offer up the sacrifice.
[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

John of the Cross was born near Avila in Spain in 1542. Educated by the Jesuits, he entered the Carmelite Order at the age of 21. He felt attracted to the life of a Carthusian, but Teresa of Avila asked him to co-operate with her in the restoration of the primitive Carmelite rule. After John established several monasteries of Discalced Carmelites, those opposed to the reform had him imprisoned at Toledo. During the nine months of his imprisonment, he wrote many of the poems and prose works that have made him one of the foremost authorities on mysticism in the West. He had asked God for suffering, and he received an abundance of both physical and spiritual torment right up to his death in 1591.


Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except:

PRAYER
O God, who blessed the holy confessor and doctor John with a spirit of complete self-denial and a deep love of the cross, grant that we may always follow his example and thus attain to eternal glory. Though Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOGONUS, MARTYR
Mentioned in the Canon of the Mass, Chrysogonus, a Greek Christian, was martyred under Diocletian at Aquileia at the beginning of the fourth century.

O Lord, hear our humble prayers. May the intercession of Your blessed martyr Chrysogonus free us from the guilt of sin which troubles us. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, let the blessed confessor and doctor John always help us, and through his intercession accept our offering and pardon our sins. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOLOGUS
O Lord, be moved to compassion by our offerings and shield us from all danger through the prayers of Your holy martyr Chrysologus. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may this sacrifice bring us closer to our salvation through the intercession of Your blessed confessor and illustrious doctor John. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOLOGUS
O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament cleanse us from our hidden faults, and guard us against the deceptions of our enemies. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CLEMENT I
Pope and Martyr

Pope Clement I, third successor of St. Peter, is believed to have ruled the See of Rome during the last ten years of the first century. He was the author of a beautiful and widely celebrated letter to the Corinthians. "They who are great," he wrote, "cannot yet subsist without those that are little, nor the little without the great. In our body, the head without the feet is nothing, neither the feet without the head. And the smallest members of our body are useful and necessary to the whole." He is said to have been exiled by Trajan to the Chersonese, where he converted so many pagans that the Emperor had him drowned in the sea.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Isa. 59:21; 56:7)
The Lord said, "My words which I have put into your mouth shall never be wanting to your lips. And your gifts shall be acceptable upon my altar." Ps. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. V. Glory be . . .
Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS, MARTYR
According to ancient tradition, Felicitas, a Roman widow, was the mother of seven sons executed for the Faith. Felicitas herself was beheaded in the year 165 under Marcus Antoninus.

O Almighty God, may the merits and prayers of Your blessed martyr Felicitas, whose feast we celebrate today, be our protection. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Philipp. 3:17; 4:1-3)
Brethren: Be ye followers of me, brethren: and observe them who walk so as you have our model. For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown: so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beg of Evodia and I beseech Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, my sincere companion, help those women who have labored with me in the gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

GRADUAL (Ps. 106:32, 31)
Let them extol him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. V. Let them praise the Lord for his merits and for his wondrous deeds to the children of men.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Matt. 16:18)
Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 16:13-19)
At that time, Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" But they said: "Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets." Jesus saith to them: "But whom do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answering said to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Jer. 1:9-10)
Behold, I have placed my words in your mouth; lo, I have set you over the nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to pull down, to build and to plant.

SECRET PRAYER
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and it pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS
Look with favor upon the offerings of Your people, O Lord. Let us rejoice in the protection of Your saints whose feast we are permitted to celebrate today. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 16:18)
Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your Heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction, so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS
Increase Your Gifts within us, O Almighty God, and order our lives according to Your will through the intercession of Your saints. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CECILIA
Virgin and Martyr

The "Acts" of St. Cecilia say that she was brought up as a Christian amidst all the luxury of a patrician family in pagan Rome. Though she had vowed virginity, her father forced her to marry a young pagan named Valerian. Cecilia told Valerian of her vow, and he was converted by a vision of her guardian angel. Later, Valerian and his brother Tiburtius (also a convert) were beheaded for having given burial to Christian martyrs. When Cecilia interred the bodies of Valerian and Tiburtius at her villa on the Appian Way, she herself was arrested. After the persecutors had tried unsuccessfully to suffocate her in the bathroom of her own home, she was beheaded. St. Cecilia has been chosen as the saint of musicians because of the following sentence in her "Acts," "While the instruments were playing [at her wedding feast] profane music, Cecilia sang rather to God in her heart."

ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 118:46-47)
I spoke of Your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed; I meditated on Your commandments, which I loved dearly. Ps. 118:1 Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
We are made happy, O God, by the annual feast of Your blessed virgin martyr Cecilia. May we be inspired by the example of Your saint, as we honor her in this Mass. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Eccli. 51:13-17)
O Lord my God, You have exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that He would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help. I will praise Your name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard. And You have saved me from destruction, and have delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks, and praise You, O Lord our God.

GRADUAL (Ps. 44:11, 12, 5)
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, for the king greatly desires your beauty. V. In your splendor and your beauty, make ready, ride on triumphant, and rule.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Matt. 25:4, 6.)
The five wise virgins took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And at midnight a cry arose, "Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go forth to meet Christ the Lord."
Alleluia!

Gospel (Matt. 25:1-13)
At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: 'Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him.' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: 'Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.' The wise answered, saying: 'Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.' Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But he answering said: 'Amen I say to you, I know you not.' Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 44:15, 16)
Behind her the virgins shall be led to the king; her friends shall be brought to you with gladness and joy; they shall be led into the temple of the king, Our Lord.

SECRET PRAYER
May this offering, established to atone for our sins and bestow Your peace, O Lord, make us always worthy of Your forgiveness through the intercession of Your virgin martyr Cecilia. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Ps. 118:78, 80)
Let the proud be put to shame for having unjustly harmed me; but as for me, I will observe Your commandments and Your precepts, that I may not be confounded.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through Our Lord . . .

THE PRESENTATION OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

An ancient tradition holds that Our lady was conducted by her parents to the Temple at Jerusalem to be consecrated entirely to God when she was three years old. This meeting of the ancient Temple of God and the new "Temple of the Savior" reminds us of the continuity between the Old Law and the New. For Mary, the Mother of God's new People, was the personification and completion of all that was good in the Old Testament. Her Magnificat shows that she was steeped in the Scriptures and Law of her fathers: Even as He spoke to our fathers -- to Abraham and to his posterity forever" (St. Luke 1:55).

Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, except:

PRAYER
O God, You willed that the blessed ever-virgin Mary, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, should be presented in the temple on this day. May we be worthy through her intercession to be presented in the temple of Your glory. Through Our Lord . . . in the unity of the same Holy Spirit.

The Magnificat

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Scripture text: Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition

---

Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.

Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.

Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.

Amen.

SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS
Confessor

Felix renounced life at the royal court of France and had already grown old as a hermit in a forest of Valois when St. John of Martha visited him there in the year 1200. God had given both of them the idea of founding an order devoted to ransoming the numerous Christians captured by the Saracen pirates on the Mediterranean at that time. Together they secured approval from Pope Innocent III in Rome and established the order of the Trinitarians. John became superior of the order, and Felix took charge of the monastery of Cerfroid in France, where he died in 1212.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except:

PRAYER
O God, through a messenger from heaven You called the blessed confessor Felix to come out of the desert to labor for the ransom of captives. May his intercession free us from the slavery of our sins and bring us safely to our home in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

"MEDIATOR DEI"
The Mystical Body:

