SAINT PETER OF ALCANTARA (1562 A.D.); SAINT FRIDESWIDE, Virgin

    

 

Ecstasy of St. Peter of Alcantara
Painting by Melchior Perez Holguin, 18th century,
National Museum of Art, Bolivia

SAINT PETER OF ALCANTARA
Confessor

[Commemoration]

SAINT FRIDESWIDE

Virgin

 

DOUBLE / WHITE
One of the great Spanish mystics of the 16th century, Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562) entered the Franciscan Order at 16. As a friar his time was divided between preaching to the poor and contemplative prayer. He instituted a very severe Franciscan reform known as the "Strick Observance." He defended St. Teresa of Avila when everyone else was against her, and assured her, from his own experience, that her contemplative prayer was genuine. After his death he appeared to Teresa and said to her: "O blessed penitence which has earned for me such great glory!"

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

Introit
Ps 91:13-14
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Ps 91:2
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

GLORIA

 

COLLECT 

O God, You blessed the holy confessor Peter with a remarkable spirit of penance and the highest gift of contemplation. May his merits help us to mortify our flesh and deepen our understanding of the things of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and rules with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Commemoration of SAINT FRIDESWIDE

St. Frideswide, a Saxon princess, became the first Abbess of a monastery in Oxford built for her by her father. But, mostly she retired to a hermit's cell where she lived a life of severe penance. She was called from hence to her heavenly Bridegroom in the eight century.

 

Hear us, O God, our Saviour, and as we rejoice in the feast of blessed Frideswide, Thy Virgin, so we may learn a filial devotion to Thee. Through our Lord . . .

 
READING Philipp. 3:7-12
Brethren: The things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ. Furthermore, I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ. And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God: justice in faith. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings: being made conformable to his death, If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect: but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus.

Gradual
Ps 36:30-31
The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom, and his tongue utters what is right.
V. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps do not falter. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Happy the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 12:32-34
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Do not be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in heaven, where neither thief draws near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Offertory
Ps 20:2-3
O Lord, in Your strength the just man is glad; in Your victory how greatly he rejoices! You have granted him his heart’s desire.

 

SECRET

Grant we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the offering we humbly bring may be pleasing to Thee in honor of Thy Saints, and cleanse us alike in body and in soul. Through our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of SAINT FRIDESWIDE
May this sacrifice of Thy dedicated people be accepted by Thee, O Lord, in honor of Thy Saints, to whose merits we attribute the help afforded us in tribulation. Through our Lord . . .

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

POSTCOMMUNION

We beseech Thee, almighty God, that we, who have received heavenly nourishment, may thereby, at the intercession of blessed Peter, Thy Confessor, be defended against all adversity. Through our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of SAINT FRIDESWIDE

Thou hast filled Thy household, O Lord, with holy gifts, do Thou cherish us always, through the intercession of her whose festival we are keeping. Through our Lord . . .