Prayer to Christ the King
 
O CHRIST, JESUS, I acknowledge Thee as Universal King.
For Thee all creatures have been made. Do Thou exercise
over me all the rights that Thou hast.

Renew my Baptismal Vows, I renounce Satan,
with all his works and pomps, and I promise to live as a
good Catholic: Especially, do I pledge myself, by all
the means in my power, to bring about the triumph of the
rights of God and of Thy Church.

Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee all my poor actions to obtain
that all hearts may recognize Thy Sacred Royalty, and that thus the
reign of Thy Peace may be established throughout the entire world.
Amen.

(Catholic Tradition)

"With the Pontifical Encyclical Quas primas which was authoritatively forecast by several articles in the REVIEW during the past year, our High Priest, bearing the triple crown, explicitly asserts the threefold power of the Son of God who came to bring peace to all men of good will on earth. The full text of this important and inspiring document has been published and translated in official and in popular organs of the press, so as to make its message everywhere known.

What needs to be emphasized, however, is that its chief purpose is not merely to state the position and teachings of the Catholic Church through Christ's supreme living Apostle, but rather to rouse into action the leaders of nations and the heads of families so that they may know how justly to direct and safeguard their loyal subjects and set about to do it amidst the lawlessness, confusion of principles, and false doctrines which pervade the social and political world of to-day. The Catholic Father of Christendom raises his voice to remind the children of earth, whose eternal interests are committed to his care, that Christ Jesus in becoming man for our salvation meant to inaugurate definite and permanent incentives to action as well to create definite convictions by His teachings. Hence after reminding us that Christ is the universal Lawgiver of mankind by divine right, Pius XI points out that the Incarnation had for its chief end the establishing of an earthly executive organ, such as the Church, by which His law should be perpetuated among succeeding generations and its beneficent effects should be illustrated in the administrative and judiciary spheres of life. And in order that we may bear this fact constantly in mind the Sovereign Pontiff proclaims the Feast of JESUS CHRIST THE KING to be celebrated henceforth in all Catholic Churches throughout the world as a perpetual memorial of hope, even as Christmas and Easter have become annual reminders of faith and gratitude for millions who hearing the Name of Christ rejoice in His beneficent graces.

16. Christ as our Redeemer purchased the Church at the price of his own blood; as priest he offered himself, and continues to offer himself as a victim for our sins. Is it not evident, then, that his kingly dignity partakes in a manner of both these offices?

19. When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony.

31. When we pay honor to the princely dignity of Christ, men will doubtless be reminded that the Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state; and that in fulfilling the task committed to her by God of teaching, ruling, and guiding to eternal bliss those who belong to the kingdom of Christ, she cannot be subject to any external power.(...)

32. Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the last judgment, wherein Christ, who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected and ignored, will most severely avenge these insults; for his kingly dignity demands that the State should take account of the commandments of God and of Christian principles, both in making laws and in administering justice, and also in providing for the young a sound moral education.

33. (...) He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.[35] If all these truths are presented to the faithful for their consideration, they will prove a powerful incentive to perfection.

Source: Encyclical of Pope Pius XI on the Feast  of Christ the King: Quas Primas

Consecration of mankind to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Form of Consecration Issued with the Encyclical Letter of His Holiness, Leo XIII, dated May 25, 1899.

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us, humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are Thine and Thine we wish to be; but to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself to-day to Thy most sacred Heart. Many, indeed, have never known Thee; many, too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd. Be Thou King also of all those who sit in the ancient superstition of the Gentiles, and refuse not Thou to deliver them out of darkness into the light and kingdom of God. Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church, assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor forever.
Amen.

Source: My Prayer Book; Happiness in Goodness: Reflections, Counsels, Prayers and Devotions By Rev. Fr. Francis Xavier Lasance

Catholic priest vesting

"When offering the Holy Sacrifice the priest wears special garments. It is most proper to have special priestly clothing. God commanded Moses to see to it that Aaron and the priests when ministering put on special garments. "Thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron, thy brother, for glory and beauty" ( Exodus 28, 2). The Lord gives most minute directions regarding the vestments to be worn by Aaron and the priests. Read chapter 28 of Exodus. In like manner does the Catholic Church order her priests to use special garments when performing the offices of the priesthood.

The Council of Trent (Sess. 22. ch.5) enumerates the priestly vestments among the things "derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition." How are we to interpret these words of the Council! It is certain that the sacred vestments in their present form do not date back to apostolic times. It is also certain that our Lord instituted the Holy Sacrifice and that the Apostles and their immediate successors celebrated the Holy Sacrifice in clothes of ordinary make. What then, can be the meaning of the Council? The Council means to say that the practice of having garments of precious material and exclusively worn in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice, dates back as far as apostolic time. Of this we have ample proof. (Cf. Gibr, 29; K-L, Bd. 7, col. 766; Van der Stappen, III, 97).

As to the origin of the priestly vestments we can say with Kraus (Vol. II) and the authorities just named that they have developed from the clothing customary in the early ages of the Church. It is commonly accepted that the clothing worn by priests when ministering did not until about the fourth century differ in make from the ordinary. They were, as stated above, of more precious material and for exclusive use in the divine offices.

When the priest says Holy Mass, he puts on six different garments, namely, the amice, the alb, the girdle, the manipule, the stole, and the chasuble. (Cf. Missal, Ritus celebrandi Missam 1,3,4). These vestments not only designate the priestly office, but have a mystical and moral meaning. In this lesson we shall study the priestly vestments and their signification.

