Monday, August 31, 2009

Twenty Seconds of Hell

H/T Digital Hairshirt: a time-lapse video of SoCal burning.



Blessed Margaret of Castello, when the home of your patroness was nearly engulfed in flames, you miraculously put the fire out by throwing your cloak over it. Throw over Southern California the cloak of your intercession, and obtain for its suffering people a quick end to the raging wildfires, and protection for the brave men and women who fight them. Amen.

Idaho's Gems: The Table Rock Cross

The Table Rock Cross -- visible for miles at night -- has graced the Boise Foothills for half a century. It was built by the Jaycees in 1956 on what was then Idaho Department of Corrections land. In the early '70s, the Jaycees had the foresight to purchase the small parcel of land on which the cross stands. In 1999, some idiot atheist from Chicago had the temerity to launch a campaign to have the cross torn down, but succeeded only in rallying public support for the cross. Little white crosses sprouted up all over the place. The governor declared November 27, 1999 "Table Rock Cross Day," and ten thousand people marched down Capital Boulevard to support the cross. Ten years later, the cross is still there.


You can drive all the way up to the Table Rock Cross. The road starts behind St. Luke's Hospital and winds through an affluent neighborhood in the east Boise Foothills. A one-lane dirt road -- much improved over the last few years, but still a little hair-raising -- takes you the last half-mile up to the cross. This is a view of the cross from the point where the pavement ends and the dirt road begins.


The cross is beautiful from a distance, but the face of it looks a little beat-up on closer inspection. It is made of steel painted white, and stands about 60 feet high. The illumination is provided by flourescent tubes. Some of the glass panels in front of the lights are missing.


This is a close-up of the works, at the point where the power lines carry the juice to the lights. Although it is obviously daylight at the time this picture was taken, the lights are on.


Table Rock itself is a place rich in history, tradition and natural resources. Red sandstone quarried from Table Rock was used to build, among other things, the Statehouse, St. John's Cathedral, and the old Penitentiary. Since it commands wide views for many miles around -- a part of which view is pictured below -- the place served the Indians as a natural lookout. When you go up to Table Rock and listen to the silence, it is not hard to understand why the Indians would consider the place sacred and use it as a burial ground. There could be no more appropriate setting for a cross.


Of course, there are other traditions associated with Table Rock. Kids of all ages have been partying, smashing beer bottles and leaving their marks at Table Rock for generations. With bits of broken brown glass adding to the roughness of the terrain, it is not a place you want to go barefoot. These are some of the graffiti-ized boulders right over the edge of the Rock.


This is a view from above of the big "B" for Boise below the cross, partially visible in the first picture above. People come around and paint it different colors from time to time, which doesn't bother the city authorities, who view it as a tradition. Usually it is painted orange, as Boise State University's school colors are blue and orange. Right now it looks red -- maybe an unsuccessful attempt at orange?


For 53 years, the Table Rock Cross has withstood storms, both meteorological and political. It is a beacon of hope to believers, and a rebuke to the unbelievers who have tried unsuccessfully to have it destroyed. Let's hope it continues for at least another 53 years.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Tu Es Petrus

Et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversum eam. Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum et quodcumque ligaveris super terram erit ligatum in caelis et quodcumque solveris super terram erit solutum in caelis.

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

This is one of the stained-glass windows from St. John's Cathedral in Boise, Idaho. Click the picture for a link to Palestrina's Tu Es Petrus. Click here for a link to William Byrd's Tu Es Petrus.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Religion in the Schools: Gaia Worship

Adrienne at the Catholic Corner has this poster that a parent found hanging prominently in her child's second-grade classroom and sent to the Glenn Beck show:


This is one of the stupidest things I've seen since the "great women in history" quilt from the far-off college days with a panel honoring, among others, convicted traitor Ethel Rosenberg.

Is this in a public school? If so, I thought we weren't supposed to have religion in the public schools. Why doesn't this violate the alleged wall of separation between church and state?

Whether this is in public schools or not: parents: where are you on this crap?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

That's Entertainment!

Behold the first ever celluloid film: Roundhay Garden Scene, shot in 1888.



No plot, no storylines, no character development -- not unlike much of today's cinema fare. But at least Roundhay Garden Scene has the merit of being extremely short.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Things I'd Like to See

I would like to see...

...a bar in every courthouse. And I'm not talking about the bar that's installed in every courtroom.

...the return of the triregnum and the sedia gestatoria.

...a rule where, when parents get divorced, and the court awards joint custody, the kids get the family home, and the parents move in and out for their visitation, instead of forcing the kids to relocate every week. This would be presumed to be in the best interests of the children.

...a cable/satellite system where I can opt out of paying for channels I never watch. That would leave me with about five channels, which is probably why it will never happen.

