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 CXJHTRIGHT DEPOSIT 
 
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...THE... 
 ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR 
 
 FOR 
 
 Catholic Schools and 
 Institutions.. 
 
 TRANSLATED 
 FROM THE GERMAN 
 
 OF 
 REV. ANDREAS PETZ. 
 
 By a Member of the Dominican Order. 
 
 THE M. H. WILTZIUS CO., 
 MILWAUKEE. 
 
 \/\c?.^ 
 
Nihil Obstat. 
 
 SIMON LEBL, D.D. 
 
 Censor Librorum. 
 
 
 Imprimatur 
 
 FREDERICUS XAVERIUS, 
 
 Archiepiscopus Milwauchiensis. 
 
 • ••' « . • I • ' • 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 CONGRESS, 
 
 Two Copies Received 
 
 JUL 3 1903 
 
 Copfytignt Entry 
 
 CLASS <X^ XXc No. 
 
 COPY g. 
 
 Copyright I go J. 
 
1^ PREFACE. 
 
 IN presenting a translation of Petz's Katholische 
 Kirchenjahr to the Catholic public, we deem no 
 apology necessary, since we have in English no 
 similar work suited to the requirements of the class 
 room, as well as to the wants of the home and fire- 
 side. We hope the work may find as generous a 
 welcome among our American Catholics as the 
 original did in Europe. 
 
 It cannot be called a literal translation since we 
 have omitted some things suited to European 
 usages, but not to the customs of America, and 
 we have added other things where authority sanc- 
 tioned it. 
 
 Wherever the translation differs from the origi- 
 nal, standard works have been called into requisi- 
 tion, such as Butler's *' Feasts and Fasts," 
 ^^Clarke's Spirago," '^O'Brien On The Mass," 
 ''Dom Gueranger's Advent," *'The Festal Year," 
 '^Schulzes Pastoral Theology," ^^Catholic Diction- 
 ary," *^ Catholic Ceremonies," Abbe Durand, 
 ^^ Lambing, The Sacramentals," and other works 
 of reference and authority. The translator lays 
 claim to nothing original in the work. 
 
 As Petz does not treat of ''The Way of the 
 Cross," we have taken the liberty of quoting it 
 entire from Clarke's Spirago. 
 
 The Translator. 
 
PART FIRST. 
 
 HOLY SEASONS. 
 
 The Ecclesiastical Year in General. 
 
 1. By Ecclesiastical Year we understand the 
 yearly return of holy seasons, through which the 
 redemption of mankind is renewed, continued and 
 made available for the faithful, so that they may 
 glorify God and sanctify themselves. 
 
 2. The Ecclesiastical Year differs from the Civil 
 Year, not only in its divisions but also in its object. 
 The Civil Year serves as a measure for the tem- 
 poral wants of man ; whereas, the Ecclesiastical Year 
 pertains to his eternal interests. 
 
 3. The object of the Ecclesiastical Year is for 
 us to renew the w^ork of redemption, which God 
 performed for sinful man, in order that we may 
 offer to Him the homage which is His due, and 
 obtain thereby abundant graces for the practice of 
 virtue, to strengthen us in our faith. 
 
6 The Ecclesiastical Year in General. 
 
 4. The means which the Ecclesiastical Year 
 offers for the attainment of this object are the 
 following : 
 
 (a) The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the 
 Sacraments. 
 
 (b) The Holy Seasons which are set apart for 
 the celebration of the sacred mysteries. 
 
 (c) Sacred customs such as ceremonies, bless- 
 ings, devotions, etc., which show us the significance 
 of the Holy Seasons and imbue us with their spirit. 
 
 5. The foundation, the central point, the very 
 soul, in fact, of the Ecclesiastical Year, is the Sac- 
 rifice of the Mass. Christ completed the work of 
 redemption by His sacrifice on the cross ; this sacri- 
 fice is continued and renewed in the Sacrifice of the 
 Mass. It is the sacrifice of the Son of God, ever 
 ascending to the throne of God. No tongue can 
 tell the depths of its mysteries. No angel can under- 
 stand its meaning. It is the offering of the human 
 race to the Godhead. 
 
 The festal seasons of the Ecclesiastical Year 
 place before us in succession, all the mysteries of 
 the redemption, continually renewed in the Sacrifice 
 of the Mass. 
 
 The Sacraments are the channels through which 
 the fruits of the Mass are conveyed to our souls. 
 
 On the other hand, however, the ceremonies, 
 sacramental s, etc., replete with graces, as well as 
 symbolic ornament, surround the Holy Sacrifice of 
 the Mass, as well as the festivals of the year, and 
 
DlVlSlONB. 
 
 the sacraments themselves. Thus everything in the 
 entire Ecclesiastical Year revolves around, and per- 
 tains to, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 DIVISIONS. 
 
 The central point of our redemption is Christ's 
 sacrifice on the cross, which reached its consumma- 
 tion in His glorious resurrection. Easter, therefore, 
 with Holy Week forms the middle point of the 
 Ecclesiastical Year, because this Holy Season places 
 before our eyes the crucifixion and resurrection of 
 Christ. The prophetical teachings of the Old Testa- 
 ment and the life of Christ until the time of His 
 Passion were only a preparation for the Sacrifice 
 of the Cross. We celebrate this preparation by Ad- 
 vent and the Christmas season. 
 
 The coming of the Holy Ghost, and the spread 
 of Christianity is a continuation and completion of 
 the Sacrifice of the Cross. We celebrate this con- 
 tinuation and completion by the Season of Pente- 
 cost. 
 
 In the three principal parts of the Mass, we find 
 again the three parts of the Sacrifice of the Cross; 
 the preparation of the sacrifice in the Ofifertory ; the 
 offering of the sacrifice in the Consecration ; and 
 the distribution of the fruits in the Communion. 
 
 Christ appears in the work of redemption with 
 a threefold dignity; as Prophet, because He pre- 
 pares His most sacred Sacrifice through the Old 
 
8 The Ecclesiastical Year in General. 
 
 Testament and by His own life and labors ; as High 
 Priest, because He consummates His Sacrifice on 
 the Cross ; and as King, because through the fruits 
 of His sacrifice He establishes a kingdom which 
 continually perpetuates and governs itself. The 
 Ecclesiastical Year shows us this threefold dignity 
 of Our Redeemer and therefore contains three divi- 
 sions : 
 
 (i.) The Christmas Season, which represents 
 the prophetic dignity. 
 
 (2) The Easter Season, representing the High 
 Priest's dignity. 
 
 (3) The Pentecost Season, which represents the 
 Royal Dignity of Christ. 
 
 The Christian who conforms to the teachings of 
 the Ecclesiastical Year is led into the three degrees 
 of the spiritual life: — purification, inspiration and 
 union. The festal circle begins anew every year, 
 and, like a tree, yearly adds a new ring of perfec- 
 tion. These divisions are festal cycles, because each 
 cycle has a principal feast as central point around 
 which the days and feasts of the season revolve; 
 they form a season of preparation and a subsequent 
 commemoration according as they precede or fol- 
 low the feast. 
 
 VIGIL AND OCTAVE. 
 
 I. The day preceding the feast is called the Vigil. 
 This word comes from the Latin and means night- 
 
Vigil and Octave. 9 
 
 watch. The early Christians spent the night, or a 
 great part of the night preceding a feast, in prayer, 
 fasting, and the singing of hymns and psalms. These 
 nightwatches were called vigils. Even in the time 
 of the Apostles the first Christians kept these vigils 
 in commemoration of the nightwatches of our Lord. 
 Later these vigils were restricted to the day imme- 
 diately preceding a feast and for these special days 
 retained the name vigil. The Midnight Mass on 
 Christmas is still kept in remembrance of the orig- 
 inal celebration of the vigils. Besides the three 
 principal feasts, other feasts have vigils also, which 
 are not so solemnly kept. The vigils admonish us, 
 to prepare, like the first Christians, for the ap- 
 proaching feast by penance and recollection. 
 
 2. The days immediately following the feast 
 form the Octave, that is, an eight day celebration, 
 or continuation of the feast. 
 
 Even in the Old Testament the principal feasts 
 were celebrated with octaves ; for instance, Easter, 
 or the Feast of the Tabernacles : and the Christians 
 even in the time of the Apostles, celebrated the prin- 
 cipal feasts with octaves. Later the Church appoint- 
 ed octaves for several other feasts, which were not 
 however so solemnly kept. The object of these eight 
 day celebrations is to enhance, as it were, the dig- 
 nity of the feast, and thereby tO' impress the mys- 
 teries more deeply and permanently upon the hearts 
 of the faithful. 
 
 3. TbiC Sundays with their ferias, and also sev- 
 
10 The Ecclesiastical Year in Gexekal. 
 
 eral other feasts form the preparation and subse- 
 quent commemoration of the three principal feasts. 
 
 SUNDAY. 
 
 1. The word Sunday comes from Heathendom: 
 The first day of the week was dedicated to the Sun 
 god, therefore called Sunday, or day of the sun 
 (dies solis). We are reminded thereby of that Sun 
 which appears to us in the person of Jesus Christ, 
 warming and illuminating our souls, even here on 
 this earth, and which one day will, in the great be- 
 yond, rejoice us by its eternal brilliancy. 
 
 In the language of the Church this day is called, 
 at least since the time of Constantine, if not from 
 the time of the Apostles, the day of the Lord (dies 
 dominica). 
 
 2. Sunday is merely of ecclesiastical institution, 
 dating, however, from the time of the Apostles. God 
 established the Sabbath as a perpetual reminder of 
 the creation, in order to admonish mankind that they 
 owe their Creator veneration and gratitude; at the 
 same time providing necessary rest for man and 
 beast. The Apostles appointed Sunday for this day, 
 because Christ, by His resurrection, completed the 
 work of redemption, and sent the Holy Ghost oh 
 Sunday. Sunday, therefore, admonishes us more 
 emphatically of the duty of gratitude, than the Sab- 
 bath of the Old Law ; for our Heavenly Father be- 
 gan the work of creation, the Son of God completed 
 the work of redemption, and the Holy Ghost com- 
 
 
Sunday. 11 
 
 menced His work in the Church of Christ on the 
 first day of the week. It places before us, therefore, 
 the three greatest of God's gifts to man : the Crea- 
 tion, the Redemption, and the Sanctification. This 
 day is dedicated, therefore, to the Most Holy Trin- 
 ity. On Sunday the Christian should thank the 
 Adorable Trinity for all graces received, especially 
 for those of the past week; he should make atone- 
 ment for faults committed and beg for grace and 
 strength for the coming week. 
 
 3. The Sundays, then, are the guides of the 
 entire Ecclesiastical Year; they either prepare for 
 a coming high feast, or they explain the meaning of 
 the feast. In the Epistles and Gospels of every Sun- 
 day the faithful are instructed in their duties for 
 the entire year. 
 
 4. The Sundays are named and reckoned, either 
 according to the time in which they occur, namely: 
 the Sundays of Advent and of Lent, or according 
 to the feasts to which they belong ; the Sundays after 
 Epiphany, after Easter, and after Pentecost. Names 
 for certain special Sundays are obtained partly from 
 the Introit of the Mass ; for example, ''Oculi, Lae- 
 tare, etc., partly from the special solemnity such as. 
 Passion Sunday, Palm Sunday, Low Sunday. The 
 Sundays of Advent, Lent, and after Easter, always 
 remain the same in number. The Sundays after 
 Epiphany and the Sundays after Pentecost are 
 sometimes more, sometimes fewer in number. Those 
 of the former vary between two and six, of the lat- 
 
12 The Ecclesiastical Year in Geneeal. 
 
 ter between twenty-four and twenty-eight. The 
 movabihty of Easter is the cause of this variation. 
 
 was decreed that the festival of Easter should be cel- 
 
 5. By the Council of Nice in the year 325, it 
 ebrated always on the first Sunday after the first full 
 moon in Spring. It can not therefore, be celebrated 
 before the 22nd of March, nor after the 25th of 
 April, but always moves witiiin this time. 
 
 The Sundays are regulated according to the time 
 of Easter. If Easter occurs late, the six Sundays 
 after Epiphany and the twenty-four Sundays 
 after Pentecost are celebrated in their regular order. 
 
 The earlier Easter falls, the more Sundays after 
 Epiphany fall away, and these are then puc m 
 at the end of the Ecclesiastical Year, between the 
 twenty-third and the last Sunday afler Pentecost. 
 The Sundays of Lent and the Sundays after Easter 
 occur sometimes earlier, sometimes later, according 
 to the time of Easter ; only the Sundays of Advent, 
 and the Sundays following until the second Sunday 
 after Epiphany inclusive, rem.ain always the same. 
 
 6. On Sunday, or the evening before, Holy Wa- 
 ter is blessed. Before High Mass the Priest sprin- 
 kles the people with this water, while the Asperges 
 is sung. Thereby the significance of Sunday is 
 made known to us. The faithful come to church 
 on Sunday in order to be cleansed in the blood of 
 Christ, from the dust of sin, which has in the course 
 of the week adhered to them, and to renew the 
 
Holy Water. 13 
 
 grace of Baptism, of which they should be remind- 
 ed by the sprinkHng of the Holy Water. 
 
 Even in the Old Testament washing with water 
 was repeatedly commanded, especially as a prepara- 
 tion before sacrifice, and oftentimes, when accord- 
 ing to the Jewish law a person was considered un- 
 clean. The Jews attributed an atoning and purify- 
 ing power to water. In the New Law this custom is 
 more strictly adhered to, since Christ established 
 the Sacrament of Baptism, in which, through water 
 and the word of God, sins are washed away. The 
 Church, therefore, even in the earliest times, blessed 
 water, not only for use in Baptism but also for gen- 
 eral use. St. Basil (t379) says that the blessing 
 of water rests upon Apostolic tradition. The bless- 
 ing of water has always been customary in the East- 
 ern, as well as in the Western Church. In the Greek 
 Church this blessing takes place every month, in the 
 Roman Church, every Sunday. 
 
 At the blessing of the water the salt is blessed 
 first, then the water, then the salt is mixed with the 
 water three times in the form of a cross, and finally, 
 the mixture is again blessed. The blessing of the 
 salt, as well as the water, begins with an exorcism, 
 in order that not only the power of Satan shall be 
 taken from the salt and water, but that the virtue of 
 driving away the power of Satan, or at least dimin- 
 ishing it, shall also be imparted to the Holy Water. 
 Salt is mixed with water to express the double 
 power of Holy Water, that of healing and of puri- 
 fying. 
 
14 The Ecclesiastical Yeak ix Genekal. 
 
 Water signifies purification ; salt which preserves 
 from corruption and gives a relish to food, is to 
 denote that Holy Water preserves us from the cor- 
 ruption of sin, and is a means of sanctifying our 
 life, and of making us pleasing to God. The salt is 
 sprinkled in the water three times in the form of 
 a cross to denote that this blessing is performed in 
 the name of the triune God, and by virtue of the 
 Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The substance of the 
 other prayers of this blessing is : May God through 
 this water destroy all the influences of the evil spirit, 
 ward off sickness and other evils, promote the wel- 
 fare of body and soul, and sanctify everything with 
 which it is sprinkled. 
 
 The efficacy of Holy Water is the following: 
 The remission of venial sin, — imparting grace, by 
 which contrition and devotion are increased, — a 
 shield against evil spirits, — it wards off diseases and 
 other temporal evils. These effects, however, will 
 only be experienced by those who use Holy Water 
 with faith and a contrite heart. 
 
 The use of Holy Water is manifold. Before 
 High Mass on Sunday the faithful are sprinkled by 
 the priest to sanctify them for the Divine Service, 
 about to begin, so that all present may partake inti- 
 mately of the Holy Sacrifice without indifference 
 or distraction. The priest says at the same time the 
 penitential psalm ''Miserere" and finally prays that 
 God will send his angel to guard those who are 
 present. The faithful should unite with the prayers 
 
Holy Water. 15 
 
 of the priest, and in a collected and penitential spirit 
 prepare for the sacred sacrifice. 
 
 On entering the church the faithful sprinkle" 
 themselves with Holy Water ; for this purpose fonts 
 are placed near the door of the churches. In early 
 Christian times large wash basins, in which the peo- 
 ple might wash face and hands before entering the 
 church, stood in the vestibule. The Christian is 
 thereby reminded that he should, appear in the sanc- 
 tuary of God with a pure heart and a recollected 
 spirit. He blesses himself that he may more readily 
 overcome temptations, thereby obtaining abundant 
 graces. On leaving the church the faithful also bless 
 themselves with Holy Water to retain the graces 
 received, and to be able to continue the divine serv- 
 ice at home, and thus always rejoice in the protec- 
 tion of God. They take Holy Water home with 
 them for the same reason. Thus the sanctifying 
 power of the Redeemer extends from the temple of 
 God to all Christian homes. We should use Holy 
 Water not only exteriorly and mechanically, but 
 with a lively faith, a penitential spirit, confidence in 
 God, and with interior devotion. We should use it 
 on getting up and on going to bed, on coming in 
 and on going out, in temptation, and often during 
 the day, especially in time of danger. 
 
16 The Ecclesiastical Yeab in Genekal. 
 
 FERIALS. 
 
 1. The early Christians called the first day of 
 the week the Lord's Day, and the last day the Sab- 
 bath; all the other days were called Ferials. This 
 designation of the days of the week was confirmed 
 by Pope Sylvester (t335)- 
 
 2. The word ferial comes from the Latin, and 
 means holyday. The week days are so called to 
 remind us that the Church celebrates a perpetual 
 Divine Service, not only on Sundays and Holydays, 
 but on every day of the week, so that the true 
 Christian may also unite in a lifelong worship of 
 God. 
 
 3. The ferials follow the preceding Sunday, and 
 form its octave; they should lead the thoughts of 
 Sunday into the actions of daily life. The Chris- 
 tian, therefore, should practice during the week 
 what was preached to him on Sunday. 
 
 4. Since the time of the Apostles, Wednesday 
 and Friday were designated as ferials of penance 
 and fast, and the faithful were even obliged to at- 
 tend Divine Service on these days ; because Christ 
 was sold on Wednesday and crucified on Friday. In 
 oriental countries, however, Saturday soon took the 
 place of Wednesday. 
 
 5. Among the ferials are the so-called greater 
 ferials, which are more solemnly celebrated in the 
 office of the da}^, as w^ell as in the Mass. To these 
 belong the ferials of Advent, Lent, Ember days, 
 etc. 
 
Ember Days. 17 
 
 EMBER DAYS. 
 
 1. Ember Days are the Wednesdays, Fridays 
 and Saturdays of the Quarter Tenses, so called be- 
 cause they occur four times a year, — in Advent, 
 Lent, Pentecost week, and after the feast of the 
 Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in September. 
 
 2. Pope Leo L the Great (t46i) says that the 
 custom of these fasts was introduced by the Apos- 
 tles. 
 
 The object of Ember Days is: (i) To dedicate 
 the four seasons of the year to God by prayer, fast- 
 ing and good works. 
 
 (2) To thank God for all the graces received 
 during the past season, to do penance for our sins, 
 to implore the blessing of heaven, and to make 
 good resolutions for the approaching season. 
 
 (3) To implore God to grant us worthy priests 
 for His holy Church ; for it is a rule of the Church 
 that priests be ordained at Embertide. 
 
 FEASTS. 
 
 I. Besides the three principal feasts of the 
 Ecclesiastical year, there are a great number of 
 other feasts, which like the Sundays, are attached 
 to the principal feasts. They form not only the 
 ornament of the Ecclesiastical Year, but also place 
 before us the fruits of holiness which have ripened 
 on the living tree of the Church. 
 
18 The Ecclesiastical Yeak in General. 
 
 2. The feasts have all been regulated by the] 
 Church, some of them are even of Apostolic origin ; 
 the most of them, however, are of a later date. In I 
 the first centuries feasts were not commanded to be' 
 kept, but the faithful, of their own free will- cele- 
 brated the anniversaries of the most important 
 events in the life of Christ and His saints. Later 
 the celebration of these feasts was commanded by 
 the Church. 
 
 3. In the course of time, the number of feasts 
 increased, and when the Church saw that the faith- 
 ful instead of deriving benefit from their celebra- 
 tion, rather desecrated them, she abolished certain 
 feasts or transferred their celebration to the follow- 
 ing Sunday; in so doing she respected the capabili- 
 ties and wants of the faithful. 
 
 4. Besides the feasts of obligation, the Church 
 has a great many others, which are celebrated only 
 in the Breviary and in the Mass. Nearly every day 
 in the year the feast of some saint is celebrated, 
 to remind us that we also are called to sanctity, 
 and that we should labor every day to attain that 
 end. 
 
 5. Feasts may be divided into four classes, ac- 
 cording to their meaning: 
 
 1. Feasts of Our Lord, 
 
 2. Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
 
 3. Feasts of the Angels, Apostles and Evange- 
 hsts, and 
 
Feasts. 19 
 
 4. Feasts of the other Saints. 
 
 The feasts of Our Lord place before us mys- 
 teries intimately connected with the work of Re- 
 demption. The feasts of- the Blessed Virgin show 
 us Mary's part in the Redemption, by becoming the 
 Mother of God, and thus the Mother of mankind, 
 thereby aiding man in obtaining his salvation. 
 
 After Mary, the Angels, Apostles, and Evange- 
 lists, who first announced and spread the Gospel, 
 must be considered the chief participators in the 
 work of redemption. In these, as well as in the 
 other Saints, we see the fruits of the Redemption, 
 namely the virtues. 
 
 6. There are movable and immovable feasts in 
 the Ecclesiastical Year. The movable feasts are those 
 which are regulated according to the time of Easter, 
 and are celebrated, therefore, sometimes earlier, 
 sometimes later in the year, — such as. Ascension, 
 Pentecost and others. Immovable feasts are those 
 that are always celebrated on the same day of the 
 year, and their number is by far the greater. 
 
 7. As the object of the entire Ecclesiastical 
 Year is to place before the faithful the work of the 
 Redemption, so each day of the year has its special 
 office to perform in this regard. In the Divine 
 Office, and in the formulas of the Mass, each day's 
 share is clearly outlined. It is the duty of every 
 Christian to participate, not only outwardly in this 
 daily celebration of feasts, but to live accordingly, 
 and thus liye the life of our Holy Church. Those 
 
20 
 
 The Ecclesiastical Year in General. 
 
 who cannot partake in the Divine Service, should 
 the more diligently seek to learn from the Epistles 
 and Gospels of the Sundays and Holy days, what 
 each Holy Season prescribes for us to believe and 
 practice. 
 
 HOLYDAYS OF OBLIGATION. 
 
 January ist: 
 
 The Circumcision of our 
 Lord — New Year's Day. 
 
 August i5th: 
 The Assumption of the 
 B. V. Mary. 
 
 November ist: 
 All Saints' Day. 
 
 December 8th: 
 The Immaculate Con- 
 ception of the B. V. Mary 
 
 December 25th: 
 Christmas Day. 
 
 Ascension Day. 
 
THE FIRST FESTAL CYCLE. 
 
 1. The first festal cycle is the Christmas season. 
 It begins with the first Sunday of Advent, and 
 closes with the Saturday preceding Septuagesima 
 Sunday ; its central point is the feast of Christmas. 
 Advent forms its remote preparation, its proximate 
 preparation is Christmas Eve. The immediate sub- 
 sequent commemoration extends from the feast of 
 St. Stephen, until Epiphany, the remote subsequent 
 commemoration from Epiphany to Septuagesima. 
 
 2. The main thought of this festal cycle is the 
 birth of Christ. Advent shows the longing and 
 preparation in the Old Law for the coming Mes- 
 siah, which finally attains its object in the birth of 
 Christ. Christmas shows us the Messiah as He 
 reveals Himself to mankind, and proclaims His 
 kingdom. The Christian should prove himself in 
 Advent, and endeavor to gain greater purity of 
 heart. At Christmas he should renew his resolu- 
 
 > tion to live only for Jesus, and to become more like 
 unto Him, and in the time following he should en- 
 deavor to enliven and confirm his faith. 
 
22 The First Festal Cycle. 
 
 ADVENT. 
 
 1. The word Advent comes from the Latin and 
 means "The coming." The foiu' weeks preceding 
 Christmas are so called because they are set apart 
 by the Church to prepare for the coming of Christ. 
 
 2. With great longing, the world, for four thou- 
 sand years, waited for the coming of the Redeemer. 
 God, Himself, nourished this longing by repeated 
 prophetic promises, which became more distinctly 
 clear as the time of fulfillment approached. The 
 universal misery in which mankind then languished 
 increased this- longing for the Redeemer. These 
 four thousand years are typified by the four weeks 
 before Christmas. The longing for the Messiah, 
 announced by the prophets, is partly expressed in 
 the Rorate Masses, but more especially so in the 
 Divine Office, which becomes more and more be- 
 seeching as the feast of Christmas approaches. The 
 penance which we are exhorted to practice during 
 this time is symbolical of the misery of sin. 
 
 3. The Church wishes to awaken this longing 
 and penitential spirit in the hearts of the faithful, 
 in order to prepare them for the advent of the 
 Redeemer. 
 
 Therefore : 
 
 (i) Solemnization of marriage is forbidden 
 during this time, so that the solemnity of the sea- 
 son may not be disturbed by noisy pleasures. 
 
 (2) The violet color used at Mass is to remind 
 
 1 
 
Advent. 23 
 
 US that heaven closed against sinners, can be opened 
 again by penance. 
 
 (3) The Gloria is omitted on those days on 
 which no feast falls. 
 
 (4) The preaching of St. John the Baptist in 
 the Gospels, and the exhortations of St. Paul in 
 the Epistles of the Sundays of Advent, as well as 
 the fast days of this time, point distinctly to pen- 
 ance. These fast days are all the Fridays of Ad- 
 vent, the Ember days, and the Vigil of Christmas. 
 
 4. The severity of penance is, however, moder- 
 ated by a glance at Mary, who appears as the Rosy 
 Dawn to gradually dispel the darkness of sin. There- 
 fore the joyous feast of the Immaculate Conception 
 is celebrated in the midst of this penitential season. 
 Throughout the Breviary and the prayers of the 
 Mass, Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer, is often 
 referred to as the Rosy Aurora of our Redemption, 
 especially so in the Rorate Masses sung at early 
 dawn. The feast of the Expectation on the i8th 
 of December should arouse increased devotion and 
 longing, for the coming Messiah. 
 
 The Rorate Masses take their name from the 
 Introit of the Mass, frequently used during Ad- 
 vent, which begins with Rorate Coeli (drop down 
 dew ye heavens). They are also called Masses of 
 the Angel, because the Gospel of these Masses re- 
 lates to the Annunciation of the Mystery of the In- 
 carnation to the Blessed Virgin. 
 
24 The Fikst Festal Cycle. 
 
 5. In order to keep Advent in a befitting man- 
 ner the Christian should: 
 
 1st. Awaken a penitential spirit and practice 
 works of penance, — he should endeavor to conquer 
 at least one prominent fault and to cultivate or prac- 
 tice some particular virtue. 
 
 2nd. He should devote himself to prayer, and 
 have a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and 
 
 3d. Have a great longing for the birth of the 
 Christ Child in his heart. 
 
 6. Even in the first centuries the faithful pre- 
 pared themselves for the coming of Christmas by a 
 long season of prayer and fasting, but Advent was 
 not definitely fixed imtil the fifth and sixth cen- 
 turies. 
 
 7. The following important feasts fall in Ad- 
 vent : 
 
 (i) The Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, 
 which was celebrated in the earliest times. 
 
 This Apostle stands conspicuous at the entrance 
 of the Ecclesiastical Year, for Advent begins with 
 the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew. Not 
 only is Andrew the first born of the Apostles, but 
 he led the other Apostles to Christ, and as a special 
 lover of the Cross, he tells us that the Cross is the 
 key of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the founda- 
 tion of the Ecclesiastical Year. This feast admon- 
 ishes us, as it were, to begin the year with a love 
 for the Cross, and to make the resolution of prac- 
 ticing self-denial. 
 
Christmas Eve. 25 
 
 (2.) The feast of the Immaculate Conception. 
 This feast was celebrated by the churches of 
 the East, even in the fifth century, and by 
 the churches of the West since the seventh cen- 
 tury. Pope Pius IX. in the year 1854 proclaimed, 
 to the joy of the whole Catholic world, the 
 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed V'irgin 
 to be a dogma of the Church. Since then 
 this feast has been more zealously kept. With the 
 conception of Mary, the Morning Star of the Re- 
 demption arose. On this beautiful feast the Chris- 
 tian should pray God to enlighten him, that he may 
 know the faults of the past year, and learn from 
 Mary, by purity of heart, to prepare for the coming 
 of Christ. 
 
 (3.) Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle, Dec. 21. 
 
 CHRISTMAS EVE. 
 
 1. This vigil is the only one which, in its orig- 
 inal form, is celebrated by Divine Service at mid- 
 night. Because Christ was born at midnight the 
 Church has always celebrated this hour with prayer 
 and canticles of praise. 
 
 2. In some European countries the houses are 
 blessed on this vigil, and also on the vigils of the 
 Circumcision and Epiphany, to show that not only 
 the hearts of the faithful, but also their houses, 
 should be purified from the curse of sin, and sancti- 
 fied as a worthy dwelling place for the new born 
 Saviour. 
 
26 The First Festal Cycle. 
 
 3. On this Holy Eve, the faithful should, with 
 renewed fervor, increase their longing for the com- 
 ing Messiah, by a greater spirit of penance ; Christ- 
 mas gifts should be received as actual gifts from the 
 Christ Child, for if He had not come into the world, 
 there would be no Christmas gifts. These temporal 
 gifts should remind us of the far more precious 
 gifts of grace which Christ brought from heaven. 
 
 4. The Christmas tree, hung with candles, fruits 
 of all kinds, and surrounded with gifts, has a beau- 
 tiful meaning. It reminds us of the tree of pride 
 and disobedience in Paradise, whose fruit brought 
 sin and death into the world ; but it also reminds us 
 of the tree of life, the tree of humility and obedi- 
 ence, that sprang into life through the Incarnation 
 of Christ, and on which the Redeemer purchased 
 grace and life for us. From this tree the light of 
 faith and the different forms of grace are imparted 
 to the faithful. For this light of faith, for these 
 gifts of grace, the Christmas tree admonishes us to 
 thank the dear Christ Child. 
 
 5. The Crib which is set up at Christmas 
 time owes its origin to St. Francis of Assisi, who 
 lived in the thirteenth century. His burning love 
 for the Christ Child impelled him to erect a crib 
 with figures representing the birth of Christ, and 
 thereby enkindle this love in others. This example 
 found widespread imitation. The cribs often rep- 
 resent different scenes of the Old and the New Tes- 
 tament, all referring to the dear Christ Child. This 
 
Christmas. 27 
 
 is to teach us that Christ is the central point of the 
 New Testament, — that all mankind should in a spir- 
 itual manner gather around Him, and offer Him 
 sacrifice and adoration. 
 
 CHRISTMAS. 
 
 1. The word Christmas comes from Christ's 
 Mass, shortened into Christmas, or from Christ's 
 Feast, — ^feast being Mass. 
 
 2. Previous to the fourth century the people of 
 the East celebrated this feast on the 6th of January, 
 in union with the Feast of the Epiphany. From this 
 time on, it was invariably celebrated on the 25th of 
 December, as it had been by the churches of the 
 West, even from the time of the Apostles. 
 
 3. Christmas as chief feast, is especially distin- 
 guished from other feasts by : ( i ) When Christ- 
 mas falls on Friday there is neither fast nor absti- 
 nence. (2) On this day priests are allowed to cele- 
 brate three Masses, contrary to the rule which pre- 
 vails on every other day of the year. (3) This feast 
 is intimately united with several feasts of the most 
 illustrious saints. 
 
 4. It is not definitely known when the practice 
 of saying three Masses on Christmas day origi- 
 nated, still, from the time of Pope Gregory the Great 
 in the sixth century, this has been the universal 
 custom. 
 
28 The First Festal Cycle. ■[ 
 
 This threefold sacrifice represents the threefold 
 birth of Christ; namely, (i) The first Mass at '^| 
 Midnight is offered up in memory of His birth as 
 man, of the Blessed Virgin ; it is read at midnight 
 because Christ was born at that hour, and because 
 He came, as the light of the world, to dispel the 
 darkness of sin ; it is called the Mass of the Angels, 
 because the Angels announced the birth of Christ 
 to the shepherds, and at the same time peace on 
 earth to men of good will. ihe faithful should 
 pray for this peace, especially at Midnight Mass. 
 
 (2) The second Mass at daybreak Is said in 
 remembrance of His birth in the hearts of His fol- 
 lowers. It is said at daybreak as a symbol of the 
 dawn of the spiritual life in our hearts by the Sun 
 of Justice. It is also called the Mass of the Shep- 
 herds because the Gospel read at this Mass relates 
 to the adoration of the Shepherds ; it exhorts us to 
 adore the Christ Child with the shepherds. 
 
 (3) The third Mass commemorates His eternal 
 birth from the Father before all ages, and for that 
 reason its Gospel tells of the time when the Word 
 was, 'Tn the beginning was the Word and the Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God.'' , It is said 
 in the daytime that its brightness may figure the 
 glories of the Godhead. The faithful should seek 
 to acquire a greater knowledge of Christ, and en- 
 deavor to imitate His example — thereby obtaining 
 the fullness of His graces. 
 
Christmas Octave. 29 
 
 CHRISTMAS OCTAVE. 
 
 1. This octave is not like the octaves of other 
 high feasts — a simple repetition of the feast itself, 
 but the Church surrounds the manger of the Infant 
 God with the names of her most illustrious Saints, 
 like brilliant planets encircling the sun. 
 
 2. The feast of St. Stephen, of the Apostle John 
 and the Holy Innocents belong to the oldest feasts 
 of the Church, and are always found in connection 
 with the feast of Christmas; on the other hand the 
 feast of St. Sylvester and of St. Thomas of Canter- 
 bury, the great saint of the English race, were 
 added later. 
 
 3. These five feasts are, so to say, the represent- 
 atives of all the feasts of the Saints in the entire 
 Ecclesiastical Year; they encircle the cradle of the 
 new born Redeemer, from whom all holiness pro- 
 ceeds. These feasts teach us that, as the life of 
 Jesus was a continual sacrifice, so should the life 
 of every Christian be one of sacrifice. 
 
 4. (i) St. Stephen is the leader of all martyrs, 
 for he was the first to suffer martyrdom for the 
 faith. He bears aloft the red banner of our holy 
 faith. 
 
 (2) The Apostle John is the leader of all vir- 
 ginal souls, who serve the lord in love and inno- 
 cence. He was the beloved disciple of Our Lord, 
 and faithfully preserved his innocence and love un- 
 til death. He bears aloft the white banner of vir- 
 ginal love. 
 
30 The First Festal Cycle. 
 
 (3) The Holy Innocents are the leaders of all 
 penitents, for both are purified from sin — the for- 
 mer from Original, the latter from Actual sin — ^not 
 through any merit of their own, but only through 
 the blood of Jesus Christ. The Holy Innocents 
 march onward with the violet banner of Penance. 
 
 (4) St. Thomas, Bishop of Canterbury, who 
 suffered martyrdom for the Church, is the leader 
 of those who suft'er persecution patiently for the 
 Church of Christ ; and finally, 
 
 (5) St. Sylvester, who through the loyal dis- 
 charge of his duty for the welfare of the Church, 
 is the leader of those who faithfully devote their 
 lives to the service of the Church. 
 
 Every Christian must follow one of these leaders 
 if he wishes to live for Christ. 
 
 5. On the Feast of St. John, in some countries 
 of Europe, it is customary to bless wine after Mass. 
 According to an ancient tradition this Apostle was 
 offered poisoned wine, which he blessed and drank 
 Vvdthout injury. 
 
 6. The Feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated 
 with violet vestments in remembrance of the moth- 
 ers of Bethlehem lamenting for their innocent chil- 
 dren, waiting in Limbo for the Redeemer, and of the 
 penitents who follow the Holy Innocents to the 
 crib.* 
 
 *On the octave of this feast red vestments are worn. The Church 
 remembers on this day the glory of these martyrs as well as the reward 
 awaiting the persevering penitents in Heaven 
 
Epiphany. 31 
 
 7. The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord 
 forms the close of the Octave of Christmas. This 
 feast was introduced in the middle of the sixth cen- 
 tury to counteract the influence of the heathen feasts 
 of this season of the year, celebrated with great im- 
 moral excesses. At first this ' day was kept as a 
 day of fast and penance, but gradually assumed 
 more of a festive character, to remind us that the 
 Redeemer, in obedience to the Mosaic law, submit- 
 ted himself to circumcision, whereupon the name of 
 Jesus was given Him. With this day the civil year 
 begins — therefore this day reminds us to begin and 
 end the new year in the name of Jesus. 
 
 8. The Christmas celebration is continued after 
 the feast of the Circumcision by the Octaves of St. 
 Stephen, the Apostle St. John, and the Holy Inno- 
 cents, until finally it reaches its zenith in the feast 
 of the Epiphany. 
 
 EPIPHANY. 
 
 I. The word Epiphany means manifestation. It 
 is kept in grateful remembrance of Christ's mani- 
 festation to the Gentiles. This feast dates from the 
 time of the Apostles, — according to an old tradition 
 the Church celebrates three remarkable events on 
 this day : The adoration of the Magi, Christ's bap- 
 tism by John in the Jordan, and the changing of 
 water into wine at the wedding of Cana. The Feast 
 of the Epiphany, or Manifestation, celebrates th^ 
 
32 The First Festal Cycle. 
 
 threefold manifestation of Qirist to mankind; 
 namely, 
 
 (i) By the wonderful call of the Wise Men, 
 Christ revealed Himself to the Heathen as King — • 
 for the heathen Wise ]\Ien sought and adored the 
 new born King of the Jews. 
 
 (2) By His Baptism in the Jordan, He revealed 
 Himself to the Jews as the looked for Prophet, 
 whom a voice from heaven commanded them to hear. 
 
 (3) By the miracle of changing the water into 
 wine at the wedding of Cana, He revealed Himself 
 as High Priest. 
 
 4. Among these three mysteries the first one 
 stands prominent, therefore the day is often called 
 the Feast of the Three Kings. The \Mse ]\Ien are 
 called kings, either because they were princes of 
 small countries in the East, or because they came 
 of a royal race. 
 
 5. On this day the faithful should thank God 
 for the priceless blessing of Christian faith, — they 
 should renew this living faith, and also remember 
 to pray for the poor Heathen who have not been 
 awarded this saving gift. Out of gratitude they 
 should offer their Redeemer, with the three Wise 
 Men, the gold of faith, the frankincense of prayer, 
 and the myrrh of mortification. 
 
 SUBSEQUENT COMMEMORATION. 
 
 The subsequent commemoration of this festal 
 cycle is limited to the six Sundays after Epiphany, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
Subsequent Commemokation. 33 
 
 but which may be fewer, according to the date of 
 Easter. 
 
 1. These six Sundays show us Jesus in the tem- 
 ple and in the house of His parents, as a model for 
 youth; and then also in His public life, teaching in 
 the temple and working miracles. He showed Him- 
 self to be the expected Prophet. Since His teach- 
 ing and miracles are the foundation and propaga- 
 tion of His divine kingdom, as well as that of His 
 Church upon earth, so these Sundays may partly 
 belong to the third festal cycle. 
 
 2. The following important feasts fall in this 
 season : 
 
 (i) The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. 
 According to Holy Scriptures, this name was vener- 
 ated at all times; a special feast in honor of this 
 most Holy Name was instituted first in the Francis- 
 can Order in the sixteenth century. In 1721 Inno- 
 cent XIII. ordered this feast to be celebrated 
 throughout the Church on the second Sunday after 
 Epiphany. Write this most holy name on your 
 hearts. 
 
 (2) The Feast of the Espousals of the Blessed 
 Virgin with St. Joseph on the 23d of January was 
 established about the same time as the former feast. 
 It teaches us especially to recognize St. Joseph as 
 the head and the guardian of the Holy Family, and 
 admonishes us therefore to venerate him as the 
 keeper of God's treasures. 
 
34 The First Festal Cycle. 
 
 (3) The Feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome, 
 January i8th, and the Conversion of St. Paul, Jan- 
 uary 25th, are of ancient origin. The examples o: 
 these Apostolic Princes ought to enliven our faith 
 
 CANDLEMAS. 
 
 i 
 
 1. Candlemas, or the Feast of the Purification, 
 forms, so to say, the transition feast from the 
 Christmas season into the Easter season. If it did 
 not originate in the time of the Apostles, it is nev- 
 ertheless from the first centuries. 
 
 2. A double celebration takes place on this feast ; 
 namely, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, and 
 the presentation of Our Lord in the Tempi® &i Jeru- 
 salem. It is, therefore, a feast of Our Lady and one 
 of Our Lord. 
 
 3. As a feast of Our Lady it belongs to the 
 Christmas cycle. Through Mary we received Jesus, 
 Who revealed Himself to us in the first festal cycle 
 as the Light of the world. In humble obedience she 
 brings her Divine Child to the Temple, where Sim- 
 eon and Anna acknowledge and greet Him as the 
 Light of the World. The Blessed Virgin still con- 
 tinues to obtain for all Christians, who like Simeon 
 and Anna truly desire it, the knowledge of this 
 heavenly light. 
 
 4. As a feast of Our Lord, it belongs to the 
 Easter cycle. In Mary's arms Jesus offers Himself 
 for the first time in the temple for the redemption 
 
K Candlemas. 35 
 
 of man, thereby beginning His priestly sacrificial 
 life, which represents the second cycle. The Chris- 
 tian, who in the first festal cycle vv^as enlightened 
 by the gift of faith, should now with Simeon and 
 Anna not only gratefully thank God for this gift, 
 but he should take Jesus in his arms and also walk 
 with Him on the way of sacrifice. 
 
 5. This day is usually called Candlemas Day, 
 because on this day candles are blessed for the 
 whole year, followed by a procession with lighted 
 candles. Thi^ procession, and probably the blessing 
 of candles, originated in the sixth century, at the 
 season when the heathen feasts and processions 
 were celebrated. This may have been an exterior 
 motive for the introduction of processions with can- 
 dles, but the symbolic meaning is, at all events, de- 
 rived from the feast itself. 
 
 6. This procession also reminds us of that pro- 
 cession in which Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna 
 accompanied Jesus, ''The Light of the World,'' to 
 His first sacrifice in the Temple with the light of 
 faith and sacrificial love in their hearts. As Christ, 
 ''The Light of the World,'' was sacrificed, or con- 
 sumed for the salvation of the world, so the can- 
 dles consume themselves while they reflect light. 
 The burning candles are, therefore, a symbol of 
 Jesus Christ, and signify the double meaning of this 
 feast. 
 
 7. Candles are blessed because everything used 
 in connection with the Divine Service should be 
 
36 First Festal Cycle. 
 
 blessed. In the blessing of the candles, the Church _ 
 prays especially that the significance of these can- m 
 dies may be realized by the faithful. In general, the 
 spirit of the Church in regard to blessed candles 
 has been caught by the faithful, who have come to 
 look upon them as one of the most efficacious of the 
 sacramentals. They have wax candles blessed on 
 this day to use in their homes on solemn occasions, 
 in times of danger, especially from the elements, 
 and to place in the hands of the dying; the mate- 
 rial light being thus made a symbol of the invisible 
 light which is to guide them after 'death to the 
 realms of everlasting happiness. 
 
 8. Lighted candles were used in all divine ser- 
 vices from the earliest times — not only at night, but 
 also in the daytime. The lighted candle was always 
 recognized as a symbol of Jesus Christ, who en- 
 lightens us and obtains our salvation, through 
 Whom alone every act of divine service receives 
 power and efficacy. The lighted candle is also a 
 beautiful emblem of the Christian life. As the can- 
 dle is dedicated to the service of God, so is the life 
 of a Christian by Baptism. As the wax from which 
 the candle is made is laboriously gathered by the 
 bees, so the life of a Christian should be a collection 
 of virtues and good works. The burning candle is 
 consumed, so should the life of a Christian be con- 
 sumed in the service of God. 
 
 Finally, the ascending, illtmiinating, and consum- 
 ing flame is an emblem of the three divine virtues : 
 
Candlemas. 37 
 
 Faith, Hope, and Charity, which make the whole 
 Hfe of man acceptable to God. 
 
 9. On the Feast of St. Blase, February 3d, it 
 is customary, in many places, to bless the throat 
 with candles in the form of a cross. This blessing 
 is used as a preventive, or cure of throat diseases, 
 because St. Blase, as related in his life, miracu- 
 lously cured a child of a dangerous throat disease. 
 The Christian may see in this blessing with candles 
 in the form of a cross an admonition to follow 
 Christ in the light of faith, on His way of the Cross, 
 which the Second Festal Cycle of the Ecclesiastical 
 Year places before us. 
 
SECOND OR PASCHAL CYCLE. 
 
 1. The Paschal Cycle, or Eastertide, comprises 
 the time from Septuagesima Sunday till the close of 
 the octave of Ascension. The remote preparation 
 for Easter extends from Septuagesima Sunday to 
 Holy Saturday which forms the immediate prepa- 
 ration. The Octave of Easter forms the immediate 
 subsequent commemoration, and the time from 
 Low Sunday until after the Octave of the Ascen- 
 sion forms the remote subsequent commemoration. 
 
 2. The central point of this festal cycle, as well 
 as of the entire Ecclesiastical Year, is the festival 
 of Easter. All the movable feasts. of the year are 
 regulated by the date of this feast. 
 
 3. This festal cycle presents Jesus to us as the 
 High Priest who offers Himself for the salvation of 
 mankind. The work of redemption revealed in the 
 first festal cycle will now be accomplished ; the 
 Kingdom of God which was announced will now 
 be established. 
 
 4. Christ appeared to us in His deepest humilia- 
 tion, but also in His exaltation. To every Christian 
 He calls: ''He who will follow Me, let him deny 
 
Lent. 39 
 
 himself, take up his cross and follow Me." We 
 must suffer with Jesus so that we may be glorified 
 with Him. We must cast off the old man and put 
 on the new. This should be the task of every 
 Christian in the second cycle of the Ecclesiastical 
 Year. 
 
 LENT. 
 
 1. The preparation for Easter, commonly called 
 Lent, is of Apostolic origin ; its duration varied, be- 
 ing sometimes forty, sometimes fifty, sometimes six- 
 ty, or seventy days before Easter. Whence we get 
 the names Quadragesima, Quinquagesima, Sexages- 
 ima and Septuagesima. It was only in the sixth 
 century that Pope Gregory the Great regulated the 
 time of Easter as we have it now. Lent may be 
 divided into four parts, 
 
 (i) The time from Septuagesima Sunday to 
 Ash Wednesday — the preparation proper of Lent. 
 
 (2) From Ash Wednesday to Passion Sunday. 
 
 (3) Passion Week. (4) Holy Week. 
 
 2. The faithful should enter more and more into 
 the spirit of the sufferings of Christ,"-be more 
 moved with compassion, and inspired with a more 
 penitential spirit. 
 
 3. From Septuagesima Sunday the Christian 
 should resolve to follow Christ on the way of suffer- 
 ing and penance, especially on the three days pre- 
 ceding Ash Wednesday, — so called Carnival days, 
 or Shrovetide, when the combat between the king- 
 
40 SECO^^D OR Paschjll Cycle. 
 
 dom of Christ and that of Satan is so powerful. 
 The Church has already put on the penitential vio- l| 
 let color, and introduced many devotions, particu- 
 larty the Triduum, or Forty Hour's Devotion, which 
 St. Philip Neri and St. Charles Borromeo, in theBl 
 sixteenth century, instituted for the first time at 
 Shrovetide. This was instituted in order to keep 
 the people from the excesses of these days, and to 
 atone by penance and prayer for the sins committed 
 during Carnival. Pope Clement XIII. attached a 
 plenary indulgence to this devotion. 
 
 4. The fast of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday 
 and lasts till Easter Sunday ; during this time there 
 are forty-six days, but as we do not fast on the 
 six Sundays falling in this time, the fast is just 
 forty days. For this reason it is called the forty 
 days of Lent. i\Ioses, Elias, the Ninivites, and even 
 our Lord fasted forty days. The first Christians 
 imitated their example, not only in abstaining from 
 meat and other nutritious food, such as milk and 
 eggs, but waited until sundown before breaking 
 their fast. Since, in the course of time, the peniten- 
 tial spirit had grown lax, the Lenten regulations 
 were mitigated, so much so, that now our fast, in 
 comparison with the fasts of the early Christians, 
 does not even deserve the name of fast. 
 
