and love of thee; grant me also that which I ask in this Novena, to thy greater honour and glory. Amen.

Here say thrice the Lord's Prayer and thrice the Hail Mary, and then the following prayer to St. Francis Xavier:

Most holy father Francis Xavier, who didst receive praise from the mouths of innocent children, I humbly implore thy bountiful charity, for the sake of the most Precious Blood of Jesus, and of the immaculate conception of our Blessed Lady, Mother of God, to obtain of God's infinite goodness that, at the approach of my last hour, my heart may be separated and withdrawn from all worldly thoughts and distractions, and be fixed in the most ardent love of him, and the desire of a happy eternity; so that, laying aside all earthly things, which have hitherto perplexed me, I may most diligently seek and perfectly find that one thing which is necessary, to die and rest in peace, under the protection of the most holy Virgin Mary, in the wounds of Jesus her most blessed Son, in the sweet embraces of my God, and in thy presence, holy Saint, through whose intercession I hope to obtain this mercy. But yet, whilst it shall please the divine providence to preserve my life, I beseech thee, my loving protector and affectionate father, to obtain for me of his divine majesty, that I may live as one that is to die, and as I would wished to have lived at the hour of my death; ever imitating thy virtues, and fulfilling the most holy will of God, that so my temporal death may be to me a passage into life everlasting. I also beseech thee to obtain for me that which I ask in this Novena, if it be for the glory of God and for the good of my soul. Amen.

Eternal God, Creator of all things, remember that thou alone didst create the souls of infidels, framing them to thy own image and likeness; and yet behold, O Lord, how to thy dishonour they daily become a prey to the Evil One. Remember, O Lord, thy only Son Jesus Christ, who suffered for them, most bountifully shedding his Precious Blood, and permit not that he be any longer despised by the infidels; but rather, being appeased by the entreaties and prayers of thine elect, of the Saints, and of the Church, the most blessed spouse of thy Son, vouchsafe to be mindful of thy mercy, and, forgetting their idolatry and infidelity, cause them also to

know him thou didst send, Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who is our health, our life, and our resurrection, through whom we are made free and are saved, and to whom be all glory for ever. Amen.

Ant. Well fare thee, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

. The Lord hath led the just man by right ways. Ry. And he hath shown him the kingdom of God.

Let us pray.

O God, who wast pleased to reduce to the bosom of thy Church the nations of the Indies, through the preaching and miracles of St. Francis Xavier; mercifully grant that we may imitate the virtues of him whose glorious merits we commemorate; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commemoration of St. Ignatius Loyola.

Ant. This man despising the world, and triumphing over earthly things, heaped up riches in heaven both by word and work.

y. The Lord hath loved him and hath adorned him, R. He hath clothed him with a robe of glory.

Let us pray.

O God, who for the increase of the greater glory of thy name hast, by blessed Ignatius, strengthened the Church militant with new auxiliaries; vouchsafe that, combating upon earth by his assistance and imitation, we may deserve to be crowned with him in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commemoration of St. Gregory the Great, Apostle of England.

Ant. O most excellent doctor, light of the Holy Church, blessed Gregory, lover of God's law, supplicate the Son of God for us.

y. The Lord hath chosen him a priest unto himself. B. To offer up unto him the sacrifice of praise.

Let us pray.

O God, who hast bestowed the rewards of eternal blessedness on the soul of thy servant Gregory; mercifully grant that we, who are depressed with the weight of our

sins, may by his prayers be delivered; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

PRAYER TO A SAINT ON HIS FEAST-DAY.

