Winning the heart and soul of South Africa for Mary by spreading the Fatima Message

Novena in Honour of the Precious Blood of Jesus

Novena of The Seven Offerings

in Honour of the Precious Blood of Jesus

(An Indulgence of 3 years–Pius VII, 1817)

 

I.

Eternal Father, I offer thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for the spread and exaltation of my dear Mother, Thy holy Church, for the preservation and welfare of her visible Head, the true sovereign Roman Pontiff, for the Cardinal, Bishops and Pastors of souls, and for all the ministers of the sanctuary.

Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!

 

II.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for peace and concord among Catholic kings and princes, for the humbling of the enemies of our holy faith and the welfare of all Thy Christian people.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


III.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for the conversion of unbelievers, the rooting-up of all heresies and the conversion of sinners.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


IV.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my relations, friends and enemies, for those in need, in sickness and in tribulation, and for all those for whom Thou knows that I am bound to pray, and wills that I should pray.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


V.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all those who are to pass this day to the other life, that Thou would deliver them from the pains of hell, and admit them with all speed to the possession of Thy glory.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


VI.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all men who are lovers of this great treasure and who are united with me in adoring and glorifying It and who labour to spread this devotion.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


VII.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my needs, both temporal and spiritual, as an intercession for the holy souls in purgatory, and in an especial manner for those who were most devoted to this price of our redemption, and to the sorrows and sufferings of our dear Mother, Mary most holy.


Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blessed and praised for evermore be Jesus
Who has saved us with His Blood!


Glory to the Blood of Jesus both now and evermore
and through the everlasting ages. Amen.

 

 

Prayer to Venerate With Solemn Worship
The Price of Our Salvation

Almighty, and Everlasting God, who has appointed thine Only-Begotten Son to be the Redeemer of the world, and has been pleased to be reconciled unto us by His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate with solemn worship the price of our salvation, that the power thereof may here on earth keep us from all things hurtful, and the fruit of the same may gladden us for ever hereafter in heaven Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen

(An Indulgence of 5 Years –Roman Missal)


Eternal father I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in atonement for my sins, and in supplication for the holy souls in purgatory and for the needs of holy Church.

(An indulgence of 500 days. An Indulgence of 3 years if recited during the month of July)

Litany of the Suffering Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart of Jesus dying on the cross, save me.
Sacred Heart of my Creator, perfect me.
Sacred Heart of my Redeemer, answer for me.
Sacred Heart of of my Father, govern me.
Sacred Heart of my Judge, pardon me.
Sacred Heart of my Advocate, plead for me.
Sacred Heart of my Master, teach me.
Sacred Heart of my Pastor, guard me.
Sacred Heart of my Faithful Friend, repose in me.
Sacred Heart, wounded for love of me, receive me.
Sacred Heart, retreat of afflicted souls, comfort me.

Live, Jesus, in my heart, now and for all eternity.

Most sweet Jesus, who repulses none, but who does welcome even the greatest sinners, provided they repent and sincerely return to Thee, have mercy, particularly on those who invoke Thy holy name. Listen to the prayers of all who address Thee in spirit and truth, and grant that all the worshippers of Thy Sacred Heart may find, agreeably to Thy Divine promises, light, joy, strength, peace, protection, and holy love for time and eternity. Amen.


St Margaret Mary, intercede with the Sacred Heart of Jesus for me.

Practicing Virtue

In those who are advancing from good to better…

…the good Spirit moves the soul peacefully, calmly, gently: The evil spirit moves the soul roughly, confusedly, violently.

“Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and ye shall find rest for your soul.” Matthew 11:29

With this article we begin the “Second Book” of the treatise “Voice of Jesus – Voice of the Disciple.” It is called the “Directory for the Second Book” and, as such, it is a bit longer than normal – a 15 minute read. But ever so worth the time to my serious readers!

