the Catholic Church

“ What is man that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that Thou visitest him?
Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor; and hast set him over the works of Thy hands.
All things Thou hast put under his feet: sheep and all oxen, yea, also the beasts of the field.
The birds of the air and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.
O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Thy name in all the earth!
Glory be, etc.
Ant. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. ”

“ O God, Who, by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. ”

“ My soul is weary of life, I will let go my speech against myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul, I will say to God: Do not condemn me: tell me why Thou judgest me so? Doth it seem good to Thee that Thou shouldst crush me, and oppress me, the work of Thy own hands, and help the counsel of the wicked? Hast Thou eyes of flesh: or seest Thou as man seeth? Are Thy days as the days of man, and are Thy years as the times of men: that Thou shouldst inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin? ”

“ Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods; for the Lord will not cast off His people, for in His hand are all the ends of the earth ”

“ To the most holy and undivided Trinity, to the manhood of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, to the fruitful virginity of the most blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, to the entire assembly of the saints, be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power, and glory, by every creature ”

“ May all Thy saints, we beseech Thee, O Lord, everywhere come to our help, that while we do honor to their merits, we may also enjoy their intercession: grant Thine own peace unto our times, and drive away all wickedness from Thy Church; direct our way, our actions, and our wishes and those of all Thy servants in the way of salvation; to our benefactors render everlasting blessings, and to all the faithful departed grant eternal rest. ”

“ O God, bounteous in mercy, and lover of the salvation of mankind, we humbly beseech Thy divine clemency to grant to the brethren of our Congregation, and to our relations and benefactors, who have departed this life, through the intercession of the ever blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the saints, that Thou wouldst receive them into Thy company in the fruition of eternal bliss. ”

“ O Lord, if man's life is such, and the life of my spirit in such things as these, Thou wilt correct me and make me live. * Behold, in peace is my bitterness most bitter.
But Thou hast delivered my soul, that it should not perish; * Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.
For hell will not thank Thee: neither will death praise Thee: * nor will they that go down into the pit, look for Thy truth. ”

“ Almighty and merciful God, Who, inflaming blessed Jane Frances with Thy love, didst endow her with a marvelous fortitude of spirit to pursue the way of perfection in all the duties of life, and wast pleased through her to enrich Thy Church with a new family; grant, through her merits and intercession, that we, knowing our own weakness, and trusting in Thy strength, may, by the gift of Thy heavenly grace, overcome all things that oppose us. ”

“ Thou, having taken upon Thee to deliver man, didst not disdain the Virgin's womb.
Thou, having overcome the sting of death, hast opened to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
Thou, we believe, art the Judge to come.
[1] We beseech Thee, therefore, to help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
And govern them, and exalt them for ever. ”

“ Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. ”

“ O God, by Whose gracious will the blessed Francis, Thy confessor and bishop, became all things unto all men for the saving of their souls; mercifully grant that, being filled with the sweetness of Thy love, we may, through the guidance of his counsels and by the aid of his merits, attain unto the joys of the life everlasting. ”

“ Rejoice, O Virgin Mary,* alone thou hast destroyed all heresies throughout the world.
PSALM XCV
An exhortation to all creatures to praise God
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, and bless His name: tell forth His salvation from day to day.
Tell forth His glory among the Gentiles: His wonders amongst all peoples.
For the Lord is great, and highly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils; but the Lord made the heavens. ”

“ Is it not Thou only? The days of man are short and the number of his months is with Thee: Thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed. Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his wished-for day come, as that of the hireling.
R. Woe is me, O Lord, because I have sinned exceedingly in my life; O wretch, what shall I do, whither shall I fly unless to Thee, my God? * Have mercy on me, when Thou comest at the latter day.
V. My soul is greatly troubled; but Thou, O Lord, succor it. * Have mercy on me, when Thou comest at the latter day. ”

“ Liturgical prayer, such as we have it in the Office and as is laid upon us by the Church, is no private devotion; it is the prayer which the Word Incarnate is ever pouring forth in behalf of the mystical body of which He is the head. Those who say it are the willing instruments placed at His disposal by His Spouse, the Church. We abide in Him and He in us. The words we speak, we speak not of ourselves, but in His person. In liturgical prayer we have the most perfect means of adoring and thanking God, and of making supplication and atonement, that the Eternal Wisdom could provide. ”

“ When He giveth sleep to His beloved: lo, children are an heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like as arrows in the hand of the mighty One, so are the children of those who have been cast out.
Blessed is the man whose desire is satisfied with them: he shall not be confounded when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate. ”

“ The Lord is high above all nations; and His glory is above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high, yet regardeth lowly things in heaven and on earth?
Who raiseth up the needy from the earth, and lifteth the poor out of the dunghill ”

“ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves. ”

“ Thou Who preparest the mountains by Thy strength, being girded with power: * Who troublest the depths of the sea, the noise of its waves.
The Gentiles shall be troubled, and they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at Thy signs: * Thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.
Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; * Thou hast many ways enriched it. ”

“ Thou hatest all workers of iniquity: * Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie.
The Lord abhorreth the bloody and deceitful man. * But as for me, in the multitude of Thy mercy,
I will come into Thy house; * I will adore, in Thy fear, in Thy holy temple.
Conduct me, O Lord, in Thy justice: * because of my enemies, direct my way in Thy sight.
For there is no truth in their mouth: * their heart is vain.
Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they deal deceitfully: * judge them, O God. ”