Saint Henry de Osso-Cervello: Founder Society of Saint Teresa of Jesus

1840-1896 - Optional Memorial - January 27th
Translated from Un Gran Apostol, Don Enrique de Osso y Cervello, by Leonie Bonnecarrere, STJ

Father Henry de Osso-Cervello was born in Vinebre, Spain, on October 16, 1840. He was one of those persons of whom it is said that God sends one every hundred years to help resolve the conflicts of their times.

It is not easy to sum up briefly all the details of his heroic life. We can get a glimpse by turning our attention to three of the most striking characteristics of this great apostle of the nineteenth century: he was a man of God; a man sent by Providence; a man determined to seek God's glory in all things.

A MAN OF GOD

His spirit of faith was evident from his early years. It was nourished and developed until it became the hallmark of his spirituality. Osso was a man of profound spirituality. His thoughts, words, deeds -- his whole life, in fact -- were directed towards God. At the age of six he would stop playing and leave his friends to join the parish priest whenever he knew he was taking the Blessed Sacrament to a sick person.

His father sent him to be a clerk in a dry goods store in Reus while he was still a young boy, in the hope that he would become a successful business man. While there, Henry became concerned over the bad influence some friends, with whom he came in contact in the business, could have on him. Consequently, he secretly left for the Monastery of Our Lady of Montserrat, near Barcelona, where he would dedicate his life to God. In a farewell letter to his father, he wrote:

My absence will cause you sadness but Father, it is the glory of God that motivates me. Your sorrow will be turned to joy if only you remember that we will soon meet again in heaven... Give my clothes and other belongings to the poor... Life is short and riches serve no purpose unless we use them well.

Soon after this, we find him in the seminary in Tortosa and later, in that of Barcelona. In both places he was an example of virtue to his friends, who never used improper language or gestures in his presence.

He chose a spiritual director whose advice he followed always. With his director's approval, he drew up a plan of life which he followed. He prefaced it thus:

As a help to my spiritual formation, I will, with God's grace, engrave firmly in my mind Saint Teresa's words: Let the world perish before I offend God because I owe more to God than to anybody else.

During the spiritual exercises that he made in preparation for his Subdiaconate, he added the following to his plan:

Learn of me, for I am meek and gentle of heart.

Goal: to imitate Jesus in my thoughts and actions so that others can say of me what they used to say of Saint Francis de Sales: This is how Jesus acted.

Prayer: Spirit of God, on the eve of Pentecost, I ask for this grace: Since I will soon consecrate myself to God in a special way as his temple and minister forever, fill me with your holy gifts. Grant me the spirit of prayer and zeal like that of the apostles. Fill me especially with the gifts of wisdom and fear of the Lord. Come, Holy Spirit.

Once ordained to the priesthood, (September 21, 1867), he transformed his passionate love for God into dedicated ministry, and soon became known as a model priest. Without neglecting his classes in the Seminary, he exercised his priestly ministry everywhere, among all social classes, preaching, encouraging, giving retreats, teaching religion to the children. He communicated his apostolic zeal wherever he went. His deep spirit of faith was reflected in his prayer as well as in all that he did. His devotion while celebrating the Eucharist moved many to repentance and love of God.

"Who is that priest?" asked certain visitors who saw him celebrate Mass in Rome, so inspired were they by his fervor and devotion. At times he seemed transported out of himself. It was not unusual to hear him sigh gently, as though enraptured: My Jesus and my all. To love you or to die. Rather, to live and die loving you above everything else. Do not let me leave this world without having loved you and made you known and loved as much as I can. Give glory, honor and riches to others, but give me, your servant, only your love and that will be enough. My Jesus and my all. Praised be Jesus my love. All for Jesus! Praised be Jesus!

Such was his priestly concern, the cry of his loving heart. And such was the motto that he left to the religious that he founded, the Teresian Sisters, who often echo his words: All for Jesus! Praised be Jesus!

A MAN SENT BY PROVIDENCE

Osso's trust in the Providence of God enabled him to launch enterprises that to the eyes of the world seemed foolish. He began the Society of Saint Teresa of Jesus in utter poverty. He often began to build with no more than a few cents for capital. As for the rest -- God's goodness would provide.

When experiencing difficulties, he frequently repeated these thoughts: Wait and you will see wonderful things... A lively faith obtains great things from God... A limited confidence obtains few graces; an unlimited confidence receives many graces and favors.