1.The Voice of the Disciple

The object of this Second Book is, to teach us – after we have become disengaged from our evil and inordinate affections, how we should exert ourselves, that, by the practice of virtue, we may be enabled to make our election sure. In order to do this the more efficaciously, and the more sweetly, at the same time, we should place before our eyes Jesus, with the inward dispositions of His Heart; because, by following Him who is the way, the truth, and the life, we shall proceed, with safety, certainty, and pleasure, from virtue to virtue, and secure our salvation.

The practice of the virtues, by which we may follow the Heart of Jesus, and express His interior life in ourselves, can, in every state and condition of life, be performed in two ways. The first, by practicing those virtues which are of precept and which the state and condition of every one requires.

The second, by exercising, according to the divine good pleasure, those virtues also, which are of counsel, whereby our salvation is better secured, and the divine glory and our merits are the more increased. But since both these ways contain limitless degrees, whereby virtue is ever practiced with greater perfection, there is no one, how perfect so ever he may be, who cannot here occupy himself profitably, and gather more abundant fruit.

As, however, Jesus willed that, in the imitation of His virtues, we should, above all, be humble and meek of heart, we must diligently attend and take care, both that, whatever virtues we learn and imitate in Him, we place them upon true humility as their groundwork, and perfect them in a meek charity; and again, that, in the very manner of imitating His virtues, we be especially meek and humble of heart.

2. Supernatural Virtue

Nowhere can we learn virtues more safely, and more easily, than in the Heart of Jesus. For, as that Heart is the pattern of true virtue, by merely looking upon It with attention, we shall see what virtue is, and what qualities it ought to possess: neither shall we run the risk of erring in a matter which is to us of so much importance, both for time and eternity.

Thence shall we learn, to our unspeakable consolation, that virtue is a right affection of the heart for an object, which is, in some manner, good: and we shall perceive that this good object – which sometimes we call, figuratively, virtue – is not in truth virtue itself, but simply the object of virtue. Thence we shall likewise learn, that virtue, in order to be such as it ought to be in every Christian, must not be natural, but supernatural; and we shall clearly distinguish the difference between the two.

The affections of the Heart of Jesus, which He reduced to acts, whether internal or external, did not spring from an impulse or motion of His human nature, but from a supernal or divine principle; they were not performed according to the sentiments of His human nature, but according to the divine good pleasure; they did not tend to some temporal delight of His human nature, but throughout to God, as to their last end.

Whence, if, from the impulse or emotion of mere nature, we strive after what is good; if we act simply according to the feelings of nature, whether of inclination or aversion; if we seek merely a natural end, we have only natural virtue, whereby we shall acquire no Christian perfection in this life, – no fruit of merit in eternity. But, if of the Heart of Jesus, we learn supernatural virtue, and the practice of the same; replenished with graces and merits, we shall lead an interior life, like to His own.

3. Interior Life

What is the interior life, – for which the life of the Heart of Jesus serves us as a model, – except to begin all our voluntary acts, internal as well as external, by the grace of God, or a supernatural principle; to perform them according to God’s Will; to direct them to God and His interests, as to our end; to occupy ourselves in our Heart with God, our Saviour; and to live for Him by love?

Now, all this he does, who begins all his voluntary acts by the divine good pleasure; who performs them according to the divine good pleasure; directs them to the divine good pleasure, as his end, – being most constantly occupied internally with the Lord, through love.

Behold the truly interior life, by which genuine and solid virtues are acquired; by which we may attain, safely and sweetly, to true sanctity and divine union. This life is fitted for every state and condition; it is adapted, not only to ecclesiastics and religious, but equally to all laics and persons in the world. Did not the first Christians generally lead this life? Does not the Gospel teach this life to all?

Whoever has a good will may lead this sanctifying life, practice supernatural virtue and attain to perfection. For, the acquiring, or not acquiring of virtue, does not depend on temperament, on a mild or passionate character, – as many seem to believe: but it depends on the grace of God, and the cooperation of man’s will. For, since God gives grace, not in view of natural qualities, but first gratuitously, and afterwards also in consideration of supernatural merits and prayers; and since the human will, whatever be the natural disposition of a man, is truly free to co-operate, or not to co-operate with grace, it is evident, that virtue does not depend on temperament or natural disposition.

