CAPG's Blog 

"1. One of the signs of the second coming of Our Lord being nigh at hand will be that no one will expect it. All the world will be satisfied that things will go on as hitherto for many a century, and they will ask : “ Where is the promise of His coming? ” In this too the life of the individual is often a miniature of the history of the world. Christ comes again to many an unexpecting soul when sudden death, through some accident or unsuspected disease, carries off in a moment the man who thought he had long years to live. “ Blessed is he whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching.”

2. Another warning of Our Lord’s approach will be the coming of Antichrist. He will be one whose authority and power will be a counterfeit of that of the Vicar of Christ. His distinguishing marks will be overweening pride, hatred of the Catholic Church, widespread dominion, a spirit of rebellion which will enlist in his service all who revolt against the authority that comes from God. Examine yourself to see if there lurks in you any of this dislike of lawful authority, and pray for the grace of loyalty to men for God’s sake.

3. Before Our Lord’s coming there will be a terrible persecution of the servants of God. In these days, when there is an ever-increasing spirit of tolerance, it is hard to understand this. But under the spirit of what is called religious liberalism lurks a deadly hatred of the Church of Christ. It breaks out from time to time, as in the French Commune. It slumbers now, but will blaze up again some day. Pray for grace to withstand all the assaults of the persecutor. "

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

"1. There is in human nature a fatal tendency to procrastinate, especially when that which we know we ought to do is something to which we are naturally disinclined. All men are naturally disinclined to do violence to themselves, and force their pride and self-will to yield before the sway of Christ, to put on His yoke and carry His cross. Hence men put off and make excuses to themselves and fancy that what is difficult to them to-day will be easy to them tomorrow. O fatal mistake ! Each day that we postpone the task of submission it becomes more difficult, more distasteful. Why then do I not hasten to submit myself entirely to Christ?

2. From day to day the careless soul thus goes on putting off, crying : “ To-morrow I will amend my ways ; ” and when tomorrow comes, it still cries : “ Tomorrow.” How fatal is this folly! To-morrow may never come, or, if it comes, you may have forfeited the grace. “ Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

3. This postponement is always accompanied by some deliberate disobedience to the commands or to the holy inspirations of the Spirit of God. Thus the careless soul becomes more engrossed in earthly things and more and more disinclined to make the necessary effort. Thus it is that so many will be surprised by the coming of their Judge at the moment when they least expect Him, and are quite unprepared to meet Him. O Jesus, save me at any cost from the deadly state of the careless soul ! "

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

CONSIDER, first, that the Church, in the office appointed for this holy time, frequently puts us in mind of the mission and preaching of St. John the Baptist, and of the manner in which he endeavoured to prepare the people for Christ; to the end that we may learn, from the doctrine of this great forerunner of our Lord, in what dispositions we ought also to be, if we would duly  prepare the way for Him. Now, what the Baptist continually preached to the people was, That they should turn from their evil ways, and do penance, because the kingdom of heaven was at hand: that they should bring forth fruits worthy of penance, if  they would escape the wrath to come; and this without delay; for that now the axe was laid at the root of the tree, and that  every tree that did not bring forth good fruit should be cut up, and cast into the fire: that they should not flatter themselves with expectation of impunity, or security, because they had Abraham for their father; for that God was able to raise up from the very  stones children to Abraham; and therefore, without a thorough conversion from their sins, they were to expect that the kingdom of God, and the grace and dignity of being children of Abraham, (the father of all the faithful,) should be taken away from them, and given to the Gentiles.

He added, that he baptized them, indeed, with water unto penance, but that another should come after him, that should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire; that his fan was in his hand, and that he should thoroughly cleanse his fioor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he would burn with unquenchable fire, St. Matt.3  This was the way St. John prepared the  people for Christ; and it is by our conforming ourselves in practice to these his lessons at this holy time, we must also prepare  the way of the Lord, and be prepared for Him.

Consider, secondly, that the great theme of the preaching of St. John, in order to prepare the way of the Lord, was the virtue of penance; inasmuch as this was the only means by which sinners could ever effectually be reconciled to God, after actual mortal sin; and, therefore, this same was at all times perpetually inculcated, by all that were ever sent with commission from God to  reclaim unhappy souls that had gone astray from Him. It is, then, by this virtue of penance, we also are to prepare the way of  the Lord at this holy time; this is the proper devotion for the time of advent. Now, this virtue of penance (which always was, always is, and always will be, absolutely and indispensably necessary for the bringing back sinners to God) implies three things; first, the renouncing and detesting of all our sins, by which we have offended so good a God; secondly, a turning of ourselves to  God, with our whole heart, and dedicating ourselves henceforward to Him, both for time and eternity; and thirdly, an offering of ourselves to Him, to make Him what satisfaction we can for our past offences, by a penitential life. 