 5. We should fast, ist, in order to imitate Christ, 
 who fasted forty days and nights before he began 
 His combat with Satan, thereby teaching us that 
 
Lent. 41 
 
 we must overcome temptation and evil inclinations 
 by mortification. 2nd. We should fast to purify 
 our hearts from sin, to do penance for sins commit- 
 ted, so that we may arise with Christ to a new and 
 spiritual life. In the Preface of this season the 
 fruits of penance are briefly given ; namely, the 
 suppression of sin and the elevation of the soul 
 enriched with virtues and merit. 
 
 6. In this time of penance the Church forbids 
 marriage festivities, and even avoids all signs of 
 joy; for example, the Gloria and the AUeluia at 
 Mass, are omitted. It also increases the public devo- 
 tions and reminds us of the sufferings of Christ, 
 or admonishes us to do penance. The Christian 
 too should endeavor to be recollected, avoiding all 
 pleasures and gayeties, and meditate especially upon 
 the Passion of Christ, in order to correspond with 
 the admonitions of Lent. Money saved in Lent 
 should be bestowed in charity. Through such prac- 
 tices the heart will be moved to contrition and be 
 prepared for a worthy reception of Communion at 
 Easter. 
 
 ASH WEDNESDAY. 
 
 I. The name Ash Wednesday comes from the 
 ceremony of putting ashes on the forehead of the 
 clergy and the faithful on this day, in order to 
 initiate them canonically into the penitential spirit. 
 Ashes are a symbol of death, mourning and penance, 
 and as such were used even in the Old Testament, 
 
43 Second ob Paschal Cycle. 
 
 for example, Mardocheus sprinkled ashes on his 
 head. The Ninivites sat in ashes. In the beginning 
 of Christianity the sinner was reconciled to the 
 Church through public penance, by sprinkling ashes 
 on his head. Soon the faithful began to sprinkle 
 themselves with ashes at the beginning of Lent, as a 
 sign of penance. This custom was established by 
 the Church in the eleventh century as a remem- 
 brance of the former public penances. The ashes 
 used on this occasion are the ashes of the palm 
 branches which were blessed on Palm Sunday of 
 the previous year. Our penance, therefore, should 
 be to combat with Christ, suffer with Him, and 
 thereby gain the palm of victory. When sprinkling 
 the ashes the priest says those words which God 
 said to our first parents after their fall: ''Remem- 
 ber man that dust thou art and unto dust thou 
 shalt return,'' and thereby marks upon his forehead 
 the judgment of death, under which he fell by sin. 
 Penance alone can mitigate the terror of death and 
 save us from eternal damnation. 
 
 The prayers which are said at the blessing of 
 the ashes and at their distribution implore God's 
 forgiveness of sin, and beg for strength and protec- 
 tion in the spirtual combat now beginning for the 
 true^penitent. 
 
 2. From Ash Wednesday to Passion Sunday the 
 Christian should meditate on Christ's work of re- 
 demption ; he should overcome his evil inclinations 
 by corporal and spiritual mortification, in order 
 to suppress sin, so that his heart may partake of the 
 Redemption. 
 
Passion Week. 43 
 
 PASSION WEEK. 
 
 The third division of Lent begins with Passion 
 Sunday; from this day on, the Church meditates 
 exclusively on the sufferings of Christ. The Chris- 
 tian should also do this, and increase his practice 
 of mortification and self-denial. From Passion Sun- 
 day on, all the crucifixes are covered, or veiled, — 
 every joyous thought should be set aside, and our 
 minds turned to that cross which is to be erected 
 upon Golgotha. We should meditate upon our 
 Redeemer, Who in His sufferings concealed His 
 divinity and clothed Himself entirely in the garb of 
 an embassador. The crucifix is covered with violet 
 to remind the faithful that their hearts should be 
 penetrated with sorrow at the sufferings of Christ, 
 and with contrition for their sins. In the office of 
 the day the Prophecies of Jeremiah are read, the 
 Gloria is omitted, also the psalm Judica at the be- 
 ginning of Mass, unless a feast of our Lord or the 
 Saints is celebrated. 
 
 FEASTS OF SAINTS. 
 
 I. Formerly the feast of a Saint was not per- 
 mitted to be celebrated during Lent, because the 
 Church wished the faithful to meditate on the Pas- 
 sion of Christ and awaken a penitential spirit ; at 
 present it is only Holy Week which excludes these 
 feasts. During the rest of Lent several feasts are 
 now celebrated. Among the most important are: 
 
44 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 (i.) The Feast of St. Joseph on the 19th of March, 
 which was celebrated in the Eastern Church since 
 the ninth century, but it is only two hundred years 
 ago that its celebration became universal in the 
 Western Church. This feast vshows us the impor- 
 tant part that St. Joseph took in the work of Re- 
 demption, for, as foster father of Jesus, as support 
 and guardian of the Holy Family, he, next to Mary, 
 had the greatest share in this work. Therefore, 
 after Mary, he is our greatest intercessor with God. 
 He is especially venerated as the patron of the dy- 
 ing, because he was found worthy to die in the arms 
 of Jesus and Mary. Let us honor him so that he 
 may nourish the work of Redemption in our hearts, 
 and help us in completing it by a happy death. In 
 the first centuries his feast was not celebrated, be- 
 cause then only the feasts of the martyrs were 
 celebrated and principally because the celebration of 
 his feast might lead the ignorant to believe that Jo- 
 seph was the real father of Jesus. 
 
 (2.) The Feast of the Annunciation, March 
 25th, is one of the oldest feasts of the Church; it is 
 a feast of our Lord, as well as of the Blessed Virgin. 
 It is in commemoration of the moment when the 
 Angel announced to the Blessed Virgin that she was 
 to become the mother of God. It shows us Mary's 
 intimate participation in the redemption of mankind. 
 The Christian should call on Mary to assist him 
 in amending his life. 
 
Feasts of Saints. 45 
 
 According to an old tradition, on this day Adam 
 was created, Christ became man, and died, and 
 Mary attained to the dignity of Mother of God, — 
 therefore we should honor her more than all the 
 other Saints. To the mystery of this day woman 
 owes her freedom from the oppression and con- 
 tempt with which she was treated in heathen times. 
 The exalted dignity of Mary elevated the honor of 
 womanhood. We are reminded of the mystery of 
 this feast three times a day by the ringing of the 
 Angelus. This custom, it is true, was instituted 
 only in the fourteenth century by Pope John XXI I. ; 
 but how very appropriate it is to remind us three 
 times a day of the Incarnation of Christ, the Son 
 of God, who did so much for us, and whom we 
 should not forget in the toils and labor of the day, 
 but offer all to the Lord in gratitude. 
 
 (3.) The feast of the Seven Dolors, celebrated on 
 the Friday preceding Palm Sunday, was instituted 
 in the fifteenth century in expiation of the crimes 
 of the Hussite image breakers, and other atrocities. 
 It represents the Blessed Virgin as partaking in the 
 work of Redemption and admonishes us like her, to 
 meditate on the sufferings of Jesus. It is called 
 the Feast of the Seven Dolors, because it reminds 
 us not only of the sorrows of Mary at the foot of 
 the cross, but also of her constant participation in the 
 sufferings of Jesus from His birth to His cruci- 
 fixion. 
 
46 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 Even in the thirteenth century the Order of 
 the Servites divided the sufferings of Mary into the 
 
 following mysteries : 
 
 1st. The prophecy of Simeon in the Temple, 
 
 2d. The flight into Egypt, 
 
 3d. The three days loss of the boy Jesus in the 
 Temple, 
 
 4th. The sight of her Divine Son carrying His 
 heavy cross, 
 
 5th. The Crucifixion, 
 
 6th. The taking down from the Cross, 
 
 7th. The Burial of Jesus. 
 
 HOLY WEEK. 
 
 1. The last week of Lent in which sympathy 
 with our suffering Lord, and a penitential spirit 
 should reach its highest degree is called Holy Week, 
 because in this week the Passion and death of our 
 Lord is presented to us. 
 
 2. Until the seventh century, during the entire 
 Holy Week, the faithful abstained from all servile 
 work and lived a life of penance; later, the faithful 
 attended Mass every day, practiced severe works of 
 penance and celebrated the last three days as Sun- 
 day. They also endeavored to obliterate past evils, — 
 prisoners were liberated; enemies were reconciled; 
 penitents were forgiven, and debts were paid. 
 
 I 
 
Holy Week. 47 
 
 3. The Christian should endeavor in this week 
 to be recollected in spirit, to meditate on the Pas- 
 sion of Christ, and to do penance for his sins. He 
 should increase his love for God and his neighbor 
 and fervently participate in the Divine Services of 
 Holy Week. 
 
 4. On Palm Sunday, also on Tuesday, Wednes- 
 day and Friday of Holy Week the Passion of our 
 Lord is read or sung, each time from a different 
 Evangelist. This custom is found in the earliest 
 Christian times; it is to remind us that we should 
 have the Passion of Christ as much as possible be- 
 fore our eyes during Holy Week. 
 
 As soon 'as the priest at the reading of the Pas- 
 sion comes to the place where the death of Christ 
 is mentioned he, with all the servers at the altar, 
 kneels down, in order, thereby, to express the 
 mourning of the Church, — at the same time, also, 
 to offer to God, in the name of the people, the wor- 
 ship due him, and to express their gratitude for 
 the redemption of mankind by the death of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 5. During the last three days of Holy Week, in 
 some Churches where there are more priests, the 
 Office of Matins and Lauds, or of the so-called Ten- 
 ebrae is solemnly recited, the evening before, ac- 
 companied by the singing of the Lamentations of 
 Jeremiah, bewailing the destruction of Jerusalem. 
 When the Lamentations are sung fifteen candles 
 in the form of a triangle are lit, — the one at 
 the top being white, the others yellow. At the 
 
48 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 end of each psalm a candle is extinguished, 
 and, finally, those which are upon the altar, only the 
 white one at the point of the triangle being left; 
 at last it is carried behind the altar. At the close 
 the wooden clappers are used and the burning candle 
 is brought back again and placed on the altar. The 
 significance of this ceremony is as follows : 
 
 (i) The gradual extinction of the candles is to 
 remind us of the Prophets, who gave testimony of 
 Christ, for wdiich they were persecuted and put to 
 death; it reminds us also of the Apostles and Dis- 
 ciples who hid themselves during His Passion. 
 
 (2) The fourteen unbleached wax candles tell 
 us of His human nature ; the one of white bleached 
 wax, on the top, signifies His divine nature. All the 
 unbleached candles are extinguished to show that 
 His human nature died. The white candle is not 
 quenched, to show that His divine nature did not 
 die. 
 
 (3) The gloom caused by the extinction of the 
 lights typifies the growing darkness, when Christ, 
 the Light of the World, was taken ; and the clapping 
 made at the close of the Office is said to symbolize 
 the confusion and earthquake which took place at 
 our Lord's death. 
 
 (4) The reappearance of the white candle rep- 
 resents the resurrection of Christ. 
 
 The origin of the Tenebrae dates from the first 
 centuries ; the early Christians celebrated these three 
 days by night watches, or vigils, with prayer and the 
 
Holy Week. 49 
 
 singing of psalms. Other vigils had long ceased to 
 be kept ; this vigil alone was retained until the tenth 
 century, and celebrated at midnight ; from this time 
 until the fourteenth century it was celebrated at 
 eight o'clock in the evening. Since the fourteenth 
 century it has been kept as we have it at the present 
 day. The Tenebrae is to remind us of the deep sor- 
 row of the Church on the Passion and Death of 
 Christ, and also her grief for the ingratitude of sin- 
 ful man, to move him, therefore, to compassion for 
 Christ's suffering and to do penance for his sins. 
 
 PALM SUNDAY. 
 
 1. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, — the 
 name is derived from the blessing of palms, and the 
 procession which takes place on this day. 
 
 2. The procession on Palm Sunday is of very 
 ancient origin, dating even from the fourteenth cen- 
 tury; it reminds us in the first place of the trium- 
 phant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when the peo- 
 ple went forth with palm branches to meet Him and 
 to lead Him as their King in triumph into the city. 
 So even now the faithful go in procession with 
 palms in their hands to offer their homage with 
 prayer and psalmody to Christ their King. This 
 procession also reminds us of the solemn entry of 
 Jesus into the heavenly Jerusalem, after having con- 
 quered death and hell by His crucifixion and resur- 
 rection, when upon His ascension all the just await- 
 
50 Second ok Paschal Cycle. 
 
 ing Him in Limbo, adorned with the palms of merit, 
 led Him into heaven, where adoring Him they of- 
 fered their allegiance to Him as Lord and King. 
 It reminds us also of that most solemn and great 
 entry into the heavenly Jerusalem after the Last 
 Judgment. All His faithful servants who have won 
 the crown of victory under His banner will then 
 offer Him their homage, and partake of His tri- 
 umph and eternal glory. 
 
 3. The palms are blessed before the procession, 
 because the Church wishes that whatever is used 
 in the Divine Service should be blessed in order to 
 remove the curse of sin, and to sanctify it for its 
 sacred purpose. The Church prays especially for 
 the bearers of these palms that they may have the 
 grace of gaining many palms of victory over the 
 enemy of salvation, and acquire many palms of good 
 works, wherewith to follow the Lord in His trium- 
 phant entry, also that God may bless the houses in 
 which these palms are preserved. 
 
 • 4. After blessing the palms the priest distributes 
 them to the faithful as a sign that the Church shows 
 the way to heaven, and must lead them in the battle 
 against the enemy of their salvation. Then the 
 palm bearers follow the cross in the procession, pro- 
 claiming thereby that they will fight and struggle 
 all their life long in order to follow Jesus on the way 
 of the Cross. 
 
 5. When the procession returns to the Church 
 door, which is closed, it is opened only after being 
 
 I 
 
Palm Sunday. 51 
 
 struck three times with the staff of the cross. This 
 teaches us that heaven was only opened by the 
 death of Jesus on the Cross, and that we of our own 
 strength cannot gain heaven, except through the 
 merits of our crucified Jesus. 
 
 6. The faithful carry the palms home and pre- 
 serve them, in order to partake of the blessings that 
 the Church invokes on those dwellings where they 
 are preserved. Thus the faithful express that even 
 in their homes they will remain true followers of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 HOLY THURSDAY. 
 
 I. In the language of the Church, this day is 
 called Coena Domini, the Lord's Supper. It reminds 
 us of the great mystery of Christianity, which is 
 presented to us by many characteristic ceremonies. 
 On this day Christ partook of the Jewish Paschal 
 lamb, a figure of that which was soon to be accom- 
 plished by His death on the Cross. He washed the 
 feet of His disciples and to fulfill the type of the 
 Paschal Lamb of the Old Law gave them Himself, 
 His Body and Blood, under the appearances of bread 
 and wine, and commanded them to do the same in 
 commemoration of Him. By this command He 
 established the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sac- 
 rament of the Altar and the priesthood. He prayed 
 for them, and on Mount Olivet in His agony sweat 
 blood, was betrayed by Judas, made a prisoner, and 
 throughout the whole night was maltreated. 
 
52 Second ok Paschal Cycle. 
 
 2. The priest wears white vestments, white being 
 the color of joy, but the psalm ''J^dica me" is omit- 
 ted the same as in Masses for the dead. At the 
 Gloria all the bells are rung, and then remain silent 
 until Holy Saturday, wooden clappers being used in- 
 stead. The Church wishes to express her joy on the 
 institution of the Blessed Sacrament by the glad 
 ringing of the bells even in the middle of Holy 
 Week ; on the other hand, the deep silence of all the 
 L)ells is a sign of her deep sorrow; it also reminds 
 us of the sorrow of the Apostles and their conceal- 
 ment during the Passion of Christ, for bells are em- 
 blematic of the Apostles. The wooden clappers may 
 remind us of the tumult that reigned in Jerusalem 
 during these days. 
 
 3. If there are more priests at a Church on this 
 day, only one of them says Mass ; the rest receive 
 Communion from his hand. The single Mass cele- 
 brated in each church, the Communion distributed 
 to the clergy and the faithful, present to us the Gos- 
 pel scene when Jesus Christ, the only Consecrator of 
 the last supper, and the Apostles were seated at the 
 Eucharistic table. Formerly all the faithful were 
 obliged to receive Holy Communion on this day. 
 
 4. In the Mass of this day, the Bishop conse- 
 crates the Holy Oils; namely, the Oil of the Sick, 
 the Oil of the Catechumens and Holy Chrism. 
 According to the testimony of Pope St. Fabian and 
 St. Basil, the consecration of the Oils dates from the 
 time of the iVpostles. Of all the ceremonies of the 
 
Holy Thursday. 53 
 
 year it is one of the most beautiful and mystical. 
 Even in the fifth century it was a decree of the 
 Church to consecrate the Holy Oils on 
 Holy Thursday. This day is chosen because 
 on this day Christ instituted the Blessed Sac- 
 rament which is the center, yea, even the very 
 source of all the Sacraments, and because at 
 the same time He established the priesthood, 
 thereby making the Apostles and their successors 
 the dispensers of the Sacraments and all the graces 
 that flow therefrom. The Oils are blessed with great 
 solemnity ; the Bishop is surrounded by twelve 
 priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons, and many 
 others of the clergy. The Bishop and priests breathe 
 three times upon the Oil of the Catechumens and 
 the Chrism, meaning by this action that the power of 
 the Holy Spirit is about to descend upon the Oils ; 
 after the consecration is complete they salute the 
 Holy Oils three times, with the words : ''Hail, 
 Holy Chrism! Hail, Holy Oil!'' The prayers and 
 blessings, as well as the breathing upon the Oils, in 
 fact the whole form of this consecration, was used 
 by Gregory the Great in the sixth century and for 
 the greater part may date back to apostolic times. 
 
 The Holy Oils are used in administering some of 
 the Sacraments, and in consecrations of greater im- 
 portance, such as altars, churches, chalices, bells, 
 etc. 
 
 Wherever oil is used it has the property of 
 strengthening, healing wounds, or of, at least, allevi- 
 ating pain ; it is also used for illuminating purposes 
 
54 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 therefore is a fitting symbol of the different effects 
 produced by the holy Sacraments and canonical con- 
 secrations. Balsam which is mixed with oil to form 
 the chrism is also significant, on account of its sweet 
 odor and its property of healing as well as preserv- 
 ing from corruption. Even in the Old Testament 
 oil was often used as a symbolic sign ; and the New 
 Testament testifies, plainly enough, that the Apos- 
 tles also anointed with oil when administering the 
 Sacraments ; and ever since, anointing with oil has 
 been in use, and the Holy Oils carefully preserved 
 and held in veneration. 
 
 The Holy Oils must be distributed from the 
 Episcopal See on the same day to the different par- 
 ishes of the diocese. This shows that it is from the 
 bishop that the sacramental graces of the whole dio- 
 cese emanate; he is the head, and the cathedral is 
 the mother church of the diocese. 
 
 5. Two Hosts are consecrated on Holy Thurs- 
 day, one of which is reserved for the following day. 
 Good Friday, because no real Mass may be said on 
 this day. This Host with all the small, consecrated 
 Hosts that are in the tabernacle, at the close of the 
 ceremonies are carried in procession to the reposi- 
 tory adorned with flowers, where they are preservecj 
 until the following day. This, as well as many 
 other ceremonies on this day, reminds us of early 
 Christian times. In those days the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment was not reserved on the main altar, but every 
 day after the Divine Service was carried to a place 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
Holy Thubsday. 55 
 
 Specially prepared for it, and then the altar was 
 stripped. This custom, no doubt, is retained on 
 Holy Thursday only to remind us that Christ, after 
 His last supper, retired to Mount Olivet with His 
 Disciples to begin His Passion, and was there forci- 
 bly dragged from their midst. It is customary for 
 the faithful to visit the churches on Holy Thursday 
 and adore our Lord hidden in the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment. 
 
 6. After the Blessed Sacrament has been re- 
 moved to the repository, the altars are stripped. 
 Everything is removed excepting the candlesticks 
 and the veiled crucifix; the tabernacle is left open, 
 all lights are extinguished. While stripping the altar 
 the priest prays the twenty-first psalm; the bare 
 altar mourns because our Lord has been taken away, 
 and reminds us of the desolation and deep sorrow 
 of the Disciples, on having lost their Master. It is 
 also a figure of our Lord Himself, Who after being 
 stripped of His garments, despoiled of His beauty, 
 yes, even of all human resemblance, suffered a most 
 cruel death. 
 
 7, In some Cathedral churches, and Monaster- 
 ies, the closing ceremony on Holy Thursday is 
 the washing of the feet, called ''Mandatum'' from 
 the words of the first antiphon sung during the 
 ceremony— -''Mandatum novum,'' etc. ''A new com- 
 mandment I give unto you that you love one an- 
 other," whence our English name, "Maundy Thurs- 
 day.'' The Apostles also followed this command, 
 and the custom has been retained to the present day. 
 
56 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 The priest or prelate of the Church, assisted by dea- 
 con and sub-deacon washes the feet of twelve old 
 men. Girt with white linen, kneeling, he washes 
 the right foot of each, then dries it and kisses it. 
 The Pope washes the feet of thirteen, all of whom 
 are priests. 
 
 This ceremony is in grateful remembrance of the 
 washing of the Apostles' feet by our Lord, and rep- 
 resents that bond of union and love which should 
 exist in the Church between the shepherd and his 
 flock; it admonishes the faithful to imitate the exam- 
 ple of our Lord by the practice of humility. 
 
 Many Christian princes, and superiors of con- 
 vents, follow this custom, by washing the feet of 
 twelve of their subjects. 
 
 GOOD FRIDAY. 
 
 1. Good Friday, in the language of the Church 
 is called 'Tarasceve," that is, the day of preparation ; 
 the Jews called this day so, because they made prep- 
 arations for the Pasch, which began with the even- 
 ing. On this day the true Paschal Lamb, Jesus 
 Christ, of Whom the other lambs were only a figure, 
 was slain on Calvary. 
 
 2. This day places before our eyes the most im- 
 portant event of Christianity, namely, the death of 
 Jesus Christ, whereby the whole world was re- 
 deemed ; nevertheless it is not celebrated as a feast 
 day, because a festal celebration is always accom- 
 
Good Feiday. 57 
 
 panied with feelings of joy. The Church on this 
 day gives herself up to mourning and sadness over 
 the Passion and death of our Lord, and admonishes 
 the faithful to do the same. The day reminds us 
 specially of the price of our redemption, showing us 
 the enormity and malice of sin. What Christ gained 
 for us through His passion is revealed to us on 
 Easter day, for only through His. resurrection did 
 He complete His work of redemption, and in real- 
 ity conquer death. A festive celebration on this 
 day is really not possible, because the nucleus of 
 every festive celebration is wanting, namely, the 
 Sacrifice of the Mass. Therefore the Church has, 
 from the earliest times, celebrated Good Friday in 
 silence and sadness, with solemn gravity by a strict 
 fast and by somber mourning ceremonies. Mass is 
 the most joyful ceremony that man can perform, but 
 there is no joy in the world today when we cele- 
 brate the memory of the crucifixion of our Savior, 
 therefore the Church never celebrated this day as 
 a festival. 
 
 3. As a good child commemorates the anniver- 
 sary of the death of beloved parents not in a festive 
 manner, but in quiet mourning and grateful remem- 
 brance, so the devout Christian on Good Friday re- 
 members with sadness and compunction of heart the 
 death of Jesus and his own sins. He contemplates 
 the Eternal High Priest who offers himself as a 
 Sacrifice amidst indescribable torture, and by His 
 obedience even unto death on the Cross, removed the 
 
58 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 curse of sin from mankind. He acknowledges the 
 blessings of the Cross and resolves, from now on, to 
 follow Jesus on the way to Calvary, to carry his 
 cross willingly and to be obedient to the Divine Will 
 even unto death. 
 
 4. Clothed in black vestments, the color of deep- 
 est mourning, the priest and his assistants come 
 forth to the sanctuary without lights or incense ; on 
 the bare altar stands a veiled crucifix. Before this 
 they prostrate themselves on the steps of tlie altar, in 
 perfect silence. This is the Introit of Good Friday, 
 the deepest abasement and humiliation at the sight 
 of the ignominy and annihilation of Jesus on the 
 Cross. The deepest mourning for the death of Jesus, 
 the keenest remorse for the sins which were the 
 cause of all this degradation. Meanwhile a white 
 linen cloth is spread upon the altar, it reminds us of 
 the winding sheet of our Lord. The priest rises, 
 and going to the corner of the altar reads the 
 prophecy of Osee, then the tract following the pray- 
 er, and the history of God commanding the eating of 
 the Paschal Lamb, again follow^ed by a tract. Then 
 comes the chanting of the history of the Passion of 
 our Lord, according to the Gospel of St. John. 
 
 5. After the reading of the Passion, solemn 
 prayers for the Church and for men of all states and 
 conditions are sung, to which a special prayer and 
 genuflection is added. The following prayers are 
 said : 
 
Good Friday. 59 
 
 1st. For the Church; 2d, for the Pope; 3d, for 
 all bishops, priests and other ecclesiastics, as well as 
 for all the children of God ; 4th, for the Roman em- 
 peror (this prayer is omitted now for there are no 
 more Roman emperors) ; 5th, for the Catechumens; 
 6th, for the erring, the sick, the hungry, and those in 
 prison, for travelers and those on sea; 7th, for 
 heretics and schismatics ; 8th, for the Jews, and, 
 9th, for the Heathen. Before each prayer ''Ore- 
 mus flectamus genua'^ (let us pray and bend 
 the knee) is sung, whereupon all kneel, and at 
 the word Levate (arise) all arise. By these prayers 
 the Church wishes to express her ardent and urgent 
 supplications. At the prayer for the Jews we do 
 not bend the knee, because they bent their knees 
 in mockery and derision before our Lord when they 
 were about to crucify Him. Also at the close 
 of the prayer for the Jews the ''Amen" is omitted, 
 because this supplication will never be entirely ful- 
 filled until the end of the world. By these prayers 
 the Church wishes to reveal her holy charity to all 
 mankind and her anxious desire to enfold them in 
 her motherly arms and make them happy. This 
 desire of the Church is awakened specially today by 
 the example of Jesus, Who, hanging on the Cross 
 with outstretched arms, wishes to draw all mankind 
 to Him and to redeem them. If you are a true 
 child of the Church, then you must forgive your 
 enemies from the bottom of your heart, and no one 
 must be excluded from this charity. It is in this 
 spirit that the Church prays today. 
 
60 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 6. Taking off the chasuble, the priest takes the 
 cross which from the evening before Passion Sun- 
 day has been veiled, and standing on the floor at 
 the Epistle side of the sanctuary he uncovers the 
 top of the cross, saying: 
 
 "Behold the wood of the cross on which the sal- 
 vation of the world hung." (Ecce lignum Crucis, in 
 quo pependit salus mundi.) The choir sings: Come, 
 let us adore (Venite adoremus), when all but the 
 celebrant fall upon their knees. Coming up the 
 steps of the altar, on the Epistle side, he uncovers 
 the right arm of the cross, repeating the same 
 words in a higher key; going to the middle of the 
 altar, he uncovers the whole cross with the same 
 words in a still higher tone. 
 
 The unveiling and exposition of the cross is a 
 symbol of Christ stripped of His garments, nailed to 
 the Cross, raised thereon, and exposed to the people. 
 The triple unveiling and chanting each time in a 
 higher key is a representation of the gradual mani- 
 festation of the Sacrifice of the Cross. In the Old 
 Testament this manifestation was not fully under- 
 stood ; this is shown by the almost entirely veiled 
 crucifix, and the low pitch of voice in the chant. On 
 Golgotha the Sacrifice of the Cross was accom- 
 plished, but there were only few to acknowledge it, 
 therefore a further unveiling of the cross and a 
 higher pitch of voice in the chant. The cross is now 
 raised on high in the Church that all nations may 
 look upon it ; this is indicated by the complete un- 
 
Good Friday. 61 
 
 veiling of the cross and the still higher pitch of 
 voice in the chant. The Christian should consider 
 this threefold call of the Church as an admonition 
 to do penance. Behold the cross on which the sal- 
 vation of the world hung, also for your sins ; cast 
 yourself down, repent of your sins, and mortify 
 your evil inclinations. 
 
 Then the priest brings the cross to the place pre- 
 pared for it before the altar, and, out of respect, re- 
 moves his shoes and genuflecting three times, at 
 intervals, on both knees, kisses the feet of the cruci- 
 fix. The acolytes and the faithful also make 
 the adoration of the cross. During the adora- 
 tion the 'Tmproperia'' (Reproaches) are sung, in 
 which God reproaches His people with their ingrat- 
 itude for the numberless benefits He bestowed 
 upon them, in preparing for Him the most excru- 
 ciating and ignominious death. Even in the earli- 
 est times the true Cross on which Christ was 
 crucified was exposed at Jerusalem for veneration. 
 In order that the faithful in distant countries might 
 offer their veneration and homage to the sign of 
 their redemption, this solemn unveiling and ven- 
 eration was introduced into the entire Church. The 
 same ceremony was used in the fifth century, and 
 has come down to us without any perceptible 
 change. The threefold genuflection reminds us of 
 the three falls of Jesus under the weight of the 
 Cross, as well as the threefold mockery of the Jews, 
 the heathen, and on Calvary. The Improperia are 
 
62 Second ok Paschal Cycle. 
 
 sung partly in Greek, partly in Latin, not only be- 
 cause they originated at a time when the Greek and 
 Latin churches were still united, but also because all 
 nations should be united under the Cross in the same 
 faith. It is not necessary to tell a Catholic that this 
 veneration is not paid to the wood of the cross, but 
 to Christ Who was sacrificed on the Cross. He 
 should endeavor not only to make this veneration 
 exteriorly but also with a contrite heart; he should 
 consider that these reproaches also apply to him ; 
 that even every day he receives God's graces and 
 benefits, and in return almost daily ofifends God, his 
 Benefactor. 
 
 7. After the adoration of the cross follows the 
 so-called Mass of the Presanctified. It is not a 
 Mass in the true sense of the word, as no consecra- 
 tion takes place, only the Host, consecrated the day 
 before, is consumed by the celebrant ; for today the 
 world stands appalled at the remembrance of our 
 Lord's death. 
 
 The Blessed Sacrament is now borne in proces- 
 sion from the chapel, or altar, where it was placed 
 the day before. While the choir sings the hymn, 
 ''Vexilla Regis," the celebrant places it upon the 
 altar, pours wine into the chalice, incenses the altar, 
 washes his hands, says some of the customary pray- 
 ers, sings the Pater Noster, then elevates the Blessed 
 Sacrament, for adoration, breaks it as usual, says 
 the preparatory prayer and communicates; then 
 leaves the altar without further prayer. This so- 
 called Mass has no OflFertory or Elevation proper, 
 
Holy Satubday. 63 
 
 for the elevation of the Sacred Host is nothing more 
 than an exposition of the Blessed Particle for adora- 
 tion, a custom which was general in former times ; 
 this custom, in a somewhat different form, still pre- 
 vails. With this elevation there is no consecration, 
 consequently there is no real Mass. 
 
 The Church is engaged this day with the bloody 
 sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary; therefore she omits 
 the Unbloody Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. 
 
 HOLY SATURDAY. 
 
 1. When God finished the work of creation, he 
 rested on the Sabbath day. When He ended His 
 work of redemption he rested in the tomb. One was 
 but a figure of the other. In the early days of 
 Christianity Mass was not said on this day. The 
 entire Divine Service as we have it now was then 
 celebrated in the night from Holy Saturday to Eas- 
 ter Sunday as the Vigil of Easter. The preparation 
 for Easter, the change from sadness to joy, is notice- 
 able ; gradually a new life is perceptible in the spirit 
 of the Church. 
 
 2. The ceremonies of the vigil begin with the 
 blessing of the new fire struck from flint. Formerly 
 fire was struck daily from flint, then blessed and 
 used to light the lamps of the church, but since the 
 eleventh century this benediction was reserved ex- 
 clusively for Holy Saturday, when this ceremony is 
 performed with greater solemnity, on account of its 
 
64 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 i 
 
 significance. As the sparks of fire come forth from 
 the flint and diffuse hght, so Christ comes forth 
 glorious from the tomb to enkindle and illuminate 
 the world. Christ is the stone which the Jews re- 
 jected, but which became the head of the corner. 
 With the blessing of the new fire is united the 
 blessing of the five grains of incense prepared for 
 the Easter Candle. 
 
 3. In this new fire, whatever remains from the 
 previous year of the Holy Oils is consumed, and the 
 new Oils blessed on Holy Thursday are used from 
 now on. The fountain of divine grace has its 
 source in the sacred wounds of our Redeemer. As 
 in this holy season these sacred wounds are placed 
 before us anew, so also the graces which flow from 
 this source are typified by the renewal of the Holy 
 Oils. 
 
 4. All lights in the church are extinguished ; the 
 new fire and the grains of incense are carried in 
 procession into the church. This is to signify that 
 through the resurrection of Christ new light and 
 life has come into the Church. Upon entering the 
 church, the deacon, who carries the long staflf with 
 its three candles in the form of a triangle, lights 
 one of them, and sings in a low tone *'Lumen 
 Christi'' (Light of Christ), to which is replied ^*Deo 
 gratias" (thanks be to God). In the middle of the 
 church the second candle is lit, at the high altar 
 the third one, and at the same time, the same 
 words are sung, each time in a higher key. This 
 
Holy Saturday. 65 
 
 leading of the new light into the church is in con- 
 trast to the solemn unveiling of the cross on Good 
 Friday. As this reminds the faithful of the death 
 of Christ on the Cross, and awakens sentiments of 
 compassion and exhorts them to do penance, so the 
 introduction of the candles reminds us of the res- 
 urrection of Jesus; and a joyous hope which grad- 
 ually like a beam of light penetrates the sorrowing 
 Christian, awakens new life and exhorts him to 
 imbibe new hope that with Christ he may lead a new 
 life of virtue and piety. 
 
 The successive lighting of the candles, the grad- 
 ual entry into the church, and the increasing pitch 
 of tone in the chant, signify the repeated apparition 
 of Jesus after His resurrection, whereby His fol- 
 lowers were filled more and more with joy. It is 
 also an appropriate symbol of the illumination of the 
 world by the gradual propagation of the Gospel. 
 
 The triple light on one staff tells first, how God 
 the Father was revealed to man in the beginning of 
 the world; secondly, it recalls how God the Son 
 was revealed to the Jews, by the prophets, and, 
 thirdly, it typifies the revelation of God the Holy 
 Ghost to the world. Thus it speaks of the unity 
 and trinity of God revealed at the time of the Apos- 
 tles. 
 
 The response, "Deo gratias,'^ expresses the joy- 
 ous gratitude for these graces. All the faithful 
 should join in these thanks; for if it were not for 
 this Light of the World, we would still be in the 
 darkness of heathendom. 
 
06 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 5. Then follows the solemn blessmg of the Pas- 
 chal candle. In the first centuries this ceremony 
 was performed only in the principal or Cathedral 
 churches. Later on Pope Zosimus in 417 allowed 
 this privilege to all parish churches. 
 
 The Paschal Candle represents our Lord risen 
 from the dead; therefore it must be of pure white 
 wax to typify His pure immaculate humanity. It 
 reminds us of the pillar of cloud which led the 
 Israelites out of Egypt through the Red sea into 
 the promised land. So Christ liberates us from the 
 slavery of Satan by baptism ; and if we faithfully 
 follow His guidance He will surely lead us into 
 the promised land of eternal bliss. In early times 
 the offices of the entire year, which began with 
 Easter, were inscribed on the Paschal Candle. Later, 
 as their number increased, they were written on 
 parchment, and attached to it sometimes by means 
 of one of the grains of incense. 
 
 The blessing of this candle consists of a sublime 
 canticle on the resurrection of our Lord (Exultet), 
 which, from all accounts, is attributed to St. Augus- 
 tine. During the chanting of the Exultet, the five 
 grains of incense are inserted in the candle, in the 
 form of a cross; later, it is lit at the triangle, and 
 shortly after, all the other lights that had been ex 
 tinguished are lit in like manner. 
 
 The five grains of incense remind us of the five 
 sacred wounds which Christ received on the Cross 
 and which marks He retained after His resurrec 
 
 e 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
Holy Saturday. 67 
 
 tion. From these wounds arises constantly a sacri- 
 ficial fragrance, to our heavenly Father, pleading 
 for sinful man, which is typified by the incense. The 
 lighting of the Paschal Candle and the other lights 
 represent Christ as the Light that came into the 
 world to enlighten all men who are not willfully 
 blind to the light. All mankind should partake of 
 this newly risen light, in the new life of Christ. 
 This is the wish of the Church as expressed at the 
 close of the canticle. The Paschal Candle is placed 
 on the Gospel side of the altar and remains there 
 until the Feast of the Ascension; during this time- 
 it is often lit at Divine Service. 
 
 6. The blessing of the candle is followed by the 
 reading of the twelve prophecies, i. e., lessons from 
 the Old Testament, which contain prototypes of 
 Christ. These prototypes were partly fulfilled by 
 the resurrection of Christ, and continue partly to be 
 fulfilled by the spiritual resurrection of the sinner. 
 This spiritual resurrection is especially accom- 
 plished by the Sacraments; therefore the blessing 
 of the water follows immediately after the prophe- 
 cies, which serve as a preparation. 
 
 Formerly the number of prophecies varied; the 
 number twelve refers probably to the twelve Apos- 
 tles. Then, too, they place before us how the king- 
 dom of Christ, the holy Catholic Church, rests upon 
 the Prophets and the Apostles ; the former prepared 
 the way while the latter propagated the fait!h 
 throughout the world. 
 
G8 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 
 7. The spiritual resurrection is accomplished by 
 bai)tism, therefore on the Vigil of Easter in the first 
 Christian centuries, the baptismal water was blessed 
 and the Catechumens were solemnly baptised. In 
 the course of time, this solemn baptism ceased, and 
 only the blessing of the Easter water remained ; it is 
 probably, of apostolic origin. The ceremonies of the 
 blessing of Easter water are greatly similar to those 
 of Baptism. The water is first withdrawn from the 
 power of Satan by exorci.sm, the laying on of hands 
 and the sign of the cross. Then the burning candle 
 is immersed three times in the water, and at each 
 time the priest in a higher key invokes the power 
 of the Holy Ghost upon the water. This immersion 
 of the Paschal candle reminds us of Christ immersed 
 in the waters of the Jordan at His Baptism. The 
 intoning three times, each time in a higher key is in 
 harmony with the unveiling of the cross, on the pre- 
 ceding day, and the solemn introduction of the new- 
 ly consecrated fire. We are to understand thereby 
 that it is the same Christ Who died for us on the 
 Cross, and who through His resurrection brought 
 new life into the Church, imparts life-giving power 
 to this water; the breathing upon the water is also 
 a symbol of the communication of grace. The faith- 
 ful present are sprinkled with this blessed water to 
 remind them of their baptism and to exhort them to 
 renew the graces of baptism by prayer, and to be 
 cleansed from their sins. The Easter water is also 
 distributed to the faithful in order, that not only 
 their hearts but also their houses may be cleansed 
 
 Ji 
 
Holy Saturday. 69 
 
 from the curse of sin. A sufficient quantity of this 
 Easter water is retained for Baptism, it is mixed* 
 with the oil of the Catechumens and Chrism, and 
 preserved for use in the baptismal font. This ming- 
 ling of the water with oil is to typify the fullness 
 of the Holy Spirit which moves over this water and 
 is imparted to the newly baptised. Formerly, solemn 
 baptism took place after the blessing of the Easter 
 water, which even now sometimes occurs if there 
 be any present to be baptised. 
 
 8. Then the celebrant and assistants prostrate 
 themselves before the altar, while the choir sings the 
 Litany of All Saints. At the words "peccatores" 
 (sinners) all arise and go to the sacristy to prepare 
 for Mass. The Church calls upon all the Saints to 
 implore the grace of God upon those to be bap- 
 tised, and to remind the faithful that they have been 
 received into the Church and into the Communion 
 of Saints by baptism, and are one day to become 
 Saints. The prostration before the altar, an expres- 
 sion of humble and fervent prayer, is to remind us 
 that Christ still lies in the tomb, but will soon rise 
 again, and that all mankind through baptism or pen- 
 ance will arise with Him from sin and death to 
 a new life. 
 
 9. The Mass of Holy Saturday now begins in 
 white vestments. At the Gloria, the bells and the 
 organ are heard again, and the Alleluia which was 
 not heard since Septuagesima Sunday is sung three 
 times, each time in a higher key. No Introit, Credo, 
 
70 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 Agnus Dei or Communion is sung; immediately 
 after the Communion a short Vesper service fol- 
 lows. The threefold Alleluia appropriately follows 
 the joyous ringing of the bell to exhort the Christian 
 to praise the Lord and to participate in the great joy. 
 The abridgement of this Mass comes to us from the 
 earliest times. Throughout the whole Mass expres- 
 sions of joy predominate, therefore the altars are 
 somewhat more richly ornamented. The ringing of 
 the bells is an expression of this joy; it reminds us 
 of the Apostles who since the seizure of our Lord 
 were silent, but now, through His resurrectiofi, re- 
 ceive new life and announce their joy to the world. 
 It is fitting that the faithful should wake from their 
 sadness and join in this ringing of the bell as well 
 as the threefold Alleluia (Praise the Lord). 
 
 EASTER. 
 
 4 
 
 1. Easter Sunday is the greatest feast of the 
 year. St. Leo calls it the feast of feasts. On this 
 day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 
 through which he completed the w^ork of redemp- 
 tion. 
 
 2. God Himself in the Old Testament com- 
 manded the celebration of this feast in grateful com- 
 memoration of the wonderful deliverance of the 
 Jews from the slavery of Egypt, and especially be- 
 cause the destroying angel passed those houses by, 
 that were sprinkled with the blood of the Easter 
 
Easter. 71 
 
 lamb, hence the name Pasch or Passover. The 
 Christians have retained this feast in grateful re- 
 membrance of the completed work of redemption 
 from the slavery of sin. 
 
 3. This feast is not celebrated on the same day 
 each year, but always on the first Sunday following 
 the first full moon after the vernal equinox. All 
 the movable feasts are regulated by the time of 
 Easter. 
 
 4. Easter falls very appropriately in the spring- 
 time. As in this season of the year all nature awak- 
 ens to new life and resurrection, so the Church like- 
 wise celebrates the actual resurrection of our Lord, 
 and indeed the spirtual resurrection of many of her 
 children. 
 
 5. Even in the early days of Christianity it was 
 customary to bless food the use of which was 
 forbidden in Lent, so that the new food might 
 not be injurious to the health of the body, or, 
 rather, that it should not excite sensuality and there- 
 by injure the soul. In this also the Church wishes 
 to show that on Easter the entire man, body and 
 soul, should arise tO' a new life in God. Meat re- 
 minds us of the Easter lamb, eggs of the resurrec- 
 tion, and bread of the heavenly bread in the Blessed 
 Sacrament, which Christ instituted at Easter. 
 
 6. The jubilant rejoicing of Easter is expressed 
 not only in the oft repeated Alleluia, but also in the 
 Mass and the Divine Office, more especially during 
 
72 Second ok Paschal Cycle. 
 
 the octave, and during- the so-called Easter time, 
 which lasts until the first Sunday after PentecosJ] 
 that is, to Trinity Sunday. According to apostolic 
 tradition the faithful in early times prayed stand- 
 ing during this joyous season to show that they also 
 had risen to a new life in Christ. Instead of the 
 usual Angelus during Easter-tide, morning, noon 
 and evening, the Antiphon ''Regina Coeli" is said 
 and that too, standing. Every Christian true to his 
 faith participates in the Easter joys. Festive Divine 
 Service and the Alleluias replace the lamentations 
 and mourning of the past week. Friends and ac- 
 quaintances greet each other with a joyful Alleluia, 
 and even in the humblest cottage, a better meal takes 
 the place of the fasts of Lent. Newly awakened 
 nature enhances these Easter joys. 
 
 It is an oldtime custom in Eastern as well as 
 Western countries to distribute on Easter the so- 
 called Easter eggs variously colored. The egg is a 
 symbol of the resurrection, for as the bird comes 
 out of the shell alive, so came forth the living Christ 
 from the tomb, and so shall we, one day, come forth 
 from the grave. In some countries it is also cus- 
 tomary to make presents of toy lambs, called Easter 
 lambs, bearing a little banner as a reminder of the 
 true Easter Lamb Who conquered death. 
 
 THE OCTAVE OF EASTER. 
 
 I. As in the Old Law the Jews celebrated Easter 
 for eight days, it was also prescribed for the Chris- 
 tians to keep this octave as a continuous feast. Later 
 
The Octave of Easter. 73 
 
 it was limited to three days, and at present in this 
 country to only one ; while in some European coun- 
 tries two days are kept. 
 
 2. The celebration of this octave serves to en- 
 hance the glory of Easter. For eight days the joy- 
 ful event should be continually before our eyes, to 
 strengthen our faith in the resurrection of Christ; 
 therefore the Gospels of these days relate tO' the vari- 
 ous apparitions of our risen Lord. 
 
 3. On the Saturday after Easter the so-called 
 "Agnus Dei'' are distributed in Rome. They are lit- 
 tle disks of white wax, solemnly blessed by the Pope. 
 The face shows a lamb with a cross and the in- 
 scription: Agnus Dei, qui toUis peccata mundi 
 (Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the 
 world), beside the name and year of the reigning 
 Pontiff. On the reverse side, is the image of a 
 saint. In early times it was customary to present 
 the newly baptised with a souvenir of wax repre- 
 senting the Lamb of God. From this may have orig- 
 inated the custom that the Pope solemnly blessed on 
 one of the days of the octave images made out 
 of the Easter candle of the preceding year, 
 and distributed them on the above mentioned 
 Saturday. Now it is customary for the Pope 
 to bless them only in the first year of his pontificate 
 and every seventh year following. The significance 
 of these ''Agnus Dei'' is shown by the inscription 
 as well as by the tenor of the prayers used at the 
 blessing. They represent first the pure immaculate 
 
74 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 1 
 
 Lamb of God, Who redeemed us by His blood ; they 
 are also symbolical of the newly baptised who have 
 been washed in the blood of the Lamb, and have 
 become snow white lambs in the fold of Christ. The 
 newly baptised received thereby a token of their 
 covenant with God and, at the same time, the bless- 
 ing of the Church to enal)le them to remain faithful 
 to this covenant. 
 
 The efficacy of the Agnus Dei, as expressed in 
 the prayers at the blessing and verified by history, 
 must indeed be rich in graces. A bull of Gregory 
 XIII. forbids the painting or gilding of Agnus Dei 
 blessed by the Pope, under ban of excommunication. 
 It is also forbidden to sell them ; they should be 
 preserved or worn with veneration. 
 
 LOW SUNDAY. 
 
 I. Low Sunday forms the close of the octave of 
 Easter. Formerly the Neophytes or newly baptized 
 appeared during Easter week in white robes, with 
 a burning candle in their hand. Both of these were 
 given to them at baptism as an admonition to pre- 
 serve their baptismal innocence and faithfully to ob- 
 serve the three theological virtues of faith, hope and 
 charity. In order to make public profession of their 
 readiness and also to express their joy, they wore 
 the white garments during the whole octave, and 
 only at its close on Saturday, sometimes even on 
 the Sunday after Easter, laid them aside, and gave 
 up their candle amid the prayers of the Church. 
 
Low Sunday. 75 
 
 Hence the name in the Missal and Breviary, ''Dom- 
 inica in Albis'' (Sunday in White). The name Low 
 Sunday emphasizes the contrast between the great 
 Easter solemnity and the Sunday which ends the 
 octave. 
 
