2025 Pilgrimage - FINAL

JUNE 7-18, 2025

Pilgrimage

Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

Office of International Studies

INAUGURAL PILGRIMAGE MANUAL

© 2025 Belen Jesuit Preparatory School All rights reserved.

Published by Belen Jesuit Preparatory School Miami, Florida, U.S.A. www.belenjesuit.org

Excerpts taken from Handbook of Prayers (6th American edition), edited by the Rev. James Socias, © 2007 James Socias

Psalms reprinted from The Psalms: A New Translation © 1963, The Grail, England, GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American agent, www.giamusic.com. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the Revised Standard Version Bible, Second Catholic Edition © 2000 & 2006 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Scripture texts used in Night Prayer are taken from the New American Bible © 1970 CCD. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The English translation of Antiphons, Responsories from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Penance © 1974, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition © 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.

All other hymns, prayers, and devotions in the public domain.

To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.

Pope Benedict XVI

WHY GO ON PILGRIMAGE?

Embarking on a pilgrimage is exciting. The voyage you have been traveling for your whole life has led you to this particular time and place, and this specific journey with your brothers at Belen Jesuit. By God’s grace, you will never be the same again.

Take this to heart: this experience of traveling to holy places in Europe is one stop along the way of your eternal pilgrimage, one that Mary has been guiding you along ever since Christ gave her to the Church as Mother and guide.

Ultimately, your destination is not Europe nor even back home to America. Your final destination is Heaven, the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ tells us this in the Gospels: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you” (Mt 6:33).

Keep this in mind, that the Kingdom of God is the destination for all of us. The pilgrimage that we are about to undertake is a great opportunity to encounter the beauty of our faith, to pray, to

celebrate God’s marvelous creation, and much more.

It is tempting to approach this pilgrimage as a vacation or excursion or mission trip. Yet, the journey of a pilgrim is much much more. Ponder these truths:

On a vacation, the goal is REST. On an excursion, the goal is ADVENTURE. On a pilgrimage, the goal is TRANSFORMATION.

A pilgrimage is not an escape from the experiences or frustrations of everyday life, like a vacation or excursion might be. While you will certainly have exciting, enjoyable, and intense moments over the next few weeks, the primary purpose of this Marian pilgrimage to Europe is not to relax or be entertained. Nor is it an endurance test of strength and stamina.

Rather, a pilgrimage is a journey to holy places, in the hope that the sacredness of those places will illuminate your soul. A good pilgrimage helps you appreciate the everyday moments of life (both the good and the challenging) and

prepares you for the road ahead. The Lord calls each pilgrim to a deeper relationship with Him as you enter into the joys and the struggles that each day brings. In all this, the end goal of pilgrimage is personal transformation.

During this year’s pilgrimage, we grow in our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament as we journey through some of the most important Marian and Ignatian sites in all of Europe. As the days unfold, may we turn constantly to the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoicing in His providence and giving Him thanks for this great opportunity to grow closer to Him through His Eucharistic Presence.

“To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.”

— Pope Benedict XVI

“Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a pilgrim traveling along the road, making his way to the desired destination… May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion.”

— Pope Francis

On the Importance of Small Groups

Small groups are an important part of this pilgrimage. Every day, you will meet for reflection and prayer. Often we need the help of others to uncover all of the different graces, opportunities, and moments of growth that we ourselves encounter each day. As you grow closer to your group over the next two weeks, offering your reflections will help you and the other group members process each day’s highs and lows. Impressive vocabulary, complicated thoughts, or great sophistication of speech are not required; rather, it is best to produce a prayerful and straightforward response to the questions placed before you.

Many Belen Jesuit students find reflection in small groups to be a highlight of the pilgrimage. The questions provided in this manual are

Remember - each small group meeting should begin and end with a prayer.

LIVES OF THE SAINTS

Saint Ignatius of Loyola (Group #1 Patron)

St. Ignatius was born in the Loyola family castle near Azpeitia. Known as Iñigo, he was the youngest of 13 children. When he was old enough, he became a page, and then a soldier of the Spanish crown to fight against the French. A cannon ball and a series of bad operations ended his military aspirations in 1521. While recovering in the castle of Loyola, he read the life of Christ and the lives of the saints, and decided to dedicate himself to becoming a soldier of Christ. Soon afterward, he experienced visions, but a year later suffered a trial of fears and scruples, driving him almost to despair. Out of these experiences came his meant to help, but if other thoughts or points of reflection arise, then your group leader and alumni counselors will guide you.

famous work, the Spiritual Exercises.

After traveling and studying in different schools, Ignatius earned his degree at the University of Paris, where he attracted several followers, including St. Francis Xavier and St. Peter Faber. These three “friends in the Lord” formed the nucleus of the Society of Jesus.

The Society was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540 and Ignatius was elected their first superior. He declined after the first vote, feeling unworthy for the position because of the vanity and licentiousness of his earlier life and because he felt that others were more theologically knowledgeable. After much discernment, he accepted the position and served until his death sixteen years later.

As Superior General, he sent companions all over Europe and around the world. He called them to “hurry to any part of the world where . . . the needs of their neighbor should summon them.” And he counseled them to serve “without hard words or contempt for people’s errors.” In addition to writing the Constitutions of the new Order, he composed

an autobiography and wrote nearly 7,000 letters. While he wrote to men and women of various stations in life, most of the letters were to his Jesuit companions, thus forming a vast communication network of friendship, love, and care.

At the time of his death, there were 1,000 Jesuits, a good number of them involved in the 35 schools that had been founded. Twenty-five years later the number of schools rose to 144, and another 35 years after that, it approached 400. St. Ignatius is buried in the Gesù in Rome.

In contrast to the ambitions of his early days, the fundamental principle of the mature Ignatius was that we ought to desire and choose only that which is more conducive to the end for which we are created - the praise, reverence, and service of God our Lord.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga (Group #2 Patron)

As soon as Aloysius was born, his parents began planning for his future. His mother wanted him to be a priest. His father was determined to have his oldest son become a military leader or famous political figure — anything but a priest.

At the age of five, Aloysius was sent to a military camp to get started on his career. His father must have been very pleased to see his son marching at the head of the platoon of soldiers around the campgrounds. His mother and his tutor were extremely displeased, however, when Aloysius came home using the rough, coarse language of the camp. At the age of seven, Aloysius received a special insight from God.

While other boys were dreaming about being military heroes or heads of wealthy estates, Aloysius thought of other matters. He decided to become a saint, and he began acting on that decision. He prayed long hours at night and fasted several times per week. By the age of nine, Aloysius had decided on a religious life, and made a vow of perpetual virginity. To

safeguard himself from possible temptation, he would keep his eyes persistently downcast in the presence of women. St. Charles Borromeo gave him his first Holy Communion.

While he was on a visit to Spain with his parents, Aloysius read the lives of saintly Jesuit missionaries, and he decided to become a Jesuit. His father and some other relatives tried hard to change his mind, but after a fierce battle of wills that lasted several years, Aloysius won. With his father’s permission, Aloysius gave his large inheritance to his brother and joined the Jesuit order at 17 years of age. The novice director who was in charge of training Aloysius told him to cut down on his long hours of prayer and to give up some of his fasting and other penances. Aloysius obeyed willingly. He understood that obedience was better than “doing his own thing.”

When Aloysius was 23, a serious epidemic broke out in Rome. Aloysius volunteered immediately to help in the hospital; at that time hospitals were not the clean, orderly places with which we are familiar today, and it was very easy to catch an illness. While working in the hospital,

he washed and fed plague victims, preparing them as best he could to receive the sacraments. Though he threw himself into his tasks, he privately confessed to his spiritual director, Fr. Robert Bellarmine, that his constitution was revolted by the sights and smells of the work; he had to work hard to overcome his physical repulsion.

At the time, many of the younger Jesuits had become infected with the disease, so Aloysius’s superiors forbade him from returning to the hospital. But Aloysius, long accustomed to refusals from his father, persisted and requested permission to return, which was granted. Eventually he was allowed to care for the sick, but only at another hospital, called Our Lady of Consolation, where those with contagious diseases were not admitted. While there, Aloysius lifted a man out of his sickbed, tended to him, and brought him back to his bed. But the man was infected with the plague. Aloysius grew ill and was bedridden by March 3, 1591, a few days before his 23rd birthday.

St. Aloysius died from the plague at the age of 23, after receiving the last rites from St. Robert

Bellarmine. The last word he spoke was the Holy Name of Jesus.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga shows that young people are not too young to become saints. During his life he had focused on doing what God wanted—serving and loving God and his neighbor.

St. Francis Xavier (Group #3 Patron)

St. Francis Xavier was born in the Kingdom of Navarre on April 7, 1506. His father was a privy counselor and finance minister to King John III of Navarre. He was the youngest in his family and resided in a castle which still partially stands today and is in the possession of the Jesuit order.

As the young Francis grew, he was surrounded by war. Navarre was the target of a campaign by King Ferdinand of Aragon and Castile, and the kingdom was eventually conquered. When the war stopped and Francis came of age, he was sent to study at the University of Paris. While there he roomed with his friend, Peter Faber. The pair met and were heavily influenced by

Ignatius of Loyola, who encouraged Francis to become a priest.

In Paris on August 15, 1534, Francis Xavier, Peter Faber, Ignatius, and several other friends, made vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Francis Xavier started his study of theology that same year and was ordained on June 24, 1537. Pope Paul III approved the formation of their order in 1540, which became The Society of Jesus. While Francis Xavier was becoming a priest, Portugal was colonizing India. The Portuguese settlers in India and elsewhere were losing their faith and Christian values. To restore these values, the King of Portugal asked the Pope to send missionaries to the region.