It was already noon one day and the sisters had nothing to eat. "Go to the chapel," he told them, "and recite the Seven Joys and Sorrows of Saint Joseph." A few minutes later, a wagon full of provisions for the sisters arrived at the door. Deeply moved, our priest again told the sisters, "Return to the chapel and say aloud three times, Thank you, Saint Joseph, thank you."

Nothing annoyed him more than those who, paralyzed by fear, measured everything by human prudence and had no trust in God's providence. The sisters had a small box that they called Saint Joseph's box where generous donors deposited gifts. One day a sister said to him: "Father, I found two one-hundred dollar bills." "That surprises you?" was the calm answer. "Two bills of one-hundred dollars? You will find even five hundred when you need them." As the sister smiled at his words, Father Henry delicately reproached her: You ruin everything with your lack of trust. His total trust in Providence was deeply connected to his spirit of evangelical poverty.

While still very young, he gradually acquired a deep knowledge and love of Saint Teresa of Jesus, as God prepared him for a special mission. His own spirit so synchronized with the Saint's that he adopted for his own her words: God alone suffices," and "Those who have God lack nothing.

As a youth, he usually deposited his allowance in the collection basket that was passed periodically among the members of the Confraternity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Years later, as a professor in the seminary of Tortosa, he used his salary to build altars and buy statues. His books made the rounds among his friends. He also gave away hundreds of books. He refused all ecclesiastical honors that, besides giving him a special recognition, would also have provided him some financial assistance. He invested his entire inheritance in the establishment of the Society of Saint Teresa of Jesus and of its schools. He died poor, as he had lived.

His serenity in the midst of tribulations was an indispensable proof of his abandonment to God's Providence. His peaceful facial expression never changed, even during the most bitter trials. On one occasion he was expecting some very important news that concerned himself and his most cherished apostolate, the Society. He received a letter in the presence of some of the sisters, who tried to guess the outcome of this important business by watching his expression as he read the letter. In vain! He showed not the least sign of distress. On the contrary, he changed the conversation and everybody was at ease. Imagine their surprise the following day to see him leave on an urgent trip, the result of the unpleasant news of the previous day!

Nobody ever heard him complain about others. One of his close friends gave the following testimony:

"For me the best measure of Father Henry's virtue was his behavior toward those who opposed him, even with his most violent opponents. I never heard him say anything against them. His only complaint was: This is opposition of good people.

A MAN CONCERNED ONLY WITH GOD'S GLORY

We glorify God by knowing and loving Him and making Him known and loved. This seemed to be Henry's only objective in life, his only reason for living. As a seminarian he spent his vacations in visits to the Desert of Palms; there, in deep solitude, he became forever a lover of Saint Teresa. He also taught religion to the town children on the lower floor of his father's house during the hottest part of the day, when most people were resting. Thus, instead of only being a time of relaxation only, his vacation also became a continuation of his ministry.

Another extensive field for his apostolic zeal opened up before him after his first Mass on October 6, 1876. The Revolution of 1868 resulted in a lowering of morals in Tortosa. To fight this evil, Henry obtained the permission of his Bishop, Dr. Vilamitjana, to organize twelve catechetical centers, which soon had an enrollment of 1,200 children. God poured abundant blessings on Tortosa by means of these centers.

His ministry was most effective and extensive. Among others, the following apostolic groups are better known:

The Teresian Apostolic Movement (TAM), which he founded to teach children and youth to pray according to the spirituality of Saint Teresa, spread rapidly in Spain. He established it in more than twenty parishes and the enrollment reached more than 130,000 during his life. Today it flourishes wherever the Teresian Sisters are.

The Brotherhood of Saint Joseph, a pious association for older men, started in Tortosa, enlisted some two hundred men from its beginning. Its rapid development was a sign that Father Henry's ministry was pleasing to God.

Father Henry directed a pilgrimage to Rome, the outcome of his appreciation to the Pope and devotion to the Church. Eight hundred pilgrims went. He also organized another pilgrimage to Avila, birthplace of Saint Teresa, and to Alba, where she was buried. During this pilgrimage, he inspired everyone by his spirit of self-giving, self-sacrifice and humility, which let him forget himself and disappear at the hour of triumph -- he who had been the main organizer of the pilgrimage.