 2. This Sunday is also called Quasimodi genti 
 (like newly born), because the Introit of the Mass 
 begins with these words. Every day during the 
 octave prayers are said for the newly baptised, and 
 on the last day of the octave they are admonished, 
 like the newly born, to long for the milk of heavenly 
 wisdom, that they may grow up in the living faith, 
 conquer the flesh and thereby obtain the peace of 
 heaven. This admonition applies to all the faithful, 
 for after a fast of forty days, and after a true 
 celebration of Easter, by receiving Holy Commun- 
 ion worthily, all Christians should be spiritually born 
 anew. 
 
 3. It is customary in many places to have First 
 Holy Communion on Low Sunday, and as a rule 
 this is accompanied by a renewal of baptismal vows. 
 This is a ceremony of great importance for children, 
 as well as impressive and instructive for their elders. 
 When the communicants, clothed in white, with 
 lighted tapers, approach the holy table, how forcibly 
 it admonishes us also to receive Holy Communion 
 with pure hearts penetrated with faith, hope and 
 charity. Let it remind us of our first Holy Com- 
 munion, and the resolutions we then made. 
 
76 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 1 
 
 rated! i 
 
 In former times Christians publicly celebrated 
 the anniversary of their baptism. We should never 
 forget our baptismal day, but ever remember its 
 graces and blessings with gratitude, and often renew 
 our baptismal vows. 
 
 COMMEMORATIONS. 
 
 1. With Low Sunday the proximate subsequent 
 commemoration of Easter closes ; the remote subse- 
 quent commemoration lasts until the close of the 
 octave of Ascension. This time reminds us of the 
 forty days which Christ spent upon earth after His 
 resurrection, in order to further instruct His dis- 
 ciples and confirm them in the faith. Easter joy 
 still continues during this period, as is shown in all 
 the devotions and feasts of the Church ; it tends to 
 elevate the heart of every good Christian. 
 
 2. The Easter Cycle really closes with the 
 octave of Ascension, but not the Easter joy; the 
 Alleluia and the Antiphon, ''Regina coeli laetare'' 
 (Queen of Heaven rejoice), remain even through 
 the octave of Pentecost, because Pentecost, the com- 
 ing of the Holy Ghost, completes the work of 
 Christ's redemption upon earth. Christ, it is true, 
 had by His ascension withdrawn His visible pres- 
 ence from us, but He withdrew^ to send us the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 «• 
 
Rogation Days. 77 
 
 ROGATION DAYS. 
 
 1. Even in the earliest times of Christianity, we 
 find where one or more communities under the guid- 
 ance of their spiritual directors went in procession, 
 praying and singing psalms, to an appointed place 
 to perform solemn devotional exercises. These pro- 
 cessions were held sometimes on special occasions, 
 sometimes on certain days of the year ; to the latter, 
 we class the procession of St. Mark's day and the 
 Rogation days. 
 
 2. The procession of St. Mark's day is said 
 to have been instituted by Pope Gregory the Great 
 at the time when, in consequence of a great inunda- 
 tion, a pestilence was raging in Rome and vicinity. 
 The symptoms of this dread disease were, yawning 
 or sneezing until the victim dropped dead. Hence 
 originated the custom of saying ''God bless you'' 
 when one sneezes ; also of making the sign of the 
 cross on the mouth when yawning. To ward ofif this 
 terrible disease Pope Gregory commanded a solemn 
 procession to be held, and appointed it to be solem- 
 nized yearly on the 25th of April ; it must have been, 
 however, an ancient custom, but only became gen- 
 eral on the occasion oi the pestilence. In the begin- 
 ning of spring, when all nature awakes, this proces- 
 sion is held to beseech Almighty God to avert vari- 
 ous natural calamities — -the dangers of drouth, 
 storm and tempest. The faithful having been recon- 
 ciled to God at Easter, now beg to be reconciled 
 with nature, in order to receive not the curse of sin 
 
78 Second or Paschal Cycle. 
 
 resting upon it through the fall of Adam, but in- 
 stead the blessings of our heavenly Father. This 
 procession then is really the celebration of the res- 
 urrection of nature. It is placed upon the 25th of 
 April, being the first day upon which Easter cannot 
 occur ; for the spiritual resurrection must be accom- 
 plished before the curse of sin can be taken from 
 nature. The Feast of St. Mark, celebrated on this 
 day, is of much later origin and has no connection 
 with it. 
 
 3. On the three days preceding the Feast of the 
 Ascension, processions are also held, therefore this 
 week is called ''Rogation Week," from the Latin 
 ''rogare" — to ask or to pray. The holy bishop Ma- 
 mertus of Vienne, France, was the first to introduce 
 these processions towards the close of the fifth cen- 
 tury to avert various temporal calamities; they 
 found imitation in France, then gradually through- 
 out Christendom. Formerly these days were days 
 of fast and abstinence, as well as of rest from 
 servile work. 
 
 4. These processions have a twofold object, 
 namely, to be reconciled with God by penance, and 
 by prayer to obtain new graces and benefits. Our 
 prayers should be for temporal and spiritual bless- 
 ings : the prosperity of the harvest, preservation 
 from evil, the love of God and freedom from sin. 
 All these requests are contained in the Litany 
 of the Saints, which is prayed on these days, 
 either in the church or in the processions. The 
 
Ascension Day. 79 
 
 special Mass for these days is read in violet, the pen- 
 itential color, and is intended to increase the confi- 
 dence of the faithful, and to enhance the efficacy of 
 their prayers. 
 
 5. Processions may be held on other extraor- 
 dinary occasions to avert great calamities ; their 
 celebration is the same as those of Rogation week. 
 
 ASCENSION DAY. 
 
 1. This feast is of apostolic origin and is cele- 
 brated forty days after Easter (on Thursday), be- 
 cause Christ ascended into heaven from Mount Oli- 
 vet forty days after His resurrection. The Son of 
 God had accompHshed His mission in this world; 
 He now returns triumphant and victorious over 
 death and hell, to His heavenly Father. With Him 
 ascend the souls of the Just detained in Limbo 
 ardently longing for this day. Heaven is again 
 opened ; Christ has established His Church on earth 
 and prepared her for the coming of the Holy Ghost, 
 whom He is to send. 
 
 2. Like Mary and the disciples, who saw Christ 
 ascend into heaven, and ardently longed to follow 
 Him, so should we, on this day, awaken a great 
 longing for our heavenly home. 
 
 3. The Paschal candle which has been lit at all 
 solemn Divine Services since Easter is extinguished 
 on this day after the Gospel, and lit no more during 
 the services. This typifies the withdrawal of Christ's 
 visible presence from His Church. 
 
80 vSkc'ond or Paschai. Cycle. 
 
 OTHER FEASTS 
 
 which belong to the subsequent commemoration 
 of Easter. 
 
 1. The feasts of some of the instruments of the 
 Passion of our Lord, viz : the feast of the Lance 
 and Nails which falls on the Friday after Low 
 Sunday (if it has not been celebrated during Lent) ; 
 the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross on the 
 3d of May, and the Feast of the Crown of Thorns 
 on the 5th of May. 
 
 These instruments of the Passion are trophies of 
 the victory of Christ, therefore triumphant feasts of 
 the arisen Redeemer. 
 
 Feasts of our Lord's particular sufTerings, or 
 instruments of His Passion, are celebrated on the 
 F^ridays in Lent, e. g. : the feast of the Crown of 
 Thorns ; the Flagellation ; the five, Wounds, the 
 Precious Blood. 
 
 2. No feast of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated 
 during the Paschal season, because Mary is so inti- 
 mately united with her newly risen Divine Son, 
 that her life forms, as it were, one with His. 
 
 3. On the contrary we celebrate the Feast of the 
 Patronage of St. Joseph on the third Sunday after 
 Easter. While St. Joseph could not be a witness of 
 Christ's Passion, he has now become a witness of 
 His triumph. With his divine Foster-Son he enters 
 heaven never more to leave His side, and there, by 
 his powerful intercession, becomes the foster-father 
 of mankind. 
 
Other Feasts. 81 
 
 4. Besides these feasts we find in this season the 
 feasts of many martyrs, as well as that of the Evan- 
 gelist St. Mark and the Apostles Philip and James, 
 who also suffered martyrdom. 
 
 The martyrs imitated most perfectly the love of 
 our Redeemer. Christ died for love of man, the 
 martyrs died for love of God. If, then, Easter 
 reminds us of the infinite love of Jesus Christ, so 
 the feasts of the martyrs should remind us of that 
 ardent reciprocal love, which makes us always ready 
 to sacrifice everything, even life itself, for love of 
 God. 
 
« 
 
 THIRD FESTAL CYCLE. 
 
 1. The third Festal C}xle is the season of Pente- 
 cost, which embraces the time from Ascension to the 
 first Sunday of Advent. Pentecost forms the cen 
 tral point of this festal cycle. The octave of Ascen- 
 sion, as well as the feast itself, belongs, it is true, to 
 the Easter season, but with it begins also the prepa- 
 ration for Pentecost, for it reminds us of the time 
 when the Apostles were at Jerusalem preparing for 
 the coming of the Holy Ghost. This octave with 
 the Friday preceding Pentecost forms the remote 
 preparation, the vigil is the proximate preparation. 
 The octave of Pentecost is the proximate subsequent 
 commemoration ; with the Feast of Trinity Sunday 
 begins the remote subsequent commemoration, 
 which lasts until Advent. 
 
 2. The Pentecost Cycle represents Christ to us 
 as King. The work of redemption is accomplished, 
 the kingdom of God is established upon earth. Tri- 
 umphantly the Son of God enters into heaven, lead- 
 ing the just, whom He has released from Limbo. In 
 heaven He is enthroned at the right hand of His 
 Father ; thence He sent the Holy Ghost to extend 
 His kingdom on earth, which was to continue until 
 the end of time. 
 
Preparation. 83 
 
 3. The Holy Ghost not only maintains and prop- 
 agates the Church, but also pours His gifts individ- 
 ually into the hearts of those who have begun 
 to live a supernatural life and are free from sin. 
 It should be the duty of every Christian in this festal 
 cycle to implore the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and in 
 return to correspond faithfully with these graces, 
 so that he may gather abundant merits for eternity 
 and always be ready to meet his eternal Judge. 
 
 PREPARATION. 
 
 I. After His resurrection, Christ frequently 
 made known to His Apostles that He was about to 
 leave them and that He would then send them the 
 Paraclete, and thus sought to prepare them for Pen- 
 tecost. The Apostles were to rejoice not only at the 
 resurrection of their Master but were also to be 
 made susceptible of the graces imparted by the gifts 
 of the Holy Ghost. The time therefore between 
 Easter and Pentecost has a twofold interpretation : 
 on the one hand, as being the subsequent commemo- 
 ration of Easter, on the other hand, as a preparation 
 for Pentecost. The celebration of Easter and Pente- 
 cost is so closely united, that the Easter celebration 
 extends beyond Pentecost even to Trinity Sunday. 
 This is to signify that the Easter joy reaches its per- 
 fection only at Pentecost. From Ascension day, 
 however, the predominant thought is Pentecost, 
 therefore this time is considered the true preparation 
 for Pentecost. 
 
84 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 n 
 
 2. Like the Apostles, the faithful should en- . . 
 deavor to be recollected and practice mortification |l| 
 during the time from Ascension to Pentecost; they 
 should long ardently for the gifts of the Holy Ghost, 
 and continue to pray for them. We are especially 
 reminded of this in the Mass and Gospel of the Sun- 
 day preceding Pentecost. 
 
 3. Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost, forms the 
 proximate preparation of this festal cycle. For- 
 merly on this day solemn baptism was administered 
 the same as on Holy Saturday, therefore its celebra- 
 tion has much similarity with that of Holy Satur- 
 day. Six prophecies chosen from those of Holy Sat- 
 urday are read on this day. It was only after the 
 coming of the Holy Ghost that these prophecies 
 reached their fulfillment, and the Old Testament its 
 perfection. 
 
 Although there is no fast during the entire 
 Easter season, this vigil has been a day of fasi and 
 abstinence from the earliest times. This is to ad- 
 monish us that we should practice mortification, as 
 well as prayer, in order to become partakers of the 
 gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 PENTECOST. 
 
 I. The word Pentecost is a Greek word meaning 
 fifty, and signifies the fiftieth day after Easter. On 
 the fiftieth day after the Passover, God gave the 
 Israelites the ten commandments on Mount Sinah 
 In remembrance of this, Pentecost was celebrated in 
 
Pentecost. ^ 85 
 
 the Old Law on the fiftieth day after Easter. On 
 the fiftieth day after the resurrection of our Re- 
 deemer, the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apos- 
 tles and enkindled in their hearts a zeal that inflamed 
 the whole world. In commemoration of this event, 
 Christians celebrate Pentecost on the fiftieth day 
 after Easter. 
 
 By the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the 
 covenant between God and -His chosen people re- 
 ceived an actual outward sign ; in like manner the 
 covenant of the New Law received its consumma- 
 tion through the coming of the Holy Ghost. From 
 that time on began its development and propagation ; 
 therefore the Feast of Pentecost is justly styled the 
 birthday of our Holy Church. 
 
 2. The Feast of Pentecost introduced and cele- 
 brated by the Apostles was always considered one 
 of the greatest feasts of the Ecclesiastical Year. It 
 admonishes us to keep the Ten Commandments 
 faithfully ; for these Commandments are not to cease 
 in the New Law, but rather to be performed in a 
 more perfect manner. It reminds us of the descent 
 of the Holy Ghost, in which we became partakers 
 by the Sacrament of Confirmation. On Pentecost 
 we should specially implore the Holy Ghost to re- 
 new in our souls the graces of this sacrament. On 
 this day the Holy Ghost assumed supreme guidance 
 of the Church, and became the dispenser of divine 
 grace, therefore every faithful child should on this 
 feast offer to God a heart overflowing with gratitude 
 
86 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 for the priceless g-ift of faith, as well as for tli 
 niiiiiherless graces and henefits received through the 
 Church. 
 
 II 
 
 THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST. 
 
 \ 
 
 I. The octave of Pentecost forms the proximate 
 subsequent commemoration of the feast. The remote 
 subsequent commemoration begins with Trinity 
 Sunday and extends to Advent. In this period of 
 subsequent commemoration the Church shows the 
 working of the Holy Spirit, and how the faith is 
 wonderfully spread all over the world, dispensing 
 graces everywhere, and finally leading all faithful 
 Christians "to their eternal destiny. In the same 
 manner the Holy Ghost operates in all individual 
 hearts that are intimately united with the Church. 
 Charity is expanded, Grace is increased and our 
 claim to heaven becomes more and more assured. 
 
 2. The week after Pentecost is also Ember week, 
 in which the Church zealously exhorts us to cooper- 
 ate with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is not 
 enough that the Holy Ghost imparts His graces, we 
 must also do our part, by subduing our evil inclina- 
 tions, and through prayer and good works fructify 
 the divine grace in our souls. 
 
 3. The Sundays after Pentecost, forming the re- 
 mote subsequent commemoration, complete the Ec- 
 clesiastical Year. 
 
The Season After Pentecost. 87 
 
 On the feasts of our Lord which occur in this 
 season we no longer commemorate the deeds of His 
 life, but rather the fruits thereof. We now celebrate 
 and partake of the treasures of grace bestowed on 
 the Church by Christ which He merited by His life, 
 sufferings and death ; these form her perpetual life, 
 ornament and triumph. 
 
 On most feasts of the Blessed Virgin, of which 
 there are many in this season, we glorify Mary as 
 the Queen and Mother of the kingdom of God upon 
 earth; she is the Star of the Sea which guides the 
 Church, the Bark of Peter, into safe harbor. Other 
 feasts of the Blessed Virgin are the germ from 
 which the Ecclesiastical Year unfolds. 
 
 The feasts of the Apostles occur very appropri- 
 ately in this season, for they are the foundation upon 
 which the Church is erected and established. The 
 other Saints whose feasts occur in this season tes- 
 tify to the holiness of the Church, through whose 
 guidance they have reached the goal. Many of them 
 were active in the propagation of the faith, and in 
 establishing our holy Church. For all Christians 
 their lives serve as an encouraging example, worthy 
 of imitation. 
 
 4. This entire subsequent commemoration may 
 be divided into three parts: 
 
 ( I ) The first period comprises the Sundays after 
 Pentecost to the first Sunday of August, and com- 
 memorates the establishment and propagation of the 
 kingdom of God upon earth in the hearts of the 
 faithful, as well as in His Church. 
 
88 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 (2) The second period extends from the first 
 Sunday of August to the last Sunday of October, 
 and commemorates the interior confirmation of this 
 kingdom of God, and its activity in distributing 
 graces and blessings. 
 
 (3) The third period, finally, includes the time 
 from the last Sunday of October until Advent; it 
 places before us the accomplished work of this king- 
 dom of God. *' 
 
 TRINITY SUNDAY. 
 
 1. The Feast of Holy Trinity is not of ancient 
 origin; it was celebrated in France in the tenth 
 century, but it is only since the beginning of the 
 fourteenth century that its celebration became uni- 
 versal. This feast commemorates the mysteries of 
 Christmas, Easter and Pentecost collectively; it 
 shows us, as it were, at a glance, the infinite love 
 of the three Divine Persons for mankind, in order 
 to excite an ardent reciprocal love in man. 
 
 2. This feast divides the entire Ecclesiastical 
 Year into two parts. The first part celebrates the 
 work of the Redemption, the second the fruits of 
 the Redemption. The first part shows us the foun- 
 dation of the kingdom of God upon earth, the sec- 
 ond part show^s the continuation of the w^ork of Re- 
 demption m the Church. The Feast of Trinity Sun- 
 day may be called the keystone of the first part 
 and the cornerstone of the second part of the year. 
 
Corpus Christi 89 
 
 3. We should, on this day, reflect especially on 
 the fundamental mysteries of our holy religion ; 
 namely, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, in Whose 
 name we are baptized, and receive all the other Sac- 
 raments. We should thank the three Divine Persons 
 particularly for the greatest blessings bestov^ed upon 
 us ; namely, the Creation, Redemption, and Sanctifi- 
 cation, and at the same time ardently implore the 
 divine assistance, that we may be found worthy to 
 obtain these benefits and by them our eternal salva- 
 tion. 
 
 4. Although this feast is of such great signifi- 
 cance, still it is celebrated as a feast of the second 
 class, because this mystery is kept before our eyes 
 the whole year through ; we acknowledge our faith 
 in it daily, every time we make the sign of the 
 Cross, or say the Gloria Patri. 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI. 
 
 1. The words Corpus Christi, in Latin, mean 
 the Body of Christ; for in this feast we celebrate 
 the goodness of God in leaving us His Body and 
 Blood in the Blessed Sacrament to be our food and 
 drink. 
 
 2. From the time of the Apostles the memory of 
 the institution of the Blessed Sacrament was always 
 celebrated on Holy Thursday. But the Church is 
 occupied on that day in meditation upon the Pas- 
 sion of Christ, and in mourning, therefore a proper 
 
90 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 celebration of this mystery at that time is not pos- 
 sible. God, Who generally makes use of some weak 
 instrument to accomplish His designs, revealed to 
 a poor nun in Liege, Blessed Juliana, that a special 
 feast should be set apart in honor of the Blessed 
 Sacrament. In consequence of this, the Feast of 
 Corpus Christi was introcfuced into the diocese of 
 Liege in the year 1246, and Pope Urban the IV. in 
 1264 extended this feast to the entire Church, and 
 commanded it to be celebrated on the first Thurs- 
 day after Trinity Sunday. 
 
 3. While the Church on Holy Thursday cele- 
 brates only a simple commemoration of the institu- 
 tion of the Blessed Sacrament, on Corpus Christi 
 the Blessed Sacrament is especially glorified as the 
 center of the Church's worship and solemnities. 
 Therefore the time for the celebration of this feast 
 is very appropriately chosen. Pentecost is the 
 birthday of the Church ; the Feast of the Holy Trin- 
 ity shows us the three Divine Persons Who cooper- 
 ate in protecting the Church, and in sustaining it to 
 the end of time. The Feast of Corpus Christi is 
 the fountain source of the Church. It is the Ark 
 of the Covenant of the New Testament, in which 
 God Himself dwells. It is the heart of the Church, 
 from which life flows every moment into all its 
 living members. 
 
 4. Corpus Christi is characterized by the pro- 
 cession held on this day. In this procession the 
 Sacred Host is carried in a monstrance beneath a 
 
Corpus Christi. 91 
 
 canopy; flowers are strewn on the way and censers 
 swung; four altars of repose are beautifully deco- 
 rated with lights and flowers in honor of the Blessed 
 Sacrament ; at each of these altars, signifying the 
 four quarters of the world, Benediction is given. 
 This solemn ceremony is generally terminated by the 
 Te Deum in the Church. 
 
 5. The Corpus Christi procession is full of sig- 
 nificance : 
 
 (i) The Church professes thereby publicly and 
 solemnly her belief in the presence of Christ in the 
 Blessed Sacrament ; she announces this with a holy 
 joy to the whole world, and all the faithful partici- 
 pate in this public avowal and joyous exaltation of 
 the Church. 
 
 (2) The Church celebrates a triumphant proces- 
 sion ; she carries her Divine Spouse in triumph to 
 show to the world, that she is the true Church 
 which Christ founded and promised to remain with, 
 unto the end of time. 
 
 (3) This procession is a public act of gratitude 
 for the innumerable graces which flow from the 
 Blessed Sacrament upon the entire Church, as well 
 as upon the faithful individually. It is also an act of 
 public atonement for the blasphemies and profani- 
 ties ofifered our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament by 
 the ingratitude of man. Every Christian should par- 
 ticipate in this act of gratitude and atonement. 
 
{)2 TiiiJU) Festal Cycle. 
 
 (4) Finally, it is a symbol of the love of the 
 Good Shepherd. He leaves His dwelling place — the 
 tabernacle — to seek His lost sheep. He goes from 
 house to house, from soul to soul, knocks and in- 
 vites all to His feast. 
 
 6. The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated 
 with a solemn octave ; during this octave the Blessed 
 Sacrament is daily exposed in the Mass ; in some 
 churches, evening service is also held with exposi 
 tion of the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 OTHER FEASTS OF OUR LORD. 
 
 I. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on 
 account of its relative significance to the Feast of 
 Corpus Christi, is celebrated on the Friday after the 
 octave of Corpus Christi. This feast had its origin 
 in the middle of the seventeenth century, in conse- 
 quence of a revelation of our Divine Lord to Mar- 
 garet Mary Alacoque of the Order of the Visitatir»n 
 (beatified in 1864 by Pope Pius the IX., and canon- 
 ized by Pope Leo XHl). After repeated investiga- 
 tion and after long wearisome conflict this feast was 
 finally instituted by Pope Clement XHL The object 
 of this feast is to bring more and more into recog- 
 nition the love of Jesus for mankind by His passion 
 and by the institution of the Blessed Sacrament ; it 
 is also an atonement for the insults oflfered Him 
 in this sacrament of love. In the beginning of the 
 last century a society having the same object was 
 established in Rome ; this society has been enriched 
 
 I 
 
Otheb Feasts of our Lord. 93 
 
 by the Popes with many privileges and indulgences, 
 and has spread all over Catholic countries. The de- 
 votion to the Sacred Heart has become so general, 
 that few parishes can be found in which a statue 
 or picture of the Sacred Heart is not exposed for 
 public veneration. 
 
 2. The Feast of the Precious Blood. This feast 
 by command of Pope Pius IX. in the year 1849 
 is celebrated on the first Sunday of July. The ob- 
 ject of this feast is to awaken greater love for our 
 Divine Redeemer, who shed His blood out of love 
 for us. In this age of unbelief and religious indiffer- 
 ence this feast certainly cannot be considered super- 
 fluous. Although a feast of Lent, it is placed in the 
 third festal cycle, because this cycle portrays the ac- 
 tive life of the Church, and reminds us thereby that 
 the blood of the Redeemer has given life to the 
 Church, and still continues to give it growth and 
 nourishment. 
 
 3. The Feast of the Transfiguration on the sixth 
 of August, which originated in the seventh century, 
 reminds us of the future of the Church, as well as 
 of Christians individually ; namely, their glorifi- 
 cation. 
 
 4. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy 
 Cross, September 14, has been celebrated since the 
 solemn erection of the Holy Cross in the new church 
 built by Bishop Macarius on Mount Calvary in the 
 year 335. Since the time of the Emperor Heraclius, 
 
94 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 in 631, who miraculously recovered and restored to 
 this church the Cross stolen by the Persians, this 
 feast has been celebrated with still greater solemnity. 
 To exalt the Cross over the whole world, and in the 
 hearts of mankind, is the mission of the Church. 
 
 5. The anniversaries of the three patriarchal 
 churches of Rome are also celebrated throughout 
 the Catholic world ; namely, August 5 the Church of 
 Our Lady of Snow, also called Maria Major; the 
 Church of the Savior or St. John Lateran, Novem- 
 ber 9, St. Peter's Church, November 18. The Pope 
 being the supreme bishop, the head of all the faith- 
 ful ; therefore the anniversary of the dedication of 
 his three principal churches in Rome is celebrated, 
 the same as the anniversary of the dedication of 
 each cathedral is celebrated throughout its respective 
 diocese. 
 
 FEASTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 
 
 In this festal cycle the following feasts of the 
 Blessed Virgin occur : 
 
 I. The Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 
 May 24. It was instituted by Pope Pius VII. 
 (71823) as a feast of thanksgiving for the miracu- 
 lous help, which Mary had so often obtained for the 
 Church in time of affliction and distress. It is at the 
 same time a feast of supplication, whereby we im- 
 plore Mary, the help of Christians, to always obtain 
 victory for the Church and for her children in all 
 their combats. 
 
 t 
 
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 95 
 
 2. The Feast of the Visitation, July 2d, was in- 
 stituted at the close of the fourteenth century, that, 
 through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, the 
 schism then prevailing might cease, and peace be 
 restored to the Church. Pius IX. raised it to a feast 
 of the second class, to thank Mary for his return 
 to Rome, from whence he had been driven by the 
 Revolution. According to its origin, this feast is a 
 feast of peace, on which we should implore Mary to 
 obtain by her intercession peace for the Church as 
 well as for her faithful children. According to the 
 mystery celebrated on this day, it serves as a prep- 
 aration for the approaching Ecclesiastical Year. 
 
 3. The Feast of Mount Carmel (Our Lady of 
 the Scapular), on the i6th of July. The Mother of 
 God appeared to blessed Simon Stock, General of 
 the Carmelite Order at Cambridge, England, and 
 gave him a scapular, with the promise that everyone 
 who wore it and lived piously should escape eternal 
 death, should experience her protection in times of 
 danger, and should be speedily released from Pur- 
 gatory. A second promise, said to have been made 
 by our Blessed Lady to Pope John -XXIL, is, that 
 those who have devoutly worn her scapular, and die 
 in the grace of God, shall be released from Purga- 
 tory on the Saturday after their death, by our 
 Blessed Lady herself. Blessed Simon Stock in 1250 
 founded the Confraternity of the Holy Scapular. For 
 over three hundred years the Church has celebrated 
 a special feast in honor of our Lady of the Scapular. 
 
96 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 This scapular consists of two pieces of brown 
 woolen cloth fastened together by braid so that one 
 piece hangs on the breast, the other on the back; 
 this must be worn night and day. There are four 
 other scapulars used in the Church ; that of the Trin- 
 ity, of white material with a red and blue cross, giv- 
 en by the Trinitarians or priests delegated by them ; 
 the Servite Scapular of the Seven Dolors, of black 
 woolen stuff ; that of the Immaculate Conception, of 
 light blue woolen cloth, propagated by Ursula Ben- 
 incasa in the sixteenth century, given by the Theati- 
 nes, who governed the Congregation to which this 
 nun belonged ; the red scapular of the Passion, orig- 
 inated by a Sister of Charity at Paris, who is said to 
 have received a revelation on the matter in 1846; it 
 is given by the Vincentian Fathers. All of these 
 Confraternities are designed to promote prayer, and 
 other good works in their members. 
 
 Any one may be enrolled in these Confraternities 
 either by a priest of the respective Orders or by 
 any other priest duly authorized. In this country it 
 is customary for the bishops to give all their priests 
 the faculty of investing with the brown scapular of 
 Mount Carmel. Whatever formulas were heretofore 
 permitted for investing with the scapular must now _, 
 give way to the one prescribed by Pope Leo XIIL,ij 
 July 24, 1888. 
 
 Whoever is invested with one or more of these 
 scapulars, participates in all the merits of the Order 
 to which the scapular belongs, and partakes of all 
 the indulgences with which the respective scapular 
 is endowed. 
 
Feast of Portitjncula. 97 
 
 4. On the 2d of August occurs the Feast of 
 Portiuncula — Church of St. Mary's of the Angels, 
 at Assisi, one of the three churches which were 
 repaired by St. Francis. It takes its name from a 
 neighboring village, called Portiuncula. According 
 to a common tradition Jesus Christ appeared to St. 
 Francis in 1221, and bade him go to the Pope, who 
 would give a plenary indulgence to all sincere peni- 
 tents who should devoutly visit that Church. Two 
 years later Pope Honorius III., at the request of St. 
 Francis, granted this indulgence, known in Italy, as 
 the Pardon of Assisi, confining it to the 2d of Aug- 
 ust, and to the Church of the Portiuncula. Gregory 
 the XV., 1622, extended it to all the churches of the 
 observant Franciscans, including the Recollects or 
 Reformed, between the first Vespers and sunset of 
 August 2d. In favor of these same churches, Inno- 
 cent XL in 1678 granted the application of this in- 
 dulgence to the souls in Purgatory. Finally the in- 
 dulgence of the Portiuncula can be gained in all 
 churches in which the Third Order of St. Francis is 
 canonically established, and it has been extended 
 even to parish churches in countries where there are 
 no Franciscan convents. A peculiarity of this indul- 
 gence is, that, after receiving the Sacraments, it can 
 be gained as often as one visits the church and prays 
 according to the intention of the Church. 
 
 5. The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed 
 Virgin Mary, August 15. It is called Assumption 
 because it is the belief of the Church that the Blessed 
 Virgin did not, like her Divine Son, by her own 
 
98 Third Festjli. Cycle. 
 
 power, ascend into heaven, but by a special grace 
 of God was assumed, body and soul, into heaven. 
 Although it has never been declared an article of 
 faith (dogma), still this has been, at all times, the 
 universal belief of the Saints, Fathers and of all the 
 writers of the Church. 
 
 t 
 
 This feast is one of the oldest in the Ecclesias- 
 tical Year. At first it was celebrated in several 
 churches on the i8th of January, but since the sixth 
 century it has been celebrated throughout the 
 Church on the 15th of August. It has always been 
 regarded as the crowning feast of the Mother of 
 God, wherefore in many countries this day is called 
 ''Great Lady Day." It is the only feast of the 
 Blessed Virgin which has been celebrated from the 
 earliest times, as a feast of the first class with vigil 
 and fast. 
 
 After the ascension of her Divine Son, Mary re- 
 mained a longer time upon the earth, consoling and 
 assisting the Apostles in propagating the faith. But 
 after the Church had taken firm root and had begun 
 to be spread over all countries of the earth, Mary 
 was taken up into heaven to be crowned Queen of 
 Heaven and Earth. Since then she has remained 
 Protectress of the Church and the Help of Chris- 
 tians. On this day Mary is hailed as the Queen of 
 Heaven and Earth ; raised above all the Angels and 
 Saints, whence by her intercession she diffuses 
 graces and blessings upon all mankind. 
 
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 99 
 
 6. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, September 8. 
 This feast originated in the Eastern Church, in the 
 middle of the fifth century after the Council of 
 Ephesus in 431. Later it was also admitted into the 
 Western Church, and it is only since the beginning 
 of the eleventh century that it has been universally 
 celebrated. 
 
 The Church does not celebrate the nativity of 
 any saint, excepting that of the Blessed Virgin and 
 St. John the Baptist. All the other saints were 
 born in original sin, and therefore separated from 
 God, consequently the Church has no reason to cele- 
 brate these days as days of joy. On the contrary she 
 celebrates the day of their death, as the birthday of 
 eternal life. 
 
 7. The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, on the 
 Sunday following the Nativity of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin. This feast was, at first, celebrated only in 
 Spain, but when John Sobieski, the Polish king, 
 after invoking the intercession of Mary, routed the 
 Turkish forces with only a handful of troops and 
 raised the siege of Vienna in 1683, Pope Innocent 
 XL, in gratitude for this signal victory, extended 
 this feast to the whole Church. 
 
 Although the name of Mary was not celebrated by 
 a special feast, still this name had always been held 
 in great veneration. Even the early Fathers of the 
 Church endeavored to explain the significance of 
 this name. Bitterness, Star of the Sea, Powerful 
 Lady, are the common interpretations of the mean- 
 
J' 
 
 100 TuiRD Festal Cycle. 
 
 iiig. Formerly it was not permitted to give a girl 
 the name of Mary, out of respect to the Blessed 
 Virgin. In the Church of God upon earth, the 
 name of Mary is praised by all nations, as the 
 Blessed Virgin herself prophesies in her canticle, 
 ''Magnificat. " The fulfillment of this prophecy is an- 
 nounced by the Feast of the Name of Mary. In all 
 dangers and temptations, we should call with con- 
 fidence on the name of Mary, and we shall experi- 
 ence how powerful that name is. 
 
 8. The Feast of the Seven Dolors is again ccle' 
 brated on the third Sunday in September, to show 
 us that Mary through her innate participation in 
 the sufiferings of Jesus, became the mother of man- 
 kind, and patroness of the Church. The Mother of 
 Sorrows admonishes us on this feast to bear our suf- 
 ferings with patience and resignation, and thereby 
 obtain the everlasting joys of heaven. 
 
 9. The Feast of the Holy Rosary, on the first 
 Sunday in October. On the 7th of October, 1571, 
 the Christians under Don John of Austria obtained 
 a glorious victory over the Turks at Lepanto ; this 
 event occurred on the same day that the Confrater- 
 nity of the Rosary was holding a solemn procession 
 in Rome, and offering special devotions to obtain a 
 victory over the Infidel. In gratitude for this extra- 
 ordinary victory, which was attributed to Mary's in- 
 tercession. Pope Pius V. instituted this feast, which 
 after repeated victories over the Turks, in the begin- 
 ning of the last century, 1716, was permanently 
 established on the first Sunday in October. 
 
 Ji 
 
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 101 
 
 The recitation of the rosary is for the laity what 
 the Breviary is for the clergy. As the Breviary is 
 composed of the 150 psalms of David, so the Rosary 
 contains 150 Hail Marys. Therefore the entire 
 Rosary is often called the Psalter of Mary. We 
 never tire of repeating words that come from the 
 depths of the heart. Our Lord in His agony did 
 this in the Garden of Gethsemane on Mount Olivet. 
 David in his psalm, CXXXV., exclaims no less than 
 twenty-seven times : ''His mercy endureth forever" ; 
 and St. Francis of Assisi spent whole nights repeat- 
 ing the words: ''My God and my All." The devout 
 servants of Mary used to address her frequently in 
 the words of the Archangel, adding one Hail Mary 
 after another as one places roses in a wreath. 
 
 The hermits of the first century who could not 
 read the psalter were wont to recite one Our Father 
 and one Hail Mary instead of every psalm, and in 
 order to note the number they had said made use of 
 small pebbles, or a row of little balls strung on a 
 cord. The Hail Mary presents to us the Incarnation 
 of Christ, whence all the mysteries of our redemp- 
 tion proceed. 
 
 The Rosary is divided into fifteen decades, the 
 mysteries being arranged in three sets of five each, 
 corresponding to the three great divisions of our 
 Lord's life ; His infancy and youth ; His Passion 
 and death ; and His Resurrection and glory. 
 
 We begin the Rosary with the Creed and three 
 Hail Marys, for the increase within us of the three 
 theological virtues. While reciting the Rosary 
 
102 Third Festal Cycle. f 
 
 every one should touch the beads as he says the 
 prayers ; but if several persons join in saying it, it 
 is only necessary for one to hold the rosary to regu- 
 late the number of prayers. This form of prayer 
 must be most pleasing to the Blessed Virgin, for 
 when she appeared to Bernedette at Lourdes, she 
 held a rosary in her hand (1858). Pope Pius IX. 
 says: 'T specially recommend the devotion of the 
 Rosary for it was taught us by the Mother of God 
 herself, and it is far more pleasing to her than any 
 other (1877)." 
 
 The Rosary in its present form owes its origin 
 to St. Dominic ; although the idea was not original 
 with him, still he w^as the first to make the custom 
 general of substituting one hundred and fifty Hail 
 Marys for the one hundred and fifty psalms. When 
 about the year 1200 the heresies of the Albigenses 
 wrought great mischief in Southern France and 
 Northern Italy, St. Dominic was commissioned by 
 the Pope to preach in refutation of their erroneous 
 tenets. As his efforts availed but little, he then 
 had recourse to the Mother of God ; she appeared 
 to him and said: * 'Treach the Rosary, which is 
 a shield against the shafts of the enemy, the ram- 
 part of the Church of God, and the Book of 
 Life. . . . Exhort everyone to be devout to 
 the Rosary, and thou shalt produce w^onderful fruit 
 in souls.'' Bravely he introduced it everywhere and 
 before long, it had effected the conversion of more 
 than a hundred thousand heretics. 
 
 * Lambing: "The Sacramentals," 
 
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 103 
 
 The Rosary has been richly indulgenced by the 
 Holy See, and its recital has been strongly urged 
 upon the faithful. Leo XIII. has granted an indul- 
 gence of seven years and seven quarantines each 
 time one assists at the recitation of the Rosary, 
 commanded to be said during the month of October. 
 Pope Pius IX. bequeathed as a legacy to the faithful 
 this admonition : ''Let the Rosary, this simple, beau- 
 tiful method of prayer, enriched with many indul- 
 gences, be habitually recited of an evening in every 
 household. These are my last words to you : the 
 memorial I leave behind me.'' Again he said: 'Tn 
 the whole of the Vatican there is no greater treasure 
 than the Rosary.''* 
 
 There are three forms of blessing by which in- 
 dulgences are attached to beads: The Dominican, 
 the Bridgetine, and the Papal or Apostolic. It is 
 natural to expect that the Dominicans should have 
 special privileges in the matter of blessing rosaries, 
 and so it is, according to the decrees of several Sov- 
 ereign Pontiffs. 
 
 So numerous are the indulgences attached to the 
 recitation of the Rosary that no attempt will be made 
 to state them here; the reader is recommended to 
 simply form an intention, while reciting the beads, to 
 gain all the indulgences within his reach. 
 
 As to the Bridgetine Rosary, this chaplet is so 
 called because it was introduced by St. Bridget of 
 Sweden, who died at Rome in the year 1373. She 
 conceived the idea of commemorating by a set form 
 
104 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 of prayer the sixty-three years that our Blessed 
 Mother is said to have hved on earth. In her chap- 
 let she made six divisions, each division comprising 
 ten Hail Marys, preceded by the Our Father, and 
 followed by the Apostles' Creed. The whole prayer 
 was concluded by one Our Father and three Hail 
 Marys. Thus the Hail Mary is said sixty-three times. 
 The Bridgetine chaplet should have six decades. To 
 gain the indulgences of the chaplet of St. Bridget it 
 is not necessary to meditate on the mysteries of our 
 Lord and the Blessed Virgin. No formula is re- 
 quired for blessing the beads, it is sufficient that the 
 priest merely makes the sign of the Cross over them 
 without saying a word, and without sprinkling them 
 with Holy Water. Although priests in general have 
 faculties for blessing Bridgetine chaplets, few per- 
 sons really obtain the indulgence. To obtain all the 
 indulgences with which the Bridgetine chaplet is 
 endowed, it is necessary to have a chaplet of six 
 decades and to terminate each decade with the 
 Apostles' Creed. But if the rosary of five, ten 
 or fifteen decades has been blessed by a Domin- 
 ican, or by a priest having faculties to give the 
 Dominican blessing, not only the Rosary indul- 
 gences, but also all the indulgences conceded to the 
 chaplet of St. Bridget may be gained by virtue of the 
 decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, 
 April 13, 1726, approved by Benedict XIII. This 
 privilege is not true of other beads or chaplets.* 
 
 *See Lambing and Spirago. 
 
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 105 
 
 10. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, No- 
 vember 21, has been celebrated in the Western 
 Church only since the fourteenth century (1374), 
 but in the Eastern Church at a much earlier period. 
 It is an ancient tradition that the Blessed Virgin 
 was, when about three years old, solemnly oifered to 
 God in the temple. 
 
 By this feast we are admonished to imitate the 
 example of the Blessed Virgin, and dedicate our 
 lives to the service of God ; also' to implore her inter- 
 cession, especially at the hour of death. 
 
 11. Besides the above mentioned feasts of the 
 Blessed Virgin, there are several others of minor im- 
 portance celebrated in this season : viz., the Feast of 
 St. Mary ad Nives (of the Snow), August 5; Our 
 Lady of Mercy, for the Ransom of Captives; Sep- 
 tember 24 ; Feast of' the Maternity of the Blessed 
 Virgin on the second Sunday in October ; Purity of 
 the Blessed Virgin Mary, the third Sunday in Octo- 
 ber ; the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, sec- 
 ond Sunday in November. 
 
 Mary is truly the Help of Christians, the princi- 
 pal protectress of the Church of God upon earth. 
 Through her intercession Christianity is spread more 
 and more, and protected against its enemies ; there- 
 fore we celebrate so many feasts of the Blessed 
 Virgin in this last festal cycle. 
 
1 
 
 100 Third Febtal Cycle. 
 
 FEASTS OF THE ANGELS AND SAINTS 
 
 1. The Feast of the Nativity of St. John the 
 Baptist, June 24, belongs to the oldest feasts of the 
 Church. The nativity of this Saint is celebrated 
 because at his birth he was free from orip^inal sin, 
 and by the miracles that occurred at his birth he an- 
 nounced the coming- Redeemer. 
 
 On account of its significance this feast might, 
 very appropriately, be placed at the beginning of the 
 Ecclesiastical Year ; nevertheless, it is more fittingly 
 placed at the beginning of the third festal cycle. 
 St. John the Baptist, the Precursor of our Lord, 
 preached penance to prepare the people for the com- 
 ing of the Messiah, and so should he now move 
 our hearts to contrition and penance, that we may, 
 as living members of our Holy Church, serve the 
 Redeemer. In ancient times this feast was preceded 
 by a forty days' fast; this was later mitigated to 
 three weeks, and finally abolished altogether. 
 
 The Nativity of St. John the Baptist is celebrated 
 at a time when the days begin to shorten ; on the con- 
 trary the birth of our Lord is celebrated when the 
 days begin to lengthen. According to St. Augustine 
 the meaning of this is, as St. John himself says: 
 ''He must increase, while I must decrease.'' 
 
 2. The Feast of SS. Peter and Paul has been cel- 
 ebrated since the earliest times on the 29th of June. 
 According to the general tradition, this day is the 
 anniversary of the death of these Apostles. This 
 feast is very solemnly celebrated, because it belongs 
 
Feasts of the Angels and Saints. 107 
 
 to the two greatest Apostles, who distinguished 
 themselves the most by their zeal ; it is specially cel- 
 ebrated as the foundation of the Catholic Hierarchy, 
 being also a celebration of the Papal Primacy at 
 Rome. Peter appointed by Christ, Head of the 
 Church and keeper of the keys suffered martyrdom 
 at Rome, and bequeathed the primacy of the holy 
 Church to his successor. The Mass and Office of 
 this day refer particularly to Peter as the Prince 
 of the Apostles, the Head of the Church; on the 
 following day, however, the Feast of St. Paul is 
 celebrated. These two Apostles are so intimately 
 united, that a feast of the one is never celebrated 
 without a commemoration of the other. As these 
 Apostles were attached to each other in life, always 
 animated with the same zeal, and unwearied in their 
 labors for the propagation of the Gospel, and the 
 Church of Christ, so they suffered martyrdom on the 
 same day at Rome, and since then their memory is 
 celebrated on the same day. Although only Peter 
 was chosen by Christ to be the Head of the Church, 
 still St. Paul is called, like him, Prince of the 
 Apostles. Paul, who was often called the Apostle 
 of the Gentiles, contributed most to the spread of 
 Christianity, especially among the Heathen nations. 
 If we consider St. Peter the cornerstone of the 
 Church, we must admit that St. Paul was the chief 
 laborer in its construction. Therefore we justly 
 honor them as the chief mainstays of the Church — 
 as the Princes of the Apostles. This feast occurs 
 most appropriately in the fore part of the third 
 
108 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 festal cycle, because it presents to ns the foundation 
 of the Church and its development. It is very sol- 
 emnly celebrated in Rome, and on this day the Holy 
 Father bestows his blessing" upon the whole Chris- 
 tian world. We, also, on this day should remember 
 with joy that we are children of the Apostolic 
 Church, and renew our resolution of openly profess- 
 ing our faith at all times. 
 
 3. In this festal cycle, some other feasts of the 
 Apostles are celebrated, viz. : 
 
 (i) The Feast of St. James the Greater, on the 
 25th of July. It is the day of the translation of his 
 relics, but not the day of his death ; he suffered mar- 
 tyrdom about Easter. 
 
 (2) The Feast of St. Peter's Chains on the first 
 of August ; it is of very ancient origin, and is cele- 
 brated in commemoration of the chains which Peter 
 wore at Jerusalem, and later at Rome ; they are still 
 preserved. 
 
 (3) The Feast of St. Bartholomew, August 24. 
 
 (4) The Feast of St. Matthew, September 21. 
 
 (5) The Feast of the Apostles, SS. Simon and 
 Jude, October 28. 
 
 These feasts of the Apostles orig-inated ,in the 
 first Christian centuries, and remind us of the burn- 
 ing zeal with which the Apostles labored in the estab- 
 lishment and propagation of the Church, and shed 
 their blood for Christ. 
 
Feasts of the Angels and Saints. 109 
 
 4. The Feast of the Archangel Michael, Septem- 
 ber 29, occurs very appropriately in this season, for 
 St. Michael is the guardian of the whole Church. This 
 feast probably originated in the fourth century, in 
 the time of Constantine the Great, who built a church 
 at Byzantium, in honor of St. Michael. At first this 
 feast was not in commemoration of St. Michael 
 alone, but of the Angels in general. It was only in 
 the beginning of the sixteenth century, that the 
 faithful began to celebrate a special Feast of the 
 Guardian Angels; in 1670, the 2d of October was 
 set apart for its celebration. In Eastern lands it is 
 celebrated on the first Sunday of September. How 
 beautiful is this feast of the Holy Angels ! How 
 vividly it reminds the faithful of the powerful pro- 
 tection of the Heavenly Spirits, under whose watch- 
 ful guidance we are shielded from numberless dan- 
 gers of soul and body from childhood to the grave. 
 The faithful Christian, therefore, will show his grat- 
 itude to the Holy Angels, by recommending himself 
 anew to their further protection and thus strengthen 
 his faith in their invisible presence. 
 
 5. The Feast of All Saints, on the ist of Novem- 
 ber, was celebrated as early as the fourth century 
 by the Greeks, who kept a feast of all the martyrs 
 and saints, on the first Sunday after Pentecost ; and 
 we still possess a sermon delivered on that day by 
 St. Chrysostom. In the West, this feast was intro- 
 duced by Pope Boniface IV. after he had dedicated, 
 as the Church of the Blessed Virgin and the Mar- 
 tyrs, the Pantheon, which had been made over to 
 
110 Thikd Festal Cycle. 
 
 him by the Emperor Phocas. The feast of this dedi- 
 cation was kept oil the thirteenth of May. About 
 731 Gregory 111. consecrated a chapel in St. Peter's 
 church in honor of all the saints, from which time 
 All Saints' Day has been kept in Rome, as now, on 
 the first of November. From about the middle of 
 the ninth century the feast came into general observ- 
 ance throughout the West. It ranks as a double of 
 the first class, with an octave. 
 
 That none of the elect might be omitted in the 
 honor and veneration due them, this feast was estab- 
 lished. During the course of the year the Church 
 offers for our contemplation the feast of one saint 
 after another, but on this day she shows us the 
 heavens opened and the countless multitude of the 
 Elect from all nations, races and states of life. The 
 Church celebrates her harvest feast on this day, 
 showing herself the true Qiurch that leads her 
 children to eternal bliss. The true Christian, espe- 
 cially should feel on this day that he also is created 
 for heaven. The sight of so many saints that were 
 once human, like himself, enlivens the hope within 
 him of reaching his eternal goal. Renewed courage 
 and strength invigorates his heart. Penetrated with 
 a lively faith in the Communion of Saints, he confi- 
 dently calls upon the inhabitants of heaven for their 
 powerful assistance. 
 
