El Greco's Saint Paul & Saint Peter 

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT PAUL
Apostle

GREATER DOUBLE / RED
After his conversion and baptism, Paul embarked on great missionary journeys. He preached in the cities of the Mediterranean to the simple and the learned, both in the east and in the west. He offered the Jews the first chance of listening to the Gospel story, but most of them returned his love with bitter hatred. Then Paul gave himself to the Gentiles. Because of the sufferings he endured in winning his converts, the Apostle of the Nations could well say that he was their Father in Christ. In the persecution of Nero, he was condemned to death by beheading.

INTROIT II Tim. 1:12
I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to guard the trust committed to me against that day, for He is a just judge.
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 . . .

COLLECT
O God, You have instructed many nations through the preaching of the blessed apostle Paul. Let the power of his intercession with You help us who venerate his memory this day. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER
O God, You have entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Your blessed apostle Peter and have given him the power of bishop to bind or to loose. May his intercession free us from the slavery of sin; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

READING Gal. 1:11-20
Brethren: For I give you to understand that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For neither did I receive it of man: nor did I learn it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion: how that, beyond measure, I persecuted the church of God and wasted it. And I made progress in the Jew's religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased him who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles: immediately I condescended not to flesh and blood. Neither went I to Jerusalem, to the apostles who were before me: but I went into Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter: and I tarried with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles I saw none, saving James the brother of the Lord. Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

GRADUAL Gal. 2:8-9; I Cor. 15:10
He who worked in Peter for the apostleship worked in me among the Gentiles, and they recognized the grace of God that was given to me.
V. The grace of God in me has not been fruitless, but His grace remains in me always.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
O holy apostle Paul, preacher of truth and teacher of the nations, intercede for us. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 10:16-22
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, "Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors, and before kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles: But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak: For it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death. And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved."

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

SECRET 
O Lord, sanctify the offerings of Your people through the intercession of the blessed apostle Paul. The Sacrifice we offer is already acceptable to You because You instituted it; may it become even more pleasing to You through the prayers of Your saint. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER
O Lord, we offer You the prayers and sacrifice of Your Church through the intercession of Your apostle Peter. May this Mass which we celebrate in his honor win pardon for us. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 19:28, 29
Amen I say to you that you who have left all and followed Me, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.

POSTCOMMUNION 
We who have received Your Sacrament, O Lord, look hopefully for the prayers of Your blessed Paul. May the Sacred Rite that we have celebrated in his honor bring us healing for our own sinfulness. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER
May our offering bring us happiness, O Lord. We praise You for the wondrous things You accomplished through Your apostle Peter and ask for forgiveness through his intercession. Through our Lord . . .

SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
Apostles

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / RED
Simon, a fisherman of Bethsaida, became a disciple of St. John the Baptist. Then his elder brother, Andrew, led him to Jesus, who gave him the name of Peter (Rock), making him the head of the Christian Church.
After Pentecost, the precedence of Peter in the Church was never disputed. He ruled with the authority given him by the Holy Spirit, but his rule was one of love. He evangelized various provinces of Asia Minor, and in A.D. 42 he fixed his see in Rome. From then until now each successor of St. Peter has been in turn, the Bishop of Rome. During the persecution of the Church by Nero, the Vicar of Christ was crucified, hanging head downward on his cross. His martyrdom took place on June 29, in the year 67, on the same day as that of St. Paul.

INTROIT Acts 12:11
Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from all that the Jewish people were expecting.
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 . . .

COLLECT
O God, this day is sacred because of the martyrdom of Your apostles Peter and Paul. May Your Church follow the teachings of these two saints in every respect, for from them she received the faith in the beginning. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Acts 12: 1-11
In those days, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John, With the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes. And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers, to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room. And he, striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: "Arise quickly." And the chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him: "Gird thyself and put on thy sandals." And he did so. And he said to him: "Cast thy garment about thee and follow me," And going out, he followed him. And he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel: but thought he saw a vision. And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him. And Peter coming to himself, said: "Now I know in very deed that the Lord hath sent his angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."

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

Alleluia, alleluia! V. 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 ANTIPHON Ps. 44:17-18
You shall make them princes throughout the land; they shall remember Your name, O Lord, in every generation and age.

SECRET 
May Your blessed apostles join their prayers to the sacrifice we offer to Your name, O Lord, so that it may win Your pardon and protection for us. Through our Lord . . .