Francis Xavier left for India in 1541, on his 35th birthday. He arrived in the region and colony of Goa, India on May 6, 1542. Although Goa had churches and even a bishop in the Portuguese colony, there were few people to preach and minister to the Portuguese, especially outside the walls of the city. Xavier ministered first to the sick and the children. Then he learned about the native people of the Pearl Fishery Coast, which had been baptized a decade

earlier, but were never taught their faith. Xavier began ministering to them and eventually built 40 churches there.

Xavier eventually decided to travel to Malacca and the Maluku Islands to evangelize the people there. He spent about two years in the region, and while in Malacca, a Japanese man named Anjiro caught up with him. Anjiro was accused of murder in Japan but had managed to flee. Learning about Xavier, he decided to find Xavier and tell him about Japan, which he did. Xavier converted Anjiro to Christianity, making him the first Japanese convert to Christianity.

Xavier returned to Goa for about a year to attend to his official responsibilities, but he was very interested in visiting Japan. In 1549, he finally departed for the country, arriving in July of that year. Despite his efforts, the Japanese were not easily converted. Most held fast to their traditional Buddhist or Shinto beliefs. The Japanese also found the concept of hell as a place of eternal torment to be difficult to accept.

Some traditionalists, including priests from the native religions, grew hostile toward Xavier and Christianity. Xavier established a few congregations, but the religion was suppressed from spreading by the nobility which grew to mistrust the outsiders and their faith. Eventually, Christianity became the subject of great persecution, forcing many to go underground with their belief. Xavier finished his work in Japan for the time and decided to return to India with a stop in Goa. During his voyage, he was petitioned to meet with the Chinese emperor and argue for the release of several Portuguese prisoners as a representative of their government. Xavier decided to make the trip to China and arrived in August of 1552, stopping at an island off the Chinese coast. From there, Xavier was on his own. He managed to find a man to agree to take him to China for a large fee, but while he was waiting for his boat to arrive became ill with a fever. Xavier died on December 3, 1552. He was eventually buried in Goa.

Several of his bones have been removed. His right arm, used to bless converts, is on display in the Gesù in Rome. Another arm bone is kept

on Coloane Island, in Macau, which today is part of China. Xavier was beatified by Pope Paul V on Oct. 25, 1619, and canonized by Gregory XV on March 12, 1622 at the same ceremony as Ignatius of Loyola. He is the patron of Catholic missions.

St. Peter Faber (Group #4 Patron)

St. Peter Faber, a master of the Spiritual Exercises, was the first of St. Ignatius Loyola’s six companions. Peter Faber and Ignatius met in Paris, where Faber had come to study after life as a shepherd in the mountains of Savoy. Peter Faber was also the first of the companions to be ordained.

Peter Faber had a gentle spirit and a tendency to be very hard on himself. Ignatius proved to be the perfect mentor for him, and Faber eventually became the master of the Spiritual Exercises. While hard on himself, Faber was gentle with others and became a gifted pastor of souls, winning others for our Lord.

Faber was sent to Germany in 1541, where he found the state of the Church in such disarray

that it left his heart “tormented by a steady and intolerable pain.” He worked for the renewal of the Church one person at a time, leading many in the Spiritual Exercises. Princes, prelates, and priests would especially find Peter Faber a gentle source of instruction and guidance leading to renewal.

Between 1544 and 1546, Peter Faber tirelessly continued his work in Portugal and Spain. Throughout all of his mission years in Germany, Spain, and Portugal, Faber traveled on foot. He had a special devotion to his own Guardian Angel and the angels that guarded each place he visited. His final journey in 1546 was to Rome where, exhausted from his labors, he died in St. Ignatius’s arms at the age of 40.

Pope Francis announced the canonization of Peter Faber on December 17, 2013.

St. Robert Bellarmine (Group #5 Patron)

St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ, was one of the most important cardinals of the Catholic Reformation and became a Doctor of the Church.

Robert Bellarmine was born to an impoverished noble Italian family. His early intellectual accomplishments gave his father hope that Bellarmine would restore the family’s fortunes through a political career. His mother’s wish that he enter the Society of Jesus prevailed.

On completion of his studies, Bellarmine taught first at the University of Louvain in Belgium. In1576 he accepted the invitation of Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) to teach polemical theology at the new Roman College.

Robert Bellarmine spent the next 11 years teaching and writing his monumental Disputations on the Controversies, a threevolume defense of the Catholic faith against the arguments of the Protestant reformers. A confidant to the popes, Bellarmine held a number of positions, including rector of the

Roman College, examiner of bishops, Cardinal Inquisitor, archbishop of Capua, and bishop of Montepulciano. Through his writings

Bellarmine was involved in the political, religious, and social issues of the time. He argued with King James I of England and was a judge at the trial of Giordano Bruno.

Bellarmine also communicated the decree of condemning the Copernican doctrine of the movements of the earth and sun, issued by Congregation of the Index to Galileo Galilei in 1616.

Although he was one of the most powerful men in Rome, Bellarmine lived an austere life. He gave most of his money to the poor. Once he gave the tapestries from his living quarters to the poor, saying that the walls wouldn’t catch cold. While he took little regard for his own comforts, he always saw to it that his servants and aides had everything they needed.

St. Robert Bellarmine was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1931.

ORDO DEI

June

6

DEPARTURE FROM MIAMI

June 7

ARRIVAL IN BARCELONA

Brotherhood on the Journey

Embarking on a pilgrimage with your Belen brothers is a journey unlike any other. It is a call to adventure, not just across miles of unfamiliar roads, but into the depths of friendship, faith, and personal growth.

Pilgrimage strips away distractions. With fewer comforts and more challenges, it invites honesty — with yourself and with the brothers who walk beside you. The shared struggles — heavy backpacks, aching feet, early mornings — forge bonds that are deeper than ordinary friendship. Laughter, encouragement, silent prayers, and even moments of frustration become threads that weave a strong fabric of

brotherhood.

The Belen Brotherhood is not just about getting along; it is about learning how to serve each other, forgive each other, and lift each other up when someone stumbles. It reflects the spirit of Saint Ignatius, who understood that true companionship in Christ means choosing to walk together, with patience and love, even when the path is hard.

On pilgrimage, spiritual growth happens not just in grand cathedrals or at holy sites, but in simple moments: a quiet conversation, a shared meal, a hand on your shoulder when you are tired. These moments reveal God’s presence in your brothers.

To travel as brothers on a journey of faith is to discover that life itself is a pilgrimage — a sacred adventure walked best not alone, but together, strengthened by loyalty, laughter, and love.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. As I begin this pilgrimage, what hopes do I have for building stronger friendships with my classmates?

2. What kind of brother do I want to be for the others on this journey?

3. How am I inviting God to work in my heart during this pilgrimage?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. What challenges or fears do I have about this journey, and how can I trust God and my brothers to help me through them?

2. How can I prepare myself to notice and appreciate the simple, meaningful moments that will happen along the way?

Final Thought:

Thank God for the brothers He has placed on your journey. Ask for the grace to walk together with open hearts, ready for the adventures, challenges, and blessings ahead.

June 8

BARCELONA

Reflection:

Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia is one of the most extraordinary architectural projects in history, blending deep religious symbolism with the fluid, organic forms of nature. Gaudí, often called “God’s Architect,” devoted the last decades of his life entirely to this basilica, seeing it as a living expression of faith. Every element of the Sagrada Familia has meaning: the twisting columns resemble trees, the intricate facades narrate the life of Christ, and the play of light through the stained glass evokes a sense of divine presence.

Gaudí was not simply building a church — he was creating a physical prayer, a sacred space where earth meets heaven. His revolutionary approach combined Gothic influences with modernist creativity, moving away from traditional straight lines and instead embracing curves, asymmetry, and natural motifs. This innovation gives the Sagrada Familia its dreamlike, almost surreal quality, making it feel

both ancient and futuristic.

Even in its unfinished state, the Sagrada Familia continues to inspire awe. It stands as a reminder of patience, vision, and devotion — qualities that seem increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world. Gaudí famously said, “My client is not in a hurry,” referring to God. That sense of timelessness is deeply embedded in the structure itself.

Visiting the Sagrada Familia is more than witnessing a masterpiece of architecture; it is an experience of wonder, where art, nature, and spirituality merge into a single, breathtaking vision of what human creativity, fueled by faith, can achieve.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. As I walk through the Sagrada Familia, what part of the building speaks most deeply to my heart?

2. What does Gaudí’s patience and devotion teach me about the work God is doing in my own life?

3. How do beauty, nature, and creativity help me experience God’s presence?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. Where in my life do I need to slow down and trust more in God’s timing?

2. If I were to create something “for God,” what would it look like, and what would it express about my faith?

Final Thought:

Ask God for the grace to see His beauty in the world around you and to trust in the slow, patient work of His love in your life.

BARCELONA - MANRESA

Saint Ignatius - An Origin Story

Manresa, a quiet town nestled in Catalonia, holds a profound place in the spiritual journey of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It was in the Cave of Manresa where Ignatius, after a long pilgrimage and personal struggles, experienced a deep and transformative spiritual awakening. The humble cave, far from being an imposing sanctuary, invites visitors into the essence of Ignatius’ journey: humility, reflection, and inner conversion. Here, he spent months in prayer, fasting, and discernment, wrestling with doubts and visions that would eventually shape the Spiritual Exercises — a work that continues to guide seekers around the world.

The cave is not grand by material standards, but its significance is immense. It reminds us that true transformation often happens not in the splendor of cathedrals, but in the hidden, raw spaces of human vulnerability. Standing in the cave, one can almost feel the weight of Ignatius’ struggles and the quiet birth of a new

mission that would impact the world through education, service, and spiritual depth.

Manresa itself, with its simple beauty and sacred atmosphere, invites a slower pace of life, echoing the themes of contemplation and gratitude that define Ignatian spirituality. It teaches that profound encounters with the divine often arise from silence, patience, and deep attentiveness. The Cave of Saint Ignatius is more than a historic site; it is a living invitation to enter into our own interior caves, to listen deeply, and to emerge transformed.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. As I stand in the Cave of Manresa, what personal struggles or questions do I bring before God?

