New Year's Day: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and World Day for Peace

Today, I would still certainly ask people to continue to join in the prayer recommended by the Church. In particular, I would ask that people would join in the singing reciting or singing of the Te Deum, which carries a plenary indulgence for this day. I provided the current ICEL translation of this text in the previous post. Also, there is a recording of the Latin (and Latin text) over at the site of Cantemus Domino.

Additionally, if you have the opportunity, I would recommend that you take part in Eucharistic Adoration. If you have a copy of the Liturgy of the Hours, you can take part in some of the hours, including Vespers. This may be done as I suggested here, in accord with the practice in the Vatican. As a friend pointed out, if you celebrate the office of Matins (Office of Readings) as a vigil before midnight, you can also fulfill the plenary indulgence for the Te Deum (as the Te Deum is part of that particular Office.

Right now, however, I would wish to draw your attention to some observances for the day of Jan. 1, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and World Day for Peace. As a Marian Feast, it is appropriate to pray any number of Marian prayers, including the Rosary, Angelus, Alma Redemptoris Mater (Loving Mother of the Redeemer), etc. Given that this day is held in honor particularly of Mary's title as Mother of God, however, it seems worthy that one recite or sing the Akathistos hymn to the Mother of God. This is a hymn to Mary derived from the practice of the Eastern Church. While I know of no music for this hymn, there is an old practice of singing recto tono (on one single note) a liturgical text. Such could be applied in this case.

Additionally, there is a plenary indulgence for reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new. This prayer would be excellent to recite or chant before meditation on any occasion.

Finally, I would include this prayer for peace from the book Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers from the Bishops' Conference.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.

Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole socieities.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit to conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.

May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.

You may undertake to pray any or all of these prayers. It may sometimes be difficult to pray. We should take advantage of the prayers which have been provided by our tradition (as well as prayers reflecting our present difficulties as with the prayer provided just above). New Year's Day is a time to begin again. With the help of Our Lady's prayers, let us do it.

The Te Deum

As mentioned in the previous post (which I hope you read), one can gain a plenary indulgence on Dec. 31 for reciting (or singing!) the hymn Te Deum Laudamus. The translation of this hymn currently on the liturgical books is as follows:

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy: Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of martyrs praise you.
The white robed army of prophets praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the virgin's womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting.

V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.

I hope that, at a minimum, this hymn will be a part of your celebration of closing of the year. Also, if you get the chance, I recommend taking part in First Vespers of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and Eucharistic Adoration (further described in the previous post).

The Closing of 2009: Vespers, Adoration, and Te Deum

December 31, as the close of the civil year, has a dual purpose in the practice of the Church. It is a time both of penance for past sins, as well as thanksgiving for God's blessings throughout the year. The former practice may be seen primarily in the form of Eucharistic Adoration. The latter may be seen in the singing of the Te Deum.

The Directory of Popular Piety has the following to say about this day:

114. Popular piety has given rise to many pious exercises connected with 31 December. In many parts of the Western world the end of the civil year is celebrated on this day. This anniversary affords an opportunity for the faithful to reflect on "the mystery of time", which passes quickly and inexorably. Such should give rise to a dual feeling: of penance and sorrow for the sins committed during the year and for the lost occasions of grace; and of thanks to God for the graces and blessings He has given during the past year.

These sentiments have given rise to two pious exercises: prolonged exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, which afford an opportunity for the faithful and many religious communities for silent prayer; and the singing of the Te Deum as an act of community praise and thanksgiving to God for the graces received from Him as the year draws to a close(126).

Such a practice is occurring in St. Peter's in Rome, as may be seen at the Vatican Website. Here, a Booklet for the Celebration of Vespers with Exposition, Benediction, and the Te Deum may be seen. One will notice that Vespers begins as usual (though in this case processing to Tu es Petrus). After the Collect (Closing Prayer), the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, while the people may chant Ave Verum Corpus. After a some time of silent prayer, the Te Deum is sung. Then the Blessed Sacrament is incensed while the Tantum Ergo is sung. After the prayer, Benediction, reposition, and Divine Praises, an the seasonal Marian antiphon is sung (Alma Redemptoris Mater). At the conclusion, the hymn Adeste Fideles is sung.

Such a practice may be done in one's own parish or home. At the very least, one may recite the Te Deum. There is a plenary indulgence for reciting this hymn on the last day of the year. If one has a copy of the the Liturgy of the Hours, they may recite the office of Vespers (Evening Prayer), singing as much as there is music, and reciting the Te Deum after finishing Vespers. if you are near a Church where there is perpetual adoration, then you may certainly spend time in silent adoration there, and possibly even recite the Office of Vespers and Te Deum there. If you have the Mundelein Psalter, you could always sing as much of the Office as you can.

There are many musical settings of the Te Deum that are available. I tend to use the English version in the book By Flowing Waters. There are also a number of Latin versions that would be excellent, including that found in the Booklet Jubilate Deo, or even OCP's booklet Laus Tibi, Christe. All of these also have the traditional musical notation for the Alma Redemptoris Mater.

And of course, nothing prevents you from celebrating Adeste Fideles as the English "O Come, All Ye Faithful," or in its Latin version if you have one.

While it is probably too late to plan a celebration along the lines of that held in St. Peter's, we can always work toward doing so next year. You can always try to make such a work of devotion to God part of the life of your own parish. There are resources that can make a worthy celebration possible.

Feast of the Holy Innocents: Prayer for Unborn

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It is held in honor of those children who were slaughtered by Herod once he learned of the imminent birth of the new King. As is wont to happen with rulers, his utmost goal was self-preservation of his station. For this, he is known to have even killed his own son on an occasion separate from the one commemorated today.