The co-operation of the faithful is necessary so that sinners may be individually purified in the Blood of the Lamb. For though Christ by His agonizing death reconciled the whole human race with the Father, He wished that all should approach His cross, especially through the sacraments and the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and thus obtain the fruits obtained by Him upon it. Through this active and individual participation the members of the Mystical Body not only become daily more like their divine Head, but the life flowing from the Head is imparted to the members; so that each one may say with St. Paul: "With Christ I am nailed to the cross. It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me." [Gal. 2:19-20]
The Sacrifice of the altar is the supreme instrument whereby the merits won by our Redeemer on the cross are distributed to the faithful. As often as the Mass is offered the work of our redemption is wrought. This, far from lessening the dignity of Calvary's sacrifice, proclaims its greatness and necessity, as the Council of Trent declares. Its daily immolation reminds us that there is no other means of salvation except in the cross of Christ. God wishes this continuation of Calvary's sacrifice so that the hymn of praise and thanksgiving that man owes to God may never cease. Man needs the continual help of the Blood of the Redeemer.
[Excepted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
ADDITIONAL MASS NUMBER FOUR

Just as the tiny Infant in Mary's arms grew into the physical maturity of Calvary's Victim, so His Mystical Body, started with Mary and the Apostles, has spread over the earth, and will continue to grow until the maturity of Judgment day. In the lives of the martyrs and the saints, in the solid virtue of every genuine Christian, and in every noble word and deed, the irresistible power of Christ shines victoriously. Quietly as leaven spreads by cell dividing from cell, Jesus becomes known to men through those who bear His name, live His life, speak His truth.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Jer. 29:11, 12, 14)
SAID THE LORD: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
ALMIGHTY GOD, let our minds always be fixed on Your truths, so that, in every word and deed, we may do what is pleasing to You. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (I Thess. 1:2-10)
Brethren: We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the work of your faith and labor and charity: and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father.
Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election: For our gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power also: and in the Holy Ghost and in much fullness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us and of the Lord: receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and in Achaia but also in every place: your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you: and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead), Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

GRADUAL ((Ps. 43:8-9)
YOU HAVE FREED us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Ps. 129:1-2)
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 13:31-35)
AT THAT TIME, Jesus spoke this parable unto them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof."
Another parable he spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 129:1-2)
OUT OF THE DEPTHS I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET PRAYER
O GOD, may this offering cleanse us from sin and bring us life, that by it we may be guided and protected. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Mark 11:24)
AMEN I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O LORD, grant that we who have been nourished with the Food of Heaven may always hunger after this Bread which truly makes us live. Through Our Lord . . .

The Palm Beach Post had this article in yesterday's edition, which I thought was very interesting for us lovers of the Traditional Mass:

Latin Mass would restore mystery

By Steve Gushee

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, November 17, 2006

The Mass in the vernacular was a noble experiment that didn't quite work. The Latin Mass might soon be back, and that could be a good thing for the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI plans to make it much easier for churches to use the 16th-century Latin Mass. That could help deepen faith and unite an American church whose members speak a veritable babel of languages.

The Catholic faith is, at its heart, a mystery. The Christian religion is best known in community. The Latin Mass enhanced mystery and created community for more than a thousand years and might again. The Mass in English has done neither.

The Roman Catholic Church only began to use English in worship in the mid-1960s following the Second Vatican Council.

English might have helped the English-speaking faithful understand what worship was about, but explaining a mystery in any language is an oxymoron. The use of English in the church's central act of worship turned a profoundly moving and, yes, mysterious experience into a dull, pedestrian meeting with little power to stir the spirit or motivate the faithful.

St. Paul argued that the people should be taught in a language they understood. Sermons, instructions and teaching should be in such a language, but worship is another matter.

The faithful offer worship to God who is not bound by any language. The soaring majesty of the Latin Mass served the church well long after few if any of the faithful understood the words. They knew the liturgy, the rhythm and the power of the service.

Latin words accompanied the action of worship but were essentially unnecessary. Everyone knew what was happening. With English, however, the words demand attention. The faithful attend the language rather than the mystery of redemption unfolding before them. Latin creates and preserves mystery. English dilutes it.

Latin also creates and preserves community. Any unfamiliar language will tend to bind together those who use is as a kind of tribal glue.

One of the most important tools Charlemagne used to unite his dispirited empire in the early ninth century was the Latin Mass. Alcuin, the emperor's liturgical genius, enforced the same worship everywhere in Charlemagne's vast realm, imposing a religious conformity that served to hold the empire together.

