East Anglia Seminarians: Martyrs of England and Wales

Monday 4 May 2009

Martyrs of England and Wales

Happy Feast Day of the Martyrs! I remember how moving it was to go to the spot where the Tyburn gallows were, now in the middle of a traffic island off Hyde Park, marked only with a circle in the pavement that reads, 'The Site of Tyburn Tree.' To think that so many men and women gave their lives for the Catholic faith on this spot, a witness that was also the catalyst for many conversions, and now the historical brutality of our nation is marked by indifferent silence - cars drive past the spot and never even know it is there. I guess this is the lot of our mission in the world - sooner or later people will forget that we were ever here. But the martyrs strove for a wreath that does not wither. Only yesterday Pope Benedict said at an ordination Mass in St Peter's, we must learn to be in the world without being of the world. In speaking of the mission of priests he said, "...we priests know this from experience: The 'world,' in the sense that John uses the word, does not understand the Christian, does not understand the ministers of the Gospel -- in part, because in fact it does not know God and in part, because it does not want to know him." Let's pray to the martyrs that we will bring God's love to the world, without ourselves giving in to the world's secular values in the process.

1 comment:

Magister, SSIM said...: Catholics who enjoy visiting the ancient sites associated with the martyrs might be interested in joining the Society of St Justin Martyr whose apostolate is to visit places once used for or associate with Catholic worship. We make acts of reparation, pray for those who worship there now, as well as venerating the relics of saints if present. See: www.justinmartyr.org.uk or email chamberlain.ssim@ntlworld.com.
Fr Tim Finnegan has mentioned this recently on his excellent blog and our numbers are slowly growing from amongst the laity and the clergy.

From the statutes:
'On visiting a church, monastery, shrine, even if ruined, which had previously been used for Catholic worship recite the following [viz. Pater, Ave, Gloria] for the repose of the souls of all who have worshipped there in the past, especially the priests who faithfully offered the holy sacrifice of the Mass and in reparation for all wrongs committed there. Pray also for the unity of Christ’s church around the See of Peter and for the intentions of our Holy Father'; 8 May 2009 at 18:33

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Prayer for Priestly Vocations

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who moved to pity at the sight of the multitudes, scattered like sheep without a shepherd, didst say to Thy disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send labourers into His harvest," deign to turn Thine eyes of pity on this our diocese, and to call to Thy priesthood young men, who will spend themselves and be spent for Thy honour and glory, and for the souls whom Thou has redeemed with Thy Most Precious Blood, Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Seminarians

O Lord Jesus Christ, great High Priest, I pray that You call many worthy souls to Your holy priesthood.

Enlighten the Bishop in the choice of candidates, the Spiritual Director in molding them, and the professors in instructing them.

Lead the seminarians daily in Your unerring footsteps; so that they may become priests who are models of purity, possessors of wisdom and heroes of sacrifice; steeped in humility and aflame with love for God and man; apostles of Your glory and sanctifiers of souls.

Amen.

Prayer for the Pope

V. Let us pray for our Pontiff, Pope Benedict.
R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him to be blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies

Our Father. Hail Mary.

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant, Benedict, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy loving-kindness, in the way of eternal salvation; that, of thy gift, he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Prayer for the Queen

V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen.
R. And hear us on the day we call upon you.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come before you.

[V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.]

Let us pray

Almighty God, we pray, that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen, who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue, that, imbued with your heavenly grace, she may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil and, being blessed with your favour may, with her consort and the royal family, come at last into your presence, through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life and who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.