In doing so, he was not unusual from rulers of his age, or for that matter of any age. Indeed, his actions parallel the actions of the Pharaoh in Egypt. Such cold ruthlessness has been the means through which the stability of power has been maintained throughout history. We are fortunate to live in a society where the phrase "politics is a bloodsport" is a metaphor.

The commonality of his actions, however, in no way excuse them. Indeed, they remind us of the necessity to work for justice even when it is not convenient, and that ends can never justify means. There is never a justification for the senseless slaughter of innocent human life.

The Church has proclaimed as much throughout her long history. In the text of the Didache -- a document whose contents are from the first and second centuries -- we find condemnations of practices which were also quite common at the time, as well as common in our own time. Among these we see condemnations of abortion and infanticide. The latter was at the time at least as popular as the former.

On this day, the Church reminds us to pray for all the innocents who have been slaughtered for convenience or expedience. In our day, this is especially for victims of abortion. Moreover, she calls for a conversion of this world, especially those who may have committed this crime, to an ethic of life.

The following prayer from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers is praiseworthy for keeping this day in remembrance of the victims of abortion.

Lord God,
ever caring and gentle,
we commit to your love these little ones,
quickened to life for so short a time.
Enfold them in your love.

We pray for all responsible for the death of these children.
Give them the gift of true repentance,
and comfort them with a full portion of your mercy.

Heavenly Father,
transform our selfishness and sin
and make us turn to your love.
Help us to embrace the Gospel of life
to repudiate sin, selfishness, and death,
and to live only as your children.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The root of all sin, we could say, is making ourselves into God. It is claiming that we have power over God, and power over our neighbor. Jesus has shown us that if we wish to see heaven, we must serve rather than be served, and we must become like little children. In meditating on this feast, it is a reminder to me to rededicate myself as God's child. I hope this may be helpful to anyone else out there

Feast of the Holy Family: Consecrations and Blessings

I understand the complaint of many traditionalists for moving the Feast of the Holy Family to the Sunday of the Octave of Christmas. For one thing, the chronology seems odd when you are at the Nativity one day (Christmas), Jesus is twelve years old (Holy Family), and Jesus is immediately reverted back to a newborn for his circumcision (Mary, Mother of God, New Year's).

Nevertheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to meditate on family life in this time. In particular, the Christmas season is an excellent opportunity for devotions related to the family. This is especially true for the Feast we celebrate today.

The Directory of Popular Piety says the following about this Feast:

The feast of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Sunday in the Christmas octave) is a festive occasion particularly suitable for the celebration of rites or moments of prayer proper to the Christian family. The recollection of Joseph, Mary and Jesus' going up to Jerusalem, together with other observant Jewish families, for the celebration of the Passover (cf. Lk 2, 41-42), should normally encourage a positive acceptance of the pastoral suggestion that all members of the family attend Mass on this day. This feast day also affords an opportunity for the renewal of our entrustment to the patronage of the Holy Family of Nazareth(120); the blessing of children as provided in the ritual(121); and where opportune, for the renewal of marriage vows taken by the spouses on their wedding day, and also for the exchange of promises between those engaged to be married in which they formalize their desire to found a new Christian family(122).

With this in mind, I think that it would be opportune to focus on an Act of Consecration to the Holy Family as well as the Blessing of Sons and Daughters.

One Act of Consecration to the Holy Family may be found here. While it is no longer indulgenced, this in no way is a diminution of the beauty and worthiness of this prayer.

The Order of Blessing of Sons and Daughters (not to be confused with the Order of Blessing of Children, which should be performed by a priest) may be found in the Shorter Book of Blessings (or the larger one as well).

While I may not be able to print the whole of the Rite, I think that the following prayer of blessing may be appropriate to post, so that others may see the contents of this prayer. The following prayer of blessing is the one to be used by a parent, rather than by a priest or deacon:

Father, inexhaustible source of life and author of all that is good, we bless you and we thank you for brightening our communion of love by your gift of children.
Grant that your children (child) will find in the life of this family such inspiration that they (he/she) will strive always for what is right and good and one day, by your grace, reach their (his/her) home in heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

I hope that this may aid in your celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family.

Chant Fonts for Prayer Book

I'm a relatively new user of Linux. I was told that my computer "rejected" Windows when my system shut down a few months ago. I'm generally happy with a lot of programs that I have on here, though I have met with great difficulty trying to add programs.

I saw on the CMAA website forum that there is a freeware program called Caecilia for writing Gregorian chant neumes. I hope that it is easy to use. However, I can't figure out how to install and run this program. I have attempted using various online instructions for installing and running Opentype fonts, but to no avail.

Does anybody know what can be done for this problem? I'd be happy to know.

Bl. Andre Bessette to be Canonized

I didn't realize this right away in the recent list of decrees for causes of saints, but a second miracle has been approved for Bl. Andre Bessette of Canada. This is one saint who, for part of his life, also graced the lands of the United States. So much of the focus had been on the decrees of heroic virtue of Ven. John Paul II, Ven. Pius XII, and to a lesser degree, Ven. Mary Ward, as well as the imminent canonization of Bl. Mary MacKillop, that this slipped under the radar.

The Collect for Bl. Andre Bessette's feast on Jan. 6 is given below:

Lord our God, friend of the lowly,
you gave your servant, Brother Andre,
a great devotion to St. Joseph
and a special commitment to the poor and afflicted.
Through his intercession
help us to follow his example of prayer and love
and so come to share with him in your glory.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

There is a good Wikipedia article for those unfamiliar with this saint. Also, it appears that there have been a few others who have posted on him, whose posts may be found via the Catholic Blogs search field, now located on the right side of this blog or you can just follow this link)!