Catholics in America today speak countless different languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Polish, Portuguese and many more. The Mass in Latin might once again serve to create community even as it hallows mystery.

These are great thoughts! I wonder why it was written here in Florida, where the Traditional Mass is scarce and almost impossible to attend?

DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

Today the Church goes on spiritual pilgrimage to the tombs of the two greatest apostles. To the famous basilica of St. Peter's, built over the tomb of the Vicar of Christ at Rome, have come Christians of every age, every race, and every nation, for Peter is the rock and foundation of their faith. while we are thus reminded of the unity of all the members of the Mystical Body, St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, directs our thoughts toward those who have yet to be taught the message of Salvation.

Mass of the DEDICATION OF A CHURCH: PRAYER O God, by Your care we come safely each year to commemorate with these sacred rites the dedication of Your holy temple. Graciously hear the prayers of Your people and grant that all who implore Your blessings in this church may joyfully receive the favors they ask. Through Our Lord . . .

(Mediator Dei)

PETITION:

The fourth end is that of impetration. Man the prodigal has wasted the goods of his heavenly Father, and reduced himself to degrading poverty. Christ on the Cross, replacing man, offered "prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, and has been heard," as St. Paul says. Upon the altar likewise He is our Mediator with God, in the same effective manner, so that we may receive every blessing and grace. The merits of the Sacrifice of the Cross are limitless for they are meant for all men of every time and place.

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

SAINT GREGORY
THE WONDER WORKER
Bishop and Confessor

Gregory, one of the Fathers of the Church, was converted to the faith by Origen about the year 232. He then returned to his native city of Neocaesarea in Asia Minor, and was made its bishop. At that time there were only 17 Christians in the city, but Gregory's apostolic zeal was such that before his death there were only 17 non-Christians left. Gregory was aided in his apostolate by an extraordinary gift of miracles. A legend relating that he once caused the removal of a mountain from the spot where he wished to build a church is alluded to in today's Gospel. He died about the year 270.

Mass of a CONFESSOR BISHOP, except:


PRAYER

O Almighty God, grant that our solemn celebration of the feast of Your confessor bishop Gregory may increase our devotion and bring us closer to our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .


GOSPEL (Mark 11:22-24)

At that time, Jesus answering, said to His disciples: "Have faith in God. Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Arise, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and does not waver in his heart, but believes that whatever he says will be done, it shall be done for him. Therefore I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you."


SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, may Your saints everywhere be a source of joy for us, and may we feel the power of their intercession with You as we solemnly recall the deeds of their lives. Through Our Lord . . .


POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER

O Almighty God, may the expression of our gratitude to You for all Your Gifts bring us even greater benefits, through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Grgory. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT GERTRUDE
Virgin

Gertrude was a 13th-century Cistercian mystic of Helfta, near Eisleben in Saxony. The book of her life and revelations, which she was asked to write in a vision of God, has been praised by scholars and saints alike. A very intelligent woman, Gertrude was early attracted to secular learning, but after the first of her numerous visions she restricted her reading to the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church. Her whole life was centered on the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office. She was one of the first to whom our Lord revealed the mystery of His Sacred Heart; He also asked her to develop a deep love for the cross and to pray for the conversion of souls.

Mass of a VIRGIN except:

PRAYER
O God, the heart of the holy virgin Gertrude was a happy abode that You prepared as Your own. Cleanse our hearts from the stains of sin and let us share in her eternal happiness through the merits and prayers of this saint. Through Our Lord . . .

'Mediator Dei'

EXPIATION:

The third end is that of expiation, propitiation, and reconciliation. No one was more fitted to make satisfaction to God for all the sins of men than was Christ. So He desired to be immolated on the Cross for our sins and the sins of the whole world. He continues to offer Himself on our altars for our redemption. In fact He does this not only for the living but for the dead.

