Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
by VP
Posted on Saturday September 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane Denys Calvaert (circa 1540–1619)
" Devotion and piety towards God and the Blessed Sacrament- Imitation of Jesus Christ.
When before the Holy Tabernacle, he always maintained himself on both knees, and in a posture so humble that he seemed, the more to testify his respect, to wish to abase himself to the center of the earth, and with such faith manifested in his countenance, one would say that he saw Jesus with his eyes; with such devotion, he would have inspired the most incredulous, with faith and the most insensible with piety; in such modesty and silence, that he had not a single glance for the greatest. magnificence, nor a word for the most august personages.
There he loved to remain all the time that his duties left at his disposal, and there he forgot himself for hours together. There he went, like Moses of old, to consult the Divine oracle in all his difficulties." (...)
Profanations, committed by heretics, or by the military, grieved him mortally. Tears, extraordinary penances, fervent prayers, all were offered in reparation and atonement He went himself or sent some of his community in pilgrimage to the profaned churches; the priests said mass and the others received Holy Communion there in reparation. He made good the material loss caused by sacrilegious thefts of sacred vessels and ornaments; and by means of missions he repaired the injury done the honor of God and souls by impiety and heresy.
He said to them with regard to the celebration of Mass: "It is not enough to celebrate mass, we must, moreover, offer this sacrifice with the greatest possible devotion, according to the will of God Himself; conforming ourselves, with His grace, as much as we can, to Jesus offering Himself, when on earth, to His eternal Father. Let us use all endeavor, then, gentlemen, to offer our sacrifices to God in the same spirit, in which our Lord offered His, and as perfectly as our poor and miserable nature will permit.”
He prescribed the greatest respect in the church and in the ceremonies. Precipitation, genuflections half-made, the least negligences in the Divine service were a torment to
his exalted idea of religion, and an alarm to his soul ever trembling
before the possibility of scandal. Hence, he took care to correct in
private, and, if necessary, in public, all the faults that he observed.
If one of his members passed before the altar, making a genuflection carelessly
and thoughtlessly, he immediately called him back, and showed him in
what manner and how far he should bend before God. On these occasions he
would say: "We should never conduct ourselves as mere puppets, which
are made to move quickly, and the salutations of which are without
reverence or soul." And, after his humble habit of accounting himself
responsible for all faults. he added: Who is guilty, my brethren! It is
this miserable person who is speaking to you, and who would cast himself
on his knees if he could. Excuse my infirmities." And in fact, it was a
cruel privation to him, and one that he attributed to his sins, when he
could no longer kneel, and he publicly asked pardon for it, and
besought them not to be scandalized.
Nevertheless," he added, "if I see the congregation relax I will force myself on my knees, cost what it will, and rise as best I may, with the aid of some of you, or in making use of my hands, so that I may thus give the example that I ought to give. For, the faults committed in a community are imputed to the superior, and the faults of the congregation in this point are always serious, as much because there is question of a duty of religion and of an exterior reverence that marks the interior respect we show God, as because, if we be the first to fail, those preparing for ordination, and the clergy who come here, will believe themselves under no obligation to do better; and those who will succeed us in the congregation and who will model themselves after us, will do still less, and thus everything will tend to decay; for if the original be defective what will the copies be? I beg you, then, gentlemen and my brothers, to pay great attention to this, and to comport yourselves in this action in such a manner that interior reverence may suggest and always accompany the exterior. God desires to be adored in spirit and in truth, and al' good Christians should do so in imitation of the Son of God, who, prostrate on the earth in the Garden of Olives, united to this devout posture a profound interior humility, out of respect for the Sovereign Majesty of His Father."
What he said of the genuflection he applied to all the ceremonies. They are, in truth, only the shadow, but the shadow of the greatest things, and this is the reason we should perform them with ll possible attention, in a religious silence, and with great modesty and gravity. How will these gentlemen who come here carry them out if we ourselves do not perform them well? The singing must be grave, without being hurried, the psalms recited with an air of devotion. Alas! if these ceremonies are not properly performed, how will we answer when God will demand an account." Virtues and Spiritual Doctrine of St. Vincent de Paul by Rev. Fr. Michel Ulysse Maynard
The Litany of St. Vincent de Paul
Lord,
have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy
Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of Christ, the Sovereign Priest, pray for us.
St. Vincent,
who, from your infancy, walked in the presence of God, pray for us.
St. Vincent, most benevolent to all, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, chaste and pure, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, watchful shepherd of the flocks entrusted to your
care, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, who so faithfully preached the gospel to the poor,
Pray for us.
St. Vincent, who brought your disciples to the practice of all
good works,
Pray for us.
St. Vincent, the glory of the priesthood,
Pray for us.
St. Vincent, humble amidst the honors of the world, Pray for us.
St.
Vincent, careful imitator of Jesus Christ,
Pray for us.
St. Vincent, alleviator of human misery, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, refuge and comforter of the afflicted, Pray for us.
St.
Vincent, feeder of the hungry,
Pray for us.
