OUR LADY, QUEEN OF APOSTLES; SAINTS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, DOMITILLA, AND PANCRAS Martyrs

OUR LADY, QUEEN OF APOSTLES 

SATURDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE ASCENSION

IN SOME PLACES BY SPECIAL INDULT

 

SAINTS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS,
DOMITILLA, AND PANCRAS
Martyrs

 

WHITE/INDULT
Mary, the regal Mother of Christ's Apostles and their successors, watches over missioners' souls and persons and fortunes. She is, besides, their special Protectress and support in all that pertains to their work, because they are particularly dedicated to the cause nearest Her Heart -- the salvation of the world by and through Her divine Son. Apostles accordingly have a great and double claim on their heavenly Queen; they know it and are certain that by staying close to Her, they will be kept in every way close to God. Continuing through all the ages and over all the world, this special benevolence of Mary towards Her Son's apostles is something lavish, endless, and boundlessly maternal.

INTROIT Ps. 86:1-3
Her foundation is upon the holy mountain. The Lord loves the gates of Sion more than any of the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. Alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 133:1. Behold, now bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You sent Your Holy Spirit upon the Apostles as they were united in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. May the Queen of Apostles, the same Mother of us all, help us serve Your majesty faithfully, and to spread the glory of Your name by word and example. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . . in the unity of the same Holy Spirit.
  Commemoration of SAINTS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, DOMITILLA, PANCRAS 
Nereus, Achilleus, and Domitilla were Romans who died for Christ in the first century. Nereus and Achilleus were pretorian soldiers and probably executioners of Christians before their conversion. Domitilla was a great lady, the niece of one of the consuls of Rome at that time. Pancras is believed to have been martyred in about A.D. 304, when he was only 14 years old. Pope Gregory the Great dedicated a monastery in Rome to him, and Augustine of Canterbury, Gregory's missionary, named the first church in Canterbury in his honor, thus beginning a widespread cult of the boy-martyr in England.

O Lord, may the blessed feast of Your martyrs Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla, and Pancras fire us with zeal to serve You more worthily. Through Our Lord . . . 
 
LESSON Acts 1:1-14 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, "which you have heard" (saith he) "by my mouth. For John indeed baptized with water: but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence." They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" But he said to them: "It is not for you to know the time or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power: But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth." And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments. Who also said: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Jude the brother of James. All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Alleluia, alleluia! V. Num. 17:8; Judith 13:17-18 The rod of Jesse has blossomed. A Virgin has brought forth the God-man. God has restored peace to us, reconciling in Himself the lowness of earth and the highness of heaven. Alleluia! V. Praise the Lord our God, who has not forsaken those who hope in Him, and who by me, His handmaid, has fulfilled His mercy which He promised to the house of Israel; He has killed the enemy of His people by my hand. Alleluia!
GOSPEL John 19:25-27 At that time, 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.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Judith 5:3, 7-8 It is I, it is I who will sing to the Lord. I will sing to the Lord, the God of Israel. The valiant men ceased and rested in Israel, until a mother arose in Israel. The Lord chose new wars, and He Himself overthrew the gates of the enemies. Alleluia!
SECRET May our offering, O Lord, hasten the growth of Your Church and add to the splendor of the virtues of her members through Your mercy and the intercession of the blessed ever-Virgin Mary. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, DOMITILLA, PANCRAS 
Be pleased, O Lord, by the witness that the holy martyrs Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla, and Pancras gave to Your holy name. May their deaths make our gifts more acceptable to You and bring us Your unfailing mercy. Through Our Lord . . . 
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Blessed Mother and spotless Virgin, glorious Queen of the world, intercede for us with the Lord, for you are the glory of Israel, the honor of our people. Alleluia!
POSTCOMMUNION O Lord, the Sacrament we have received will help us towards salvation. May we persevere in doing Your holy Will so that Your Church may always increase under the protection of the blessed ever-Virgin Mary, the Queen of Apostles. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, DOMITILLA, PANCRAS
O Lord, may the holy sacrament that we have received make us more acceptable to You through the prayers of Your blessed martyrs Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla, and Pancras. Through Our Lord . . .