Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-23-15, OM, St. Clement I, St. Columban, Bl. Miguel Pro

USCCb.org/RNAB ^ | 11-23-15 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

November 23, 2015

Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Dn 1:1-6, 8-20

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came
and laid siege to Jerusalem.
The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and some of the vessels of the temple of God;
he carried them off to the land of Shinar,
and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god.

The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,
to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal blood
and of the nobility, young men without any defect,
handsome, intelligent and wise,
quick to learn, and prudent in judgment,
such as could take their place in the king's palace;
they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;
after three years' training they were to enter the king's service.
The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine
from the royal table.
Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.

But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself
with the king's food or wine;
so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.
Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy
of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel,
"I am afraid of my lord the king;
it is he who allotted your food and drink.
If he sees that you look wretched
by comparison with the other young men of your age,
you will endanger my life with the king."
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain
had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
"Please test your servants for ten days.
Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men
who eat from the royal table,
and treat your servants according to what you see.
He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;
after ten days they looked healthier and better fed
than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.
So the steward continued to take away
the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency
in all literature and science,
and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.
At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation,
the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
When the king had spoken with all of them,
none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah;
and so they entered the king's service.
In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them,
he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."
R. Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Alleluia Mt 24:42a, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 21:1-4

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, "I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Alleluia Ping

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From: Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20

Arrival at the Court

---

[1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. [2] And the Lord gave Jehoiakim
king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he
brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the ves-
sels in the treasury of his god. [3] Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief
eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the
nobility, [4] youths without blemish, handsome and skillful in all wisdom, endowed
with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to serve in the king’s pa-
lace, and to teach them the letters and language of the Chaldeans. [5] The king
assigned them a daily portion of the rich food which the king ate, and of the wine
which he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that
time they were to stand before the king. [6] Among these were Daniel, Hananiah,
Misha-el, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.

Royal Fare — God’s Servants Tested

---

[8] But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s rich food,
or with the wine which he drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to
allow him not to defile himself. [9] And God gave Daniel favor and compassion
in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs; [10] and the chief of the eunuchs said
to Daniel, “I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink,
should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own
age. So you would endanger my head with the king.” [11] Then Daniel said to the
steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mi-
shael, and Azariah; [12] “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegeta-
bles to eat and water to drink. [13] Then let our appearance and the appearance
of the youths who eat the king’s rich food be observed by you, and according to
what you see deal with your servants.” [14] So he hearkened to them in this mat-
ter, and tested them for ten days. [15] At the end of ten days it was seen that
they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the
king’s rich food. [16] So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they
were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

The Wisdom of the Three Young Men

---

[17] As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and
wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. [18] At the end
of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the
chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. [19] And the king
spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mi-
shael, and Azariah, therefore they stood before the king. [20] And in every mat-
ter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he
found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in
all his kingdom.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1:1-6:29. These chapters deal with Daniel at the court of the kings of Babylon —
Nebuchadnezzar (1:1-4:37), Belshazzar (chap. 5) and Darius the Mede (chap. 6).
These three reigns, arranged in a line as if they really followed one another cover
the entire period from the start of the Babylonian captivity to the arrival of Cyrus
of Persia, who allowed the Jews to return to their homeland (cf. 1:21). The main
themes running through these chapters are: 1) divine protection afforded Daniel
and his companions; 2) the help that these young Jews render the kings; 3) their
faithfulness to the Lord despite trials and ordeals; 4) the acknowledgment of the
God of Israel by these pagan kings. In the overall context of the book, these first
six chapters introduce the God of Israel and Daniel, who will later receive a reve-
lation about the end of the world. They also provide the Jews of the Diaspora with
a model of how a Jew in a pagan society ought to live. For that reason, the
Church will read them with interest because she lives in the midst of the world
and “realizes that she is truly linked with mankind and its history by the deepest
of bonds” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 1).

1:1-4:37 Nebuchadnezzar was the king who was responsible for the deportation
of the Jews, and the most famous of the Babylonian kings. That may explain why
he gets so much space in the book: Daniel interprets two dreams for him (2:1-49;
4:1-37), and the king three times acknowledges the God of Israel (2:46-49; 4:1-3;
4:37). Each episode in these chapters is an independent unit, and they all com-
bine to show the qualities that Daniel and these other Jews had: they were ac-
complished people, successful in life; at the same time they stayed true to God,
even when their religion was put to the test.

