Pater noster, secreto. V. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem. R. Sed libera nos a malo. V. Salvam fac ancillam tuam, Domine. R. Deus meus, sperantem in te. V. Mitte ei, Domine, auxilium de sancto. R. Et de Sion tuere eam. V. Nihil proficiat inimicus in ea. R. Et filius iniquitatis non apponat nocere ei. V. Domine, exaudi oratio nem meam. R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat. Oremus. Omnipotens, sempiterne Deus, qui per beatæ Mariæ Virginis partum fidelium parientium dolores in gaudium vertisti respice propitius super hanc famulam tuam ad templum tuum pro gratiarum actione lætam accedentem: et præsta, ut post hanc vitam, ejusdem beatæ Mariæ meritis et intercessione, ad æternæ beatitudinis gaudia cum prole sua pervenire mereatur. Per Christum Dominum nos trum. R. Amen. Our Father, secretly. V. And lead us not into temptation. R. But deliver us from evil. V. Save thine handmaid, O Lord. R. Who hopeth in thee, O my God. V. Send her help, O Lord, from the sanctuary. R. And defend her out of Sion. V. Let not the enemy prevail against her. R. Nor the son of iniquity approach to hurt her. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. Then he sprinkles her with holy water, in the form of a Pax et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris,+ et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, descendat super te, et maneat semper. Amen. The peace and blessing of God Almighty, the Father, + and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, descend upon thee, and abide for ever. Amen. NOTE.-This Benediction is nal given except to those in lawful wedlock. The Benediction of a Woman in Childbirth, where there is a doubt of her safety. V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. R. Qui fecit cœlum et ter ram. V. Salvam fac ancillam tuam, Domine. R. Deus meus, sperantem in te. V. Esto ei, Domine, turris fortitudinis. R. A facie inimici. V. Nihil proficiat inimicus in ea. R. Et filius iniquitatis non apponat nocere ei. V. Mitte ei, Domine, auxilium de sancto. R. Et de Sion tuere eam. V. Domine, exaudi oratio nem meam. R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat. V. Dominus vobiscum. Oremus. Omnipotens, sempiterne Deus, qui dedisti famulis tuis in confessione veræ fidei æternæ Trinitatis gloriam agnoscere, et in potentia majestatis adorare Unitatem; quæsumus, ut ejusdem fidei firmitate, hæc famula tua ab omnibus semper muniatur adversis. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, &c. V. Our help is in the name of the Lord. R. Who hath made heaven and earth. V. Save thine handmaid, O Lord. R. Who hopeth in thee, O my God. V. Be unto her, O Lord, a tower of strength. R. From the face of the enemy. V. Let not the enemy prevail against her. R. Nor the son of iniquity approach to hurt her. V. Send her help, O Lord, from the sanctuary. R. And defend her out of Sion. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. Oremus. Domine Deus, omnium Creator, fortis et terribilis, justus atque misericors, qui solus bonus et pius es; qui de omni malo liberas Israel; qui fecisti patres electos quoslibet, et sanctificasti eos munere Spiritus tui; qui gloriosa Virginis Mariæ corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu sancto cooperante, præparasti; qui Joannem Baptistam Spiritu Sancto repleri, et in utero matris exultare fecisti; accipe sacrificium cordis contriti, ac fervens desiderium famulæ tuæ N. humiliter supplicantis, pro conservatione prolis debilis, quam ei dedisti concipere; et custodi parientem tuam, et defende ab omni dolo et injuria diri hostis, ut obstetricante manu misericordiæ tuæ, foetus ejus ad hanc lucem veniat incolumis, ac sanctæ regenerationi servetur, tibi in omnibus jugiter deserviat, et vitam consequi mereatur æternam. Per eumdem Dominum nostrum, &c. R. Amen. Let us pray. Lord God, Creator of all things, strong and terrible, just and merciful, who alone art good and kind; who deliverest Israel from all evil; who madest whom thou wouldest chosen fathers, and sanctifiedst them with the gift of thy Spirit; who, by the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mary, that she might be worthy to be made a fitting habitation of thy Son; who madest John the Baptist to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to leap in his mother's womb; accept the sacrifice of a contrite heart, and the fervent desire of thine handmaid, N., who humbly beseecheth thee for the preservation of the feeble offspring which thou hast given her to conceive; preserve thine handmaid in childbearing, and defend her from all craft and injury of the direful enemy; that, by the helping hand of thy mercy, her offspring may come safe to this light of day, and may be preserved for holy regeneration, may evermore thee in all things, and may merit to attain unto everlasting life. Through the same our Lord, &c. R. Amen. serve Then she is sprinkled with holy water, whilst the 66th Psalm, with the Gloria, is being said; for which see Office of the Blessed Virgin, p. 546. V. Benedicamus Patrem, et Filium, eum Sancto Spiritu. V. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Spirit. Instructions and Devotions If you are attacked by any serious illness, let your first care be to send for your spiritual physician, and settle the state of your soul. This is much better done in the beginning of sickness than afterwards, when the strength of fever, or the nature of the remedies, may render a person absolutely unfit for so great a work. Sickness is often sent for a punishment of sin, and therefore a sincere repentance and confession of sin are often a more effectual means of recovery than any other. 2. If you have not already made your Will, as in prudence you ought, let this also be done in the beginning of your sickness; that so, having settled your temporal affairs, you may apply your soul without disturbance to the spiritual. 3. Engage your best friends to give you timely notice if your illness be dangerous; and not to flatter you with hopes of life, when there are little or no grounds for hope. Make the best you can of that time which, perhaps, is to be your last. Admit but of few visits, nor of any discourse but such as may be for your soul's profit. 4. Take proper care for the discharge of your debts, and all other obligations incumbent upon you; and this as much as may be in the beginning also of your sickness. Forgive all those who have in any way injured you, and ask pardon of those whom you have injured. 5. Receive your sickness from the hand of God, with a perfect resignation to his holy will, as a just punishment of your offences; frequently offer yourself up to him, and beg that he will give you patience, and sanctify your sufferings, and that he will accept of all your pains and uneasiness, in union with the sufferings of your Saviour Jesus Christ, in deduction of the punishment due to your sins. 6. Often procure some friends to read to you such prayers as are most affecting and proper for your present condition, especially the Penitential Psalms, the Litanies, Acts of the Love of God, of Patience and Resignation, &c. 7. Have the Crucifix, or a picture of Christ crucified, always before |