 By far the greater number of the Elect who have 
 attained to the beatific vision are unknown to us. 
 The Church honors only those as saints who either 
 
Feasts of the Angels and Saints. Ill 
 
 have suffered martyrdom, or whose sanctity has been 
 indisputably confirmed. In former times bishops 
 could declare a deceased person worthy of veneraT 
 tion, but now this right is reserved exclusively for the 
 Pope. For this purpose the Church has established 
 an exceedingly strict and deliberate process, which 
 usually develops into three degrees, — that of Vener- 
 able, Blessed, and Saint. The first step of the pro- 
 cess is a formal inquiry as to whether the deceased 
 practiced the virtues in an heroic degree. If this is 
 attested in the affirmative, then the deceased is de- 
 clared venerable. The second degree is that of beat- 
 ification. The person who is to be beatified must 
 have practiced, in the heroic degree, chiefly, the three 
 theological virtues, — Faith, Hope and Charity, and 
 the four cardinal virtues, — Prudence, Justice, Forti- 
 tude and Temperance, with all that these suppose 
 and involve. It must also be proved that four or at 
 least two miracles have been wrought by the inter- 
 cession of the person whose virtues are under debate ; 
 upon which the Pope declares him or her Blessed 
 (Beatus), by virtue of which a Hmited public venera- 
 tion is permitted. Canonization is the third and final 
 degree in the recognition and estimation of the vir- 
 tues of a servant of God, preparatory to his or her 
 being elevated to the altars, and commended to the 
 perpetual veneration and invocation of Christians 
 throughout the Catholic Church. Before proceeding 
 to canonization it must be proved that at least two 
 miracles have been wrought through the intercession 
 of the blessed person since the beatification. This 
 
112 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 proof is attended with the same formahties and sur- 
 rounded by the same rigorous conditions as in the 
 case of the miracles proved before beatification, 
 whereupon the Pope declares, that the servant of 
 God in question shall be inscribed on the register of 
 the Saints. Though Rome from century to century, 
 has established many miracles with the greatest judi- 
 cial rigor and exactitude still the unbelieving world 
 persist in denying, without further examination, the 
 truth of these mircales ; even going so far as to dis- 
 pute their possibility. For the thoughtful Christian, 
 these authenticated miracles are an indisputable 
 proof that the Catholic Church is the sanctifying 
 Oiurch of Christ. This proof is confirmed anew at 
 every process of beatification or canonization. 
 
 6. The commemoration of All Souls is celebrated 
 on the day after All Saints, November 2d, in order to 
 show the intimate union of the Church Triumphant 
 with the Church Suffering and the Church Militant. 
 We find traces of this feast even in the eighth cen- 
 tury. Abbot Odilo (998) introduced it into all the 
 monasteries of his Congregation and from this time 
 on, it gradually spread to all the Christian w^orld. 
 
 In some parishes it is customary to have an 
 octave of prayers, or of Masses, for the Poor 
 Souls. The Church knowing their suflfering con- 
 dition, never relaxes her motherly care, but, from 
 the earliest times commanded a special memento 
 for the dead to be made daily after the Eleva- 
 tion. In the Breviary they are always remem- 
 
Feast of the Dedication of a Church. 113 
 
 bered. Besides all these commemorations, the Church 
 like a tender mother has instituted this special feast, 
 to summon all Christians to pray and offer sacrifice 
 for her suffering children in Purgatory; she has 
 also established highly indulgenced Confraternities 
 for this same purpose. 
 
 This tender, maternal love of the Church should 
 awaken sympathy for the Poor Souls in every heart. 
 The true Christian will not forget the souls of his 
 parents, relatives and benefactors, but bear in mind 
 that he will, one day, find mercy in Purgatory in the 
 same degree as he has practiced it upon earth. 
 
 It is a beautiful custom for children to decorate 
 the graves of their parents with flowers, but it is 
 more gratifying to them when they ornament the 
 graves of the departed with prayers, and tears of 
 penance. 
 
 FEAST OF THE 
 DEDICATION OF A CHURCH. 
 
 I. Dedication means, properly speaking, the act 
 by which a church is solemnly set apart for the wor- 
 ship of God ; afterwards this event is cojnmemorated 
 by a feast of dedication. As the Jews in the Old 
 Law dedicated the tabernacle and temple with sol- 
 emn rites, so Christians have, since Apostolic times, 
 solemnly dedicated their churches to Almighty God. 
 From the time of Constantine the Great, when the 
 Christians were allowed the free exercise of their 
 religion, not only the dedication of a church was sol- 
 
114 Third Festal Cycle. 
 
 emnly celebrated, but also the anniversary of the 
 dedication. The feast of the dedication is looked up- 
 on as the birthday of that church, and is therefore 
 very solemnly celebrated. 
 
 The solemn consecration of a church is reserved 
 to the bishop of the diocese, or to another bishop ap- 
 pointed by him. The present law of the Church for- 
 bids the use of a church for the celebration of Mass, 
 unless it has been at least blessed. This blessing is 
 a less solemn rite, and may be performed by a priest 
 deputed by a bishop. Only those churches that have 
 been solemnly consecrated by a bishop can have a 
 feast of dedication commemorated in the Breviary 
 and in the Mass. 
 
 2. The Feast of Dedication is kept in consecrated 
 churches on the anniversary of the consecration as 
 a double of the first class with an octave. The bishop 
 may for grave reasons fix a day other than the actual 
 anniversary on which the feast of dedication is to 
 be kept, but after the consecration no change in the 
 day can be made without leave from the Pope. The 
 feast of the dedication of the Cathedral is also kept 
 throughout the diocese as a double of the first class, 
 but without an octave. 
 
 The bishop dedicates the church, and the celebra- 
 tion of the anniversary should remind the faithful 
 that they are members of this church, and united 
 with their bishop form one Christian community. 
 
 When celebrating a dedication feast, the Chris- 
 tian should thank God for the priceless gift of faith, 
 and resolve to make use of the graces and blessings 
 which flow from this inestimable treasure. It is to 
 
Titular Feast. 115 
 
 be deplored that in many places the spiritual sig- 
 nificance of the dedication feast has degenerated in- 
 to a feast of worldly enjoyment, oftentimes leading 
 to excess. 
 
 TITULAR FEAST. 
 
 1. In early Christian times it was customary to 
 erect churches or altars over the graves of martyrs 
 in which to venerate their relics. From this arose 
 the custom of venerating that Saint whose relics were 
 preserved in the Church; the name of that Saint 
 was given to the church at its dedication. When a 
 church is dedicated to some mystery of our holy 
 religion, either from the life of our Lord or the 
 Blessed Virgin, viz. : The Incarnation, Assumption, 
 etc., the name given to it is its title, and the feast 
 set apart for its celebration is called its Titular Feast. 
 When, however, the church is dedicated to some 
 Saint or Angel, that Saint or Angel becomes its pa- 
 tron Saint, and the feast is called its Patron Feast 
 (patrocinium). 
 
 2. The patronal or titular feast of a Church is 
 always solemnly celebrated, either on the day itself, 
 or on the following Sunday; so, also, the patronal 
 feast of a country or diocese. 
 
 The patronal feast of the United States is the 
 feast of the Immaculate Conception. Under this 
 beautiful title, the Blessed Virgin was chosen not 
 merely as Patroness of the Church in the United 
 States, but as Patroness of the United vStates, 
 
PART SECOND. 
 
 SACRED MYSTERIES. 
 
 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the 
 Sacraments. 
 
 SACRED CEREMONIES. 
 
 1. By sacred ceremonies we understand those ex- 
 ternal acts, instituted by the Church, which indicate 
 an interior effect of divine grace; or the truths of 
 the Church symboHcally represented for our contem- 
 plation. They are, therefore, specially qualified to 
 enliven and nourish our faith, and many of them are 
 means of imparting graces. 
 
 2. Such ceremonies are even essential, because it 
 is natural for man, who is composed of l)ody and 
 soul, to express his interior devotion by exterior acts. 
 Man is impressed by a teaching which is conveyed 
 symbolically, and which appeals to the eye as well 
 as to the ear ; and as body and soul both come from 
 God, we are bound to use both in His service. Man 
 even represents God and His Angels, under figures 
 of the human form. If religion had no exterior 
 signs it would be inapprehensible to man, who in- 
 voluntarily gives outward expression to the inner 
 
 Ji 
 
Sacred Ceremonies. 117 
 
 ^ activity of his soul. The bearing and actions of a 
 man give indication of what is going on in his soul. 
 In fact, history bears witness that no nation ever 
 existed possessing a religion that did not have exte- 
 rior ceremonies. 
 
 3. In the Old Testament there were many such 
 ceremonies commanded by God ; but as the Old Law 
 was only preparatory for the New, so the ceremonies 
 of the Old Testament fulfilled their mission with the 
 coming of Christ. In the New Law, Christ Himself 
 made use of exterior signs with His sacraments, and 
 often otherwise in imparting graces. This has also 
 been the uninterrupted practice of the Church since 
 the time of the Apostles. 
 
 4. Some of the outward signs used by the Church 
 were instituted by Christ, and these when validly ad- 
 ministered, infallibly impart the graces connected 
 with them; these are the Sacraments. There are 
 other signs prescribed by the Church which are 
 called Sacramentals. The Sacramentals impart 
 graces similar to the Sacraments, not of themselves, 
 however, nor infallibly like the Sacraments, but by 
 the prayers of the Church, and the faith of those 
 who make use of them. There are other outward 
 signs again purely ceremonial; these are not used 
 independently, but serve only to enhance the solem- 
 nity of Divine Service, and to make the hearts of 
 the faithful more accessible to grace. 
 
 5. In order to participate in th*e graces derived 
 from these ceremonies, the faithful should endeavor 
 to become familiar with them, at least with the most 
 
118 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 important. Thcv slioiild often reflect upon their 
 significance, and they will soon perceive what a 
 rich incentive to piety lies concealed in these cere- 
 monies. 
 
 The most important ceremonies of the Church 
 are the ceremonies of the Mass and the Sacraments. 
 
 6. An epitome of these ceremonies which to- 
 gether form one whole is termed, Ritual. The com- 
 bined rules of a religion is its cultus; viz., the cultus 
 of the Jewish or the Catholic religion. 
 
 SACRED VESTMENTS. 
 
 1. By sacred vestments we understand the dis- 
 tinctive dress worn by the priest in celebrating the 
 Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or in administering the 
 Sacraments. Even in the Old Law the priestly vest- 
 ments were minutely described. ^ 
 
 In the New^ Law the Divine Service had become 
 a much holier sacrifice, and it would seem more 
 inappropriate to perform this Divine Service in 
 secular dress. Even in the time of the Apostles, 
 special garments blessed for the purpose were worn. 
 At first the form of these was similar to the secular 
 dress ; this, however, changed with the course of 
 time, but the sacred vestments retained much of 
 their primitive form. 
 
 2. At Divine Service the priest appears not sim- 
 ply as man, but as the representative of Christ ; 
 therefore, it is proper for him to appear in a dis- 
 tinctive dress, which will announce him as the 
 
 i 
 
Sacred Vestments. 119 
 
 messenger of God, and the mediator between heaven 
 and earth. This dress indicates, on the one hand, 
 the dignity and office of the priest, on the other, the 
 disposition which he should have in performing his 
 sacerdotal functions. 
 
 3. The sacred vestments worn by the priest in 
 celebrating the Holy Sacrifice are six in number, 
 viz.: the amice, alb, cincture, maniple, stole, and 
 chasuble. Of these the alb, the cincture, the stole 
 and the chasuble date from the time of the Apostles ; 
 the others are of later origin. 
 
 4. The amice, a white linen cloth, served in 
 early times as a covering for the head and neck ; it 
 continued to be so used until about the tenth century, 
 when its place was supplied by the ecclesiastical cap. 
 or berreta, then introduced. The Capuchins and 
 Dominicans still wear the amice over the head un- 
 til the beginning of Mass, when it is thrown back on 
 the shoulders and adjusted around the neck. As 
 the amice is the first to be donned in vesting, it 
 might be called the basis of the other vestments, and 
 is therefore symbolic of faith, the basis of our holy 
 reHgion. This cloth is placed on the shoulders 
 and around the neck, and fastened over the breast, 
 to remind us that our faith must be strong and ac- 
 tive ; it should sanctify our speech and penetrate our 
 inmost soul. 
 
 5. The alb is a symbol of the purity of soul and 
 body requisite for Divine Service. The amice and 
 alb must be of linen. As linen obtains its whiteness 
 
120 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 i 
 
 only after much arduous labor, so it should remind 
 us that purity of heart is obtained and retained only 
 by patient toil and mortification. 
 
 6. The cincture or girdle, also of linen, is of as 
 g-reat antiquity as the alb, whicli it always accomp^ 
 anies; it should be of such length, that when doublec 
 it may encircle the body of the priest. Formerl) 
 it was made like a sash, now usually a cord; it 
 is the symbol of continence and self restraint. The 
 two ends which hang down equally on each side, are 
 symbolic of the command to watch and pray, the| 
 only means by which we acquire self restraint. 
 
 7. The maniple was at first a linen cloth worn 
 on the left arm, representing the cloth which Veron- 
 ica gave our Lord to wipe His face. Since the 
 eighth century it has been made of the same mater- 
 ial as the chasuble and stole. 
 
 8. The stole was at first a long white gown, a 
 symbol of sanctifying grace, which our first parents 
 lost through sin in paradise, and which was repur- 
 chased by the Passion of Christ. It is the eminent 
 office of every priest to administer and increase this 
 sanctifying grace through the Sacraments; there- 
 fore the stole is a distinctive mark of the sacerdotal 
 office, and must be w^orn by the priest whenever he 
 performs a priestly function. Formerly, priests 
 were obliged to wear the stole, even when not in 
 church, as a mark of their dignity. According to 
 the present discipline, only the Pope wears the stole 
 in common daily life, and this is in evidence of his 
 
 II 
 
-Sacred Vestments. 121 
 
 jurisdiction over the Universal Church. The papal 
 stole is ornamented with three crosses, the keys, and 
 the tiara. ' Among the vestments the stole is the sym- 
 bol of immortality and obedience. 
 
 9. The chasuble, which the priest wears outside 
 the other vestments, denotes charity. Charity is 
 the ^'wedding garment,'' without which no one will 
 be admitted to the heavenly marriage feast, and with- 
 out which no priest should ascend the altar. The 
 chasuble is the royal mantle of the priest ; it shows 
 the love of sacrifice, which should encompass him, 
 as the chasuble envelopes the body. 
 
 Formerly the chasuble was much larger than 
 now; it reached down to the feet and covered the 
 whole body, even the arms and the hands. There- 
 fore the acolytes were obliged to lift the chasuble 
 at the Elevation, to permit the priest to make the 
 genuflection. 
 
 The various portions of the sacerdotal vestments 
 are also commemorative of our Lords' Passion, and 
 serve to remind the priest of the duties of his office. 
 
 1. The amice is the veil which covered the face 
 of our Lord. 
 
 2. The alb, the vesture He was clothed in by 
 Herod. 
 
 3. The cincture, the scourge ordered by Pilate. 
 
 4. The maniple, the rope by which He was led. 
 
 5. The stole, the rope which fastened Him to 
 the pillar. 
 
122 TiiK Holy Sackifice of the Mass. 
 
 6. The chasuble, the purple garment worn be- 
 fore Pilate. 
 
 Behold the priest at the altar, the tonsure re- 
 calls the crown of thorns. Nothing is wanting, not 
 even the cross ; it is large upon the chasuble ; the 
 celebrant, like his Master, carries it upon his shoul- 
 ders. 
 
 This cross is formed of our iniquities. Let us 
 not forget it, when the priest comes forth to ofifer 
 sacrifice ; let us say to him who stands in the place 
 of Jesus Christ : It behooves me to carry that cross 
 which love has made you bear in my stead. I know 
 that my weakness is too great for such a burden ; 
 but, at least, I will fill the place of Simon of Cyrene, 
 and w^ill help you w^ith the aid of my feeble prayers, 
 How^ very few Christians pray for the priest as hej 
 goes to the altar, yet not only charity but justio 
 renders this a dutv. 
 
 I 
 
 10. The cope, which is called pluviale in the 
 Latin liturgical language, from the Latin word plu- 
 vial — rain, — was formerly worn in processions as a 
 protection against rain ; it was provided with a hood,lj 
 with which the head could be covered ; the cape ■ 
 on the cope is a remnant of this. Strictly speaking, 
 
 it is only another form of the chasuble, better 
 adapted to processions and other religious functions, 
 distinct from the Mass. 
 
 11. The super humeral veil, or vellum, is made, 
 of the same material as the cope, and is used by the 
 subdeacon in solemn Classes, to hold the paten fror 
 
Sacred Vestments. 133 
 
 the Offertory to the Pater Noster, in imitation of 
 the Levites of the Old Law, who were not permitted 
 to carry the sacred vessels until they had been 
 wrapped up in coverings by the priests. It is also 
 worn by the priest while giving benediction with 
 the Blessed Sacrament, and while carrying the 
 Blessed Sacrament in processions. 
 
 12. The surplice, derived from the Latin word 
 superpellicium ; it has wide sleeves, the same sig- 
 nificance as the alb, and suppHes its place in many 
 sacerdotal functions apart from the Mass. 
 
 The rochet, a vestment of linen, fitting closely, 
 with close sleeves reaching to the hands, proper to 
 bishops, abbots and other dignitaries. The length 
 and close fitting sleeves distinguish it from the sur- 
 plice. Priests who are allowed to wear it are to 
 regard it as a choir garment, and are not to use 
 it in the administration of the Sacraments. Bishops, 
 on the other hand, wear it in giving Confirmation. 
 
 13. The dalmatic. A vestment open on each 
 side, with wide sleeves, and marked with two stripes. 
 It is worn by deacons at High Mass, as well as at 
 processions and benediction, and by bishops under 
 the chasuble when they celebrate Mass pontifically. 
 
 The word dalmatic is derived from Dalmatia, 
 where it was originally worn ; it is of the same color 
 as the chasuble of the celebrant. 
 
 14. The vestments worn by the bishop at a pon- 
 tifical High Mass give evidence of his Apostolic 
 power. The bishop wears, besides the vestments 
 
124 TiiK Holy Sacrifice ok the Mass. 
 
 of the priest, also those of the deacon, because in 
 the bishop are combined the virtues and functions of 
 all the ministers of the altar. But, since the bishop's 
 power with its requisite love of sacrifice is a more- 
 perfect one than that of the priest, he wears further- 
 more six other ornaments. The first three are em- 
 blematic of his greater virtue, the last three of his 
 greater power. These ornaments are : 
 
 The hose and sandals ; the hose are ceremonial 
 stockings reaching to the knee ; the shoes are called 
 sandals ; they signify the pure intention with which 
 the bishop, as embassador of heaven, fearlessly leads 
 the faithful on the way of salvation. 
 
 The pectoral cross. The cross worn on the breast, 
 is emblematic of the sacrificial love with which th^ 
 bishop courageously walks in the bloody fo<:^tprints 
 of our Divine Lord. The relics of the saints, en- 
 closed in this cross, should still more increase the 
 love of sacrifice. 
 
 Gloves are worn as a sign that the bishop's hands 
 should always be pure and spotless, in order to ad- 
 minister justice and impart l^lessings to mankind. 
 
 The mitre is a symbol of the bishop's high dig- 
 nity as a legislator and guide to the people of GocMI 
 The tw^o horns of the mitre denote the two Testa- 
 ments, because his office of legislator and teacher 
 embraces the revelations of the Old and the New 
 Testaments. 
 
 The ring worn by the bishop is to signify his 
 indissoluble union with the Church of God. As 
 spouse of the Church, he is at the same time her 
 defender against her enemies, and administrator of^ 
 the treasures of grace confided to her by Christ, 
 
 ^1 
 
Sacked Vestments. 1:^5 
 
 The crosier or pastoral staff denotes the pastoral 
 power bestowed upon him, tO' lead, govern and sup- 
 port the flock entrusted to his care. The bishop's 
 staff is bent at the top like a shepherd's crook. The 
 Pope alone does not use a pastoral staff. 
 
 At all Divine Services a lighted candle is kept 
 beside the book to indicate the bishop's higher knowl- 
 edge, as well as the prudence and watchfulness he 
 should exercise in the administration of his office. 
 
 15. The pallium is part of the papal vesture ; but 
 the Pope bestows it also on patriarchs and arch- 
 bishops, to signify that he places part of his su- 
 preme jurisdiction upon their shoulders. Special 
 canonical rights are connected with the pallium. It 
 is a band of white wool worn on the shoulders, and 
 is attached to the chasuble by three golden pins. 
 Before being sent to the prelate, it is placed, over 
 night, on the tomb of St. Peter ; it is to be worn only 
 on special occasions. Its material, taken from the 
 fleece of little lambs, reminds the bishop that he 
 should carry the weary sheep on his shoulders, and 
 bring them back to the fold, even at the price of the 
 greatest toil and weariness. The" three pins which 
 fasten it to the chasuble are a souvenir of the love 
 of the Good Shepherd, fastened by nails to the 
 cross for love of His sheep. The higher the dignity 
 the greater love of sacrifice should accompany it 
 He who is invested with the pallium should abide in 
 the closest intimacy with the successor of St. Peter, 
 the Pope of Rome, therefore the pallium is sent 
 him from the tomb of St. Peter. 
 
126 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 i6. The Pope on special, solemn occasions wears 
 the Tiara, or triple crown. At ceremonies of a pure- 
 ly spiritual character, the Pope wears the bishop's 
 mitre, not the tiara. The tiara is a si^n of his tem- 
 poral power, as well as of his ecclesiastical sov- 
 ereignty. He wears a triple crown to signify thai 
 he has received his power from the Triune God 
 and exercises his office as legislator, priest, and shep-1 
 herd over the entire church in the name of the Trl 
 une God. 
 
 17. The color of the vestments changes accor'd- 
 ing to the different seasons and functions of the 
 ecclesiastical year ; and is expressive of the disposi- 
 tion with which the Divine Service should be cele- 
 brated. 
 
 (i) White denotes joy, innocence and purity; it 
 is worn, therefore, on the feasts of our Lord, of the 
 Blessed \^irgin, the Angels, and of all those Saintsljl 
 who are not martyrs. On the Feast of St. John the 
 Baptist, however, white is worn although he was 
 martyred, because he was sanctified before his birth. 
 
 (2) Red is an emblem of love and of blood ; it is 
 used on Pentecost in memory of the tongues of fire ; 
 it is also used on the feasts of the Apostles and 
 martyrs, and on those of our Lord's Passion, as well 
 as on the Feast of the Holy Cross, because our Lord 
 shed His blood upon the Cross. 
 
 (3) Green, symbolic of hope, is used after the 
 octave of Epiphany until Septuagesima, and after 
 the octave of Pentecost until Advent, on those days 
 which have no special feast. 
 
 I! 
 
 «i 
 
Introduction. 137 
 
 (4) Violet, the color of humility and penance, is 
 worn in Advent and Lent, on Ember days, Rogation 
 days and vigils. This color is also used on the Feast 
 of the Holy Innocents, on account of the lamenta- 
 tions and weeping heard through Jerusalem when 
 they were massacred by order of Herod. But should 
 this feast fall upon Sunday, the color of the occasion 
 is red, as is also the color of the octave, from the fact 
 that the lamentations are supposed to have ceased by 
 this time. 
 
 (5) Black, symbolic of mourning, is used in 
 Masses and Offices of the Dead, also on Good Friday 
 in memory of the profound darkness that covered 
 the land, when our Lord was crucified. 
 
 There is generally some white about black vest- 
 ments to indicate that the souls of the departed will 
 soon enter upon eternal joys. At the obsequies of 
 young children, white is worn because they die in 
 innocence. 
 
 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I. The Sacrifice of the Mass is the self-same 
 sacrifice which was consummated by Christ for the 
 redemption of mankind. 'The order of the Mass,'" 
 says Pope Innocent HL, ''is arranged upon a plan 
 so well conceived, that everything done by Jesus 
 
128 The Holy Sackifice of the Mass. 
 
 Christ or conccrnino- Ilim, from His Incarnation to 
 His Ascension, is therein largely contained either 
 in words or in actions, and wonderfully presented." 
 
 2. The Mass is divided usually into four parts, 
 viz. : into a preparatory, and three principal parts. 
 
 The preparatory part was in early Christian 
 times called the Mass of the Catechumens, because 
 they were allowed to assist at it. This part comprises 
 the '7udica me Deus,'' (Psalm XLH.), the Introit, 
 the Kyrie, the Gloria, Collects, Epistles and Gospel. 
 The Credo forms the transition to the real Sacrifice 
 of the Mass. of the faithful, as it was formerly 
 called. 
 
 Part first comprises the Offertory, the Lavabo 
 (washing of hands), the Orate Fratres, the Secret, 
 the Preface and the Sanctus. 
 
 Part second comprises the Canon, and begins 
 therefore, after the Sanctus with the prayer, Te 
 igitur, and ends just before the ''Pater Noster." The 
 name Canon is given to this part of the Mass, be- 
 cause it contains the fixed rule according to which 
 the Sacrifice of the New Testament is to be offered. 
 
 Part third begins with the Pater Noster and con- 
 tinues to the end of Mass ; it comprises the Pater 
 Noster, Agnus Dei, Domine non sum dignus, the 
 Communion, Post Communion, the Ite Missa est, 
 the Blessing and the Last Gospel. 
 
 3. Various interpretations of the Holy Sacrifice 
 of the Mass have been given. Some consider it 
 only a figure of the Passion and Death of our Lord, 
 
Intkobuction. 120 
 
 because in the Mass, the sacrifice of the Cross is re- 
 newed and continued. But the Holy Sacrifice of the 
 Mass contains still more and greater mysteries ; it 
 comprises the whole life of our Redeemer, and the 
 entire work of Redemption. 
 
 4. Christ efifected the work of redemption as 
 Prophet, Priest and King. This threefold activity 
 is also presented to us in the Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 From the Introit to the Offertory, we see the pro- 
 phetic activity of our Redeemer ; from the Offertory 
 to the Pater Noster, His sacerdotal activity, and 
 from the Pater Noster to the end of Mass, His 
 kingly activity. Therefore, according to its es- 
 sence, the Mass may be divided into three parts. 
 
 5. In order to participate in the sacrifice of our 
 Redeemer, we must offer ourselves with Him to 
 His heavenly Father. Our life should also be a 
 life of sacrifice. This human sacrifice attains its end 
 in three parts, and the sacrifice of the Mass com- 
 prises the same in its three parts. Christ stands be- 
 fore the door and knocks ; at the Introit he celebrates 
 His entrance into our hearts. During the prophetic 
 part of the Mass, Christ leads us by the hand, on 
 the way of purification by our living faith; in the 
 second part, the sacerdotal. He leads us on the way 
 of sanctification by our hope and confidence in God ; 
 in the third part, finally, the kingly, He leads us 
 by love on the way of intimate union, which attains 
 its consummation through Holy Communion. 
 
I'M) The Holy Sachifice of the Mass. 
 
 6. The Sacrifice of the Mass comprises the en- 
 tire sacrificial life of the Christian ; it is, therefore, the 
 central point of the Sacraments, Baptism and Pen- 
 ance, the so-called Sacraments of the Dead, lead us 
 on the way of purification ; the five others, the Sacra- 
 ments of the Living, lead us on the way of sanctifi- 
 cation, and the Communion especially leads us on 
 the way of intimate union with God. But this union 
 with God through Holy Communion is ol)tained for 
 us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass : 
 
 7. Therefore we distingush the three following 
 divisions of the Mass : 
 
 (i) Part first, which extends from the beginning 
 of the Mass to the Offertory, prepares the sacrifice, 
 and shows us the Redeemer as prophet, leading 
 the Christian participator on the way of purification. 
 
 (2) The second part, from the Offertory to the 
 Pater Noster, completes the consecration of the 
 sacrifice, showing us Christ as priest, and leading the 
 partaker on the way of sanctification. 
 
 (3) The third part begins witR the Pater Noster 
 and lasts until the end of Mass; it contains the con- 
 summation of the sacrifice through Holy Commun- 
 ion ; showing us our Redeemer as king, and lead- 
 ing us on the way of intimate union with God. 
 
The Tktroit. 131 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 Preparation for the Holy Sacrifice — Christ as Prophet ; 
 Way of Purification. 
 
 THE INTROIT. 
 
 1. While the celebrant and the acolytes enter 
 the sanctuary, the choir sings the so-called Introit 
 (entrance), consisting of an antiphon, part of a 
 psalm and the Gloria Patri. In the meantime, the 
 celebrant prays at the foot of the altar the psalm 
 ''Judica me Deus,'' the Gonfiteor and accompanying 
 prayers, kisses the altar, and, in solemn High Mass, 
 incenses it. 
 
 2. The entrance of the priest at Mass reminds 
 us of the Advent of Ghrist upon earth. His union 
 with man by His Incarnation. But the singing of 
 the choir reminds us of the longing for the Messiah. 
 So should the Christian long for the coming of the 
 Redeemer into his heart. 
 
 3. This longing for union with the Redeemer is 
 also expressed by the celebrant, when he prays the 
 psalm ''Judica me Deus," alternately with the people 
 who are represented by the acolytes. This psalm 
 expressive of joy, is omitted in Masses for the Dead 
 and in those said during the time of the Passion. 
 Before beginning Mass, all sign themselves with the 
 sign of the Gross, because, according to Apostolic 
 tradition, the early Christians began all their ac- 
 
132 Thk Holy Sachifick of the Mars. 
 
 tions with the si^n of the Cross ; but this sign is 
 made before Mass especially, because that Sacrifice 
 in wliicli the three Divine Persons participated is 
 about to begin, and its central point is the Cross 
 
 In early Christian times only clerics were admit 
 ted to the service of the altar ; now, boys are chietlv 
 employed, in whom we expect to find great puritv 
 and innocence. They wear white because it is not 
 only more becoming for Divine Service, but also to 
 show that w^e should assist at Mass with pure hearts, 
 and at the same time think of the Angels who hover 
 invisibly around the altar ofifering their homage and 
 adoration to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 I 
 
 4< 
 
 4. After the psalm the celebrant and the acolyte, 
 one after the other, pray the Confiteor. The longinp 
 for the Redeemer presumes that we acknowledge 
 ourselves sinners, therefore the Confiteor follows ; 
 even in the oldest liturgies this confession is found. 
 Like the contrite Publican, the celebrant and the 
 servant bow down and strike their breasts as a 
 sign of their penitential spirit. 
 
 By the term liturgy we understand here, thJjj 
 manner in which Mass is to be celebrated as ordered 
 by the Church. The liturgies of the Eastern and 
 Western churches differ in non-essentials, but are 
 entirely alike in their essential parts. The Roman 
 liturgy is the most common and is found all over 
 the earth, whereas the others are limited to a few 
 countries. 
 
Thk Inthoit. 133 
 
 5. After the Confiteor the acolyte implores God, 
 on behalf of the people, to have mercy on the cele- 
 brant. Then the priest does the same for them. This 
 is to denote the intimate relationship existing be- 
 tween priest and people. They pray with each other 
 and for each other, that they may all be worthy to 
 offer to God this most august Sacrifice. 
 
 At the Confiteor all the faithful who assist at 
 Mass should awaken acts of contrition, so as not 
 to be deprived of the fruits of the Mass by their 
 sins. 
 
 6. These prayers being ended, the priest ascends 
 the steps of the altar and resting his hands upon the 
 sacred table, kisses it respectfully. The altar is the 
 sanctuary upon which Christ with His Angels and 
 Saints is enthroned ; therefore in every altar relics 
 of the saints are enclosed, whom the priest implores 
 for their intercession. 
 
 From every altar, Christ and the whole Church 
 Triumphant commune with the Church Militant. 
 When the priest ascends the altar he separates from 
 the people, as it were, to enter the sanctuary of the 
 Lord, as mediator. He kisses the altar tO' express 
 his love and devotion, as w^ell as his joyous submis- 
 sion and mtion with Christ, who wishes now to offer 
 the Holy Sacrifice, by the hands of the priest. 
 
 7. In solemn Hip*h Mass, the priest incenses the 
 altar. In the Old Law the priest was commanded to 
 envelope the tabernacle with a cloud of incense, be- 
 fore he sprinkled the sacrificial blood. The incensing 
 
134 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 of the altar was customary even in the time of the 
 Apostles, and is found in all liturgies; it is a beauti- 
 ful emblem of prayer. The incense is annihilated in 
 the Hame, and arises to heaven, dispensing sweet 
 perfume. Prayer likewise comes from a heart glow- 
 ing with love; it is an annihilation, a complete sur- 
 render of oneself to God ; it ascends to heaven and 
 pierces the clouds; it surrounds the worshiper with 
 the perfume of virtue. The altar shall be enveloped 
 in a cloud of the prayers of the faithful. The 
 priest offers his prayers, and those of the faithful to 
 Almighty God ; his heart, therefore, should be an 
 altar of sacrifice ; for this reason, he is incensed after 
 the altar is incensed. 
 
 8. After incensing the altar the priest says the 
 Introit at the Epistle side of the altar, which in 
 former times was sung only by the choir while the 
 priest said the Judica. The Introit is now much 
 shorter than formerly, its scope being the key to the 
 entire Mass of the day ; it is nothing more nor less 
 than an expression of the longing for the Redeemer. 
 
 THE KYRIE. 
 
 I. The Kyrie Eleison follows the Introit. These 
 Greek words signify : ''Lord have mercy on us. 
 It is a form of prayer that often appears in the 
 Sacred Scriptures, and is very appropriately used 
 here. The Introit represents the infinite love of 
 the Son of God in His Incarnation, but with the 
 advent of Christ upon earth, begins .the time of grace 
 and mercy, therefore the Kyrie very fittingly follows 
 the Introit. 
 
The Kyrie. 135 
 
 2. The Kyrie appears in all liturgies; formerly 
 it was repeated as often as the priest wished, often- 
 times increased by certain intercalary expressions 
 touching the nature of the feast of the day. Thus 
 on feasts of the Blessed Virgin it would read after 
 this manner : ''O Lord thou lover of virginity, illus- 
 trious Father and Mary's Creator, have mercy on 
 us,'' and so on. In the Roman liturgy the Kyrie is 
 repeated nine times. 
 
 3. This solemn petition, Kyrie Eleison, for mercy 
 is said three times to God the Father for His mani- 
 fold mercies ; Christi Eleison is said three times to 
 God the Son, the author of our redemption, and 
 Kyrie Eleison is ^^ain thrice repeated to God the 
 Holy Ghost, the sanctifier and consoler. The Father 
 and the Holy Ghost are addressed in the same word 
 Kyrie, because they have one and the same nature; 
 but the Son in another word, Christi, because in 
 addition to the divine nature He assumed human 
 nature. 
 
 4. The Kyrie is repeated nine times to denote 
 that the vacant places in the nine choirs of Angels 
 will, in the course of time by the mercy of God, be 
 filled by mankind. 
 
 Greek and Hebrew words are retained in the 
 Roman liturgies, to signify that there is but one 
 Church originally formed out of three different na- 
 tions, viz., the Latin, the Greek, and the Hebrew, 
 in which languages the Sacred Mysteries were first 
 
\'M\ TiiK Ihn.Y Sackifick of thk Mass. 
 
 cck'l)rak'(l. These three lani^ua^es were hallowed 
 by havin<; been used to inscribe the title on the 
 Cross. 
 
 THE GLORIA. 
 
 1. The hrst words of the (iloria in excelsis, or 
 greater doxology, were sung by the angels at the 
 birth of Christ : the author of the remaining words, 
 as we have it now, is not definitely known, but by 
 many it is accredited to St. Hilary, bishop of Poic- 
 tiers, in bTance, A. U. 353. At all events this dox- 
 ology was universally known since the fourth cen- 
 tury. At first it was sung rarely and only by bishops 
 at the richly Sacrifice of the Mass: it was only in the 
 eleventh century that priests in general were allowed 
 to say the Gloria at the times prescribed by the 
 Church. 
 
 2. The Gloria reminds us of the birth of Christ, 
 the second act of the great sacrifice of our Redeemer. 
 An angel announced the birth of Christ to the shep- 
 herds and the whole heavenly host continued the 
 Canticle in exultant tones. The priest, likewise, in 
 High Mass intones this joyous chant, which the 
 choir continues, ^^lan has reason to join in this 
 celestial chant of the angel because Christ came upon 
 earth to lead lost mankind back to God. He brought 
 that peace into the world which was lost by sin ; 
 and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the true sacri- 
 fice of peace in which we may daily participate. 
 
 41 
 
The Collects. 137 
 
 3. The Gloria is omitted in Masses of the season 
 during Lent and Advent, and in Masses for the 
 Dead. 
 
 THE COLLECTS. 
 
 I. At the conclusion of the Gloria the priest 
 stoops down and kisses the alter, then having turned 
 to the people salutes them with, Dominus vobiscum 
 (The Lord be with you), words evidently taken 
 from the Old and New Testaments, where we find 
 them employed on various occasions. 
 
 Seven times the priest salutes the faithful with 
 the Dominus vobiscum ; seven times is the same re- 
 sponse, ''Et cum spiritu tuo" (and with Thy spirit) 
 heard : At the Collect, the Gospel, the Offertory, 
 the Preface, the Agnus Dei, the Post Communion 
 and the Ite Missa est. Seven is the number of the 
 Lloly Spirit, called septiform, in the chant of the 
 Church; the faithful beg for His seven divine gifts 
 at each salutation. By kissing the altar the priest ex- 
 presses his union with Christ, and from Him he im- 
 parts this blessed salutation to the faithful. He ex- 
 tends his arms towards the people as if to embrace 
 them and unite them with Christ. The people salute 
 him with the words, ''Et cum Spiritu tuo" ; this ex- 
 change of salutations denotes that the people and the 
 priest should be one in mind and soul. 
 
 In the liturgy of the East, the salutation: 'Tax 
 vobis" (Peace be to you) is used. This salutation 
 our Divine Lord always made use of in greeting His 
 
138 The Holy Sackifick of the Mass. 
 
 disciples after His resurrection. To establish a slight 
 difference between a bishop's manner of saying 
 Mass, and that of a ])riest, the bishop was allowed to 
 retain the use of the "Pax vobis'' after the Gloria; 
 upon every other occasion he says : ''Dominus vobis- 
 cuni," like an ordinary priest. 
 
 2. After having said the ''Dominus vobiscum/^ 
 the priest returns to the Epistle corner of the altai 
 and reads the Collects, beginning with "Oremus'^ 
 (Let us pray). Collect is from the Latin colligere, 
 to gather together, because the common wants of the' 
 whole people were, as it were, brought together in 
 it and laid before Almighty God by His ambassa- 
 dor, the priest. A very edifying custom of ancient 
 times was for the people to enter into a sort of 
 silent prayer, after they had heard "Oremus," and 
 remain in this quiet meditation until the general 
 prayer was announced. On certain rogation and 
 penitential days the deacon, after the Oremus, said 
 ''Flectamus genua" ; (Let us 1)end the knee). There- 
 upon all fell upon their knees and prayed until the 
 deacon said *'Levate/' (Rise up). 
 
 3. Another act of oblation of our Redeemer w^as 
 His continuous prayer; His whole life was a life 
 of prayer. This constant oblation of Christ is pre- 
 sented to us in the Collects. Prayer is also neces- 
 sary for the support and maintenance of Christian 
 life. Therefore every Christian should unite inti- 
 mately in the sacrificial prayers of Christ, which 
 are offered Him in the Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
The Collects. 139 
 
 4. The Collects vary every day, because in the 
 Sacrifice of the Mass different graces are offered 
 us, corresponding to the different seasons of the 
 year. To implore these different graces, is the object 
 of the Collects. 
 
 5. In every Sacrifice of the Mass there are three 
 different Collects : the Collects after the Gloria, the 
 Secret before the Preface ; and the Post Communion. 
 They correspond to the parts of the Mass : Prepara- 
 tion, offering and consummation of the sacrifice. On 
 occasions of great solemnity usually only one Collect 
 is said in each of these three parts, because all 
 the attention should be directed to the mystery of 
 the feast ; on minor feast days more are added cor- 
 responding to the feast and the season. 
 
 6. The priest recites the Collects with raised and 
 extended arms. Our first parents stretched their 
 hands after the forbidden fruit, and thus brought a 
 curse upon the world. Christ, the second Adam, 
 stretched His arms out upon the Cross, and thereby 
 gained for us salvation ; therefore the priest has 
 always prayed with outstretched arms during the 
 Mass, in which the sacrifice of the Cross is contin 
 ued. The priest is a second Moses, who prays with 
 outstretched arms, to lead his people to victory. 
 
 7. The Collects close usually with the words: 
 ''Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who 
 liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the 
 same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. 
 Amen.'' Our prayers are granted only through the 
 
140 TwK Holy Sachifick of iiif Mass. 
 
 merits of Clirisl ; ihcrcforr the priest joins his hands 
 at these words, to ])hiee his ])rayers, as it were, in 
 ihc hands of jesus, who in turn offers tliein to Hfs 
 heavenly h^atlier. The server rephes "Amen," a He- 
 hrew word, meanini;- "May it l)e so," thus assenting 
 to the pra\ers of the priest. 
 
 THE EPISTLE. 
 
 1. The h^pistle reflects the ministry of Christ tes- 
 tified to hy the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles. 
 This ministry should prej^are our hearts, lead them 
 to Christ, who sj)eaks Himself to them in the Gos- 
 pels, therefore the Epistle precedes the Gospel. 
 
 2. In early Christian times passages out of the 
 ])rophecies were read, later, extracts from the letters 
 of the Apostles. In the Roman liturgy the Epistle 
 is taken sometimes from the Old Testament, some- 
 limes from the New'. .\s the readings from the let- 
 ters of the Apostles are more numerous than those 
 taken from the Prophets, they are called Epistles, 
 that is, letters. Formerly the Epistles were read 
 by the lectors from an elevated lectern or pulpit 
 known as the Ambo, placed generally in the nave of 
 the Cliurch ; since the eighth century the subdeacon 
 reads the Epistle on solemn occasions ; on ordinary 
 occasions the priest reads it himself. The series of 
 E})istles and ("lospels as we have them now were 
 arranged l)y St. Jerome, and introduced by Pope 
 Damasus 1. (7384) in the fourth century. 
 
The Gospel. 141 
 
 3. The priest lays his hands on the book while 
 reading the Epistle, to show that we should be ready 
 to do what the Epistle prescribes. 
 
 4. At the conclusion of the Epistle the people 
 answer : ''Deo gratias'' — Thanks be to God — as an 
 evidence of the gratitude we owe to our Creator for 
 the spiritual nourishment of His Divine Word, not 
 accorded to other nations. These are the sentiments 
 that should animate the faithful during the reading 
 of the Epistles, and Gradual which follows : 
 
 5. The Gradual, so-called, not as some suppose 
 from the steps of the altar — for it was never read 
 from there — but rather from the steps of the Ambo. 
 In early Christian times, the Gradual consisted of 
 an entire psalm. In the sixth century, Gregory the 
 Great ordered it to be as we have it now, consisting 
 of three verses, which vary according to the feast 
 of the day. 
 
 THE GOSPEL. 
 
 I. As soon as the Gospel had been written by the 
 Evangelists it was read at the Divine Service. At 
 first this was done by the lector, but very soon this 
 important office was given to the deacon. In all 
 liturgies the reading of the Gospel is attended with 
 great solemnities ; for the Church listens with the 
 greatest respect to the word of her Bridegroom 
 contained in the gospel. 
 
142 TiiK lloLV Sackifkk of the Mass. 
 
 2. At solemn High Mass, the deacon incenses the 
 Gospel, and at its conclusion he also incenses the 
 celebrant. The Gospel is a necessary part of the 
 Mass ; it is the Divine Word, in which the great 
 Sacrifice is clothed. Wherever the Gospel is pro- 
 claimed it spreads the perfume of virtue, and the 
 incense of prayer ascends to Heaven. The priest is 
 incensed after the Gospel, because he is the bearer 
 of the Divine Word, proclaims and interprets it ; he 
 is, as it were, consecrated for the sermon which fol-j 
 lows the Gospel. 
 
 3. On solemn occasions lighted candles are car- 
 ried at the Gospel, to testify our joy at receiving thej 
 glad tidings, as well as to show our respect for HimJ 
 who is the Light of the World. 
 
 4. While the priest announces the Gospel, he 
 makes the sign of the Cross with his thumb upon the 
 Missal itself, and then upon himself on the forehead, 
 mouth and breast ; the people sign themselves in the 
 same manner. The Gospel contains the teachings 
 of the Crucified, and priest and people make the sign 
 of the Cross to show that they are not ashamed of 
 His doctrine, but will preserve it in grateful remem- 
 brance, believe in it, and proclaim it to the world. 
 Therefore the people stand while the Gospel is read, 
 to show their readiness to follow its teachings. 
 
 5. At the conclusion of the Gospel the priest 
 kisses the book ; the acolyte, for the people, answers 
 "Laus tibi Christi" — 'Traise be to Thee, O Christ/* 
 as an expression of gratitude for the doctrine of 
 Christ contained in the Gospel. 
 
The Cbeed. 143 
 
 6. Formerly, the sermon always followed the 
 Gospel, and continued the line of thought expressed 
 in the Gospel of the day, therefore belonging to it. 
 In many places, the sermon is now given after Mass. 
 
 7. In early times, the moment the sermon was 
 ended, or in the absence of a sermon, at the end of 
 the Gospel, the Catechumens were dismissed from 
 the church, and then the Mass of the faithful began 
 with closed doors. At this so-called Mass of the 
 Catechumens even the Jews and the heathens were 
 allowed to be present, but were then dismissed im 
 mediately by the deacon, with the words : ''The 
 doors ! the doors ! All upright !" 
 
 THE CREED. 
 
 1. The Creed is a profession of faith as framed 
 in the year 325, at the General Council of Nice, 
 a town of Bithnia, in Asia Minor, and received an 
 accretion at the Council of Constantinople in 381. In 
 the Churches of the East even in the seventh cen- 
 tury, it was universally prayed at Mass ; in the 
 Churches of the West, it was introduced much later. 
 
 2. The Creed comprises in a few words all the 
 mysteries of Christian doctrine. It terminates the 
 prophetic part of the Mass. Therefore the priest 
 and the people sing and pray the Creed together, to 
 profess their faith openly. 
 
144 Tin: IIoi.Y Saciufick of the Mass. 
 
 3. Hic Lrccd forms a fittiiii^ transition to the 
 second part, the real sacrifice : J'rom the hving 
 faith springs forth the true love of sacrifice ; there- 
 fore the faithtful should strengthen their belief 
 by acts of faith, in order to partake intimately in 
 iliis Holy Sacrifice. 
 
 4. The Creed is not said every day, but chiefly 
 on those days when some mystery of our holy faith 
 is celebrated; viz., on Sundays, feasts of our Lord; 
 of the l>lessed Virgin, and of those saints who 
 labored to establish the faith, such as Apostles, and 
 Doctors, and also during the octave of these feasts. 
 
 'i 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 The Consecration of the Holy Sacrifice^-Jesus Christ 
 as High Priest — Way of Sanctification. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 This part of the Mass extends from the Ofifertory 
 to the Pater Noster, and shows our Lord as High 
 Priest, first consecrating Himself by prayer to His 
 heavenly Father and then consummating His never- 
 ending Sacrifice. Therefore this part falls into two 
 divisions : in the first part the Sacrifice is oiTered 
 through prayer to our heavenly Father ; it com- 
 prises the Offertory ; in the second part the Sac- 
 rifice is consecrated, sacrificed in an unbloody man- 
 ner ; it begins with the Preface and lasts to the! 
 Pater Noster. The central point of this division, 
 as well as of the whole Sacrifice of the Mass, is the 
 Consecration; or Elevation. 
 
 I 
 
The OffertoHY. 145 
 
 THE OFFERTORY. 
 