He was also instrumental in establishing a monastery of Discalced Carmelite nuns in Tortosa. These and many other forms of ministry, to which we could not possibly give space here, filled the life of this man who spent himself to make God known and loved. But Father Henry's great accomplishment in life was the foundation of the Society of Saint Teresa of Jesus, which he was inspired to found while at prayer during the night of April 2, 1876. With the approval of his spiritual director and the blessing of the Bishop, he established the Society, known as the Teresian Sisters, on June 23 of the same year, at the cost of innumerable sacrifices. To the sisters of the new congregation he wrote:

What we had in mind for this work of zeal was to make you other Teresas, in so far as possible, so that you might be foremost in promoting the honor of Jesus. Praying, teaching, and sacrifice is the aim of the Society. You must work wholeheartedly to promote the honor of Jesus and to restore all things in Christ by educating women according to the spirituality of Saint Teresa of Jesus.

He started the Society with only eight young women. Soon, however, it spread throughout Spain, Portugal, Africa, as well as North and South America. More than 5,000 Teresians have passed through the fourteen novitiates of the Institute. Today, it staffs more than one hundred schools around the world, in addition to many missions in Africa, Nicaragua, Mexico and all through Central and South America. The Teresians also staff houses of prayer in different parts of the world.

In the midst of his multiple activities, Father Henry also found time to devote to the apostolate of the pen. His first effort was a weekly newspaper entitled The People's Friend. He was editor of Saint Teresa's Magazine until his death. Among his many writings, the following publications are significant:

• The Catechist Manual
• Fifteen Minutes of Meditation
• Handbook of TAM
• Handbook of Friends of Jesus
• Treasure Chest for Children
• Novena to Saint Joseph
• The Spirit of Saint Teresa
• Saint Teresa's Month
• A Tribute to Saint Francis de Sales
• Novena to the Holy Spirit
• Novena to the Immaculate Conception
• He also published textbooks for the schools where the Teresian Sisters taught.

His dynamic life, clear vision, and high ideals went hand in hand with his gentleness, simplicity, and modesty, characteristics that made Henry de Osso very attractive in his ministry. His biographer states: "Whoever saw him never forgot him. His personality attracted the respect and affection of all who approached him."

Henry's personality was so pleasant, sincere and natural that, unaware to him, one often sensed his virtue and magnanimous heart. "Our Founder's presence encouraged us and made us happy. I always saw him act, speak, teach, and advise others as a saint would. His conversation always energized me. His mere presence communicated a certain experience of holiness." These are some of the reactions of those who knew him.

The one who characterized him best, however, was his intimate friend, Father Francisco Marsal, when he said: "The servant of God, Henry de Osso, was the most faithful model of Jesus Christ that I have ever seen. His speech, conduct, and actions always made me think: That is how Christ acted."

God, who wanted to make His servant holy, gave him a taste of the bitter chalice of Jesus' own passion. As He does with those He loves most, He made him go through Calvary before entering into glory. But the displeasures and bitter trials he underwent only served as coals to light the fire of God's love in his heart. "Jesus is loved very little", he said to two sisters shortly before his death. "Let the three of us write a booklet on how to increase the love of Jesus in the world."

A few days later, on January 27, 1896, he went home to His Father, after having made a fervent retreat in his favorite place of solitude, the Franciscan monastery of Sancti Spiritus in Gilet.

On the day he died, he appeared to several persons in Spain and America. He was buried in the Franciscan cemetery in Gilet, where his body remained until 1908, when his remains were transferred to the chapel of the novitiate of the Society of Saint Teresa of Jesus in Tortosa, Spain. On October 16, 1979, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II. After the approval of a new first-class miracle in Uruguay, Father Henry was declared Saint by Pope John Paul II in Madrid, Spain, on June 16, 1993. The Church, whom he loved so much and served so faithfully, rejoices today as she offers this model of holiness to the world.

Saint Andrew Corsini (St. Andres Corsino)

1301-January 6th, 1374 Optional Memorial – January 9th

Saint Andrew was born in Florence in 1301 of the illustrious Corsini family. A short time before the birth of Saint Andrew, his mother experienced a strange dream, in which she had given birth to a wolf which became a lamb upon entering a Carmelite church. After a dissolute youthful life Andrew repented, when one day in 1318 his desolate mother told him of her dream. He rose and went to the altar in the church where his parents had offered to God the child they hoped to obtain from His mercy; there he prayed to the Blessed Virgin with tears, then went to beg his admission to the Carmelite Order.