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

POSTCOMMUNION 
You have nourished us with the Bread of Heaven, O Lord. Shield us now against all dangers through the prayers of Your apostles. Through our Lord . . .

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Missa "Gaudeámus ómnes" White Vestments

   Today is the Traditional Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help which can be said in place of the Feria Mass. In the thirteenth century, a beautiful picture of Our Lady holding the Child Jesus, with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel on either side of her, was painted in the East. In the fifteenth century, this picture was brought from the Island of Crete and was taken to Rome. It was placed in the Church of Saint Matthew in Rome. There, for three hundred years, pilgrims came to reverence and pray before this holy picture, because everyone loved its simplicity, its beauty and its truth. After the French Revolution, when the vicious Napoleon desecrated thirty Catholic Churches in Rome, this precious picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was hidden away, but it was rediscovered in 1862.
    It was then placed in the Church of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Order, in Rome, where it is now kept. The purpose of this lovely picture is by way of simple and innocent symbol to teach us that
    Our Lady is our help in all things, and our help at all times. Many Catholic churches in all countries are called by the name, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Resources: We are grateful to Friends of Our Lady of Fatima for providing the Propers for the faithful. Sources: Saint Andrew Daily Missal and the Marian Missal , 1945

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Missa "Gaudeámus ómnes"
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INTROIT:   

Gaudeámus ómnes in Dómino, diem festum celebrántes sub honóre beátæ Mariæ Vírginis Regínæ: de cujus solemnitáte gaudent Angeli, et collaudant Fílium Dei. (Ps. 44: 2) Effundit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego carmen meum Regi. V.Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Repeat Gaudeámus ómnes...			Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a feast in honor of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary: at whose solemnity the angels rejoice and join in praising the Son of God (Ps. 44: 2) My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak my works to the King. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. RepeatLet us all rejoice...

Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE MASS OF THE CATECHUMENS

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COLLECT

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo.Oremus. Oremus. Dómine Jesu Christe, qui Genítricem tuam Maríam, cujus insígnem venerámur imáginem, Matrem nobis dedísti perpétuo succúrrere parátam: concéde, quæsumus; ut nos, matérnam ejus opem assídue implorántes, redemptiónis tuæ fructum perpétuo experíri mereámur: Qui vivis et regnas, cum Deo Patre in unitáte Spíritu Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen. Collect for the Commemoration of the FeriaOrémus. Protéctor in te sperántium, Deus, sine quo nihil est válidium, nihil sanctum: multíplica super nos misericórdiam tuam ut, te rectóre, te duce, sic transeámus per bona temporália, ut non amittámus ætérna. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti,Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.			The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, Who hast given us a picture of Thy most blessed Mother to venerate under the special title of Perpetual Succor, mercifully grant us to be so fortified, among all the vicissitudes of this wayfaring life, by the protection of the same immaculate, ever virgin Mary, that we may deserve to attain the rewards of Thine everlasting redemption. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,  Forever and ever. R.Amen. Collect for the Commemoration of the FeriaLet us pray. Make us, O Lord, to have both a perpetual fear and a love of Thy holy Name: for Thou dost never deprive of Thy guidance those whom Thou dost establish steadfastly in Thy love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R.Amen.

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EPISTLE:   Ecclesiasticus 24: 23-31

Léctio líbri Sapiéntiæ. Ego quasi vitis fructificávi suavitátem odóris: et flores mei fructus honóris et honestátis. Ego mater pulchræ dilectiónis, et timóris, et agnitiónis, et sanctæ spei. In me grátia omnis vix et veritátis, in me omnis spes vitæ et virtúitis. Transíte ad me omnes qui concupíscitis me, et a generatiónibus meis implémini: Spiritus enim me us super mel dulcis, et hæréditas mea super mel et favum: memória mea in generatiónes sæculórum. Qui edunt me, adhuc esúrient: et qui bibunt me, adhuc sítient. Qui audit me, non confundétur: et qui operántur in me, non peccábunt. Qui elúcidant me, vitam ætérnam habebunt.  Deo Gratias.			Lesson from the Book of Wisdom. As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor, and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits; for my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger; and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me shall not be confounded, and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.  Thanks be to God.