 1. In early times the faithful brought bread 
 and wine to the altar at the Offertory; the best of 
 these gifts was selected for the Holy Sacrifice. All 
 that remained, over and above what was necessary 
 for the immediate wants of the altar, went into a 
 common fund for the sustenance of the clergy and 
 the poor of the parish. While the gifts were being 
 offered the choir sang one or more psalms. Now 
 the Offertory consists of only one verse of a psalm. 
 This Offertory always expresses the thought of the 
 day, similar to the Introit. 
 
 2. First the priest salutes the people in the same 
 manner as at the Collect. At the Collect he invites 
 the people to unite with him in prayer ; now he calls 
 upon them to participate in the Sacrifice. He em- 
 braces them again in spirit, to unite them intimately 
 to himself, but also to warn them that they must 
 approach the altar in a spirit of charity without 
 hatred or enmity. 
 
 3. The corporal is now spread upon the altar, if 
 it has not been done already. It represents the 
 winding-sheet in which Christ's body was wrapped 
 by Joseph of Arimathea; it is to receive the body 
 of Christ at the Consecration. 
 
 The use of the corporal rests upon Apostolic 
 authority, and even Pope Sylvester, in 314, strictly 
 forbade it to be made of silk or of any other mate- 
 rial except white linen. The hearts of those who 
 
146 TiiK Holy Sacrifick of the Mass. 
 
 partake of the Sacrifice should also be pure and 
 white like the corporal. This sacred cloth when not 
 in use is kept folded up in the burse. 
 
 4. The sacred vessels — chalice and paten — are 
 especially worthy of respect and veneration, because 
 they come in close contact with the Eucharistic 
 Species. They remain covered, therefore, with the 
 so-called veil, until the beginning of the real Sacri- 
 fice ; in the first centuries the veil had to be of linen, 
 Ijut now is of silk, corresponding to the color of the 
 vestments. 
 
 The palla serves to cover the mouth of the 
 chalice, to prevent dust or flies from falling into it. 
 It must, like the corporal, be of linen. 
 
 The chalice is the most sacred of all the vessels 
 of the altar ; it represents the Chalice in which Christ 
 for the first time offered His most Sacred Blood. It 
 also reminds us of the Chalice of His passion, which 
 for our sake he drank to the dregs ; it is a symbol 
 of the Heart of Jesus from which His sacred blood 
 flows in a stream. The priest's heart is the chalice, 
 as it were, which receives the blood of Christ. The 
 chalice must be gilded out of the respect we owe to 
 the most Sacred Blood of Christ, and because the 
 Divine Heart is filled with the gold of charity; so 
 should our hearts burn with this gold of charity. 
 
 The purificator or mundatory, a linen cloth used 
 for cleansing the chalice, is of recent date. It 
 has a small cross in the middle to distinguish it from 
 the lavabo towel, which has the cross at the end. 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
The Offertory. 147 
 
 The paten, that small silver or gold dish some- 
 thing like a flat saucer, which covers the mouth of 
 the chalice and upon which the large bread for con- 
 secration is placed until the Offertory, is of Apos- 
 tolic origin. In former times it was much larger. 
 
 The paten is a symbol of the hearts of the faith- 
 ful because it is used only at the Offertory and Com- 
 munion in which the faithful participate; at other 
 times it remains concealed under the corporal or in 
 the hands of the subdeacon ; it must also be gilded, 
 and this broad gold paten typifies the great love 
 which should animate the faithful during the Divine 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 5. The chalice is then uncovered and the obla- 
 tion of the Host resting on the paten is made with 
 the following words : ''Accept, Holy Father, Om- 
 nipotent, Eternal God, this immaculate Host, which 
 I, Thy unworthy servant, offer Thee, my living and 
 true God, for my innumerable sins, offenses and 
 negligences, and for all who are present ; moreover, 
 for all faithful Christians, living and dead, that it 
 may avail both me and them unto salvation and life 
 everlasting.'' Then with the paten he makes the 
 sign of the Cross on the corporal, and places the 
 Host thereon. The Cross is the sacrificial altar upon 
 which the Sacrifice was consummated, and here is 
 now renewed. The faithful should also place their 
 offerings spiritually, upon the paten, in order to 
 mite them with those of the priest. 
 
148 TnK IIoi.v Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 6. Tlic ])ricst then pours wine and water into the 
 chahce. This mixture of water and wine is an em- 
 blem of tlie Incarnation of Christ. As here the few 
 drops of water are absorbed by the wine, and at the 
 same time chano;ed into wine, so Christ has indis- 
 sohil)ly united His human nature with the divine, 
 and conse(|uently given His human nature a higher 
 dignity. The inseparable union of Christ with His 
 Church is also represented by the mingling of the 
 w^ater with the wine ; and no less the union of our 
 Redeemer with each individual faithful soul, who 
 sacrifices himself out of love for Christ. The priest 
 blesses the water but not the wine. The wine rep- 
 resents Jesus Christ, the "true vine,'* but the water 
 denotes the faithful, who need the blessing, not so 
 Christ. The priest, spiritually, places in the chalice 
 the hearts of all those present, who desire to be 
 united with Christ. 
 
 Christ Himself at His last Supper mixed water 
 with wine ; this is the undisputed tradition of the 
 Church. The custom of the Jews, not to bless the 
 vvine before it was mixed with water, points to the 
 same fact. This mingling of water and wine should 
 lemind us specially of the blood and water which 
 flowed from the Heart of Jesus Christ when He 
 hung on the Cross. The priest now ofTers the 
 chalice to his heavenly Father, with prayers similar 
 to those at the offering of the Host ; making a cross 
 with the chalice: and placing it on the corporal, he 
 covers it with the pall. 
 
The Offejrtory. 149 
 
 In the two short prayers which follow the Offer- 
 tory, the priest expresses the spirit of sacrifice, that 
 is, humility, and confidence in the assistance of 
 grace. 
 
 7. At solemn High Mass, the priest incenses the 
 bread and wine of the Sacrifice, then the altar, the 
 celebrant and server; and finally the people. This 
 incensing is a dedication of the gifts of sacrifice, 
 the place of sacrifice and the one who offers 
 sacrifice; it forms, as it were, a sacred circle 
 within which, the Sacrifice of Christ and that of the 
 people is accomplished. As the incense is consumed 
 in the flame, so Christ consumed Himself out of love 
 for us, and so should the hearts of those who offer 
 themselves to God be consumed with the fire of 
 divine love. 
 
 8. Having recited the prayer : ''Come, O Sancti- 
 fier,'' the priest goes to the Epistle corner of the 
 altar and there washes the tips of his fingers, but 
 only of the thumb and index finger of each hand, as 
 it is these only, that are allowed to touch the Blessed 
 Sacrament; for which reason they are sometimes 
 called the canonical fingers, as it is they that were 
 anointed with Holy Oil at his ordination. While 
 performing this ablution the priest recites that por- 
 tion of the twenty-fifth psalm which begins with: 
 ''I will wash my hands among the innocent.'' Besides 
 the literal reason for this ablution, there is a beauti- 
 ful mystical reason also — to-wit, that in order to 
 offer so tremendous a Sacrifice, as that in which the 
 
150 Thk IIoi.y Sacrifice of the Mass. H 
 
 victim is none else than the wSon of God Himself, 
 the priest's conscience should be free from the slight- 
 est stain of sin. The priest does not remain at the 
 middle of the altar while washing his hands, but 
 goes to the Epistle corner, out of respect to the 
 Blessed Sacrament enclosed in the tabernacle, and 
 for the crucifix. When the Blessed Sacrament is 
 exposed, to show still greater respect he descends 
 one step at the Epistle side, and standing, so as to 
 have his back turned toward the wall and not to the Jj 
 altar, performs the ablution there. The Church is* 
 very exact in all that concerns the reverence due to 
 the Holy Eucharist. The washing of hands was cus- 
 tomary even in the earliest times and is in commemo- 
 ration of the washing of the disciples' feet by our 
 Lord, to prepare them for the reception of the 
 Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 9. After washing his hands the priest returns to 
 the middle of the altar and recites a prayer to the 
 Holy Trinity and the Church Triumphant. He 
 unites himself with the heavenly host, inviting them Ij 
 to participate in this Holy Sacrifice, and at the same 
 time implores their intercession in heaven. Here 
 the Church Militant unites with the Church Tri- 
 umphant in the praise of God. ■j 
 
 10. The priest now turns around to the people 
 and exhorts them to pray with the words : ''Orate 
 fratres,'' 'Tray, brethren," which he continues as 
 follows : ''That my sacrifice and yours may be ac- 
 ceptable to God the Father Almighty." He turns 
 
The Pkeface. 151 
 
 then in a perfect circle to the altar again, in order 
 to exhort the faithful on all sides, to pray. This 
 form of summoning the faithful to pray was in use 
 in the early centuries of Christianity. The priest 
 now begins the ''Secretae," or secret prayers, there- 
 fore he previously asks all present to unite their pray- 
 ers with his, that he may present them to his heaven- 
 ly Father. 
 
 II. It is called the ''Secret" because the priest 
 says the prayers secretly. This silence is to denote 
 the intense reverence with which this prayer should 
 be said, and to give the faithful an opportunity of 
 ofifering their own special prayers and mementos. 
 The priest offers them jointly with his own to Al- 
 mighty God. This prayer is the second Collect; it 
 changes daily like the first Collect (after the Gloria). 
 At the Secret as many prayers are said as at the 
 first Collect. At the conclusion of the Secret the 
 priest folds his hands, 'to gather, as it were, the 
 prayers of the faithful. Then raising his voice he 
 closes this prayer in an audible tone with the words : 
 'Ter omnia saecula, saeculorum," to which the serv- 
 ers answer : ''Amen,'' by which the people assent to 
 the prayers of the priest. 
 
 THE PREFACE. 
 
 I. Before Christ entered on His Passion, He 
 chanted a canticle of thanksgiving at His last sup- 
 per. In like manner the priest, before the consum- 
 mation of the Holy Sacrifice, chants the Preface, 
 rendering proper thanks to Almighty God. 
 
152 TiiK lloLV Sac'UIFIcI': of the Mass. 
 
 2. The Preface is a prelude or introduction to 
 the Canon of the Mass and is of Aix)stoHc origin. 
 In the hrst centuries every Mass had its own Pref- 
 ace, hiter the nunil)er was Hmited hy rule to eleven 
 as we now have them. 
 
 3. At first, the priest sang alternately with the 
 people to move them to devotion and thanksgiving. 
 The "Sursum corda" (Lift up your hearts) should 
 stimulate all present to raise their hearts from 
 earth and direct them to God. The priest raises his 
 hands at the words, as if to offer the hearts of his 
 congregation to God, drawing nearer and nearer to 
 God until, finally, he unites with the angelic choirs 
 in singing : ''Holy, holy, holy." 
 
 THE CANON. 
 
 1. Canon means rule. The Church uses this 
 word to denote that the Canon is the unchangeable 
 rule, according to which the Sacrifice of the New 
 Testament is to be offered. It is of Apostolic origin, 
 excepting a slight addition by Pope Gregory the 
 Great, in the seventh century, since w^ien, a hand 
 has never touched it. 
 
 2. It has been customary from time immemorial 
 to recite the Canon in secret, out of the great respect 
 that is due to this solemn portion of the Mass, as 
 well, as to secure the utmost recollection on the part 
 of the priest and the people. The High Priest of 
 the Old Testament went alone into the Holy of 
 Holies, and Christ went alone in silence, like an 
 
 1 
 
The Canon. 153 
 
 Easter lamb to the sacrifice. The priest likewise, 
 after he has combined the wants and supplications 
 of all present with his own prayers, begins in secret 
 that prayer by which the mystery of the body and 
 blood of Christ is consecrated. Priest and people 
 should now especially place themselves in the pres- 
 ence of God, exclude all worldly distractions and 
 pray from the depths of their hearts. 
 
 3. Since in the Canon the commemoration of the 
 Passion of our Lord is renewed, a picture of the 
 Crucifixion is placed in the Missal at the beginning 
 of the Canon, to imprint the sufferings of Christ 
 still more vividly on the mind and heart. 
 
 4. Christ offered Himself to His Heavenly Fa- 
 then on Mount Olivet for the sins of the world. Bur- 
 dened with this debt of sin, He prayed three times. 
 At the beginning of the Canon, He likewise offers 
 Himself by the hands of the priest for the whole 
 Church. The priest prays, first for the entire Church, 
 then in particular for those present as well as for 
 those of whom he wishes to make special mention. 
 At the third prayer, he unites with the saints in 
 heaven, because Christ Himself was strengthened 
 by an angel at His third prayer. 
 
 5. The sign of the Cross is now often repeated 
 over the Host and the Chalice, not only before, but 
 also after the Elevation. This oft-repeated sign of 
 the Cross, imparting strength and grace, is to re- 
 mind us that it is the Sacrifice of the Cross which 
 
 is here renewed. The sacrificial offerings, as well 
 
154 Thk Holy Sackifick of the Mass. 
 
 as tlic hearts of the worshipers, should be purified 
 and sanctified before the Elevation by the sign of 
 the Cross. In like manner, after the Elevation, the 
 priest and the faithful are prepared for actual or i 
 spiritual Communion, and intimately united with 
 Christ. In some parts of the Canon there is only 
 one Cross made ; in other parts three, and again in 
 others five are made. One Cross signifies the unity 
 .of the Divine Essence, two Crosses signify the dual- 
 ity of natures in our Lord, three the Blessed Trin- 
 ity, and five typify the Five Wounds. 
 
 6. In early times a tablet w^as used, upon which 
 the r^Iemento w'as inscribed, and read by the deacon 
 or subdeacon during the Canon ; at a Low Mass the 
 priest read it himself. This tablet, called diptych, 
 consisted of three separate columns. In the first col- 
 umn the names of the saints w^ere enrolled, at first 
 Apostles and martyrs, later also holy bishops and 
 confessors. The second column contained the names 
 of those who were illustrious among the living, or 
 held places of eminence either in the temporal or 
 spiritual order, such as the Supreme Pontiflf, the 
 patriarchs, archbishop or bishop of the diocese. In 
 this same column w^ere also inserted the names of 
 those for whose special intention the Mass was 
 oflfered, or w^ho had contributed bountifully toward 
 the wants of the altar, and the support of its sacred-, 
 ministers. The third column contained the names ofjl 
 those who departed this life in full communion with 
 the Church, but who were not otherwise in any 
 
The Canon. 155 
 
 degree remarkable. The substance of these three 
 cohimns is now distributed among the following 
 prayers of the Mass ; viz., the first Memento, the 
 Communicantes, the Nobis quoque peccatoribus, and 
 the second Memento. We still have these three col- 
 umns, but not in the same order. As it is now, the 
 second column precedes the first: in it the priest 
 mentions the Supreme Pontiff, and the bishop or 
 archbishop of the diocese, then the faithful, for 
 whom he prays, either out of love or duty; there- 
 upon follows the first column; in which the priest 
 mentions the names of twenty-four saints, twelve 
 being Apostles and twelve martyrs. They are to 
 remind us of the twenty-four ancients who sur- 
 round the throne; the twelve Apostles typify the 
 twelve foundation stones of the heavenly Jerusalem, 
 and the twelve martyrs take the place of the 144,000 
 sealed, (12,000 out of each of the twelve tribes of 
 Israel), as St. John describes in the Apocalypse. In 
 this first column no other saint can now be inserted. 
 The third column or division, the Memento for the 
 Dead, now comes after the Elevation. 
 
 7. The priest holding his hands extended over 
 the oblation implores God to graciously accept the 
 Sacrifice about to be offered. As in the Old Law 
 the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon 
 the Scape Goat, so Christ took the sins of the world 
 upon Himself, and laden with these sins consum- 
 mated His Passion. In a similar manner the priest 
 now also lays our wants, the wants of the Church 
 and the sins of the faithful upon the Divine Head 
 of the Reedeemer. 
 
150 'i'nK lloLv Sachifick of the Mass. 
 
 THE CONSECRATION. 
 
 1. The Consecration is tlic heart of the Canon 
 and of the entire Mass; it is even the Hfe spring of 
 the Church. As the blood from the heart circulates j 
 through all parts of the lx)dy, so the blood of the ' 
 Redeemer flows through the Consecration, into all 
 parts of Christ's Church. id 
 
 2. The Elevation, or Consecration is ushered in 
 by the tivefold sign of the Cross made over the 
 Oblation. This is symbolical of the five wounds 
 through which our Redeemer completed His sacriJJ 
 fice on the Cross. The victim is already laid on the 
 Cross, the five wounds are opened ; the sacrifice fol- 
 lows, the death of Christ on the Cross is renewed. 
 
 3. The priest repeats the words, and does pre«| 
 cisely what our Lord did at His last supper when 
 He changed the bread and wine into His body and 
 blood, thereby effecting in the name of Christ the 
 act of Consecration. The words of consecration, 
 which the Church received from Christ through the 
 Apostles, have creative power. As the word of God 
 caused heaven and earth to come forth out of noth«| 
 ing so the words of consecration effect the transub- 
 stantiation of bread and wine into the body and blood 
 of our Lord. At these words the Redeemer descends 
 from heaven, and offers Himself on tlie altar to His 
 heavenly Father for the salvation of the world. 
 
 Although Christ is truly present under each spe^l 
 cies, nevertheless both species are necessary in order 
 to represent the separation of His precious blood 
 from His sacred body. 
 
The Consechation. 157 
 
 Pure should the hearts be, that partake of the 
 Sacrifice, and filled with devotion and reverence. 
 
 4. As soon as the words of consecration have 
 been spoken over the Host, the priest bends the knee 
 and adores the God incarnate, present on the altar; 
 then he raises the Sacred Host on high so that all 
 may see it. 
 
 He does the same, likewise, with the Chalice when 
 he has pronounced the words of consecration over 
 it. This elevation of the Host and the Chalice re- 
 minds us, first, of the elevation of Christ on the Cross, 
 upon which He consummated His sacrifice. It re- 
 minds us furthermore, of how Christ offers Himself 
 to His heavenly Father as mediator for fallen man, — 
 an inexhaustible source of grace for the Church, and 
 for each individual soul a sure guide on the way of 
 the Cross. The faithful also fall on their knees and 
 unite in worshiping our Redeemer, they thank Him 
 for graces received, beg forgiveness for their sins as 
 well as for the sins of others, and implore Him for 
 graces of every kind. There is certainly, no time 
 more appropriate to lay our wants before God than 
 at the time of Elevation. 
 
 5. At the Elevation of the Sacred Host and Chal- 
 ice, the acolyte gives a sign with the bell for the 
 faithful to adore. This signal should awaken devo- 
 tion in the lukewarm and cold of heart, but in the 
 devout it should increase the flame of divine love. 
 As the silver tones of the bell undulate through the 
 church, so should the hearts of the faithful beat in 
 
ins Thk Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 unison with their licavcnly Jjridegrooni. He heark- 
 ens so gladly to the harmonious tone of love and 
 confidence, and to the prayers of pure hearts. Where- 
 ever the custom prevails of ringing the church bells 
 at Elevation, it is to announce the moment of conse- 
 cration to the faithful, who could not be present at 
 Divine Service, so that they may at least participate, 
 in this most holy Sacrifice. 
 
 6. The three orations after the Consecration re- 
 mind us of the three hours, that Christ hung on the 
 Cross, and of the love with which He sacrificed 
 Himself to His heavenly Father for the salvation of 
 the world. These prayers and this sacrificial love 
 continue throughout the Mass. 
 
 7. The priest again makes the sign of the Cross 
 five times over the Chalice and the Host. The five 
 wounds are now opened, the sacred blood of the 
 Redeemer flows in streams through the entire 
 Church, and into the heart of every member who 
 participates in this Sacrifice. 
 
 8. In the second oration the priest mentions the 
 sacrifice of Abel, Abraham and Melchisedech, be- 
 cause these three sacrifices were prototypes of 
 Christ's sacrifice. In Abel we see Christ as prophet, 
 in Abraham as priest, and in Melchisedech as king. 
 
 9. In the third oration the priest, deeply bowed, 
 prays that God will be pleased to have the fruits of 
 this. Sacrifice brought before His Most Sacred Maj- 
 esty, by the hands of an angel. Even in the Old 
 
The Memento. 159 
 
 Testament we often read that the angels took part 
 in the sacrifices ; how much more so will the priest 
 of the New Covenant have angels at his side to assist 
 him, and adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. 
 The priest kisses the altar, and then, making the 
 sign of the Cross on himself, prays that from this 
 fount of grace manifold blessings may fill his heart. 
 
 THE MEMENTO. 
 
 1. After His death, Christ descended into Limbo 
 to bring the joyous message of redemption to the 
 Just, who were awaiting His arrival. In like man- 
 ner the Church, as soon as the Crucifixion of our 
 Lord is renewed in the Consecration, descends into 
 Purgatory, and seeks to obtain participation in the 
 reopened stream of grace for the Just detained there. 
 
 2. The Sacrifice of the Mass is, as it were, a court 
 of justice. God is about to pass judgment on man- 
 kind, but the guilty, at the Memento for the Living, 
 place themselves under the protection of our Re- 
 deemer, who obtains pardon for them by the Conse- 
 cration : therefore the Memento for the Living 
 comes before the Elevation ; judgment, however, 
 has been already pronounced on the Dead, hence 
 they are remembered after the Elevation, in order to 
 obtain mercy for them through the blood of Christ. 
 
 3. The priest strikes his breast and says aloud: 
 ''Nobis quoque peccatoribus'' (And to us sinners). 
 Many who were present at the death of our Lord, 
 and seeing the wonders that took place, striking their 
 
1(jO Thk Holy Saciufice oV" the Mass. 
 
 breasts, confessed the Godhead of Christ. The priesti 
 likewise strikes his breast after he has seen the mys-j 
 tery which has jnst taken place. The stream of grace 
 has already poured over the Church Suffering; novvl 
 the i)riest prays that the Church Militant on earth! 
 may partake of this grace. But only those who are 
 humble and contrite of heart partake of this grace; 
 therefore, he strikes his breast and confesses himself 
 a sinner. I le prays in a loud voice that is from 
 the depths of his heart to the Lord, and exhorts all 
 present to unite with him in this prayer. The con- 
 tents of this prayer are, that through the Sacrifice of Bl 
 the Mass the Church Militant and the Church Suffer- 
 ing may be led into the Church Triumphant. 
 
 4. Even to inanimate nature, blessings must flow 
 from the Holy Sacrifice ; this is expressed in the 
 short prayer following, in which the priest makes 
 the sign of the Cross three times over the species of 
 bread, wine, and water, inanimate forms of nature _ 
 raised to the substance of the sacred offering, becom-JI 
 ing thereby the source of grace for all creation. In 
 early times, it w^as customary to bless new fruits and 
 products of various kinds at this part of the Mass, 
 such as grapes, milk, honey, oil, wine^ etc. Even to 
 this day the Holy Oils are solemnly blessed at this 
 part of the Mass. 
 
 5. At the close of the Canon the priest uncovers 
 the chalice and taking the Sacred Host between the 
 thumb and index finger of the right hand makes 
 three crosses with it over the chalice while saying: 
 
Summary. 161 
 
 'Through Him, with Him, and in Him,'' then two 
 crosses between the Chalice and himself in a direct 
 line, at the expression ''to Thee, God the Father 
 Almighty in the unity of the Holy Ghost, be all 
 honor and glory,'' he raises the ChaHce and Host a 
 few inches from the altar. This is called the minor 
 Elevation, and here the Canon ends. The three 
 crosses over the chalice denote the Son of God, Who 
 offers Himself in His threefold office, of prophet, 
 priest and king. The other two crosses glorify the 
 Father and the Holy Ghost ; these two persons form 
 one essence with the Son, therefore the crosses are 
 made with the Sacred Host. The Elevation of the 
 Chalice with the Sacred Host shows us that the entire 
 creation is, through the Holy Sacrifice, united to God 
 from Whom it was separated by sin. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 Communion— Christ as King. Intimate Union with 
 Christ. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 In Holy Communion the kingdom of Christ is ex- 
 tended and confirmed. In receiving Holy Commun- 
 ion Christ becomes the King oi our hearts ; there- 
 fore, the Communion is the central point of the third 
 part of the Mass, which begins with the Pater Noster 
 and continues to the end of Mass. 
 
H)2 The Holy Sackifke of the Mass. 
 
 PATER NOSTER. 
 
 1. The "Per omnia saecula saeculorum" (worl 
 without end), which the priest says or sings in 
 loud voice, forms the transition from the second to' 
 the third part of the Mass. For as all honor and 
 glory redounds through Jesus Christ, to the honor 
 and glory of His heavenly Father, so from the Fa- 
 ther all graces flow to us. 
 
 2. The following short preface precedes the Fa-_ 
 ter Xoster: "Being admonished by salutary pre-^l 
 cepts, and taught by divine institution, w'e presume 
 to say: Our Father," etc. This preface refers not 
 only to the Pater Noster but also to the subsequent 
 part of the Mass. ■ 
 
 3. The Pater Noster was, from the beginning, 
 connected with the celebration of the Mass. It re- 
 calls to our minds the special moment of the work of — 
 our redemption, when after the Ascension the Apos-^ 
 ties and Disciples continued in prayer, to prepare 
 for the coming of the Floly Ghost. 
 
 This prayer which our Lord Himself taueht us 
 contains all the needs of mankind. In the Western 
 Church it is the priest alone who says the ''Pater 
 Noster," but in the Eastern Church it is said by the 
 people and priest together. It is said before Com- 
 munion because this prayer is the best preparation 
 for Communion. 
 
 4. In the ^lass, the Pater Noster must be said 
 with special reference to the Holy Sacrifice; there- 
 
 I 
 
 lere- ■! 
 
Patee Noster. 163 
 
 fore the priest directs his eyes to the sacred Host 
 while saying it. And in solemn high Masses the 
 subdeacon brings the paten to the altar so that the 
 ''daily bread" for the faithful may be placed upon 
 it, the paten heing a symbol of the heart. 
 
 5. The prayer following is a prayer for peace. 
 It is a continuation of the last petition of the 'Tater 
 Noster/' — ''Deliver us from evil.'' When all evil is 
 removed then peace will enter. The priest prays for 
 this freedom from evil while holding the paten in 
 his hand, which he had previously wiped with the 
 purificator. When the priest prays for peace he 
 blesses himself with the paten, then kisses it, and 
 lays the Sacred Host upon it. A compact of peace 
 was made upon the Cross, and Christ, reposing in the 
 form of bread upon the paten, imparts peace to all 
 who are willing to carry the cross. Here priest and 
 people unite to obtain peace. 
 
 6. Then the priest breaks the Sacred Host over 
 the chalice in three parts and drops one part into 
 the chalice. The breaking of the Sacred Host was 
 instituted by Christ Himself at His last supper, when 
 He broke the bread and gave it to His Apostles. 
 This denotes that Christ wishes to impart Him- 
 self to the faithful. Even in early times the Host 
 was divided into three parts ; one part was mingled 
 with the wine; another part was consumed by the 
 priest, and the third part was given to the faithful. 
 By this we are to understand the Communion- of the 
 entire Church, — a communion of the priest and a 
 
164 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
 
 coiniiiunion of the faithful. The mingling of a part 
 with the Sacred Blood, denotes the indissoluble es- 
 pousals of Christ with His Church — a perpetual 
 Pentecost, as it were, in which the union between 
 Christ and His Church is consummated. The faitml 
 ful are those guests that were invited to the wedding 
 feast ; but only those who actually or spiritually re- 
 ceive Holy Communion, accept the invitation. 
 
 THE ANGUS DEI. 
 
 1. The Agnus Dei was introduced into the Mass 
 by Pope Sergius (t7oi). At first it was sung ])y 
 the choir while the priest divided the Sacred Host. It 
 is the repetition of those words with which St. John 
 the P)aptist called the attention of his disciples to 
 Jesus. It is repeated three times to denote the ardor 
 with which this call of prayer is offered, and also 
 refers to the three parts into which the Sacred Host 
 is divided. 
 
 2. Having recited the Agnus Dei, the priest 
 bows a little and resting his hands upon the altar, 
 recites three prayers, without changing his posture. 
 The first is a petition to Almighty God for that peace 
 which the world cannot give ; the second asks for 
 deliverance from all iniquity by virtue of the body 
 and blood of our Divine Redeemer ; and the third, 
 that the reception of the same body and blood may 
 prove a remedy for all infirmities of soul and body. 
 On solemn occasions, after the first prayer, the kiss 
 of peace is given. This symbol of reconciliation, 
 
Holy Communion. 165 
 
 friendship and peace is of Apostolic origin, and in 
 early times was also given to the laity. Later an 
 embrace was substituted for the kiss, but this now 
 is limited to the clergy. It reminds us of the 
 admonition of the Lord : ''Therefore, if thou ofifer- 
 est thy gift at the altar, and there shalt remember 
 that thy brother hath any thing against thee, leave 
 there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be 
 reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer 
 thy gifts." The two prayers which follow prepare 
 the heart for Holy Communion. 
 
 HOLY COMMUNION. 
 
 1. Annihilation is necessary for the completion 
 of a sacrifice ; this takes place in the Unbloody Sacri- 
 fice, through Holy Communion. Christ is annihi- 
 lated in giving Himself as food for the faithful. And 
 as it is the priest through whom Christ the Lord 
 offers Himself, so by the Communion of the priest 
 the Sacrifice is completed. It is also the wish of the 
 Church that the faithful should communicate, so 
 that the fruits of the Holy Sacrifice may flow to 
 them in richer abundance. 
 
 2. In former times Holy Communion was admin- 
 istered to the faithful only at Mass after the Com- 
 munion of the priest; out of the Mass only to the 
 sick or to captives. 
 
 3. The priest communicates under both forms, 
 but the faithful only under the form of bread. Until 
 the twelfth century the faithful also communicated 
 
160 The Holy Saciufice of the Mass. 
 
 under l)oth forms, but only at the Mass, out of the 
 Mass, only under the form of bread. Even at the 
 Mass it was permitted to those of the faithful with 
 whom wine did not agree to refrain from par- 
 takini^- of the chalice. ]>oth kinds are necessary for 
 the Sacrifice of the Mass ; therefore priests must 
 comnuinicate under both forms. 
 
 4. Immediately before Communion the priest 
 takes the Sacred Host in his left hand, strikes his 
 breast three times with his rii^^ht hand, and repeats 
 the words of the Centurion : ''Lord, I am not wor- 
 thy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; say only 
 the word and my soul shall be healed.'' The Cen- 
 turion spoke these words in humility, faith and confi- 
 dence, so should priest and people repeat them with 
 the same sentiments. 
 
 5. The priest raises the Host to about the height 
 of his eyes, and tracing with it the form of a cross 
 in front of him, says: ''May the Body of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlascmg. 
 Amen." He then stoops down, and resting nis elbows 
 reverently upon the altar, receives the Sacred Host. 
 After this he stands erect and pauses awhile in 
 solemn meditation, with his hands joined before his 
 face. 
 
 Next follows the Communion of the Chalice. To 
 this end the priest removes the pall from the mouth 
 of the chalice, and having made a genuflection as 
 before, recites the words, ''What shall I render to 
 the Lord for all the good things that He has ren- 
 
Holy Communion. 167 
 
 dered unto me?" (Psalm cxv). He then takes 
 the paten in his hand and gathers up with it 
 from the corporal, any loose particles that may 
 have remained upon the latter from contact 
 with the Sacred Host, all of which he allows 
 to drop into the chalice by the aid of the thumb 
 and index finger of his right hand. After this 
 he places his hand on the chalice, saying : "I will 
 receive the Chalice of Salvation and call upon the 
 name of the Lord; praising I will invoke the Lord 
 and will be safe from my enemies." Then placing 
 the paten under his chin with his left hand, and tak- 
 ing the chalice in his right, he makes the sign of the 
 Cross and communicates with the words : ''May the 
 Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to 
 life everlasting. Amen." 
 
 6. The server rings the bell at the words : ''Do- 
 mine non sum dignus," just before the priest com- 
 municates ; then those desirous of communicating 
 advance to the sanctuary rails, where they kneel and 
 placing the communion cloth under their chin await 
 the approach of the priest. The server in the mean- 
 time recites the Confiteor on their behalf, while the 
 priest is getting the Sacred Particles ready for dis- 
 tribution. Opening the tabernacle he takes the cibo- 
 rium, in which the Sacred Particles are kept, and 
 places it upon the corporal in front of him ; uncover- 
 ing it he makes another genuflection, turns a little 
 towards the communicants, and pronounces over 
 them the following prayers : "May the Almighty 
 and Merciful God grant you pardon, absolution and 
 
1G8 The Hulv Sachifick of the Mass. 
 
 remission of your sins." While pronouncing this 
 form of ahsohition, he makes the si,c:n of the Cross 
 over all at the communion railini;', and having" made 
 a third ^genuflection takes the cihorium in his left 
 hand, and holdiui^ a i)article over it with his right, 
 says in an audihle tone: "Behold the lamb of God, 
 behold Him Who taketh away the sins of the world." 
 ''Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter un- 
 der my roof ; say but the word and my soul shall be 
 healed." The latter ])rotestation he repeats three 
 times, then descends to the railing and gives Com- 
 munion to the communicants, always beginning at 
 the Epistle side. 
 
 Tn administering the Sacrament to each person 
 the ])riest says: ''May the Body of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ preserve thy soul unto life everlasting. 
 Amen." 
 
 7. After Communion the priest holds out the 
 chalice to the server, who pours wine into it ; this 
 the celebrant drinks, then washes his fingers over 
 the chalice, first with wine and then with water. This 
 threefold i)urification is to signify that Holy Com 
 munion animates, penetrates, and purifies the Church 
 the clergy, and the faithful. 
 
 8. After he covers the chalice, the priest read 
 the Communion, which is a short antiphon bearing 
 upon the feast of the day, and generally taken from^ 
 the psalms. In former times it was customary toj 
 sing it wath some portions of a psalm, or, if neces- 
 sary, the entire psahn. 
 
 s 
 
 J 
 
W^ The Post Communion. 169 
 
 It is called Communion because it was sang 
 while the priest administered Communion. It 
 corresponds with the Introit and Offertory ; and 
 expresses the special grace which flows from this 
 Holy Sacrifice, in addition to the general graces 
 which emanate therefrom. 
 
 THE POST COMMUNION. 
 
 1. After receiving Holy Communion priest and 
 people offer prayers of thanksgiving for the graces 
 received. This is the substance of the prayers which 
 follow. As the graces of the day vary, so must also 
 our thanksgiving. This special thanksgiving is con- 
 tctined in the Post-Communion ; it forms the third 
 class of the Collects. The priest offers all the pray- 
 ers of the congregation in thanksgiving to God. 
 
 2. The repeated greeting, ''Dominus Vobiscum," 
 is an admonition to the faithful that they should 
 remain the whole day united with the priest in 
 thanksgiving. The Church continues this thanksgiv- 
 ing in the prayers of the Breviary, in which this 
 greeting often occurs. 
 
 3. The Ite missa est (Go, the Mass is ended) is 
 a solemn dismissal of the faithful, and was custom- 
 ary in the earliest times. When the Gloria in excel- 
 sis is not said, "Benedicamus Domino'' (Let us bless 
 the Lord) is said, instead of Ite missa est. Dur- 
 ing Advent and Lent, the early Christians nof, only 
 assisted at Mass, but also at the Canonical Hours 
 which followed. In those days of longer and more 
 fervent prayers^ instead of dismissing the congrega- 
 
170 The Holy Sackifrk of thk Mash. 
 
 tioii thev were invited to l)less the Lord. These 
 words have been preserved in the Church to remind 
 us that it is necessary to sanctify the holy time of 
 penance by prayer. In Masses for the dead there is 
 no blessine^ or dismissal, because the people are sup- 
 posed to remain for the al)Solution of the body and 
 its interment. The priest on such occasions turns 
 to the altar, and simply says: '*Requiescat in pace." 
 (May he rest in peace.) The Ite missa est is to 
 remind us of the second Advent of Christ at the 
 Last Judgnient. As the Sacrifice of the Mass begins 
 with the Introit and closes with the Ite missa est, 
 so the great work of redemption begins with the 
 Incarnation of Christ and ends with the day of 
 judgment; from thence on, it will be continued in 
 heaven as a*sacrifice of praise. 
 
 4. Thereupon the priest says a. short prayer, im- 
 ploring mercy for himself and the faithful, then 
 kisses the altar and turning to the people blesses 
 them, in the name of the Father and of the Son 
 and of the Holy Ghost. In Masses for the dead this 
 blessing is omitted. He then reads the Gospel of 
 St. John. The priest prays for the people and blesses 
 tliem, that they may be enabled to walk in the path 
 of virtue and obtain strength to overcome the enemy 
 in the battle of life. 
 
 AVhen a feast falls on a Sunday, or other day 
 which has a proper Gospel of its own, the Gospel 
 of the day is read instead of the Gospel of St. Johr 
 
I 
 
 Mass for the Dead. 171 
 
 IVIASS FOR THE DEAD. 
 
 1. In early Christian times the body of the de- 
 ceased was brought to the church, psalms were sung 
 and many prayers were said, with readings from the 
 Scriptures, which were often continued even during 
 the night. From this originated our Office of the 
 Dead. In some convents it is still customary to 
 pray psalms night and day over the body of the 
 departed, and the so-called wakes are relics of the 
 early night-watches. 
 
 2. On the third day the faithful assembled again 
 at the grave to pray, and offer the Holy Sacrifice of 
 the Mass, imploring God to open heaven for this 
 soul as He Himself arose from the dead on the third 
 day. 
 
 3. The same was done on the seventh day; the 
 Creator rested on the seventh day, so the faithful 
 implore God to grant eternal rest to the departed. 
 
 4. Also on the thirtieth, and in many places on 
 the fortieth day, the people assembled again to ofifer 
 prayers and Mass for the dead. This custom dates 
 from the Old Testament. 
 
 5. In order that the memory of the departed 
 might not be forgotten, the anniversary was com- 
 memorated in a similar manner. 
 
 6. These memorial days of the first Christian 
 centuries are still retained ; and on the third, seventh 
 and thirtieth day, Mass for the dead may, generally, 
 be said irrespective of the feast of the day. 
 
172 The Holy Saciufick of thk Mass. 
 
 7. Masses for the dead are, otherwise, restricted 
 to days on which either no feast occurs, or on a 
 feast of low rank. It .must not necessarily be a 
 Mass of the Dead ; any other Mass may also be 
 offered for the departed. In order to gain for the 
 doj)arte(l the indulgence of the so-called Privileged 
 Altar it is required to say the Mass in black, on 
 ihose days permitted by the rubrics. 
 
 8. Ijoth the living and the dead partake of the 
 graces bestowed in the Mass, but if the Mass is for 
 the dead, the departed receive the more special fruit, 
 no matter whether it be said in black or the color of 
 the day. A Requiem, however, should more forci- 
 bly remind priest and people of the Poor Souls, and 
 incite them to pray ardently for their repose. 
 
 9. In Masses for the Dead everything pertain- 
 ing to joy is omitted ; also any allusion to the gen- 
 eral fruit of the Mass which those present receive, 
 so that the attention may be directed entirely to the 
 souls departed. It is true that the Faithful receixe 
 the general fruits of these Masses, as well as from 
 any other Mass, but by the sad mourning ritual the} 
 are incited to think more of the departed than of 
 themselves. 
 
 The psalm ''Judica me" is omitted, because of the 
 w^ords : "J^^^'^re ^^^^ O Lord and why art thou sad, 
 O my soul?" The soul for which w^e pray has already 
 been judged at the secret tribunal of God, and why 
 should we ask the cause of its sadness, when perhaps 
 it is exiled from Him Whom it loves ? 
 
Mass for the Dead. 173 
 
 The Gloria Patri, the Gloria in excelsis, the Alle- 
 luia, and the Ite missa est, are not heard in Masses 
 for the Dead, because the souls in Purgatory are 
 not yet allowed to join in the canticles of the angels. 
 
 The sign of the Cross at the Introit is made by 
 the priest with his hand toward the Missal, not over 
 himself. Does he bless the altar or the book? No. 
 Why then this blessing ? The souls who have been 
 recommended to him are in the mind and heart of 
 the priest. His one desire is to comfort them, and 
 to show this • desire as soon as he goes up to 
 the altar he applies to them the blessed fruits of 
 the Cross ; he knows how to despoil himself gener- 
 ously in their favor. At the end of the Gospel the 
 book is not kissed, to signify that the souls of the 
 dead have not yet received the ineffable kiss of God ; 
 or, again, because having died in the sign of faith 
 there is no need for them to profess their belief in 
 the Gospel. The Creed is omitted for the same rea- 
 son. At the Offertory the priest again does not bless 
 the water poured into the chalice ; water is a symbol 
 of the Faithful in the Mass, but in Masses for the 
 Dead it represents more particularly the souls in 
 Purgatory, and the Church in not blessing the water 
 wishes to show that she has no jurisdiction over 
 those souls. 
 
 The omission of the blessing at the close of Mass 
 is also an act of charity on the part of the priest and 
 people, who seem to forget themselves and to think 
 only of those who suffer — the poor exiles from heav- 
 en, for whom are all the merits, all the blessings, all 
 
174 Thk Holy Sackifick of the Mass. 
 
 the fruits of the sacrifice. At the Agiius Dei the 
 "Miserere nobis" (Have mercy on us) is replaced 
 by the words: Dona eis requiem (Give them rest). 
 In Masses for the Dead it is always them and never 
 lis. At solemn High Mass of Requiem incense is 
 used at the Offertory, and then only to incense the 
 Sacrifice, the altar and the priest, then again at the 
 Elevation. The grand awe-inspiring Sequence — 
 ''Dies irae," which follows the Gradual (after the 
 Epistle), is also prayed in solemn Masses for the 
 Dead ; in private Masses, however, the recitation of 
 this hymn is optional with the priest. The essential 
 parts of the Mass are not changed in Masses for the 
 Dead. The three principal parts and the entire 
 Canon remain the same, excepting the non-essential 
 parts above mentioned. It is one and the same 
 stream of love which flows continually in the Holy 
 Sacrifice, for the dead as well as for the living. 
 
 *The Dies irae, conceded to be one of the grandest hymns 
 ever written, has been claimed by many authors ; but the one 
 who seems to have the strongest claim is Latino Orsini, com- 
 monly called Frangipani, raised to the Cardinalate by his ma- 
 ternal uncle, Pope Nicholas III., in 1278. He was known as 
 Cardinal Malabranca, and was at first a member of the Domin- 
 ican Order. After Cardinal Orsini, the claims to it, on the 
 part of Thomas de Celano. of the Order of Franciscans Minor, 
 are the greatest. According to Schaff, this marvelous hymn is 
 the masterpiece of Latin poetry, and the most sublime of all 
 inspired hymns. 
 
Introduction. 175 
 
 THE SACRAMENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ^Wiich the merits of the Sacrifice of the Cross flow 
 to us. As the Mass is a continuation of the Sacrifice 
 of the Cross, so it is also the central point of the 
 Sacraments. 
 
 2. The Catholic Church has at all times taught 
 and administered seven Sacraments, because she re- 
 ceived this number from Christ through the Apos- 
 tles, and because seven correspond to all the spiritual 
 wants of man. 
 
 3. The outward signs which we see in the dis- 
 pensing of the Sacraments have been established 
 partly by Christ and partly by the Church. The signs 
 established by Christ are absolutely necessary for 
 the validity of the Sacrament ; they are the form and 
 matter of the Sacrament. The signs established by 
 the Church are not essentially necessary, but by them 
 the sublimity of these mysteries become more intui- 
 tively evident, as they have great influence on the 
 heart of man, making it, thereby, more susceptible 
 to the workings of grace, which flow from the Sac- 
 raments. 
 
 By the matter of a Sacrament we understand the 
 act by which the Sacrament is administered, e. g., 
 the pouring of water in Baptism; by the form we 
 understand the words which must be spoken, as in 
 
17(j The Sacraments. 
 
 Baptism the words: '*I baptize thee in the name of 
 the Father," etc. 
 
 4. The Sacraments are divided into the Sacra- 
 ments of the Dead, and the Sacraments of the Liv- 
 ing. Baptism and Penance are called Sacraments 
 of the Dead because they give sanctifying grace to 
 the soul, and have the power of raising the soul 
 from the death of sin to the life of grace. The other 
 five Sacraments arc called Sacraments of the Living, 
 because those who receive them worthily must be in 
 a state of grace; they increase sanctifying grace in 
 those who receive them. 
 
 The Sacraments are again divided into those that 
 can be received but once, as Baptism, Confirmation, 
 and Holy Orders ; and Sacraments that can be re- 
 ceived oftener, namely, the other four. 
 
 l)ai)tism, Confirmation and Holy Orders can be 
 received but once, because they imprint on the soul 
 an indelible character, which always remains. In 
 Baptism man becomes a citizen of the kingdom of 
 God on earth ; in Confirmation, a soldier, and in 
 Holy Orders, an officer of this kingdom. Each of 
 these three honors leaves an indelible seal on the 
 soul of those who receive them, therefore the graces 
 of these three Sacraments can be renewed every mo- 
 ment. 
 
 5. The administration of the Sacraments was 
 confided by Christ to the priesthood of His Church. 
 As the Holy Alysteries upon which Christ has made 
 the salvation of the soul depend must be sacredly ad 
 
 1 
 
Baptism. 177 
 
 ministered, He established the priesthood and en- 
 trusted it with the administration of the Sacraments. 
 Baptism alone may, in case of necessity, be adminis- 
 tered by any one, even by a heretic or Jew, if he 
 use the proper matter and form ; even if no necessity 
 existed, Baptism so given would be valid, although 
 unlawful. Confirmation and Holy Orders are admin- 
 istered by the bishop; the other Sacraments by the 
 priest. 
 
 The faithful should endeavor to learn the signifi- 
 cance of the ceremonies used in administering the 
 Sacraments ; this will increase veneration for these 
 Holy Mysteries and help to prepare us for their 
 worthy reception. 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 1. The outward signs established by Christ and 
 necessary for the validity of the Sacrament of Bap- 
 tism, consist in pouring water three times in the 
 form of a cross on the head of the person to be 
 baptized, saying at the same time: I baptize thee 
 in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 2. The matter of Baptism is the pouring of wa- 
 ter. Usually only water that was blessed on Holy 
 Saturday or the vigil of Pentecost should be used. 
 It is permitted to use Holy Water in case of private 
 Baptism, if it is at hand ; if not, then any natural 
 un-adulterated water may be used. 
 
178 The Sackaments. 
 
 3. Christ appointed water for Baptism because: 
 
 ( 1 ) Baptism is absolutely necessary for salva- 
 tion, and water may be obtained everywhere. 
 
 (2) Water denotes most distinctly the effects of 
 I baptism ; as water cleanses the body, so Baptism 
 cleanses the soul from sin. 
 
 (3) Water cools and refreshes the body, so 
 Baptism cools the glow of evil desires and renews 
 the inner man. 
 
 4. The form consists in the words: 'T baptize 
 thee in the name of the Father f and of the Son f 
 and of the Holy f Ghost." These words must l^e 
 pronounced entire and vmchanged by the person bap- 
 tizing while pouring the water. If there be a doubt 
 as to whether the candidate for Baptism is still alive, 
 or may not have been already baptized, then the 
 words: 'Tf you still live," or ''if you have not 
 already been baptized," 'T baptize thee," etc., must 
 be added. 
 
 5. The minister of Baptism is the priest, except 
 in case of necessity, as before stated ; when any per- 
 son may baptize ; but he must have the intention of 
 doing what Christ ordained. 
 
 6. It is an old-established custom of the Church 
 to have sponsors ; they act, first, as witnesses, who 
 can testify to the fact that the person has received 
 the Sacrament of Baptism ; secondly, as security that 
 the candidate for Baptism will remain true to the 
 faith. Therefore when the one to be baptized cannot 
 
Baptism. 179 
 
 ■Speak, the sponsors must reply to the questions, and 
 recite the baptismal vows. Sponsors should also 
 provide for the Christian instruction of their god- 
 children, if the parents should neglect this duty, or if 
 they should be removed by death. Thus a spiritual 
 affinity is contracted between the sponsors and god- 
 child, as well as his natural parents, which the 
 Church regards as an impediment to marriage; 
 hence the number of godparents is limited to two. 
 One sponsor is indispensably necessary. 
 