...a constitutional amendment imposing a word limit on legislation. Every time legislators propose a bill that exceeds the word limit, they'd get their salaries docked $10.00 for every over-limit word. This would apply as soon as the offending bill is introduced, and remains in effect even if the bill is later brought into conformity with the word limit. It would apply not only to the sponsors of the legislation but to every legislator who supports the bill. If we had this rule in effect at the time the thousand-page Obamacare bill was introduced, each member of Congress would be in the hole about $278,232,587.48.

...a program to start colonizing Mars within the next 25 years. All habitual criminals would go to Mars. People who are not criminals but who are extremely irritating would be offered substantial cash rewards to move to Mars. Radical leftists would have their income taxed at the rate of 100% unless they go to Mars. I have a growing list of people who would be perfect candidates for such a program.

...a provision of canon law that stipulates that priests and bishops who wish to wreckovate a church may not finance such a project except out of their own pockets.

And while we're at it...

...I'd like to have a castle in Spain, my own private island in the Bahamas, and a whole bunch of zeros added to my bank account balance...to the left of the decimal point.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

August 22nd: Feast of the Queenship of Mary

This is the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, created in 1947 and blessed by Pope Pius XII. My good friend Jim Nourse took this picture when the statue visited St. John's Cathedral in Boise in May of 2007.

My little chant group is currently studying Tota Pulchra Est, a beautiful hymn appropriate for today. Here is a chorus of men singing the version we are working on. Unfortunately, the quality of the sound is not good, and the words do not match the text, which is reproduced below in Latin and in English; but it's the only version of this particular melody that I could find.



Latin

Tota Pulchra es, O Maria, tota pulchra es,
Et macula non est in te.
Quam speciosa, quam suavis in deliciis
Conceptio illibata!

Chorus:
Veni, veni de Libano, veni, veni de Libano, veni, veni, coronaberis.

Tu progrederis ut aurora valde rutilans,
Affers gaudia salutis.
Per te ortus est Christus Deus, sol justitiae,
O fulgida porta lucis. Chorus

Sicut lilium inter spinas: inter filias
sic tu Virgo benedicta.
Tuum refulget vestimentum ut nix candidum,
Sicut sol facies tua. Chorus

In te spes vitae et virtutis, omnis gratia
Et viae et veritatis.
Post te curremus in odorem suavissimum
Trahentium unguentorum. Chorus

Hortus conclusus, fons signatus, Dei Genitrix,
Et gratiae paradisus;
Imber abiit et recessit, hiems transiit,
Jam flores apparuerunt. Chorus

In terra nostra, vox audita, vox dulcissima:
Vox turturis, vox columbae.
Assume pennas, O Columba formosissima!
Surge, propera et veni. Chorus

English

All fair art thou, O Mary, all fair art thou,
And stain does not exist in thee.
How lovely, how sweet in its delights,
Thy conception unstained.

Chorus:
Come, come from Lebannon,
Come, come from Lebannon,
Come, come, thou shalt be crowned!

Thou goest forth like the dawn exceedingly rose-colored,
Thou bringest the joys of salvation,
Through thee risen is Christ our God, the sun of Justice,
O gleaming portal of light. (Chorus)

Like a lily amidst brambles; among the daughters
So are thou, O Virgin blest.
Thy shining raiment like snow is white,
Even as the sun is the face of thee. (Chorus)

In thee is hope of life and virtue, all the grace
Both of our way and of the truth.
After thee we shall run unto the fragrance most sweet
Of thy attractive ointments. (Chorus)

A garden enclosed, a fountain sealed, God's Mother:
And of grace a paradise;
The rain is over and gone, winter is past,
Now flowers have appeared. (Chorus)

In this land of ours, a voice is heard, a voice most sweet,
The voice of the turtledove, the voice of the dove,
Take flight, O fairest Dove!
Arise in haste and come! (Chorus)

Herewith another, and very beautiful version of Tota Pulchra Est, composed by Ola Gjeilo.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

It's Out! (Almost!)

Fr. Philip Neri Powell's book is out on Friday! Click the pic for a link to sample pages of Treasures Old and New: Traditional Prayers for Today's Catholics (Liguori Press).

The profits from his book go to his Dominican province. He doesn't happen to be in my province, but hey, we can't all be perfect.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Immutable Laws of Nature

Give a moth a light, and it'll fly toward it.

Give a bee a flower, and it'll gather pollen.

Give a dog another dog's rear end, and he'll sniff it.

Give a cat an empty cardboard box, and she'll jump in.

Give an inmate a window, and he'll stick his ass up against it.

(If you're lucky, that's all he'll stick against it.)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

St. Philomena: Not Dumb to Pray to Her, After All

St. Philomena is unique among the saints: she is the only one who is venerated solely on account of the proliferation of miracles attributed to her intercession.