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GRADUAL:  

Tota formósa et suavis es, fília Sion, pulchra ut luna, elécta ut sol, terríbilis ut cas trórum acies ordináta. V. (Judith 13: 22) Benedíxit te Dóminus in virtúte sua, quia per te ad níhilum redégit inimícos nostros. Allelúja, allelúja. V.(Luke 1: 28) Ave María, grátia plena: Dóminus tecum: benedícta tu in muliéribus. Allelúja.			Thou art all lovely and sweet, O daughter of Sion, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army in battle array. V. (Judith 13: 22) The Lord hath blessed thee by His power, because by thee He hath brought to naught our enemies. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Luke 1: 28) Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women. Alleluia.

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GOSPEL:    John 19: 25-27

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem. R.Gloria tibi, DomineStabant autem juxta crucem Jesu, mater ejus et soror matris ejus Maria Cleophae, et Maria Magdalen. Cum vidisset ergo Jesus matrem, et discipulum statem, quem dilegebat, dicit matri Suae:"Mulier, ecce fillius tuus."Deinde dicit dicipulo: "Ecce mater tua." Et ex illa hora accepti eam discipulus in sua. Laus tibi Christe.			The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. The continuation of the holy Gospel according to John. R. Glory to Thee, O LordNow there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His mother: "Woman, behold thy son." After that, He saith to the disciple: "Behold thy mother." And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.  Praise be to Christ

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OFFERTORY:   Jeremiah 18: 24

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Recordáre, Virgo mater, in conspéctu Dei, ut loquáris pro nobis bona, et ut avértat indignatiónem suam a nobis.			The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Remember, O Virgin Mother, that thou speak good things for us in the sight of God, that He turn away His wrath from us.

Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE OFFERTORY

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SECRET

Tua, Dómine, propitiatìóne, et beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis intercessióne, ad perpétuam atque præséntem hæc oblátio nobis profíciat prosperitátem et pacem. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen. Secret of the Commemoration for the FeriaRéspice, Dómine, munera supplicántis Ecclésiæ: et salúti credéntium perpétua sanctificatióne suménda concéde. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.			By Thy clemency, O Lord, and the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, may this oblation profit us unto eternal and also present well being and peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen. Secret of the Commemoration for the FeriaMay the offering, to be dedicated to thy Name, O Lord, purify us, and day by day, carry us on the observances of a heavenly life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R.Amen.

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PREFACE   OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Sursum corda. R.Habemus ad Dominum. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. R. Dignum et justum est.  Vere dignum et justum est, æqum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, et ubique grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus. Et te in Visitatione beátæ Mariæ semper Vírginis collaudáre, benedícere, et prædicáre. Quæ et Unigénitum tuum Sancti Spíritus obumbratióne concépit, et virginitátis glória permanénte, lumen ætérnum mundo effúdit, Jesum Christum Dóminum nostrum. Per quem majestátem tuam laudant Angeli, adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes coeli coelorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim, sócia exsultatióne concélebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti júbeas deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicéntes: SANCTUS, SANCTUS, SANCTUS...			The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts. R.We have lifted them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is meet and just. It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, on the Visitation of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say with lowly praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...

Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE CANON OF THE MASS

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COMMUNION:    Hebrews 9: 28

Regina mundi digníssima, María Virgo perpétua, intercéde pro nostra pace et salúte, quæ genuísti Christum Dóminum, Salvatórem ómnium.			O Mary, ever Virgin, who because of thy great worth, God set up as Queen of the whole world, pray for our peace and salvation, for Thou hast brought forth Christ the Lord, the Savior of us all.

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POSTCOMMUNION

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Oremus. Orémus. Adjuvet nos, quæsumus, Dómine, gloriósæ tuæ Genitrícis, sempérque Vírginis Maríæ intercéssio veneránda: ut, quos perpétuis cumulávit benefíciis, a cunctis perículis absolútos, sua fáciat pieáte concórdes: Qui vivis et regnas, cum Deo Patre in unitáte Spíritu Sancti, Deus,  Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen. Postcommunion for the Commemoration for the FeriaOrémus. Sancta tua nos, Dómine, sumpta vivíficent: et misericórdiæ sempitérnæ præparent expiátos. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum, Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus,  Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.			The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. May the august intercession of Mary, Thy glorious Mother, ever a virgin, help us, O Lord, that those whom it hath heaped with benefits it may deliver from all peril and by her tender kindness, make to be of one mind. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,  For ever and ever. R. Amen. Postcommunion for the Commemoration for the FeriaLet us pray. May Thy holy Gifts, O Lord, which we have received, give us life: and having purified us, prepare us for thine everlasting mercy. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Through the Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,  Forever and ever. R. Amen.

