Prayers Before the Office
Before beginning the Office, it is praiseworthy to say the following Prayers.
Open my mouth, O Lord, to bless thy holy Name: cleanse my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections, that I may fittingly recite this Office with attention and devotion, and so may be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith thou thyself didst offer thy praises to God while upon the earth, I now recite this Office to thee.
The Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles’ Creed are said secretly.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost: the holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: ✠ And the Life everlasting. Amen.
Opening Versicles
℣.O God, ✠ make speed to save me.
℟.O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Alleluia
Hymn
Iam lucis orto sidere
Now that the daylight fills the sky,We lift our hearts to God on high,That he, in all we do or say,Would keep us free from harm to-day:
Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife;From anger’s din would hide our life;From all ill sights would turn our eyes;Would close our ears from vanities:
Would keep our inmost conscience pure;Our souls from folly would secure;Would bid us check the pride of senseWith due and holy abstinence.
So we, when this new day is gone,And night in turn is drawing on,With conscience by the world unstained,Shall praise his Name for victory gained.
All glory, Lord, to thee we payFor thine Epiphany today;All glory, as is ever meet,To Father and to Paraclete.Amen.
Ant. I will sing.
Psalm 13Usquequo, Domine
How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever * how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart * how long shall mine enemies triumph over me?
3Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God * lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death.
4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him * for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it.
5But my trust is in thy mercy * and my heart is joyful in thy salvation.
6I will sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me * yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 14Dixit insipiens in corde
The fool hath said in his heart * There is no God.
2They are corrupt, and become abominable in their doings * there is none that doeth good, no not one.
3The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men * to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God.
4But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable * there is none that doeth good, no not one.
5Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues have they deceived * the poison of asps is under their lips.
6Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness * their feet are swift to shed blood.
7Destruction and unhappiness is in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known * there is no fear of God before their eyes.
8Have they no knowledge, that they are all such workers of mischief * eating up my people as it were bread, and call not upon the Lord?
9There were they brought in great fear, even where no fear was * for God is in the generation of the righteous.
10As for you, ye have made a mock at the counsel of the poor * because he putteth his trust in the Lord.
11Who shall give salvation unto Israel out of Sion? When the Lord turneth the captivity of his people * then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 15Domine, quis habitabit
Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle * or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?
2Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life * and doeth the thing which is right, and speaketh the truth from his heart.
3He that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour * and hath not slandered his neighbour.
4He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes * and maketh much of them that fear the Lord.
5He that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not * though it were to his own hindrance.
6He that hath not given his money upon usury * nor taken reward against the innocent.
7Whoso doeth these things * shall never fall.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. I will sing * of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me.
Chapter
Zach. 8:19
Love the truth and peace, saith the Lord of hosts.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Litany & Lord’s Prayer
℣.O Christ, arise, help us.
℟.And deliver us for thy Name’s sake.
℣.Kyrie, eleison.
℟.Christe, eleison.
All:Kyrie, eleison.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
℟.But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Preces
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost: the holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: ✠ And the Life everlasting. Amen.
℣.Our help ✠ is in the Name of the Lord.
℟.Who hath made heaven and earth.
I CONFESS to God Almighty, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (to our blessed Father Benedict,) and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (our blessed Father Benedict,) and all the Saints, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
℟.Amen.
May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant unto us pardon, ✠ absolution, and remission of our sins.
℟.Amen.
All
I CONFESS to God Almighty, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (to our blessed Father Benedict,) and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (our blessed Father Benedict,) and all the Saints, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
℟.Amen.
May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant unto us pardon, ✠ absolution, and remission of our sins.
℟.Amen.
Then the Officiant makes Confession:
Priest
I confess to God Almighty, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (to our blessed Father Benedict,) to all the Saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (our blessed Father Benedict,) all the Saints, and you, brethren, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
People
Almighty God have mercy upon thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to everlasting life.
Priest
℟.Amen.
Then the Confession is repeated by the Choir, and thee, father, is said instead of you, brethren.
People
I confess to God Almighty, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (to our blessed Father Benedict,) to all the Saints, and to thee, father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, (our blessed Father Benedict,) all the Saints, and thee, father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
After Confession has been made by the Choir, the Officiant says:
Priest
Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to everlasting life.
People
℟.Amen.
Priest
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, absolution, and remission of your sins.
People
℟.Amen.
℣.Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day.
℟.To keep us without sin.
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Collect
O Lord God Almighty, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power, that we may not fall this day into any sin, but that all our thoughts, words, and works may be directed to the fulfilment of thy righteousness. Through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
Blessing
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
℣.Let us bless the Lord.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
℟.Amen.
Then the Martyrology is read in Choir, and this may laudably be done also in the private recitation of the Office out of Choir.
Martyrology for tomorrow, February 26
At Pergen, in Pamphylia, during the persecution of Decius, the birthday of the blessed bishop Nestor, who, praying night and day for the preservation of the flock of Christ, was put under arrest. As he confessed the name of the Lord with great joy and freedom, he was most cruelly tortured on the rack, by order of the governor Pollio, and still courageously proclaiming that he would ever remain faithful to Christ, he was suspended on a cross; and thus triumphantly went to heaven.
In the same place, the passion of Saints Papias, Diodorus, Conon, and Claudian, who preceded St. Nestor to martyrdom.
Also, the holy martyrs Fortunatus, Felix, and twenty-seven others.
At Alexandria, the bishop St. Alexander, an aged man held in great honor, who succeeded blessed Peter as bishop of that city. He expelled from the Church Arius, one of his priests, tainted with heretical impiety, and convicted by divine truth, and subsequently was one of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers who condemned him in the Council of Nicæa.
At Bologna, the bishop St. Faustinian, whose preaching strengthened and multiplied the faithful of that Church, which had been much afflicted during the persecution of Diocletian.
At Gaza, in Palestine, in the time of the emperor Arcadius, St. Porphyry, bishop, who overthrew the idol Marnas and its temple, and after many sufferings, went to rest in the Lord.
At Florence, St. Andrew, bishop and confessor.
In the territory of Arcis, St. Victor, confessor, whose eulogy was written by St. Bernard.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and virgins.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Prayers After the Office
To the holy and undivided Trinity, to the humanity of our crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, to the fruitful Virginity of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, and to the whole company of the Saints, be everlasting praise, honour, power, and glory from every creature, and unto us the remission of all our sins for ever, world without end.
℟.Amen.
℣.Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Father eternal.
℟.And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.
Then is said secretly Our Father and Hail Mary.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.