Wherefore, we acquire virtue the better, and the more perfectly, not in proportion as our natural disposition is yielding, but in proportion as our co-operation is more efficacious: we reach a more pure and more solid virtue, not by reason of the fewness of natural repugnances we feel, but by means of the more generous acts of the will, which we perform, in spite of natural repugnances. This doctrine, so full of consolation – which the Saints unanimously teach, and which they learned of the very Heart of Jesus – deserves our whole attention.

4. The Practice of Virtue

In the practice of virtue, we must guard against delusions, among which this one is the chief and most common: That we are satisfied with producing the object of a virtue, whilst we do not practice the virtue itself; or, that we believe that we practice a virtue, when we bring forward the object of virtue through a natural inclination or intention; or even that we think we can acquire true and solid virtue, without repeated and generous acts, whereby the emotions of the passions, and the impulses of nature are overcome or denied. They that neglect to cleanse their heart perfectly are especially wont to fall into this dreadful delusion.

Other delusions, which may occasionally occur in the practice of virtue, arise nearly all from the preceding. Such are: on the one hand, to grow despondent in mind, on account of the difficulties or oppositions of nature: to look upon these as obstacles to virtue, not as means, such as they may be in reality, if they are used with a generous heart, to acquire true and solid virtue: on the other hand, to deem the good qualities of nature, freedom from vices or temptations, a virtue; or, even, overlooking true and solid virtue, to aspire to divine union. Now, these, and other delusions, you will easily avoid, if, like a true Disciple of the Heart of Jesus, you lead an interior life.

5. Spiritual Life

When, therefore, you have come to that part of the spiritual life, which the Heart of Jesus teaches in this Book, you should direct your endeavours to this: to know and love Jesus as perfectly as you can, to learn and acquire, ever better and better, in thinking, in speaking, in acting, the dispositions of His Heart. To attain to this, besides the two methods of meditating – (which were given before the first Book) and which you may also employ here, if you find them useful – what follows, will enable you to understand more fully this matter.

6. Meditation and contemplation

The proper method of using this second Book is twofold: the one of meditating, the other of contemplating: both agree entirely with what the Saints have taught us concerning mental prayer.

 

Meditation

If you meditate, let the memory represent to you some virtue of the Heart of Jesus, and let it retain the same, after the meditation; so as to put it in practice.

Let the understanding consider the qualities of the virtue proposed; then, let it compare your own heart with the Heart of Jesus, in regard to the virtue considered; afterwards, let it recall your past life, whether and how far you have practiced this virtue; if sufficiently, return thanks, and give honour to God, your Saviour; but, if the contrary, grieve and ask pardon; lastly, let it look forward into the future, considering when, and how, you can improve this virtue.

Let the will embrace the same virtue, excite internal acts of the same; yea, conversing with Jesus Himself, let it utter the sentiments of the heart: for what it is sorry, what it proposes; what it fears, what it hopes; what it dislikes, what it loves; nay, let it devoutly communicate its every desire, and, finally, ask much.

 

Contemplation

But, if you contemplate, see in the mystery, or in the particular subject which you propose to contemplate, what are the sentiments of the Heart of Jesus, or of Jesus in His Heart, concerning all and each of the things that occur in the subject; what He esteems, and how highly; what He condemns and how greatly; what He shuns, and what He embraces.

Then, give heed, in this matter, to the words which issue from the Heart of Jesus, and what words are not even thought in His Heart, much less uttered.

Lastly, observe, in the same manner, what kind of acts proceed from the Heart of Jesus, and with what virtues they are adorned.

And, throughout the whole contemplation, according to your devotion, or your wants, or the motions of grace; indulge and persist in acts, that is, pious affections and petitions.

Learn, in this manner, by contemplation, to feel, and speak, and act like Jesus Himself.

The acts, specially recommended in this part of the interior life, besides acts of the theological virtues, are frequent acts of that virtue to which you are applying yourself, of generous self-abnegation of your ill-ordered nature, of a noble love of Jesus. Repeat these constantly.