He began a life of great mortification. Ordained a priest in 1328, he studied in Paris and Avignon, and on his return became the Apostle of Florence, and Prior of his convent there. In 1360 he was consecrated Bishop of Fiesole, near Florence, and gained a great reputation as a peacemaker between rival political factions and for his love of the poor. He was also named papal nuncio to Bologna, where he pacified dissenting factions and won the hearts of the nobility with whom he was associating. He wrought many miracles of healing and conversion during his lifetime.

At the age of 71, while he was celebrating the midnight Mass of Christmas, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and told him he would leave this world on the feast of the Epiphany, to meet the beloved Master he had served so faithfully. In effect, he died on that day in 1374, in the thirteenth year of his episcopacy. Miracles were so multiplied thereafter that Pope Eugenius IV permitted a public cult immediately. The city of Florence has always invoked him with confidence and happy results. He was canonized in 1629.

He is often represented holding his crosier, with a wolf and a lamb at his feet, or hovering over a battlefield on a cloud or a white steed — this in memory of his miraculous intervention in a battle the Florentine people won by his assistance.

Saint Peter Thomas (St. Pedro Tomas)

1305-1366 Optional Memorial – January 8th

The career of St Peter Thomas presents us with a curious combination of a religious vocation and a life spent in diplomacy. Born in 1305, of humble parentage, at the hamlet of Salles in the south-west of France, he at the early age of 21, came into contact with the Carmelites, and his abilities led them gladly to admit him into their noviceship at Condom; in 1342 he was made procurator general of the order. This appointment led to his taking up his abode in Avignon, then the residence of the popes, and also indicated that in spite of high spiritual ideals he was known to be pre-eminently a man of affairs. His remarkable eloquence became known, and he was asked to deliver the funeral oration of Clement VI. It may be said that from that time forth, although he always retained the simplicity of a friar, his life was entirely spent in difficult negotiations as the representative of the Holy See. To describe the political complications in which he was called upon to intervene would take much space. It must suffice to say that he was sent as papal legate to negotiate with Genoa, Milan and Venice; in 1354 he was consecrated bishop and represented the pope at Milan when the Emperor Charles IV was crowned king of Italy. Thence he proceeded to Serbia, and afterwards was charged with a mission to smooth the difficulties between Venice and Hungary; going on to Constantinople he was instructed to make another effort to reconcile the Byzantine church with the West.

What is most surprising in our days is that Innocent VI and Urban V seem to have placed Peter Thomas virtually in command of expeditions which were distinctly military in character. He was sent to Constantinople in 1359 with a large contingent of troops and contributions in money, himself holding the title of "Universal Legate to the Eastern Church" ; and when in 1365 an expeditionary force was sent to make an attack on infidel Alexandria, again the legate had virtual direction of the enterprise. The expedition ended disastrously. In the assault the legate was more than once wounded with arrows, and when he died a holy death at Cyprus three months later (January 6, 1366) it was stated that these wounds had caused, or at least accelerated, the end, and he was hailed as a martyr.

It is probable that among the reasons which led to the many diplomatic missions of St Peter Thomas we must reckon the economy thus effected for the papal exchequer at a time when it was very much depleted, for he dispensed with all unnecessary pomp and state. So far as he was himself concerned he traveled in the poorest way, and he was willing to face the great hardships which such expeditions then entailed even upon the most illustrious. We must also not forget that though his biographers write in a tone of rather indiscriminating panegyric, they are nevertheless agreed in proclaiming his own desire to evangelize the poor, his spirit of prayer, and the confidence which his holiness inspired in others. There are not many human touches to be found in our principal source, the biography of Mézičres, but it is a tribute to the impression which the bishop made on his contemporaries that Philip de Mézičres, who was himself a devoted Christian and a statesman of eminence, should speak of his friend in terms of such unstinted praise. A decree issued by the Holy See in 1608 authorized the celebration of St Peter's feast among the Carmelites as that of a bishop and martyr, but he has never been formally canonized.

Blessed Kuriakos Elias Chavara

1805-1871 - Optional Memorial – January 3rd

Blessed Kuriakos, co-founder and first prior general of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, was born at Kainakary in Kerala, India on February 10, 1805. He entered the seminary in 1818 and was ordained priest in 1829. He made his religious profession in 1855 in the congregation he had founded. In 1861 he was named vicar general for the Syro-Malabar church; in this capacity he defended ecclesial unity threatened by schism when Tomas Rochos was sent from Mesopotamia to consecrate Nestorian bishops. Throughout his life he worked for the renovation of the church in Malabar. He was also co-founder in 1866 of the congregation of the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel. Above all, he was a man of prayer, zealous for the Eucharistic Lord and devoted to the Immaculate Virgin Mary. He died at Koonammavu in 1871.