1. The Amice

"The amice is a rectangular piece of linen about three feet long and two feet wide. It has a string at each of its two upper corners by which to fasten it on the shoulders of the weaver, and a cross in the middle of the upper edge, which the priest kisses when vesting." (O'Brien) The word is derived from the Latin amicire, which signifies to throw around, to wrap about. The amice was no distinct garment with the Romans; but any garment used to throw loosely around the head or shoulders was so called.

The amice came into use toward the close of the eighth century. The Greek church does not use the amice nor an equivalent. the missal directs that the priest take the amice at the two upper corner, then kiss it where the cross is; afterwards he places it on the head, then drops it down on the shoulders and draws it around the neck.

Why is it first placed on the head? This is done to remind us that originally the amice was designed to cover the head and neck. The amice was so used until about the tenth century, when the biretta came into use. Some religious orders wear the amice on the head until the beginning of Mass. In the ordination of the sub-deacon the bishop first places the amice on the head and afterward draws it down onto the neck.

What is the spiritual signification of the amice? While vesting with the amice the priest say: "Place, O Lord, on my head the helmet of salvation, so that I may resist all the assaults of the devil." The amice therefore signifies the helmet of salvation.

Why is the amice placed around the neck? The bishop reminds the sub-deacon in the ordination service that the amice signifies the curbing of the voice - the tongue - castigatio vocis. For this reason, after placing the amice on the head, the bishop drops it down onto the neck.

Let both priest and people say when getting ready to assist at the Holy Sacrifice, " I said: I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me. " (Psalm 38, 1,2).

2. The Alb

"The alb is a loosely-fitting garment of pure linen, entirely enveloping the body, and fastened at the neck by means of strings" (O'Brien).

This garment we find used by all nations in their religious rites. Among the vestments of the Mosaic priesthood we find a straight linen garment mentioned (Cf. Exodus 28; Lev. 8.7) The alb corresponds to the Roman tunica - an undergarment.

What does the alb signify? The prayer prescribed to be said while putting on the alb will tell us: "Make me white, O Lord, and cleanse my heart; that being made white in the blood of the Lamb, I may deserve eternal reward." Every one can readily understand how the alb signifies purity of body and soul. "The new man, who, according to God, is created in justice and holiness of truth" (Eph. 4. 24)

 3. The Girdle

The girdle is practically necessary to keep the alb in place. The girdle was anciently of very common use. At present the girdle or cincture is of linen. It must be large enough to go around the body. Its meaning is given in the prayer: " Gird me, O Lord, with the girdle of purity, and quench in my reins the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in me." In olden times the cincture used to be made of other material and ornamented.

4. The Maniple

The maniple is now made of the same material as the stole and chasuble. It is about three feet long and about four inches wide. It is doubled and fastened on the left arm. "Originally it was intended solely for wiping the perspiration from the face of the weaver and drying the hands so that the sacred vestments might not be soiled by them. In fact, it served in every way as a handkerchief" (O'Brien). Since the tenth century it is spoken of as a liturgical garment and made of the same material as the chasuble.

When the bishop gives the sub-deacon the maniple, he tells him it signifies the fruit of good works - fractus bonorum operum. Hence the prayer while fastening the same on the left arm: " May I deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of tears and sorrow, that with joy I may receive the reward of my labor."

5. The Stole

"The stole is a long band of precious cloth, of the width as the maniple, but about three times its length. It is worn around the neck and crossed on the breast, in which position it is kept by the cincture" (O'Brien).

Anciently the stole was an ornamental garment, much wider than the present. The stole has been known as a liturgical vestment since the ninth century, supplanting about that time the ancient orarium.

As the maniple is stricly proper to the sub-deacon, so the stole is the insignia of the deacon. The deacon wears the stole over the left shoulder and crosses it under the right arm. This manner of wearing the stole is to remind the deacon of his inferiority to a priest. The priest when saying Mass crosses the stole on the breast: the bishop does not cross the stole, because he wears the pectoral cross. The stole signifies the duty of ministry in the Church - adimple ministerium tuum, the bishop tells the deacon, and : Receive the yoke of the Lord he tells the priest at ordination. When putting on the stole the priest says: "Restore to me, O Lord, the stole of immortality which I lost in the transgression of our first parent; and although unworthy to approach Thy Sacred Mysteries, may I deserve to inherit eternal joys."

6. The Chasuble.

The Chasuble is the upper and chief vestment of the priest. The word reminds us that anciently it enveloped the priest from neck to foot like a little house - casula. It had but an opening at the top of the head. Tho have use of the arms it was necessary to double up the chasuble. It is made of precious cloth in one of the liturgical colors. The ancient chasuble became modified in the course of time. By and by it was cut open at the shoulders to put though the arm; later on it was cut open to the sides and reduced in length. There are at present two forms of chasuble, namely, the Roman and the Gothic. The Gothic is more like the ancient chasuble than the Roman.

The priest putting on the chasuble says: "O Lord, who hast said, "My yoke is sweet and My burden is light, grant me so to bear Thy yoke that I may obtain Thy grace." The chasuble signifies Charity: charitas." The priest has chosen the Lord for his inheritance. He has taken the yoke of the Lord upon himself. He must love God and his neighbor. In charity and with charity let him labor for God, himself and his neighbor.

Source: Rev. C. M. H. (Our Young people,  1916)