Chapter IX: Front Matter (9)

In effect, if the _seafaring man_ long for his arrival in
the port of his destination; if the _military man_ wish
for an and of the campaign, and long for the day that is to
restore him to his friends, crowned with laurels, and enriched
with spoils and trophies; if the _wearied traveller_ pant
after his native soil, and wish for the end of his journey; if
the _captive_ long to be freed from his chains; if the
_farmer_, after the toils and fatigues of the winter,
rejoice at the bright prospect of the approaching harvest; why
should not a _Christian_ long for the end of the laborious
winter of this life, in order to reap the sweet fruits of his
past labours?
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Why should he not be charmed with the well-grounded hope of
_entering_ into the joys of his Lord, and finding the
gates of heaven open to receive his soul? Why should he not
wish to be _rescued_ out of the stormy sea of this world,
and arrive safely in the harbour of eternal life? Why should he
not long for the end of the _spiritual warfare_ wherein he
is constantly engaged, in order to receive that never-fading
_crown of glory_, which is reserved in the kingdom of
heaven for such as _conquer?_ Why should he not welcome
the happy hour of his death, which is to restore him to his
native country, fix him in his proper habitation, secure him
from the embarrassments and snares of this mortal life, and
translate him to the glorious society of the holy apostles,
martyrs, confessors, virgins, and an innumerable host of
heavenly citizens, who await him, and long to congratulate his
happy arrival? "Which amongst us," says St. Cyprian, "who for a
long time had been a sojourner in a foreign country would not
anxiously desire to return to his native soil? What person
would not wish for a prosperous gale of wind to waft him with
expedition to his favourite home, that he might the sooner
embrace his friends and relations?" Heaven is our native
country; here we are but strangers, captives, and pilgrims.
Here we have no permanent city; but there we shall be at home
in our Fathers house. Here we are exiles and travellers,
hastening to the end of our journey. This world is a
tempestuous ocean, full of rocks and quicksands, wherein we are
constantly tossed to and fro by storms and hurricanes, tortured
between hopes and fears, and every moment exposed to the danger
of being shipwrecked. "O how happy are they," continues St.
Cyprian, "who, after being delivered from these storms and
hurricanes, have happily arrived at the haven of everlasting
bliss!" How happy are they who are removed from the dangers of
sin, and freed from the assaults of the devil, and the conflict
of their passions! How happy are they who are withdrawn from
the miseries of this perishable life, and have put on a
glorious immortality! Who would not rejoice to obtain
everlasting rest, out of the reach of danger? Who would not
cheerfully quit this sinful Babylon, to spend an eternity in
the presence of God, and live for ever with Jesus Christ, in
the company of millions of saints and angels!
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O blessed be that Divine Providence, that infinite goodness,
which has provided a better world to receive us, and there
promises us eternal life: Hence hath St. Teresa exclaimed: "O
death, I know not who can fear thee, since it is by thee that
we find life."

Too great a love of life betrays a want of that lively faith
and confidence, which, by fortifying the mind of a Christian,
enables him to stare death in the face, and despise that king
of terrors. It is now more than ever incumbent on us to comply
with the obligation we lie under, of suppressing inordinate
self-love in our hearts, and of doing, not our own, but the
will of our heavenly Father; for how inconsistent would it be
to desire that _his will may be done on earth, as it is in
heaven_, if upon summoning us to quit this world, we are
reluctant and unwilling to obey his call? With what propriety
can we say, _thy kingdom come_, whilst we evidently betray
a desire of remaining here in a state of bondage to our
passions and subjection to the devil, rather than accept the
invitation to go and live with Jesus Christ, in the kingdom
which he has purchased for us at the expense of his sacred
blood. To die well or ill, is all that should give us trouble.
We know for certain that death is the only way to eternal
happiness; that the cross is the ladder by which we should
ascend to heaven; and that through many sufferings and
tribulations we must endeavour to enter into it. Christ himself
died before he entered into his glory. We cannot arrive at
heaven by any other road. It is the only gate to life
everlasting. It is a passage from a valley of tears to a region
of unspeakable bliss. It is a deliverance from a continual
warfare, in which we are surrounded with a thousand dangers of
perishing. It is a happy exemption from the temptation of the
devil, the world, and the flesh, which are our capital enemies.
Animated therefore, with a bright prospect of eternal happiness
at our departure, we should consider the pangs of death as
nothing else but the breaking down of that partition which
stands betwixt the soul and the sight of its sovereign good.

"The body is a tottering edifice, which must necessarily fall,
that the soul may be at rest. It is like the scaffolding which
architects make use of to erect a palace; but which they take
away after the building is finished."--_Clement XIV.--Picture
of Man_.

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Short Acts Of Virtue,

Which may be leisurely and distinctly suggested to sick persons
in time of danger, yet so as not to fatigue them with too much
reading.