On The Beatitudes...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Poor in spirit" means to be humble. Humility is the realization that all your gifts and blessings come from the grace of God. To have poverty of spirit means to be completely empty and open to the Word of God. When we are an empty cup and devoid of pride, we are humble. Humility brings an openness and an inner peace, allowing one to do the will of God. He who humbles himself is able to accept our frail nature, to repent, and to allow the grace of God to lead us to Conversion.

It is pride, the opposite of humility, that brings misery. For pride brings anger and the seeking of revenge, especially when one is offended. If every man were humble and poor in spirit, there would be no war!

"Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

If we are humble and appreciate that all of our gifts and blessings come from God, we grow in love and gratitude for Jesus Christ our Savior. But this can only produce mourning and regret over our own sins and the sins of this world, for we have hurt the one who has been so good to us. One also mourns for the suffering of others.

St. Gregory describes another reason to mourn: the more one ascends in meditation of Divine Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and then realize the poverty of human nature, man can only be left in sorrow. When one contemplates that we were made in the image and likeness of God and lived in Paradise, the Garden of Eden, and compare that to our present state after the Fall, one can only mourn our present condition. But the sentence continues that they shall be comforted, by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and hopefully one day in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mourning in this context is called a blessing, because mourning our fallen nature creates in us a desire to improve ourselves and to do what is right!

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

St. Gregory of Nyssa taught that the Beatitudes build one upon another. A humble person becomes meek, or becomes gentle and kind, and exhibits a docility of spirit, even in the face of adversity and hardship. A person that is meek is one that exhibits self-control. St. Augustine advises us to be meek in the face of the Lord, and not resist but be obedient to him. Obedience and submission to the will of God are certainly not in vogue these days, but they will bring one peace in this world and in the next.

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

A continuous desire for justice and moral perfection will lead one to a fulfillment of that desire - a transition and conversion to holiness. This is true for all the virtues - if you hunger and thirst for temperance, you will head towards the goal you have in mind. St. Augustine, in his discourse on the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, notes the correspondence of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and their necessity in fulfilling the Beatitudes. For example, one must have the gift of fortitude so one may be courageous in seeking justice.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

Mercy is the loving disposition towards those who suffer distress. Love, compassion, and forgiveness towards one's neighbor will bring peace in your relationships. We say in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. As we are merciful to others, so our Heavenly Father will be merciful with us! Jesus reminds us that whatever "you did to the least of my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:31-46)." St. Paul calls for the obedience of faith in the beginning and end of his Letter to the Romans (1:5, 16:25-27). The following are ways to be merciful to your neighbor, as well as obedient in faith to Christ our Savior.

The Corporal Works of Mercy
1 Feed the Hungry
2 Give drink to the thirsty
3 Clothe the naked
4 Shelter the homeless
5 Comfort the imprisoned
6 Visit the sick
7 Bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1 Admonish sinners
2 Instruct the uninformed
3 Counsel the doubtful
4 Comfort the sorrowful
5 Be patient with those in error
6 Forgive offenses
7 Pray for the living and the dead

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

Moses (Exodus 33:20), John (1:18), and Paul (1Timothy 6:16) all say that no one can see God here on earth! But Jesus says the pure of heart shall see God! To be pure of heart means to be free of all selfish intentions and self-seeking desires. What a beautiful goal! How many times have any of us performed an act perfectly free of any personal gain? Such an act is pure love. An act of pure and selfless giving brings happiness to all.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."

Peacemakers not only live peaceful lives but also try to bring peace and friendship to others, and to preserve peace between God and man. St. Gregory of Nyssa calls a peacemaker a man who brings peace to another; but one cannot give another what one does not possess oneself. Hence the Lord wants you first to be yourself filled with the blessings of peace and then to communicate it to those who have need of it. By imitating God's love of man, the peacemakers become children of God.

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Jesus said many times that those who follow Him will be persecuted. "If they persecute me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20-21). Stephen, Peter and Paul, nearly all of the Apostles, and many Christians in the Roman era suffered martyrdom. The twentieth century with its two World Wars and endless regional conflicts has seen its share of martyrs such as Maximilian Kolbe, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and the Central American martyrs. But the Lord promised those that suffer for his sake will be rewarded with the Kingdom of Heaven!

