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10. Or, in fine, as that with which the great patriarch St. Joseph loved thee.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

1. Would, moreover, that I could love thee as the blessed Virgin loved thee upon earth!

2. As she loved thee, particularly when she conceived thy divine Son in her virginal womb, when she brought him into the world, when she nourished him with her milk, and when she saw him die.

3. Would that I could love thee as she loves thee now, and as she will love thee for ever in heaven!

4. But to love thee as thou deservest to be loved, O God, infinitely good, even this would not suffice.

5. I should wish, moreover, to love thee as the Divine Word, made Man, loved thee.

6. As he loved thee at his birth.

7. As he loved thee expiring on the cross.

8. As he loves thee continually in the tabernacles where he lies hid.

9. As he loves, and shall love thee for ever.

10. In fine, my God, I wish to love thee as thou lovest us; but since that is impossible, grant that I may love thee as well as I know how, as much as I can, and as much as thou wishest me. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

Then say the following prayer:

O God, who hast prepared invisible rewards for those who love thee, pour forth some of thy love into our hearts, to the end that, loving thee in all and above all, we may obtain the accomplishment of thy promises, which surpass all desire; through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.1

1 Pius VII., by a rescript, Aug. 11, 1818, granted an indulgence of three hundred days to all the faithful who should recite, with a contrite heart, a succession of acts of the love of God, arranged in form of a crown, with five "Gloria Patri's," as contained in the Raccolta. By saying them ten times a month for a whole year, a person may gain a plenary indulgence on any day he may choose; confession, communion, and prayers according to the Pope's intentions being supposed.

In Suffering.

O Lord Jesus Christ, accept my sufferings, which I desire to unite with thine; sanctify this affliction, so that every pain I feel may purify my soul, and bring it nearer unto thee. O Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech thee to give me such love for thee, that I may love the very sufferings that will take me sooner to thee. Only stand thou by me with thy supporting grace, and then order for me what thou pleasest. Come now to my help, and so purify my soul, that it may not require the cleansing fire of purgatory, but fly to the embraces of thy love for ever. Amen.

A Protestation concerning Death.

O my God, prostrate in thy presence, I worship thee; and I desire to make this declaration as if I were on the point to die, and about to pass from this life to that which shall never end.

O Lord, because thou art the Truth, and canst not lie, but hast revealed it to the Church, I believe the mystery of the most holy Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -three Persons, but only one God, who, judging all men according to their works, awardeth heaven to the righteous, and hell to sinners. I believe that the Second Person-the Son of God-became man, and died for our salvation. I believe all that the holy Catholic Church believeth and teacheth. I believe in God the Father Almighty," &c.

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I thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast made me a Christian; and I solemnly declare that in this holy faith I desire to live and to die.

O God, my hope, trusting in thy promises, I hope to receive from thy mercy,-not through my merits, but through the merits of Jesus Christ,—the pardon of my sins, perseverance in thy grace, and, after this wretched life, the glory of heaven. And should Satan at my death tempt me to despair at the sight of my sins, I solemnly declare that I will always hope in thee, my only Lord

and Saviour, and that I desire to die in the arms of thy goodness.

O God, worthy of infinite love, I love thee with my whole heart, and more than I love myself. I desire to die in an act of love, that so I may continue loving thee throughout endless ages in heaven. Therefore I ask this love of thee. And if, O Lord, instead of loving thee, I have hitherto despised thine infinite goodness and mercy, I am now sorry for it with my whole heart, and I will die, if thou wilt help me, bewailing and lamenting, and hating for ever the sins I have committed against thee. I resolve for the future to die rather than to sin against thee. For thy sake I pardon all who have ever offended me. O my God, I cheerfully accept death and the pains which shall accompany death. I desire to unite them to the sorrows and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to offer them to the honour of thy dominion and in satisfaction for my sins. O Lord, for the sake of the great sacrifice of himself which thy Son offered on the altar of the cross, accept this sacrifice of my life, which I offer unto thee. I now, for the moment of my death, resign myself to thy divine will, solemnly affirming that I wish to die saying, Thy will be done."