Martyrdom

SAINTS JOHN AND PAUL

Martyrs

DOUBLE / RED
John and Paul, Roman brothers, were imperial officers of high repute. When Julian the Apostate summoned them to appear at his court they refused, in order to remain faithful to their Master in Heaven. Having been allowed ten days in which to reconsider their decision, the brothers used the time distributing their possessions to the poor. Firm in their love of God and fellow men, John and Paul were beheaded in about A.D. 362.

INTROIT Ps. 33:20-21

Many were the troubles of the just men, but out of them all the Lord delivered them. The Lord watches over all their bones; not one of them shall be broken.
Ps. 33:2. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Almighty God, let our joy be doubled on this feast of the victory of blessed John and Paul, for they were made true brothers by sharing the same faith and the same martyrdom. Through our Lord . . .

READING Eccli. 44:10-15 [Sirach]
These were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed: Good things continue with their seed, Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood in the covenants. And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed and their glory shall not be forsaken.
Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto generation and generation. Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise.

GRADUAL Ps. 132:1-2
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity!
V. It is like the precious ointment upon the head that runs down over the beard, the beard of Aaron.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Here was true brotherliness which overcame the sinfulness of the world and followed Christ to attain the glorious kingdom of heaven. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 12:1-8
At that time, Jesus began to say to his disciples: "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed: nor hidden that shall not be known. For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers shall be preached on the housetops. And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will shew you whom you shall fear: Fear ye him who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you: Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows. And I say to you: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 5:12-13
All those who love Your name shall glory in You, for You, O Lord, will bless the just man. You, O Lord, will surround us with Your good will, as with a shield.

SECRET 
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyrs, John and Paul, and help us to find in them unending assistance. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Sap. 3:4, 5. 6
And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, God was trying them, and as gold in the fire He was proving them, and as a victim of a holocaust He received them.

POSTCOMMUNION 
We have received Your Sacrament of Heaven, O Lord, to commemorate Your holy martyrs John and Paul. May this Sacred Rite which we celebrate now on earth bring us happiness in eternity. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT WILLIAM 
Abbot

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE SACRED HEART

DOUBLE / WHITE
This Piedmontese religious founder (1085-1142) lived as a hermit in various regions of Italy. While he was on a height between Nola and Benevento, he was joined by a group of hermit-monks to whom he gave a rule based on that of St. Benedict. His congregation of Williamites was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. William was merciless in the austerities he imposed upon himself, believing ardently that the Christian who suffers with Jesus will also be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17).

Mass of an ABBOT, except

COLLECT 
O God, the example and protection of Your saints, strengthen us in our own weakness, and enable us to walk in the path of salvation. May we pay fitting honor to the merits of the blessed abbot William, so that he may intercede for us and lead us in his own footsteps. Through our Lord . . .


SECRET
May the offerings we lay upon Your sacred altar, O Lord, bring us closer to our salvation through the intercession of the blessed abbot William. Through our Lord . . .


POSTCOMMUNION
May the Sacrament we have received and the prayers of the blessed abbot William protect us, O Lord. Grant also that we may imitate the virtues of this Saint who is our intercessor with You in heaven. Through our Lord . . .

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE SACRED HEART

VIGIL OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

SIMPLE / PURPLE
The important feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is preceded by a vigil. An angel announced to the saint's father Zachary, a priest of the house of Aaron, that the child should be called John and that many would rejoice in his birth. God had chosen John to be the herald of mankind's Redeemer, the morning star to usher in the daylight of justice and of truth. Therefore he was sanctified in his mother's womb, when Elizabeth was honored by a visit from the Virgin Mother of God, carrying Christ in her body. In like manner, Jesus today gives sanctifying joy to the missionary precursors whom He calls to go before Him into pagan lands.

INTROIT Luke 1:13, 15, 14
Do not be afraid, Zachary, for thy petition has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John. And he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And many will rejoice at his birth.
Ps. 20:2. O Lord, the king rejoiced in Your strength; he greatly exalts in Your aid.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
May Your servants walk in the path of salvation, O Almighty God. May they follow the exhortation of blessed John, the precursor of Jesus Christ and herald of His coming, so that by doing so they may come safely to Your Son our Lord; who lives and rules with You . . .