 7. In order to fulfill the duties of godparents the 
 sponsors must have the following qualities : 
 
 (i) The sponsor, if there be but one, must be 
 of the same sex as the godchild. 
 
 (2) He should be an adult and have been con- 
 firmed. 
 
 (3) He should be well instructed in his faith, 
 and lead a virtuous life. 
 
 On the other hand the following persons cannot 
 be sponsors : the parents of the one to be baptized, 
 non-Catholics, the excommunicated, persons of ill 
 repute, or those ignorant of the truths of their reli- 
 gion, nor members of Religious Orders. These can- 
 not fulfill the duties of sponsor. All sponsors should 
 seriously consider their obligations and perform 
 them conscientiously. 
 
 8. In the first Christian centuries when mostly 
 adults were solemnly baptized, the vigils of Easter 
 and Pentecost were set apart for the reception of 
 
180 The Sacraments. 
 
 Baptism, because man, through Baptism, rises to a 
 new spiritual Hfe and becomes the temple of the Holy 
 Ghost. Nowadays as mostly infants are baptized, 
 they should be baptized as soon as possible after 
 birth, because the newly born hover between life and 
 death. In remembrance of the early solemn Baptism 
 at Easter and Pentecost, baptismal water is still 
 blessed on the vigils of these feasts. 
 
 9. The Sacrament of Baptism is to be adminis- 
 tered in the Church. In former times the so-called 
 baptistries, or small chapels, were used for this pur- 
 pose. Instead of these we have now the baptismal 
 fonts. Only in case of necessity is it allowed to bap- 
 tize in private houses. Nearly all the Sacraments 
 are administered in the Church, therefore it is but 
 proper that the first Sacrament should be adminis- 
 tered there. 
 
 BAPTISMAL RITE. 
 
 I. The Baptismal Rite consists of three parts: 
 (i) The ceremonies at the Church door, which 
 
 represent to us the liberation of the candidate from 
 
 the slavery of sin and Satan. 
 
 (2) The ceremonies from the entrance into the 
 church to the Baptism, which form the approximate 
 preparation and the Baptism itself. 
 
 (3) The ceremonies after Baptism; these are to 
 remind the baptized that he should faithfully pre- 
 serve the graces bestowed in Baptism until death ; 
 these graces exert a sacred power, and enable the 
 ba])tizcd to fulfill the duties invoK^ed. 
 
Baptismal Rite. 181 
 
 2. The priest vested in violet stole meets the child 
 at the church door, because it is still a child of 
 wrath and has not yet the right to enter into the 
 house of the children of God. Baptism is the door 
 to the threefold sanctuary of grace, the Church and 
 of heaven. 
 
 3. The name of a Saint is given to the child. 
 This custom originated in the first Christian cen- 
 turies and has a beautiful significance. 
 
 It indicates that the person baptized has been 
 made a child of God, and incorporated into the com- 
 pany of the Saints. The Christian should recall his 
 baptismal vow, as often as he hears his name. This 
 name is also a mark of honor and of grace. In the 
 Sacred Scripture the giving of a name was always a 
 mark of special grace or gift, so also man, through 
 Baptism, is raised to the dignity of a Christian — 
 becomes a sacerdotal king. 
 
 By the baptismal name the child receives a spe- 
 cial patron, a powerful intercessor in heaven, and a 
 inodel for imitation. The Christian should daily im- 
 plore the protection of his patron saint, and as often 
 as he hears his name he should remember that he is 
 in communion with the saints in heaven, where, one 
 day, he will also be united with them forever. 
 
 4. The priest then addresses some questions to 
 the one to be baptized, or to his sponsors, on faith, 
 etc. This is in remembrance of the religious instruc- 
 tion which formerly preceded Baptism. He breathes 
 upon him three times. God breathed the breath of 
 
182 The Sacraments. 
 
 life into Aclani. Through Baptism sin is expelled 
 from the soul and supernatural life is received. 
 Christ imi)arted the Holy Ghost to His Disciples by 
 breathing upon them. In like manner, by Baptism, 
 man becomes the temple of God. 
 
 5. The priest then makes the sign of the Crossf i 
 on the forehead and breast of the candidate, as a 
 sign, that will, and understanding must first ])e 
 blessed, and made subject to the doctrine of the 
 Cross, if man would become and remain a temple 
 of God. Do not be ashamed of the Cross which 
 you have borne on your forehead since your Bap- 
 tism. 
 
 6. The priest lays his hand upon the one bap- 
 tized, to show that he is now placed under the pow- 
 erful protection of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 7. Finally, salt is placed on his lips, to denote 
 preservation from the temptation of sin. Salt pre- 
 serves from corruption, gives a savory taste to food, | 
 ci\\(\ is a symbol of wisdom. In like manner, man is 
 freed from the corruption of sin by Baptism, re- 
 ceives a relish for good works and is inspired with 
 
 a desire for the wisdom of the Cross. The priest 
 previously blesses the salt, imploring for the one to 
 be baptized all the graces symbolized by the salt. 
 
 8. The priest now solemnly exorcises the child ; 
 this is a renunciation of Satan. According to Leo 
 the Great, this exorcism was established by the 
 Apostles. It is a powerful command in the name 
 
Baptismal Rite. 183 
 
 of God for Satan to depart, that the Holy Ghost 
 may dwell in this soul. At the close of the exor- 
 cism, the priest makes the sign of the Cross on the 
 forehead of the child, a shield, as it were, against 
 the infernal powers. 
 
 9. Laying the stole upon the child he leads him 
 into the temple of God. Priest and sponsors at the 
 same time repeat aloud the Apostles' Creed and the 
 Our Father. The stole is a sign of the power of the 
 Church, by which the priest grants the child oermis- 
 sion to enter the Church, after having been liberated 
 from the kingdom of Satan. The Apostles' Creed 
 and the Our Father are prayed here in commemora- 
 tion of the Catechumens, who in early Christian 
 times were permitted to learn the Apostles' Creed 
 and the Our Father, only after they had been pre- 
 pared for Baptism. As the Church is a house of 
 prayer, we should always enter it with sentiments 
 of faith and devotion. 
 
 10. The ceremonies at the baptismal font form 
 the immediate preparation for Baptism ; they begin 
 with the second exorcism. 
 
 This exorcism is to free the person forever from 
 the power of Satan. The priest, here, anoints the 
 nostrils and ears with spittle. As Christ restored 
 sight to the blind, and made the dumb to speak, 
 touching with spittle, so shall the external senses be 
 withdrawn from the power of Satan, and opened for 
 the service of God. 
 
184 TiiK Sackamknts. 
 
 11. Then follows the abjuration, which in the 
 first Christian centuries was very solemnly per- 
 formed. By the ceremonies and prayers preceding 
 this act of exorcism, the Church liberated the candi- 
 date from the slavery of Satan, but now he must 
 solemnly renounce the Prince of Darkness himself, 
 and therefore renounces Satan, all his works and all 
 his pomps. By this abjuration the person frees 
 himself not only from the Spirit of Darkness, but 
 also enters into a covenant that he will fight against 
 him to guard himself from his wiles. 
 
 12. To make him a soldier of Christ, he is 
 anointed on the breast and shoulders with the Oil of 
 the Catechumens. Anointing on the breast denotes 
 the interior combat, because the breast or heart is 
 the seat of evil desires ; betw^een the shoulders de- 
 notes the outward combat. 
 
 13. The priest now^ exchanges the violet stole 
 for a white one. So far, the object of all the cere- 
 monies and prayers was the expulsion of Satan and 
 the extermination of sin ; therefore the penitential 
 color was used. The ceremonies following and the 
 prayers show^ the state of innocence, joy, and justice 
 which are accomplished by Baptism ; therefore 
 white, the color of joy and innocence, is used. 
 
 14. The priest then addresses three questions on 
 faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the 
 Holy Ghost. Faith and Baptism must, according to 
 the w^ords of Christ, be united, at least w^ith an adult. 
 Faith in the three Divine Persons must be confessed. 
 
Baptismal Rite. 185 
 
 because this mystery of the Holy Trinity includes 
 the foundation and summary of Christian faith. 
 
 This confession of faith forms with the preceding 
 abjuration the baptismal covenant, or vow. In this 
 covenant the person renounces sin, and promises 
 God to remain true to the living faith. On the other 
 hand God grants him forgiveness of all sin, His 
 grace upon earth and eternal happiness in heaven. 
 The Christian should bear this covenant in mind, and 
 often renew his baptismal vows. 
 
 15. As man is to receive Baptism of his own 
 free will and not by compulsion, the priest asks : 
 ''Wilt thou be baptised T' 
 
 16. Then follows the Baptism itself, which is 
 administered either by a triple immersion, pouring or 
 sprinkling of water. In the early ages of the Church, 
 Baptism was administered by immersion, in special 
 chapels, or so-called baptistries. In the Western 
 Church, the rule now is to baptize by pouring water 
 three times in the form of a cross, while pronouncing 
 the words : I baptize thee, ''N,'' in the name of the 
 Father f and of the Son f and of the Holy f 
 Ghost. The sign of the Cross is used because Bap- 
 tism has its efficacy from the death of Jesus on 
 the Cross. Baptism by sprinkling is only permitted 
 in case of necessity. 
 
 17. After Baptism the top of the head is anoint- 
 ed with chrism in the form of a cross, for the fol- 
 lowing reasons : 
 
180 TlIK Sackamknts. 
 
 (i) Aiiointiiii^- denotes strength, and here signi-llj 
 fies the power of the Holy Ghost, who has imparted 
 the baptismal graces. 
 
 (2) Kings and priests are anointed. Therefore 
 this anointing denotes the majesty of the name 
 Christian and its divine calling, for the one baptized J il 
 partakes of the royal and sacerdotal dignity of^ ' 
 Christ ; he shonld rule over all the inclinations of 
 his heart, and daily offer sacrifice to God by prayer, 
 mortification, etc. 
 
 (3) Churches, altars, chalices, etc., are also 
 anointed at their consecration. In like manner the 
 Christian by baptism becomes the temple of God the 
 Pioly Ghost, and a vessel for the reception of the 
 Body and Blood of Christ. 
 
 The head is anointed to denote the consecration 
 and coronation of the Christian. The priest then 
 says: 'Teace be with thee.'' Baptism brought peace 
 into the heart, and it will remain there so long as 
 the baptismal grace is preserved. 
 
 18. A white dress or cloth is placed on the 
 baptized, to denote the innocence and purity which 
 the Christian has received in Baptism ; it is the wed- 
 ding garment which he should bring unsullied to 
 the judgment seat of God. Venial sin sullies this 
 dress ; mortal sin rends it asunder. 
 
 19. A burning candle is then placed in his hand 
 or that of his sponsor, to signify that he is now 
 free from the darkness of sin, and lives in the light 
 of grace. 
 
Baptismal Rite. 187 
 
 The burning candle is, furthermore, a symbol of 
 the three Theological virtues which in Baptism are 
 infused into the soul, for hght is an emblem of 
 faith; the flame signifies hope, and the consuming 
 * fire, love. The candle is held, to signify that he 
 should shine befor/^ men, by his virtues and good 
 works. 
 
 Finally, the burning candle should remind us of 
 the lighted lamp, with which the Christian, like the 
 wise Virgins, should be prepared to meet the Divine 
 Bridegroom. 
 
 Only when he has carefully preserved this light 
 through life will he be prepared to die consoled, with 
 the blessed candle in his hand. 
 
 20. The priest finally dismisses the one baptized 
 with the words : ''Go in peace and the Lord be with 
 thee.'' This is the sacred wish of the Church, that 
 the baptized may faithfully preserve that peace 
 which he received in Baptism and remain in union 
 with the Lord. 
 
 21. Most of these ceremonies are from the first 
 centuries of Christianity, as the testimony of the 
 Fathers go to show. Thank God daily for the price- 
 less grace of Baptism, frequently renew your bap- 
 tismal vows, every Sunday and especially on the 
 anniversary of your baptism. Treasure your bap- 
 tismal innocence as the most precious gift on earth. 
 
188 The Sacraments. 
 
 CONFIRMATION IN GENERAL 
 
 I 
 
 1. The word Confirmation comes from the Latin 
 and means to strengthen, because by this Sacrament 
 the soul is strengthened l)y the Holy Ghost in the 
 profession of the faith, and in the practice of all, 
 Christian virtues. 
 
 The diflference between Baptism and Confirma-j 
 tion is, that the Holy Ghost is given us in Baptisr 
 to free us from sin ; in Confirmation to perfect us ir 
 virtue ; the sacrament of Baptism makes us Chris-j 
 tians ; Confirmation makes us perfect Christians ; bj 
 Baptism we are made children of God, by Confirma-j 
 tion we are made soldiers of Jesus Christ. FinallyJ 
 in Baptism we are purified, in Confirmation we are! 
 armed. 
 
 2. The visible signs of this Sacrament instituted 
 by Christ are : the imposition of hands, and the 
 anointing of the forehead with Chrism. This forms 
 the matter of the Sacrament as expressed in the 
 \\ords spoken while anointing: "I sign thee with 
 the sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the 
 Chrism of Salvation, in the name of the Father and 
 of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." 
 
 3. The ordinary minister of Confirmation is a 
 bishop, because, as Holy Scripture testifies, the 
 Apostles administered this sacrament. In extraor- 
 dinary cases the Pope may empower priests to ad- 
 minister Confirmation, as sometimes occurs in mis- 
 sionary heathen countries. 
 
Confirmation. 189 
 
 4. The sacrament of Confirmation may be val- 
 idly received by all who have been baptized; except 
 in case of necessity, children who have not attained 
 the age of reason, or who have not been sufficiently 
 instructed at least in the most important articles of 
 faith should not be confirmed. 
 
 5. The person to be confirmed has a sponsor, 
 who not only presents him to the bishop but should 
 also assist him in faithfully practicing the graces 
 conferred in Confirmation. He should see that his 
 godchild is well grounded in the faith, and lives up 
 to its teachings ; he should, furthermore, by his own 
 example guide him in the path of virtue, and assist 
 liiin by word and deed against the assaults of the 
 enemy. 
 
 The sponsor should possess the following qual- 
 ities : 
 
 ( 1 ) He should be old enough to fulfill the 
 duties of sponsor. 
 
 (2) Of the same sex. 
 
 (3) He should have been confirmed, and well 
 instructed in the faith. 
 
 (4) The sponsor in Confirmation should be dif- 
 ferent from the one in Baptism. Parents or Relig- 
 ious cannot be sponsors. Neither can criminals, in- 
 fidels or the excommunicated, because all these can- 
 not fulfill their duties as sponsor. The sponsors in 
 Confirmation, contract, like the sponsors in Baptism, 
 a spiritual affinity with the godchild and its parents. 
 
100 The Sacra mknts. 
 
 in some dioceses, however, it is customary to 
 liave only one or two persons act as sponsors for a 
 wliole class, a man for the male, and a woman for 
 llie female parties. 
 
 6. It is usual for the person receiving Confirma- 
 tion to take a new name, which ought to be the name 
 of some saint, whose virtuous example he should 
 strive to imitate. He has, thereby, a new interces- 
 sor in heaven and a new model in the spiritual com- 
 bat on earth. 
 
 CEREMONIAL OF CONFIRMATION. 
 
 1. Since the Sacrament of Confirmation should 
 be received only in the state of grace, the person to 
 be confirmed must previously go to Confession and 
 receive Holy Communion, or at least have made a 
 good Confession. If possible, he should also assist 
 at Mass, and awaken a great desire for the coming 
 of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 \Mien Confirmation begins, all should kneel, like 
 the Apostles, to await in humility and prayer, the 
 coming of the Divine Spirit. 
 
 2. The l)ishop prays for the seven gifts of the 
 Holy Ghost, while extending his hands over those 
 who are about to be confirmed, to signify that the 
 1 [oly Ghost takes them under His protection, and is 
 about to replenish them with His graces. 
 
 3. Tlien each one is presented to the bishop who 
 anoints hini on the forehead with Chrism in the 
 
Ceremonial of Confirmation. 191 
 
 form of a cross, while saying the words : I confirm 
 thee with the Chrism of salvation, in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, 
 Amen. Then he gives him a stroke on the cheek, 
 saying : Peace be with thee. During the ceremo- 
 nies the sponsor stands behind the one to be con- 
 - firmed and puts the right hand on the one being con- 
 firmed. 
 
 When all have been confirmed they should kneel 
 down ; while the bishop says the final prayer and 
 gives them his blessing, before which no one should 
 leave the church. 
 
 4. The Chrism, blessed annually by the bishop 
 on Holy Thursday, consists of olive oil and balsam. 
 Oil penetrates the body, so the Holy Ghost pene- 
 trates the soul ; it heals wounds, so Confirmation 
 eflfaces venial sin. It also strengthens ; the athletes 
 of old rubbed their limbs with oil to strengthen them 
 for the combat ; in like manner Confirmation 
 strengthens the Christian to combat for Christ. Oil 
 softens and mitigates, and is an emblem of charity,, 
 which the Holy Ghost increases in the soul. 
 
 Fragrant balm is mixed with the oil to signify, 
 that he who is confirmed, receives the grace to pre- 
 serve himself from the corruption of the world, and 
 to send forth by a pious life the sweet odor of vir- 
 tue. 2 Cor. H 15. 
 
 5. The bishop makes the sign of the Cross on the 
 forehead, not alone because all Sacraments are min- 
 
192 The Sacraments. 
 
 ^>i 
 
 istcred in tliis form, but especially because the Cross 
 is the insignia of the Christian, the distinguishing 
 mark which characterizes the soldier of Christ. 
 
 6. The Cross is made upon the forehead because 
 tlie forehead is always open to view, and he should 
 always be ready to profess his faith openly before 
 the whole world ; as the Apostles did on Pentecost. 
 
 7. The stroke on the cheek confers as it were, 
 knighthood upon the young Christian, whereby he 
 is enrolled in the grand army of the Heavenly King, 
 and from now^ on is a soldier of Christ. He must 
 he ready to suffer persecution and contempt for 
 Jesus' sake. 
 
 The bishop gives the stroke on the cheek while 
 saying: ''Peace be with thee," thereby expressing 
 that the Spirit of Peace has taken His dwelling in 
 your heart. Never drive Him from you by sin. If 
 you battle bravely, and suffer patiently, He will al- 
 wavs remain with you. 
 
 THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 
 
 The Holy Eucharist may be considered in the 
 threefold relation of Sacrifice, Holy Communion 
 and the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment. The Sacrifice of the Mass has been already 
 explained ; tlie explanation of the other parts is as 
 follows : 
 
Holy Communion. 193 
 
 HOLY COMMUNION. 
 
 1. In the first Christian centuries the faithful 
 usually received Holy Communion during Mass, 
 after the communion of the priest. The sick and 
 prisoners, however, were allowed to receive out of 
 Mass. Men received the Holy Sacrament in the hol- 
 low of the right hand, supporting it with the left in 
 the form of a cross, and in this manner conveyed it 
 to the mouth. The women did the same, but on the 
 right hand was spread a small white cloth made 
 specially for this purpose, on which the Sacred Host 
 was laid. However, since the middle of the sixth 
 century it is customary to receive Holy Communion 
 on the tongue. The Sacred Blood, which in the first 
 centuries of Christianity was also given to the laity, 
 was administered by means of a tube, and often out 
 of the chalice itself. 
 
 2. It was the custom, in early times, to commu- 
 nicate daily, but as love of God gradually waxed 
 cold, the faithful went less frequently to Holy Com- 
 munion. Although the Christians in the fourth cen- 
 tury communicated at least once a week, in the thir- 
 teenth century, 121 5, the Church was compelled to 
 enforce the command that all the faithful were to re- 
 ceive Holy Communion at least once a year, and that 
 about Eastertime. This command is still in force. Al- 
 though this is the extreme limit which the Church 
 allows, the zealous Christian, however, will not be 
 content with this practice alone ; but according to the 
 
H)4 The Sacraments. 
 
 example of the first Christians will endeavor to 
 communicate often, at least once a month. 
 
 3. Since the Christian in Holy Communion re- 
 ceives into his heart the greatest gift of God, yea, 
 even the Dispenser of all graces, he is bound to 
 receive this Sacrament only after careful prepara- 
 tion. He should prepare both body and soul for a 
 worthy reception of Holy Communion. IJis soul 
 should ])e in the state of sanctifying grace or at 
 least he should have made a good confession. To 
 receive Holy Communion when one is conscious of 
 having committed a mortal sin, is to incur the guilt 
 of sacrilege. We should endeavor to purify our- 
 selves from every venial sin, and even from ever\ 
 attachment to sin. Although venial sin does noi 
 make our Communion unworthy, it hinders the 
 workings of grace. We should, furthermore, prepare 
 for Holy Communion by prayer, acts of self-denial, 
 works of mercy, and awaken acts of faith, hope, hu- 
 mility and love. The better the preparation, the 
 greater the plenitude of graces. 
 
 Our body must be prepared by fasting from 
 midnight. This command originated in the early 
 days of Christianity, and is to be strictly observed. 
 No person is allowed to receive Holy Communion 
 and no priest is permitted to say Mass, after hav- 
 ing partaken of food whether solid or liquid, no 
 matter how little it may have been. Only those who 
 are in danger of death may receive Holy Commu- 
 nion after having partaken of food, but even those 
 
Holy Commu:n^ion. 195 
 
 who are sick and ^not in danger of death, must 
 communicate fasting. 
 
 This command is out of respect to the Body of 
 our Lord. Fasting also increases devotion, and 
 adds materially to the preparation for Communion. 
 
 Our dress should be clean and suited to our 
 station. We should, if possible, wear better gar- 
 ments than those in daily use, and be modestly 
 dressed. Pope Innocent XI in 1683, expressly for- 
 bade Communion to be given to women immodestly 
 dressed. 
 
 4. Thanksgiving after Communion is also of 
 great importance. As soon as we have received 
 our Lord, we should occupy ourselves exclusively 
 with this Heavenly Guest, in order to show him our 
 love, and to lay before Him all of our own wants 
 and necessities, as well as the wants of our Holy 
 Church, and our family. Our thanksgiving should 
 last at least a quarter of an hour, for so long, at 
 least, our Lord remains in His humanity within 
 us. If obliged to expectorate we should never 
 eject the saliva on the ground; but, if it cannot be 
 avoided altogether, we should use the handkerchief. 
 
 5. Holy Communion produces in a soul well pre- 
 pared, wonderful gifts of grace, (i) It sustains 
 the spiritual life, it preserves the soul from the spir- 
 itual death of sin, and endows it with strength to re- 
 sist the temptations of the Evil One; (2) it in- 
 creases sanctifying grace, filling the soul with a holy 
 
IOC) The Sacraments. 
 
 joy and longing, and promotes the virtues, espe- 
 cially charity and purity. (3) Furthermore, it leads 
 the spiritual life to perfection, and the soul by her 
 intimate union with Christ attains the most intimate 
 communion with the Church Militant, Suffering and 
 Triumphant ; her glory in heaven is more assured 
 and increased ; even the body which now partici- 
 pates in the graces of the soul, is more and more 
 sanctified by the Bod)' of our Lord and will one 
 day partake of the eternal glory of the soul. We 
 should therefore go frequently, and well prepared 
 to Holy Communion. 
 
 6. The Ritual for Holy Communion is essen- 
 tially the same, whether it be administered during 
 Mass or out of Mass. It is always considered as 
 belonging to the Mass, therefore the priest when 
 giving Communion always wears a stole the same 
 color as the vestment of the day. The Council of 
 Trent expressed the wish, that Holy Communion 
 should be connected, as much as possible, with the 
 Sacrifice of the Mass. The following is the rite : 
 
 (i) The server says the Confiteor, while the 
 priest takes the ciborium out of the tabernacle and 
 uncovers it. Then the priest says two prayers, a 
 form of absolution. The Church would admonish us 
 thereby, that no one should approach the table of 
 the Lord unworthily, but should prove and purify 
 himself. It was fomierly a prescribed custom that 
 the people should on the day of Communion, wash 
 hands and feet and appear in finer garments at the 
 
Holy Commujsion. 197 
 
 table of the Lord. We should communicate with 
 the greatest veneration and the purest of hearts, 
 therefore the Confiteor is recited and absolution, 
 again given. 
 
 The two prayers which the priest says over the 
 communicants after the Confiteor contain not a real 
 sacramental absolution such as is given in the Sac- 
 rament of Penance, but it is a blessing of the 
 Church, a Sacramental, which purifies contrite 
 hearts from venial sin. These prayers are said in the 
 plural, even if only one were to communicate ; be- 
 cause they apply as well to all present who commu- 
 nicate spiritually, since they also partake of the 
 graces dispensed in the Sacrament. 
 
 (2) The priest raises a Host above the ciborium, 
 showing it to the people with the words once used 
 by John the Baptist calling his disciples : ''Behold 
 the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the 
 World.'' By these words, our hearts should be 
 moved to make an act of lively faith in the real 
 presence of Christ under the form of bread. 
 
 (3) He then repeats three times the words of 
 the Centurion of Capharnaum : ''O Lord I am not 
 worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof, 
 speak only the word and my soul shall be healed.'' 
 These words repeated three times by the priest 
 should admonish us to make acts of faith, hope, 
 charity and humility, and we should be entirely 
 penetrated with these sentiments. 
 
198 TiiK Sackaments. 
 
 M 
 
 (4) In administering Holy Communion, the 
 priest makes the sii^n of the Cross with the Sacred 
 Host over each communicant while saying the 
 words : "The body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, pre- 
 serve thy soul unto life everlasting, Amen." The 
 sign of the Cross denotes that all the Sacraments 
 receive their efficacy from the death of Jesus on thr 
 Cross. 
 
 (5) When Holy Communion is given out of the 
 Mass, the priest again gives the blessing at the 
 close, that the Holy Communion may produce the 
 greatest possible fruit m our souls. Xo further 
 ceremony is used, so that the faithful may not be 
 detained from immediate intercourse with their lov- 
 ing Redeemer who now^ dwells within their hearts. 
 W^ould to God that every one would make use of 
 these precious moments of grace. "How much 
 those lose," exclaims St. Alphonsus, "who neglect 
 to implore graces after receiving Holy Commu- 
 nion." 
 
 7. The Rubrics for administering Holy Com- 
 munion as Viaticum differ somewdiat from those to 
 be observed under ordinary circumstances. First 
 of all, the person need not be fasting, again, the 
 priest uses the form: "Receive brother (sister) the 
 Viaticum of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 will protect you from the Evil One and lead you 
 to life everlasting." From these words we see that 
 the purpose of the Viaticum is to strengthen the 
 dying in his conflict with the spirits of darkness, and 
 
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. 199 
 
 to facilitate his entrance into heaven. Any one dan- 
 gerously sick should not delay to receive the Last 
 Sacraments; he will thereby the more easily regain 
 his health, or be the better prepared to die. 
 
 8. The zealous Christian will often communicate 
 spiritually, by awakening within his heart an ar 
 dent desire to be intimately united with Christ in the 
 Blessed Sacrament. It is not difficult to make a 
 Spiritual Communion ; we should recollect ourselves 
 for a few moments, place ourselves in spirit before 
 the tabernacle, make an act of contrition and con- 
 sider how ardently Christ desires to bestow the 
 treasure of His love upon us, then say ''Lord Jesus, 
 come I beseech Thee, into my heart'' ; finally thank 
 Him and implore new graces. 
 
 We may communicate spiritually every hour of 
 the day, more particularly during Mass or when 
 passing by a church. As we take corporal food 
 three times a day, so do many Christians receive 
 Communion spiritually three times a day or even 
 oftener. 
 
 ADORATION OF THE BLESSED 
 SACRAMENT. 
 
 I. Out of love for Jesus, every Christian should 
 endeavor to visit Him in the mystery of His love 
 as often as possible, and before the tabernacle re 
 new his faith, inflame his love, and adore his God in 
 union with the Angels, who invisibly hover around 
 the altar. He should ponder on some incident in the 
 
200 TiiK JSackaments. 
 
 life or sufferings of our Lord; place his own wants 
 and those of others before Him, make good resolu- 
 tions, communicate spiritually, and recommend him- 
 self to the ]^>lcssed Virgin. "Visits to the Blessed 
 Sacrament" by Alphonsus Ligouri may be very ap- 
 propriately used on such occasions. 
 
 2. To render proper adoration and veneration 
 to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, confraterni- 
 ties of Perpetual x\doration have been established 
 for over two hundred years. 
 
 Tabernacle societies have also been established 
 in our time, which besides visiting the Blessed Sac- 
 rament, make it a rule to furnish poor churches 
 with a proper habitation for the Blessed Sacrament, 
 by providing altar furnishings, etc. 
 
 3. The Forty Hours' Adoration is a special 
 devotion in atonement for all the insults offered 
 to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It was in- 
 troduced about the middle of the XVI Century, in 
 commemoration of the forty hours during which 
 the sacred body of Jesus lay in the sepulchre, from 
 His death to His resurrection, and through this 
 union of prayers to avert some calamity. St. Philip 
 Neri w^as the most zealous promoter of this devo- 
 tion. 
 
 In the middle of the XVIII century. Popes Ben- 
 edict XIV and Clement XIII, ordained that the 
 Forty Hours' Adoration should be held throughout 
 llic entire Catholic w'orld on the so-called Carnival 
 
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. 201 
 
 days, in expiation of the sins committed on those 
 days. For this purpose the Blessed Sacrament is 
 exposed for adoration forty hours, on three succes- 
 sive days, the Adoration being closed with proces- 
 sion and solemn Benediction. By a rescript dated 
 Dec. lo, 1857, Pope Pius IX granted, among other 
 modifications, the omission of the procession even 
 inside the church if it cannot be properly held. 
 Whosoever on these three days participates in the 
 Adoration and receives the Sacraments can obtain 
 a plenary indulgence, which may be applied to the 
 souls in Purgatory (Benedict XIV, January, 1748). 
 
 4. In olden times exposition of the Blessed Sac- 
 rament was not known. Even as late as the XIV 
 century the faithful could see the Sacred Host only 
 at the Consecration and at Communion. Just as 
 little was Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament 
 given. It is only since the institution of the feast 
 of Corpus Christi that the Blessed Sacrament was 
 more frequently exposed for public veneration. The 
 more the love for Jesus waxed cold, the more He 
 revealed His love for man to draw him to Him- 
 self. The Church prescribes that the altar on which 
 the Exposition takes place, must be ornamented in 
 festal array, adorned with flowers and illuminated 
 with many candles. Faithful worshipers should 
 never be wanting; they are the richest ornament of 
 the Lord. At the close of the Exposition, just be- 
 fore Benediction, the last tvv^o verses of the ''Pange 
 Lingua'' are either prayed or sung. During the 
 
202 TiiK Sacraments. 
 
 last verse or after it, the priest incenses the Blessed 
 Sacrament, then, sings or prays the versicle and the 
 oration of the Rlessed Sacrament. Putting on the 
 hencdiction veil he ascends the altar and gives the 
 I'cncdiction in solemn stillness, in the form of a 
 cross. The incense which envelopes the altar as 
 with a cloud, admonishes the faithful to be devout 
 and reverent, in order to obtain the blessings be 
 stowed by the Blessed Sacrament. The priest takes 
 hold of the monstrance with his hands covered by 
 the ])enediction veil, that he may not touch it with 
 bare hands, thereby denoting his humility and re- 
 spect. This solemn Benediction is an awe inspiring 
 moment in Catholic worship ; a ricJi stream of grace 
 and mercy flow^s from the Blessed Sacrament into 
 the hearts of the worshipers, but only in proportion 
 to the purity and susceptibility of their souls. 
 
 THE SACRAA^ENT OF PENANCE. 
 
 I. The Sacrament of Penance was given us by 
 Christ in order to obtain remission of sins committed 
 after Baptism ; whoever receives this Sacrament fre- 
 quently, will find an excellent means of rooting out 
 sin and implanting virtue in the heart. In the first 
 centuries of the Church a private and a public con- 
 fession was customary. When the Christian had 
 confessed his sins privately, the priest could oblige 
 him to make a public confession of some of his 
 sins ; but only such as were publicly committed. By 
 
 II 
 
The Sacrament of Penance. 203 
 
 this public confession he was to dp penance and re- 
 pair the scandal given. Secret hidden sins dare not 
 be publicly confessed. In the course of time, pub- 
 lic penance was abolished and public confession also 
 ceased. 
 
 2. The visible sign established by Christ, which 
 constitutes the matter of the Sacrament of Penance, 
 is the contrite confession of sins, and the absolution 
 pronounced by the priest, is the form. 
 
 3. The effects of this Sacrament are very con- 
 soling. ( I ) All sins, without exception, can be for- 
 given in the Sacrament of Penance, if the penitent is 
 heartily sorry and makes a good confession. (2) The 
 eternal punishment due to sin is remitted, and the 
 temporal in part. The greater the penitent's sor- 
 row, and his desire to do penance, the more readily 
 will the temporal punishment due to sin be remitted. 
 (3) Sanctifying grace which has been lost by mortal 
 sin returns to the soul, and all the merits of good 
 works performed previous to committing mor- 
 tal sin revive again. He who has only venial sins 
 to confess receives an increase of sanctifying grace 
 in the Sacrament of Penance. (4) The grace of 
 assistance is also received in Confession; the peni- 
 tent receives strength to overcome temptation and 
 to continue in the practice of virtue. 
 
 4. But to experience these effects, the penitent 
 must prepare himself properly, so that he may go to 
 confession with befitting sentiments of contrition 
 and make a good confession. He should therefore 
 
204 The Sacka.mkms. 
 
 11 
 
 first implore the assistance of the Holy Ghost, sin- 
 cerely examine his conscience, and especially ex- 
 cite in his heart true contrition for his sins ; make 
 a firm resolution of amendment, and avoid the occa- 
 sions of sin for the future. Then go to confes 
 sion and candidly confess his sins without reserve 
 obey the instructions of the. priest and faithfuU 
 perform the penance imposed. 
 
 i 
 
 RITE OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 
 
 1. In administering the Sacrament of Penance, 
 the priest is vested with a surplice and purple stole, 
 to remind the faithful that he is the ambassador of 
 God, endowed with supernatural power to dispense 
 this Sacrament. The priests sits, to show his judicial 
 authority. The violet color denotes the penitential 
 spirit, without which no remission of sin is possible. 
 
 2. The priest receives the penitent on his en- 
 trance into the confessional with the benediction : 
 "May the Lord be in thy heart and on thy lips, that 
 thou mayest truly and humbly confess thy sins in 
 the name of the Father and f of the Son and of 
 the Holy Ghost, Amen." The priest prays thereby, 
 that the penitent may have the grace to make a good 
 and contrite confession. This is a short summary 
 of the prayers, which the priest formerly prayed be- 
 fore confession for the penitent. He makes the sign 
 of the Cross at the same time over the penitent, who 
 also blesses himself. This sign here has besides the 
 
Rite of the Sacrament of Penance. 205 
 
 general significance of a blessing, also the special 
 meaning, that the forgiveness of sin can only be 
 obtained through the merits of Jesus Crucified. 
 
 3. The penitent then confesses his sins kneeling, 
 for this is the posture proper for an humble con- 
 trite sinner. Then he listens attentively to the ad- 
 vice and instruction of the priest, answers his ques- 
 tions humbly and candidly, is careful to notice the 
 penance, then makes an act of contrition while the 
 priest gives the absolution. 
 
 4. The absolution itself consists of three parts : 
 
 ( 1 ) The usual absolution, the same as the priest 
 prays before giving Communion to the Faithful, but 
 while he there uses the plural, here he uses the 
 singular number, ''May the Almighty God have 
 mercy on thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee 
 to life everlasting, Amen." 
 
 ''May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant 
 thee pardon, absolution and remission of thy sins, 
 Amen.'' 
 
 (2) Then follows the remission of the canonical 
 censure. 
 
 May our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee, and I, 
 in His stead, release thee from all ban of excommu- 
 nication and interdict, so far as I may, and so far 
 as required by thee. 
 
 (3) Then finally the Absolution proper, 'T ab- 
 solve thee from thy sins in the name f of the Father 
 and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.'' 
 
206 TuK Sacraments. 
 
 5. This formula of absolution is a summary of 
 the ancient [)ractice customary in the early Church. 
 As at that time a cloul)le confession was customary 
 (a secret and an open confession) so a double abso- 
 kition was in use. After a secret confession, absolu- 
 tion was given with the imposition of hands; the 
 penitent received thereby, remission of his sins and 
 was readmitted into communion with God. After 
 public confession, canonical penance was imposed to 
 atone for the temporal punishment due to sin. After 
 the public penance had been performed, a form 
 of absolution was again given, by which the peni- 
 tent was freed from all sin and punishment of sin, 
 and once more received into full communion with 
 the Church. This act w^as called reconciliation. 
 
 When public confession and canonical penance 
 ceased, these two kinds of absolution w^ere epitom- 
 ized into the form now in use. 
 
 The first part, the absolution, reminds us of 
 that absolution given after secret confession. *As 
 the priest then placed his hands on the penitent 
 so the confessor now raises his right hand as a sign 
 that he has power, as God's representative, to remit 
 sin. 
 
 The second part, the remission of the canonical 
 censure, is a reminder of the second absolution or 
 reconciliation, after the public penance had been per- 
 formed. It is now more of a reconciliation and 
 reunion with the Church, and is imparted before the 
 absolution proper. The penitent enters at once into 
 
 d 
 
EiTE OF THE Sacrament of Penance. 207 
 
 the full enjoyment of all the means of grace in the 
 Church; the remission of temporal punishment due 
 to sin is left to his own zeal in making use of the 
 treasure of indulgences. 
 
 The third part contains the absolution proper, by 
 which the efficacy of the Sacrament, the forgive- 
 ness of sin takes place. 
 
 6. After the absolution, the priest says a special 
 prayer, asking that the penitent now. freed from sin 
 by the Passion of Christ, through the merits of the 
 Blessed Virgin, by his own good works and suffer- 
 ings, may obtain remission of temporal punishment, 
 an increase of grace, and a special reward in 
 Heaven. 
 
 By an indulgence is meant the remission of the 
 temporal pvinishment due to us on account of our 
 sins. Every sin, however grievous, is remitted 
 through the Sacrament of Penance, or by an act of 
 perfect contrition, as regards its guilt and the eternal 
 punishment due to it. But the debt of temporal pun- 
 ishment is not always remitted at the same time. 
 This latter is done away with by deep penitence, or 
 by works of satisfaction, e. g. prayers, alms, fasting, 
 etc. 
 
 To gain an indulgence it is necessary to be in a 
 state of grace, otherwise good works can only con- 
 duce to the conversion of him who performs them, 
 and are valueless for the remission of temporal pun- 
 ishment. 
 
( 
 
 20S Thk Sachamknts. 
 
 The Churcli grants indulg-cnccs for the recital 
 of certain prayers, for visiting certain holy places, 
 for the use of certain sacred things, l^esides personal 
 indulgences. 
 
 An indulgence is either plenary, when a full and 
 entire remission of all temporal punishment due to 
 sin is gained, or partial, when only a portioii of the 
 temporal punishment is remitted. 
 
 Plenary indulgences are granted l)y the Church, 
 I)rovided that we approach the sacraments and pray 
 for the Holy Father's intention besides performing 
 the prescribed works; sometimes the condition of 
 visiting a church is added. ■' 
 
 The most imi)ortant plenary indulgences are the 
 Jubilee indulgence, the indulgence of the Portiun- 
 cula, and that of the Papal benediction. 
 
 THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME 
 UNCTION. 
 
 1. The Sacrament of Extreme Unction was in- 
 stituted by Christ chiefly for the spiritual strength 
 and comfort of the dying. It is called Extreme 
 Unction because it is the last unction or anointing 
 of the Christian and because it is usually adminis- 
 tered at the close of life. 
 
 2. The visible or outward sign of this Sacrament 
 instituted by Christ is, as St. James the Apostle 
 writes, anointing with oil, with the words: 
 "Through this holy unction and through His most 
 
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 209 
 
 tender mercy, may the Lord pardon thee whatever 
 sins thou hast committed by thy sight, taste, hear- 
 ing/' etc. The anointing with Oil constitutes the 
 matter of the Sacrament, while the words are the 
 form. 
 
 3. The effects of Extreme Unction are: (i) An 
 increase of sanctifying grace, (2) a cleansing of the 
 soul from venial sin, and the remains of sin which 
 were not remitted in Holy Communion, and the sac- 
 rament of Penance. The remains of sin may be mor- 
 tal sins, venial sins, temporal punishment due to 
 sin, the evil inclinations of the heart, and the weak- 
 ness of the will, which are the just consequences of 
 sins committed, and which may remain even after 
 the sins have been forgiven. (3) It calms the mind, 
 fills the heart with consolation, and renders the sick 
 person resigned to the will of God. (4) It often 
 relieves the pains of the sick person, and sometimes 
 even restores health, if it be expedient for the salva- 
 tion of the soul. " 
 
 ''The prayer of faith shall save the sick man and 
 the Lord shall raise him up.'' 
 
 4. Since the effects of this Sacrament are so rich 
 in graces, it should not be delayed too long; for, to 
 partake of these graces in abundance, the sick per- 
 son must do his part also. We must not expect the 
 restoration of bodily health, if we put off the recep- 
 tion of this Sacrament until it can no longer sustain 
 life without an apparent miracle. 
 
lMO Thk Sa( i: a.mkntr. 
 
 5. \Vc should prepare for this Sacrament by re- 
 ceiving the Sacraments of Penance, and Holy Com- 
 munion received as Viaticum. We should awaken 
 acts of faith, hope, humility, contrition, and resig- 
 nation to the Divine will of God. 
 
 It is the duty of relatives, and of those who are 
 in attendance upon the sick to see that they receive 
 the Last Sacraments in due time. This responsibility 
 rests partly with the doctor, who, as a matter of 
 course, ought to apprise the friends of the sick per- 
 son of his condition when it becomes serious. Cath- 
 olics ought therefore to secure, if possible, the serv- 
 ices of a Christian physician. Sometimes the attend- 
 ants on a sick man fear to agitate him by mentioning 
 the Last Sacraments to him. This is indeed mistaken 
 kindness, for they cannot thereby retard the a]^ 
 proach of deatli. Such false friends resemble people 
 who would not w^arn a blind man if he were nearing 
 a precipice, lest they should frighten him. Their cow- 
 ardice will give them much to answer for. Th;^ 
 friends of the sick person should see that the room 
 is cleaned and set in order, the patient should be 
 cleanly dressed, and those parts which are to be 
 anointed should be washed, that is, if it can be done 
 without danger. 
 
 A table should be placed near him covered with 
 a clean white cloth ; and upon it a Crucifix and two 
 candles, or at least one, if possible, of wax, also a 
 plate with some cotton, to wipe the unctions, some 
 bread cruml)s or salt, a vessel with water and a clean 
 
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 211 
 
 cloth, further, a vessel with Holy Water. While 
 the sick man makes his confession, all should leave 
 the room as the priest may have to speak above a 
 \diisper. 
 
 5. Every Catholic who has come to the age of 
 reason, and is in danger of death by sickness or from 
 a wound or accident can, and ought to receive Ex- 
 treme Unction. Those who cannot receive this Sac- 
 rament are the following: 
 
 (i) Persons who are in danger of death but not 
 sick such as, soldiers in war, or criminals condemned 
 to death. 
 
 (2) Children who have not attained the age of 
 reason. 
 
 (3) Idiots who never have had the use of rea- 
 son. 
 
 (4) Those who are under ban of excommunica- 
 tion, or public sinners who die without any sign of 
 repentance. 
 
 7. The minister of this Sacrament is the priest, 
 and certainly, also, the bishops ; formerly several 
 priests were called in to administer this Sacrament, 
 and in the Greek Church even now the sick man is 
 anointed by three priests. This is not, however, 
 necessary for the validity of the sacrament ; even in 
 early times one priest alone, administered this Sacra- 
 ment; and this is the general custom in the Roman 
 Church to-day. 
 
212 TiiK Saokamknts. \ 
 
 Every priest can validly administer this Sacra- ; 
 ment, l)iit except in case of necessity it sliould be ^ 
 administered by the parisli priest. ; 
 
 Manner of administerin^: this Sacrament: ' 
 
 1. ( )n entering- tlie liouse the priest says: **Peace \ 
 be to this house." This is the salutation which the j 
 priest utters in the name of Christ. Into whatever ; 
 house you enter, first say: "Peace be to tliis house" ; 
 (Luke, 10.5). This salutation is to be imparted to t 
 
 th^ sick man, and to the whole house as well, by the ' 
 
 I 
 
 administration of this Sacrament. ; 
 
 2. The priest presents the sick man a Crucifix to j 
 kiss, because he comes in the name of Jesus the Cru- ; 
 cified who has purchased this peace for us. 
 
 3. Thereupon he sprinkles the sick person with 
 holy water, the sick room and all present, in order to ^ 
 purify the hearts and, as far as possible, even the \ 
 dwelling from sin, for peace will not abide where ] 
 sin dwells. The sick person and those present should 1 
 seek to cleanse their hearts l)v an act of contrition. 
 
 4. The three preparatory ])rayers which follow 
 are likewise a blessing of the house and its inhabit- 
 ants, from which it follows that the administration 
 of Extreme Unction is salutary for the entire house- 
 hold, providing its efficacy is not frustrated by indif- 
 ference and unbelief. The jM'icst is here the mighty 
 dispenser of blessings. Upon his entrance the Evil 
 Spirits must depart and the Angels enter. Ry virtue 
 of the power of the Holy Xame the priest prays 
 
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 213 
 
 that peace,, health, and a spirit of devotion may be 
 imparted to all present. 
 
 5. While the Confiteor is being said for the sick 
 person by some one present, he should excite in his 
 heart an act of contrition. Then the priest gives 
 him absolution, as before Holy Communion, but 
 in the singular. The same is done before adminis- 
 tering the Viaticum. All of the prayers pertain to 
 the welfare of the sick man. 
 
 6. Before anointing the sick person the priest 
 admonishes those present to recite some prayers 
 for him. The Penitential Psalms with litanies will 
 be most appropriate. While the people are engaged 
 in prayer he performs the unction. He anoints the 
 sick man with Consecrated Oil in the form of a cross 
 on the organs of sense, which have been instrument- 
 al to his sins (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands and 
 feet). At each unction he repeats the following 
 form of prayer: ''Through this holy unction, f 
 and through His most tender mercy, may the 
 Lord pardon thee whatever sins thou hast com- 
 mitted by seeing, hearing,'' etc. If the sick person is 
 actually expiring, the priest only anoints his fore- 
 head; but he continues to anoint the other parts, so 
 long as life has not departed. In the Sacrament 
 of Baptism, the senses are consecrated to the service 
 of God ; in Extreme Unction they are to be cleansed* 
 from the sins in which they participated, contrary 
 to the object of their baptism. The sick person 
 should have an ardent desire to be cleansed from sin. 
 
214 The SACKAMhMs. 
 
 Extreme Unction is for the health of the soul, and 
 oftentimes for the body ; it effects the remission of 
 mortal sins which through infirmity of mind or 
 l)ody, \w has not been al)le to confess, as well as 
 the remission of some temporal punishment, and 
 besides, bodily health when it is expedient for the 
 welfare of the soul. 
 
 7. The prayers are followed l)y another blessing 
 and the la\'ing on of hands, placing the patient un- 
 der the immediate protection of God, thereby obtain- 
 ing consolation and strength for him in life and in 
 death. The priest surrenders him to the Lord, as it 
 were, 1)y giving him the Crucifix to kiss and placing 
 it before him. He then leaves the house in the 
 same manner as he entered it, imparting a blessing. 
 
 GENERAL ABSOLUTION. 
 
 I. General Absolution is the Papal Benediction 
 with a plenary indulgence for the dying. It is the 
 blessing /;/ avticulo mortis — at the moment of death. 
 It is therefore not a remission of sin. The remission 
 of SiU must precede General Absolution. The Church 
 desires that the souls of her children should return 
 to their Maker entirely cleansed. 
 
 In Baptism the Church remits sin and its eternal 
 punishment, in Extreme Unction and General A])so- 
 lution it also remits the temporal punishment due to 
 sin A dying person, who can and will make use 
 of these three means of grace will go directly to 
 heaven. 
 