Christians, this is our great business at this holy time: if we hope to prepare ourselves for Christ, this is the proper exercise for it; to pass over in our mind, in the bitterness of our soul, all our years that have been spent in sin; to bewail and lament, every day of this holy season, all our past treasons against the divine Majesty; to turn now to God with our whole heart; to offer our whole souls to Him, to exercise ourselves in His love; and to enter into new articles with Him of an eternal allegiance, with a full determination of rather dying, than being any more disloya  to Him; and letting not one day pass without offering Him some penitential satisfaction for our past guilt, to be united to, and sanctified by, the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

O, how happy are they that employ the time of Advent in this manner! O, how willingly will our Lord, at the approaching Christmas, communicate  Himself to such souls as these!

Consider, thirdly, that, at the approaching solemnity of Christmas, the  Church, by thrice celebrating the sacred mysteries, in the same day commemorates three different births of Christ; His eternal birth from His Father; His temporal birth from His mother; and His spiritual birth, by which He is born by grace, in our souls. Hence the best devotion for the time of Christmas, is that which conduces the most to bring Christ into our souls by this spiritual birth; and consequently the best devotion for the time of Advent, is to cleanse and to purify our souls, that He may find nothing in them that may disqualify them for His visits, or hinder  Him from coming to be spiritually born in us; for He will never come into an unclean soul, nor be born in a mansion where Satan resides. See then, my soul, what measures thou art to take at this holy time, to prepare thy inward house for the spiritual birth of  this king of glory. First, thou must cleanse it and purify it from sin and Satan; secondly, thou must adorn it with virtue and piety;  and, thirdly, thou must daily invite thy Lord thither by fervent prayer. Thus shalt thou prepare the way of the Lord, in the manner that is best pleasing to him.

Conclude to put in practice all these lessons, to the best of thy power, at this holy time. An Advent spent in this manner, in  devotion and penance, cannot fail of bringing thee a happy Christmas." Considerations upon Christian truths and Christian duties by Bishop Challoner

Consider firstly, that the time of Advent  (so called from being set aside by the Church for worthily celebrating the Advent, that is, the coming of Christ) is a penitential time, and a time of devotion; in which we are every day called upon by the Church of God, to prepare the way of the Lord , to make straight His paths: to enter into the like dispositions to those which St. John the Baptist required of the people, when he was sent to preach to them conversion and penance, in order to prepare them for their Messias; that so we also, by turning away now from our sins, by sorrow and repentance, and turning ourselves to the Lord our God with our whole heart, by love and affection; may dispose our souls to welcome our Saviour, whose birth we are about to celebrate; and to embrace in such manner the mercy and grace, which He brings with Him at His first coming, as to escape hereafter those dreadful judgments, which His justice shall execute upon impenitent sinners, at His second coming. See then, my soul, that thou dedicate this holy time to suitable exercises of devotion and penance, that thou mayest answer the end of this institution.

Consider 2dly, in what manner we are all summoned, by the Church, at the beginning of this holy time, in the words of St. Paul, {Rom. xiii. 11, read in the epistle of the first Sunday in advent) to dispose ourselves now for Christ. "Knowing the time", says the apostle," that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep: for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The flight is passed, (or far spent) the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness , and put on the armour of light : let us walk decently, as in the day, &c".

Oh ! my soul, let us consider these words as particularly addressed to us, in order to awaken as, and to stir us up to begin a new life. Alas! have we not hitherto been quite asleep, as to the greatest of all our concerns? Are not far the greatest part of Christians quite asleep, by their unaccountable indolence in the great business of the salvation of their souls, and of a happy eternity! Are they not sleeping too, which is worse, in the very midst of dangers, and of mortal enemies, who are continually plotting their destruction; and even upon the very brink of a precipice, which if they fall down, will let them in a moment into hell? O let us then all hearken seriously to this summons and rouse ourselves now, whilst we have time, out of this unhappy lethargy; and from this hour begin to apply ourselves in good earnest to that only business for which we came into this world. O let us cast off now and for ever the works of darkness, and put on Jesus Christ!