2. What lessons can I learn from Saint Ignatius’ time of prayer, silence, and struggle?

3. Where is God inviting me to slow down, listen more deeply, and trust the process of transformation in my own life?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. What “interior cave” do I need to enter to grow closer to God right now?

2. How can I practice more gratitude and patience in my everyday life, inspired by Ignatius’ journey?

Final Thought:

Ask God for the grace to be patient with yourself, to listen to His voice in silence, and to trust in the quiet work He is doing within your heart.

MONTSERRAT

Our Lady’s Sword

Our Lady of Montserrat, lovingly called La Moreneta, is not only a beloved symbol of Catalonia but also holds deep significance in the spiritual heritage of the Jesuits. It was at Montserrat, in the shadow of these sacred mountains, that Saint Ignatius of Loyola underwent a profound transformation. After his conversion, Ignatius made a pilgrimage here, laying down his sword before the statue of Our Lady as a gesture of surrender to God’s will — an act that marked the beginning of the journey that would lead to the founding of the Society of Jesus.

The Black Madonna, with her serene and enduring presence, embodies the spirit of humility, courage, and faith that Ignatius and the Jesuits would carry into the world. Her shrine atop Montserrat became a place of radical decision and interior freedom, inspiring Ignatius to embrace a life of service, discernment, and spiritual depth.

The landscape itself, with its rugged peaks and hidden caves, echoes the inner pilgrimage that Our Lady of Montserrat invites every soul to undertake. Pilgrims are drawn not just by tradition, but by the hope of encountering the same transformative grace that changed Ignatius’ life forever.

Today, she remains a patroness not only of Catalonia but of all who seek deeper conversion. Our Lady of Montserrat reminds us that true strength is born from surrender, and that in offering our lives to God — as Ignatius did — we find our deepest purpose and peace.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. Like Saint Ignatius laying down his sword, what “sword” — a fear, a burden, or something I cling to — do I need to lay down before God?

2. How can Mary, as Our Lady of Montserrat, help me to be stronger and more faithful in my daily life?

3. What is one area of my life where God might be asking me to trust Him more?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. Saint Ignatius gave up being a soldier for God’s mission. What is something I’m passionate about that I could offer to God?

2. If I could ask Our Lady of Montserrat for one thing right now, what would it be?

Final Thought:

Ask Our Lady of Montserrat to help you find the courage to surrender your life more fully to God’s will and to walk the path of faith with strength, trust, and love.

TRAVEL DAY - MONTSERRAT TO LOURDES

Reflection:

Going on a pilgrimage is very different from taking a vacation. It’s not about comfort, entertainment, or checking off a list of sights. A pilgrimage is a journey with a purpose — a chance to step away from the noise of daily life and walk toward something deeper. For young men at a Jesuit school, it means following in the footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who saw travel and challenge as opportunities for God to speak more clearly to the heart.

On pilgrimage, every step matters. The blisters, the long stretches of silence, even the moments of frustration — all of it becomes part of a conversation with God. It teaches patience, perseverance, and trust. You carry less, walk slower, and pay more attention to the world around you. You start to notice how beauty shows up in small, unexpected ways: a quiet sunrise, a stranger’s kindness, a moment of real laughter among friends.

Being a pilgrim also means traveling with an

open heart. It’s about letting go of control and allowing yourself to be surprised — by others, by the journey, and by God. It’s an invitation to discover who you are becoming, not just who you have been.

As Belen Jesuit students, pilgrimage connects you to a tradition of seekers and servants. It’s a reminder that life itself is a sacred journey, and that every path — especially the difficult ones — can lead you closer to God if you walk it with faith and courage.

Via Crucis:

The Via Crucis invites us into the silent mystery of Christ’s suffering, step by step. At each station, we pause — not to rush past sorrow, but to enter it with open hearts. We see love carried in the weight of the cross, mercy poured out with every fall and wound. In walking this way, we are drawn into a deeper compassion, a deeper trust. The Via Crucis teaches us that the path of pain is not abandoned by God, but touched by grace. In following Christ’s footsteps, we find our own hearts changed, softened, and made new.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is one challenge I have faced so far on this pilgrimage, and what might God be teaching me through it?

2. How have I noticed God’s presence in small or unexpected ways during this journey?

3. What is one way I feel called to walk through life differently after this pilgrimage?

4. As I walked the Via Crucis, which station or moment touched me most deeply? Why?

5. What does Christ’s suffering teach me about my own struggles?

Final Thought:

Take a moment to thank God for walking with you during this pilgrimage. Ask for the grace to carry what you have learned into the next steps of your journey.

June 12

LOURDES

Reflection:

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a profound symbol of faith, healing, and hope for millions around the world. Nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees in southern France, it commemorates the Marian apparitions experienced by a humble village girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, in 1858. Bernadette, poor and often sickly, displayed remarkable simplicity and steadfastness in recounting her visions of a “lady” who eventually revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception. Her faithfulness, despite skepticism and hardship, serves as an inspiring example of trusting in God’s call even in the face of adversity.

For pilgrims, Lourdes is far more than a physical destination; it is a deeply personal and spiritual journey. As one walks toward the Grotto of Massabielle, where Bernadette encountered the Virgin Mary, there is a powerful sense of being drawn closer to mystery, grace, and healing. The journey invites pilgrims to shed

their burdens, confront their sufferings, and open their hearts to the possibility of renewal. Whether participating in the candlelit processions, bathing in the healing waters, or simply praying in silence before the Grotto, pilgrims often describe a profound interior transformation — a reawakening of faith, trust, and peace.

The spirit of Lourdes is one of compassion, humility, and solidarity. It is a place where the sick and suffering are not marginalized but honored. In serving one another — pushing a wheelchair, offering a prayer, or sharing a moment of encouragement — pilgrims discover Christ’s presence in the community.

Saint Bernadette’s story reminds all who visit that God’s grace often chooses the simple and the lowly. Her life after Lourdes, marked by humility and hidden suffering in a convent, emphasizes that true holiness often grows quietly, unseen by the world.

Ultimately, Lourdes is a place of miracles — not just of physical healing, but of spiritual awakening. It offers pilgrims a sacred space

to encounter God’s mercy, to renew their faith, and to continue their life’s pilgrimage strengthened by hope and love.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Main Reflection Questions:

1. What struggles or worries do I want to give to Mary and Jesus while I’m here at Lourdes?

2. How can I be more like Saint Bernadette — staying strong and trusting God even when life gets tough or confusing?

3. What is one way God has touched my heart during this trip, and how can I live differently because of it when I go home?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. When have I felt closest to God during this pilgrimage? What was happening at that moment?

2. Is there someone I need to forgive — or ask forgiveness from — after reflecting on God’s mercy here?

Final Thought:

Take a moment to thank God and Our Lady of Lourdes for whatever gifts, lessons, or peace you have received during this pilgrimage.

LOYOLA - OVIEDO

The Chapel of Conversion

The town of Loyola, nestled in the lush hills of Spain’s Basque Country, holds a profound place in the story of Christian spirituality. It is here, in the family home of Íñigo López de Loyola — later known as Saint Ignatius — that a remarkable conversion unfolded. The small Chapel of the Conversion, part of the Loyola Sanctuary today, marks the room where, after a serious battle injury, Ignatius lay bedridden and began his interior journey toward God.

The chapel is simple, yet it radiates an unmistakable power. Within these quiet walls, a proud soldier's ambitions gave way to a deeper calling. As Ignatius read about the lives of Christ and the saints during his convalescence, something stirred within him — a longing for a greater glory, not for himself, but for God. His dreams of knighthood and worldly honor slowly transformed into a vision of spiritual knighthood: to serve Christ as the true King.

Pilgrims to Loyola find in the chapel a profound reminder that conversion often begins in moments of weakness, uncertainty, and even defeat. It is a place that invites deep reflection on one's own path, offering hope that God's grace can enter even the most broken places of our lives. Ignatius’s experience in Loyola laid the foundation for the Spiritual Exercises and the founding of the Society of Jesus, works that continue to inspire spiritual seekers worldwide.

In Loyola, we are reminded that true strength is found not in conquest, but in surrender to God's greater plan.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don't have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Main Reflection Questions:

1. Where in my life is God inviting me to change, like He did with Saint Ignatius when he was hurt and waiting?

2. How can I turn my own dreams and goals into something bigger — something that serves God and others?

3. Have I ever gone through a tough time that helped me get closer to God? What did I learn from it?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. What part of Ignatius’ story inspires me the most? Why?

2. When have I felt God calling me to something greater, even if it felt risky or different?

3. What is one thing I can surrender to God today, trusting that He has a plan for me?

4. How does it feel to pray in the same place where Saint Ignatius had his conversion?

5. If I could ask Saint Ignatius for advice about my life right now, what would I ask?

Final Thought:

Take a moment to imagine God speaking to you right here in Loyola. What do you feel He is saying to your heart?

CANGAS DE ONISSANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

The Holy Cave of Covadonga

Tucked into the lush mountains of Asturias, Spain, the Holy Cave of Covadonga holds a special place in the history of faith and courage. It was here that the Christian hero Pelayo and a small band of faithful followers sought refuge and found strength during the battles that would eventually lead to the beginning of the Christian Reconquest of Spain.

But Covadonga is more than just a place of military victory. It is a sacred site where the hand of God and the protection of Our Lady were powerfully felt. The small, humble cave became a beacon of hope, perseverance, and divine providence. Today, the shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga draws pilgrims from all over the world who come seeking strength, protection, and inspiration.

The cave itself, simple and hidden among waterfalls and rugged cliffs, reminds us that

God often works in the quiet, out-of-the-way places of our lives. It teaches that faith and courage often begin not with loud triumphs but with small, determined acts of trust.

