SOME PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS

Prayer to St Benedict

0 glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things

May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin. Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion. and mercy towards those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance any one who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention it), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul

Help me, 0 great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

The Medal of St. Benedict

St. Benedict blessed by God both in grace and in name, Patriarch of Western Monasticism, and founder of the Order which bears his name, was born in Nursia, Italy, in 480 and died in 547. As the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ was a chief object of devotion to the early Christians, so it was to Benedict. It was this devotion to the Cross, the sign of our redemption, that gave rise to the medal of St. Benedict, for devotion to the Medal of St. Benedict is above all else devotion to the sign of our salvation. The Saint often employed the sign of the Cross to work miracles and to overcome the devil and his temptations. From the earliest centuries after his death Benedict is represented bearing the Cross of Christ together with the Holy Rule.

The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict represents on the one side the holy Patriarch holding in the one hand the cross, and in the other the Holy Rule. On the other side is shown a cross with certain letters on and around it. They are in reality ejaculatory prayers which may have been frequently in the mouth of St. Benedict himself. The letters in the angles of the cross, C. S. P. B., stand for the words: Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti. (The Cross of Holy Father Benedict.) On the perpendicular bar of the cross are the letters: C. S. S. M. L., They signify: Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux. ( May the Holy Cross be my light.)

On the horizontal bar we find: N. D. S. M. D., that is, Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux. ( Let not the Dragon be my guide.) Around the margin may be seen: V. R. S. N. S. M. V. S. M. Q. L. I. V. B. These initials stand for the verses: Vade Retro Satana! Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana. Sunt Mala Quae Libas; Ipse Venena Bibas. ( Be gone, Satan! Suggest not to me thy vain things. The cup thou profferest me is evil; drink thou thy poison.) These or similar words may have been used by St. Benedict when making use of the sign of the cross against the devil and his temptations.

Above the Cross we find the word PAX ( Peace), the motto of the Benedictine Order, to denote a blessing which the Medal brings upon the devout wearer. On the right side of St. Benedict is the poisoned cup, shattered by the sign of the Cross, which the Saint made over it; on his left we have a raven about to carry away a poisoned loaf of bread sent to the holy Patriarch. Above the cup and the raven stands the inscription: Crux S. Patris Benedicti. ( The Cross of Holy Father Benedict.) Around the edge of the same side are the words: Ejus in Obitu nostro Praesentia Muniamur. ( At our death may we be protected by his presence. Below we read: Ex S. Monte Casino. MDCCCLXXX. Abbey
of Monte Cassino, 1880.)

No special way of carrying or applying the Medal is prescribed. It may be worn about the neck, attached to the scapular or the Rosary, or otherwise carried about one's person. It may be dipped into the water or medicine to be given to the sick: or it may be applied to their wounds. Often it is placed in the foundations of houses, hung over the doors or on the walls of dwelling places, stables, barns, or attached to automobiles, to call down God's blessing and the protection of St. Benedict, and the power of the Church's blessing. Also no particular prayers are prescribed, as the devout wearing itself
is a continual silent prayer.

If, however, some extraordinary favor through the use of the Medal is sought, one may make a novena or triduum, making each day the Way of the Cross, or reciting five Our Fathers and Hail Marys in honor of the five wounds of our Lord, and saying some prayers in honor of St. Benedict. In time of temptation, it is advisable to hold the Medal in one's hand, kiss it reverently, and make use of the ejaculatory prayers on the Medal.

From St Andrew Abbey, Cleveland, Ohio

Prayer to St Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael the archangel,
Defend us in battle.
Be our protection against
the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him,
We humbly pray;
And do you, O Prince of the heavenly host,
By the divine power
thrust into hell
Satan and all the other evil spirits
who wander through the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

LITANY OF THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, pray for me .
Angel of heaven, who are my guardian, pray for me.
Angel of heaven, whom I revere as my superior,
Angel of heaven, who give me charitable counsel,
Angel of heaven, who give me wise direction,
Angel of heaven, who take the place of a tutor,
Angel of heaven, who love me tenderly,
Angel of heaven, who are my consoler,
Angel of heaven, who are attached to me as a good brother,
Angel of heaven, who instruct me in the duties and truth of salvation,
Angel of heaven, who are to me a charitable shepherd, Angel of heaven, who
are witness of all my actions,
Angel of heaven, who help me in all my undertakings,
Angel of heaven, who continually watch over me,
Angel of heaven, who intercede for me,
Angel of heaven, who carry me in your hand,
Angel of heaven, who direct me in all my ways,
Angel of heaven, who defend me with zeal,
Angel of heaven, who conduct me with wisdom,
Angel of heaven, who guard me from all danger,
Angel of heaven, who dissipate the darkness and enlighten the mind,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Spare us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, 0 Lord.

Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.

Leader: Pray for us, 0 Guardian Angel.
All: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Leader: Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, with everlasting good
news to announce to those who dwell on earth, to every nation, tribe,
tongue, and people (Rv 14: 6).

Let us pray.

My dear Guardian Angel, you were given to me by my merciful God to be
the faithful companion of my earthly exile. I honor and love you as my most
devoted friend to whom God has entrusted the care of my immortal soul.
With all my heart I thank you for your love and constant care of me.

Dearest Angel-friend, I beg you to guard and protect me, a poor sinner.
Conduct me on the way of life. Warn me against every occasion of sin, and
fill my soul with wholesome thoughts and loving encouragement to practice
virtue. Intercede for me that I may share in your burning zeal in God's
service and devoted love for his divine will.

Forgive me, loving Guardian, for so often disregarding your advice in the
past and for ignoring your inspirations. I shall try in the future to obey
you willingly and faithfully. You know the value of my soul in the eyes of
God. Never permit me to forget that it was redeemed by the Precious Blood of
Jesus Christ. Let no stain of evil disfigure the beauty of my soul, nor any
sinful thought or deed rob me of my dignity as a child of God. Keep me from
scandal that I may never become an occasion of sin to others and thus
destroy the work that Christ has wrought in their souls by his bitter
passion and death.

Dear Guardian Angel, may I enjoy your protection in this dangerous journey
through life that I may reach my eternal home in heaven, there to praise the
mercy of God toward me in union with you and all the other angels and saints for ever. Amen.

(Peter John Cameron, OP).

As the Church begins nine days of prayer in preparation for the celebration of
Pentecost, you might want to pray each evening a portion of the ancient hymn of
longing for the Spirit, known in English through the familiar hymn: "Come, Holy
Ghost," which paraphrases the Latin:

Veni, Creator Spiritus,
Mentes tuorum visita:
Imple superna gratia
Quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus,
Altissimi donum Dei,
Fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
Et spiritalis unctio.

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our hearts take up thy rest;
Come with thy grace and heav'nly aid
To fill the hearts which thou hast made,
To fill the hearts which thou hast made.
O Comforter, to thee we cry,
The heav'nly gift of God most high:
O font of life and fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above,
And sweet anointing from above.

"The Spirit, too, comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will. " (Romans 8)

Come, Holy Spirit!

INTERCESSIONS:

With confidence, let us pray to the Lord who created the Church through the gift of
the Spirit:
Renew, O Lord, the face of the earth! R.
O Christ, seated in glory at the right hand of God, you poured forth on your
disciples the Holy Spirit received from the Father:
send your Spirit to make new the world. R
O Christ, you breathed upon your Apostles, giving them the Spirit for the remission of sins:
send your Spirit to wash away our faults. R.
O Christ, you promised that the Spirit would teach us all things and remind us of
what you, yourself, had said:
send your Spirit to enlighten our faith. R.
O Christ, you promised to send the Spirit of truth to bear witness to you:
send your Spirit to enable us to give faithful testimony. R.

Personal intentions.

Our Father.......

O Lord, through the mystery of Pentecost, you sanctify your Church in every place and nation. Pour out the gifts of the Spirit upon the whole world, and bring to completion in the hearts of your faithful the work of love which you began with your first proclamation of the Kingdom, who live and reign with the Father, and the same Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

V. Pray for us, 0 blessed Anthony,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

Let Your Church, 0 God, be gladdened by the solemn commemoration of blessed Anthony Your Confessor and Doctor: that she may evermore be defended by Your spiritual assistance, and merit to possess everlasting joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for a Special Favor

O great St. Anthony, you whose heart is full of kindness, and who have received from God the power of recovering lost objects, help me now, in order that, by your assistance I may obtain the favor I ask (here mention it) and thus be able to glorify more and more Our Lord, Who deigns to work so great miracles by your means. Amen.