In 1802, a tomb containing the remains of a young girl and a glass vessel was discovered in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla in Rome. The tombstones -- found in jumbled order -- contained the inscription "PAX TECUM FILUMENA" and representations of arrows and a palm, a symbol of martyrdom. The glass vessel, thought to have contained the girl's blood, was also a sign of martyrdom. A cultus sprang up, rich in miracles, and the relics were translated to the Sanctuary of Mugnano del Cardinale in 1805. Public devotion to St. Philomena was first authorized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1837. One of her greatests devotees, largely responsible for spreading devotion to her, was the Cure of Ars himself, who built a chapel in her honor and attributed to her intercession many of the miracles otherwise attributed to his.

A century later, however, doubts sprang up about the autenticity of St. Philomena. An archaeologist examining her tomb came to the conclusion that the tombstones had been re-used, and that the tomb had been opened and then re-sealed. Despite the approbation of Philomena's cultus by a succession of Popes, she was removed from the liturgical calendar in 1961, during the reign of Bl. John XXIII. In 2001, she was omitted from the revised Roman Martyrology. However, she has not been stricken from the rolls of the saints, and popular devotion to her continues.

And is apparently justified by the evidence. In an attempt to resolve the Philomena controversy once and for all, Msgr. Giovanni Braschi, rector of the Sanctuary of Mugnano del Cardinale, commissioned a scientific study. The findings, which were announced in 2005, were, in sum:

-- St. Philomena's tombstones were not re-used.

-- St. Philomena's tomb actually dates back to the beginning of the third century, placing her earlier than was previously thought.

-- The glass vessel found in her tomb contained not only blood, but also a fragment of bone, indicating that the saint did indeed die a violent death.

Bottom line: the many popes who approved her cultus, the many saints and blesseds who witnessed to the power of her intercession, and the many faithful who had a devotion to her, were RIGHT.

Keep praying to St. Philomena!

H/T The Hermeneutic of Continuity via WDTPRS.

August 11th: St. Alexander the Charcoal Burner

My job requires me to interact closely with a lot of people, many of whom are...well...dirty and smelly. So when I took a look at the saints for today, I was struck by the story of St. Alexander the Charcoal Burner, who was known for being exceptionally filthy.

St. Alexander was a good-looking and highly learned young man of the mid-3rd century who converted to Christianity. In order to separate himself completely from his pagan roots, hide from the world and escape the occasions of sin, Alexander moved away from home to the town of Comana in Pontus, Asia Minor, and worked as a charcoal-burner. He was looked upon as being of no account because of his lowly occupation, which earned him just enough to eke out a meager living, and because he was always ragged and dirty.

Meanwhile, the Christians of Comana arrived at the point where they needed a bishop, so they appealed to St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop of Neocaesarea, to send them a shepherd. St. Gregory came to Comana and advised the people to choose as their bishop a man of virtue, regardless of outward appearances. The worldly-minded townspeople laughingly brought forward ragged Alexander as a candidate for the bishopric. Alexander tried unsuccessfully to get out of being chosen, but St. Gregory, seeing through the dirt and the rags, ordered Alexander to be bathed and clothed in Gregory's own episcopal robes. He made a good and wise bishop, beloved by his flock, and was martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian in 275.

May St. Alexander the Charcoal Burner intercede on behalf of me and all my clients, and obtain for us cleanliness of heart (if not of body).

Hymn in Praise of St. Alexander the Charcoal Burner

Men look upon clothes and the face,
But God looks at the soul and the heart.
Glorious Alexander, a charcoal-burner, was,
With the charcoal-burner, the body is blackened
And from soot, which water cleanses,
In the sinner, the heart is darkened
Which only the fire of faith can cleanse
The fire of faith and the cry of repentance.
It is easier to cleanse the skin of a charcoal-burner
Than the blackened heart of a sinner.
Alexander, with humility, covered
In a cave concealed, as a hidden flame
For laughter, to the gullible world, he was.
The world did not see; Gregory saw,
With an acute spirit, the charcoal-burner discerned
And in him, found a saint,
In the dark cave, a beautiful flame,
Beneath the mask of insanity, great wisdom,
Beneath the dirty soot, a pure heart,
A royal soul in decayed rags.
That the light be hidden, the Lord does not permit,
At the appropriate time, the light proclaims,
For the benefit and salvation of men.
All is wonderful, what God judges.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Against Hemorrhages

St. Lucy of Syracuse, patroness against hemorrhages, pray for her!

Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation -- every corner of our day. Amen.

As you obtained for your mother deliverance from hemorrhagic disease, intercede on behalf of all those suffering from or threatened with hemorrhages. Amen.

Jesus Loves Me Just the Way I Am!

Once again, Paul hits the nail on the head. We come to church like slobs, wholly unprepared, wholly lacking in the proper dispositions, and then act as though, by gracing the building with our unruly presence, we are doing God a huge favor!