Consider 3dly, that on the first Sunday of Advent, the terrors also of God's justice are set before our eyes in the description given in the Gospel of the great accounting day: to the end that they will not correspond with the sweet invitations of God’s mercy, and awake from sleep at the summons addressed to them in the Epistle; may be roused at least by the thunder of His justice, denounced in the Gospel: and be induced by the wholesome fear of the dreadful judgments, that are continually hanging over the head of impenitent sinners, to make good use of this present time of mercy; lest hereafter there should be neither time nor mercy for them.

Ah! sinners, if this day you hear the voice of the Lord either sweetly inviting you with the allurements of His mercy, or terrifying you with the threats of His judgments; see you harden not your heart. For now is your time. Sleep oh no longer; lest you come to sleep in death: as it happened to them of old, who by refusing to hearken to God's voice, provoked Him so far that He swore to them in his wrath that they should never enter into His rest.  O remember that the day of the Lord, and His judgments, shall come as a snare upon all them that will not watch, (Luke xxi. 35.)

Conclude to enter now into the true spirit of this holy time, which is a penitential spirit and to prepare the way of the Lord; by putting away all thy
sins, and purifying thy soul for Him: thus shall thou welcome Him at His coming ; and shall be welcome to Him." Considerations upon christian truths and christian duties, Bishop Challoner

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

“O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the expectation of the nations and their Savior, come to save us, O Lord our God!”

1. Emmanuel, God with us, is a name that in every way belongs to Christ Our Lord. He is with His people in all their needs, ever ready to help and console them. He is with us on every altar, waiting for us to come and pour out before Him our sorrow and our needs. He is with us, above all, in Holy Communion, when He comes to dwell in our heart and to bring with Him every grace that we need. He is with us in the hour of death, and He will be with us forever in heaven.

2. He Who thus comes to dwell with us in familiar friendship is our King ; He Who thus condescends to be our companion is the God Who has an absolute right to our obedience. He is our Lawgiver, and the statutes that He enacts for us have but one end and aim and object, to lead His subjects into the ways of happiness and the paths of peace.

3. Come then, O God, our Lord and our Savior. Come and save us from all the perils of the Evil One, and from our own weakness and frailty. Come and save us in the hour of temptation,for Thou alone art our King, and none save Thou shalt rule over us. Come and bring us safe through this valley of tears to Thy eternal kingdom, where we shall dwell forever, O sweet Jesus, in the everlasting delights of Thy blissful company. "

Meditations #27 for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more.

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

“ O Orient, Splendor of eternal light and Sun of justice ; come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

1. The night of pagan times was long and dark, and seemed hopeless. Deeper and deeper the nations were sinking in misery and vice. But at length the Orient, the brightness of the eternal light of heaven, rose, and scattered the darkness, changing the gloom into a brilliant day. So too for those who have been long shrouded in the dense gloom of sin or sorrow there waits the same divine Light, ready to scatter their darkness in a moment, if only they will draw nigh to Him. He waits for me, ready to brighten my path, to scatter my sins and sorrows, if I will avail myself of His love.

2. That rising Light is the Sun of justice, Who shall exercise His justice in delivering the captive, and in recompensing His friends a hundred, nay, a thousandfold, for every little service done to Him. For His justice is virtually identical with His mercy, and rejoices to employ itself in works of pity and of love.

3. Come then, O Orient, O Sun of justice ; shine on those who sit in darkness, on those who are enveloped in the thick mists of heathendom and heresy. Come and enlighten their ignorance, that they may not perish. Come and deliver them from the shadow of death, for they cannot deliver themselves. Pour upon them such a flood of light and grace as may guide their feet into the way of peace."

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

"O Key of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel ; Who openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth ; come and deliver from the prison-house the captive who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death"

1. The key and the scepter are the symbols of supreme authority ; they indicate the sway that the Savior is to hold over His faithful people, and the right which He alone possesses of opening the gate of heaven to the children of men, and of extending to them the golden scepter of His mercy and forgiving love. To me, O Key of David, unworthy though I am, open in Thy mercy the door of heaven ; stretch out to me,all undeserving, the scepter of Thy favor and Thy love.

2. Thou shuttest, O Lord, and no man opens. O shut not upon me the door which will admit me to draw nigh to Thee! Shut not upon me the door of Thy mercy and grace. Shut not the door which leads me into the inner sanctuary of Thy love. Shut not the door of that fold wherein Thy favorite children dwell in peace and happiness. Shut not, above all, the door of paradise at my last hour.