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

SAINT ALBERT THE GREAT
Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Albert the Great, Universal Doctor and Patron of the Sciences, was born in the castle of Lauingen on the Danube early in the 13th century. Under the inspiration of Bl. Jordan of Saxony (St. Dominic's successor), the young count entered the Order of Preachers from the University of Padua, despite family oppostition. Following ordination he taught in Dominican houses of study at Hildesheim, Freiburg in Breisgau, Ratisbon, and Cologne, achieving greatest distinction at the Priory of St. Jacques affiliated to the University of Paris. He was a pioneer in the experimental scientific method as well as in Aristotelian philosophy, and his solid achievements in science are acknowledged today. He was probably the most prolific writer on scientific and spiritual subjects in the medieval period. He was also bishop of Ratisbon, and preacher of the last Crusade in Germany. He died in Cologne in 1280, some time after an arduous walk to Paris and back to defend the memory of his greatest disciple, Thomas Aquinas.

Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except:

PRAYER
O God, you made the blessed doctor and bishop Albert great by teaching him to place divine faith above his own human learning. Grant that we may follow his doctrine so that we may enjoy perfect wisdom in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
Look favorably upon our sacrificial offerings, O Lord, so that by the celebration of these mysteries in memory of the passion of Your Son, our Lord, we may devotedly experience their effects through the prayers and example of blessed Albert. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
May the Holy Mysteries that we have received defend us against the attacks of our enemies, O Lord, and grant that we may live in continual peace through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Albert. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT JOSAPHAT
Bishop and Martyr

Josaphat, apostle and a martyr of Church unity was baptized John Kuncevyk. When he was 16, in 1595, the Ruthenian Church, to which he belonged, was officially united with Rome. As a young apprentice-merchant with a monastic vocation, he devoted his spare time to learning Church Slavonic, in order to assist more intelligently at the Liturgy and to recite some of the Divine Office each day. As soon as possible he entered the monastery of the Holy Trinity at Vilna. Made Archbishop of Polotsk in 1617, he fought titelessly to preserve the union with Rome against fierce opposition from many of the people and a schismatic hierarchy. He was beaten to death in a riot incited by his opponents in 1623. St. Josaphat is one of the patrons of Poland.

ENTRANCE HYMN
Let us all rejoice in the Lord as we celebrate the feast in honor of the blessed martyr Josaphat, at whose martyrdom the angels rejoiced and praised the Son of God. Ps. 32:1. Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, infuse into your Church the Spirit that filled the blessed martyr bishop Josaphat when he gave his life for his flock. May that Spirit move and strengthen us through the prayers of this saint so that we may fearlessly sacrifice our lives for our brothers. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Heb. 5:1-6)
Brethren: Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Neither doth any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was. So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest: but he that said unto him: "Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee." As he saith also in another place: "Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech."

GRADUAL (Ps. 88:21-23)
I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, that My hand may help him and My arm strengthen him. V. The enemy shall have no advantage over him, nor shall the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.

Alleluia, alleluia!
V. This is the priest whom the Lord has crowned.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (St. John 10:11-16)
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf casteth and scattereth the sheep, And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd."

OFFERTORY HYMN (St. John 13:13)
Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends.

SECRET PRAYER
O Most Merciful God, bless these gifts of ours, and deepen in us that faith which Your blessed martyr bishop Josaphat upheld even at the cost of his life. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (St. John 10:14)
I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep and mine know me.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may the food of heaven which we have taken fill us with the spiritual strength of Your blessed martyr bishop Josaphat, which made him victorious in defending the Church. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT DIDACUS
Confessor

Didacus, a 15th-century Spanish Franciscan laybrother, labored for some years in the Canary Islands, where he instructed and converted many people. For a time he also headed a large monastery he had founded there. Didacus was above all a contemplative, and his abundant good works were the fruit of his ardent love of Christ. His charity for the sick was especially moving.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except:

PRAYER
Almighty and eternal God, Your wondrous providence has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong. Hear our humble prayer and grant that the prayers of Your blessed confessor Didacus may make us worthy of eternal glory in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

THANKSGIVING:

The second end is to give due thanks to God. Only the divine Redeemer as the Father's beloved Son could offer Him a worthy return of gratitude. This He did at the Last Supper and on the Cross. This He continues to do in the Holy Sacrifice of the altar which is the act of thanksgiving or Eucharistic act availing unto salvation.