LESSON Jer. 1:4-10
In those days, the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and made thee a prophet unto the nations." And I said: "Ah, ah, ah, Lord God: behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child." And the Lord said to me: "Say not: I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak. Be not afraid at their presence: for I am with thee to deliver thee," saith the Lord. And the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth: and the Lord said to me: "Behold I have given my words in thy mouth: Lo, I have set thee this day over the nations, and over kingdoms, to root up, and to pull down, and to waste, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant," said the Lord Almighty.

GRADUAL John 1:6-7
There was a man, one sent from God, whose name was John.
V. This man came to bear witness concerning the light, to prepare a perfect people for the Lord.

GOSPEL Luke 1:5-17
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.
And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren: and they both were well advanced in years.
And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God, According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord. And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled: and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: "Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness: and many shall rejoice in his nativity. For he shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias: that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 8:6-7
You have crowned him with glory and honor, and You have given him rule over the works of Your hands, O Lord.

SECRET 
Bless these gifts we offer You, O Lord. May they cleanse us from the stain of our sins by the intercession of blessed John the Baptist. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 20:6
His glory is great because of Your help; You have conferred upon him glory and great splendor, O Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, may the powerful intercession of blessed John the Baptist be ours, so that it may obtain for us the mercy of Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, whom John foretold would come; who lives and rules with You . . .

SAINT PAULINUS
Bishop and Confessor

DOUBLE / WHITE
The son of a Roman praetorian prefect in Gaul, Paulinus (c. 354-431) enjoyed the warm friendship of the leading churchmen of his day, such as St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and St. Martin of Tours. After the death of his only child, Paulinus went to Spain where, because of his great charity to the poor, the people of Barcelona compelled him to accept the priesthood. Later, while he was living as a hermit near Nola in Campania, the inhabitants chose him for their bishop. He proved to be one of the best prelates of his age. As he lay dying, lamps were being lighted for Vespers. Rousing himself, the saint murmured, "I have prepared a lamp for my Christ."

INTROIT Ps. 131:9-10
Let Your priests be clothed with justice, O Lord, and let Your saints be joyous. For the sake of David, Your servant, turn not away the face of Your anointed.
Ps. 131:1. O Lord, remember David and all his meekness.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You promised a hundredfold reward and eternal life to those who forsake the world for Your sake. May we walk in the footsteps of Your holy bishop Paulinus, despising the things of the earth and desiring only those of heaven; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

EPISTLE II Cor. 8:9-15
Brethren: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor for your sakes: that through his poverty you might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is profitable for you who have begun not only to do but also to be willing, a year ago. Now therefore perform ye it also in deed: that as your mind is forward to be willing, so it may be also to perform, out of that which you have. For if the will be forward, it is accepted according to that which a man hath: not according to that which he hath not. For I mean not that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality. In this present time let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may supply your want: that there may be an equality, As it is written: He that had much had nothing over; and he that had little had no want.

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! V. Ps. 109:4
You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 12:32-34
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, "Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 88:21-22
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.

SECRET
O Lord, grant that we may imitate the example of Your holy bishop Paulinus and unite our offering of perfect love with the Sacrifice on Your altar, so that our zeal for good may merit us Your everlasting mercy. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Luke 12:42
This is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master has set over his household to give them their ration of grain in due time.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may this Sacred Rite inspire us with the spirit of piety and humility, just as the holy bishop Paulinus acquired these virtues from this divine source. Pour out the treasures of Your grace upon all who pray to You through the intercession of this saint. Through our Lord . . .

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF 

THE SACRED HEART

SAINT SILVERIUS
Pope and Martyr

SIMPLE / RED
This brave shepherd of Christ's sheepfold was only a subdeacon when he was elevated to the Roman See. He incurred the unrelenting hatred of the forceful Empress Theodora by refusing to restore to the see of Constantinople the heretical Bishop Anthimos. Pope Silverius was aware that his courageous decision would cost him his life. The Empress had him condemned to banishment on a false charge of high treason. He died in A.D. 537 on an islet off Naples, either of privation or by actual murder.

Mass of a POPE, with commemoration of preceding Sunday

COLLECT
O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Silverius shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .


SECRET
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 its pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through our Lord . . .


POSTCOMMUNION
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 . . .