O my God, I firmly believe whatever thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches, and with the assistance of thy divine grace, I will die in this belief. Increase, O Lord, and strengthen my faith.

In thee, O Lord, I place my whole confidence. I hope to possess eternal life through thy infinite mercy and the merits of my Saviour Christ Jesus. O let me not be confounded for ever. My God! I love thee with my whole heart and soul, above all things, because thou art infinitely good and worthy of all love.

I love my neighbour, nay, and even my enemies, for the love of thee. O my God, it grieves me to the soul for having so ill-served so good a master. O that my heart could break asunder with sorrow for having offended thee by the sins of my past life! O that I had never offended so good a God! O unhappy day that I neglected to love thee! Too late, too late have I begun to love thee. I confess mine iniquities are many and grievous; but they cannot lessen my confidence in thy mercies, which are infinitely greater than my sins.

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I most humbly ask pardon for them. I detest them because they displease thee. O God, be merciful to me a sinner. O grant me a true and sincere contrition, and let not the enemy of my soul have any power over me, either now or at my last hour.

Pardon me, O Jesus. Hear me, O Jesus. Save me, O Jesus. I renounce from this moment, and for all eternity, the devil and all his works. I abhor all his suggestions and temptations. I will, by no means, give admittance or consent to them.

Grant me, O Lord, the most precious gift of final perseverance, that whenever my hour comes, I may die in thy grace. I beg pardon of all those whom I have any way offended, and I sincerely forgive all those who have any way offended or injured me, or who wish me any kind of evil whatsoever.

I recommend my soul to God my Creator, who made me out of nothing; to Jesus Christ my Saviour, who redeemed me with his blood; to the Holy Ghost, who sanctified me in the water of baptism.

Praise, honour, and glory, be to thy name for ever, O my God, for all the graces and benefits which I have received from thy bounty during the whole course of my life.

May thy providence be ever blessed and praised for all the sufferings I have endured: O receive them in satisfaction for my sins. I offer up to thee, O my crucified Redeemer, all that I now suffer, or may have yet to suffer, to be united to, and to be sanctified by thy passion.

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I am content to suffer here, in hopes that my momentary pains and sufferings will be soon changed into an eternity of happiness and comfort.

Let the flesh suffer and perish, so that the spirit may be safe. Scourge and afflict my body; and spare my soul for all eternity. Here wound me, here burn me, here cut me asunder; but spare me at my last hour.

My whole confidence, either of living or dying well, is grounded on the infinite merits of my Redeemer's death and passion, and the blood he hath shed for my sins.

Receive, O eternal Father, his precious merits, in full satisfaction for all my offences. O let me never be separated from thee.

Wound my heart with thy love, that it may relish nothing that is earthly. Take off my thoughts from this mortal life, that all my comfort may be placed in thee alone.

Dispose of my soul that it may be prepared at thy call to go forth and meet thee, and become thy habitation for ever.

To thee I resign my heart, and bequeath my soul. O do not cast me off amongst the reprobate; but make me fit to appear in thy sight.

O happy hour! when shall I behold thee? O sweet Jesus! when shall I appear before thy face? When shall I be disengaged from this earthly habitation, that I may come to the enjoyment of thee? When shall I be released from this prison, this miserable Babylon, this place of banishment, that I may bless thy name, and join with thy angels and saints in thy everlasting praise?

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When shall I lay down this cumbrous weight of flesh, and be delivered from this body of death, which I have loved too well?

Thou hast in thy justice decreed that I should die. I most humbly submit to the sentence, and readily accept it in the spirit of penance, in order to honour thee by the sacrifice of my life, and to give a proof of my obedience to thy orders.

I am content to die for thy glory, and to testify that I love thee better than myself.

I am content to die, that I may no longer offend thee, but that I may love thee, possess thee, praise thee, bless thee, and glorify thee for ever in heaven. I am content to die, to expiate by my death and suffering, all the sins which I have committed since I came into the world.

I am ready and willing to be deprived of every thing I have loved upon earth. I renounce all the vanities of the world, and now willingly bid farewell to this vale of tears and miseries.

Heaven is my happier home. Paradise is much more pleasant and agreeable, and death is the path that leads to it.

O happy news of my departure! I hope I shall soon hear the choirs of angels sing forth the immortal praise of my God. To dwell one day in his holy palace, in the company of the blessed, is better than to be a thousand years in the tabernacle of sinners.

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Let slow death then hasten on, that dying I may be no longer exposed to the dangerous occasions of sin, but that I may see and enjoy thee, my God, in paradise, and love thee eternally in the regions of bliss and immortality.

O heavenly Jerusalem! O beautiful city of God, my happy home! when shall I arrive in thy sacred tabernacles?

Take courage, my soul. The hour approacheth. Eternity comes on. Thy miseries and sorrows will soon have an end.

Thou art going to the nuptials of the Lamb. Thou art going to the land of the living. Thou art going to a kingdom where the God of all glory displays his grandeur with the greatest magnificence.