Forgive us our trespasses.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

August 9th: Three Martyrs of the 20th Century

In the Third Secret of Fatima, the Blessed Mother gave the children of Fatima a preview of the horrors that lay in store for the world, and especially the Church, if people continued to refuse to reform their lives and do penance for sin. We know that Our Lady's message went unheeded, and the result was the bloodiest century in human history. But God raised up saints amid the wrack and ruin, and on August 9th, the Church remembers three of them.

St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) (1891-1942)
Edith Stein was born in Breslau in 1891 during the festival of Yom Kippur. She was raised up in the Jewish faith, which she abandoned at the age of 13. Possessed of a brilliant intellect, she earned her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Göttingen at the age of 25. The witness of her Catholic friends awakened in her an interest in the Catholic faith; after several years of reading and study, she accepted Baptism in 1922.

From afar, Edith Stein discerned the fate that awaited her people at the hands of the Nazis. In 1933, she wrote: "I had heard of severe measures against Jews before. But now it dawned on me that God had laid his hand heavily on His people, and that the destiny of these people would also be mine." Six years later, in her last will and testament, the child who had been born on the Day of Atonement would offer herself up for the sake of atonement: "Even now I accept the death that God has prepared for me in complete submission and with joy as being his most holy will for me. I ask the Lord to accept my life and my death...so that the Lord will be accepted by His people and that His Kingdom may come in glory, for the salvation of Germany and the peace of the world."

In 1934, Edith Stein entered the Carmel and took the name Theresa Benedicta of the Cross. Anti-Semitic legislation forced her to give up her teaching career; in 1938, her order smuggled her out to the Netherlands. However, there the Nazis eventually caught up to her and her sister Rose (also a convert). In his homily on the occasion of her canonization, Pope John Paul II recounts how, just before her deportation, the saint dismissed the idea of being rescued: "Do not do it! Why should I be spared? Is it not right that I should gain no advantage from my Baptism? If I cannot share the lot of my brothers and sisters, my life, in a certain sense, is destroyed."

On August 9, 1942, God accepted the oblation that St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross had offered up four years earlier. On that day, she and her sister Rose were murdered in the gas chamber at Auschwitz. She was beatified on May 1, 1987 and canonized on October 11, 1998.


Bl. Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943)
Bl. Franz has appeared in this space before -- once on the occasion of his beatification in 2007 and once in response to shrill demands that the Pope apologize on behalf of the Catholic Church for the Holocaust. But to truly appreciate the heroism of this humble, uneducated Austrian farmer -- inspired in part by the example of St. Thomas More, who struggled under similar circumstances -- it is necessary to understand how utterly alone he was in his decision to die rather than fight for the Nazi regime. Chris Gillibrand has his story in two parts at Catholic Church Conservation. It is a must-read.



Bl. Ceferino Jimenez Malla, OPL (1861-1936)
Bl. Ceferino was born in 1861 in Catalonia, Spain, the son of Gypsies. Although he had very little education, he possessed a sharp intellect and was a very successful businessman, and even served as a city councilman. He married late in life, and adopted a niece as his own daughter. He accepted Baptism as an adult, and was active in his parish as a catechist, choir director and Rosary leader. In 1926, he became a Third Order Dominican. Bl. Ceferino's sanctity was such that people always made sure to be on their best behavior in his presence.

Bl. Ceferino was arrested for hiding priests during the Spanish Civil War, and was offered clemency if he would throw away his rosary and renounce the Catholic faith. He refused to do so. On August 8, 1936, he was murdered by firing squad. He was beatified on May 4, 1997 by Pope John Paul II -- the first Gypsy to be so honored by the Church.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

August 8th: Feast of St. Dominic

The Litany of St. Dominic


Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God...
Queen of the Holy Rosary...
Our glorious father, St. Dominic...
St. Dominic, follower of Jesus Christ...
St. Dominic, eminently endowed with the virtues of His Sacred Heart...
St. Dominic, adorer of the Blessed Sacrament...
St. Dominic, singularly devoted to our Blessed Lady...
St. Dominic, promoter of her honor...
St. Dominic, promulgator of the Holy Rosary...
St. Dominic, splendor of the priesthood...
St. Dominic, founder of the Friars Preachers...
St. Dominic, apostle of the Albigenses...
St. Dominic, mirror of ecclesiastical discipline...
St. Dominic, rose of patience...
St. Dominic, most ardent for the salvation of souls...
St. Dominic, most desirous of martyrdom...
St. Dominic, evangelical man...
St. Dominic, doctor of truth...
St. Dominic, ivory of chastity...
St. Dominic, man of truly apostolic heart...
St. Dominic, poor in the midst of riches...
St. Dominic, rich in an unspotted life...
St. Dominic, burning with zeal for perishing souls...
St. Dominic, preacher of the Gospel...
St. Dominic, rule of abstinence...
St. Dominic, herald of heavenly things...
St. Dominic, salt of the earth...
St. Dominic, who didst water the earth with thy blood...
St. Dominic, shining in the choir of virgins...
St. Dominic, most humble...
St. Dominic, most obedient...
St. Dominic, most chaste...
St. Dominic, most charitable...
That at the hour of death we may be received unto heaven with thee...
Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and pardon us.
Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and graciously hear us.
From all sin and evil, Deliver us, O Lord.
From the snares of the devil...
From eternal death...
By the merits of our holy father, St. Dominic...
By his ardent love...
By his indefatigable zeal...
By his extraordinary labors...
By his inexpressible penances...
By his voluntary poverty...
By his perpetual chastity...
By his perfect obedience...
By his profound humility...
By his rare constancy...
By all his other virtues...
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O blessed father Dominic,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants may enjoy continual health of mind and body and that through the glorious intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, we may be delivered from present sorrow, and hereafter enjoy everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MORE PRAYERS TO ST. DOMINIC