For pilgrims today, Covadonga invites reflection on the battles we each face — not with swords, but within our own hearts. It calls us to lean on Our Lady’s protection, to trust in God's quiet strength, and to believe that even small acts of faith can lead to great victories.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don't have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. What "battles" am I currently facing in my life where I need to trust more in God's strength?

2. How does the story of Covadonga inspire me to face challenges with courage and hope?

3. When have I experienced God's help in unexpected or "hidden" ways, like at Covadonga?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. What does the quiet, hidden beauty of the Holy Cave teach me about where God works in my life?

2. If I could ask Our Lady of Covadonga for one grace or help today, what would it be?

Final Thought:

Ask Our Lady of Covadonga to protect you, strengthen your faith, and help you trust in God's plan even when the path ahead seems hidden or hard.

15

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - FATIMA

The Camino de Santiago and the Joy of Arrival

For centuries, pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago, the Way of Saint James, across the hills, valleys, and villages of Spain. Every step brings the pilgrim closer to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the tomb of Saint James the Apostle rests. The Camino is not just a hike — it is a journey of the heart, a test of perseverance, patience, and deep trust.

Even walking just a portion of the Camino offers a powerful experience. The road is filled with challenges: blisters, long distances, heat, and fatigue. But it is also filled with unexpected joys: new friendships, acts of kindness from strangers, and moments of breathtaking beauty that reveal God’s presence along the way.

Arriving in Santiago is a moment of triumph and gratitude. One of the most memorable traditions is attending Mass at the cathedral and seeing the famous “botafumeiro” — an

enormous silver incense burner that swings high across the church, filling the air with clouds of incense. Originally used to purify the air for tired and sweaty pilgrims, the botafumeiro today is a thrilling and awe-inspiring sight, a symbol of prayers rising up to heaven after a long and faithful journey.

Walking the Camino teaches that faith is a journey too: it requires endurance, trust, and the willingness to keep going even when the path is hard. And just like the Camino, faith is filled with surprises, beauty, and grace for those who walk it with an open heart.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. What qualities of Saint James — like courage, faith, or perseverance — do I want to grow in during this pilgrimage?

2. How can I learn from Saint James’ example of leaving everything behind to follow Christ more fully?

3. Even though I am only walking a small part of the Camino, what small steps of faith can I take in my own life after this pilgrimage?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. If Saint James could walk beside me today, what advice would he give me about being a disciple?

2. How can I share the spirit of the Camino de Santiago with others back home?

Final Thought:

Ask Saint James to walk with you on your pilgrimage. Pray for strength, courage, and an open heart to follow Christ more closely in your daily life.

June 16 FATIMA

Our Lady of Fatima and the Call to Trust

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, nestled in the heart of Portugal, is one of the most beloved pilgrimage sites in the world. It was here, in 1917, that Mary appeared to three shepherd children, bringing messages of peace, repentance, and hope to a world engulfed in war and uncertainty.

At Fatima, the simplicity and faith of the children — Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta — remind us that God often chooses the humble and the young to carry His most important messages. Mary’s call was clear: pray, trust in God’s mercy, and offer sacrifices for the conversion of hearts. Her words continue to echo today, inviting all pilgrims to respond with courage and love.

The sanctuary today is a place of deep prayer and reflection. Pilgrims light candles, walk in silent processions, and gather in prayer before the statue of Our Lady. One especially powerful

detail is the crown of the statue, which holds the bullet that nearly took the life of Saint John Paul II. He believed it was Our Lady of Fatima who protected him that day, and he offered his survival back to her in gratitude.

Fatima invites every pilgrim to bring their fears, prayers, and hopes to Mary. It teaches that through prayer, penance, and trust, even the greatest wounds can be healed, and even the darkest times can be touched by God’s light.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. What fears or worries do I need to entrust to Our Lady during this pilgrimage?

2. How does the faith and courage of the three children at Fatima inspire me in my own life?

3. Like Saint John Paul II, where have I experienced or hoped for Mary’s protection in my life?

Bonus Reflection Questions:

1. What is one small sacrifice or act of love I can offer for others, as Mary asked at Fatima?

2. What prayer or hope would I like to place at the feet of Our Lady of Fatima?

Final Thought:

Ask Our Lady of Fatima to help you trust in God’s mercy, live with greater faith, and bring peace and hope into the world around you.

FATIMA - SANTEREM - LISBOA

The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarém

In the small town of Santarém, Portugal, one of the oldest recorded Eucharistic miracles in Church history took place. In the 13th century, a woman, desperate to solve her troubled marriage, sought the help of a sorceress. She was instructed to steal a consecrated host from Mass. When she succeeded, the host began to bleed in her hands. Terrified, she ran home and hid it in a chest. That night, a brilliant light shone from the chest, revealing the miracle. Her husband and many townspeople witnessed it, and the host was reverently returned to the Church, where it is still venerated today.

This miracle reminds us of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist — body, blood, soul, and divinity. It is a powerful invitation to approach the altar with deeper reverence, faith, and awe. In the Eucharist, Christ offers Himself to us fully, asking for our trust, love, and conversion in return.

Pilgrims who visit Santarém are reminded that even in moments of weakness, confusion, and sin, God’s mercy and miracles can break through. The Eucharist is not just a symbol — it is a living encounter with Jesus, always calling us back to Himself.

We will also visit the Church of Saint Anthony in Lisbon, built over the birthplace of Saint Anthony of Padua, a beloved preacher and saint known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist. Nearby, the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém stands as a magnificent testament to Portugal’s Age of Exploration and its rich Catholic heritage. Both sites remind us of how faith has shaped history and how the Eucharist continues to nourish and inspire countless generations.

Take a few quiet minutes to think about these questions. You don’t have to answer every one, but choose a few that speak to you. Write honestly from your heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. How does the miracle at Santarém deepen my belief in Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist?

2. When I receive Communion, how can I approach Jesus with more love, trust, and reverence?

3. What areas of my life need the healing and mercy that Jesus offers in the Eucharist?

4. Bonus Reflection Questions:

5. How does God work even through moments of weakness and mistakes, as seen in the story of Santarém?

6. As I visit the Church of Saint Anthony and the Jerónimos Monastery, what signs of faith and God’s work in history inspire me most?

Final Thought:

Thank Jesus for His true presence in the Eucharist. Ask for a heart that believes more deeply, loves more fully, and trusts more completely in His mercy and love.

BASIC PRAYERS

Sign of the Cross

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Spanish] En el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espiritu Santo. Amen.

[Latin] In nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

[Spanish] Padre nuestro, que estas en el cielo. Santificado sea tu nombre. Venga a nosotros tu reino. Hagase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada dia. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como tambien nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentacion y libranos del mal. Amen

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

[Spanish] Dios te salve, Maria. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo. Bendita tu eres entre todas las mujeres. Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesus. Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

[Spanish] Gloria al Padre y al Hijo y al Espiritu Santo. Como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amen.

[Latin] Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Blessing Before a Meal

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Latin] Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

BEFORE MIDDAY MEAL: May the King of everlasting glory make us partakers of the heavenly table. Amen.

BEFORE EVENING MEAL:

May the King of ever-lasting glory lead us to the banquet of life eternal. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

V. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful.

R. And kindle in them the fire of Your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray: O, God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, You have taught the hearts of Your faithful. In the same Spirit, help us to know what is truly right and always to rejoice in Your consolation. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

[Latin] Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.

Angel of God

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here; ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule, and to guide. Amen.

[Latin] Angele Dei, qui custos es mei, me tibi commissum pietate superna; hodie illumina, custodi, rege, et guberna. Amen.

Morning Offering

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all our associates, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Three Hail Mary Devotion

St. Leonard of Port Maurice wrote that the faithful should pray three Hail Mary’s in honor of the most holy Trinity and in honor of Mary Immaculate for the grace to avoid all mortal sins, especially sins against the virtue of chastity, at waking and before bed. St. Alphonsus Liguori also recommended this practice.

Hail Mary, full of grace... (3x)

Let us pray: By thy holy and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, pray for me, that my body may be pure and my soul holy; preserve me this day from mortal sin. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Angelus

The Angelus is traditionally said at 6:00 a.m., at Noon, and at 6:00 p.m. in honor of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is especially appropriate at Noon. During Eastertide, the Regina Caeli is used instead.

V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

V. Hail Mary... R. Holy Mary...

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

V. Hail Mary... R. Holy Mary...

V. And the Word was made flesh. (genuflect)

R. And dwelt among us.

V. Hail Mary... R. Holy Mary...

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Generosity

Attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola

Dear Lord, teach me to be generous; teach me to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing that I am doing your will. Amen.

Suscipe

St. Ignatius of Loyola (Spiritual Exercises #234)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,    my memory, my understanding,    and my entire will,    all that I have and possess.  Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O Lord, I return it.  All is Thine, dispose of it    wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace,    for this is sufficient for me.  Amen.

Anima Christi

From the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O good Jesus, hear me.

Within thy wounds hide me.

Permit me not to be separated from thee.

From the wicked foe defend me.

At the hour of my death call me

And bid me come to thee,

That with thy saints I may praise thee For ever and ever. Amen.

To the Sacred Heart

O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you and will a lively sorrow for my sins. I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a

holy death. Within your heart I place my every care. In every need let me come to you with humble trust saying, “Heart of Jesus, help me.” Amen.

O Deus Ego Amo Te

St. Francis Xavier (16th century) translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.

O God, I love thee, I love theeNot out of hope of heaven for me Nor fearing not to love and be

In the everlasting burning. Thou, thou, my Jesus, after me

Didst reach thine arms out dying, For my sake sufferedst nails, and lance, Mocked and marred countenance,

Sorrows passing number,

Sweat and care and cumber, Yea and death, and this for me,

And thou couldst see me sinning: Then I, why should not I love thee, Jesu, so much in love with me? Not for heaven’s sake; not to be Out of hell by loving thee; Not for any gains I see; But just the way that thou didst me I do love and I will love thee: What must I love thee, Lord, for then? For being my king and God. Amen.