St. Vincent, friend of the sick, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, father of orphans, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, refuge of purity, and security of innocence, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, zealous seeker of wandering
souls, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, restorer of the beauty of ecclesiastical discipline,Pray for us.
St. Vincent, like an Angel at the altar, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, strong in holy obedience and faith, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, burning with zeal for the glory of God, Pray for us.
Lamb of
God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us O Lord.
Lamb of
God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us O Lord.
Lamb of
God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. He made himself all to all.
B. Let us walk in his footsteps.
LET US PRAY.
JESUS, meek and humble of heart! since
only hum dwelling of thy glory will be for ever shut against me,
unless I become truly humble: grant me humility, which alone can
merit thy grace, and secure me a place in the eternal kingdom. Pardon
me, O my God! the manifold sins, which I have committed through
pride; and grant me a contempt for myself, proportioned to the pride
which has so far enslaved me, but which I now detest so sincerely. I
beg this favor through the intercession of our holy Father St.
Vincent, who was truly meek and humble. Amen. St. Vincent's Manual: Containing a Selection of Prayers and Devotional Exercises By Sisters of Charity
Autumn Ember Days. Saturday: The Day Christ was entombed (Fast and half-abstinence)
by VP
Posted on Saturday September 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Ember Days
A Prayer for Vocations to St. John Vianney
O God our Father, You promised "I will
appoint shepherds for My sheep who will shepherd them so that they need
no longer fear and tremble:
and none shall be missing." (Jer. 23:4-5). Hear the prayers of Your
flock. Through the intercession of Your beloved priest, Saint John
Vianney,
we beg You to call to the sacramental priesthood generous men who will
desire nothing more than to serve You in imitation of Your Son, Our
Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest.
And after You call them, we pray that You sustain the doubtful, console the discouraged, and strengthen
the weak as they start the long and demanding preparation for the priesthood.
Mary, Mother of priests, and example of faithful, humble,
and joyful acceptance of God's will, help all those who are called to
the priesthood to open their ears and hearts to the gentle call of the
Holy Spirit.
Amen.
- Prayers for Ember Days:
Listen, Almighty God, we beseech Thee, to the prayers which Thy universal Church offers to Thee at this time, beseeching Thy blessing on those who are about to be admitted to Thy Holy Service of the Altar, in particular on ..... Give Thy grace to all who are called to any office and administration amongst Thy clergy, and so replenish them with the truth of Thy doctrine, and indue them with innocence of life, that they may faithfully serve Thee, to the glory of Thy great name and the benefit of Thy Holy Church. Amen
O God, of Whose mercies there is no number, and of Whose goodness the treasure is infinite, we humbly thank Thee for the gifts thou hast bestowed upon us. Continue Thy mercy to us, and give us also so much of Thy temporal blessings as Thou knowest to be for our good. Grant that the fruits of the earth may, by Thy holy favor, increase and multiply. Defend them from all drought, frosts or tempests, or whatever else may be hurtful to them. It is from Thy hand only that we look for succor, and to Thee we have recourse in all our necessities. Amen. Source: St. John's Manual 1856, Archbishop of New York John J. Hugues
"Now, more than ever, must the faithful pray for good priests, and again be mindful that holy Church has established three Ember days in each of the four seasons of the year, during which the faithful should pray and fast, in order to implore of God more and zealous priests. All good things must be obtained by prayer, supplication and sacrifice.
Let us pray much and often for priests, that the Lord may send worthy laborers to reap his harvest. This is the will of Christ, who touched by pity said to his disciples, "The harvest, indeed, is great, but the laborers are few." It is Mary's ardent desire to see many and holy priests laboring in the vineyard of her Son. Better than any saint does she realize the value of an immortal soul, its nobility and likeness to God. St. Chrysostom says, "The value of the whole world cannot be compared to that of one soul;" but without priests, immortal souls cannot be saved. How our Lord is pleased to great the petition for good priests, is shown by the following example.
Lady Vaughan, mother of Cardinal Vaughan of Westminster, London, had no greater ambition than to see all of her children dedicate their lives to God's service in the sacred ministry or in the convent. As she was convinced that a vocation to the priesthood or the religious life was a grace from God, she prayed with utmost fervor that her children might be granted this grace. For this intention, for thirty years she daily prayed an hour before the blessed Sacrament. And how was her petition granted? all her daughters, five in number, embraced the religious life; of her eight sons, six became priests, among them was a cardinal and two archbishops.
Ah, if all pious mothers would imitate her example and pray fervently and perseveringly, the Lord would certainly grant the grace of a vocation to the holy priesthood to at least one of their sons, and soon there would no longer be a scarcity of priests. What a reward will Jesus and Mary once bestow on you, if you dear Christian mother, render Him and His Church so great a service. (Source: St. Benedict Almanac Young People Company, 1918)
Ember Saturday in September.
"On the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the year, the Jews used to celebrate at the conclusion of the harvest, the feast of Tabernacles and lived during eight days under tents or huts made of foliage in remembrance of the nomadic life of the Israelites in the desert (Second Lesson). This feast was preceded, on the tenth of the month, by the very solemn Day of Expiation called Holy (First Lesson). On this day the High Priest purified himself in the basin which stood before the Sanctuary, then taking the blood of the victims, he entered the Holy of Holies and prayed near the mercy-seat (Epistle).