Saints Mark & Marcellian
Medieval manuscript ca. 14th century.
Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Artwork by Hanna Hajjar

OCTAVE DAY OF 

CORPUS CHRISTI

SAINT EPHREM

Deacon and Doctor of the Church

SAINTS MARK AND MARCELLIAN
Martyrs

DOUBLE / WHITE
Ephrem the Syrian (c. 300-373) was a native of Nisibis, in Roman Mesopotamia, and was very probably the head of the catechetical school of that city until its capture by the Persians. He subsequently became a monk near Edessa and there spent most of his life writing commentaries on the Bible and composing hymns. Ephrem's hymns, written in his native Syriac, kept his people free from heresy and won for the saint the title of "Harp of the Holy Spirit." His hymns to the Virgin Mary, in particular, form an important contribution to Catholic dogma.

Mass of CORPUS CHRISTI except

Commemoration of SAINT EPHREM
O God, You added glory to the Church by the brilliant learning and outstanding merits of Your blessed confessor and doctor Ephrem. Defend Your Church against the dangers of sin and error, through the intercession of this saint. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS MARK AND MARCELLIAN, MARTYRS
Brothers, and deacons of the Roman Church, these two martyrs were slain (pierced with arrows, after two days of suffering) early in the reign of Diocletian.

O Almighty God, may the prayers of Your blessed martyrs Mark and Marcellian, whose heavenly birthday we celebrate today, rescue us from all the dangers that threaten to overcome us. Through our Lord . . .

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

Commemoration of SAINTS MARK AND MARCELLIAN
Bless the gifts we have set apart for You, O Lord. may the prayers of Your blessed martyrs Mark and Marcellian help these offerings to win Your mercy for us. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION COMMEMORATION
O Lord, may this Sacrifice bring us closer to our salvation through the intercession of Your blessed confessor and illustrious doctor Ephrem. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS MARK AND MARCELLIAN
O Lord, may the Banquet of salvation, of which we have partaken with joy, bring us new life by the intercession of Your blessed martyrs Mark and Marcellian. Through our Lord . . .

JUNE 17, 2009

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF

CORPUS CHRISTI

JUNE 16, 2009

Within the Octave of 

Corpus Christi

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

DOUBLE / WHITE
Anthony Padua (1195-1231), a native of Portugal, was inspired to enter the Franciscan Order on the occasion of the translation of the relics of the first Franciscan martyrs from Morocco to Coimbra. Anthony was soon assigned to Africa, but he had scarcely landed there when he fell desperately ill. After his forced return to Europe, his superiors discovered his marvelous power as a preacher, and with it his profound grasp of Sacred Scripture ( later Pope Gregory IX called him the "Ark of the Testament"). Under the guidance of St. Francis, he began his phenomenal preaching apostolate in Italy and France. Although his life offers no satisfactory explanation for his subsequent cult as the saint to be invoked for lost articles, his sermons certainly brought immediate results in reformed lives. Anthony died at the age of 36, and was canonized within the year.

Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except

PRAYER
O God, let the Church rejoice on the occasion of the solemn commemoration of Your blessed confessor and doctor Anthony. May she always be protected by Your divine help so that her members may one day be worthy of eternal happiness. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
May this offering aid the salvation of Your people, O Lord, for whom You have willed to offer Yourself as a living victim in sacrifice; who lives and rules with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Nourished with Your Divine Gift, O Lord, we ask that we may feel the effect of Your life-giving sacrifice through the merits and intercession of Your blessed confessor and doctor Anthony. Through our Lord . . .

The Peacemaker

Pope Benedict XVI has decided to send one of the staunchest supporters of his liturgical reform in the Roman Curia away from the Eternal City. Why?

 

By Robert Moynihan

VATICAN CITY, June 12, 2009 — The Pope has decided that ArchbishopMalcolm Ranjith (photo), the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments and one of the strongest supporters of Benedict's liturgical reform, will be transferred this summer to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka (his native country), where he will become archbishop, reliable Vatican sources confirmed today. The decision will be announced publicly in the next few days, the sources said.

 

According to veteran Vaticanista Andrea Tornielli (but this has not been confirmed), Ranjith will be replaced by the American Dominican J. Augustine Di Noia (photo), who has been Undersecretary of the Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith (CDF) since 2002, where he was in daily working contact with then-Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect of the CDF before he became Pope. "After having been the number three of Ratzinger, he (Di Noia) will now become the number two of the 'little Ratzinger,' a nickname given to Spanish Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, who leads the Congregation of Worship," Tornielli wrote in Il Giornale recently. "The liturgical dicastery is the Vatican office that has most often changed its Secretary in recent years: Di Noia will be the fourth in just seven years."