 

Summary

But, whether you meditate, or whether you contemplate, you ought so to consider the mysteries of the life of Jesus, as if you were present at them: which is expressly taught by St. Bonaventure: “If you desire,” says he, “to derive fruit from these things, you must, with all the affection of your mind, setting aside all other cares and anxieties, represent yourself as present at what is related to have been spoken or done by the Lord Jesus Christ; in such a manner as if you heard them with your ears, saw them with your eyes.”

7. Learning from the Saints

The Saints, who were skilled in the interior ways of the spiritual life, teach us, that the demon, the evil spirit, is more wont to tempt, under the appearance of good, those who, leading a life already exempt from sins, exercise themselves in acquiring virtues.

Wherefore, to such persons, they recommend the following rules, to enable them to discern between the good and the evil spirit, and between the suggestions of either.

  1. In those who are advancing from good to better, the good Spirit moves the soul peacefully, calmly, gently: The evil spirit moves the soul roughly, confusedly, violently. But on those who proceed from bad to worse, the said spirits act in a contrary manner. For the good Spirit stings them inwardly, disquiets and arouses them that he may bring them to conversion. And the wicked spirit endeavours to make them quiet in sin, caresses, and flatters them, that he may keep and push them onward in evil.
  2. It is peculiar to God, as well as to every good Spirit, in His motions, to give to them that act rightly, or use sincere efforts, true joy and spiritual consolation, and to remove the sadness and trouble, which the evil spirit causes. And it is the characteristic of the evil spirit to fight against such joy and consolation, by adducing specious reasons, subtleties, and various fallacies.
  3. The evil spirit observes very much, whether a soul possesses a delicate or a loose conscience: If it is a delicate one, he strives to render it still more delicate, even to scrupulousness and every extreme, so that he may the more easily trouble and overcome her: thus, if he sees that a soul commits no mortal sin, nor venial, nor any voluntary defect, the evil spirit, as he cannot make her fall into some sin, tries to cause her to judge and think that it is a sin which is not a sin.
  4. But if the soul is of lax conscience, the evil spirit strives to make her still more lax and gross; so that, if before she made no account of venial sins, he endeavours to induce her now to make light of mortal sins; and, if before she cared little for grievous sins, he uses his efforts to make her now care much less, or even nothing at all, for them.
  5. A soul that desires to make progress in the spiritual life, must always proceed in a manner contrary to that by which the evil spirit proceeds. Wherefore, if he tries to make the soul more lax, she must take care to render herself more delicate: in like manner, if he endeavours to make her so delicate, as to lead her to extremes, or to scruples, she should manage to place herself firmly in the golden mean, so that she may render and keep herself altogether quiet.
  6. It is the characteristic of the evil spirit, who transforms himself sometimes into an angel of light, to begin by thrusting in thoughts conformable to the pious soul, and to finish, by suggesting his own wicked ones.
  7. The soul should rightly attend to the course of the thoughts suggested: for if the beginning, the middle, and the end are good, and tend to a good object, it is a sign that the thoughts suggested come from the good Spirit: but if in the succession of thoughts, which the spirit suggests, he ends with something bad, or which turns away from a certain good, or even with a less good than that which the soul had before resolved to do: or, if he renders the soul restless, or disturbs her, by taking away the tranquillity and peace which she enjoyed before, it is an evident sign, that those thoughts come from the evil spirit.
  8. When the enemy has been discovered, and is known by the evil, to which he leads, it is then useful, that the soul consider the course of thoughts suggested to her, under the appearance of good; and that she review from the beginning, how the enemy tried to overthrow, and take away by degrees, her interior peace and tranquillity, until he brought in his own wicked intention. Taught by this experience, the soul will for the future guard more easily against the deceits of the evil spirit.

 

St. Ignatius, St. Bernard, St. Gertrude

“Voice of Jesus” is taken from Arnoudt’s “Imitation of the Sacred Heart”, translated from the Latin of J.M. Fastre; Benziger Bros. Copyright 1866

Eucharistic Miracle in Seefeld, Austria

Though at first glance one would not expect it, the tiny village of Seefeld, today home to little more than 3000 people, was the sight of a spectacular Eucharistic miracle over 600 years ago. 