O welcome the approaching hour of death, which is to remove thee to a better life, and to translate thee from misery to felicity, from death to immortality.

Jesus Christ was crucified and died for thee. Be ready then to die for him, that thou mayest enjoy him in the kingdom of heaven, which he has promised to those who put their trust and confidence in him. [_Here the assistants may show a crucifix to the sick person_.] Contemplate him expiring on the painful bed of the cross, without any other pillow to support his head but a crown of thorns. Behold his merciful arms extended to embrace thee. {287} See his sacred side laid open to grant thee admittance to his heart. See his blessed head laid down to give the kiss of peace. See at how dear a rate he has purchased thy salvation. See what he suffered for thy sake. Embrace him with the most tender affection, and with a firm confidence that thou wilt soon see him in heaven, whom thou now beholdest fastened on a cross. Yes, my divine Redeemer, I embrace thee with all the affections of my soul. I depend on thy merits, and take shelter in thy bleeding wounds. I trust thou wilt not suffer me to be for ever miserable, for thou art infinitely good and merciful. Since I have thy blood to plead in my behalf, why should I fear? why should I tremble at the thoughts of death, when I consider that thou hast satisfied for my sins, paid my debts, and laid down thy life for my salvation?

I am not afraid of hell, though I have deserved it, because my dear Jesus has purchased heaven for me.

I hope in his mercy; and all the artifices of the infernal spirits shall never induce me to relinquish my hope.

In spite of them all, I will sing eternal praises to thee, O blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I will adore thy mercies, and will possess and love thee for ever.

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I will now say what, perhaps, I shall not be able to say at my dying moments:--"O Father of mercies, and God of all consolation, into thy most merciful hands I commend my soul, both for time and eternity."

Now, instead of then, when perhaps I may be deprived of the use of speech and reason, I offer thee, O Lord, my heart, my life, my agony, my pains, my anguish, my distress, and my death, to be united to the blood, sweat and agony of my dear Saviour Jesus Christ.

Now, as well as at the time of my departure, I renounce Satan, and declare my abhorrence of whatever evil thoughts he shall then suggest to me.

O God of my heart, my portion, and my inheritance for ever! I desire to love thee, as the angels of heaven love thee. O how good hast thou been to me, and how ungrateful have I been to thee! I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I ever offended thee, who art infinitely amiable. Forgive me, dear Jesus! forgive me, O Father of mercies.

O my God and my all! my soul doth thirst after thee. When shall I come and appear before thee, O thou fountain of mercy! O who will deliver me from this body of death! I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ; for Christ is my life, and to die will be my gain.

How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord God of Hosts! I love the beauty of thy house, and the place of thy glorious abode. "The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what things God hath prepared for those who love him."

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What have I more to do with the world? And in heaven, what can I desire but thee only, O Lord? Now dost thou dismiss thy servant in peace.

I am weary of this life. I willingly take my leave of this world, and of all terrestrial objects.

Nothing, O good Jesus! nothing more shall ever separate me from thee.

O holy Mary, mother of God, who didst assist at the death of thy beloved son Jesus, obtain for me the grace of a happy death.

Glorious St. Michael, prince of the heavenly host, intercede for me at the hour of my death, that I may depart this world in the grace and favour of my Creator.

O holy Angel Guardian, to whose care God in his mercy has committed me, stand by me at that dreadful hour; protect me against all the powers of darkness: defend me from all my enemies; and conduct my soul to the mansions of eternal repose.

O all ye blessed angels and saints of God, assist me by your intercession, in this last and dreadful passage.

O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, be thou then to me a powerful redeemer and advocate with the Father.

Let those hands which were nailed to the cross, plead in my behalf, and open to me the gates of heaven.

Be thou a Jesus to me, and save my soul at that awful period. Hide me in thy wounds, and protect me under the shadow of thy wings.

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O good Shepherd of souls! do not forsake me, but conduct my soul into eternal rest.

Suffer thy passion and death to stand betwix my soul and thy justice; and let these comfortable words sound then in my ears: "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise."

O sweet Comforter of desolate and distressed souls let me then experience the multitude of thy tender mercies, when my soul shall be in conflict with the pangs of death.

Be mindful of thy poor creature, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Remember thou hast bought my soul at a dear rate. O let not thy precious blood be lost on me, or spilt in vain.

O let not my soul perish, which cost thee so great a price.

Thou hast promised, that whosoever shall invoke thy name with faith and confidence, shall be saved: I invoke thy sacred name, O Jesus, with my whole heart, and with all possible respect and devotion: do not then suffer me to be lost for ever.

Help me, O God my Saviour; and for the glory of thy blessed name, deliver me. Look with an eye of pity on this poor piece of clay, and succour me in my distress.

I beseech thee, by thy sufferings on the cross, especially at that hour when thy blessed soul left thy sacred body, to have mercy on my soul at the time of its departure from mine.

