body and in soul, and henceforth so live that I be always prepared to die. From a sudden and unprovided death, Lord Jesus, deliver me.

THE BLESSING.

GOD the Father, bless me; Jesus Christ, defend and keep me; the virtue of the Holy Ghost enlighten and sanctify me this night and forever. Amen.

Into Thy hand, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul. Amen.

It is with many a pious practice to include in the evening prayers the Litany of the Blessea Virgin.

AT HOLY MASS.

PRAYER BEFORE MASS.

MY Saviour, I come before Thy holy Altar to assist at Thy Divine. Sacrifice. Do Thou prepare my soul to receive Thy grace; fix my mind on Thee; wash away in Thy Precious Blood all the sins of which Thou seest me guilty; I hate them for the love of Thee, and most humbly beg pardon for them. Grant, O sweet Jesus, that uniting my intentions to Thine, I may spend my whole life for Thy glory, as Thou didst give Thy life for the saving of my soul. Amen.

I wish to share in the Communion of Saints by gaining all the indulgences I can this day and week; and I place them in the hands of our Blessed Lady for the relief of the souls in purgatory. My Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!

PRAYER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

MASS.

While the Priest says the Judica me, Deus,

etc.

ALMIGHTY Lord of heaven and earth, behold I, a wretched sinner, presume to appear before Thee this day, to offer to Thee by the hands of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, the sacrifice of His body and blood, in union with that sacrifice which He offered to Thee upon the cross; first, for Thine own honor, praise, adoration and glory; secondly, in remembrance of His death and passion; thirdly, in thanksgiving for all Thy blessings bestowed on Him and on His whole church, whether triumphant in heaven, or militant on earth, and especially for those bestowed on me, the most unworthy of all; fourthly, to obtain pardon and remission of all my sins, and of those of all others, whether living or dead, for whom I ought to pray; and lastly,

to obtain all graces and blessings both for myself and for Thy whole church. O be Thou pleased to assist me in such manner by Thy grace, that I may behave myself this day as I ought to do in Thy divine presence, and that I may so commemorate the death and passion of Thy Son as to partake most plentifully of the fruits thereof; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I

CONFITEOR.

CONFESS to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist,

the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, and you, father, to pray to the Lord our God for me.

The priest goes up to the altar, and as he advances, full of holy fear, says in a low tone of voice:

PRAYERS.

TAKE away from us our sins, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may be worthy to enter with pure minds into the Holy of Holies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WE beseeeh Thee, O Lord, by the

WE

merits of Thy Saints, whose relics are here, and of all the Saints, that Thou wouldst mercifully forgive me all my sins. Amen.

THE INTROIT.

The Introit is the first prayer the priest reads at the right or Epistle side of the altar. This prayer reminds us how much those who lived holy lives, under the Old Law, wished for the coming of our Blessed Redeemer. Glory be to the Father, is added in honor of the Blessed Trinity.