Novena to St. Dominic
Chaplet of St. Dominic ("Cry of Anguish")
Ejaculations to St. Dominic

Not to mention...the Dominican Litany of Saints

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Nine

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day, which just happens to be today. Happy Feast of St. Dominic!

Ninth Day: Devotion to St. Dominic

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"This is My covenant with them, saith the Lord: My spirit that is in thee, and My words that I have put in thy mouth, not out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth, now and for ever" (Isa. LIX, 21.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

MIRACLES OF ST. DOMINIC

The power of St. Dominic's prayer was marvelous, and his charity made him use it to help others. In 1206, to test the truth, the Albigenses cast two books into the flames. Theirs, containing their heresy, was destroyed; Dominic's contained the Catholic faith, and remained unburnt. Once his books fell into a river and were restored to him uninjured. Crossing a ferry, he had no money, and the man insisting on payment, Dominic prayed, and money lay at his feet. On a journey he accompanied a foreign religious, whose language he did not understand; Dominic's prayer enabled them to converse on spiritual subjects. Forty English, upset in a deep river, were drowning; Dominic prayed, and they were saved. Three dead persons he raised to life in Rome. One, a cardinal's nephew, was killed by a fall from his horse; Dominic said Mass with abundant tears, then, standing by the dead man's head, he was raised in the air a cubit high, and crying, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, arise!" the dead man rose alive and well. By prayer he drove out devils and cured many sick. Food was brought by angels at his prayer, and wine to refresh his brethren. Many heretics and sinners were converted by his powerful prayers.

"Be ye therefore followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (I Cor. xi, I.)

Responsory

O wondrous hope, which our true father gave,
When round his dying bed the weeping brethren knelt --
That he would stronger be, to succor and to save,
From heaven above, than when on earth he dwelt:
Fulfill, O father, thy most gracious word,
And plead for us with Christ, thy Friend and Lord!
V. Thou, who from suffering men diseases fell didst chase,
Bring to our sin-sick souls the balm of Christ's sweet grace.
R. Fulfill, O father, thy most gracious word, And plead for us with Christ, thy Friend and Lord!
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Fulfill, O father, thy most gracious word, And plead for us with Christ, thy Friend and Lord!
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who are weighed down by the burden of our sins, may be raised up by the intercession of Blessed Dominic, Thy confessor and our father. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Friday, August 07, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Eight

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Eighth Day: The Death of St. Dominic

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord." (St. Matt. XXV, 21.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

St. Dominic died at Bologna, in 1221, on Friday, August 6, at mid-day. Father Ventura, Prior of Bologna, was present and thus describes the blessed end of that holy life. "Father Dominic returned from Venice about the end of July. Although very weary with traveling, he conversed on the affairs of the Order with me till late. I begged him to rest that night but he prayed in the church till Matins at midnight, and then was present in choir. Afterwards he complained of his head, and his last illness began. Lying on a straw mattress, he called the novices around him and exhorted them to fervor with cheerful words and smiling countenance. After being carried to a hill not far off, for better air, he preached a touching sermon to the brethren and was then anointed. Fearing lest he might not be buried 'under the feet of his brethren,' he was carried back to the convent. After an hour he said, 'Begin.' Then did we begin the prayers for a departing soul, and Dominic joined, his lips moving, until the words 'Help him, ye saints of God,' when he gave up the spirit." During the same year in winter a marvelous perfume was perceived throughout the church in which he was buried, particularly near his grave. Many miracles were wrought where the sacred body rested.

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love Him." (I Cor. II, 9.)

Responsory

From this vale of grief, ascending,
See our father rise on high,
Whilst the angels' voices, blending,
Greet him with sweet minstrelsy.
Jesu, by his prayers of might,
Make us pleasing in Thy sight!
V. By the Holy Name of Jesus.
Thou didst raise the dead to life;
Now, through Him, our loving Savior,
Loose our souls from sin and strife.
R. Jesu, by his prayers of might, Make us pleasing in Thy sight!
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Jesu, by his prayers of might, Make us pleasing in Thy sight!
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O most kind father, St. Dominic, by thy saintly life and precious death, bless and guide us in the path of thy holy rule, that persevering therein even until death, we may, through it, attain the eternal joys of heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Ba-Dum-Bum!