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Call me to thyself, and receive me into the number of thine elect, that I may praise thee without end.

O Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.

Give me thy blessing, O most loving Jesus. Lord Jesus, receive my soul.

Receive me Lord Jesus, in thy mercy! receive my soul in peace.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

Post hominem vermis; post vermem fœtor et horror: Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo.

A Prayer By St. Liguori.

Ah, my Redeemer, how have I been able hitherto to live in such forgetfulness of you? You were prepared to grant me all the graces which I should ask of you; you only waited for me to ask them. But I have thought only of indulging my senses, and have been indifferent about the privation and loss of your love and of your graces. Lord, forget all my ingratitude, and have mercy on me. Pardon me all the displeasure I have given you, and grant me perseverance. O God of my soul, give me the grace always to ask your aid not to offend you. Do not permit me to be, as I have hitherto been, negligent in the performance of this duty. Grant me light and strength always to recommend myself to you, and particularly when my enemies tempt me to offend you again.

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Grant, O my God, this grace through the merits of Jesus Christ, and through the love which you bear to him. O Lord, I have offended you enough. I wish to love you during the remainder of my life. Give me your love; and may this love remind me to ask your aid whenever I shall be in danger of losing you by sin. Mary, my hope after Jesus, through your intercession I hope for the grace to recommend myself, in all my temptations, to you and to your Son. Hear me, O my queen, through the love which you bear to Jesus Christ.

A Devout Prayer Of St. Augustine
On The Sufferings Of Christ.

O God! who for the redemption of the world didst vouchsafe to be born--to be circumcised--to be rejected by the Jews--to be betrayed with a kiss--to be bound like a malefactor, and like an innocent lamb to be led to the slaughter--to be ignominiously brought before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and Herod--to be accused by false witnesses--scourged with whips--buffeted--defiled with spittle--crowned with thorns--stripped of thy clothes--fastened to the cross, placed between two thieves--to have vinegar and gall given thee to drink--to have thy side pierced through with a spear! Thou, O Lord, by these most grievous pains, which I, though unworthy, do commemorate, and by thy most sacred passion and death, free me from the pains of hell, and conduct me whither thy mercy did conduct the good thief crucified with thee: who, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest for ever.

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A Prayer Of St. Jerome In Time Of Agony.

Merciful Jesus, thou art my strength, my refuge, and my deliverer; in thee I have believed and hoped; in thee have I loved. Call me now, I beseech thee, and I will answer.--Stretch forth thy hand of mercy to the work of thy hands, and let me not perish, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

It is now time for dust to return to dust, and my spirit to thee who gavest it. Open then, Lord, the gate of life, and receive me; receive me most merciful Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, who receivedst the thief on the cross, and now prepare my soul for hearing the same promise of mercy which he did. I am sick, O Lord, and my life is withering away; therefore I come to thee my physician. Heal me then, my God, and I shall be healed: let me not be confounded; because I put my trust in thee. In thee have I hoped; let me not be cast off for ever.

But what am I, most merciful Lord, that I should speak thus boldly to thee?--I am a sinner, grown up in sin, a rotten carcass, a vessel of corruption, and food for worms. But spare me still, my God; for what victory is there in overthrowing me, who am but as dust before the wind? Forgive me all my sins, and deliver me from my distress.

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Arise and help me, Lord; arise and let thy mercy plead for me. Let my prayer ascend before thee, and stretch forth thy hand to help me; for behold I am covered with sin, and have done evil in thy sight, and there is none can heal me but thou, my God. If thou hadst not paid my ransom, by dying on the cross, should not I have been for ever miserable? Remember then, O merciful Jesus, that I have a share in that price that was paid. It was for me also, though most unworthy, thy blood was shed; let me, therefore, have a part in this mercy.

I confess I have many times offended against thee, and therefore am not worthy to be called thy child; but turn away thy face, I beseech thee, from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Deal not with me according to what I deserve, nor chastise me according to my iniquities; but help me, O God, my Saviour, and for the glory of thy name deliver me. Now at this hour show mercy to me, and whenever I depart receive me into the number of thy family, that I may be one of those who are to praise thee for ever.

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Prayers To Be Recited By The Assistants
When The Dying Person Loses The Use Of Speech.

Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech thee, by thy bitter agony and prayer in the garden, that thou wouldst be pleased to be an advocate with thy eternal Father, in behalf of this thy servant: lay before him (_her_) all those drops of blood which in thy anguish of spirit flowed from thy body, and offer them for the remission of all his (_her_) sins: that in this hour of extremity, he (_she_) may be discharged from that hand-writing of sin which stands against him (_her_), and from that punishment which he (_she_) fears to be too justly due to his (_her_) sins. "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Lord Jesus Christ! who for our salvation was pleased to suffer death on the cross, we beseech thee to offer up all the anguish and pains thou didst then endure, and most especially at the hour of thy death, in behalf of this thy servant, that they may be accepted in his (_her_) favour, for the good of his (_her_) soul, for the obtaining of a happy hour, and for the release from that punishment which he (_she_) has deserved for his (_her_) sins. "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Lord Jesus Christ! who hadst such a boundless love for man as to induce thee to become man for his salvation, we beseech thee to let this thy infinite charity and goodness towards mankind, so plead in behalf of this thy poor servant, that by thy powerful mediation, his (_her_) soul, at the moment of its departure from the body, being freed from the bonds of sin, may find a free admittance through the gates that lead to the mansions of eternal bliss. "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

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Lord Jesus Christ! who by thy precious blood hast redeemed us, we beseech thee to imprint deep in the soul of this thy servant the memory of thy most sacred wounds, that having them perpetually in his (_her_) sight, he (_she_) may be encouraged to suffer with patience and resolution, and be armed against all the pangs of death. Thus let him (_her_) cheerfully submit to all the difficulties of his (_her_) condition, and begin, even here, to be united to thee with a love that shall never end.

Grant him (_her_) now to partake of the fruit of thy holy incarnation, of thy bitter passion, of thy glorious resurrection, and admirable ascension.

Grant that he (_she_) may be sensible of the effects of thy holy mysteries and sacraments, and of all the prayers which are offered by the whole church.

Remember, O Lord, that thou wast once in the straits of death; and in this extremity, after crying out to thy eternal Father, and commending thy spirit to him, didst expire. Behold now this thy servant in his (_her_) anguish crying aloud to thee; stand thou by him (_her_), defend and comfort him (_her_) in this his (_her_) distress, and receive his (_her_) soul into thy merciful embraces.

Remember, O Jesus, that thy arms were stretched forth, thy side opened, and thy sacred head bowed down from the cross; have regard now, we beseech thee, to the soul of this thy servant, which, departing out of this world, seeks refuge in thee; receive it into thy arms, clasp it to thy breast, and there let it hide itself, secured from the attacks of all its enemies, till the anger of God pass over. {297} Into thy hands we commend his (_her_) spirit, which has been created and redeemed by thee, despise not, we beseech thee, the work of thy hands.

O Christ Jesus, who was crucified for our redemption, we beseech thee, by that love which brought thee from heaven, to have compassion on the soul of thy servant; forgive him (_her_) all his (_her_) sins, and by the merits of thy bitter passion, satisfy for all his (_her_) failings, and supply his (_her_) defects; let him (_her_) now experience the multitude of thy tender mercies, and be sensible how good thou, O Lord, art. Dispose now his (_her_) soul by thy grace, that he (_she_) may be prepared at thy call to go forth to meet thee, his (_her_) heavenly bridegroom. Grant him (_her_), we beseech thee, true patience and perfect resignation in his (_her_) pains and anguish. Give him (_her_) full discharge from all his (_her_) sins; confirm his (_her_) faith; strengthen his (_her_) hope, and perfect his (_her_) charity; that departing hence, his (_her_) soul may be received into thy mercy. O dear Redeemer, by that distress which thou didst suffer on the cross, when thou criedst out to thy eternal Father, we pray thee to show mercy to this thy servant in his (_her_) extremity; hear the sighs and desires of his (_her_) heart; and since he (_she_) is now deprived of the faculty of speech, speak thou for him (_her_) we beseech thee, who art the eternal Word, and to whom the Father will refuse nothing.

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By thy victory over death, and the infinite merits of thy passion, we beseech thee, on behalf of this thy servant, to have no other thoughts but of peace, of mercy and comfort, and not of affliction. Bear him (_her_) up against all distrust and despair; deliver him (_her_) from his (_her_) necessities, and be his (_her_) comforter in his (_her_) distress. Let those hands which were once nailed to the cross, now plead for him (_her_) and obtaining his (_her_) pardon, conduct him (_her_) into thy eternal rest. Amen.

The Recommendation Of A Soul Departing.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye Angels and Archangels,
_Pray for him (her)._
Holy Abel,
_Pray for him (her)._
All the choir of the Just,
_Pray for him (her)._
Holy Abraham,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. John Baptist,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Joseph,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye Patriarchs and Prophets,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Peter and St Paul,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Andrew,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. John,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy disciples of our Lord,
_Pray for him (her)._

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All ye holy Innocents,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Stephen,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy Martyrs,
_Pray for him (her)._
St Sylvester,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Gregory,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Augustine,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Laurence,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy Bishops and Confessors,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Benedict,
_Pray for him (her)._
St Francis,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy Monks and Hermits,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Mary Magdalen,
_Pray for him (her)._
St. Lucy,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye holy Virgins and Widows,
_Pray for him (her)._
All ye saints of God,
_make intercession for him (her)_.
Be merciful,
_spare him (her,) O Lord._
Be merciful,
_deliver him (her,) O Lord._
Be merciful,
_receive him (her,) O Lord._
From thy anger,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
From the danger of death,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
From an ill end,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
From the pains of hell,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
From all evil,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
From the power of the devil,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through thy nativity,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through thy cross and passion,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through thy death and burial,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through thy glorious resurrection,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through thy admirable ascension,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
Through the grace of the Holy Ghost, the comforter,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._
In the day of judgment,
_Deliver him (her), O Lord._

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We sinners,
_beseech thee to hear us._
That thou spare him (_her_),
_we beseech thee to hear us._

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Let Us Pray.

