East Anglia Seminarians: Back to the fort

Sunday, 23 January 2011

Back to the fort

Tower and clock, Our Lady and
the English Martyrs, Cambridge

I was very sad to leave my placement at Our Lady and the English Martyrs in Cambridge today. Alas, formation in the Seminary now needs to continue, and so all the seminarians have returned from their placements, and are gathering to celebrate Compline (night prayer) together in a short while.

Our second semester beings in earnest in the morning. For us second years, that means entering the lecture room a little before 9a.m., for an hour and a half of Greek, followed by an hour and a half of Philosophy of Religion.

I managed to say 'good-bye' to some of the community in Cambridge last night and this morning, before my return to Oscott. I was sad to leave, not just because of all the philosophy which awaited me upon my return, but because OLEM had, these past few weeks, become a home-from-home, thanks to the kindness of all the priests in the Rectory.

I'm sure I'll be making visits in the future!

And, of course, if you read this blog, which I doubt, thank you Rebus, for helping me to overcome my life-long cynophobia!

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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.