3. Come then, O Lord, and open to me now the door of my captivity. I am a captive to my own self-will ; a captive to my want of charity ; a captive to my vanity and love of display; a captive to my self-indulgence and dislike of mortification ; a captive to a thousand faults of which I am scarcely conscious. Come, O Lord, and set the captive free. I am weak, and cannot break my chains unless I receive from Thee the necessary strength ; come, O Lord Jesus, come quickly. "

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

O Radix Iesse, qui stas in signum populorum,super quem continebunt reges os suum,quem gentes deprecabuntur:veni ad liberandum nos iam noli tardare.

“O Root of Jesse, Who standest for a sign to the nations, before Whom kings shall shut their mouth, of Whom the Gentiles shall entreat mercy ; come to set us free, and no longer delay.”

1. The King Who is to come is of the root of Jesse, since He is of David’s royal line. He is the true David, Who laid low the spiritual Goliath, the prince of darkness, who in pagan times defied the power of the living God. He is above all the Man after God’s own heart, in that the one motive of His heart was to carry out His Father’s will. If this is the motive power of my life, then I too am of the root of Jesse, and in spite of failings am a man after God’s own heart, just in proportion as this motive is ever present to me.

2. Jesus is a sign to the nations; a sign of contradiction to His enemies, but before Whom the most powerful will have to shut their mouth in humble subjection; a sign to His friends, the men of good-will in every clime and country, who will be drawn to Him to offer their joyful homage at His feet, entreating of Him that mercy which He is more ready to grant than they to ask. To me He is a sign, either fondly loved, or neglected and treated as of no account.

3. O Root of Jesse, O King and Savior, come and set us free ; free from all that displeases Thee, free from the snares that entangle our feet, free from our perverse attachment to our own will, free from the power of the devil, free from our slowness in obeying Thy commands and holy inspirations, free from all that hinders us in Thy service ; come and say the word, and we shall be delivered. "

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891 Digitized by google

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,et ei in Sina legem dedisti:veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

“ O Lord, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in a flame of fire in the bush, and didst give to him the law on Mount Sinai, come to redeem us with Thy stretched out arm.”

1. The Savior for Whom we look is also Our Lord (Adonai), the Leader and Chief to whom we have sworn fealty. We speak of Him continually under the familiar name of Our Lord, and each time we do so we reassert our acknowledgment of the obligation to follow where He leads, and to be subject to Him in all things. O happy followers of such a Leader! If we tread in His footsteps, and obey His voice, He will set our feet in green pastures, and lead us to the fountains of the water of life.

2. The flame of fire in the burning bush was a figure of Jesus in Mary's sacred womb. Holy indeed was the place where God was present, and whence He promised to His people their deliverance from Egypt. So He still speaks as if concealed in Mary’s womb, and reminds us that He has made her holy with a holiness second only to His own; and when we draw nigh to her we hear His voice announcing to us that He has heard our prayers offered through her, and will come to deliver us from our enemies.

3. What shall be our prayer to Him when He inspires us to make our request with boldness at the throne of grace ? Come to redeem us with Thy stretched-out arm. Come to deliver us from the effects of our past sins. Come to deliver us from the attachment to some sin that still lurks within us. Come to deliver us from all our countless negligences and imperfections. Come with Thine arm stretched out to ward us from the foe, O Lord and Lover of our souls. "

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891 Digitized by google

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more

O sapientia,quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,attingens a fine usque ad finem,fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:veni ad docendum nosviam prudentiae.

"Before the feast of Christmas, the coming Savior is welcomed in seven antiphons, which greet Him under various titles, and entreat Him to come quickly to enlighten and deliver His people.

“O Wisdom, Who earnest forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching in Thy strength from end to end, and sweetly disposing all things, come and teach us the way of prudence."

1. The first title given to Jesus is that of Wisdom. He was the Eternal Wisdom of God, and the source of all wisdom to men from one end of time to the other. With Him all wisdom ; without Him no wisdom. Yet I have sometimes fancied myself wise when I was acting quite apart from Him, and perhaps His wishes or commands. What utter folly !

2. It is the Eternal Word that disposes all things sweetly. Everything that happens in heaven or earth is arranged by Him, and is arranged not unkindly, or harshly, or bitterly,but sweetly. Why then do I regret what I ought to know He has arranged sweetly, i.e. t with designs of love for me if I take it in the right spirit ?

3. Come and teach us the way of prudence. This is our first petition to Him Who is to come. If only He imparts prudence, all must be well. Prudence chooses the right end, viz., the glory of God, and the right means to the end, viz., what we know God asks of us now, and in our present circumstances. Teach me, O Jesus, that lesson of prudence which will guide me safe to the kingdom of heaven."

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891 Digitized by google

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more