On 25 March 1384, which was simultaneously Holy Thursday and the Feast of the Annunciation, the knight Oswald Müsler attended Holy Mass in the parish church of St Oswald, Seefeld. 

 

The Eucharistic Miracle happened on Holy Thursday in 1384 


Müsler was infamous for unjustly imprisoning those travelling through his lands and extorting money from them; those who could not pay would be left to rot away and die. When this fearsome knight arrived on Holy Thursday armed along with his men, the local priest dared not refuse his demand for an especially large host, typically reserved for the priests. 

 

The Blood Host and the Knight Oswald Müsler 

Instead of kneeling, Müsler demanded the large Host be given to him whilst standing. Immediately as he received communion however, the huge formidable knight sank to his knees as the stone floor beneath his feet gave way like quicksand! Whilst he was falling he desperately attempted to grasp the nearby altar for support, only to find that the hard stone altar melted through his fingers like a knife through hot butter. Utterly helpless, the knight cried out in desperation to God for mercy. Like Goliath, this proud giant was thus humbled by Our Lord. He then begged the same priest whom he had previously threatened to now remove the Host he had unworthily received from his mouth. 

As soon as the priest had removed the Host, the ground suddenly became stable again and the knight regained his footing. Many in the church observed how the Host had now turned bright red, dripping with blood! Deeply humbled by this clear rebuke from our Lord, the knight immediately entered the nearby monastery in Stams (Tyrol) for 2 years of severe penance for his sins before dying a natural death. 

News of the miracle soon spread rapidly throughout the whole realm, and soon a hostel had to be constructed to house the many visiting pilgrims. The knight Parzifal von Weineck also donated the gilded monstrance which still contains the miraculous Host today.

Realizing the Church was too small; the Duke Friedrich IV of Austria therefore commissioned a new church to be constructed. This pilgrimage site was a personal favourite of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria, who also commissioned the special (“Heiligenblutkappelle”) chapel to be built around the bloodstained Host itself. Since that time St Oswald’s church in Seefeld has remained one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in Austria. The imprints left by the knight on the altar and in the floor can also still be seen when visiting St Oswald’s church today. 

Give honour and glory to God 

The tale of this proud knight being humbled on the celebration also reminds us Catholics how we should view this Lenten season. Our Lord chose to manifest his displeasure and chastise Müsler simultaneously on Holy Thursday and the Feast of the Annunciation for a reason. 

On Holy Thursday we remember our Lord’s emphasis on the importance of humility by his washing of his disciples’ feet. On the feast of the Annunciation we also commemorate the Blessed Virgin’s tremendous humility, docility and submission to the will of God as she declared “Ecce Ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum”. We must therefore seek to imitate this humility, since as St. Augustine argued it is the foundation of all virtues; the contrary vice of pride being the root of all sin. In so doing we will give honour and glory to God. 

Furthermore, the Seefeld parish priest’s acquiescence to Oswald Müsler must not be repeated by the clergy of our time. They must learn from our Lord’s rebuke to Müsler, who so callously abused his power by unjustly imprisoning and starving travelling merchants to death. They must not be intimidated by those today who abuse their power and disregard the intrinsic value of human life. Politicians and world leaders today arguably wield far greater power than knights and nobles of old. But do any of them openly abuse their power like Müsler to harm the weak? 

The Inalienable Right to Life

 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC, states that the “inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation” (CCC: 2273). However, many politicians abuse their power to vote for pro-abortion legislation. Is this not a violation of God’s law to violate this “inalienable right to life” for unborn babies? 

Describing violations of the 5th Commandment, the Catechism unequivocally states that “formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense” (CCC: 2272) whilst Canon Law 1398 declares that “a person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication”. Politicians who therefore knowingly help facilitate murder of the unborn may therefore be at risk of ipso facto excommunication, even if the excommunication is not declared publicly. Several of these politicians who publicly, knowingly and persistently support this excommunicable offence against God’s law still attempt to receive Holy Communion. 