1:1-21. This chapter acts as an introduction to the whole book. It tells us who Da-
niel was and how he and his companions became members of Nebuchadnezzar’s
household. The dates given at the start and finish of the chapter (vv. 1, 21) show
that Daniel was connected with the whole period of the exile.

1:1-7. The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim was 606 BC, but the siege and
sack of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar took place in 597. The sacred writer is
content to use vague references like this; and it may well be that he is advancing
the date of the deportation because that is more in line with seventy years — the
length of the exile according to Jeremiah 25:11. The Hebrew word translated as
“eunuch” (v. 3) is “saris”, which could refer to any palace officials or guards, not
necessarily eunuchs. The country of Shinar is Babylonia, which is how the Greek
version translates the name. It was quite common in the ancient East for a victo-
rious king to appoint state officials from among the noblemen of subject peoples;
Jewish officials, for example, could be very useful in dealings with Jewish com-
munities.

1:8-16. The sacred writer extends Jewish regulations about food (cf. 1 Mac 1:62)
to wine, to show that keeping to the Jewish law was much better for the youths
than eating the king’s fare would have been. Besides, to eat and drink at the royal
table would have involved eating and drinking things offered to the gods; it would
have been a form of communing with pagan gods. As those young men saw it,
being good Jews was not incompatible with the performance of duties for which
they were trained. Similarly, “to remind a Christian that his life is meaningless
unless he obeys God’s will does not mean separating him from other men” (St.
Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ Is Passing By”, 21).

God can afford protection by making use of people’s good dispositions; here he
causes the chief eunuch to be well-disposed to the Jewish youths (v. 9). Thus,
“though often unconscious collaborators with God’s will, men can also enter de-
liberately into the divine plan by their actions, their prayers and their sufferings”
(”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 307).

1:17-21. Although Daniel and his companions are given a very good Chaldean
education, their wisdom comes from God, not from that training (v. 17). It in-
cludes the understanding of all things human and, in Daniel’s case, the ability to
interpret dreams and visions. The king will soon see for himself that Daniel and
the Jews have greater wisdom than others, but he does not yet know where it
comes from (he will, later; cf. 2:47). But the Jewish or Christian reader of the
book does know what the source of this true wisdom is: “God’s truth is his wis-
dom which commands the whole created order and governs the world (cf. Wis
13:1-9). God who alone made heaven and earth (cf. Ps 115:15), can alone im-
part true knowledge of every created thing in relation to himself” (”Catechism of
the Catholic Church”, 216).

Summing up the career of these Jewish youths in Babylon, and aware that their
wisdom came from the Word of God, St Hippolytus of Rome comments: “It was
the Word who gave them wisdom and made them faithful witnesses [to him] in
Babylon, so that through them what was worshipped in Babylon would be scor-
ned. Nebuchadnezzar was defeated by three young men whose faith was tested
in the fires of the furnace; the holy woman Susanna was delivered from the jaws
of death; and the terrible depth of ancient evil was laid bare. These were the vic-
tories won by four young men in Babylon; they were beloved of God and nurtured
the fear of the Lord in their hearts” (”Commentarium In Danielem”, 1, 11).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: Luke 21:1-4

The Widow’s Mite

---

[1] He (Jesus) looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; [2]
and He saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. [3] And He said, “Truly I tell
you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; [4] for they all contributed
out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living she had.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-4. Our Lord, surrounded by His disciples, watches people putting offerings into
the treasury. This was a place in the women’s courtyard, where there were vari-
ous collection boxes for the offerings of the faithful. Just then, something hap-
pens whose significance Jesus wants His disciples to notice: a poor widow puts
in two small coins, of very little value. He describes this as the greatest offering
of all, praising the generosity of giving alms for this purpose, particularly that of
those people who give part of what they need. Our Lord is moved by this tiny of-
fering because in her case it implies a big sacrifice. “The Lord does not look”,
St. John Chrysostom comments, “at the amount offered but at the affection with
which it is offered” (”Hom. on Heb”, 1). Generosity is of the essence of almsgi-
ving. This woman teaches us that we can move God’s heart if we give Him all we
can, which will always amount to very little even if we give our very lives. “How lit-
tle a life is to offer to God!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 42).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd

Readings at Mass

---

First reading

Daniel 1:1-6,8-20 ©

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched on Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hands, with some of the furnishings of the Temple of God. He took them away to the land of Shinar, and stored the sacred vessels in the treasury of his own gods.