Salve Regina

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae; vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

ORDER OF THE MASS

Greeting

Cel: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Cel: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your Spirit.

Confiteor

Cel: I confess to almighty God

All: And to you, my brothers and sisters, That I have greatly sinned, In my thoughts and in my words, In what I have done and in what I have failed to do, and, striking their breast, they say: Through my fault, through my fault, Through my most grievous fault, Therefore, I ask blessed Mary everVirgin, All the Angels and Saints, And you, my brothers and sisters, To pray for me to the Lord our God.

Cel: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen

Kyrie Eleison

Penitential Acclamation in the Introductory Rites of the Order of Mass

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Gloria in Excelsis

For Sundays and Solemnities

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen Collect

Liturgy of the Word Homily

Nicene Creed

[The] Nicene Creed draws its great authority from the fact that it stems from the first two ecumenical Councils (in 325 and 381). It remains common to all the great Churches of both East and West to this day. (Catechism of the Catholic Church ¶ 195)

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father

and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

General Intercessions

Offertory

Cel: Pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Almighty Father.

All: May the Lord accept the Sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His holy Church.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Mortem Tuam

We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again.

Communion Hymn

Let All Mortal Flesh (Liturgy of St. James, ca. 4th cent.)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, And with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary, As of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, In the body and the blood; He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven Spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of light descendeth From the realms of endless day, That the powers of hell may vanish As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye,

Veil their faces to the presence,

As with ceaseless voice they cry: Alleluia, Alleluia

Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Prayer After Communion

Blessing

Recessional Hymn

Salve Regina

Salve Regina

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae; vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

PRAYERS BEFORE & AFTER MASS

PRPrayer of St. Ambrose (before Mass)

I draw near to the table of your most delectable banquet, dear Lord Jesus Christ. A sinner, I trust not in my own merit; but, in fear and trembling, I rely on your mercy and goodness. I have a heart and body marked by many grave offenses, and a mind and tongue that I have not guarded well. For this reason, God of loving kindness and awesome majesty, I, a sinner caught by many snares, seek safe refuge in you. For you are the fountain of mercy.

I would fear to draw near to you as my judge, but I seek you out as my Savior. Lord, I show you my wounds, and I let you see my shame. Knowing my sins are many and great, I have reason to fear. But I trust in your mercies, for they are beyond all numbering.

Look upon me with mercy, for I trust in you, my Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man, you who were crucified for mankind. Have mercy on me, you who never cease to make the fountain of your mercy flow, for I am

full of sorrows and sins.

I praise you, the saving Victim offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind. I praise the noble Blood that flows from the wounds of my Lord Jesus Christ, the precious Blood that washes away the sins of all the world. Remember, Lord, your creature, whom you have redeemed with your own Blood. I am sorry that I have sinned, and I long to put right what I have done. Most kind Father, take away all my offenses and sins, so that, purified in body and soul, I may be made worthy to taste the Holy of holies.

And grant that this holy meal of your Body and Blood, which I intend to take, although I am unworthy, may bring forgiveness of my sins and wash away my guilt. May it mean the end of my evil thoughts and the rebirth of my better longings. May it lead me securely to live in ways that please you, and may it be a strong protection for body and soul against the plots of my enemies. Amen.

Prayer to Blessed Virgin Mary (before Mass)

Mother of mercy and of love, most blessed Virgin Mary, I, a poor and unworthy sinner, fly to thee with all my heart and all my affection. I implore thy loving kindness, that even as thou didst stand beside thy dear Son as He hung upon the Cross, so wilt thou also stand by me, a poor sinner, and beside all thy faithful people receiving the most sacred Body of thy Son. Grant us, that by thy grace, we may receive it worthily and fruitfully in the sight of the most high and undivided Trinity. Amen.

Prayer of St. Padre Pio (after Mass)

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have you present so that I do not forget you. You know how easily I abandon you. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need your strength, that I may not fall so often. Stay with me, Lord, for you are my life, and without you, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for you are my light, and without you, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me your will. Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear your voice and follow you. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire

to love you very much, and always be in your company. Stay with me, Lord, if you wish me to be faithful to you. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I wish it to be a place of consolation for you, a nest of Love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes, death, judgement, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need you. It is getting late and death approaches. I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need you, my Jesus, in this night of exile! Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers, I need you. Let me recognize you as your disciples did at the breaking of bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to you, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love. Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but, the

gift of your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of you! Stay with me, Lord, for it is you alone I look for. Your Love, your Grace, your Will, your Heart, your Spirit, because I love you and ask no other reward but to love you more and more. With a firm love, I will love you with all my heart while on earth and continue to love you perfectly during all eternity. Amen.

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas (after Mass)

Lord, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank you, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth, but in the kindness of your mercy, you have fed me with the precious Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this holy communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the

perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to you, the one true God and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with you.

And I pray that you will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you with your Son and the Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. Amen.

NIGHT PRAYER SUNDAY

Or Solemnities

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR (p. 198)

HYMN

Te lucis ante terminum

Rerum Creator poscimus

Ut solita clementia

Sis praesul ad custodiam

Te corda nostra somnient

Te per soporem sentiant

Tuamque semper gloriam

Vicina luce concinant

Vitam salubrem tribue

Nostrum calorem refice

Taetram noctis caliginem

Tua collustret claritas

Praesta, Pater omnipotens

Per Iesum Christum Dominum

Qui tecum in perpetuum

Regnat cum Sancto Spiritu

Amen PSALMODY

Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

Psalm 91 - Safe in God’s sheltering care I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides in the shade of the Almighty says to the Lord: “My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”

It is he who will free you from the snare of the fowler who seeks to destroy you; he will conceal you with his pinions and under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, — nor the plague that prowls in the darkness nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand fall at your right, you, it will never approach; his faithfulness is buckler and shield.

Your eyes have only to look to see how the wicked are repaid, you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!” and have made the Most High your dwelling.

Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell. For you has he commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone. On the lion and the viper you will tread and trample the young lion and the dragon.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;

protect him for he knows my name. When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you.” I will save him in distress and give him glory.

With length of life I will content him; I shall let him see my saving power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

READING (Revelation 22:4-5)

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.

– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep

watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER (ON A SUNDAY)

Lord, we have celebrated today the mystery of the rising of Christ to new life. May we now rest in your peace, safe from all that could harm us, and rise again refreshed and joyful, to praise you throughout another day. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER (ON A SOLEMNITY)

Lord, we beg you to visit this house and banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy. May your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace, and may your blessing be upon us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

MONDAY

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR (p. 198)

HYMN

Christe qui, splendor et dies, noctis tenebras detegis, lucisque lumen crederis, lumen beatis praedicans,

Precamur, sancte Domine, hac nocte nos custodias; sit nobis in te requies, quietas horas tribue.

Somno si dantur oculi, cor semper ad te vigilet;

tuaque dextra protegas fideles, qui te diligunt.

Defensor noster, aspice, insidiantes reprime, guberna tuos famulos, quos sanguine mercatus es.

Sit, Christe, rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria, cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

PSALMODY

Ant. O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

Psalm 86 - Poor man’s prayer in trouble Blessed be God who comforts us in all our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3,4).

Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am faithful: save the servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,

for I cry to you all day long. Give joy to your servant, O Lord, for to you I lift up my soul.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of love to all who call.

Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice.

In the day of distress I will call and surely you will reply. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; nor work to compare with yours.

All the nations shall come to adore you and glorify your name, O Lord: for you are great and do marvelous deeds, you who alone are God.

Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth. Guide my heart to fear your name.

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart and glorify your name forever;

for your love to me has been great: you have saved me from the depths of the grave.

The proud have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; to you they pay no heed.

But you, God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger, O Lord, abounding in love and truth, turn and take pity on me.

O give your strength to your servant and save your handmaid’s son. Show me a sign of your favor that my foes may see to their shame that you console me and give me your help.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

READING

(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

God has destined us for acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, that all of us, whether awake or asleep, together might live with him.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. – I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE (Luke

2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, give our bodies restful sleep and let the work we have done today bear fruit in eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

TUESDAY

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR

HYMN

O Christ, you are the light and day Which drives away the night

The ever shining Sun of God And pledge of future light

As now the evening shadows fall Please grant us, Lord, we pray A quiet night to rest in you

Until the break of day

Remember us, poor mortal men, We humbly ask, O Lord,

And may your presence in our souls, Be now our great reward.

PSALMODY

Ant. Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

Psalm 143 - Prayer in distress

Only by faith in Jesus Christ is a man made holy in God’s sight. No observance of the law can achieve this (Galatians 2:16).

Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal. You are faithful, you are just; give answer. Do not call your servant to judgment for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead, long forgotten. Therefore my spirit fails; my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past: I ponder all your works. I muse on what your hand has wrought

and to you I stretch out my hands. Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer; for my spirit fails within me. Do not hide your face lest I become like those in the grave. In the morning let me know your love for I put my trust in you. Make me know the way I should walk: to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will for you, O Lord, are my God. Let your good spirit guide me in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life; in your justice save my soul from distress.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

READING

(1 Peter 5:8-9a)

Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. – I commend my spirit. Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, fill this night with your radiance. May we sleep in peace and rise with joy to welcome the light of a new day in your name.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

WEDNESDAY

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR

HYMN

All praise to you, O God, this night, For all the blessings of the light; Keep us, we pray, O King of kings, Beneath your own almighty wings.

Forgive us, Lord, through Christ your Son, Whatever wrong this day we’ve done; Your peace give to the world, O Lord, That man might live in one accord

Enlighten us, O blessed Light, And give us rest throughout this night

O strengthen us, that for your sake, We all may serve you when we wake.

PSALMODY

Ant. Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Psalm 31:1-6 - Trustful prayer in adversity Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46).

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.  Let me never be put to shame. In your justice, set me free,  hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,  a mighty stronghold to save me, for you are my rock, my stronghold.  For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Release me from the snares they have hidden  for you are my refuge, Lord. Into your hands I commend my spirit.  It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Ant. 2 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

Psalm 130 - A cry from the depths He will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,  Lord, hear my voice!

