NOVENA in honor of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Hail Flower of Carmel Hail Fruitful Vine Hail Ever Immaculate Queen In Whom All Virtues Shine CARMELITE MONASTERY 61 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Boston, Mass. f 3Wje iSobena IN HONOR OF ©ur labp of HM. Carmel FOLLOWED BY A NOTICE OF THE ORIGIN, PRIVILEGES AND BLESSINGS OF THE BROWN SCAPULAR Nihil obstat: Charles F. Shay May 22, 1931 Imprimatur: fi& John Francis O'Hern Bishop of Rochester CONTENTS PAGE Indulgence of the Solemn Novena pre- paratory to the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 5 Prayers for the Novena 7 Prayers to be Recited at Conclusion of Novena 24 Hymn 26 Origin, Privileges, Blessings, etc., of the Holy Scapular of Mt. Carmel 28 7 NO VENA to the MOST BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF MT. CARMEL This pious devotion commences on July 7th, and closes on the Feast of the Solemn Commemoration of Our Lady of Mt. Car- mel, July 16th. The Indulgence for Mt. Carmel Day may he gained from noon on the 15th to mid- night of the 16th, July. First Day of the Novena Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- 8 sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour o£ my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O most Glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! I, an unworthy wearer of thy holy Scapular, confident how- ever that the Church does not call thee in vain the "Refuge of Sinners/' do beseech thee to make me sensible of the favors thou hast conferred upon me, by promoting the welfare of thy holy Order, that being truly contrite for past offenses, I may by thy aid and assistance, break the chains of my slav- ery, and live henceforward in the happy liberty of the children of God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. 9 Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) Second Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thv Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. 10 Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, vouchsafe to impart to us, Thy unworthy servants, a small portion of that heavenly grace with which Thou hast been pleased to sanctify Thy servant Mary; and grant that, through her intercession and protection, we may be shielded against all temptations, and be secure from all our enemies. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, 11 turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) Third Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray Remember, O most holy Virgin, it is a thing unheard of that thou hast ever for- saken those who have recourse to thee. En- couraged with this hope and confidence, my most dear Mother, I, a miserable sinner, 12 cast myself at thy sacred feet, humbly begging that thou wilt adopt me as thy child forever, and take upon thee the care of my eternal salvation: do not, Mother of the Word Incarnate, reject my petition, but graciously hear, and grant it. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) 13 Fourth Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O Most Glorious and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! I, thy unworthy child and client, sensible of the favors thou en- joyest with God, humbly present myself be- fore thee, and beg that thou wilt intercede and obtain for me true contrition and re- pentance, an undefiled purity of heart, and a conscience free from sin and all offense against God; direct me, I beseech thee, in all my actions during life, and in that awful 14 moment when my poor soul departs from my body, conduct it into the presence of thy Son, there to sing His praises forever and ever. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) 15 Fifth Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O Most Glorious Virgin Mother, who, by favor of thy Divine Son hast so great power in heaven and on earth, enlighten my blindness and strengthen my resolution. The zeal thou hast in promoting the wel- fare of thy sacred Order, and the part thou takest in seeing the grace of our Redeemer abound in us, give me a right to thy interest in this my request; and when that aw T ful 16 hour of death approaches, be to me, I be- seech thee, a tender Mother, and by thy prayers dispose thy Son Jesus Christ fav- orably in my regard. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) 17 Sixth Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O Most Glorious and ever Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel, I offer unto thee this day, all my thoughts, words and actions: I am wea*k and infirm, dejected and cast down at every tribulation, and terrified at the dismal prospect a review of my own in- terior gives me. All is misery, a continual propensity to vice, and repugnance to vir- tue. O Mother of Mercy and refuge of sin- ners, thou wilt not reject a contrite and humble heart. Intercede for me, I beseech 18 thee, that I may so live in this sinful world, that at the hour of death I may be worthy to be admitted into the Regions of Bliss. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, One God, world without end. Amen. Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) 19 Seventh Day Pre pa ra t o ry Pray e r O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who w r ear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O most Hoh Alary of Mt. Carmel, pray for me, I beseech thee, that through the merits of thy Son, I may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body, and that I may serve Him faithfully in this life, and here- after see, love, and enjoy Him in the king- dom of His glory. Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, One God, world without end. Amen. 20 Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) Eighth Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those 21 who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of ihy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O most glorious and ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel, faithful Protectress of all those who wear thy holy Scapular, be- hold thy poor servant humbly prostrate at thy feet, deploring his misery and implor- ing thy prayers, and beseeching thee to pro- tect him through the stormy ocean of this tempestuous world; hear my prayers then, O refuge of sinners, and after this our exile show unto us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O most clement, O most lov- ing, O most sweet Virgin Mary! Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, 22 In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee, Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) Ninth Day Preparatory Prayer O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and Ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful Advocate of all those who wear thy holy Scapular! Faithful Pro- tectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, choose thee for my Patroness, that 23 through thy intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be neces- sary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary three times. Let Us Pray O Blessed Finder of Grace, Mother of Life, Mother of Salvation! May we through thee have access to thv Son; and may He, Who was given us through thee, receive us through thee. May thy integrity and in- nocence excuse before Him the stain of our corruption; may thy abundant charity cover the multitude of our sins, and thy glorious fruitf ulness supply our want of merits. Our Mother, our Mediatrix, our Advocate, rec- oncile us to thy Son, commend us to thv Son, present us to thy Son; by the grace with which thou art honored, obtain that He, who through thee put on our weakness, may, through thee, make us partakers of His bliss and glory. Amen. Antiphox Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, 24 To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. Let Us Pray O Almighty and Eternal God, Who didst adorn the holy Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Immaculate and ever Blessed Mother, grant propitiously that those who celebrate her Solemn Commem- oration may, by the assistance of Thy grace, turn their affections from all irregular ad- herence to this world, and place them en- tirely on the enjoyment of Thee. Who livest and reignest, one God world without end. Amen. Hymn (See page 26.) PRAYERS TO BE RECITED ON THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL Antiphon Hail, Flower of Carmel, Hail, fruitful Vine! Hail, ever Immaculate Queen, In whom all virtues shine. O Mother mild, implore thy Son, To hear our prayers now, And at the hour of our death. Amen. 25 Prayer of the Mass and Office, July 16th O God, who hast deigned to honor the Order of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Virgin Mother, grant the grace of her protection to all who celebrate this Solemn Commemoration, so that through her, we may attain eternal happiness. Amen. O Glorious Virgin Mary, Queen of Car- mel, Mother of God and of poor sinners, special Protectress of all those who wear thy holy Scapular, I supplicate thee, by the glory that has been accorded thee by the Incarnate Word in choosing thee for His Mother, to obtain for me the pardon of m\ >ins, amendment of my life, salvation of my soul, consolation in my pains, and in particular the grace I ask in this N oven a, provided it be conformable to the will of thv Divine Son. Amen. A Prayer Composed by St. John of the Cross O Mary. Most Holy Mother of Carmel. Virgin of Virgins, Sanctuary of the Blessed Trinity, Mirror of Angels, assured Refuge of Sinners, have compassion on us in our 26 sufferings, listen to our sighs with clemency, and appease the anger of thy Divine Son. Amen. FLOS CARMELI The Miraculous Prayer to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel by St. Simon Stock Most Holy Virgin, Beauty of Carmel! Virgin Flower forever in bloom! Bright Ornament of Heaven! Thou Virgin Mother of the Man-God! Mother of holy love! Mother of mercy and meekness! Mother honored above all mothers! Star of the sea! Be thou propitious to thy dear children of Carmel, and to all who have the happiness of wearing thy holy Scapular. Amen. Queen Beauty of Carmel! Pray for us. 300 Days Indulgence. HYMN TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Queen and Lady of Mount Carmel! Seen by Prophet's mystic gaze; Shown above the holy mountain As Elias kneels and prays. 