Catholic devotions for the 5th November
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Saint of the Day/ Feast
Reading of the Martyrology
Dedication of the Month
Dedication of the Day
Rosary
Five Wounds Rosary in Latin
Seven Sorrows Rosary in English
Latin Monastic Office
Reading of the Rule of Saint Benedict
Celebration of Mass
Reading from the School of Jesus Crucified
Feast of All Holy Relics
n the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, the entry on Relics states that “It has long been customary especially in churches which possessed large collections of relics, to keep one general feast in commemoration of all the saints whose memorials are there preserved. (As will be explained below, this is something of an overstatement.)
An Office and Mass for this purpose will be found in the Roman Missal and Breviary, and though they occur only in the supplement Pro aliquibus locis and are not obligatory upon the Church at large, still this celebration is now kept almost universally. The office is generally assigned to the fourth Sunday in October.” The author, Fr Herbert Thurston SJ, wrote “generally” because there was a variety of uses in regard to the date. I have seen the feast on October 26 in a 19th century breviary printed at Naples, while the Dominicans kept it on the 30th, and the Premonstratensians on November 14th. The Catholic Encyclopedia article was published just prior to the reform of St Pius X, which abolished the custom of fixing feasts to particular Sundays; after that reform, the most common date was November 5th.
The Divine Office for the feast is that of the common of Several Martyrs, with lessons in the second nocturn taken from St John Damascene’s Treatise on the Orthodox Faith, which perfectly summarize the Church’s theology of relics.
“Christ the Lord granted us the relics of the Saints as fonts of salvation, from which very many benefits come to us. … In the (old) law, whosoever touched a dead person was deemed unclean, but these (i.e. the Saints) are not to be reckoned among the dead. For from that time when He who is life itself, and the Author of life, was reckoned among the dead, we do not call them dead who have fallen asleep in Him with the hope and faith of the resurrection.”
Extract from much longer and wonderful text
The Reading from the Martyrology
This Day, the Fifth Day of November
At Lima in South America, Blessed Martin de Porres, a tertiary of the Order of preachers Having pronounced his solemn vows to God, he united integrity of life so perfectly with the most severe penances, that both before and after death he merited to become famous for his miracles. A duplex
feast.
St. Zachary, priest and prophet. He was the father of St. John the Baptist,
Precursor of the Lord.
Also, St. Elizabeth, the mother of the aforesaid holy Precursor.
When Justinian rebuilt Antioch (middle of 6th cent.), he named it Theopolis. The name, however, did not last.
At Terracina in Campania, the birthday of the holy martyrs Felix, priest, and Eusebius, monk. Eusebius buried the holy martyrs Julian and Caesarius, and he converted many persons to the faith of Christ, while St. Felix baptized them. As they could not be intimidated, they were imprisoned, and on their refusal to offer sacrifice were beheaded that very night.
At Emesa in Phoenicia, the holy martyrs Galatio and Epistemis, his wife.
In the persecution of Diocletian, they were flogged, in addition, their hands, feet, and tongues were amputated. They finally completed their martyrdom by being beheaded.
Also, the holy martyrs Domninus, Theotimus, Philotheus, Silvanus, and their associates, in the reign of the Emperor Maximinus.
At Milan, St. Magnus, bishop and confessor.
At Brescia, St. Dominator, bishop.
At Treves, St. Fibitius, at first an abbot, and later Bishop of Treves.
At Orleans in Gaul, St. Laetus, priest and confessor.
Omnes sancti Mártyres, oráte pro nobis.
("All ye Holy Martyrs, pray for us", from the Litaniae Sanctorum, the Litany of the Saints)
November is the Month of the Poor Souls in Purgatory
NOVENA
For the Relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory
FOURTH DAY Pain of sense
PREPARATORY PRAYER: Act of Faith: My God, I believe in Thee, because Thou art Truth itself; I firmly believe the truths revealed to the Church.
Act of Hope: My God, I hope in Thee, because Thou art infinitely good.
Act of Charity: My God, I love Thee with all my heart, and above all things, because Thou are infinitely perfect; and I love my neighbor as myself, for the love of Thee.
(Indulgence 7 years, 7 quarantines, each time. Benedict XIV., Jan. 28, 1756. Plenary once a month, if said every day. Benedict XIII., Jan. 16, 1728.)