O let your ears be attentive  to the voice of my pleading.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,  Lord, who would survive?

But with you is found forgiveness:  for this we revere you.

My soul is waiting for the Lord,  I count on his word.

My soul is longing for the Lord — more than watchman for daybreak. Let the watchman count on daybreak  and Israel on the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy  and fullness of redemption,

Israel indeed he will redeem  from all its iniquity.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

READING (Ephesians 4:26-27)

If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. – I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE (Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, you have given your followers an example of gentleness and humility, a task that is easy, a burden that is light. Accept the prayers and work of this day, and give us the rest that will strengthen us to render more faithful service to you who live and reign forever and ever.

Amen. BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

THURSDAY

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR

HYMN

We praise you, Father, for your gifts Of dusk and nightfall over earth, Foreshadowing the mystery Of death that leads to endless day. Within your hands we rest secure; In quiet sleep our strength renew; Yet give your people hearts that wake In love to you, unsleeping Lord.

Your glory may we ever seek In rest, as in activity, Until its fullness is revealed,

O

source of life, O Trinity.

PSALMODY

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

Psalm 16 - God is my portion, my inheritance

The Father raised up Jesus from the dead and broke the bonds of death (Acts 2:24).

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

I say to the Lord: “You are my God.  My happiness lies in you alone.”

He has put into my heart a marvelous love  for the faithful ones who dwell in his land. Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.

Never will I offer their offerings of blood.

Never will I take their name upon my lips.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;  it is you yourself who are my prize. The lot marked out for me is my delight:  welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me! I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,  who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:  since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;  even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead,  nor let your beloved know decay. You will show me the path of life,  the fullness of joy in your presence,  at your right hand happiness forever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

READING (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. – I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE (Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God, send peaceful sleep to refresh our tired bodies. May your help always renew us and keep us strong in your service. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

FRIDAY

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR

HYMN

Te lucis ante terminum

Rerum Creator poscimus

Ut solita clementia

Sis praesul ad custodiam

Te corda nostra somnient

Te per soporem sentiant

Tuamque semper gloriam

Vicina luce concinant

Vitam salubrem tribue

Nostrum calorem refice

Taetram noctis caliginem

Tua collustret claritas

Praesta, Pater omnipotens

Per Iesum Christum Dominum

Qui tecum in perpetuum

Regnat cum Sancto Spiritu

Amen

PSALMODY

Ant. Day and night I cry to you, my God.

Psalm 88 - Prayer of a sick person

This is your hour when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).

Lord my God, I call for help by day;  I cry at night before you.

Let my prayer come into your presence.  O turn your ear to my cry.

For my soul is filled with evils;  my life is on the brink of the grave. I am reckoned as one in the tomb:  I have reached the end of my strength, like one alone among the dead;  like the slain lying in their graves;

like those you remember no more,  cut off, as they are, from your hand.

You have laid me in the depths of the tomb,  in places that are dark, in the depths. Your anger weighs down upon me:  I am drowned beneath your waves.

You have taken away my friends  and made me hateful in their sight. Imprisoned, I cannot escape;  my eyes are sunken with grief.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long;  to you I stretch out my hands.

Will you work your wonders for the dead?  Will the shades stand and praise you?

Will your love be told in the grave  or your faithfulness among the dead? Will your wonders be known in the dark  or your justice in the land of oblivion?

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:  in the morning my prayer comes before you. Lord, why do you reject me?  Why do you hide your face?

Wretched, close to death from my youth,  I have borne your trials; I am numb. Your fury has swept down upon me;  your terrors have utterly destroyed me.

They surround me all the day like a flood,  they assail me all together. Friend and neighbor you have taken away:  my one companion is darkness.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Day and night I cry to you, my God.

READING (Jeremiah 14:9a)

You are in our midst, O Lord, your name we bear: do not forsake us, O Lord, our God!

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.

– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his

CONCLUDING PRAYER

All-powerful God, keep us united with your Son in his death and burial so that we may rise to new life with him, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

SATURDAY

Or the night before a Solemnity

God, † come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: – as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia)

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

CONFITEOR

HYMN

Christe qui, splendor et dies, noctis tenebras detegis, lucisque lumen crederis, lumen beatis praedicans,

Precamur, sancte Domine, hac nocte nos custodias; sit nobis in te requies, quietas horas tribue.

Somno si dantur oculi,

cor semper ad te vigilet; tuaque dextra protegas fideles, qui te diligunt.

Defensor noster, aspice, insidiantes reprime, guberna tuos famulos, quos sanguine mercatus es.

Sit, Christe, rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria, cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

PSALMODY

Ant. Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4 - Thanksgiving

The resurrection of Christ was God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work (St. Augustine).

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;  from anguish you released me; have mercy and hear me!

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,  will you love what is futile and seek what is false?

It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;  the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still.

Make justice your sacrifice and trust in the Lord.

“What can bring us happiness?” many say.  Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord. You have put into my heart a greater joy  than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once  for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer. Ant. 2 In the silent hours of night, bless the

Lord. Psalm 134 - Evening prayer in the temple Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great (Revelation 19:5).

O come, bless the Lord,  all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord,  in the courts of the house of our God.

Lift up your hands to the holy place  and bless the Lord through the night.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,  he who made both heaven and earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now,  and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.

READING (Deuteronomy

6:4-7)

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. – I commend my spirit. Glory to the Father… – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, † now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every

people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, be with us throughout this night. When day comes may we rise from sleep to rejoice in the resurrection of your Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

BLESSING

May † the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR ADORATION

O Salutaris Hostia

O saving Victim opening wide, The gate of heaven to all below, Our foes press on from every side, Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

To Thy great name be endless praise, Immortal Godhead, One in Three,

Oh, grant us endless length of days, In our true native land with Thee. Amen Tantum Ergo

V. You have given them bread from heaven. R. Having all sweetness within it.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the Memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of your Body and Blood help us to experience the salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom: where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Divine Praises

Blessed be God.

Blessed be his Holy Name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Blessed be the Name of Jesus.

Blessed be his Most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be his Most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.

Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her glorious Assumption.

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Blessed be God in his angels and in his Saints.

[Optional Concluding Prayer] May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world, even unto the end of time. Amen.

Examination of Conscience

(adapted from Appendix III, Rite of Penance)

Mortal sin, by attacking the vital principle within us — that is, charity — necessitates a new initiative of God’s mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished within the setting of the sacrament of reconciliation… For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent”1 (Catechism of the Catholic Church ¶ 1856-7).

1. TRUE REPENTANCE. What is my attitude to the Sacrament of Penance? Do I sincerely want to be set free from sin, to turn again to God, to begin a new life, and to enter into a deeper friendship with God? Or do I look at it as a burden, to be undertaken as seldom as possible?

2. SIN AGAINST THE SACRAMENT. Did I forget to mention, or deliberately conceal, any grave (mortal) sins in past confessions? Have I fulfilled my obligation to go to Confession at least once a year and of going worthily to Holy Communion at least once during the Easter season?

3. FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH PENANCE. Did I perform the penance I was given in my last confession? Did I make reparation for any injury to others? Have I tried to put into practice my resolution to lead a better life in keeping with the Gospel?

The Lord says: “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.”

4. HEART SET ON GOD. Is my heart set on God, so that I really love him above all things and am faithful to his commandments, as a son loves his father? Or am I more concerned about the things of this world (money, clothes, sports, social media, music, peer approval)? Have I a right intention in what I do?

5. FAITH. God spoke to us in his Son. Is my faith in God firm and secure? Am I wholehearted in accepting the Church’s teaching? Have I been careful to grow in my understanding of the faith, to hear God’s Word, to listen to instructions on the faith, to avoid dangers to faith? Have I been always strong and fearless in professing my faith in God and the Church? Have I been willing to

be known as a Christian in private and public life?

6. PRAYER. Have I prayed morning and evening? When I pray, do I really raise my mind and heart to God or is it a matter of words only? Do I offer God my difficulties, my joys, and my sorrows? Do I turn to God in time of temptation? Do I pray only when I need something or also to praise and thank Him?

7. REVERENCE FOR GOD. Have I love and reverence for God’s name? Have I offended him in blasphemy, swearing falsely, or taking his name in vain? Have I shown disrespect for the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints? Have I used foul language?

8. REMEMBERING THE SABBATH. Do I keep Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation holy by taking part in the Mass with attention and devotion? Have I kept the hour-long Eucharistic fast before Holy Mass? Have I received Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin? Have I really prayed and paid attention during Holy Mass or have I just

gone through the motions? Have I arrived at Mass late due to carelessness or left early without a serious reason?

9. KEEPING GOD FIRST. Are there false gods that I worship by giving them greater attention and deeper trust than I give to God: money, ideology, superstition, or occult practices (Ouija boards, mediums, psychics, astrology, etc.)? Do I keep holy the Sabbath by avoiding unnecessary or servile work on Sundays?

The Lord says: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

10. LOVE OF NEIGHBOR. Have I genuine love for my neighbors? Or do I use them for my own ends, or do to them what I would not want done to myself? Have I given grave scandal by my words or actions?

11. FAMILY LIFE. In my family life, have I contributed to the well-being and happiness of the rest of the family by patience and genuine love? Have I been obedient to parents, showing them proper respect and giving them

help in their spiritual and material needs?

12. DUTY TO THE POOR. Do I share my possessions with the less fortunate? Do I do my best to help the victims of oppression, misfortune, and poverty?

13. DUTY TO THE CHURCH. Does my life reflect the mission I received in Confirmation? Do I share in the apostolic and charitable works of the Church and in the life of my parish? Do I help to meet the needs of the Church and of the world around me?

14. DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY. Am I concerned for the good and prosperity of the human community in which I live, or do I spend my life caring only for myself? Do I look down on my neighbor, particularly the sick, the elderly, or people of other races and nationalities? Do I share to the best of my ability in the work of promoting justice, morality, and love?

15. DUTY TO JUSTICE. Am I just, hardworking, and honest at school? Have I been faithful to my promises?

16. DUTY TO LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY.

Have I obeyed legitimate authority and given them due respect (teachers, coaches, police, administrators, elected officials, etc.)?

17. TRUTH. Have I been truthful and fair, or have I injured others by deceit, calumny, detraction, rash judgment, or violation of a secret? Have I cheated at school or in games?

18. LIFE. Have I done violence to others by damage to life or limb, reputation, honor, or material possessions? Have I involved them in loss? Have I been responsible for advising an abortion or procuring one? Have I kept up hatred or grudges for others? Am I estranged from others through quarrels, enmity, insults, anger? Have I intentionally cut or harmed my body, forgetting that it is meant to be a temple of God? Did I attempt suicide or entertain thoughts of taking my life?*

19. THEFT. Have I stolen the property of others? Have I desired it unjustly and inordinately? Have I damaged it? Have I made restitution of other people’s property and made good their loss?

20. FORGIVENESS. If I have been injured, have I been ready to make peace and to forgive, for the love of Christ, or do I harbor hatred and the desire for revenge? The Lord says: “Be perfect as your Father is perfect.”

21. PURPOSE IN MY LIFE. Where is my life really leading me? Is the hope of eternal life my inspiration? Have I tried to grow in the life of the Spirit through prayer, reading the word of God and meditating on it, receiving the sacraments, self-denial?

22. VICE. Have I been quick to control my vices, bad inclinations, and passions (envy, excessive love of food and drink, etc.)? Have I been proud and boastful, thinking myself better in the sight of God and despising others as less important than myself? Have I imposed my own will on others, without respecting their freedom?

23. STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S GIFTS. What use have I made of time, of health and strength, of the gifts God has given me to be used like the talents in the Gospel? Do I use

them to become better every day? Or have I been too much given to selfishness or laziness?

24. SUFFERING. Have I been patient in accepting the sorrows and disappointments of life? How have I performed mortification so as to “fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ” (Col. 1:24)? Have I kept the precepts of fasting and abstinence?25. Chastity. Have I kept my senses and my whole body pure and chaste as a temple of the Holy Spirit, consecrated for glory as a sign of God’s faithful love?

26. SEXUAL PURITY. Have I dishonored my body by unworthy conversation or thoughts, evil desires, or actions? By myself (masturbation, pornography) or with others (premarital sex)? With a person of the same or opposite sex? Have I given in to sensuality? Have I fondled or kissed another person lustfully?

27. PURITY OF MIND AND HEART. Have I indulged in reading, conversation, shows, and entertainments that offend against Christian and human decency? Have I encouraged

others to sin by my own failure to maintain these standards? Have I done drugs, allowed myself to become intoxicated, or done other things that suspend my capacity for reason and damage my health?

28. FAITHFULNESS TO CONSCIENCE. Have I gone against my conscience out of fear or hypocrisy?

29. COMMITMENT

TO BAPTISMAL

PROMISES. Have I always tried to act in the true freedom of the sons of God according to the law of the Spirit, or am I the slave of forces within me?

RITE OF PENANCE

The penitent and the priest begin with the Sign of the Cross, saying:

In the Name of the Father, † and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The priest may read or say a passage from Sacred Scripture after which the penitent then states: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (amount of time) since my last Confession.

Confession of Sins & Penance

The penitent then makes a clear, concise, contrite, and complete confession. The priest urges the penitent to be sorry for his faults and gives him suitable counsel, reminding him that through the Sacrament of Penance, the Christian dies and rises with Christ and is thus renewed in the Paschal Mystery. The Priest proposes an Act of Penance which the Penitent accepts to make satisfaction for sin and to amend his life. The priest then asks the penitent to make an act of contrition.

Act of Contrition:

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

Then the priest extends his hands over the penitent’s head and says:

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and poured out the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God grant you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

R. Amen.

V. The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.

THE ROSARY

INTRODUCTION:

In the Name of the Father, † and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

AT THE CRUCIFIX:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

BEFORE EACH DECADE:

Announce the Mystery upon which you will be meditating (see below). Pope John Paul II also recommended reading a brief passage of Scripture related to the Mystery before proceeding to the prayers.

ON THE LARGE BEADS:

Our Father x 1

ON THE SMALL BEADS:

Hail Mary x 10

AFTER EACH DECADE:

Glory Be

FATIMA PRAYER:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN:

Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

PRAYER AFTER THE ROSARY:

Let us pray: O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that, meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

The Joyful Mysteries

Mondays and Saturdays

1. The Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 1:26-38)

2. The Visitation of our Lady to St. Elizabeth (Lk. 1:39-45)

3. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 2:1-20)

4. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Lk. 2:22-38)

5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the

Temple (Lk. 2:41-52)

The Luminous Mysteries

Thursdays

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan (Mt. 3:13-17, Mk. 1:4-11)

2. The Miracle at the Wedding in Cana of Galilee (Jn. 2:1-11)

3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Mt. 4:12-25)

4. The Transfiguration of Jesus (Mt. 17:1-9, Lk. 9:28-36)

5. The Institution of the Eucharist (Lk. 22:14-20)

The Sorrowful Mysteries

Tuesdays and Fridays

1. The Agony in the Garden (Mt. 26:36-56)

2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Mk. 15:1-15)

3. The Crowning with Thorns (Mk. 15:16-20, Mt. 27:27-31)

4. The Carrying the Cross to Golgotha (Lk. 23:26-32)

5. The Crucifixion (Jn. 19:17-30, Mt. 27:35-56)

The Glorious Mysteries

Wednesdays and Sundays

1. The Resurrection of our Lord (Mt. 28:1-15, Mk. 16:1-18)

2. The Ascension of our Lord (Acts 1:3-11)

3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-21)

4. The Assumption of our Lady (Song 2:10-13, Lk. 1:46-55)

5. The Coronation of our Lady (Rev. 11:19–12:1)

DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a devotion based upon the visions of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), a Polish sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy canonized in 2000. The Chaplet “concentrates on the mercy poured forth in Christ’s death and resurrection: the fount of the Holy Spirit, who forgives sins and restores joy at having been redeemed” (Directory on Popular Piety & the Liturgy, 154). It is prayed using normal Rosary beads.

INTRODUCTION: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

OPTIONAL OPENING PRAYER: You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in you! Amen.

Our Father... Hail Mary...

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

ON THE “OUR FATHER” BEADS

V. Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, R. In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

ON THE “HAIL MARY” BEADS

V. For the sake of his sorrowful Passion: R. Have mercy on us and the whole world.

AT THE END

The following is said three times:

V. Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One: R. Have mercy on us and the whole world.

OPTIONAL CLOSING PRAYER: Eternal

God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen

PLAN OF LIFE

Adapted from Oratio: Third Edition (with permission)

A pilgrimage is a perfect opportunity to commit to a more consistent prayer life. If you’re going to pray consistently, you’re going to have to pray at specific times. It’s an obvious statement, but it’s one of those things that needs to be said. To begin following a regular rhythm of prayer, set aside specific times to spend a few moments with God every day. These don’t have to be long periods at first, but they do need to be intentional moments where the only thing you’re doing is offering God thanksgiving, praise, petition, or intercession.

If you’re a beginner, it’s important to take a realistic approach to acquiring a rhythm of prayer. If learning to sing or play an instrument, you wouldn’t pick up a Stradivarius violin and expect to play the first chair’s part in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in one week; neither should you expect – or attempt, if you are a beginner – to take on everything suggested here in one fell swoop. Instead, try beginning with two or three of the disciplines, be faithful to them for

a few weeks, and then try adding more.

As you grow in fidelity, set aside time every day for mental prayer, engaging in a silent dialogue with God. Start with 5-10 minutes a day. Find somewhere quiet and silently ask the Lord to speak to your heart, using Sacred Scripture and other aids to enlighten your prayer. Consider the words of the Prophet Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

And as you begin each day, recall the great tradition that associates each day with some aspect of our Faith: Sundays celebrate the Resurrection. Mondays remind us to pray for the holy souls in purgatory. Tuesdays remind us to ask for the intercession of our Guardian Angels. Wednesdays are the opportunity to recall St. Joseph and ask for his prayers for a holy death. Thursdays recall the Holy Eucharist and give us the chance to visit the Blessed Sacrament. Fridays remind us of the Passion and Death of our Lord. Saturdays recall the Blessed Virgin Mary, a particularly apt time to pray the Rosary or some other Marian devotion. Use the pages that follow to write out your own rhythm of prayer (what many great saints

call a “plan of life”). Commit to daily, weekly, and monthly disciplines. Like an athlete, train yourself for the day of spiritual battle. There’s no time like the present to become a saint.

To sum it up, the love of God is so profound that it demands a response. Let us commit to prayer for love of Him, for He is our only hope.

Suggested Rhythm

Daily Morning Offering Mass (if possible)

Mental Prayer Rosary (start with a decade) Angelus

Spiritual Reading Examen

Weekly Sunday Mass

Monthly Confession & Spiritual Direction Half Day of Prayer

Yearly Retreat

ADDITIONAL HYMNS

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

Ad majorem Dei gloriam

Ad majorem Dei gloriam

Ad majorem Dei

Ad majorem Dei

Ad majorem Dei gloriam

Ad majorem Dei

Ad majorem Dei

Ad majorem Dei gloriam

All Creatures of our God and King

St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

trans. William H. Draper (1855-1933)

All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice and hear us sing

O praise Him, alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam

Thou silver moon with softer gleam

O praise Him, O praise Him

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong

Ye clouds that sail in heaven along

O praise Him, alleluia!