27 Cloud-like rising from the ocean; Pure and free from every stain, She doth claim his heart's devotion Thro' the ages to remain. Mother of Mount Carmel, hear! When we call, oh! be thou near! (Repeat) To the Prophet's sons descendeth As a sacred legacy, Love of Mary's pure Conception — Virgin Mother yet to be! Tender Mother, she hath clothed us With a double garment fair: Pledge of heavenly protection, Is the Scapular we wear. Mother of Mount Carmel, hear! When we call, oh! be thou near! (Repeat) Queen and Beauty of Mount Carmel! Christ's dear Gift on Calvary! Refuge sure in every danger! Confident we fly to thee. Mother, hear our humble pleading, Grant the favors we implore; To thy love we are appealing, Bless us now and evermore. Mother of Mount Carmel, hear! When we call, oh! be thou near! (Repeat) 28 THE SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Its Origin, Privileges, Blessings and Indulgences The Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel consists of two small pieces of brown woolen cloth connected by two cords made of wool, cotton thread, etc. The word scap- ular is derived from the Latin scapulae (shoulders), because it is intended to hang suspended from the shoulders. It is also called the "Little Habit of the Blessed Vir- gin." Many of the religious orders wear a scapular the color of their habits, but to none has Heaven granted the special privi- leges and prerogatives that have been so lavishly showered upon the one of Mt. Carmel. The Confraternity Scapular, the small one worn by the faithful in general, traces its origin to the famous apparition of the Virgin Mother of God to St. Simon Stock, the sixth Latin General of the Order. It took place July 16th, 1251, at Cambridge, in England, although, centuries previous there existed a Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, on the holy mountain bearing this name in Palestine, as there are 29 records extant showing that Pope Leo IV, in 847, granted indulgences to the then existing Confraternity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Our Lady's Confraternity is hence the most ancient of all sodalities of the kind, as it is also the one which has been the most favored by Heaven, by the Blessed Virgin herself, and by the Holy See. No less than thirty Pontiffs have accorded to it privileges and indulgences of exceptional favor. A new glory, however, was added to the Confraternity, July 16th, 1251, when the Queen of Heaven appeared to her devout servant, St. Simon Stock. For a long time this holy monk had been imploring the Mother of God to take the cause of her Order into her own hands, as it was, at the time, undergoing a storm of opposition from the world without. "O Mary," said he, "show us that you are our Mother; you are our hope in the midst of storms, our shield in combats, our refuge and salvation. O Virgin Most Holy! Give me a sign of your predilection for your Order of Carmel, which will astonish our adversaries and confound our detractors"; and with fervent accents he addressed to her that beautiful prayer, "Flos Carmeli," so dear to the heart of the Queen of Heaven. 30 The confidence and perseverance of this Elias-like Saint could not but win the fav- orable regard of the Queen of Carmel, who appeared to him with the Infant Jesus in her arms, surrounded by a multitude of celestial spirits, holding in her hands the Scapular of the Order, which she presented to him, saying: "Receive, my beloved son, this Scapular of thy Order as the distinctive sign of my Confraternity; it is a token of the privileges I have obtained for thee, and for all the children of Carmel; whoever dies piously wearing this Scapular shall be pre- served from eternal flames. It is a sign of salvation, a sure safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of my special protec- tion until the end of ages." This took place under the Pontificate of Innocent IV, and before the Blessed Virgin disappeared from the raptured gaze of St. Simon Stock she directed him to go to the feet of the Vicar of her Divine Son and announce these mag- nificent promises in behalf of her children, assuring the Saint that Innocent would rem- edy the persecutions then existing against the Order. The truth of this vision has been mag- nificently ratified by the learned Pope Bene- dict XIV, not to speak of the Bulls and De- crees of Innocent IV, John XXII, Urban 31 VI, Alexander V, Clement VII, who granted many indulgences, etc., Sixtus V, Paul V, etc. The learned Jesuit Cardinal Bellarmine composed new lessons for the Office, and the Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, when its obligation was extended to the universal Church by Paul V; nor can the Feast be transferred to the Sunday fol- lowing without a special Indult. The Doc- tors of the most celebrated universities of Europe, the Saints of all the Religious Or- ders, the pious Kings, Queens and Prin- cesses