MEDITATION: The pain of loss, the deprivation of the Vision of God, constitutes the supreme suffering in Purgatory. To this suffering of deprivation other sufferings of a positive nature are added. These are conditioned by the number and gravity of the sins which call for expiation and we have every reason to conceive of them as alike terrible and prolonged. Though the Church has not pronounced any decision on this point, it is the opinion of its doctors that the Souls in Purgatory are tormented by fire which penetrates them and burns them as gold in the crucible (Prov. XVII, 3) until it has reduced them to such a degree of purity, that they may be worthy to appear before God.
When a fire is raging, everybody is excited. The people rush to the spot and everyone tries to save those who are already surrounded by the terrible element. Why are we unmoved at the sight of so many Souls who are tormented in the fire of Purgatory and who claim our assistance? Let us not abandon them.
PRACTICE: Let us pray our Lord today to apply the merit of His death on the Cross to the Souls in Purgatory.
RESOLUTION: I will observe the abstinence and fast prescribed by the Church, unless prevented by sickness.
EXAMPLE: Two Spanish monks, bound together by a long and warm friendship, agreed that: if God would allow it, the one who should die first, would appear to the other to make known his condition in the other world. Some time later, one of them died, and appeared to his friend, saying: “I am saved, but condemned to suffer in Purgatory. It is impossible to describe such torments. Will you allow me to give you a sensible demonstration?” Then he placed his hand on the table and imprinted on it a mark as deep as if it had been made by a red hot iron. This table was preserved at Zamora (Spain) up to within the last century.
PRAYER: De Profundis
Let us pray for a deceased man: Hear, O Lord, the prayers which we address to Thy mercy, and grant us that the soul of Thy servant N.N., which is gone into another world, be received into the abode of light and happiness to enjoy the felicity of the Saints. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
V. May they rest in peace.
A. Amen.
(300 days each time for W. and RR., applicable only to the dead. Pius X., Feb. 13, 1908.)
Sunday is the Day dedicated the Resurrection & the Holy and Undivided Trinity
Sundays are, of course, the day for renewing Christ's once and for all Sacrifice during the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Because Christ rose from His tomb on Sunday, Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sundays, or "the Lord's Day." On this day we fulfill God's Third Commandment, to "remember the sabbath day (which means "rest", not "Saturday"), to keep it holy." We refrain from unecessary servile work and fulfill our "Sunday Obligation" to attend Mass.
Act of Thanksgiving to the Trinity
This prayer was written by St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), Doctor of the Church. The prayer is from her Dialogue on Divine Providence and appears in the Office of the Readings on her feast day, April 29.
O DEITAS aeterna, o aeterna Trinitas, quae per unionem divinae naturae fecisti tantum valere pretium sanguinis unigeniti Filii tui! Tu, Trinitas aeterna, es quoddam mare profundum, in quo quanto plus quaero, plus invenio; et quanto plus invenio, plus quaero te. Tu quodammodo instabiliter animam satias; quoniam in abysso tua ita satias animam, quod semper remaneat esuriens atque famelica, te, Trinitas aeterna, peroptans desideransque te videre lumen in lumine tuo.
O ETERNAL God! O Eternal Trinity! Through the union of Thy divine nature Thou hast made so precious the Blood of Thy only-begotten Son! O eternal Trinity, Thou art as deep a mystery as the sea, in whom the more I seek, the more I find; and the more I find, the more I seek. For even immersed in the depths of Thee, my soul is never satisfied, always famished and hungering for Thee, eternal Trinity, wishing and desiring to see Thee, the True Light.
GUSTAVI et vidi cum lumine intellectus, in lumine tuo abyssum tuam, aeterna Trinitas, atque pulchritudinem creaturae tuae: propter quod intuendo meipsam in te, vidi me fore tuam imaginem: donante videlicet mihi te, Pater aeterne, de potentia tua et de sapientia tua, quae sapientia Unigenito tuo est appropriata. Spiritus vero Sanctus, qui procedit a te Patre et Filio tuo, dedit mihi voluntatem, per quam me facit aptam ad amandum.
