Post #240

Topics: Month of July: Dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus...Altar Rails and the Holy Mass: The Significance Of

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+Be at mass this Sunday the 8th, the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost. A little birdie tells me that there may be up to eight seminarians in choir!

To post a comment, ask a question, or submit an article contact me, Mark, at bumpy187@gmail.com.

..and now for the necessaries.

Please note: St. Anthony Catholic Church is one of only two churches celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass (EFLR) in the Wichita area. Though this blog is loosely centered around this parish and it's members, Venite Missa Est! is by no means, in any way an official voice of, or for, St. Anthony Parish or the Diocese of Wichita. Venite Missa Est! is strictly a private layman's endeavor.

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July is the Month Dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus 

For private recitation.

AirMaria.com

http://airmaria.com/2012/07/01/july-is-the-month-dedicated-to-the-most-precious-blood-of-jesus/

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

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. 

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us. 

Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us. 

Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us. 

Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us. 

Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us. 

Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us. 

Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us. 

Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.

Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us. 

Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us. 

Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us. 

Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us. 

Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us. 

Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us. 

Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us. 

Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us. 

Blood of Christ, hope of thepenitent, save us. 

Blood of Christ, consolationof the dying, save us. 

Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us. 

Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.

Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us. 

Blood of Christ, most worthyof all glory and honor, save us. 

Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!

Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, 

graciously hear us, O Lord!. 

Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, 

have mercy on us, O Lord!

V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood. 

R. And made us, for our God, a Kingdom. 

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, Thou hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant we beg ofThee, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in Heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.


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Altar Rails and the Holy Mass – the Significance Of

By Father Evan Harkins

praythemass.org

http://praythemass.org/2011/12/altar-rails-in-the-holy-mass-the-significance-of/

The sanctuary is the place where the altar stands, where the word of God is proclaimed, and where the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers exercise their offices. It should suitably be marked off from the body of the church either by its being somewhat elevated or by a particular structure and ornamentation. – General Instruction of the Roman Missal

Here the Church requires that the sanctuary be marked off, calling for, yes, even now, a particular structure; in other words, an altar rail. The altar rail serves beautiful symbolic and considerately practical purposes within the Mass. Further, it makes basic psychological sense as well. Let me explain.

Firstly, we call it an altar rail; the name has reference to the altar. This rail can be seen as an extension of the altar. Christ becomes present on the altar and invites us to be fed at His altar via the rail. Very often the appearance of the rail matches the appearance or imitates the appearance of the altar. In churches where there is no rail, this symbolism is very diminished or completely destroyed. There is a beautiful parallel in the series of events that lead to the distribution of Holy Communion. Just as the priest goes to the altar, offers the sacrifice, and brings that Sacrament to the altar rail for the faithful, so every Christian is called to Sunday Mass, called to the altar, and, nourished by that Sacrament, is sent out to bring Christ and His gospel to the world through daily life.

Practically, the rail is a help to people, both physically and spiritually. The use of rail and the way Holy Communion is distributed with it sets a solemn pace for the reception of Holy Communion. On the part of the priest, more of his time is spent actually distributing the Blessed Sacrament and less time waiting. On the part of the person receiving, the hurried tone is removed; there is a great opportunity for quiet and prayer both a few moments before and after receiving our Lord. The rail also is a help to people in kneeling and standing back up.

On the psychological level, we all have a desire, built into us by God, to offer Him our love and worship, but all of our efforts will be imperfect. This is a truth we cannot escape. If we deny our short-comings and wrong-doings on our conscious level, we will feel it and suffer on a more subconscious level. Because we know that the ‘sanctuary‘ exists — we know that there is a realm that we are unworthy and unable to enter on our own. We know that our knowledge and power are limited. God, of course, knows this too and created a solution. God sent His Son — His Christ — as the perfect high priest, who in turn instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders, by which He allows and commands men to enter His sanctuary and offer His perfect sacrifice, so that we, the entire Church, may join our imperfect sacrifices to His.  Having a sanctuary that is marked off by an altar rail is not a way of keeping people out of where they have a right to go, but it is more than anything a visible reminder to us of the reality of our situation — we need God to do what we cannot. Our worship of God is not something that we get together and decide to do; it is something that God enables us to do. We cannot worship perfectly, so Christ enables us to join in His perfect act of worship.

The distinct sanctuary and the altar rail are, far from being something restricting, a symbol of a truth that is truly liberating — we need God. With reception of Holy Communion at the rail, we see the second part of that truth — God comes to us. We cannot reach God by our own powers, so He comes to us. Deep within us, we know the first part; we know we need God. If we deny this consciously, we will become a people of sadness, anger, and despair. Is it any wonder that a society that has rejected its need for God is full of people weighed down with despair, depression, and struggles of self-worth? It is precisely by acknowledging that we need God, as the sanctuary and rail remind us, that we are able to acknowledge the joyful truth that God comes to us and thus become people of light, peace, and hope.

– Father Evan Harkins