Catholic devotions for 8th August
Scroll down for today's:
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 the 14 Holy Helpers
This prayer to the Fourteen Holy Helpers -- the collect for the Helpers' votive Mass, from a 15th century Cracow Missal -- a good prayer today ---
Almighty and merciful God, Who didst adorn Thy Saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus, Christopher, Denis, Cyriacus, Acacius, Eustace, Giles, Margaret, Barbara and Catherine with special privileges above all others, so that all who in their necessities implore their help, according to the grace of Thy promise, may attain the salutary effect of their pleading, grant to us, we beseech Thee, forgiveness of our sins, and with their merits interceding, deliver us from all adversities, and kindly hear our prayers.
-- as would this prayer by St. Alphonsus Liguori:
Great princes of heaven, Holy Helpers, who sacrificed to God all your earthly possessions, wealth, preferment and even life and who now are crowned in heaven in the secure enjoyment of eternal bliss and glory; have compassion on me, a poor sinner in this vale of tears and obtain for me from God, for Whom you gave up all things and Who loves you as His servants, the strength to bear patiently all the trials of this life, to overcome all temptations and to persevere in God’s service to the end, that one day I too may be received into your company, to praise and glorify Him, the supreme Lord, Whose beatific vision you enjoy and Whom you praise and glorify forever. Amen
The Litany of the Holy Helpers, also written by St. Alphonsus Liguori, could also be prayed today or any time you are in great trouble.
To prepare for this feast (by starting on July 30 and ending on August 7) or, as always, in times of trouble, you can pray the Novena to All the Fourteen Holy Helpers, also written by St. Alphonsus Liguori, and whence the prayer and litany above come.
Semen est sanguis Christianorum
The blood of Christians is the seed of the Church
Tertullian, Apologeticum, 50
The Reading from the Martyrology
This Day, the Eighth Day of August
At Rome, the holy martyrs Cyriacus, deacon, Largus, and Smaragdus, with twenty others, who suffered on the 16th of March, in the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. Their bodies were buried on the Salarian road by the priest John, but were on this day translated by Pope St. Marcellus to the estate of Lucina, on the Ostian way. Afterwards they were brought to Rome, and placed in the Church of St. Mary in Via Lata (the title of a cardinal-deacon).
At Anzarba, in Cilicia, St. Marinus, an aged man, who was scourged, racked, and lacerated, and died by being exposed to wild beasts, in the time of the emperor Diocletian and the governor Lysias.
Also, the holy martyrs Eleutherius and Leonides, who suffered martyrdom by fire.
In Persia, St. Hormisdas, a martyr, under king Sapor.
At Cyzicum, in Hellespont, St. Aemilian, bishop, who ended his life in exile after having suffered much from the emperor Leo for the worship of holy images.
In Crete, St. Myron, a bishop renowned for miracles.
At Vienne, in France, St. Severus, priest and confessor, who undertook a painful journey from India in order to preach the Gospel in that city, and converted a great number of Pagans to the faith of Christ by his labors and miracles.
And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
Omnes sancti Mártyres, oráte pro nobis.
("All ye Holy Martyrs, pray for us", from the Litaniae Sanctorum, the Litany of the Saints)
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Composed by Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman, shortly after his reception into the One, True Fold of the Redeemer
Friday is the Day dedicated to the Christ's Passion and His Sacred Heart
Fridays are penitential days and Catholics are to keep in mind Christ's suffering and to sacrifice something for the sake of penance and discipline. The traditional way to do this is to abstain from meat. On this day also, many Catholics make what is known as the "First Fridays Devotion" in honor of the Sacred Heart. This entails going to Mass and receiving Communion in reparation to the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months (see Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Another Friday practice is to kneel and pray five Paters and five Aves, especially at 3:00pm, the hour Christ died on the Cross.
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary are prayed on Friday
"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 August 8
LV DE VESTIARIO VEL CALCIARIO FRATRUM
15 Stramenta autem lectorum sufficiant matta, sagum et lena, and capital.
16 Quae tamen lecta frequenter ab abbate voteanda sunt propter opus peculiare, ne inveniatur;
17 et si cui inventum fuerit quod ab abbate non accepit, gravissimae disciplinae suisiaceat.
18 Et ut hoc vitium peculiaris radicitus amputetur, dentur ab abbate omnia quae sunt necessaria,
19 id est cuculla, tunica, pedules, caligas, bracile, cultellum, graphium, acum, mappula, tabulas, ut omnis auferatur necessitatis excusatio.
20 A quo tamen abbate semper consideretur illaisentia Actuum Apostolorum, quia dabatur singulis prout cuique opus erat.
21 Ita ergo et abbas consideret infirmitates indigentium, non malum voluntatem invidentium;
22 in omnibus tamen iudiciis suis Dei retributionem cogitet.
CHAPTER 55: THE CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR OF THE BROTHERS
15 For bedding a mat, a heavy and a light blanket, and a pillow suffice. 16 These beds are to be frequently inspected by the abbot so that personal possessions are not found there;
17 and if anyone is found with something he has not received from the abbot, he is to be subjected to the most severe discipline.
18 And so as to cut out this vice of personal ownership at the roots, the abbot is to give out everything that is necessary:
19 that is, cowl, tunic, stockings, shoes, belt, knife, stylus, needle, handkerchief, and writing tablets; so that every excuse based on necessity is removed.
20 However the abbot must always take into consideration this sentence from the Acts of the Apostles: They gave to each one according to his need (Acts 4:35).
21 Therefore the abbot is also to take into consideration the weaknesses of those in need, not the ill-will of the envious:
22 nevertheless, in all his decisions he is to ponder the retribution of God.
Today's Celebration of the Mass
Also today
Mother of Saint Dominic and Blessed Mannes de Guzman
Jesus XPI Passio sit semper in cordibus nostris
May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts
"The Cross is our trophy against the demons, our sword against sin, and the sword Christ used to pierce the serpent. The Cross is the Father's will, the glory of the Only-Begotten, the joy of the Spirit, the pride of the angels, the guarantee of the Church." -St. John Chrysostom
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