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER
PENTECOST

God's way to heaven's peace is as clear and impelling as the life and teachings of Christ. His way is a sharply outlined path -- a path trod by His saints up the hill of history; and His way is marked out also in our ordinary streets and in our homes. God's grace suffices for the willing.


ENTRANCE HYMN (Jer. 29:11, 12, 14)
Said the Lord: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." Ps. 84:2 Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from Captivity. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
Forgive the offenses of Your people, O Lord, so that through Your merciful goodness we may be freed from the bondage of sin into which we were led by our own weakness. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Philipp. 3:17-21; 4:1-3)
Brethren: Be ye followers of me, and mark those who walk after the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown: so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beg of Evodia and I beseech Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, my sincere companion, help those women who have labored with me in the gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

GRADUAL (Ps. 43:8-9)
You have freed us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day, and praise Your name foever.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Ps. 129:1-2)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 9:18-26)
At that time, as Jesus was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: "Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.
And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself: "If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed." But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: "Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole." And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout, He said: "Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed him to scorn.
And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 129:1-2)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET PRAYER
We offer this sacrifice of praise, O Lord, to fulfill our debt of service to You. May Your blessings which we cannot merit, continue to reach us through Your boundless mercy. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Mark 11:24)
Amen I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
You have given us the happiness of participating in this Heavenly Banquet, O Almighty God. Let us not now fall victim to any human danger. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS
Bishop and Confessor

Son of an officer in the Roman army, martin of Tours (c. 316-397) was already a catechumen when he was conscripted into the imperial horse-guards at the age of 15. The famous incident in which Martin cut his cloak in two with his sword to clothe a beggar, took place while he was on garrison duty at Amiens. Soon after this, he was baptized, left the army, and went to serve Bishop Hilary of Poitiers as a cleric in minor orders. Later he founded a famous monastery at Liguge. When St. Hilary died, the people of Tours made martin his successor, virtually by force. During his long episcopate, Martin not only organized parish life in his diocese, but journeyed throughout Gaul, evangelizing the French countryside, and earning the title, "Apostle of France."

ENTRANCE HYMN (Eccli. 45:30)
The Lord established a covenant of peace with him, and made him a prince, that the dignity of priesthood should be his forever. Ps. 131:1. O Lord, remember David and all his meekness. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O God, You see that we cannot depend upon our own strength. Mercifully preserve us from all harm through the intercesion of Your blessed confessor bishop Martin. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS, MARTYR
Mennas was an Egyptian, martyred about 295 under Diocletian. He was one of the most popular saints in the early Eastern Church.

O Almighty God, grant that we who celebrate the birthday of Your blessed martyr Mennas, may be made stronger in our love of You through his intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Eccli. 44:16-27; 45:3-20)
Behold, a great priest, who in his days pleased God and was found just; and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation. There was none found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High. Therefore by an oath the Lord made him increase among his people. He gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon his head. He acknowledged him in his blessings; he preserved for him his mercy; and he found grace before the eyes of the Lord. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him a crown of glory. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him a great priesthood; and made him blessed in glory. To execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise in his name, and to offer him a worthy incense for an odor of sweetness.

GRADUAL (Eccli. 44:16, 20)
Behold a great priest, who pleased God in his life. V. There was none found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
That blessed man, Saint Martin, bishop of Tours, has entered into his rest. The Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominations and Powers have welcomed him. Alleluia!

GOSPEL (St. Luke 11:33-36)
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "No man lighteth a candle and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness: the whole shall be lightsome and, as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 88:25)
My truth and My mercy shall be with him; and in My Name shall his power be exalted.