Thou rising morn in praise rejoice

Ye lights of evening find a voice

O praise Him, O praise Him

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless And worship Him in humbleness

O praise Him, alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son And praise the Spirit, Three in One O praise Him, O praise Him

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia! Sing to Jesus

W. Chatterton Dix (1837-1898)

Alleluia! Sing to Jesus

His the scepter, His the throne

Alleluia! His the triumph

His the victory alone

Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion

Thunder like a mighty flood

“Jesus out of ev’ry nation

Has redeemed us by His blood

Alleluia! Not as orphans

Are we left in sorrow now

Alleluia! He is near us

Faith believes, nor questions how

Though the cloud from sight received Him

When the forty days were o’er

Shall our hearts forget His promise “I am with you evermore”

Alleluia! Bread of heaven

Here on earth our food, our stay

Alleluia! Here the sinful Flee to You from day to day

Intercessor, Friend of sinners

Earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea

Where the songs of all the sinless

Sweep across the crystal sea

Be Thou My Vision

att. St. Dallan Forgaill (530-598)

trans. Mary E. Byrne, (1880-1931)

Be Thou my Vision O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought by day or by night

Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom and Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord

Thou my great Father and I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Riches I heed not nor man’s empty praise

Thou mine inheritance now and always

Thou and Thou only the first in my heart

High King of Heaven my Treasure Thou art

High King of Heaven my victory won

May I reach Heaven’s joys O bright Heaven’s

Sun

Heart of my own heart whatever befall

Still be my Vision O Ruler of all

Come Holy Ghost

Rhabanus Maurus (776-856)

trans. Richard Mant (1776-1848)

Come Holy Ghost, Creator blest

And in our souls take up Thy rest

Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid

To fill the hearts which Thou hast made (2x)

To Thee the Comforter, we cry To Thee the Gift of God most high

The Fount of life, the Fire of love

The soul’s anointing from above (2x)

O Finger of the hand divine

The sevenfold gifts of grace are Thine True promise of the Father Thou Who dost the tongue with power endow (2x)

Thy light to every sense impart And shed Thy love in every heart

Thine own unfailing might supply To strengthen our infirmity (2x)

Praise be to Thee, Father and Son And Holy Spirit, Three in One

And may the Son on us bestow

The gifts that from the Spirit flow (2x)

Come Thou Fount

Robert Robinson (1735-1790)

Come Thou fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it

Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer

Here by Thy great help I’ve come

And I hope by Thy good pleasure

Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger

Wandering from the fold of God

He to rescue me from danger

Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be

Let Thy goodness like a fetter

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

Crown Him with Many Crowns

Matthew Bridges, Godfrey Thring (1851)

Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.

Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.

Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o’er the grave, and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save; his glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of love;

behold his hands and side, rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified; no angels in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends their burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Dear

Lord and Father of Mankind

John Greenleaf Whittier (1872)

Dear Lord and Father of mankind

Forgive our foolish ways

Reclothe us in our rightful mind In purer lives thy service find In deeper reverence, praise

In simple trust like theirs who heard Beside the Syrian sea

The gracious calling of the Lord

Let us, like them, without a word Rise up and follow Thee

O Sabbath rest by Galilee

O calm of hills above

Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee

The silence of eternity, interpreted by love

Drop thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease

Take from our souls the strain and stress

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace

Breathe through the heats of our desire

Thy coolness and Thy balm

Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire

Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire

O still, small voice of calm

Doxology

Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly host

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Faith

of our Fathers

Fr. Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863)

Faith of our fathers living still

In spite of dungeon fire and sword

O how our hearts beat high with joy

Whenever we hear that glorious Word

Faith of our fathers, holy faith

We will be true to thee till death

Faith of our fathers, we will love

Both friend and foe in all our strife

And preach Thee, too, as love knows how By kindly words and virtuous life

Faith of our fathers, holy faith…

Faith of our fathers, Mary’s prayers

Shall win all nations unto Thee

And through the truth that comes from God

We all shall then be truly free

Fairest Lord Jesus

anon., “Schönster Herr Jesu,” ca. 1662 trans. Joseph A. Seiss (1823-1904)

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature

O Thou of God and man the Son

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor Thou my soul’s glory, joy, and crown

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands, Robed in the blooming garb of spring

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer

Who makes the woeful heart to sing

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling starry host

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, adoration

Now and forever more be Thine

Hail Holy Queen

trans. anon. from ”Roman Hymnal” (ca. 1884)

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria

Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria

Triumph, all ye cherubim

Sing with us, ye seraphim

Heaven and earth resound the hymn

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

Our life, our sweetness, here below, O Maria

Our hope in sorrow and in woe, O Maria

Triumph, all ye cherubim…

To thee we cry, poor sons of Eve, O Maria

To thee we sigh, we mourn, we grieve, O Maria

Triumph, all ye cherubim…

Turn then most gracious Advocate, O Maria

Toward us thine eyes compassionate, O Maria

Triumph, all ye cherubim…

The cause of joy to men below, O Maria

The spring through which all graces flow, O

Maria

Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

metrical “Te Deum”, att. Fr. Ignaz Franz (1719-1790)

trans. C. A. Walworth (1820-1900)

Holy God, we praise Thy Name

Lord of all, we bow before Thee!

All on earth Thy scepter claim

All in Heaven above adore Thee

Infinite Thy vast domain

Everlasting is Thy reign

Hark! the loud celestial hymn

Angel choirs above are raising

Cherubim and seraphim

In unceasing chorus praising Fill the heavens with sweet accord

Holy, holy, holy, Lord

Holy Father, Holy Son

Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee

While in essence only One

Undivided God we claim Thee

And adoring bend the knee

While we own the mystery

Holy, Holy, Holy Reginald Herber (1783-1826)

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea

Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before Thee

Who was, and is, and evermore shall be

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide

Thee

Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see

Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee Perfect in power, in love, and purity

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy Name in earth, and sky, and sea Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

I Heard the Voice

Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

I heard the voice of Jesus say “Come unto me and rest

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon my breast” I came to Jesus as I was So weary, worn, and sad I found in Him a resting place And He has made me glad

I heard the voice of Jesus say “Behold, I freely give The living water, thirsty one Stoop down and drink and live”

I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived And now I live in Him

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s light; look unto me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun; and in that light of life I’ll walk till traveling days are done.

Immaculate Mary

Fr. Jeremiah W. Cummings (1814-1866) alt. ref. anon., ca. 1897

Immaculate Mary, thy praises we sing Who reignest in splendor with Jesus our King Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! (repeat)

In Heaven the blessed thy glory proclaim On earth we thy children invoke thy fair name Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! (repeat)

We pray for God’s glory, may His kingdom come

We pray for His Vicar, our Father in Rome

Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! (repeat)

We pray for our Mother, the Church upon earth

And bless, dearest Lady, the land of our birth

Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! (repeat)

Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All Fr. Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863)

Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all

How can I love Thee as I ought?

And how revere this wond’rous gift

So far surpassing hope or thought?

Had I but Mary’s sinless heart

To love Thee with, my dearest King O with what bursts of fervent praise

Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing!

Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore O make us love Thee more and more!

O make us love Thee more and more!

O, see, within a creature’s hand

The vast Creator deigns to be

Reposing infant-like, as though On Joseph’s arm, on Mary’s knee

Thy body, soul, and Godhead, all

O Mystery of Love divine!

I cannot compass all I have

For all Thou hast and art are mine

Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore…

Joyful, Joyful

Henry Van Dyke, Ludwig van Beethoven, & Edward Hodges (1907)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee God of glory, Lord of love

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee

Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness

Drive the dark of doubt away

Giver of immortal gladness

Fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays

Stars and angels sing around Thee

Center of unbroken praise

Field and forest, vale and mountain

Flowery meadow, flashing sea

Chanting bird and flowing fountain

Call us to rejoice in Thee

Thou art giving and forgiving

Ever blessing, ever blest

Well-spring of the joy of living

Ocean depth of happy rest

Thou our Father, Christ our brother

All who live in love are Thine

Teach us how to love each other

Lift us to the joy divine

Lead Kindly Light

vv. 1-3, St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

v. 4, E. H. Bickersteth, Jr. (1825-1906)

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom

Lead Thou me on

The night is dark, and I am far from home

Lead Thou me on

Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene; one step enough for me

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou

Shouldst lead me on I loved to choose and see my path but now

Lead Thou me on I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears

Pride ruled my will; remember not past years

So long Thy power hath blest me sure it still Will lead me on

O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent ‘till

The night is gone

And with the morn those angel faces smile

Which I have loved, long since and lost awhile

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path

Thyself hast trod

Lead, Savior, lead me home in childlike faith

Home to my God

To rest forever after earthly strife

In the calm light of everlasting life

Let All Mortal Flesh Liturgy of St. James (ca. 4th cent.) trans. Gerard Moultrie (1829-1885)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, And with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary, As of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, In the body and the blood; He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven Spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of light descendeth From the realms of endless day, That the powers of hell may vanish As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye, Veil their faces to the presence, As with ceaseless voice they cry: Alleluia, Alleluia

Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Love Divine All Loves Excelling Charles Wesley (1747)

Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heav’n, to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art. Visit us with thy salvation; enter ev’ry trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into ev’ry troubled breast. Let us all in thee inherit, let us find the promised rest. Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be. End of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty, to deliver, let us all thy life receive. Suddenly return, and never, nevermore they temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing,

serve thee as thy hosts above, pray, and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.

CARITAS CHRISTI

Kiko Argüello (1939)

Caritas Christi urget nos (2x)

The love of Christ urges us at the thought, the love of Christ urges us at the thought that if one has died for all then all have died; that if Christ has died for all then all have died.

And he died for all so that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died and is risen for them.

Caritas Christi urget nos (2x)

If someone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old things have passed away, new ones are born

The one who did not know sin God has

treated as sin so that we may become the righteousness of God in Him

Caritas Christi urget nos (2x)

Woe to me, if I do not announce the Gospel, woe to me, woe to me!

Caritas Christi urget nos (2x)

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