  The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to select from the Israelites a certain number of boys of either royal or noble descent; they had to be without any physical defect, of good appearance, trained in every kind of wisdom, well-informed, quick at learning, suitable for service in the palace of the king. Ashpenaz himself was to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldaeans. The king assigned them a daily allowance of food and wine from his own royal table. They were to receive an education lasting for three years, after which they were expected to be fit for the king’s society. Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, who were Judaeans. Daniel, who was most anxious not to defile himself with the food and wine from the royal table, begged the chief eunuch to spare him this defilement; and by the grace of God Daniel met goodwill and sympathy on the part of the chief eunuch. But he warned Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king: he has assigned you food and drink, and if he sees you looking thinner in the face than the other boys of your age, my head will be in danger with the king because of you.’ At this Daniel turned to the guard whom the chief eunuch had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He said, ‘Please allow your servants a ten days’ trial, during which we are given only vegetables to eat and water to drink. You can then compare our looks with those of the boys who eat the king’s food; go by what you see, and treat your servants accordingly.’ The man agreed to do what they asked and put them on ten days’ trial. When the ten days were over they looked and were in better health than any of the boys who had eaten their allowance from the royal table; so the guard withdrew their allowance of food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. And God favoured these four boys with knowledge and intelligence in everything connected with literature, and in wisdom; while Daniel had the gift of interpreting every kind of vision and dream. When the period stipulated by the king for the boys’ training was over, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king conversed with them, and among all the boys found none to equal Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they became members of the king’s court, and on whatever point of wisdom or information he might question them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

---

Canticle	Daniel 3:52-56 ©

You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

Blest your glorious holy name.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest in the temple of your glory.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest on the throne of your kingdom.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest who gaze into the depths.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest in the firmament of heaven.

  To you glory and praise for evermore.

---

Gospel Acclamation	Rv2:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Even if you have to die, says the Lord,

keep faithful, and I will give you

the crown of life.

Alleluia!

Or	Mt24:42,44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Luke 21:1-4 ©

As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury; then he happened to notice a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins, and he said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for these have all contributed money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in all she had to live on.’

[Salvation]

Pray for Pope Francis and

It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)

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Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)

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Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

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7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

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Pray the Rosary!

Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group

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Jesus, High Priest

 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

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This is a Catholic Caucus thread. Are you a Catholic?

[Salvation]

Celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life
Cardinal Francis Arinze on Radical Discipleship and the Consecrated Life
Pope Francis' Message for the Year of Consecrated Life
Consecrated Life Is Of Benefit To The Whole Church [Catholic Caucus]
Bishops Launch ... Website To Promote Vocations To Priesthood & Consecrated Life (Catholic Caucus)
A consecrated virgin captures her life in a blog [Catholic Caucus]

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Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

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

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Joyful Mysteries

(Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility] 2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

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St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

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

[Salvation]

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

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(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II Maccabees 12

 

November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.

2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.

3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.

4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.

5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.

6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.

7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls

8. Visit to a Cemetery

 

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; 

He shall not fear the evil hearing.

V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed 

from every bond of sin, 

R. And by the help of Thy grace

may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment, 

and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life. 

Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed 

in an inferior degree of grace,

Lord, have mercy.

Because their present suffering is greatest 

in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,

Lord, have mercy. 

Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory, 

Lord, have mercy.

Not for our consolation, O Lord; 

not for their release from purgative pain, O God; 

but for Thy joy 

and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,

Lord, have mercy.

For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have gone to prepare our place,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

(For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For priests who were our spiritual directors,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For men or women who were our teachers in school,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our employers (or employees),

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our associates in daily toil,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For any soul whom we ever offended,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For our enemies now departed,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who have none to pray for them,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those forgotten by their friends and kin,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those now suffering the most,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have acquired the most merit,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who, while on earth, 

were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, 

to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, 

to the holy Mother of God,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased popes and prelates,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, 

and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

That those may be happy with Thee forever, 

who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith, 

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, 

who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,     

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be housed in glory, 

who lived always in recollection and prayer,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, 

who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be flooded with Thy love, 

who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence 

and who made the heroic act 

for the souls who had gone before them,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, 

who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace 

and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

Let Us Pray 

Be mindful, O Lord, 

of Thy servants and handmaids, 

N. and N., 

who are gone before us 

with the sign of faith 

and repose in the sleep of grace.  

To these, O Lord, 

and to all who rest in Christ, 

grant, we beseech Thee, 

a place of refreshment, 

light and peace, 

through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen

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