A new addition to my collection of favorite movie lines -- and this from a movie I've never seen! From the Charlie Chan movie The Scarlet Clue (Sidney Toler, Benson Fong, Monogram Pictures, 1945):

Tommy Chan: You know Pop, I've got an idea about this case.
Charlie Chan: Yes, well?
Tommy Chan: Well, I had an idea, but it's gone now.
Charlie Chan: Possibly could not stand solitary confinement.

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Seven

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Seventh Day: Love of God and Our Neighbor

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loes not abides in death. In this we have known the charity of God, because He hath laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (I St. John, III, 14-16.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

Love is the fulfilling of the law, and Dominic, the preacher of God's law, was consumed with the fire of love. In all his actions his love for God appeared, and his constant prayer was that he might have true charity and love God purely for His own sake. From this love sprang that ardent desire to suffer for God which made him a martyr in spirit. So deeply was he moved by the love of Jesus Crucified that he longed to die for Him. His life of generous self-sacrifice proved his love sincere. As a youth he sold his only treasure -- the books from which he studied -- to feed the famine-stricken poor. His life was entirely devoted to the hardest apostolic labor, traveling on foot far and wide to seek the lost sheep of the Good Shepherd and braving every kind of danger. His prayers for souls were continual, and daily his blood flowed in penance for their sins. The one object of his Order was the salvation of souls. Throughout life he longed to preach to the heathen, hoping for martyrdom. His compassion was so tender that he was moved to tears whenever he thought of the sufferings and miseries of others. To all he was gentle, sweet and merciful. Twice he desired to be sold into slavery -- once to redeem a widow's son, and once to relieve poverty caused by conversion to the Catholic Church.

The true love of God is proved by the desire to be like Christ, and to labor and suffer for others.

"Every one that loves is born of God and knows God. He that loves not, knows not God. For God is charity." (I John IV, 7-8.)

Responsory

O happy, glorious vine, whose living sap o'erflowing,
Hath fertilized the world, on all men life bestowing:
A consecrated vessel, replete with heavenly wine,
Thou offerest to all mankind, the cup of grace divine.
V. Thy fruitful branches circle
Our great world all around,
And, ever, sweet new tendrils
Are springing o'er the ground.
R. A consecrated vessel, replete with heavenly wine, Thou offerest to all mankind, the cup of grace divine.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. A consecrated vessel, replete with heavenly wine, Thou offerest to all mankind, the cup of grace divine.
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O holy father, St. Dominic, who didst show us the way to eternal happiness, and didst win many souls to God by founding the Order of Friars Preachers, pray for us, that we may follow in thy footsteps, and ever work for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Six

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Sixth Day: Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God; for the sparrow hath found herself a house and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young. Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God!" (Ps. LXXXIII, 2-4.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

The adorable Eucharist and the holy Mother of God were objects of Dominic's tenderest devotion. His lively faith made the altar his paradise. Before the tabernacle he spent his nights, finding there rest after his labors; and arriving weary and footsore from a journey, he always visited the Blessed Sacrament before refreshing his body. However much fatigued, he always celebrated Mass, if possible singing it, and during the Sacrifice tears flowed in streams down his face, moving all present to devotion. "Never," said Stephen of Lombardy, "do I remember his celebrating without tears." Sometimes at the elevation his body rose visibly in the air. Of God's holy Mother he was always an ardent and reverent lover. His life, his work, his Order were placed under her protection, and he invoked her in every difficulty and danger. He began the custom of saying the "Hail Mary" before preaching. She filled him with heavenly favors, watched over him with motherly care, and gave the habit of his Order. A tradition cherished in his Order, and supported by the testimonies of many popes, ascribes to him the first teaching of the Rosary. The sweet and tender Mother often appeared to him and consoled him at the hour of earth. His disciples were called "Friars of Mary," and have carried her rosary and scapular to the uttermost parts of the earth.

"I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh to Me shall not hunger and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst." (St. John VI, 35.)

"I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits." (Ecclus.XXIV, 24-26.)

Responsory

The chaff of human frailty
Threshed out by holy poverty,
The good seed sown
To fruit hath grown,
And, ripe for God, is quickly garnered home.
The virgin's lily shining in his hand,
Amongst the doctors Dominic doth stand.