Jesus

Mary

The Bible

REFERENCES

1 The Navarre RSV Holy Bible. Four Courts Press, Dublin, Ireland, 2001-2005.

2 St. Gregory of Nyssa. The Lord's Prayer and The Beatitudes. Ancient Christian Writers, Paulist Press, Mahwah, New Jersey.

3 St. Augustine. The Lord's Sermon on the Mount. Ancient Christian Writers, Paulist Press, Mahwah, New Jersey.

4 Pope John Paul II. The Splendor of Truth, the encyclical Veritatis Splendor. Pauline Books & Media, Boston, 1993.

5 Pope Benedict XVl. Jesus of Nazareth. Doubleday, New York, 2007.

6 Brown RE, Fitzmeyer JA, Murphy RE (eds): The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1990.

7 Spielvogel JJ. Western Civilization, Sixth Edition, Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont, California, 2006.

Litany to St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)

Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough.... Saint Teresa of Avila

 

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, 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 Spirit,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

Pray for us.

Holy Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, whose heart was transverberated by the love of God,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, most humble servant of God,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, most zealous for the glory of God,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, truly detached from all created objects,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, great light of the Catholic Church,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, reformer and glory of the Carmelite Order,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, queen of mystical theology,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, lustrous name of Avila and Spain,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, who didst forever glorify the name of Teresa,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, wishing to suffer or to die,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, exclaiming, "O Lord, how sweet and pleasing are Thy ways!"

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, desiring so much the salvation of souls,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, tasting and seeing how sweet is the Lord,

even in this vale of miseries,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, exclaiming,

"O death, who can fear thee who art the way to true life!"

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, true lover of the Cross of Christ,

Pray for us.

St. Teresa, who didst live to love,

who died to love, and who wilt love eternally,

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. Pray for us, O holy Saint Teresa,

R.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

O God, Who didst replenish the heart of Thy blessed servant St. Teresa with the treasures of Thy divine love, grant that, like her, we may love Thee and suffer all things for Thee and in union with Thee, that we may gain souls for Thee, and that we may secure the salvation of our own soul. This we beg though the merits of our Savior and the intercession of Thy glorious virgin Teresa.

R. Amen.

Prayer from: Sr. Mariam of Jesus Crucified

Holy Spirit; Inspire me.

Love of God; Consume me.

Along the true road,

Lead me.

Mary, my Good Mother,

Look down upon me.

With Jesus, Bless me.

From all Evil,

All Illusion,

All Danger,

Preserve me.

Flos Carmeli

O beautiful flower of Carmel,

most fruitful vine,

splendor of heaven,

holy and singular,

who brought forth the Son of God,

still ever remaining a pure Virgin,

assist us in this necessity.

(Pause & Quietly mention your petitions)

O Star Of The Sea, help us, and protect us!

Show me that thou art my Mother.

O Mary conceived without sin,

pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Mother and Ornament of Carmel, pray for us.

Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, pray for us.

Help of all who die wearing the Scapular, pray for us.

St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.

St. Joseph, chaste spouse of Mary, pray for us.

St. Joseph our patron,

pray for us.

O sweet heart of Mary,

be our salvation.

Amen

Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

1.   Holy God, we praise thy name;

      Lord of all, we bow before thee;
      all on earth thy scepter claim;
      all in heaven above adore thee.
      //Infinite thy vast domain;
      everlasting is thy reign.\\


2.   Hark the glad celestial hymn
      angel choirs above are raising;
      cherubim and seraphim,
      in unceasing chorus praising,
      //Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
      Holy, holy, holy Lord.\\


3.   Lo! the apostolic train
      joins thy sacred name to hallow;
      prophets swell the glad refrain,
      and the white-robed martyrs follow.
      //And from morn to set of sun,
      through the church the song goes on.\\

4.   Holy Father, Holy Son,
      Holy Spirit: three we name thee,
      though in essence only one;
      undivided God we claim thee,
      //and adoring bend the knee
      while we own the mystery.\\

//Repeat a second time\\

Text: Sts. 1-4, Ignaz Franz, Trans. by Clarence Walworth; Sts. 5-7, F. Bland Tucker

Music: Katholisches Gesanbuch, Vienna, c. 1774

Tune: GROSSER GOTT, Meter: 78.78.77

THE DIVINE PRAISES

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.

ALL: May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.

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The Divine Praises are acclamations, which traditionally conclude Benediction. Although the present official rite makes their use optional during the reposition of the sacrament, the Divine Praises are still generally recited or sung immediately following the blessing with the Host. The recitation sometimes takes the form of a litany, recited by the priest and repeated by the people, or priest and people recite the Praises together.