However, such politicians are expressly forbidden to do so under Canon Law 915 “those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion”. 
 

But I call you to account for His Blood 

But as Christians, are we really allowed to judge the sins of another like this? Whilst only God can see into our hearts, the faithful are indeed also called to correct others from their manifest public sins: “if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked man from his way: that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand” (Ezekiel 33:8). Denying pro-abortion politicians Communion would thereby demonstrate their need to repent like Müsler, whilst also complying with official Church teachings surrounding the necessary preconditions for worthy reception of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Several bishops have also drawn attention to how it serves as a scandal for others when politicians who publicly and persistently violate the official moral teaching of the church are treated by the clergy as though they were in a state of grace. The Catechism also explains how such scandals can easily lead others into sin, since it suggests to the faithful that repentance from grave sins such as abortion is apparently unnecessary (CCC: 2284). The clergy therefore have the pastoral duty to refuse such people Holy Communion to draw attention to the evil being done to innocent life, the “constitutive element” of Christian civilization (CCC: 2273). 

 

So whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord 

(1 Corinthians 11:27) 

Remembering the story of Oswald Müsler, we must not let ourselves be intimidated by those who unjustly abuse their power to harm the weak. Müsler’s formidable worldly strength was shown to be utterly useless in the end when our Lord intervened. 

The clergy should learn from the story of this miracle to resist the Müslers of our time, not least of all for the good of their own souls. St Paul’s warning “Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and of the Blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27) must never be forgotten. 

Our Lord sees inside all of our souls and knows all our secrets. It is therefore of paramount importance that we are in a state of grace each time we receive Holy Communion, rather than attempting to satisfy prideful desires to appear outwardly pious whilst living a life of grave sin. This is the lesson of Oswald Müsler. 

15 Prayers of St Bridget

“These Prayers and these Promises have been copied from a book printed in Toulouse in 1740 and published by the P. Adrien Parvilliers of the Company of Jesus, Apostolic Missionary of the Holy Land, with approbation, permission and recommendation to distribute them.

“Pope Pius IX took cognizance of these Prayers with the prologue; he approved them May 31, 1862, recognizing them as true and for the good of souls.”

“As St. Bridget for a long time wanted to know the number of blows Our Lord received during His Passion, He one day appeared to her and said: ‘I received 5480 blows on My Body. If you wish to honour them in some way, say 15 Our Fathers and 15 Hail Marys with the following Prayers (which He taught her) for a whole year. When the year is up, you will have honoured each one of My Wounds.’”


FIRST PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners, Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conception, and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all eternity in the Divine plan.

Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood, and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst foretell them Thy coming Passion.

Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: “My Soul is sorrowful even unto death.”

Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when, after having prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou hadst chosen and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.

Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou was crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.

In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of all my sins. Amen.

 

SECOND PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unheard-of-cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my Saviour, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.

 

THIRD PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power, remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jеwѕ nailed Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails, and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy Limbs.

I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.

 

FOURTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

 

FIFTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendour, remember the sadness which Thou experienced, when contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners.

Through this abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him: “This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.” I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me mercy. Amen.

 

SIXTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou saidst to Mary: “Woman, behold thy son!” and to St. John: “Son, behold thy Mother!”

I beg of Thee O my Saviour, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my affliction and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

 

SEVENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross: “I thirst!” suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee O my Saviour, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts; and to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardour of worldly desires. Amen.

 

EIGHTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.

 

NINTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when, plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jеwѕ, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou was abandoned by Thy Father, saying: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Saviour, not to abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.

 

TENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remembers that for our sakes Thou was plunged in an abyss of suffering from the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head. In consideration of the enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.

 

ELEVENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds which penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin and to hide me from Thy Face justly irritated against me, hide me in Thy wounds, until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.

 

TWELFTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, symbol of unity, bond of charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou wast afflicted from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O great and universal pain, which Thou didst suffer in Thy virginal flesh for love of us! Sweetest Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us which Thou has not done! May the fruit of Thy suffering be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy love increase in my heart each day, until I see Thee in eternity: Thou Who art the treasure of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, in heaven. Amen.