V. A flower blooming amidst other flowrets fair,
The mighty saint for aye a double crown shall wear.
R. The virgin's lily shining in his hand, Amongst the doctors Dominic doth stand.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. The virgin's lily shining in his hand, Amongst the doctors Dominic doth stand.
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O most blessed father, St. Dominic, who didst love our Lord Jesus Christ in the most perfect manner, and didst serve Mary, His Virgin Mother, with most fervent devotion, pray for us, thy children, that we may ever grow in love of the adorable Sacrament of the altar, and that, next to God, we may at all times trust in the protection of the Queen of Heaven, so that at the hour of death we may be received by her into heaven, and ever abide under the mantle of her love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Five

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Fifth Day: How to Maintain a Spirit of Prayer

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and in equity and turned many away from iniquity." (Mal. II, 6.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

As an unbridled tongue destroys a spirit of prayer, Dominic loved silence and retirement, that he might dwell with God. His intimate friend, William of Montserrat, said that "Dominic always kept the silence prescribed by the custom and rule of the Order, abstained from idle words, and always spoke either of God or to God." Seldom speaking of earthly things, his conversation was in heaven, and his heart could freely rest on God. Moreover, he carefully guarded his senses. If others spoke idly, he began to pray. On journeys his eyes were cast down, and he seldom noticed anything as he passed along. He fed his soul with constant spiritual reading. His books were the Bible and Cassian's Conferences of the Fathers of the Desert, and these he read continually from youth till death. The Holy Scriptures he always carried, and ordered his spiritual children diligently and unceasingly to read them. At dinner one religious used to read aloud, that the souls of all might feed on the Word of God. Dominic used to sit alone after dinner reading the Holy Scriptures. He would kiss the sacred volume, sign himself with the Cross, and then read, often with tears, always with many prayers. When ill with fever, lying on a hard rough bed, he asked the brethren to read to him, in turns, the Holy Scriptures.

"If any man offend not in words, the same is a perfect man!" (St. James III, 2.)

Responsory

With wondrous loaves the brethren are fed,
Supplied from heaven at their father's prayers.
A child to life he raises from the dead,
And bids the weeping mother dry her tears.
V. He stays the rainfall with the sign of our salvation;
His words are understood by men of every nation.
R. A child to life he raises from the dead, And bids the weeping mother dry her tears.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. A child to life he raises from the dead, And bids the weeping mother dry her tears.
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O most holy father, St. Dominic, who didst ever show thyself loving to all and didst never despise, wound or offend anyone, obtain for me from our most sweet Savior, Christ, the grace to be severe only to myself and my evil passions and always gentle and loving towards my neighbor, ever, like Him, pardoning all who injure or offend me. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Monday, August 03, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Four

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Fourth Day: St. Dominic's Prayer

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father. (Eph. V, 18-20.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

ST. DOMINIC'S PRAYER

Prayer was the breath of St. Dominic's life, the light on his path, the staff of his pilgrimage. He prayed always. In childhood his delight was to serve Mass, to visit the Blessed Sacrament, and to chant the Office. As a student, he drank in wisdom more from prayer than from books. He won more souls by prayer than by preaching or miracles. Fervent and humble prayer was the sling and stone with which he overthrew the Goliath of heresy. In travelling, always on foot, he prayed as he went, sometimes singing Veni, Creator Spiritus, "Come, O Creator Spirit," or Ave, Maris Stella, "Hail, Star of the Sea," or making earnest ejaculations, or reciting psalms. Sometimes he walked behind his companions, saying, "Let us each think of our Divine Lord," and often they found him kneeling in a thicket of wood, lost in God. His nights were passed before the altar, and his short sleep was taken on the stone pavement, his companions being often awakened by his groans and loud supplications. His methods of prayer were various; sometimes he lay prostrate, then stood erect, then knelt down. For hours he would stand before a Crucifix, genuflecting and making fervent ejaculations. Often he stretched out his arms like a cross, crying earnestly to God. He was often seen raised into the air in rapture by the vehemence of his prayer. "In all labors and disquiets, in hunger, thirst, fatigue, his heart turned always to God."

Responsory

Sublimest heights of poverty he reaches,
And thence against the crimes of men he preaches;
His enemies before him prostrate lie,
Or, breathing vengeance, turn their backs and fly.
The saint, undaunted, fears no earthly foe;
To martyrdom for Christ full gladly would he go.
V. By night his soul in prayer is raised to heaven;
To preach the Master's Word his days are freely given.
R. The saint, undaunted, fears no earthly foe; To martyrdom for Christ full gladly would he go.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. The saint, undaunted, fears no earthly foe; To martyrdom for Christ full gladly would he go.
V. Pray for us, O holy father St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast enlightened Thy Church by the eminent virtues and preaching of St. Dominic, Thy confessor and our father, mercifully grant that by his prayers we may be provided against all temporal necessities and ever increase in spiritual good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Three

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Third Day: Compunction of Heart


Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts and in His sight will sanctify their souls. They that fear the Lord keep His commandments and will have patience even until His visitation, saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men. For according to His greatness, so also is His mercy with Him." (Ecclus. II, 20-23.)
R. Thanks be to God.