Depart then, O Christian soul, out of this miserable world, in the name of God the Father Almighty, who created thee; in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, cherubim, and seraphim; in the name of the patriarchs and prophets, of the holy apostles, and evangelists, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks and hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God: let thy place be this day in peace, and thy abode in holy Sion: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God of clemency! God of goodness! O God, who according to the multitude of thy mercies, forgivest the sins of such as repent, and graciously remittest the guilt of their past offences, mercifully regard this thy servant (_N_.) and grant him (_her_) a full discharge from all his (_her_) sins, who most earnestly begs it of thee. Renew, O merciful Father, whatever is corrupt in him (_her_) through human frailty, or by the snares of the enemy; make him (_her_) a true member of thy church, and let him (_her_) partake of the fruit of thy redemption. {301} Have compassion, O Lord, on his (_her_) sighs, have pity on his (_her_) tears, and admit him (_her_) to the sacrament of thy reconciliation, who has no hope but in thee: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I recommend thee, dear brother (_sister_,) to Almighty God, and commit thee to his mercy, whose creature thou art; that having paid the common debt, by surrendering thy soul, thou mayest return to thy Maker, who formed thee out of the earth. May, therefore, the noble company of angels meet thy soul at its departure. May the court of the apostles receive thee. May the triumphant army of glorious martyrs conduct thee. May the crowds of joyful confessors encompass thee. May the choir of blessed virgins go before thee; and may a happy rest be thy portion in the company of the patriarchs. May Jesus Christ appear to thee with a mild and cheerful countenance, and give thee a place among those who are to be in his presence for ever. Mayest thou be a stranger to all who are condemned to darkness, chastised with flames, or punished with torments. May God command thy wicked enemy, with all his evil spirits, to depart from thee. May the infernal spirits tremble at thy approach encompassed by angels, and retire into the horrid confusion of eternal night. May thy God arise, and thy enemies be put to flight. May all who hate him fly before his face. Let them vanish like smoke, or as wax before the fire; so let sinners perish in the sight of God. {302} But as to the just, let them rejoice and be happy in his presence. May all the ministers of hell be filled with confusion and shame, and let no evil spirit dare to stop thy course to heaven. May Christ Jesus, who was crucified for thee, be thy deliverer. May he deliver thee from death, who for thy sake vouchsafed to die. May Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God, place thee in his garden of Paradise; and may he, the true shepherd, own thee for one of his flock. May he absolve thee from all thy sins, and place thee at his right hand in the inheritance of his elect. O may it be thy happy lot to behold thy Redeemer face to face; to be ever in his presence, in the beatific vision of that eternal truth, which is the joy of the blessed. And thus placed among those happy spirits, mayest thou be for ever filled with heavenly sweetness. Amen.

Receive thy servant, O Lord, into that place where he (_she_) may hope for salvation from thy mercy.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant from all dangers of hell, and from all pain and tribulation.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Enoch and Elias from the common death of the world.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Noah in the flood.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Abraham from the midst of the Chaldeans.--R. Amen.

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Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Job from all his afflictions.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Isaac from being sacrificed by his father.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Lot from Sodom and the the flames of fire.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Moses from the hands of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Daniel from the lions' den.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst the three children from the fiery furnace, and from the hands of that unmerciful king.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Susannah from her false accusers.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst David from the hands of Saul and Goliah.--R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Peter and Paul out of prison.--R. Amen.

And as thou deliveredst the blessed virgin and martyr, St. Thecla, from most cruel torments, vouchsafe to deliver the soul of this thy servant, and bring it to the participation of thy heavenly joys.--R. Amen.

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Let Us Pray.

We commend to thee, O Lord, the soul of this thy servant; and beseech thee, O Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the world, that as in thy mercy to him (_her_) thou becamest man, so now thou mayest vouchsafe to admit him (_her_) into the number of the blessed. Remember, O Lord, that he (_she_) is thy creature, not made by strange gods, but by thee, the only true and living God; for there is no other God but thee, and none can work thy wonders. Let his (_her_) soul find comfort in thy sight, and remember not his (_her_) former sins, nor any of those excesses which he (_she_) has fallen into through the violence of passion and corruption. For although he (_she_) hath sinned, yet he (_she_) has still retained a true faith in thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; he (_she_) has had a zeal for thy honour, and faithfully adores thee his (_her_) God and Creator of all things.