 

THIRTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which Thou didst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted, Thou didst bow Thy Head, saying: “It is consummated!”

Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.

 

FOURTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendour and Figure of His Substance, remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy Soul to Thy Eternal Father, saying: “Father, into Thy Hands I commend My Spirit!” And with Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart Broken, and the bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst Expire. By this Precious Death, I beg of Thee O King of Saints, comfort me and help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world I may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.

 

FIFTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father – Hail Mary.

O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine! Remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in a wine press. From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single drop, and finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the Cross Thy delicate Flesh was destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body withered, and the Marrow of Thy Bones dried up.

Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen.

 

CONCLUSION

O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread day and night; may I be converted entirely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual habitation, may my conversation be pleasing to Thee, and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy that I may merit Heaven and there with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen.

 

See also: St Bridget of Sweden

Imithandazo yaseFatima (Fatima Prayer) (Xhosa)

Ah! Yesu, sixolele izono zethu,

usisindise emlilweni wesihogo,

ukhokele yonke imiphefumlo ezulwini,

ingakumbi leyo, iyiswelayo ngokungaphezulu inceba yakho.

Thixo wam, ndiyakholwa, ndiyaqubuda, ndiyathemba ndikuthande Wena!

Ndicela ubaxolele abo bangakholwayo, banganquliyo, bangenathemba nabangakuthandiyo Wena!

Ukuzethula eNhliziyweni eyiNgcele cwe kaJesu (Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus) (Zulu)

Ukuzethula eNhliziyweni eyiNgcele cwe kaJesu

P. Jesu oThandekayo, Msindisi wesintu, akusibheke, nakhu siguqe ngokuzithoba phambi kwelathi lakho, singabakho sithanda ukuba ngabakho njalo.

K. Kepha ukuze ukuzihlanganisa kwethu nawe kuye kuqine njalo, bheka yilowo kithina esezethula ngokujabula eNhliziyweni yakho eyiNgcwele kakhulu.

P. O! Baningi abangazange bakwazi; baningi futhi abadelele imithetho yakho, bakulahla.

K. Bahawukele bonke labo Jesu omnene kakhulu, ubadonsele bonke eNhliziyweni yakho eyiNgcwele.

P. Nkosi, yiba iNkosi, ungabi nje eyamakholwa angabonaze esuke kuwe, qha, ube yiyona nakubantabakho abalahlekileyo, abakushiyile.

K. Yenza ukuba basheshe babuyele ekhaya kuYise, funa bafe usizi nendlala.

P. Yiba iNkosi yalabo futhi abaphanjwe izimfundiso ezingeyizo, neyalabo abaqembukile kuwe ngokwambuka.

K. Babize babuyele enqabeni yeqiniso nasebunyeni bokholo, yikhona kuzawushesha kube isibaya sinye noMalusi munye.

P. Nkosi, yipha iBandla lakho inhlalakahle nolondeko nenkululeko, uphe izizwe zonke ukuthula nokuhleleka. Yenza ukuba emhlabeni wonke, kusukela emkhawulweni ongaphezulu kuye kugcine emkhawulweni ongaphansi, kuzwakale izwi libe linye lokuthi:

K. Udumo alube seNhliziyweni kaNkulunkulu, okuvele kuyo ukusindiswa kwethu; ayituswe yaziswe, kuze kube phakade.

Amen.

Sourced from www.umzimkulu.info

Anima Christi (Latin)

Anima Christi, sanctifica me;

Corpus Christi, salva me;

Sanguis Christi, inebria me;

Aqua lateris Christi, lava me;

Passio Christi, conforta me;

O bone Iesu, exaudi me;

Intra tua vulnera absconde me;

Ne permittas me separari a te;

Ab hoste maligno defende me;

In hora mortis mea voca me;

Et iube me venire ad te;

Ut cum Santis tuis laudem te

in saeculua saeculorum.

Amen.