Spiritual Reading

"ROSA PATIENTIÆ," ROSE OF PATIENCE


Though so pure that Holy Church calls him "Ivory of Chastity," and Christian art puts a lily into his hands, Dominic was always weeping over sin. His soul being full of contrition, acts of sorrow were constantly upon his lips. On seeing towns or villages, he used to weep over the sins committed there against God. Though so cheerful with others, in his prayers he shed many tears. But this sorrow was not merely hidden in the soul, it bore fruit in works of penance. Thrice every night he scourged himself to blood: once for his own sins, once for those of others, once for the suffering souls. He was a rule of abstinence, even on journeys never eating flesh meat or food cooked with meat. His fasts were strict and continual; even when travelling over Europe on foot, he fasted from September till Easter, though preaching daily. For ten years he tasted no wine, and afterwards, by order of superiors, only a few drops in water. He never had a room or bed of his own, but slept anywehre, on the ground, a bench, the altar-step. He was tightly girded with an iron chain, only found after his death. Being a zealous lover of rule, he punished faults severely, but with such fatherly love that penance was sweet from his hands.

"If
you have no sins of your own to weep for," St. Dominic would say, "stillweep, after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, and grieve for the sinners of the world, that they may repent."

"Whosoever
doth not carry his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (St. Luke XIV, 27.)

Responsory

The Word of life he loud proclaims,
Nor shame nor fear doth know.
His pen defends the faith of Christ
And vanquishes the foe.
V. Three times the book -- O wondrous sight! --
Amidst the flames they cast;
Three times, uninjured, it is flung
From out the fiery blast.
R. His pen defends the faith of Christ
And vanquishes the foe.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. His pen defends the faith of Christ
And vanquishes the foe.
V. Pray for us, O holy father, St. Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O zealous
preacher of penance, holy father, St. Dominic, whose ardent desire for the salvation of souls made the ever ready to endure the greatest labors and fatigues and even to give thy life in order to win them to God, pray for us, that treading in the steps of Jesus Crucified, the Redeemer and Physician of souls, we may disregard all suffering and generously sacrifice ourselves for the needs of others. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Novena in Honor of St. Dominic: Day Two

Herewith another installment of the novena in honor of St. Dominic from John Keenan's little treasure chest, Devotions to St. Dominic, in preparation for St. Dominic's feast day.

Second Day: Humility


Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and our hearts shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be ever truly wise, and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O light of Holy Church,
Teacher of Truth Divine,
Sweet rose of patience,
Ivory white thy chastity doth shine.
Of Wisdom's living waters
All freely thou hast given;
O messenger of grace to men,
Lift thou our souls to heaven.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross." (Phil. II, 5-8.)
R. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Reading

"DOCTOR VERITATIS," DOCTOR OF TRUTH

Humility is the foundation of perfection, and in St. Dominic it was deep and strong. So clear was his knowledge of the deep majesty of God and his own nothingness that he lived always in lowly fear and self-distrust. Though most innocent, he considered himself to be a base sinner, unworthy of the least grace. Constantly he prostrated himself before God, praying for long with his face on the ground, shedding abundant tears. Often he would strike his breast, exclaiming, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Before entering a town to preach, he used to kneel down on the road, begging God not to punish the people for his sins but to make his labor fruitful. When passing an altar or crucifix he would bow profoundly, in token of his nothingness. He often said with tears, "I am not worthy to behold heaven on account of my sins." Praise and honor he heartily detested, and thrice refused a bishopric. Once he raised the son of a Roman widow to life, and the Pope ordered the wonder to be published. "Holy Father," said Dominic, "I must fly; I can remain here no longer." At the General Chapter he said to his brethren, "I deserve to be deposed from my office, for I am negligent and relaxed." When asked where he would be buried, "Under the feet of my brethren," said the humble saint.

The saints, though great in virtue, look upon themselves as worthless, because they see themselves in the light of God, and knowing Him they know themselves. "Our righteousness," St. Dominic would say, "when compared to the righteousness of God, is mere uncleanness."

"Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls." (St. Matthew XI, 29.)

Responsory

Chosen by Christ's free grace, he comes;
For sinner's needs to us he's given.
Called to the work whilst yet unborn,
His advent's marked by signs from heaven.
V. The star upon his infant brow,
Shining with radiance pure and mild,
Reveals the splendor hid within
The spirit of the newborn child.
R. Called to the work whilst yet unborn,
His advent's marked by signs from heaven.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
R. Called to the work whilst yet unborn,
His advent's marked by signs from heaven.

V. Pray for us, O blessed father Dominic.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O holy father, St. Dominic, true lover of humility, who, the greater thou didst appear in the sight of men, didst humble thyself the more before God: be to us a loving guide, that, following in thy footsteps we may be enabled to withstand all the snares of the enemy, and spending our lives in earnest prayer, self-denial and humility, we may, at the hour of death, be received with thee into heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
R. Amen.
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.