Genekal Absolution. 215 
 
 2. Even in the earliest Christian times, General 
 Absolution was usually given to the dying ; but the 
 power to do so was more restrictive until Benedict 
 XIV, 1747, decreed that all Bishops, upon request, 
 should be empowered to give their respective clergy 
 the faculties for administering General Absolution. 
 
 3. In order to obtain this indulgence the sick 
 person must be — (i) in danger of death; (2) he 
 must have an ardent desire to gain the indulgence ; 
 (3) he must have previously received the Sacra- 
 ments of Penance and Holy Eucharist; (4) he must 
 excite in his heart, acts of love and contrition; (5) 
 he must be ready to accept death from the hand of 
 God with resignation and invoke the name of Jesus 
 either mentally or orally. 
 
 These conditions are necessary, as far as the 
 patient is able to comply with them. Therefore Gen- 
 eral Absolution may be administered even to those 
 who are unconscious, providing that they had previ- 
 ously desired it, or would have done so had they 
 been conscious. It can only be received once in the 
 same sickness, except when danger of death occurs 
 again after previous recovery. 
 
 4. General Absolution is administered as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 (i) On entering the room the priest says, as in 
 Extreme Unction, 'Teace be to this house," and 
 sorinkles the sick person, the room, and those pres- 
 ent with Holy Water. He is to be cleansed still more 
 from sin — even temporal punishment is to be remit- 
 ted thereby. 
 
2 IT) TllK Sackamknts. 
 
 (2) Tlic ])riest begins in tlic name of the Lord, 
 for only in this name is the remission of sin and its 
 consequences, possible. 
 
 (3 ) The antiphon : "J\ememljer not the offences 
 of thy servant, O Lord, neither take vengeance of 
 his sins,'' admonishes the sick man to receive Gen- 
 eral Absolution with a contrite and penitential spirit. 
 
 (4) Then the priest prays that the sick person 
 may be purified from the stain of sin, through the 
 merits of the life and death of our Redeemer. 
 
 (5) The Confiteor follows, and then absolution, 
 as in the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 
 
 (6) The close is a prayer which contains the 
 real General Absolution, or the Plenary Indulgence. 
 In case of necessity this prayer alone is said over 
 the dying. 
 
 5. The dying may also gain a Plenary Indul- 
 gence if they possess rosaries, crucifixes, medals, 
 etc., to which indulgences for the dying are attached, 
 arid use them in the proper way; likewise if they 
 belong to societies or Religious Orders entitled to 
 these indulgences. 
 
 HOLY ORDERS. 
 
 I. Christ selected Apostles to place them over 
 His church, and at His Last Supper conferred upon 
 them the three-fold office of teacher, priest and shep- 
 herd. He also endowed them with the power of con- 
 ferring this office upon others. The Apostles car- 
 
Holy Ordees. 217 
 
 ried out this command, and in the newly-formed 
 congregations ordained deacons, priests and bishops. 
 The bishops again conferred this power upon others, 
 and so this ApostoHc power has been transmitted in 
 the Church, unbroken, for 1900 years. 
 
 The means of this transmission or propagation is 
 the Sacrament of Holy Orders, by virtue of which 
 the recipient is forever set apart, as it were, from 
 the laity, to be empowered with this three-fold 
 office. 
 
 2. As this exalted state of life should not be 
 entered upon without careful preparation and exam- 
 ination, the Church has instituted several orders as 
 degrees preceding the Sacerdotal dignity. 
 
 The first four of these degrees are called Minor 
 Orders. They are: (i) The Doorkeeper; (2) Read- 
 er; (3) Exorcist; (4) Acolyte. The three others are 
 called Major Orders. They are: (i) Sub-deacon; 
 (2) Deacon, and (3) the Priesthood. The consum- 
 mation and sum total of all the orders, is the Episco- 
 pacy. 
 
 3. The Minor Orders, it is true, were instituted 
 by the Church, but in the earliest Christian times. 
 In those dangerous days only reliable men were 
 entrusted with the keys of the church door, the prep- 
 aration for Divine Service, and other minor of- 
 fices. Those who were chosen for these offices 
 w^ere ordained by prayer and outward ceremonies. 
 The Minor Orders have not now this significance, 
 but they serve as a preparation for Major Orders, 
 which they must always precede. 
 
218 THK SA( KAMFNTS. 
 
 The essential difference between the Minor and 
 the Major Orders is, that tlie latter entitle an im- 
 mediate participation in the Divine Service, and con- 
 secrate the receiver to the service of God forever ; 
 whereas the Minor Orders entitle the receiver only 
 to inferior clerical services; neither do they bind the 
 recipient forever to the clerical state, but always 
 permit a return to the secular state. 
 
 4. These different Orders sliow us the great- 
 ness and exalted dignity of the priesthood, to which 
 one ascends only by so many degrees ; they place 
 before our eyes, as a picture, the manifold duties of 
 the priest, and none the less the plenitude of graces 
 imparted to him. 
 
 5. The sacramental character of the priesthood 
 is imprinted only by the last two degrees. 
 
 All the preceding Orders, although belonging to 
 the Sacrament, are only a preparation for the com- 
 plete reception of Holy Orders. 
 
 6. The outward signs for the last two degrees 
 are the imposition of hands, by the Bishop, and 
 the touching of the sacred vessels, which constitute 
 the matter of the Sacrament ; the necessary prayers 
 constitute the form. The outward signs of the 
 other degrees consist in handing to the recipient 
 those objects which belong to each degree, and in 
 pronouncing the words which confer the right of 
 practicing the duties of the respective Orders. 
 
Minor Orders. 219 
 
 7. The inward grace conferred by this Sacra- 
 ment consists (i) in an increase of sanctifying 
 grace; (2) in the conferring of various Sacerdotal 
 powers corresponding to each degree, and (3) it im- 
 parts the graces which are necessary for the execu- 
 tion of these functions. 
 
 8. Only the Pope and Bishops can administer 
 this Sacrament. Abbots can administer the four 
 Minor Orders to such subjects who have already 
 made their vows. The subjects, or recipients of this 
 Sacrament must be men who have attained the pre- 
 scribed age, and who possess the virtue and knowl- 
 edge necessary for such exalted dignity. They must 
 be free from the bond of marriage and from any 
 qualities which would be inconsistent with the 
 priestly state. 
 
 9. According to the wishes of the Church, ordi- 
 nations should take place during the Ember days, 
 because the faithful are implored to fast, and to 
 pray on those days that God may grant them worthy 
 
 priests. 
 
 MINOR ORDERS. 
 
 I. The candidate for the priesthood is initiated 
 into the ranks of the clergy by a ceremony called 
 tonsure. The conferring of the tonsure is no ordi- 
 nation, it confers no office and no spiritual power. 
 The recipient is thereby introduced from the laity 
 into the clerical state. It is of very ancient origin 
 and is called 'Tonsure" because the hair is cut in 
 
220 The Sacraments. 
 
 the form of a crown, solemnly done by the Bishop. 
 With it he gives the candidate the surplice, or eccle- 
 siastical dress, to indicate the i)utting oft* of the old 
 man, and tlie putting on of the new. 
 
 2. The first of the Minor Orders is that of Door- 
 keeper. In the time of the Christian persecution 
 the office of Doorkeeper w^as of great importance, 
 and was intrusted only to reliable men, who were 
 ordained for this special office. It was the duty of 
 the Doorkeeper to inform the faithful Ix^forehand, 
 of the time and place of meeting, and even during 
 the Divine Service he had to guard the door against 
 tlie intrusion of heretics and unbelievers. 
 
 3. The second ?^Iinor Order is that of Lector, 
 or Reader, a cleric nearer to the sanctuary. While 
 the Doorlceeper had to stand at the door, the Reader 
 stood in the middle of the Church before the assem- 
 bled congregation. The office of Lector was to read 
 aloud for the faithful, at the beginning of Divine 
 Service, during the so-called ]\Iass of the Catechu- 
 mens, those passages from Holy Scriptures which 
 the Bishop or priest ordered to be read. 
 
 4. The third ]\Iinor Order is that of Exorcist, 
 which gives to the cleric the power of casting out 
 devils. Even laymen, in the early days of the Church, 
 exercised this powder ; later, however, men were chos- 
 en and ordained for this office. The Church con- 
 fers this power by a Minor Order, to show how 
 impotent these satanic spirits of darkness are against 
 
Major Orders — Sub-Deaconship. 221 
 
 the power which Christ has imparted to His Church. 
 Later on, however, in order to avoid abuse and de- 
 ception, this power was reserved for priests, and 
 even these cannot make use of this faculty, except by 
 special permission of the Bishop. 
 
 5. The fourth Minor Order is that of Acolyte. It 
 is the duty of the Acolyte to supply wine and water, 
 and to carry the lights at Mass. 
 
 MAJOR ORDERS— SUB-DEACONSHIP. 
 
 1. The first of the Major Orders is that of Sub- 
 deacon. This order irrevocably incorporates the re- 
 cipient into the Sacerdotal state, by which he con- 
 tracts the obligation to observe continency and to 
 say the breviary. 
 
 2. The Subdeacon is chosen to a higher service 
 of God — to immediate participation in the Divine 
 Service. His functions are : ( i ) To take care of 
 the sacred vessels; (2) to pour wine and water into 
 the chalice; (3) to sing the Epistle at High Mass; 
 (4) to hold the book of the Gospel for the deacon, 
 and to carry it to the Celebrant to kiss ; (5) to carry 
 the cross in the processions ; (6) to assist the deacon 
 in all his functions, and to receive the offerings of 
 the people. He ascends the altar with the priest and 
 deacon and brings the chalice, paten and host to 
 the altar. At High Mass he wears the priestly vest- 
 ments, excepting the stole and chasuble, instead of 
 which he wears the dalmatic. 
 
222 TiiK Sacuaments. 
 
 3. Celibacy of the clergy is not a command of 
 recent date. Those Apostles who were married be- 
 fore they were called to the Apostleship, left their 
 wives when called by our Lord. The Church has 
 always endeavored not to choose married men for 
 the priesthood, and only out of necessity, or excep- 
 tionally, has admitted married men to this state, who 
 then, as a rule, have separated from their wives. The 
 sanctity of this state makes this obligation readily 
 understood. The sublimity of the Holy Sacrifice 
 requires immaculate purity and undivided surrender 
 of self, on the part of the one who offers the Sacri- 
 fice. The preaching of the Divine Word and the 
 administration of the Holy Sacraments require that 
 the priest be free and independent from all human 
 considerations, which might hamper him in the ful- 
 fillment of his duties. 
 
 4. The prayers of the Breviary are essentially 
 as old as Christianity itself. At stated hours of the 
 day, the first Christians assembled together to praise 
 God by prayer, reading and the singing of psalms 
 and hymns. When tow'ard the close of the IV. cen- 
 tury the laity withdrew, the clergy alone continued 
 to recite these prayers. St. Jerome, at the request 
 of Pope Damasus, arranged the psalms and lessons 
 for the difYernt hours and days, and 'this arrange- 
 ment was universally introduced. These prayers 
 were called Officium — that is, duty, because the 
 priest was ahvays obliged to pray them. Since in 
 the course of time, additions were made to the 
 Office, Pope Gregory VH. abridged it again, and 
 called it the Hreviarv — abbreviated office. 
 
Deaconship. 233 
 
 The Council of Trent ordered a revision of the 
 Breviary and enforced anew the obUgation of say- 
 ing it. In the Greek church the same hours for 
 prayer are observed, as in the Roman, and at the 
 present time even recited solemnly in the Church. 
 
 DEACONSHIP. 
 
 1. The word ''Deacon'' comes from the Greek 
 and means servant, because the Deacon serves the 
 priest. 
 
 2. The Apostles appointed seven Deacons at Je- 
 rusalem, and from this time it became common in all 
 the churches. They are the seven candles of the 
 sanctuary — the seven angels of the Apocalypse. 
 The Apostles ordained them by the imposition of 
 hands, and by prayer; in the same manner Deacons 
 are now ordained. 
 
 3. The Deacon is now permitted to stand near 
 the priest at the altar, to baptize, to preach, and 
 to sing the Gospel. Formerly the Deacons were the 
 constant companions of the priest, and in early times 
 a priest could not say Mass without a Deacon at 
 his side. The Deacons prepared the Faithful for 
 the sacraments, visited the imprisoned, and the sick, 
 administered Communion, took care of the poor, and 
 guarded the property of the Church. In the course 
 of time all of these duties devolved entirely upon 
 the priest. 
 
 4. Besides the dalmatic, the Deacon receives the 
 stole, but wears it over the left shoulder, fastened 
 at the right side to indicate that his participation in 
 the priestly functions is yet limited. 
 
224 TiiK Sacraments. 
 
 THE PRIESTHOOD. 
 
 1. The word "Priest" comes from the Greek, 
 presbyter, meaning elder, hecause in the first cen- 
 turies of Christianity the priests were chosen mostly 
 from among men advanced in years. As Christ, be- 
 sides the Apostles, chose seventy discii)les to be their 
 assistants, so the Ai)ostles appointed priests as assist- 
 ants to the bishops in the different congregations. 
 
 This regulation has remained unchanged even 
 to this time. 
 
 2. Priesthood is conferred by the Ijishop, 
 through the imjKisition of hands and prayer. The 
 Priest receives at ordination the three-fold power — 
 to bless, to ofifer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and 
 to forgive sins. Besides this three-fold power the 
 Priest receives an increase of sanctifying grace, and 
 special graces to strengthen him for the onerous 
 duties of his state. 
 
 3. As a sign of his power the Priest wears the 
 stole crossed on his breast. His power is great- 
 er than that of the deacon, but still, less than 
 that of the bishop, who wears the stole pendant on 
 each side. The Priest receives the chasuble be- 
 cause the ])ower to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the 
 Mass is given to him. 
 
 RITE OF ORDINATION. 
 
 I. The Seven Orders and the Tonsure are ad- 
 ministered during the P>ishop's Mass, because they 
 are all steps, or degrees, to the Most Holy Sacrifice ; 
 they are administered (hn-ing the time between the 
 Introit and tlie Cospel. 
 
Rite of Oedination. 225 
 
 2. The Minor Orders are conferred by the 
 Bishop handing to the recipient while praying over 
 him, the symbols of the different orders. To the 
 Doorkeeper he gives the keys; to the Exorcist, the 
 book containing the exorcisms ; to the Lector, the 
 book of the lessons ; and to the Acolyte, a candlestick 
 without a candle, and empty cruets. 
 
 3. At the beginning of the ceremonies, those who 
 are to receive Major Orders, prostrate themselves 
 before the altar, while the Bishop, with all the priests 
 present, recites the Litany of All Saints; this is to 
 signify that the candidate for ordination is dead to 
 the world, and consecrates himself entirely to the 
 service of the Most High. 
 
 4. After the Litany of All Saints the ordination 
 follows. 
 
 The Subdeaconship by the Bishop's handing him 
 the chalice, paten, and filled cruets, because the Sub- 
 deacon has to make the immediate preparation for 
 the Sacrifice; the Deaconship and Priesthood, by 
 the imposition of hands and prayer. 
 
 5. After the ordination proper, the Bishop, while 
 reciting the appropriate prayers, hands to those or- 
 dained the significant symbols of the power which 
 has just been conferred on them ; first the Vestm.ents ; 
 then to the subdeacon a book of Epistles, and to the 
 deacon a book of Gospels. With these their ordina- 
 tion is finished, and they hasten to exercise the func- 
 tions of their office, therefore the subdeacon sings 
 the Epistle, and the deacon the Gospel of the Mass. 
 
226 The Sacraments. 
 
 6. The priest is ordained by the imposition of 
 hands and then invested with the stole and chasuble, 
 after which, by symbolic ceremonies, he is initiated 
 into the threefold power which he has just received: 
 viz., (a) As dispenser of blessings, the Bishop con- 
 secrates him by anointing his hands with Catechu- 
 men Oil. The anointing of the hands expresses the 
 power of benedictions which will in future flow from 
 his hands. The thuml^ and the forefinger particu- 
 larly, of each hand, are anointed because with them 
 the priest touches the body of our Lord in the Holy 
 Sacrifice. In the Holy Sacrifice this grace is re- 
 newed and increased continually, (b) As sacrificial 
 priest, the Bishop consecrates him by handing him 
 the chalice with wine and water, and the paten with 
 the host. This is to signify that he has received 
 the power to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the 
 Mass. The newdy ordained makes immediate use of 
 this power, as from now on he celebrates the Holy 
 Sacrifice in union with the Bishop. (c) As 
 minister of the Sacrament of Penance, the Bishop 
 consecrates the candidate for ordination by plac- 
 ing both hands upon his head, after Communion, 
 with the words of Christ : ''Receive ye the Holy 
 Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive they are for- 
 given, and whose sins you shall retain they are re- 
 tained/' 
 
 After the newly ordained has promised obedience 
 to the Bishop, and received from him the kiss of 
 peace, he is dismissed by the Bishop with a paternal 
 admonition and a solemn blessing. 
 
The Episcopacy. 227 
 
 7. At all the ordinations the clerical candidate 
 holds a lighted candle in his hand until the Offertory 
 when he offers it to the Bishop, to express thereby 
 the love of sacrifice with which he consecrates him- 
 self to the service of the Church. In like manner 
 the newly ordained receives Communion from the 
 hands of the Bishop after his Communion — symbol- 
 ical of his close union with the Church of Christ 
 and her representatives. 
 
 8. How holy and exalted is the priestly office 
 achieved through a sevenfold consecration! He is 
 the mediator between God and man, daily he offers 
 the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for this purpose. 
 He is the father and shepherd of the flock confided 
 to his care, their teacher and guide on the road to 
 heaven from the cradle to the grave. His life is 
 a life of sacrifice. How many obstacles he had to 
 overcome and how many sacrifices he had to make, 
 before he could enter the priesthood! And as 
 pastor, what dangers, what hardships and difficulties 
 he has to endure to save the souls entrusted to his 
 care. Therefore the faithful should show their pas- 
 tors respect and obedience; they should listen to 
 their words and follow their advice, remembering 
 the words of our Lord, ''Who hears you, hears me, 
 and who despises you, despises me.'' 
 
 THE EPISCOPACY. 
 
 I. The name Bishop comes from the Greek, 
 ''epi'scopus" and means ''overseer," because the 
 Bishop in the name of the Church, has supervision 
 
238 The Sacramknts. 
 
 over the diocese entrusted to him. The fullness of 
 spiritual power is embodied in the Bishop, the might 
 and dignity of all the preceding orders. 
 
 2. For the consecration of a Bishop there must be 
 at least three Bishops present ; he is consecrated by 
 the imposition of hands, and prayer. Besides an in- 
 crease of sanctifying grace, this Sacrament confers 
 the threefold power of the office of shepherd, priest 
 and teacher, and the special graces necessary for 
 these offices. 
 
 3. The consecration of a Bishop is similar to the 
 ordination of a priest but it is a more solemn cere- 
 mony. 
 
 (i) Before Mass begins the Bishop elect takes 
 an oath before the Bishop who is to consecrate him, 
 that he w^ill be faithful to the Holy See, that he will 
 promote its authority ; that he will, at stated inter- 
 vals prescribed, visit the City of Rome and give an 
 account of his pastoral office to the Pope. There- 
 upon he begins the Mass with the consecrating 
 Bishop, during which the consecration takes place. 
 Both read the entire Mass together, both communi- 
 cate from the same Host, and out of the same Chalice 
 to show the bond of charity which binds them to 
 Christ. The real consecration begins before the 
 Gospel. The Litany of All Saints is said while 
 the Bishop-elect lies prostrate before the altar. His 
 renunciation and sacrifice ought to be more perfect. 
 than that of the priest. 
 
The Episcopacy. 229 
 
 (2) The book of Gospels is opened and laid 
 upon his neck and shoulders, to designate that the 
 Bishop is the bearer and guardian of the Holy Faith. 
 
 Then the three Bishops lay their hands upon his 
 head and say: ''Receive the Holy Ghost.'' This 
 is the actual moment of consecration. 
 
 (3) The new Bishop is anointed with Chrism on 
 the crown of his head, and on his hands. He is now 
 the anointed of the Lord, equipped with a fullness 
 of spiritual power far greater than that of the priest. 
 He is the head, therefore he is anointed on the head, 
 the priests, who are anointed only on the hands, are 
 his servants. 
 
 The crook or bishop's staff is given him, to ini- 
 tiate him as shepherd over his flock. He is then 
 handed the bishop's ring; through the Holy Sacri- 
 fice of the Mass he is intimately united with his 
 bride, the Holy Church of God, therefore he is 
 handed the ring. The book of the Gospels is given 
 him to touch, as a sign of his office as teacher. 
 
 (4) At the Offertory, the newly consecrated 
 Bishop offers bread and wine into the hands of the 
 Consecrator, and two large burning candles, to ex- 
 press, thereby, that he will always be solicitous for 
 the Holy Sacrifice; and, furthermore, that like the 
 burning candles he will be consumed as a living sac- 
 rifice in the service of God. The large candles de- 
 note that his light (example) must shine greater 
 than that of the priest. 
 
230 
 
 TiiK Sacraments. 
 
 (5) Before the last Gospel the mitre is placed 
 on his head, to show that he is to combat for the 
 Church and to be a defender of the truth. 
 
 Gloves are put on his hands as a sign that he 
 must keep them pure, and thus preserve the strength 
 of imparting blessings. He is then conducted to 
 his throne, which is delivered to him, and thus in- 
 stalled in the government of his diocese. While the 
 Te Deum is being sung, the clergy render him hom- 
 age and allegiance by kissing his hand. 
 
 Thereupon he begins his Episcopal functions ; 
 namely, he is led by the two assisting bishops 
 through the Church bestow^ing his blessing upon all 
 the people. Arriving at the altar, he imparts the 
 solemn Episcopal blessing. 
 
 How great is the dignity of a Bishop, how^ w^on- 
 derful his power ! He is a follow^er of the Apostles, 
 equipped with the same powders as they. In his dio- 
 cese he is the ambassador of Christ ; the source of 
 all blessings and graces. From his hands comes the 
 Sacred Oil, the matter of several sacraments ; by his 
 hands you become a soldier of Christ in the Sacra- 
 ment of Confirmation. From his hands come the 
 spiritual pastors of the whole diocese. Thank God 
 for this w^onderful establishment of the Episcopacy 
 and pray diligently for priests and bishops. 
 
Matrimony. 231 
 
 MATRIMONY. 
 
 1. By the institution of the Holy Sacrament of 
 Matrimony, Christ regulated and sanctified family 
 life. The better regulated this life is, the more moral 
 and happy will mankind be. Therefore the holy re- 
 ception of Matrimony, and the sacred inviolability of 
 the marriage tie, is of the greatest importance to 
 man. 
 
 2. Whoever wishes to be happily married must 
 above all pray God to direct his choice, he should 
 take the advice of his parents, and other persons of 
 experience. He should consider first his spiritual and 
 then his temporal welfare. Therefore he must be 
 guided in his choice more by religion and virtue 
 than by worldly considerations. He must be 
 especially careful, that there be no impediments in 
 the way of his marriage. These impediments are of 
 two kinds, simple impediment, and nullification. 
 
 3. Simple impediments do not nullify the mar- 
 riage but only render it unlawful; that is, one can- 
 not receive this Sacrament without committing a 
 mortal sin, unless the impediments are removed. 
 They are as follows : 
 
 (i) Time. The solemnities of marriage must 
 not take place, between the first Sunday of Advent 
 and Epiphany, or between Ash Wednesday and Low 
 Sunday. 
 
 (2) Previous engagement to another person, un- 
 less the engagement has been annulled by mutual 
 consent. 
 
232 The Sackamemts. 
 
 (3) Simple vows of chastity. 
 
 (4) Ecclesiastical prohibition. This includes the 
 marriage of a Catholic with a baptized non-Catholic, 
 if the conditions prescribed by the Church are not 
 complied with. 
 
 These conditions are: (i) The non-Catholic 
 must not restrict the liberty of the Catholic in the 
 practice of his or her religion. (2) When there is 
 hope that the non-Catholic may be brought to the 
 knowledge of the true faith. (3) Both parties 
 must promise that their children shall be brought 
 up as Catholics. 
 
 The Church has always disapproved of mixed 
 marriages, even when these conditions are complied 
 with ; she has condemned them in more than thirty 
 councils. The great danger to the Catholic party is: 
 that he is liable to fall away from the faith entirely, 
 or become indifferent. There is also great danger 
 that the children may not be brought up Catholics, 
 especially if the Catholic party should die young. 
 Then the danger of divorce, which the non-Catholic 
 may obtain at any time, and be free to contract 
 another marriage. Such unions cannot produce con- 
 cord or true happiness, because their moral founda- 
 tion, unity of faith, is wanting. Such a marriage is 
 not a faithful image of that intimate and indissolu- 
 ble bond of Christ with His Church, w'hich a Chris- 
 tian marriage should be. 
 
 Catholics should remember, that the bond of a 
 previous marriage is an impediment which death 
 
Matrimony. 233 
 
 alone can remove. What, therefore, God hath joined 
 together let not man put asunder (Matt. XIX 6). 
 No court, no judge, no power on earth, can break 
 the bond which unites husband and wife. For cer- 
 tain just causes, especially for the crime of adultery, 
 they may live separately, but they are still married 
 and cannot marry again. Let it be remembered that 
 no so-called divorce, no guilt, no desertion, can ever 
 sever the marriage bond. Nothing but a certain 
 knowledge of the death of one party can make it 
 lawful for the other to marry. 
 
 4. The impediments that make marriage impossi- 
 ble, or nullify it, are chiefly the following : 
 
 (i) The absence of mutual consent, as when 
 one of the parties does not consent, or is compelled 
 only by force, or rapine, etc. 
 
 (2) A mistake in the person one marries, 
 
 (3) A solemn vow of Chastity, 
 
 (4) The Order of Subdeaconship, 
 
 (5) Another marriage-tie still existing, 
 
 (6) Difference of religion when one of the par- 
 ties has not been baptized. 
 
 (7) Consanguinity and affinity to the fourth de- 
 gree; spiritual affinity contracted in Baptism and 
 Confirmation. 
 
 (8) Clandestine marriage, which has not been 
 contracted before the lawful pastor, or another priest 
 approved by him for this purpose, before two wit- 
 nesses. 
 
234 The Sacraments. 
 
 The Pope or Bishop may grant dispensations in 
 some of these cases, when a sufficienj: cause war- 
 rants a dispensation. No one should make use of 
 dispensations unless the cause is true and just. 
 
 5. The Church desires that the choice of a state 
 of life should not be thoughtlessly entered upon, and 
 that the Sacrament of Matrimony should not be re- 
 ceived without due preparation. The first step to- 
 wards a future marriage is the engagement or be- 
 trothal. 
 
 The bethrothed should make good use of the 
 time of their engagement, in order to examine them- 
 selves earnestly, and see whether their hearts are 
 so closely attached to each other as to make them 
 congenial and happy consorts throughout their 
 future lives. They should prepare themselves by fer- 
 vent prayer and decorous behavior, especially by a 
 worthy reception of the Sacraments for this decisive 
 step. During this time they should also not omit to 
 make a general confession, in order to participate in 
 the fullness of graces bestowed by this Sacrament. 
 
 6. The engagement is made public by the publi- 
 cation of the banns ; the faithful are required to 
 make known any impediments, if they are aware of 
 any, and also to assist the betrothed by their prayers, 
 so that they may enter the marriage state w^th the 
 blessing of God. Only in exceptional cases is the 
 publication of the banns to be omitted, and the 
 omission must be sanctioned by the Bishop. St. 
 John Chrysostom says : ''Happy the young men and 
 
Ceremonies of Matrimony. 235 
 
 maidens who come to the nuptial altar with a pure 
 heart! How true will be their united love! How 
 sincere their mutual esteem and how firm their 
 friendship/' 
 
 7. The Church also exhorts pastors of souls to 
 examine the bridal parties, to see whether they know 
 everything that behooves them to know, and to give 
 them the instruction they need. This fatherly in- 
 struction is often the turning point for the weal 
 of those about to be married. 
 
 CEREMONIES OF MATRIMONY. 
 
 1. The ceremonies of Matrimony are significant 
 of the duties of the marriage state, and of the graces 
 imparted to the bridal couple. 
 
 ^ In the presence of the congregation the bride 
 and groom pledge themselves by the bond of indis- 
 soluble fidelity and love; the Church confirms this 
 bond and invokes the blessings and graces of heaven 
 upon the bridal pair. 
 
 2. The priest standing before the altar facing 
 the couple, who stand at the foot of the altar, the 
 witnesses behind them, gives them a few words of 
 admonition and instruction on the Sacrament of 
 Matrimony and its duties. 
 
 3. Then follows the real act of Matrimony. The" 
 priest asks each separately if with their free will 
 and consent, they enter into wedlock, and on answer- 
 ing in the affirmative, in an audible voice, joining 
 
236 
 
 Thk Sacraments. 
 
 right haiuls tlicy pledge their troth ; each repeating 
 the formula alter the priest, in which they each 
 promise separately, to have and to hold the other for 
 better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness 
 and in health until death do part them. The priest 
 then, to indicate the indissolubility of the marriage 
 tie, places the stole around their joined hands, unites 
 them in the name of the Holy Trinity, and sprinkles 
 them with Holy Water. The groom now places the 
 ring upon the book, the priest blesses it and returns 
 it to the groom, who places it upon the third finger 
 of the bride, saying: 'Tn the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.*' 
 The ring without beginning or end denotes the never 
 ending love and fidelity which the bridal pair pledge 
 each other. The joining of hands is a solemn pledge, 
 as if confirming by an oath the promise to be true 
 to their marriage vows as long as they live, and to 
 mutually support each other. 
 
 Placing the stole around the joined hands, 
 with the words spoken, shows that the Church 
 acknowledges and blesses the marriage as complet- 
 ed, and takes it under Her protection. With this 
 blessing and protection of the Church the newdy 
 married should enter upon their state of life, for 
 which the priest prays in the versicles and prayers 
 that follow, which finish the marriage ceremony. 
 
 the marriage is 
 
 4. In the Mass w^hich follows 
 solemnly blessed. Even since the time of the 
 Apostles, it was a sacred custom to sanctify mar- 
 
Ceeemonies of Matrimony. 237 
 
 riage by the Sacrifice of the Mass and the recep- 
 tion of Holy Communion. This solemn blessing is 
 wholly united with the Sacrifice of the Mass, and 
 must only be given during the Mass. As this bless- 
 ing concerns the bride chiefly, it is not given to a 
 widow, because she received it at the first marriage, 
 nor is it given in the closed time even if the Bishop's 
 dispensation has been obtained. Nor in the case of 
 a mixed marriage; the Church cannot bless such 
 marriages, because she looks upon them with dis- 
 favor. 
 
 5. The Church has in her liturgy a special Mass* 
 for the bridegroom and bride; this Mass must not 
 be used in such cases where the nuptial blessing can- 
 not be given. As far as the Pater Noster, this Mass 
 differs in nothing from an ordinary Mass, but when 
 the priest has come to that part of the service imme- 
 diately before the ''Libera nos,'' standing at the 
 Epistle corner of the altar, he turns to the bridal 
 pair and reads two prayers over them, in which the 
 blessing of God is besought on behalf of the bride 
 principally. When the priest has communicated, he 
 gives Communion also to the bridal pair and before 
 the last Gospel he implores a special blessing upon 
 them, and then blesses the people. Excepting the 
 Sacrament of Holy Orders, no sacrament is more 
 closely united with the Sacrifice of the Mass than 
 that of the Sacrament of Matrimony, 
 
 *The nuptial Mass pro sponso et sponsa is a votive Mass, 
 without Gloria or Credo. 
 
238 The Sacraments. 
 
 ^ 
 
 6. On their return home, a wedding feast is pre- 
 pared. In this there is nothing blameworthy; we 
 know that our Lord, His Blessed Mother and disci- 
 ples honored such a festivity with their presence. 
 This should remind the newly married to celebrate 
 their wedding in a manner worthy of such sacred 
 guests. 
 
 The wedding day is a day of joy, and further- 
 more a sacred day for the married couple, who have 
 received two sacraments on this day, and entered up- 
 on a new state of life with the blessings and prayers 
 of the Church ; therefore excess and sin of every 
 kind is to be excluded from such festivities. 
 
 7. A jubilee wedding is a festival of gratitude 
 for a couple who have been married twenty-five 
 or fifty years. It is celebrated in order to thank God 
 for the graces received during this time, to renew 
 the former marriage vows and to beg the blessing 
 of the Church on the remainder of their days, that 
 they may finally enter into the joys of the Lord. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The sacraments are the most precious treasures 
 of the Church. 
 
 I. The Church has nothing more holy than the 
 sacraments, for they are the fruits of the Passion 
 and death of Jesus Christ. Therefore the Christian 
 should learn to know and treasure them, and never 
 approach them without careful preparation. 
 
Conclusion. 239 
 
 2. The Church has nothing more salutary than 
 the sacraments, because upon them depends the sal- 
 vation of mankind. If our soul is dear to us and 
 we long for heaven let us not delay to make diligent 
 use of these means of grace. 
 
 3. The Church has nothing more divine than the 
 sacraments, for God is their author and through 
 them the work of redemption continues for the sal- 
 vation of man. 
 
VESPERS. 
 
 BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED 
 SACRAMENT. 
 
 1. The public prayers of the Church, other than 
 those in the great Sacrifice of the Mass, are con- 
 tained in the Breviary. The whole Office for each 
 day consists of Matins and Lauds ; Prime, Tierce, 
 Sext and None (the prayers for the first, third, 
 sixth, and ninth hours, the old Roman division of 
 the day) ; Vespers and Compline. This Office was 
 originally chanted daily by the faithful, and is still 
 chanted by some religious Orders, the preservers of 
 primitive tradition and fervor. It is daily recited by 
 the Clergy ; and on Sundays and Holydays the Ves- 
 pers are publicly chanted as part of the solemn wor- 
 ship of the day, to enable the faithful to join in so 
 holy and venerable a form of prayer. 
 
 2. All the parts of the Office consist of Psalms 
 and Canticles from the Holy Scripture, with lessons 
 also from Scripture, or the Holy Fathers, and ap- 
 propriate to the day. 
 
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. 241 
 
 The Psalms in the Vespers for Sunday are the 
 109th and the following, including the 113th, al- 
 though very frequently the 11 6th is substituted for 
 the last of these. This series of Psalms is most suit- 
 able to the ordinary wants of the Church on her 
 weekly festivals. The first is a kind of commemo- 
 ration of all the great Mysteries of our Redeemp- 
 tion; the second alludes to the praise of God in the 
 congregation; the third commemorates the graces 
 and privileges of the Just ; the fourth is a Psalm of 
 praise, as is also that substituted occasionally for 
 the fifth; the fifth celebrates the deliverance of the 
 Israelites from Egyptian bondage. All are proph- 
 ecies of our Lord and of His Immaculate Mother, 
 as well as of the Church. In them we sing the 
 praises of Christ, our Lord, as Priest forever, offer- 
 ing Sacrifice, like Melchisedech, in the form of 
 bread and wine; as Lord of lords and King of 
 kings; as true to His promises of ever abiding by 
 His Church, investing her with miraculous powers ; 
 and ever spreading the mystic Banquet ; in them we 
 praise Him as our redeemer and our God whom we 
 adore; in them we praise that immaculate Virgin — 
 the joyful mother of children — and with her raise 
 our hearts and voices to glorify God. 
 
 3. It is not, then, an unmeaning Service, but one 
 most appropriate and consoling. Hence, though it 
 is not of obligation to attend Vespers, as it is to hear 
 Mass, all the saints and spiritual writers of the 
 
242 Vespers. 
 
 Church urge the faithful to be present at this Of- 
 fice with piety and devotion. For there is always 
 more benefit and comfort to be derived from the 
 public Offices of the church than from private de- 
 votions, God having ordained that Communion of 
 prayers should always have the preference. 
 
 4. In this country Benediction usually follows 
 Vespers. After the final Antiphon of the Blessed 
 Virgin is said, the Priest, vested in surplice, stole, 
 and cope goes up to the altar, while the choir sings 
 the O Saluiaris Hostia; and opening the Taber- 
 nacle, he makes a genuflection, and taking out a 
 consecrated Host enclosed in a kind of locket called 
 a luna, places this in the centre of the Monstrance 
 or Ostensoritim — a stand of gold or silver, with rays 
 like the sun. He then descends to the foot of the 
 altar, and puts incense into the censer ; kneeling 
 again, he receives the censer from the hand of the 
 acolyte, and incenses the Adorable Host. When the 
 choir sings the second line of the Tantum ergo, all 
 bow humbly down, and then, during the Genitori, 
 the priest again incenses the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 As soon as the choir has ended the hymn the 
 Priest chants the Versicle; and after the Response 
 he chants the prayer of the Blessed Sacrament, and 
 sometimes another prayer. He then kneels again, 
 and a veil is placed around his shoulders, after 
 which he ascends again to the altar, and, making a 
 genuflection, takes the Monstrance, and, turning to 
 
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. 243 
 
 the people, gives the Benediction in silence, making 
 the sign of the cross over the kneeHng congregation. 
 
 Replacing the Host in the Tabernacle, he de- 
 scends, and, preceded by his assistants, retires, 
 while the choir chants the ii6th Psalm, Laudate 
 Domimim omnes gentes, or some other Psalm or 
 Canticle permitted by the usage of the place. 
 
PART THIRD. 
 
 THE SACRAWENTALS. 
 
 The Saxrramentals are rites which resemble the 
 sacraments externally. The name is applied to both 
 the blessing or consecration given by the Church 
 and to the objects blessed or consecrated. The name 
 sacramental comes from the word sacrament, partly 
 because the sacramentals stand in close intimac}' 
 with the sacraments and partly because they resem- 
 ble the sacraments. Both have the outward signs 
 with which supernatural power is united. They are, 
 however, essentially different, the sacramentals im- 
 part only the grace of assistance while the sacra- 
 ments impart or increase sanctifying g^race. The 
 sacraments have infallible efficacy, whereas the effi- 
 cac}- of the sacramental depends upon the pious dis- 
 position of the recipient. The use of the sacraments 
 is strictly commanded, but the use of the sacrament- 
 als is only recommended. 
 
 2. Although the use of the sacramentals is not 
 strictly commanded, they are nevertheless indispens- 
 able. 
 
Summary. 245 
 
 We use them : 
 
 (i) When we receive the sacraments. We 
 should advance to meet the grace of the sacraments ; 
 the Church assists us by various sacramentals, which 
 prepare our hearts, or impress these graces deeper 
 upon them. 
 
 (2) For the same reason sacramental s are united 
 with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, so that by their 
 help we may the more easily participate in the Holy 
 Sacrifice and obtain its graces. 
 
 (3) In the course of the year sacramentals are 
 ordered to be observed at every great festal season. 
 The faithful thereby receive a fuller comprehension 
 of this holy season, and also a greater participation 
 of the graces. 
 
 (4) The graces of the Redemption should pene- 
 trate every state and condition of life. The sacra- 
 mentals are the channels through which these graces 
 are imparted to the soul for its purification and 
 sanctification. 
 
 (5) Even inanimate creatures which neverthe- 
 less were laden with the curse of sin, shall through 
 the sacramentals receive the blessings of the Re- 
 demption, so that they may not be a hindrance but 
 an assistance in the way of salvation. 
 
 (6) Everything that belongs specially to the 
 Divine Service — churches, altars, chalices, vest- 
 ments, etc., must be withdrawn from the dominion 
 
240 The Sacbjlmkxtals. 
 
 of sin ; they must be replete with blessings and given 
 up entirely to the sei^-ice of God. This is axrcom- 
 plished by the sacramentals. 
 
 3. Christ Himself instituted the sacramentals — 
 He impacted blessings : He blessed children and the 
 sick, bread and fish, etc He conferred this power 
 upon His Apostles, when He commanded them to 
 bless the houses which they entered, and instructed 
 them to cast out de\'ils, to heal the sick, etc. The 
 Apostles did as commanded, and rejoiced at the 
 wonderful results: this power exercised by Christ 
 and transmitted to the Apostles, to bless and to cast 
 out devils, is continued by the Church in the sacra- 
 mentals. 
 
 All the sacramentals revert to the Holy Name of 
 Jesus and the sign of the Cross. Christ taught the 
 faithful to ask in His name, and promised them they 
 would then receive ever>ihing. He told them they 
 could cast out de\'ils, and perform miracles in His 
 name. And the Apostles did so ; they performed in- 
 numerable miracles in His name. The sign of the 
 Cross has been used with all the sacramentals since 
 the time of the Apostles. 
 
 4. Christ left it to His Church to prescribe the 
 formulas for the sacramentals. We can see by sev- 
 eral of them that they are of Apostolic origin, viz., 
 the blessing of Baptismal Water, the oil of Baptism, 
 churches, sacred vessels. Holy Water, etc. The 
 other sacramentals owe their origin to early Chris- 
 tian times. 
 
Summary. 347 
 
 5. The efficacy of the sacramentals differs ac- 
 cording to the object to which they are applied, and 
 is generally expressed in the prescribed prayers of 
 each sacramental. The effects are chiefly : 
 
 ( 1 ) Man and his temporal possessions are freed 
 from or guarded against the power of Satan. 
 
 (2) Sickness, bodily evils and injury to our 
 possessions can be averted thereby, as well as 
 worldly prosperity increased. 
 
 (3) The soul is strengthened against tempta- 
 tions or entirely freed from them; venial sins can 
 be forgiven and the temporal punishment remitted. 
 
 (4) They effect a salutary disposition of the 
 soul, and make it more susceptible to future graces ; 
 therefore they are used in administering the sacra- 
 ments, and they may even effect the conversion of 
 a sinner., 
 
 (5) All the circumstances of life, the entire 
 work of the day can be sanctified by the sacrament- 
 als. 
 
 (6) Animate and inanimate creatures may, 
 through the sacramentals, be consecrated to the serv- 
 ice of God. 
 
 6. The efficacy of the sacramentals proceeds 
 from the power to bless, which Christ bequeathed to 
 His Church. That this blessing may be beneficial 
 to man he must co-operate with this grace, that it 
 may find entrance into his heart. The more his 
 
248 TiiK Sac'KAMentals. 
 
 heart is filled with faith and confidence, with humil- 
 ity and contrition, the more will the sacramentals 
 manifest their efficacy. In how far they dispense 
 temporal blessings, depends upon whether the bless- 
 ing be salutary for his salvation or not. 
 
 7. The power to dispense the sacramentals is 
 vested in the Sacred Ministry, still, the Church has 
 restricted the power of priests by reserving certain 
 exorcisms and benedictions to bishops, but several 
 of these cases may be performed by the priest when 
 delegated by the bishop. Such consecrations in 
 which anointing is used, the bishop alone must per- 
 form ; in extreme cases only the Pope may give a 
 priest the faculties, for example, to missionaries. A 
 few consecrations are reserved to the Pope alone, 
 viz., the blessing of the Pallium, the Agnus Dei, etc. 
 
 8. The receiver of the sacramentals must be 
 a person, for objects are blessed only for the bodily 
 or spiritual welfare of man. He must be a faithful 
 Catholic Christian, in order to have the right disposi- 
 tion for the use of the sacramentals. 
 
 The right disposition consists in being in the 
 state of grace, or at least contrite of heart, penetrated 
 with faith, and confidence in Christ and His holy 
 Church, and reconciled to the Divine Will. 
 
 RITUAL OF THE SACRAMENTALS. 
 
 I. Some blessings cannot be performed except 
 in the church and at the altar. In this case the 
 priest vested with surplice and stole, and on some 
 
 I 
 
Ritual, of the Sacramentals. 249 
 
 very solemn occasions with cope also, always of the 
 color of the day or of a color specially prescribed, 
 stands at the Epistle side; the articles to be blessed 
 should be placed on a table close by, not on the altar, 
 vestments and vessels destined for Divine Service, 
 however, excepted. 
 
 2. The priest stands, because he is Christ's repre- 
 sentative, commissioned by the Church. 
 
 3. Every blessing begins with the w^ords : ''Our 
 help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven 
 and earth." Then the priest makes the sign of the 
 Cross. 
 
 The strength and efficacy of all the saccamentals 
 rest upon the supplication of the name of God and 
 the sign of the Cross. 
 
 4. Then follows the salutation: 'The Lord be 
 with thee, and with thy spirit." 
 
 5. The priest prays with joined hands to denote 
 the humble supplication contained in every blessing. 
 
 6. The sign of the Cross is made once or oftener 
 during the blessing; the name of God is also called 
 upon, because this is the source of all blessings. 
 
 7. Finally, the object to be blessed is sprinkled 
 with Holy Water in the form of a Cross. To this 
 object the same power and efficacy are imparted, 
 which the blessing of the Church imparts to Holy 
 Water. 
 
250 The Sacramentals. 
 
 8. In some solemn blessings Incense is used ; and 
 in several solemn consecrations the bishop anoints 
 with Holy Oil, indicating thereby not alone the full- 
 ness of the grace of the Holy Ghost but also that this 
 same grace is, in a measure, imparted. The sprink- 
 ling with Holy Water, the use of Incense and Holy 
 Oil, show us the fundamental effects of the sacra- 
 mentals — purification, sanctification and consecra- 
 tion. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 I. The Sacramentals may be divided according 
 to their use and efficacy, into the following: 
 
 (i) Exorcism, which liberates from the power 
 of Satan *and frees from sin, 
 
 (2) Benedictions, which impart, furthermore, 
 sanctity, graces and blessings, 
 
 (3) Consecrations, which beside the efficacies 
 just mentioned, consecrate a person or thing to the 
 service of God. 
 
 EXORCISIVI. 
 
 By the sin of our first parents Satan obtained 
 power over mankind and all nature. Christ, it is 
 true, conquered Satan, but as far as it concerns us, 
 the conflict is not ended and therefore the influence 
 of Satan is not entirely lost or destroyed. 
 
 The Evil Spirit can, God permitting, obtain 
 power over the body of man, and through the body 
 obtain power partly over the soul ; this dominion 
 of Satan over the body is called "possession.'* 
 
Classification. 251 
 
 2. The Church confronts this power of Satan by 
 exorcism, which consists in commanding the devil 
 to depart in the name of Christ, that he may not in- 
 jure body or soul. 
 
 3. The Church makes use of exorcism for a 
 threefold purpose, viz. : 
 
 ( 1 ) To withdraw the power of Satan from every 
 object used in connection with the Divine Service, 
 and to make it inacessible to his influence, viz.. Holy 
 Water. 
 
 (2) To lessen or destroy the injurious influence 
 Satan has upon the soul or worldly possessions. 
 
 (3) To liberate those possessed, from the thral- 
 dom of Satan. 
 
 4. Christ Himself cast out devils, and gave His 
 disciples also the power to do so. Ever since, the 
 Church has made use of this power, and has made 
 that of Exorcist one of the Minor Orders. To avoid 
 abuse, the exercise of this power has been in later 
 times restricted to priests ; and even they in import- 
 ant cases, require special permission from the bishop. 
 
 5. Exorcism is a spiritual combat with the pow- 
 ers of darkness; therefore the priest must employ 
 all his moral strength against Satan, consequently, 
 he should begin the exorcism only after a careful 
 preparation, with faith and confidence in God, pa- 
 tiently continued to the end. 
 
252 The Sacramentals. 
 
 6. The Church commands great caution in the 
 use of exorcism. Every unusual phenomenon should 
 not be attributed to Satan, but should be carefully 
 tested by natural means, and all superstition and sus- 
 picion conscientiously, avoided. 
 
 BLESSINGS. 
 
 1. Through exorcism, man and nature are freed 
 from the power of Satan ; through blessings he is 
 sanctified, his original destiny restored. Tlirough 
 blessings, nature is again made serviceable for man ; 
 many spiritual and temporal evils are averted, and 
 spiritual as well as temporal welfare procured. 
 
 2. The power to bless is given to priests and 
 bishops, and is exercised by them either in general 
 or in special cases to produce a certain efficacy pre- 
 scribed by the Church. 
 
 3. Blessing consists in prayer united to an out- 
 ward sign, generally the sign of the Cross, or by the 
 imposition of hands, whereby the minister of the 
 Church invokes the Divine blessing upon others, if 
 they are worthy of receiving it. 
 