The Saturday in the September Ember week, formerly the seventh month of the year, recalls this feast both of penance and joy.
The Prophets Micheas, Zacharias and Daniel, whose writings were read through during the night or vigil preceding the Sunday, speak in similar terms of salvation brought by God to those who atone for their sins and implore His protection amid the dangers that threaten them. The Epistle show the new alliance which Jesus Christ has established between our repentant souls and God by offering to Him in the real Holy of Holies, which is heaven, the blood which He shed upon the Cross to atone for our sins.
In the same way as Jesus delivered the woman whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, and like the gardener mentioned in the Gospel, the priests heal our souls and by their prayers and their untiring zeal ward off from souls the rigors of divine justice, making them produce sweet fruits of penance and good works; this Mass is therefore eminently suited for an ordination. Daily Missal with Vespers for Sundays & Feasts by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre
Chant Music PDF (Institute Christ the King)
Mass propers:
Introit: Ps. 94. 6,7
Lesson: Book of Leviticus: 23. 26.32 (After the First Lesson are ordained the Porters)
Gradual: Ps. 78. 9,10
Lesson: Lev. 23: 39-43 ( Readers are ordained)
Gradual: Ps 83:10, 9.
Lesson: Mich. 7:14, 16, 18-20. ( Exorcists are ordained)
Gradual: Ps 89:13, 1.
Lesson: Zach. 8:14-19 (Acolytes are ordained)
Gradual: Ps 140:2
Lesson: Dan 3:47-51 ( Sub-deacons)
Hymnus: Dan. 3:52-56
Epistle: From Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews 9, 2-12 (Deacons are ordained)
Tract: Ps. 116. 1-2
Gospel: St. Luke, 13. 6-17 (Priests are ordained)
Offertory: Ps. 87. 2-3
Communion: Lev. 23. 41,43
Ss. Comas and Damian, Martyrs, A.D. about 303
by VP
Posted on Saturday September 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
.
Dosso Dossi, 1534
"These saints were brothers, and physicians, born in Arabia in the reign of Diocletian. Being Christians, and full of that holy temper of charity, in which the spirit of our
divine religion consists, they practiced their profession with great
assiduity and wonderful success; but never took any fee. The people bore them great love and respect, on account of their charity; and they took every opportunity which their profession gave them, to propagate the Christian faith. When the persecution of Diocletian
began to rage; they were apprehended. Being commanded to sacrifice to
idols, they professed their faith in Christ, and that sacrifice was to
be offered to no other but the living God. Upon this, they were bound and thrown into the sea; but they came forth without hurt. Their deliverance was attributed to magic; and they were forthwith ordered to be burnt. The flames, however, did. not touch them; and after many cruel torments, they were at length beheaded, about the year 303.
Pray for all under whatever kind of persecution, oppression, or trouble. Courage and patience are as necessary as our daily food: without these supports, there is no preserving the Christian life. Pray for a large share of them, and a daily supply, both for yourself and others. Beg the divine assistance against all dangers of spiritual colds and heats; that no violence of passion or sensuality may overcome you; and that no sort of coldness or dryness in devotion may discourage you. There is danger from all extremes, and no security but from the blessing of God upon your diligence and good endeavors. Consider the great charity of these holy brothers; and resolve to imitate it as far as your circumstances will permit. There are not wanting objects that require your compassion and help; there is on every side poverty, sickness, and misery: to visit, comfort, and relieve those who suffer under these, is the greatest charity to them, and even to yourself, for by so doing, you shall not lose your reward." The Catholic Year; Or Daily Lessons on the Feasts of the Church by Rev. Fr. John GOTHER
"In you, O illustrious brethren, was fulfilled this saying of the Wise Man: “The skill of the physician will lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he will be praised” (Ecclesiasticus xxxviii. 3). The great ones, in whose sight you are exalted, are the princes of the heavenly hierarchies, witnessing today the homage paid to you by the Church Militant. The glory that surrounds your heads is the glory of God Himself, of that bountiful King who rewards your former disinterestedness by bestowing on you His own blessed life. In the bosom of divine love, your charity cannot wax cold. Help us, then, and heal the sick who confidently implore your assistance. Preserve the health of God’s children so that they may fulfill their obligations in the world, and may courageously bear the light yoke of the Church’s precepts. Bless those physicians who are faithful to their baptism, and who seek your aid, and increase the number of such. See how the study of medicine now so often leads astray into the paths of materialism and fatalism to the great detriment of science and humanity. It is false to assert that simple nature is the explanation of suffering and death, and unfortunate are those whose physicians regard them as mere flesh and blood. Even the pagan school took a loftier view than that, and it was surely a higher ideal that inspired you to exercise your art with such religious reverence. By the virtue of your glorious death, O witnesses to the Lord, obtain for our sickly society a return to the faith, to the remembrance of God, and to that piety which is profitable to all things and to all men, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come (1 Timothy iv. 8)." Dom Prosper Guéranger