Remember not, O Lord, the sins or ignorance of his (_her_) youth; but according to thy great mercy be mindful of him (_her_) in thy eternal glory. Let the heavens be opened to him (_her_,) and the angels rejoice with him (_her_). May St. Michael the archangel, the chief of the heavenly host, conduct him (_her_). May blessed Peter, thy apostle, to whom were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, receive him (_her_.) {305} May holy Paul thy apostle, and chosen vessel of election, assist him (_her_.) May St. John, thy beloved disciple, to whom were revealed the secrets of heaven, intercede for him (_her_.) May all thy holy apostles, to whom was given the power of binding and loosening, pray for him (_her_.) May all the chosen servants and martyrs of God, who in this world have suffered torments for thy sake, O Christ, intercede for him (_her_,) that being delivered from this body of corruption, he (_she_) may be admitted into the kingdom of heaven; through the assistance and merits of thee, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

[Should the sick person still continue in distress of agony, it
may be proper for the assistants to continue on in prayer, saying
Psalms xxi. cxviii.]

Litany For A Happy Death;

_Composed by a young Lady who was converted to the Catholic
Faith, and afterwards died at eighteen, in the odour of
sanctity._

O Lord Jesus, God of goodness, and Father of mercies, I approach to thee with a contrite and humble heart: to thee I recommend the last hour of my life, and the decision of my eternal doom.

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When my feet, benumbed with death, shall admonish me that my mortal course is drawing to an end, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my eyes, dim and troubled at the approach of death, shall fix themselves on thee, my last and only support, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my face, pale and livid, shall inspire the beholders with pity and dismay; when my hair, bathed in the sweat of death, and stiffening on my head, shall forebode my approaching end, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my ears, soon to be for ever shut to the discourse of men, shall be opened to the irrevocable decree which is to cut me off from the number of the living, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my imagination, agitated by dreadful spectres, shall be sunk in an abyss of anguish; when my soul, affrighted with the sight of my iniquities, and the terrors of thy judgments, shall have to fight against the angel of darkness, who will endeavour to conceal thy mercies from my eyes, and to plunge me into despair, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._.

When my poor heart, yielding to the pressure, and exhausted by its frequent struggles against the enemies of its salvation, shall feel the pangs of death, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When the last tear, the forerunner of my dissolution, shall drop from my eyes, receive it as a sacrifice of expiation for my sins; grant that I may expire the victim of penance; and in that dreadful moment, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

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When my friends and relations, encircling my bed, shall shed the tear of pity over me, and invoke thy clemency in my behalf, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When I shall have lost the use of my senses; when the world shall have vanished from my sight; when my agonizing soul shall feel the sorrows of death, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my last sigh shall summon my soul to burst from the embraces of the body, and to spring to thee on the wings of impatience and desire, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When my soul, trembling on my lips, shall bid adieu to the world, and leave my body lifeless, pale, and cold, receive this separation as a homage which I willingly pay to thy divine Majesty; and in that last moment of my mortal life, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

When at length my soul, admitted to thy presence, shall first behold the splendour of thy Majesty, reject me not, but receive me into thy bosom, where I may for ever sing thy praises; and in that moment, when eternity shall begin to me, _Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me._

Let Us Pray.

O God, who hast doomed all men to die, but hast concealed from all the hour of their death, grant that I may pass my days in the practice of holiness and justice, and that I may deserve to quit this world in the peace of a good conscience, and in the embraces of thy love: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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The Soul Being Now Departed,
The Following Responsory is Said:

Come to his (_her_) assistance, all you saints of God; meet him (_her_) all you angels of God; receive his (_her_) soul, and present it now before its Lord. May Jesus Christ receive thee, and the angels conduct thee to thy place of rest; may they receive thy soul, and present it now before its Lord.

V. Eternal rest grant him (_her_,) O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine unto him (_her_.)

May the angels present him (_her_) now before the Lord.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, &c.

V. And lead us not into temptation;

R. But deliver us from evil.

V. Eternal rest grant him (_her_,) O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine unto him, (_her_.)

V. From the gates of hell;

R. Deliver his (_her_) soul, O Lord.

V. May he (_she_) rest in peace;

R. Amen.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer;

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

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Let Us Pray.

Unto thee, Lord, we commend the soul of thy servant (_N_.) that being dead to this world, he (_she_) may live to thee; and whatever sins he (_she_) has committed through human frailty, we beseech thee, in thy goodness, mercifully to pardon: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Then, for a conclusion, may be added the following prayer for
the assistants, which may be also said at the burial.]

Grant, O Lord, that while we here lament the departure of thy servant, we may ever remember that we are most certainly to follow him (_her_). Give us grace to prepare for that last hour by a good life, that we may not be surprised by a sudden death, but be ever watching when thou shalt call, that so with the spouse we may enter into eternal glory: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer For All That Are Buried
In A Church Or Church-yard.