 4. Even in the Old Testament, God designated 
 minutely how Aaron and his followers should bless 
 the people, and promised that He would fulfill their 
 blessing. How much greater is the priesthood of 
 the New Testament, therefore the priest's blessing 
 will at least be no less efficacious. 
 
Blessings. 253 
 
 "Into whatsoever house you enter/' said Christ 
 to His disciples, ''first say : Peace be to this house ; 
 and if the son of peace be there, your peace shall 
 rest upon him, but if not, it shall return to you.'' 
 From these words of our Lord, the faithful have 
 always believed, that the priest has power to bestow 
 blessings upon all who are worthy of receiving 
 them. 
 
 This blessing is more particularly to be desired 
 from the priest newly ordained, because he has so 
 lately received the fullness of this power from the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 5. The priest may bless publicly or privately; 
 publicly in connection with the Divine Service, es- 
 pecially at the end of Mass ; this was prescribed even 
 in early Christian times. He blesses privately, when 
 blessing the sick or any who asks his blessing. 
 
 6. As the consecration of a bishop is higher than 
 that of a priest, so the bishop's blessing will be more 
 efficacious. When the bishop bestows his blessing, 
 it is done more solemnly than the blessing of a 
 priest; he makes the sign of the Cross three times, 
 which is not permitted to a priest. The bishop may 
 give this solemn blessing apart from the Divine 
 Service. Privately he may bless the people every- 
 where even on the streets and highways. We should 
 eagerly seek to receive this richly laden blessing. 
 
 7. The Papal Blessing is the most efficacious be- 
 cause it is bestowed by the highest shepherd, the 
 vicegerent of Christ, to whom the supreme power 
 
2S4 The Sacramentals. 
 
 over the treasury of Christ's graces is committed. 
 With the Papal Blessing also called Apostolic, an in- 
 dulgence is generally united. 
 
 The Holy Father bestows this blessing solemnly 
 on the festival of Easter, on the feast of SS. Peter 
 and Paul, and on other special occasions. Privately 
 he confers it on all who ask it. Very frequently he 
 empowers bishops and religious priests to give the 
 Papal Blessing on certain days to the faithful. As 
 we have before mentioned the Papal Blessing is 
 given in the General Absolution at the hour of 
 death. 
 
 8. Benediction, or blessing with the Blessed Sac- 
 rament, was not known in early Christian times, it 
 was only introduced after the institution of the 
 feast of Corpus Christi (in the XIV. century). It 
 is easy to see that this Blessing differs from those 
 already named, for here it is no longer the priest 
 who blesses but Christ Himself, therefore the priest 
 uses no words of blessing when giving Benediction, 
 but makes one sign of the cross with the mon- 
 strance; when given by a Bishop he makes three. 
 
 9. The priest may bless w^ith the rehcs of the 
 saints, while doing so he invokes the intercession of 
 the saints on behalf of those present. 
 
 10. The blessing which parents give to their chil- 
 dren, superiors to their subjects, does not compare 
 with the priestly blessing, for it does not proceed 
 from a person canon ically empowered to impart 
 blessings. Nevertheless a parent's blessing has a 
 higher significance than that of pure intercession. 
 
Blessings. 255 
 
 By the fourth commandment, God gave parents a 
 higher authority over their children — made them 
 His representative, consequently their prayers and 
 blessings must be of greater might before God, than 
 those of others. When the Apostle speaks of a uni- 
 versal priesthood, parents, first of all, are called by 
 God to direct this priesthood in the family circle 
 and to call down the blessing of God upon their 
 offspring. Ecclesiasticus says (III lo-ii) : "The 
 father's blessing establisheth the houses of the chil- 
 dren, but the mother's curse rooteth up the founda- 
 tion." The Christian mother will not fail to make 
 the sign of the Cross upon her babe, nor pious 
 children fail to ask their parent's blessing, at least 
 before going to bed or when leaving home. Tq 
 many a young man, the remembrance of a parent's 
 blessing has often proved a safeguard in time of 
 temptation, while battling with the world. . The 
 blessing of a dying parent especially, is most sol- 
 emn and efficacious, and often has been the means 
 of reclaiming the most hardened sinner. 
 
 II. The Ritual contains many blessings for ob- 
 jects of ordinary use, such as food, the houses we 
 live in, the cattle and fields. Even for the modern in- 
 ventions, railroads, telegraph, electric lights, etc. 
 The faithful should be encouraged to make frequent 
 use of this means of grace, and thus draw down the 
 blessing of heaven upon themselves and their under- 
 takings. By the use of Holy Water we may draw 
 the blessing of the Church upon ourselves and our 
 possessions. 
 
256 The Sacramentals. 
 
 THE WAY OF THE CROSS. 
 
 1 
 
 It is said that the Way of the Cross owes its 
 origin to the Mother of God. 
 
 Tradition says, that the Blessed Mother of God 
 was often wont to walk in the steps of her Son to 
 Calvary, pausing at the spots marked by some spe- 
 cial incidents. The early Christians flocked in crowds 
 to the holy places to follow the Via Crucis. But 
 when, in the Middle Ages, the Holy Land fell into 
 the hands of the infidels, and the devout pilgrim 
 could only visit the scenes of our Lord's suflferings 
 at the risk of his life, the Stations were erected in 
 churches, and enriched by the Popes with large in- 
 dulgences. wSt. Francis of Assisi contributed greatly 
 to spread this devotion. 
 
 1. The \\'ay of the Cross is the name given to 
 the fourteen stations which depict the way along 
 which our Redeemer passed bearing His Cross, from 
 
 Pilot's palace to Mount Calvary. 
 
 The fourteen stations consist of fourteen wooden 
 crosses, to which pictures and inscriptions are gen- 
 erally added. They are erected in churches, some- 
 times in the open air, on the slope of a hill; occa- 
 sionally in cemeteries. 
 
 2. The manner of performing the Way of the 
 Cross is to go from one station to another, mak- 
 ing meanwhile a meditation on our Lord's Passion. 
 
The Way of the Cross. 257 
 
 It is not necessary to go from station to station 
 in the church if one stands up and kneels down as 
 every station is being made. It is enough to medi- 
 tate on the Passion in general, making a special 
 meditation at each station. An Our Father, Hail 
 Mary, and an act of contrition are generally recited 
 at every one. 
 
 3. By performing the Way of the Cross large in- 
 dulgences may be gained; we also obtain contrition 
 for sin and are incited to the practice of virtue. 
 
 Daily meditation on the Passion of Christ is 
 more profitable than fasting every Friday in the year 
 on bread and water, or taking the discipline to 
 blood. A single tear shed in compassion for Our 
 Lord's sufferings is of greater value in God's sight 
 than a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We learn 
 how acceptable meditation on His Passion is to Our 
 Lord, from the revelations of St. Bridget. Our 
 Lord once appeared to her, with blood streaming 
 from all His wounds. She asked what had reduced 
 Him to this pitiable condition. He answered: ''It 
 is the doing of those who never consider the great 
 love I manifested towards them by all I suffered 
 upon the cross." It was as a continual memorial 
 of His Passion that Our Lord instituted the Holy 
 Sacrifice of the Mass. The same indulgences are 
 granted for making the Way of the Cross as for vis- 
 iting the corresponding places in the Holy Land; 
 they can be gained, however, only once in a day. 
 The wooden crosses must be blessed by a Francis- 
 
258 TiiK Sacramkntals. 
 
 can, or some priest who has the requisite powers, 
 and the stations must be visited without any break. 
 The Way of the Cross is a means of obtaining the 
 grace of contrition. As the Israehtes who were bit- 
 ten by the fiery serpent were healed by looking upon 
 the brazen serpent, so sinners are healed of the dead- 
 ly wound of sin by frequent meditation on the Pas- 
 sion of Christ. The Way of the Cross is also an in- 
 centive to the practice of virtue. The saints often tell 
 us that meditation on Our Lord's Passion imparts 
 strength to suffer not merely with patience, but with 
 joy. Our arrogance, our avarice, our anger will be 
 cured by the humility, the poverty, the patience of 
 the Son of God. If, O man, you would progress 
 from virtue to virtue, contemplate with all possible 
 devotion the sufferings of Our Lord, for this is most 
 conducive to sanctity. 
 
 4. If we are prevented from making the Way of 
 the Cross, we can gain the indulgence by reciting 
 the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Gloria twenty 
 times, holding meanwhile a crucifix blessed for the 
 Stations in our hand. 
 
 The hindrances must be of sufficient nature, 
 such as long distance from a church, sickness, etc. 
 The cross for performing the stations must be of 
 strong material, with the figure of the Savior at- 
 tached to it, and must have been duly blessed for 
 the purpose. The indulgences are not gained if the 
 Crucifix is not the property of the individual using 
 it, but if several persons perform the devotion to- 
 
The Chukching of Women. 259 
 
 gether, it is enough for one to hold the cross m his 
 hand. For the sick it suffices to take the cross in 
 the hand and make an act of contrition. The Our 
 Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father, are 
 recited fourteen times for the fourteen stations, five 
 times in honor of the five wounds of Our Lord and 
 once for the Holy Father. If the cross has been 
 blessed by a Redemptionist the prayers need only be 
 repeated fourteen times. 
 
 THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN. 
 
 1. It is an old established custom for a woman 
 after the birth of a child to present herself to 
 the priest in the church, to receive his blessing 
 and to implore the blessing of God upon her child. 
 This custom was observed even in the Old Law. 
 Every mother had to present herself in the temple, 
 with her infant, forty days after the birth of a boy 
 and eighty days after the birth of a girl. This law, 
 it is true, does not apply to Christian women be- 
 cause the Church has abolished Jewish ceremonies, 
 but since the Mother of God conformed to this rule, 
 the Christian mother will in all humility follow the 
 example of the Blessed Virgin. She should thank 
 God for her happy delivery, and offer her child to 
 God, promising to bring it up in the fear and love 
 of God, and finally implore the blessings of heaven 
 upon herself and her child. 
 
 2. The priest sprinkles the woman with Holy 
 Water, while she kneels at the door of the church 
 
260 Thk Sacramentals. 
 
 holding a lighted candle, and after reciting the 
 twenty-third psalm, reaching the end of the stole into 
 her hand he leads her into the church saying: 
 "Come into the temple of God; adore the Son of 
 the Blessed Virgin, who has given thee fruitful- 
 ness/' The woman then kneels before the altar, 
 while the priest, having said a prayer of thanksgiv- 
 ing, blesses her and again sprinkles her with Holy 
 Water in the form of a cross. This rite is for 
 women who have borne children in wedlock. 
 
 3. The lighted candle is to remind us of the 
 words of the pious Simeon who called Christ the 
 Light of the world, by it the mother also acknowl- 
 edges that she will bring up her child in the light of 
 the true faith. 
 
 CHRISTIAN BURIAL. 
 
 1. The Church not only stands by her children 
 until death but does not delay to send help and 
 consolation to the soul in eternity, and to prepare 
 a worthy burial place for the body where it will 
 await the general resurrection. This resting place 
 is the graveyard consecrated especially for this pur- 
 pose. The Church deems it only proper that the 
 body of a Christian should be interred in conse- 
 crated ground, because it was so often sanctified 
 by the reception of the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 2. The Church buries her dead with many out- 
 ward ceremonies, prayers and blessings, not only to 
 
Chbistian Burial. 261 
 
 show her respect for the dead, but at the same time 
 to impress the hving with the truth, that the body is 
 not to remain forever in the g'rave but to arise to 
 eternal reward. She thus honors the body as the 
 temple of God, edifies the living, and procures help 
 and consolation for the soul, if it is in need. 
 
 3. Ecclesiastical burial is denied in the fol- 
 lowing instances : 
 
 (i) To pagans, Jews, and infidels. (2) To 
 apostates. (3) To notorious heretics and schismat- 
 ics. (4) To those publicly executed and interdicted. 
 (5) To those who committed suicide, if before ex- 
 piring they did not manifest any repentance. Those, 
 however, who committed suicide while insane or de- 
 ranged can be buried by the Church. (6) To those 
 killed in a duel. (7) To public and notorious sin- 
 ners who die in final impenitence. (8) To those 
 who die in the act of some grievous crime. (9) Fi- 
 nally to those who refused the Sacraments at the 
 point of death. 
 
 4. The body is prepared for burial, by washing 
 and dressing it properly before placing it in the cof- 
 fin. 
 
 5. The body remains for a time unburied, in 
 order to make certain that life is really extinct. 
 In former times the body was brought to the church, 
 where the faithful prayed psalms and other prayers, 
 day and night, for the departed. 
 
262 
 
 The Sacramentals. 
 
 6. A Crucifix is placed in llie liand of the de-1 
 parted, and one u])()n tlie coffin; a cross is borne in 
 procession to the grave and, finally, one is planted 
 upon it, to show that the departed died a servant 
 of the Cross, and through the Cross hopes for eter- 
 nal life. 
 
 7. The l)ells are tolled to ])ay a last honor to the 
 dead, calling upon all the faithful to pray for him, 
 and accompany him to the grave. 
 
 8. One or more candles are kept burning beside 
 the corpse to signify that the departed walked in 
 the light of faith, and to remind us of the oft re- 
 peated prayer: "May eternal light shine upon him." 
 
 9. The priest and servers are vested in black to 
 express their grief and sympathy for the bereaved, 
 also to express their sorrow for the soul lest it has 
 not yet attained to the vision of God. This maternal 
 care and sadness of the Church, is shown in the 
 whole burial rite. 
 
 The Church does not wish that her children 
 should be indififerent and callous at the death of 
 relatives, she seeks rather to ameliorate and en- 
 noble their grief by participating in their sadness, 
 and lead them to think of a meeting beyond the 
 grave. 
 
 According to the Roman Ritual, the corpse 
 should be carried to the house of God, and a Re- 
 quiem Mass said, then the body is blessed and 
 
Cheistia?^ Burial. 263 
 
 borne to the grave accompanied by the clergy, 
 friends and relatives praying or singing mournful 
 psalms on the way. Before it is interred it receives 
 a last and farewell blessing. 
 
 10. The absolution, also called Libera because 
 the hymn begins with this word, is a blessing over 
 the corpse that the Lord may be merciful to him 
 and pardon him in judgment. The Church like a 
 loving mother stands before the Divine Judge and 
 implores grace for her child. This absolution takes 
 place after Mass before the bier; here Holy Water 
 and Incense are used as well as at the burial itself. 
 
 11. The words spoken at the grave: ^^Remem- 
 ber man that dust thou art and into dust thou shalt 
 return.'' remind us of the judgment pronounced 
 by God over all mankind after the sin of our first 
 parents. The Church impresses it every year upon 
 the forehead of her children on Ash Wednesday, 
 so that they shall always have it before their eyes. 
 This sentence is fulfilled at the burial of the body. 
 
 12. Children who die after Baptism before they 
 have come to the use of reason are free from sin 
 and need no prayers. Therefore at the burial of 
 children, psalms of praise and thanksgiving are said, 
 and there are no prayers for the repose of the soul. 
 Signs of mourning are not appropriate here, so the 
 priest is vested in white, for white is the color of 
 innocence. 
 
264 The Sacka mentals. 
 
 Because tlie child is under the ban of original 
 sin, Holy Water and Incense are used, to purify 
 and sanctify it, that it may be worthy to stand one 
 day, in the presence of God. When a Mass is said 
 at the ])urial uf a child, it is said in honor of the 
 Angels. 
 
 CONSECRATIONS. 
 
 1. Consecration is the act of solemnly dedicat- 
 ing a person or thing to the service of God. Persons 
 and things consecrated, are not only withdrawn fronr 
 the influence of Satan, as through the exorcism, nor 
 only are blessings and graces imparted, but besides 
 all these they receive an impress of a special char- 
 acter, a stamp of higher rank whereby they are qual- 
 ified for the service of God. 
 
 2. The efifect of this consecration is twofold. A 
 person or thing is consecrated for the service of 
 God, and equipped for this purpose with higher 
 power and at the same time qualified to procure 
 grace and blessings for others. Consecrated per- 
 sons impart these blessings ])y their efifcctual agency, 
 consecrated objects, however, through their appli- 
 cation. 
 
 3. Consecrations are divided into tliat of per- 
 sons and objects. The consecration of persons is re- 
 served to bishops. A great many objects may be 
 blessed by the priest, such as Holy Water, the bless- 
 ing of ashes and the blessings performed during 
 Holy Week. 
 
Dedication of a Church. 265 
 
 DEDICATION OF A CHURCH. 
 
 1. When a Church is about to be built, a bishop, 
 or priest appointed by him, must solemnly perform 
 the laying of the corner stone ; for the house of God 
 must be blessed from the foundation throughout all 
 its parts. 
 
 ( 1 ) First, the place upon which the church is to 
 be built, especially that place destined for the high 
 altar is sprinkled with water blessed for the pur- 
 pose, accompanied with prayer. 
 
 (2) The corner stone is blessed in the same 
 manner and marked on all sides with the sign of the 
 Cross, it is then laid while the Litany of the Saints, 
 and other prayers are said. This blessing of the 
 corner stone extends to all parts of the foundation. 
 
 2. The dedication of a church is only a precursor 
 of the consecration, in case the latter cannot take 
 place, the bishop may delegate a priest to perform 
 the dedication, but not the consecration. 
 
 3. The solemn blessing, or consecration of a 
 church requires that (i) it be withdrawn from the 
 influence of Satan, (2) that it should be elevated 
 to a place of grace and prayer and (3) finally, that it 
 shall be consecrated as the exclusive property of the 
 house of God. This is expressed by the words of 
 the bishop when he invokes God to bless, sanctify 
 and consecrate the church and the altar. 
 
 4. The preparation for the consecration is as 
 follows : The consecrating bishop, who should be 
 fasting the day before, sets apart over night, in a 
 
2G6 The Sacramentals. 
 
 proper place, the relics to be used in the consecration. 
 Lit^ht burns before them and Matins and Lauds are 
 said in honor of the saints whose relics have been 
 procured. Twelve crosses are also marked on the 
 walls of the church with candles attached to them. 
 
 Next (lay these candles are liij^hted, and all things 
 needed are prepared in the church which is left in 
 charge of a deacon duly vested. The bishop goes m 
 procession around the outside of the church three 
 times sprinkling it with Holy Water, knocks three 
 times at the church door with the pastoral staff say- 
 ing : "Lift up your hands, ye princes and be ye 
 lifted up, ye eternal gates, and the King of glory 
 shall enter in." Three times the deacon asks: ''Who 
 is the King of glory ?" Twice the bishop answers : 
 *'The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in 
 battle,'' and the third time, ''The Lord of armies, 
 He is the King of glory.'' 
 
 The bishop then enters with the clerics and oth- 
 ers whose assistance he requires, leaving the rest of 
 the clergy and people outside, and again closes the 
 door. He forms a cross with the letters of the 
 Greek and Latin alphabets, which he inscribes with 
 his staff on ashes previously sprinkled upon the 
 floor of the church — this rite symbolizes the instruc- 
 tion to be given to Catechumens in the elements of 
 the faith. 
 
 The cross is made from one corner of the church 
 diagonally to the opposite corner. Upon the Cross 
 
Dedication of a Church. 267 
 
 of Christ, the Church continues to flourish from one 
 end of the world to the other. 
 
 5. Then the bishop proceeds with the consecra- 
 tion of the altars ; he marks five crosses on each 
 with his thumb, which he has dipped in a prepara- 
 tion of water, ashes, salt and wine, specially blessed 
 for this purpose, and sprinkles them seven times 
 with this mixture. He also goes three times around 
 the inside of the church and sprinkles the walls as 
 well as the floor. Later the relics are borne into 
 the church, the bishop, clergy and people taking 
 part in the procession. An address is made to the 
 people on the event of the day, and the outside of 
 the door is anointed with chrism. 
 
 6. The sepulchres of the altars, that is, the place 
 where the relics are deposited, are also anointed with 
 chrism, and the relics placed in them. The table 
 of the altar is anointed in the same manner, then in- 
 censed and five crosses made on it with the Oil of the 
 Catechumens as well as with the chrism. 
 
 Chrism is also used to anoint the twelve crosses 
 which have been marked on the walls. Incense is 
 burned on the five crosses previously made on the 
 altar with the blessed water, oil, and chrism. Finally 
 the bishop makes a cross with chrism on the front 
 and four corners of the altars, then the cloths, ves- 
 sels, ornaments, etc., are consecrated and the conse- 
 cration of the church is complete. St. Thomas clearly 
 states the meaning and use of this consecration 
 
268 The Sacramentals. 
 
 1 
 
 (Suninia Til, XXX) '*Tlic rite," says the Saint, 
 ''signifies tlie lioliness secured to the Church hy 
 Christ's Passion, and wliicli is also required of its 
 members/' 
 
 CONSECRATION OF A CEMETARY. 
 
 1. From the earhest Christian times it has been 
 the custom of the Church to bless the resting places 
 of her dead. What is more appropriate than that 
 the bodies which have been so often sanctified by the 
 body of our Lord, should be gathered in hallowed 
 ground to await the general resurrection. 
 
 Next to the Church no place should be more 
 sacred to the congregation than the cemetery, and, 
 if possible, it ought to be consecrated, but as long as 
 this cannot be done the individual graves ought to 
 be blessed. 
 
 2. The cemetery, being a holy place, should be 
 kept in good condition and often visited by the liv- 
 ing to pray for their friends and relatives. It is an 
 instructive school which vividly places before our 
 eyes our own transitory life, and impresses upon us 
 the fact that in death, we shall all be alike equal, 
 that riches, honor, and worth disappear, and that 
 we are not made for this earth but for eternity. 
 
 THE BLESSING AND BAPTISM OF A BELL. 
 
 I. In the first centuries church bells were not 
 used. During the Christian persecutions it was the 
 duty of the doorkeeper to inform the faithful of the 
 
The Blessing and Baptism of a Bell. 369 
 
 time and place of Divine Service. Later wooden 
 instruments were used, our clappers in Holy Week 
 remind us of |hese. Now and then, trumpets were 
 used for the same purpose. We do not know exactly 
 when bells were introduced ; they were used at Nola 
 in Campania and gradually introduced into the 
 churches in the seventh century. 
 
 2. On account of their importance in connection 
 with the Divine Service, bells have been solemnly 
 blessed since their first introduction. They are, as 
 it were, messengers from a higher world, calling to 
 the faithful not to forget their heavenly home. 
 
 3. The form prescribed in the Pontifical is en- 
 titled, ''The Blessing of a Bell,'' though it is popu- 
 larly called the ''Baptism of a Bell,'' a title by which 
 the Office is mentioned as early as the eleventh cent- 
 ury. The bishop or priest delegated by him wash- 
 es the bell with Blessed Water, anoints it with the 
 Oil of the sick on the outside, at first in silence, 
 then he prays that its tone, like the voice of God, 
 may ward off everything injurious or deadly. 
 He then makes seven crosses with the same 
 oil on the outside, saying each time, "Blessed and 
 sanctified shall this bell be! In the name of the 
 Father," etc. The seven crosses are typical of the 
 sevenfold source of sin and death, against which 
 the bell, sanctified by the sevenfold strength of the 
 Holy Ghost, shall grant assistance to the faithful. 
 He makes four crosses with chrism on the inside — 
 
270 The Sacramentals. 
 
 it shall call the faithful from all parts of the heavens, 
 and inspire them with zeal for God and His Holy 
 Word. 
 
 4. Under it he places the thurible with incense 
 and fragrant herbs, to denote the love of God 
 which should inflame Christian hearts in work as 
 well as in prayer; this is denoted furthermore 
 by the Gospel of St. Luke, in which refer- 
 ence is made to the one thing necessary by our 
 Lord when conversing with Martha and Mary. 
 He prays repeatedly that the sound of the 
 bell may avail to summon the faithful and excite 
 their devotion, that it may drive away storms and 
 terrify evil spirits ; this power, of course, is due to 
 the blessings and prayers of the Church and not to 
 any efficacy superstitiously attributed to the bell it- 
 self. 
 
 CORONATION OF A POPE. 
 
 I. On the tenth day after the demise of a Pope, 
 the Cardinals assemble in the same place where he 
 died, to the so-called Conclave. After a solemn High 
 Mass, to implore the light of the Holy Ghost, they 
 retire to a part of the palace where they are entirely 
 secluded from the rest of the world. A suite of 
 rooms is given to each cardinal and his attendants. 
 Then all the windows and doors that open out- 
 ward are walled up, and no Cardinal dare leave 
 his quarters until after the election, except in case 
 of sickness, and even then if he leaves the palace 
 he loses his right of vote. Food is sent in to them 
 
Coronation of a Pope. 271 
 
 under the greatest supervision, by means of a turn. 
 By this strict seclusion every external influence 
 that might be brought to bear on the papal 
 election is prevented. The Cardinals meet in the 
 chapel every day to vote, this is repeated until 
 some one Cardinal has received at least two-thirds 
 of all the votes. If the election is successful 
 the Cardinal dean asks the one elected if he 
 accepts the office ; if he consents, the fisherman's 
 ring is placed on his finger and he must give the 
 name, which he wishes to bear as pope. Then the 
 oldest of the Cardinal deacons opens a window fac- 
 ing the street and announces the result of the elec- 
 tion to the crowd of people waiting below in the 
 following words : ''Romans, I announce to you 
 good tidings of great joy. We have a Pope, the 
 most eminent and most Rev. Cardinal N. N., who 
 has taken the name N. N.'' 
 
 The fisherman's ring is that small papal seal 
 which represents St. Peter in a boat drawing in his 
 net. With this the Pope seals Decretals of minor 
 importance written in Latin and signed by the car- 
 dinal secretary. 
 
 The Pope takes a new name, because when 
 Christ made Simon head of the Church He gave 
 him the name Peter. Besides this, the changing of 
 the name indicates that he has been consecrated for 
 the welfare of our Holy Church exclusively, and 
 therefore must sever family ties, or at least not 
 consider them to the detriment of the Church. 
 
272 • The Sacramentals. 
 
 2. The newly elected Pope now receives the hom- 
 age of the Cardinals. They kiss his right foot, that is 
 the cross embroidered on the slipper, as a sign of 
 their allegiance, then they kiss the right hand as a 
 sign of filial veneration. This homage is repeated 
 three times — in the Conclave, in the Sistine chapel, 
 and in St. Peter's church. This may be to denote 
 the threefold pow^r of the Pope. At the last named 
 homage, besides the Cardinals, inferior prelates and 
 persons of rank take part, whereupon the Pope gives 
 the people the Apostolic blessing. 
 
 3. Some days later the coronation of the Pope 
 takes place in the following manner: 
 
 ( 1 ) He is carried into St. Peter's church 
 under a rich canopy as a sign of the respect 
 due to the Head of the Church. In the Chapel of 
 St. Gregory he again receives the homage of the 
 Cardinals and prelates. When leaving the chapel in 
 solemn procession, the master of ceremonies kneels 
 near the door and burns on a plate, castles formed 
 of oakum, saying in a loud voice : ''Holy Father, 
 thus the glory of the w'orld passes away." This is 
 repeated three times with a short pause between 
 each. This warning on the vanity of everything 
 earthly is all the more impressive, as in the Chapel 
 of St. Gregory are found the graves of the Popes. 
 
 (2) When the Pope reaches the altar of St. 
 Peter, the solemn Mass begins ; after the Kyrie has 
 been sung, he sits upon the throne, and the three first 
 
COEONATION OF A PoPE. 273 
 
 Cardinal bishops, stand before him and implore Al- 
 mighty God to pour upon him, who has been raised 
 to the highest Apostolic dignity, the fulness of His 
 blessings. Then he receives the Pallium, and thus 
 equipped with the full dignity of the episcopal office 
 ascends for the first time as Pope the altar of St. 
 Peter and continues the Mass. A part of the clergy 
 go now to the tomb of St. Peter to pray for the 
 happy reign of the new Pope, the successor of St. 
 Peter. 
 
 (3) At the close of the Mass, the Pope goes to 
 the balcony of St. Peter's church, where the first 
 Cardinal deacon places the triple crown — the tiara 
 — on his head with the words : ''Receive the tiara 
 adorned with three crowns, and know that thou art 
 Father of Princes and Kings, Ruler of the world; 
 Vicar of our Savior Jesus Christ to whom be glory 
 and honor forever! Amen.'' In the name of the 
 most Holy Trinity, the new Pope shall rule as 
 teacher, priest and shepherd. After the coronation, 
 the Pope gives the solemn Benediction, with a plen- 
 ary indulgence. 
 
 (4) In grand procession he proceeds to the 
 Lateran church, which is the chief or Cathedral 
 church of Christendom — the mother of all churches 
 — therefore he solemnly takes possession of it ; on 
 the way he is handed the keys of the city. He is sol- 
 emnly received into the Lateran church, where the 
 Prefect of Rome hands him two keys, one of gold, 
 the other of silver, as a sign of his power to bind 
 
274 The Sacramentals. 
 
 and to loose After he has been seated upon the 
 throne, he receives the homage of the Chapter of 
 this church ; he is then led into the council hall of 
 the I.ateran palace, where he gives to each of the 
 Cardinals and the most distinguished prelates, a gold 
 and a silver memorial coin. From the gallery he 
 bestows his blessing upon the people, and has some 
 small silver coins thrown among them, with the 
 words : "He divided with the poor, his justice shall 
 last forever/' 
 
 Throughout the entire ceremony of the corona- 
 tion, the papal dignity is shown to be the highest up- 
 on earth, but it must be united with humility and a 
 love of sacrifice. 
 
 CONSECRATION IN THE RELIGIOUS 
 STATE. 
 
 I. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of sacrifice ; this 
 spirit Christ bequeathed to His Church, where it 
 continues to grow in the priesthood, and reaches its 
 highest point in the religious state. This state forms, 
 by the more perfect practice of the virtues and its 
 consequent external activity, a powerful spiritual al- 
 ly of the Church. Therefore the Church has taken 
 chis state particularly under her protection and insti- 
 tuted different consecrations for its various Orders. 
 We find, even in the first Christian centuries, a sol- 
 emn blessing and consecration of virgins, who dedi- 
 cated themselves to perpetual chastity and to 
 the service of God. Out of the lives of the her- 
 mits and these virgin souls developed the Religious 
 
CONSECKATION IN THE RELIGIOUS StATE. 275 
 
 state. The Church not only regulated this state 
 but blessed and sanctified it; she appointed a 
 time of probation — a novitiate — for those entering 
 the Order, which must last at least one year. During 
 this year the novices must be proved and if they 
 find that they are called to this state of life, they 
 must earnestly prepare for the profession of their 
 vows. 
 
 2. Entrance into the novitiate, the so-called Re- 
 ception, preceded by a longer or shorter period of 
 trial, is made by the solemn reception of the religious 
 habit. The prescribed ceremonies differ according 
 to the object of the different Orders and their re- 
 spective rules. The essential part is the solemn bless- 
 ing and investing with the habit. 
 
 As levity is generally shown in the dress, so the 
 long, modest dress of Religious should show earn- 
 estness, modesty and virtue; therefore the novice is 
 usually reminded at Reception to lay aside worldly 
 sentiments with the worldly garb, and to strive to 
 acquire virtue and modesty. Unless in case of neces- 
 sity, as long as they remain in the Order, the Re- 
 ligious is never permitted to wear worldly dress 
 again. 
 
 3. When the prescribed time of probation has 
 passed, and the novice has reached the required age, 
 then the profession of vows may be made. Until 
 then the novice may leave the novitiate at any time, 
 
276 
 
 The Sacramentals. 
 
 and the convent may likewise dismiss him when it 
 is seen that he has no vocation. With the profes- 
 sion, however, he belongs, forever to the Order, as 
 a return to the world is not permitted without a 
 dispensation. 
 
 As the ceremonies of Reception vary so do the 
 ceremonies of Profession. What is essential to all, 
 are the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, 
 which are the foundation of the whole Religious 
 State. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 HOLY SEASONS. 
 
 The Ecclesiastical Year in General. 
 
 Definition 
 
 Divisions 
 
 Vigil and Octave 
 
 Sunday 
 
 Ferials 
 
 Ember Days 
 
 Feasts 
 
 THE FIRST FESTAL CYCLE 
 
 The First Festal Cycle 
 
 Advent 
 
 Christmas Eve 
 
 Christmas 
 
 Christmas Octave 
 
 Epiphany 
 
 Subsequent Commemoration 
 
 Candlemas — Transition Feast 
 
 5 
 7 
 8 
 
 ]o 
 i6 
 
 17 
 i7 
 
 21 
 22 
 
 25 
 27 
 29 
 31 
 32 
 
 34 
 
278 
 
 Index. 
 
 SECOND FESTAL CYCLE. 
 
 Second Festal Cycle 
 Lent 
 
 Ash Wednesday 
 Passion Week 
 Feasts of the Saints 
 Holy Week . 
 Palm Sunday 
 Holy Thursday 
 Good Friday 
 Holy Saturday 
 Easter , 
 Easter Octave 
 Low Sunday 
 Commemorations 
 Rogation Days 
 Ascension Day 
 Feasts which belong to t 
 Easter . 
 
 he Subsequent Commemoration of 
 
 THIRD FESTAL CYCLE. 
 
 Third Festal Cycle 
 
 Pentecost . , . . 
 
 The Season After Pentecost 
 
 Trinity Sunday 
 
 Corpus Christi 
 
 Other Feasts of Our Lord 
 
 Feasts of the Blessed Virgin 
 
Index. 
 
 279 
 
 Feasts of the Angels and Saints . 
 Feast of the Dedication of a Church 
 Titular Feast 
 
 io6 
 113 
 115 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 SACRED MYSTERIES. 
 
 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments. 
 
 Sacred Ceremonies . . . 
 
 Sacred Vestments ....... 
 
 THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. 
 Introduction 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 116 
 118 
 
 127 
 
 Preparation for the Holy Sacrifice — Christ as Prophet 
 — Way of Purification. 
 
 Introit . 
 Kyrie . 
 Gloria . 
 Collects 
 Epistle 
 Gospel 
 Creed . 
 
 131 
 134 
 136 
 
 137 
 140 
 141 
 143 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 The Consecration of the Holy Sacrifice^Jesus Christ 
 as High Priest — Way of Sanctification. 
 
 Summary 
 Offertory 
 
 144 
 145 
 
280 
 
 Indkx. 
 
 Preface 
 Canon . 
 Consecration 
 Memento 
 
 151 
 152 
 
 156 
 159 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 Communion— Christ as King — Intimate Union with 
 Christ. 
 
 Summary 
 
 
 161 
 
 Pater Noster 
 
 
 162 
 
 Agnus Dei 
 
 
 164 
 
 Communion 
 
 
 . . . . 165 
 
 Post Communion 
 
 i6g 
 
 Mass for the 
 
 Dead 
 
 171 
 
 THE SACRAMENTS. 
 
 Introduction 
 
 175 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 
 Baptism 
 
 177 
 
 Baptismal Rite 
 
 180 
 
 Ceremonies at the Church Door . 
 
 180 
 
 Ceremonies at the Baptismal Font 
 
 . . 183 
 
 Ceremonies after Baptism . 
 
 . . 185 
 
 CONFIRMATION. 
 
 Confirmation 
 
 Ceremonial of Confirmation 
 
 190 
 
Index. 
 
 281 
 
 HOLY EUCHARIST. 
 
 Holy Communion ....... 193 
 
 Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament .... 199 
 
 SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 
 
 Sacrament of Penance ...... 202 
 
 Rite of the Sacrament of Penance .... 204 
 
 EXTREME UNCTION. 
 
 Summary ......... 208 
 
 Rite of Extreme Unction . . . . . . 212 
 
 General Absolution . . . . . . . 214 
 
 HOLY ORDERS. 
 
 Summary ..... 
 
 216 
 
 Minor Orders .... 
 
 219 
 
 Subdeaconship .... 
 
 221 
 
 Deaconship 
 
 223 
 
 Priesthood 
 
 224 
 
 Rite of Ordination 
 
 . . . , . 224 
 
 The Episcopacy . 
 
 227 
 
 MATRIMONY. 
 
 Summary . . . 
 
 Ceremonies of Matrimony 
 
 Conclusion - \- 
 
 Vespers ...... 
 
 Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament 
 
 231 
 
 235 
 238 
 240 
 242 
 
2S2 
 
 Index. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 THE SACRAMENTALS. 
 
 Sacramentals .... 
 
 Ritual 
 
 Classification of the Sacramentals 
 Exorcism ..... 
 
 244 
 248 
 250 
 250 
 
 BLESSINGS. 
 
 Summary 
 Various Blessings 
 The Way of the Cross 
 Churching of Women . 
 Christian Burial . 
 
 252 
 252 
 256 
 
 259 
 260 
 
 CONSECRATIONS. 
 
 In General 
 
 264 
 
 Dedication of a Church ..... 
 
 265 
 
 Consecration of a Church ..... 
 
 265 
 
 Consecration of a Cemetery .... 
 
 268 
 
 Blessing of a Bell 
 
 268 
 
 Coronation of the Pope ..... 
 
 270 
 
 Consecration in the Religious State 
 
 274 
 
ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 B 
 
 Absolution, Sacramental, 205 
 
 Absolution, General, 214 
 
 Absolution, General Rite of, 
 214 
 
 Acolyte, 217, 220 
 
 Adam Created, 45 
 
 Adoration of the Blessed Sac- 
 rament, 199 
 
 Advent, 22 
 
 Agnus Dei of the Mass, 164 
 
 Agnus Dei of Wax, 73 
 
 Alacoque, Margaret Mary, 92 
 
 Alb, 119 
 
 Alleluia, 71 
 
 All Saints, 109, 121 
 
 All Souls, 112 
 
 Anna, 34 
 
 Andrew, St., 44 
 
 Angelus, 24 
 
 Annunciation, 44, 221 
 
 Amen, 140 
 
 Amice, 119 
 
 Ascension, 72, 79 
 
 Ash Wednesday, 41 
 
 Ashes Blessed, 41 
 
 Assumption, 97 
 
 Banns, 231 
 Baptismal Rite, 180 
 Baptism, 177 
 
 Bartholomew, St. Ap., 108 
 Beatification, iii 
 Bell, Blessing of, 268 
 Benediction of the Blessed 
 
 Sacrament, 240 
 Bernadette, 102 
 Betrothal, 234 
 Bishops Ring, 124 
 Blase, St., 37 
 Blessings, 252 
 Borromeo, St. Charles, 40 
 Breviary, 222 
 Bridgetine Indulgence, 103 
 
 Candles Blessed, 38 
 Candlemas, 34 
 Candlemas Procession, 35 
 Canon, 152 
 Canonization, in 
 Catechumens, Mass of, 128 
 
284 
 
 Alphabetical Index. 
 
 Captives, Ransom of, 105 
 Carnival Days, 39 
 Celibacy, 222 
 Chalice, 146 
 Chains, St. Peter's, 108 
 Christian Burial, 260 
 Churching of Women, 259 
 Chasuble, 121 
 Christmas, 26 
 Christmas Eve, 25 
 Christmas Tree, 26 
 Chrysostom, St. John, 109 
 Clappers, Wooden, 52 
 Clement XIII, Pope, 200, 40 
 Cincture. 120 
 Circumcision, Feast of, 31 
 Confirmation, 188 
 Confiteor, 108 
 Confraternities Scapular, 96 
 Consecration in the Mass, 144 
 Consecration in the Religious 
 State, 274 
 
 Consecration in General, 264 
 
 Consecration C)f a Church, 265 
 
 Consecration of a Cemetery, 
 268 
 
 Communion, 161 
 
 Communion Post, 169 
 
 Communion, Holy. 193 
 
 Communion, Spiritual, 194 
 
 Color of Vestments, 126 
 
 Collects, 137 
 
 Cope, 122 
 
 Coronation of Pope, 270 
 
 Corporal, 145 
 
 Corpus Christi, 89 
 
 Corpus Christi Procession. 
 91 
 
 Council of Trent, 196 
 
 Creed. 143 
 
 Crib. 26 
 
 Crosier, 124 
 
 Crown of Thorns. 80 
 
 Cycle, First Festal (Advent^ 
 21 
 
 Cycle, Second Festal (Easter), 
 38 
 
 Cycle, (Third Festal (Pente- 
 cost), 82 
 
 Dalmatic, 123 
 Deaconship, 223 
 Dead, Mass for, 174 
 Dedication of a Church, 265 
 Dedication of a Church Feast 
 
 of, 113 
 Devotion. Forty Hours, 200 
 Dies Irae, 174 
 Divorce, 233 
 Dolors. Seven, 45, 100 
 Doorkeeper, 200 
 Dominic, St., 102 
 Dominican Blessing. 103 
 Domnius Vobiscum, i37 
 Dyptich, 154 
 
 Easter, 70 
 Easter Eggs, 72 
 Easter Octave, 72 
 
Alphabetical Inde^^. 
 
 285 
 
 Ecclesiastical Year, 5 
 Ecclesiastical Year, Divisions 
 
 of, 7 
 Elevation, The, 156 
 Ember Days, 17 
 Epiphany, 31 
 Epistle, 140 
 . Episcopacy, 227 
 Episcopal Blessing, 253 
 Espousals of the B. V., 33 
 Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 
 
 93 
 Exorcist, 220 
 
 Exposition of the Cross, 56 
 Extreme Unction, 208 
 
 Feasts, 17 
 
 Fast of Lent, 40 
 
 Feasts, Movable and Immov- 
 able, 17 
 
 Ferials, 17 
 
 Flagellation, The, 80 
 
 Finding of the Holy Cross, 
 80 
 
 Fire, The New, 64 
 
 Five Wounds, The, 80 
 
 Five Grains of Incense, 64 
 
 Forty Hours Devotion, 200 
 
 Gloria, 136 
 
 Gloves, Bishop's, 124 
 
 Good Friday, 56 
 
 Gospel, 141 
 Gregory, Pope, 97 
 Guardian Angels, 109 
 
 H 
 
 High Mass, Solemn, 131 
 
 Holy Chrism, 191 
 
 Holy Days of Obligation, 20 
 
 Holy Eucharist, 192 
 
 Holy Innocents, 5 
 
 Holy Name of Jesus, 33 
 
 Holy Name of Mary, 99 
 
 Holy Oils, 52 
 
 Holy Orders. 16 
 
 Holy Rosary Feast, loi 
 
 Holy Saturday, 63 
 
 Holy Seasons, 216 
 
 Holy Thursday, 56 
 
 Holy Water, 46 
 
 Holy Week, 51 
 
 Holy Way of the Cross 256 
 
 Hose, Bishops, 124 
 
 I 
 
 Immaculate Conception, 25 
 
 Immaculate Conception Scap- 
 ular, 96 
 
 Impediments to Matrimony, 
 99 
 
 Impediments to Matrimony, 
 Prohibitory, 231 
 
 Impediments to Matrimony, 
 Annulling, 233 
 
28G 
 
 Ai.niAHETicAL Index. 
 
 Improperia, 6i 
 
 Indulgences. 207 
 
 Incense, Five Grains of. 64 
 
 Innocent XI , Pope. 99 
 
 Introit, 131 
 
 Ite Missa Est, 169 
 
 James. St.. The Greater. 106 
 
 Jerome, St., 23 
 
 Jeremiah. Lamentations, 47 
 
 Joseph, St., 44 
 
 Joseph, St., Patronage of, 80 
 
 John, St., Baptist, 106 
 
 John, St,, Evangelist, 79 
 
 John, St., Lateran, 94 
 
 Jude. St., 108 
 
 Judica, Psalm, 131 
 
 Juliana, Blessed. 90 
 
 N 
 
 Major Orders, 221 
 Mandatum, 55 
 Maniple. 120 
 Mark, St.. Ev., 77 
 Mark, St., Procession of, 77 
 Mass, Sacrifice of , 127 
 Mass of the Presanctified, 62 
 Maternity of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin, 105 
 Matrimony, 231 
 Matthew, St., 108 
 Memento, The, 159 
 Michael, St., 109 
 Minor Orders, 219 
 Mitre, 124 
 
 Mount Carmel Scapular, 96 
 Mysteries, Sacred, 116 
 
 N 
 
 Kyrie. 134 
 
 Lance and Nails. So 
 Lent, 39 
 
 Leo, Pope XIII. 103 
 Lector. 220 
 Libera, 263 
 Light, Triple. 65 
 Litany of All Saints. 69 
 Low Sunday, 74 
 
 Nativity of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin, 99, 105 
 
 Nativity of St. John the Bap- 
 tist, 106 
 
 Nobis quoque peccatoribus. 
 160 
 
 Nuptial Mass, 237 
 
 Octave. 8 
 Offertory, 145 
 Orate Fratres, 
 
 150 
 
Alphabetical Index. 
 
 387 
 
 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 95 
 Our Lady of Mercy, 105 
 Our Lady of Snow, 94 
 Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 
 94 
 
 Palm Sunday, 49 
 Palm Sunday Procession, 49 
 Palla, 146 
 Pallium, 145 
 Paschal Candle, 66 
 Papal Blessing, 252 
 Parents Blessing, 254 
 Passion Week, 43 
 Passion, Reading of, 47 
 Passover, 70 
 Paten, 147 
 Pater Noster, 162 
 Patronal Feast of the United 
 States, 115 
 
 Patronage of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin, 105 
 Pectoral Cross, 124 
 Penance Sacrament, 202 
 Pentecost, 84 
 Pentecost Octave, 88 
 Peter and Paul, SS., 106 
 Peter's, St., Chains, 108 
 Peter's, St., Chair, 34 
 Peter's, St., Church, 94 
 Philip Neri, St., 49 
 Philip and James, SS., 81 
 Plenary Indulgence, 202 
 
 Pius, Pope IX, 102 
 
 Pontifical High Mass, 123 
 
 Portiuncula, 97 
 
 Precious Blood, 80, 93 
 
 Preface, 151 
 
 Presentation of the Blessed 
 
 Virgin, 105 
 Priesthood, 224 
 Priest's Blessing, 202 
 Purification Feast, 34 
 Purificator, 146 
 Purity of Mary, 105 
 
 Q 
 
 Quadragesima, 39 
 Quarter tenses, 17 
 Quinquagesima, 39 
 
 Regina Coeli, 72, 76 
 Ring, Bishop's, 229 
 Rite of Confirmation, 198 
 Rite of Holy Communion, 193 
 Rite of the Sacrament of Pen- 
 ance, 204 
 Rite of Ordination, 224 
 Rochet, 123 
 Rogation Days, 77 
 Rorate Masses, 23 
 Rosary, The, loi 
 Rosary Indulgence, 103 
 
288 
 
 Alphabetical Index. 
 
 Sacraments, 174 
 Sacraments of the Living, 175 
 Sacraments of the Dead, 176 
 Sacramentals, 244 
 Sacred Heart of Jesus, 92 
 Sacred Ceremonies, 116 
 Sacred Vessels, 146 
 Sacred Vestments. 118 
 Sacrifice of the Mass, 127 
 Sandals. 124 
 
 Scapular, Mt. Carmel, 96 
 Scapular, Trinity, 96 
 Scapular, Seven Dolors 96 
 Scapular, Immaculate Con- 
 ception, 96 
 Scapular, Servites, 96 
 Scapular, Red, 96 
 Secret, The, 151 
 Septuagesima, 39 
 Sexagesima, 39 
 Simon, St., 108 
 Simeon, 34 
 
 Sponsors in Baptism, 174 
 Sponsors in Confirmation, 189 
 Stations, 120 
 Stephen, St., 29 
 Stole, 121 
 
 Subdeaconship, 221 
 Sunday, 13 
 Surplice, 123 
 Sylvester, St., 31 
 
 Tabernacle Societies, 200 
 Thomas, St,, Ap., 25 
 Thomas. St., of Canterbury, 
 
 30 
 Thurible or Censer, 270 
 Titular Feast, 115 
 Tiara, 126 
 
 Transubstantiation, 151 
 Transfiguration, The, 93 
 Trinity Sunday, 88 
 Triple Light, 65 
 
 Venerable, When Declared, 
 III 
 
 Veil, Benediction, 122 
 
 Vespers, 240 
 Vigil, 8 
 Visitation, 95 
 
 w 
 
 Way of the Cross, 256 
 Wedding Feast, 238 
 Wedding Jubilee, 238 
 
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