O eternal Trinity, with the light of understanding I have tasted and seen the depths of Thy mystery and the beauty of Thy creation. In seeing myself in Thee, I have seen that I will become like Thee. O eternal Father, from Thy power and Thy wisdom clearly Thou hast given to me a share of that wisdom which belongs to Thine Only-begotten Son. And truly hast the Holy Spirit, who procedeth from Thee, Father and Son, given to me the desire to love Thee.
NAM tu, Trinitas aeterna, factor es, et ego factura: unde cognovi, te illuminante, in recreatione quam me fecisti per sanguinem unigeniti Filii tui, quod amore captus es de pulchritudine facturae tuae.
O eternal Trinity, Thou art my maker and I am Thy creation. Illuminated by Thee, I have learned that Thou hast made me a new creation through the Blood of Thy Only-begotten Son because Thou art captivated by love at the beauty of Thy creation.
O abyssus, o Trinitas aeterna, O Deitas, o mare profundum: et quid maius mihi dare poteras quam teipsum? Tu es ignis qui semper ardes et non consumeris; tu es qui consumis calore tuo quemcumque proprium amorem animae. Tu es iterum ignis qui tollis omnem frigiditatem, et illuminas mentes lumine tuo, quo lumine fecisti me cognoscere veritatem tuam.
O eternal Trinity, O Divinity, O unfathomable abyss, O deepest sea, what greater gift could Thou givest me then Thy very Self? Thou art a fire that burns eternally yet never consumed, a fire that consumes with Thy heat my self-love. Again and again Thou art the fire who taketh away all cold heartedness and illuminateth the mind by Thy light, the light with which Thou hast made me to know Thy truth.
IN huius luminis speculo cognosco te summum bonum, bonum super omne bonum, bonum felix, bonum incomprehensibile, bonum inaestimabile, pulchritudinem super omnem pulchritudinem, sapientiam super omnem sapientiam: quia tu es ipsa sapientia, tu cibus angelorum qui igne caritatis te dedisti hominibus.
BY this mirrored light I know Thou are the highest good, a good above all good, a fortunate good, an incomprehensible good, an unmeasurable good, a beauty above all beauty, a wisdom above all wisdom, for Thou art wisdom itself, the the food of angels, the fire of love that Thou givest to man.
TU vestimentum cooperiens nuditatem meam, pascis nos famelicos tua dulcedine, qua dulcis es absque ulla amaritudine. O Trinitas aeterna
THOU art the garment covering our nakedness. Thou feedest our family with Thy sweetness, a sweetness Thou art from which there is no trace of bitterness. O Eternal Trinity!
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary are prayed on Sunday
"I would like to remind you that the Rosary is a biblical prayer, all filled with the Holy Scriptures." It is a prayer from the heart, in which the repetition of the Ave Maria directs the thought and affection towards Christ, and thus is made a confident prayer to Him and our Mother. It is a prayer that helps to meditate on the Word of God and assimilate the Eucharistic Communion, on the model of Mary who kept in her heart everything Jesus did and said and even His Presence. " Pope Benedict XVI
The Rosary in Latin
Chaplet of the Five Holy Wounds of Christ in Latin
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady in English
Latin Monastic Office for today from Le Barroux in France Texts also provided
The Reading of the Rule of Saint Benedict for November 5
XXIX SI DEBEANT FRATRES EXEUNTES DE MONASTERIO ITERUM RECIPI
1 Frater qui proprio vitio egreditur de monasterio, si reverti voluerit, spondeat prius omnem emendationem pro quo egressus est,
2 et sic in ultimo gradu recipiatur, ut ex hoc eius humilitas comprobetur.
3 Quod si denuo exierit, usque tertio ita recipiatur, iam postea sciens omnem sibi reversionis aditum denegari.
CHAPTER 29: WHETHER BROTHERS WHO LEAVE THE MONASTERY MAY BE READMITTED
1 If a brother who through his own evil action departs from the monastery, then wishes to return, he should first promise the complete amendment of that which caused his departure.
2 Then he is to be received back in the lowest place, so that in this way his humility may be tried.
3 If he should again depart, he may be received back up to the third time; but after this he must know that all possibility of return will be denied him.
Today's Celebration of the Mass
Relics of the Holy Passion and Cross preserved in Santa Croce in Rome.
Jesus XPI Passio sit semper in cordibus nostris
May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts
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