The original form is attributed to the eighteenth-century Jesuit Luigi Felici, who promoted them as reparation for public blasphemy. The litany has been added to over the years and indulgenced by the Holy See until assuming their present form.

Tantum Ergo...

Priest: Panem de coelo praestitisti eis.

People: Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

To hear the Chant, go to:

http://www.revcastor.com/jubilate/tantum_ergo.htm

Closing Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament

As this time of Adoration closes, O Jesus, * I renew my faith and trust in Thee. * I am refreshed after these moments with Thee, * and I count myself among a privileged number, * even as Thy disciples were, * who shared Thy actual presence. *

Realizing that my visit to Thee is of little avail unless I try to live a better life and set a better example, * I am resolved to go forth again to my duties and my concerns * with a renewed spirit of perseverance and good will. * In my daily life I will try to love and serve God well, * and love my neighbor also, * for these two things go together. * I will try to be a true disciple, indeed. * Help me. O Jesus, * in this my resolution. *

Bless me, dear Lord, before I go. * And bless not me alone, O Lord, * but all as well who are here present, * and all who could not come, *especially the sick and the dying. * Bless our homes and all the children there. * Bless all our life and the hour of our death. *

Grant rest to the souls of the faithful departed, * and bring them into the light of Thy divine glory. * So may we who have worshiped Thee * and been blessed by Thee here on earth, * come to behold the radiant glory * of Thy unveiled countenance in heaven for ever and ever. * Amen. *

Say three times:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, * Thy Kingdom come!

300 days Indulgence.

Follow with:

1 Our Father - 1 Hail Mary - 1 Glory Be.

(For the intentions of the Holy Father and to gain the indulgences for this Holy Hour.)

Close with:

O Sacrament most holy * O Sacrament divine! *All praise and all thanksgiving * be every moment Thine!

300 days Indulgence.

Opening Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament

My Lord Jesus Christ, * it is Thy great love for men * that keeps Thee day and night in this Sacrament, * full of pity and love, * expecting, * inviting, * and welcoming all who visit Thee. * I believe Thou art * really present * in the Sacrament of the Altar. * From the depth of my nothingness, * I adore Thee; * and I thank Thee * for the many graces Thou hast given me, * especially * for the gift of Thyself in this Sacrament, * for the gift of Thy most holy Mother as my intercessor, * and for the privilege * of visiting Thee in this Chapel.*

I now speak to Thy most loving Heart * with a three-fold intention: * to thank Thee for the great gift of Thyself; * to atone for all the insults * which Thy enemies heap upon Thee in this Sacrament; * and to adore Thee * wherever Thy Eucharistic Presence * is dishonored or forgotten. * My Jesus, * I love Thee with my whole heart. * I am very sorry for my ingratitude * to Thy infinite goodness. * I now resolve, * with the help of Thy grace, * never to offend Thee again. * And, sinful as I am, * I consecrate to Thee * my entire self, * my whole will, * my affections, * my desires, * and all that I have. * From now on, * do with me and mine * as Thou pleasest. * I ask for and desire only Thy love, * final perseverance, * and the grace always to do Thy holy will. *

I intercede with Thee for the souls in purgatory, * especially for those * who were most devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, * and to Thy most holy Mother. * recommend to Thee also, * all poor sinners. * And lastly, * my dear Savior, * I unite all my desires * with the desires of Thy most loving Heart. * Thus united, * I present them to Thy Eternal Father, * and beg Him in Thy Name * and for love of Thee, * to hear and answer them. *

PRAYER OF LOYALTY TO GOD

(kneel)
Priest:   God the Father, Creator of Heaven & Earth ...
People:  I LOVE YOU, O MY GOD.
              (same response for all invocations)

God, the Son, Redeemer of the World ...
God, the Holy Spirit ...
Holy Trinity, one God ...
You, who are Infinite Love ...
You, Who did first love me ...
You, Who asks me to love You ...
With all my heart ...
With all my soul ...
With all my mind ...
With all my strength ...
Above all possessions and honors ...
Above all pleasures and enjoyments ...
More than myself ...
More than anything belonging to me ...
More than all my relatives and friends ...
More than all men and angels ...
Above all created things ...
Because You are the Sovereign God ...
Because You are Limitless Love ...
Because You are Infinite Goodness ...
Because You are Unfathomed Devine Mercy ...
Because You are Infinitely Holy ...
Because You are Worthy of all love ...
Even if You had not promised heaven ...
Even if You had not menaced me with hell ...
Even should You try me with want and misfortune ...
In wealth and in poverty ...
In prosperity and adversity ...
In health and in sickness ...
In time and in eternity ...
In union with that love wherewith the Angels in heaven love You ...
In union with that love wherewith the Saints love You ...
In union with that love wherewith the Blessed Virgin Mary loves You ...
In union with that love wherewith You love Yourself eternally ...