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O crucified Saviour, who, to obtain a good death for me, didst suffer a most painful death, remember me at my last hour; remember that I am one of thy sheep, which thou hast purchased with thine own blood. O Shepherd of my soul, who alone canst guide and comfort me at that hour, when I walk through the dark valley of the shadow of death-when no one of this earth shall stand by me-when no friend shall be able to profit me -be with me then; suffer me not to lose thee for evercast me not off from thee. O beloved Jesus, since I embrace thee now, receive me then-hide my sins in thy holy wounds-wash me in thine immaculate blood. At last breath, I give thee my heart, my soul, and my spirit.

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O happy suffering, to suffer for thee! O happy death, to die in thee!

If thou, O Lord, wilt receive my soul, O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory!

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It may be proper also, in time of sickness, to read to the sick person leisurely, and as he is able to bear it, the Passion of Christ, or some meditations on his Passion; the Miserere, and other Penitential Psalms; devout acts of contrition, &c.; but not too much at once, for that might fatigue him, and do him harm.

The Holy Viaticum.

THE Viaticum is the holy Eucharist administered with the intention of preparing the sick for death. This blessed Sacrament is indeed the bread of life, of which every good Christian frequently partakes during health: but when the soul is about to pass from the body, there arises a new and peculiar obligation of receiving it. This obligation is founded on the abundant graces which this holy Sacrament, above all the rest, is capable of imparting, and which are at that time so necessary. It is the safeguard that must preserve the soul on its journey to heaven, it is the pledge of immortal glory. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever. (St. John vi.) And so urgent is the obligation of receiving it at the approach of death, that the Church dispenses with her rule in behalf of those who are dangerously sick, and allows them to communicate after having broken their fast. The sick person will therefore use his best endeavour to make a worthy preparation for this blessed Sacrament.

A short Exercise in preparation for Death, which may be used every day.

1. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; not my will, but thine be done. O my Lord, I resign myself entirely to thee, to receive death at the time and in the manner it shall please thee to send it.

2. I most humbly ask pardon for all my sins committed against thy sovereign goodness, and repent of them all from the bottom of my heart.

3. I firmly believe whatsoever the holy Catholic Church believes and teaches; and, by thy grace, I will die in this belief.

4. I hope to possess eternal life by thy infinite mercy, and by the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ.

5. O my God, I desire to love thee as my sovereign good above all things, and to despise this miserable

world. I desire to love my neighbour as myself, for the love of thee, and to forgive all injuries from my heart.

6. O my divine Jesus, how great is my desire to receive thy sacred body! Oh, come now into my soul, at least, by a spiritual communion! Oh, grant that I may worthily receive thee before my death! I desire to unite myself to all the worthy Communions which shall be made in thy holy Church, even to the end of the world.

7. Grant me the grace, O my divine Saviour, perfectly to efface all the sins I have committed by any of my senses, by applying daily to my soul thy blessed merits, and the holy unction of thy precious blood.

8. Holy Virgin, Mother of God, defend me from my enemies in my last hour, and present me to thy divine Son. Glorious St. Michael, prince of the heavenly host, and thou, my angel guardian, and you, my blessed patrons, intercede for me, and assist me in this last and dreadful passage.

9. O my God, I renounce all the temptations of the enemy, and whatsoever may in any way displease thee. I adore and accept of thy divine appointments with regard to me, and entirely abandon myself to them as most just and equitable.

10. O Jesus, my divine Saviour, be thou a Jesus to me, and save me. O my God, hiding myself with an humble confidence in thy dear wounds, I give up my soul into thy divine hands. Oh, receive it into the bosom of thy mercy.

Amen.

The Order of Administering Holy Communion to a
Sick Person.

The Priest, on entering the sick man's room with the most holy

Sacrament, says:

Pax huic domui.

R. Et omnibus habitantibus

in ea.

Peace be to this house.

R. And to all who dwell therein.

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