Many Vatican observers believe that the decision to send Ranjith away from Rome is a "victory" for liturgical progressives, and a "defeat" for liturgical traditionalists, since Ranjith has been a prominent champion of more solemnity and decorum in the celebration of the Mass in the new rite, and a supporter of wider use of the old rite, and this interpretation can be found in numerous articles and blogs on the internet.

 

However, it is not certain that this is the true interpretation. And there are reasons to interpret the appointment in a different way.

 

Colombo is not presently a cardinalatial see, but there has been a cardinal in Colombo in the past, so it is certainly a possibility that Ranjith could receive the red hat in an upcoming consistory — something he could not have received if he had remained as a secretary of the Congregation.

 

Ranjith was a bishop in Sri Lanka in the 1990s, but in 2001 Pope John Paul II called him to Rome, appointing him secretary under Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (Propaganda Fide). Due to tensions between the two, in April 2004,  Ranjith — who was not a Vatican diplomat — was named the nuncio in Indonesia and East Timor. Then, after Pope Benedict was elected, in April 2005, he called Ranjith back to Rome, making him secretary of the Divine Worship Congregation in December, 2005.

 

Some thought that Ranjith would succeed Cardinal Francis Arinze as head of the Congregation upon Arinze's retirement for reason of age, but, Tornielli writes, Ranjith was "considered by his adversaries too close to the traditionalists and Lefebvrists."

 

Tornielli sums up the consensus view: "Ranjith's presence on the front lines in Asia will be important, because there the Church faces a decisive challenge. But it is difficult not to view his appointment as a 'promoveatur ut amoveatur' ('let him be promoted that he may be removed')."

 

Still, there is a Sri Lankan proverb: "The tiger who is outside of his cage is more dangerous than the tiger who is inside of his cage."

 

Ranjith, once in his own archdiocese, will have a chance to help bring true peace to his war-torn country, and to fight for social and economic justice in his homeland, something he has written and spoken about often in the past.

 

It is known that the president of Sri Lanka twice visited Rome in recent years, and twice told Pope Benedict that he would appreciate Ranjith's contribution to the peace process in his country, as Ranjith is respected by all sides.

 

In this perspective, one could perhaps imagine that Benedict has actually followed the opposite logic from that which most Vatican watchers see here: "amoveatur ut promoveatur" ("let him be removed that he may be promoted").

 

Only time will tell whether Ranjith will rise to the challenge his new post poses, and become a true peacemaker, binding up the wounds caused by a long civil war, as well as continuing to be a supporter of reverence and decorum in the Church's liturgy, as desired by Pope Benedict.

Note: Inside the Vatican will soon publish an in-depth interview with Archbishop Ranjith.

 

"Inside the Vatican is a magazine I read cover to cover. I find it balanced and informative. I especially appreciate its coverage of art and architecture. It is not only an important magazine, it is also a beautiful one.” —Prof. Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard University Law School, former United States Ambassador to the Holy See

WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

SAINT JOHN OF SAN FACUNDO
Confessor

SAINTS BASILIDES, CYRINUS, NABOR, & NAZARIUS
Martyrs

DOUBLE / WHITE
This Spanish saint derives his surname from the Benedictine abbey of San Facundo in the kingdom of Leon, where he received his early education. Ordained to the priesthood in 1445 and having won a great reputation in Salamanca as a preacher and director of souls, John entered the community of Augustinian Canons. As a monk he succeeded in ending many of the baneful feuds that divided the young noblemen of Salamanca.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

O God, you are the author of peace and the source of love who conferred on Your blessed confessor John the wondrous gift of being able to reconcile enemies. May his merits and prayers root us in Your love so that we may never be tempted to separate ourselves from You. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS BASILIDES, CYRINUS, NABOR, AND NAZARIUS 
These martyrs died for Christ in Italy, toward the end of the third century.

O Lord, cheer our lives through the celebration of the heavenly birthday of Your holy martyrs Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius. May our devotion add further glory to their eternal blessedness. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET 
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 SAINT BASILIDES AND HIS COMPANIONS

We solemnly offer you these gifts, O Lord, in honor of the blood shed by Your saints Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius, as we recall the miracles of Your grace that won them so great a victory. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION 
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 SAINT BASILIDES AND HIS COMPANIONS

May the yearly observance of the feast of Your holy martyrs Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius obtain for us the protection of these saints at all times. Through our Lord . . .