Father We Adore You...

Father, we adore You

Lay our lives before You...

         How we love You.

Jesus, we adore You

Lay our lives before You...

         How we love You.

Spirit, we adore You

Lay our lives before You...

         How we love You.

The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy...

1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.


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.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

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; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence 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 life everlasting. Amen.

2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following:

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).
4. Conclude with (three times):

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Closing Prayer:

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion --- inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your Mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy itself. - In the name of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit - Amen.

In 1933, God gave Sister Faustina a striking vision of His Mercy, Sister tells us:


"I saw a great light, with God the Father in the midst of it. Between this light and the earth I saw Jesus nailed to the Cross and in such a way that God, wanting to look upon the earth, had to look through Our Lord's wounds and I understood that God blessed the earth for the sake of Jesus."


Of another vision on Sept. 13, 1935, she writes:


"I saw an Angel, the executor of God's wrath... about to strike the earth...I began to beg God earnestly for the world with words which I heard interiorly. As I prayed in this way, I saw the Angel's helplessness, and he could not carry out the just punishment...."

The following day an inner voice taught her to say this prayer on ordinary rosary beads:

"First say one 'Our Father', 'Hail Mary', and 'I believe'. Then on the large beads say the following words: 'Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.' On the smaller beads you are to say the following words: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.' In conclusion you are to say these words three times: 'Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world'.


Jesus said later to Sister Faustina:


"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy...."


"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior".

hymn: Heart of Jesus

1.                 Heart of Jesus, meek and mild,

               Hear, oh hear, Thy feeble child.

                    In the tempest, most severe

               Heart of Jesus, hear.

Refrain:         Sweetly we rest on Thy Sacred Heart

               Never from Thee, O let us part...

                     Hear then, Thy loving children's prayer.
               Heart of Jesus, Heart of Jesus, hear...

2.                  Make me Truly, wholly Thine.

               Take, O take, this heart of mine.

                     Guide me through this world so drear.

               Heart of Jesus hear.       (refrain)

ACT OF REPARATION

TO THE SACRED HEART

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, * animated with a desire * to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, * we knell before the Throne of Thy Mercy, * and in the name of all mankind, * pledge our love and fidelity to Thee!

The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, * the more firmly we shall believe them, * O Sacred Heart of Jesus!

The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hopes of immortality, *

the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, * sole hope of mankind!

The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, * the more we shall love Thee, * O Infinitely Amiable Heart of Jesus!

The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, * the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, * O Divine Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, * the more we shall delight to observe them, * O Most Holy Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, * the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, * O Most Liberal Heart of Jesus!

The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, * the more we shall endeavor to practice them, * O Heart, Model of every Virtue!

The more the devil labors to destroy souls, * the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, * O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!

The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, * the more we shall try, by purity of life * to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, * O Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Holy Church is despised, * the more we shall endeavor * to be her faithful children, * O Sweet Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy vicar on earth is persecuted, * the more we will honor him * as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, * show our fidelity, and pray for him, * O Kingly Heart of Jesus!

O Sacred Heart, * through Thy powerful grace, * may we become Thy apostles * in the midst of a corrupted world, * and be Thy Crown in the Kingdom of Heaven. - Amen

(* Means to pause - Especially, when said together as a group.)

O Salutaris Hostia...

O salutaris Hostia,

Quae caeli pandis ostium:

Bella premunt hostilia,

Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino

Sit sempiterna gloria,

Qui vitam sine termino

Nobis donet in patria.

Amen

As a liturgical text,

the hymn is usually sung in Latin.

Literal Translation

O salutary Host,

Who expandest the door of the sky,

Hostile wars press.

Give strength; bear aid.

To the Lord One in Three,

May there be sempiternal glory;

for life without end

he gives to us in our homeland.

Amen.

O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office. It is actually the last two stanzas of the hymn Verbum supernum prodiens, and is used for the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Angelus...

The Angelus...

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:

And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord:

Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

And the Word was made Flesh:

And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,

that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42).