O God, by whose mercy the souls of all the faithful find rest, grant to all thy servants, here or elsewhere, that have slept in Christ, the full remission of all their sins; that being acquitted as well from the guilt as the temporal punishment due to them, they may be speedily admitted into thy heavenly kingdom, and there rejoice with thee for all eternity: through, &c.

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Exequies, Or Sacred Rites Over The Tomb.

[Solemnity performed after High Mass for the Dead, and which
may be privately recited after the Office.]

Responsory.

Libera me, Domine, de morte æterna, in die illa tremenda: *Quando cœli movendi sunt, et terra: *Dum veneris judicare sæculum per ignem.

V. Tremens factus sum ego, et timeo dum discussio venerit, atque ventura ira.

R. Quando cœli movendi sunt et terra.

V. Dies illa, dies iræ, calamitatis, et miseriæ: dies magna, et amara valde.

R. Dum veneris judicare sæculum per ignem.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

R. Libera me, Domine, de morte æterna, in die illa tremenda,
quando cœli movendi sunt et terra, dum veneris judicare sæculum
per ignem.

Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.

Pater noster, [_secreto_.]

V. Et nos inducas in tentationem.

R. Sed libera nos a malo.

V. A porta inferi.

R. Erue, Domine, animam ejus [animas eorum.]

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Exequies, Or Sacred Rites Over The Tomb.

[Solemnity performed after High Mass for the Dead, and which
may be privately recited after the Office.]

Responsory.

Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death on that dreadful day: *When the heavens and earth shall be moved: *Whilst thou wilt come to judge the world by fire.

V. I am seized with trembling and dread, when I reflect on the rigorous examination, and the vengeful wrath of that day.

R. When the heavens and earth shall be moved.

V. That day shall be a day of wrath, calamity, and misery: the great day of extreme bitterness and terror.

R. Whilst thou wilt come to judge the world by fire.

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and may the perpetual light of glory shine upon them.

R. Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death on that dreadful day,
when the heavens and earth shall be moved, whilst thou wilt
come to judge the world by fire.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, [_in silence_.]

V. And lead us not into temptation.

R. But deliver us from evil.

V. From the gates of hell.

R. Deliver his soul, [their souls,] O Lord.

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V. Requiescat (requiescant) in pace.

R. Amen.

V. Domine, exaudi, orationem meam.

R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

Oremus.

Prayer On The Commemoration Of All Souls.

Fidelium, Deus, omnium conditor et redemptor, animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum: ut indulgentiam quam semper optaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Suffrages For The Souls Of The
Faithful Departed In General.

Psalmus cxxix.

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: *Domine, exaudi vocem meum.

Fiant aures tuæ intendentes *in vocem deprecationis meæ.

Si iniquitatis observaveris, Domine: Domine, quis sustinebit?

Quia apud te propitiatio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.

Sustinuat anima mea in verbo ejus: *speravit anima mea in Domino.

A custodia matutina usque ad noctem, *speret Israel in Domino.

Quia apud Dominum misericordia: et copiosa apud eum redemptio.

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V. May he (they) rest in peace.

R. Amen.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Let Us Pray.

Prayer On The Commemoration Of All Souls.

O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed, the full remission of all their sins; that, through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Suffrages For The Souls Of The
Faithful Departed In General.

Psalm cxxix.

From the depths I have cried out to thee, *O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

Let thy ears be attentive * to the voice of my petition.

If thou wilt consider our iniquities, O mighty Lord, * who shall endure it?

But with thee there is merciful forgiveness: * and by reason of thy law I have waited for thee, O Lord.

My soul hath relied on his word: *my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch, even until night, * let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy: * and with him, plentiful redemption.

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Et ipse redimet Israel *ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.

Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.

Pater noster, (_secreto_.)

V. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,

R. Sed libera nos a malo.

V. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine;

R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

V. A porta inferi,

R. Erue, Domine, animas eorum.

V. Requiescant in pace.

R. Amen.

V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

Oremus.

Fidelium, Deus, omnium conditor et redemptor, animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum; ut indulgentiam quam semper optaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur. Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

V. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine.

R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

V. Requiescant in pace.

R. Amen.

V. Anima ejus (animæ eorum) et animæ omnium fidelium defunctorum, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace.

R. Amen.

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And he shall redeem Israel * from all his iniquities.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, (_in silence_.)

V. And lead us not into temptation,

R. But deliver us from evil.

V. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord;

R. And may the perpetual light of glory shine upon them.

V. From the gates of hell,

R. Deliver their souls, O Lord.

V. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come to thee.

Let Us Pray.

O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed, the full remission of all their sins: that through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

V. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord.

R. And may the perpetual light of glory shine upon them.

V. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

V. May his soul (their souls), and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

R. Amen.

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Litany For The Dead.

"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins." 2 Maccabees xii. 46.