Some of the richest treasures of the traditional Roman Liturgy are the Votive Masses near the back of the St. Andrew’s Missal (1945 Edition). These devotions were systematically and purposely stripped out of the church’s life, as Fr. John Zuhlsdorf noted, to weaken our Catholic identity and to make us more susceptible to the winds of the world with its shifting fads and mores. The votive masses were an easy target for the radical reformers, and because many faithful are now frozen at 1962 as per Summorum Pontificum, so you might hear ‘Recordare domine’ Mass only in an independent chapel[…]

Spiritual Communion is a practice among Christians of desiring union with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist as a response to God’s own desire for union. It is used as a preparation for Holy Mass, and also by individuals who cannot receive Holy Communion Sacramentally (e.g. a state of being bedridden, absence of a priest/minister, severe illness). The value of a Spiritual Communion well done is great. We can and we must make a Spiritual Communion often. This is a very simple act. It is done simply by thinking of Jesus and His great Love for you, and in our[…]

First Day of Novena – Start on August 6th GLORY OF MARY IN DEATH She was well prepared to die LET us meditate how glorious Mary was at the moment of her death, because in life she was so well prepared to die: first, by reason of her ardent longing to see her God and to be again united to her Son; and next, by the unapproachable merit of her consummate perfection. Then, reflecting how different we are from Mary in our own practice of preparation for our death, let us say : 1. Most holy Virgin, who, in order to[…]

Prayer : Our Lady of the Snows, Immaculate Queen of the Universe, from this privileged sanctuary, Thou has bestowed so many countless graces and pledges of love upon the hearts and souls of millions. O Mother, from this cradle of Christianity, this Mother Church of all churches, deign to shower forth the graces of thine Immaculate Heart upon the remnant Faithful throughout the world, wherever they may be, and grant them the graces of a childlike love and unwavering fidelity to the holy truths of our Faith. Grant, good Mother, to the faithful Bishops of the Church the grace to[…]

This pious devotion commences on July 7th, and closes on the Feast of the Solemn Commemoration of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16th. The Indulgence for Mt. Carmel Day may be gained from noon on the 15th to midnight of the 16th, July. A novena in honour of the most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, Mother of God, and Our Dear Lady: together with a devout manner of reciting the holy rosary, and used in some of the noviciates of the Order of Mount Carmel.  Translated from the Spanish. We hereby grant a hundred days Indulgence to every[…]

Lord, have mercy on us.Christ, have mercy on us.Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, Divine Founder of the Church,Hear us.Christ, Who warned of false prophets,Graciously hear us.God the Father of Heaven,Have mercy on us.God the Son, Redeemer of the world,Have mercy on us.God the Holy Spirit,Have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, One God,Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Mother of the Church,Pray for us.Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church,Pray for us.Saint Michael, defender in the day of battle,Pray for us.Saint Peter, the Rock upon which Christ built His Church,Pray for us.Saint Paul, protector of the faithful remnant,Pray for us.Saint Francis[…]

If our Holy Mother the Church seems to multiply her blessings over the farm home, and have few left for the city apartment, it is not because she is partial to her children in the country and forgetful of city children, but because she is a realist – like every woman. She knows that from the farm homes comes the world’s food supply. That is why she has composed so many sacramental blessings for the farmer. That is why she has instituted the rogation days, the three days before the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. But these rogation[…]

Our times with many social, cultural and geophysical catastrophes are often described as “apocalyptic”. Perhaps so, but certainly they are diabolic. It would be well to pray for one another, our priests, our Chapel and school, often, daily, that the lot of us be protected from evil forces seeking our confusion and destruction. Follows is a short “binding prayer” seeking heavenly protection from the evils of the day: “Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that Thou wouldst cover us, our families, friends, communities, those who pray for us and their families and all our properties and possessions with Thy love and[…]