O holy N., I praise thee, bless thee, and glorify thee, and congratulate thee with all my heart on all the glory and honour which are rendered to thee to-day, through the boundless liberality of the divine goodness. I recall to thy mind now the overflowing gladness with which thou didst rejoice when thou wast presented before the face of the glory of God by the ministry of holy angels, to receive from him thine everlasting reward. Remember, O most blessed saint, all thy honour and thy glad rejoicing when the hand of God placed the crown of the kingdom on thy head, and thy soul was set upon the throne of its glory. For these and all other benefits and graces which have been ever bestowed upon thee by the God of majesty, I adore, praise, and bless his unutterable goodness, that he hath poured out upon thee in such abundance the flood of his sweetest compassion; and as the bond of that perpetual love and faithfulness in which I desire to bind myself to thee, I offer thee the sweetest Heart of my Jesus, that treasure of all good things, together with all the love and the condescension he hath ever showed thee upon earth, and now showeth thee in the heavens. And, finally, with most assured trust I commend myself to thy most holy prayers; beseeching and imploring thee that in the dread hour of my death thou wouldst offer unto the Lord, in satisfaction for my manifold negligences, all that collected fervour with which thou didst stand before God perfect and complete on this the day of thine entrance into Paradise. Amen.

HYMNS FOR SAINTS IN MARCH.

Mar. 1. St. David, Patron of the Diocese of Menevia

and Newport

No.

7. St. Thomas Aquinas

Litany of Angels, p. 346.

258, 259 157, 158

260

149

233

154

20. St. Cuthbert, Patron of Diocese of Hexham 258, 259

21. St. Benedict

266

all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; and I implore thee, through thy divine merits, O Jesus, to remember me at the hour of my death, and to grant me pardon and mercy,

At 1 o'clock.

Jesus offers his soul up to his Divine Father, and recommends his holy Mother to his beloved disciple, whom he also recommends to his holy Mother.

Admire the entire resignation of our most holy Redeemer upon the cross; give him eternal thanksgiving for the love which induced him to intrust us in the person of St. John to the care of his divine Mother.

Blessed be the hour, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in which thou didst ordain that Mary should become our Mother; oh, grant that the love of thee and of her may inflame my heart! I unite all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; I beseech thee, through thy divine merits, O Jesus, to vouchsafe to remember me at the hour of my death, and to grant me pardon and mercy.

At 2 o'clock.

Jesus cries out," My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Then he says, "I thirst," and having taken the vinegar, he says, "It is consummated."

Admire the unalterable patience of the Son of God, and sympathise with this burning thirst which he feels for our salvation.

Blessed be the hour, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in which thou didst vouchsafe to give us such touching examples of resignation and of zeal for the salvation of souls, and for the accomplishment of the will of thy heavenly Father. I unite all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; and I beseech thee, through thy divine merits, O Jesus, to remember me at the hour of my death, and to grant me pardon and mercy.

At 3 o'clock.

Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, bends down his head, and expires.

Admire the last sigh of God your Saviour, and the sacrifice that he makes of himself on the cross for our salvation.

Blessed be the hour, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in which

thou didst vouchsafe to die for us, in order to consummate the great work of our redemption. I unite all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; and I beseech thee, through thy divine merits, O Jesus, to remember me at the hour of my death and to grant me pardon and mercy,

At 4 o'clock.

A soldier pierces the sacred side of Jesus with a lance, after which Joseph and Nicodemus take down his holy Body from the cross, and place it in the arms of his afflicted Mother.

Adore this sacred wound, from which flowed forth blood and water. Blessed be the hour, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in which thou wert pleased, through thy wound, to open to us thy sacred Heart, the source of salvation and grace; oh, let thy divine unction flow upon us through the hands of Mary, to whom thou didst leave us as her adopted children! I unite all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; and I beseech thee, through thy divine merits, O Jesus, to vouchsafe to remember me at the hour of my death, and to grant me pardon and mercy.

At 5 o'clock.

Jesus is placed in the holy sepulchre.

Adore Jesus Christ, who remains in our tabernacles, as it were enclosed in a holy sepulchre.

Blessed be the hour, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in which thou wert pleased to resign thyself into the hands of Joseph and Nicodemus to be buried; which foreshowed so well the generosity with which thou dost abandon thyself into the hands of the priests, in order that thou mayest thy own self provide the better for my wants. O my Jesus, grant me a share in the compassion of thy holy Mother; arm me with the courage of thy two disciples against all human respect; but above all give me the ardent love of Mary Magdalen, in order that I may seek thee until I have found thee risen again to die no more. I unite all my actions and all my sufferings to this adorable mystery; and I beseech thee, through thy