of all nations, the religious authors of all centuries, have been happy in making known the praise of Our Lady of Mt. Car- mel and the prerogatives of her Scapular. Some fifty years after the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock, she appeared to Pope John XXII, extending her maternal solicitude still further, even to the other life, in promising him she would assist and console the children of Carmel detained in Purgatory, and also speedily release them on the first Saturday after their death. This consoling privilege of a speedy deliverance was made by the Blessed Virgin in the following words: "John, Vicar of my Son, you are indebted to me for the high dignity to which you have been elevated by my solicitations with 32 my Son for you, and as I have delivered you from the snares of your adversaries, I expect from you an entire and favorable confirmation of the holy Order of the Car- melites, which had its birth on Mt. Carmel, and who are the descendants of Elias and Eliseus; they have always been singularly devout to me, and if any of the religious or wearers of my Scapular leave this pres- ent life to expiate their sins in Purgatory, I will, as their tender Mother, descend in their midst to Purgatory on the Saturday after their death; I will deliver those I find there, and will bring them to the holy mountain in the happy sojourn of life eternal." For a participation in the first privilege, that of a good death or exemption from eternal doom, a person should duly re- ceive the Scapular from a priest authorized to give it, wear it devoutly over the shoul- ders and have it on particularly at the hour of death. For as said, the Blessed Virgin in pre- senting the Scapular to St. Simon Stock announced that it was a "sign of Salva- tion," but Our Lady's words are to be un- derstood that this sacred pledge of her pro- tection is a means leading and assisting thereto. Hence, to be the recipient of her 33 fevor and promises it is essentially requi- site to live in conformity with the precepts or the Holy Church, to wear it devoutly, that is, lead a pure life and make efforts to imitate the virtues of the Immaculate Queen of Heaven. Some may, however, be inclined to say, "why, if I lead a pure and holy life I can be saved without the Scap- ular, why encumber myself with it, I am already on the road to Heaven?" But, it must be remarked that the graces received through the Scapular, the special protec- tion you will enjoy as being one of the chosen fold of Mary, will better enable you to keep the heart pure from deliberate sins and to lead a holy life. Millions of saved souls might have been in Hell today but for this "sign of salvation." Number, if you can, the death-bed conversions it has brought about, for every true Catholic knows that the Blessed Virgin has marvel- lous and providential ways of obtaining the salvation of her children engendered at the foot of the Cross and redeemed at the cost of the Precious Blood of her Divine Son. All wonder whence the mysterious grace of repentance, and soon they learn its channel — the Scapular. But no one should rely with presumptive confidence on this extraordinary intervention of the Most 34 Blessed Virgin, whom the Church beauti- fully styles the "Refuge of Sinners,'* but strive to make their election sure, as the Apostle says, by the practice of virtue, so as to merit the powerful protection of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at the hour of death, for St. Bernard says, "All graces flow to us through the hands of Mary, and no one having recourse to her protection is re- fused succor/' To enjoy the second privilege, called the Sabbatine Bull, it is obligatory, in addition to the foregoing conditions, to observe chastity according to one's state, and, if able to read, to recite daily the Office of the Blessed Virgin according to the Roman Breviary. (The Canonical Office of the Church fulfills the condition for priests and those bound to say it, if the intention is directed to this end.) But, if the person is unable to say the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it can be commuted by one who has special faculties for this purpose (Decree, June 22d, 1842), in which case, the person must observe the fasts of the Church, and abstain from flesh-meat on Wednes- days, Fridays and Saturdays, but if this like- wise be impossible, a confessor, who has the faculties as above, can commute for some other pious work. 37 LAUDATE Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes, Laudate eum omnes populi. Quoniam confirmata est super nos miseri- cordia ejus, Et Veritas Domini manet in aeternum. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. HOLY GOD WE PRAISE THY NAME Holy God! we praise Thy name, Lord of all! we bow before Thee; All on earth Thy sceptre claim, All in heaven above adore Thee; Infinite Thy vast domain, Everlasting is Thy reign. Hark! the loud celestial hymn, Angel choirs above are raising, Cherubim and Seraphim, In unceasing chorus praising, Fill the heav'ns with sweet accord: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!