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord God, sanctify these gifts we offer on the feast of Your holy bishop Martin, and grant that they may guide our lives in prosperity as well as in adversity. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
Accept our offerings and prayers, O Lord. Cleanse us by this heavenly rite, and in Your mercy hear our petitions. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 24:46-47)
Blessed is that servant whom the master, when he comes, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, he will set him over all his goods.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord our God, grant that this sacrifice which we offer on the feast of Your saints may aid our salvation through their intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
O Lord our God, may we who now joyfully commemorate Your saints on earth rejoice one day with them in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT ANDREW AVELLINO
Confessor

As a young priest, Andrew was a lawyer in the ecclesiastical court of Naples. When one day he told a slight untruth in the course of an argument, he regretted it so much that he gave up his profession and joined the order of Theatines. He became famous as a director of souls, influencing many sinners to change their lives. Like his friend St. Charles Borromeo, he was a great reformer of clerical and religious life in an age when reform was badly needed.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except:

PRAYER
O God, You wondrously inspired the blessed confessor Andrew to advance toward You by vowing to increase in virtue each day. May his merits and prayers win the same grace for us, so that we may happily ascend to Your glory on high by always following the more perfect way. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS TRYPHON, RESPICIUS, AND NYMPHA, MARTYRS
These martyrs of the early centuries of Christianity are commemorated together because their relics are preserved in the same church at Rome.

May we always be worthy to celebrate the feast of Your holy martyrs, Tryphon, Respicius, and Nympha, O Lord, so that through their intercession we may be sheltered under Your gracious protection. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
we offer You, O Lord, this sacrifice of praise in memory of Your saints. free us from evil now and in the future through their intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS TRYPHON, RESPICIUS, AND NYMPHA
We offer these gifts to You in sacrifice, O Lord. May the honor we pay to Your saints please You, and may these offerings, through Your mercy, bring us closer to our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Refreshed with heavenly food and drink, we humbly pray You, our God, that we may be strengthened by the prayers of Your saint, in whose memory we have received this Sacrament. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS TRYPHON, RESPICIUS, AND NYMPHA
May the intercession of Your holy martyrs Tryphon, Respicius, and Nympha help us, O Lord, to cherish with pure hearts the Sacrament we received upon our lips. Through Our Lord . . .

DEDICATION OF THE ARCHBASILICA OF OUR SAVIOUR

Commonly called St. John Lateran, this basilica, donated by the Emperor Constantine, was once part of the Pope's residence and is the cathedral of the bishop of Rome. On its facade is carved the inscription: "The Mother and Head of all the churches in the city and the world." Today's feast, then, calls to mind the unity of the Church over the whole earth.

This is the first church given public consecration. Five ecumenical councils were held there. Within the basilica is an altar of wood which dates back to the days of persecution, and is believed by some to have been used by St. Peter himself.

Mass of the DEDICATION OF A CHURCH, except:

PRAYER

O God, by Your care we come safely each year to commemorate with these sacred rites the dedication of Your holy Temple. Graciously hear the prayers of Your people and grant that all who implore Your blessings in this church may joyfully receive the favors they ask. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT THEODORE, MARTYR

This Roman soldier was cruelly tortured and burnt alive in the year 306 for having allegedly set fire to the temple of the pagan goddess Cybele.

The glorious profession of faith of Your holy martyr Theodore overshadows and protects us, O God. May we profit by his example and rejoice in the assistance of his prayers. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER

Graciously hear our prayers, O Lord (and grant that all who are gathered in this church to celebrate the anniversary of its dedication may please You by their complete service of body and soul). May the gifts we offer You help us to attain Your eternal rewards. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT THEODORE

Accept the prayers and offering of the faithful, O Lord, and let our love and devotion lead us to the glory of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER

O God, by Your divine choosing, living stones are used to build an everlasting dwelling place for Your majesty. Hear the prayers of Your people who call upon You, and grant that the material growth of Your Church may be accompanied by a deepening spiritual development in her. Through Out Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT THEODORE

May the intercession of Your holy martyr Theodore help us, O Lord, to cherish with pure hearts the Sacrament we have received upon our lips. Through Our Lord . . .