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MASS FOR THE DEAD PRAYER BEFORE MASS
Eternal God, Who hast bidden us have a special
love for parents, kindred, and benefactors, and
in the holy sacrifice of the Mass hast given us a
most powerful means of showing them, even
after their death, our grateful and affectionate
remembrance, receive this holy Mass which I
am about to offer Thee in union with Thy priest
for their souls, the souls of all our Community,
and of all the faithful departed. Through Christ
Our Lord. Amen.
0 most gracious Lady Mother Mary, consoler of the afflicted, I desire, with thy kindly aid,
to make my hearing of this Mass most faithful of
solace for thy dear ones. Beg, then, the grace of
God for me that I may profit all as thou desirest.
BEGINNING OF MASS
0 Almighty God! with Whom the spirits of the
just live, and in Whose holy custody are placed
the souls of all that are detained in a state of
suffering; as we bless Thee for the Saints already admitted into Thy glory, so we humbly
offer up our prayers for the afflicted souls who continually sigh
after the day of their deliverance.
If among them be the souls of those for whom
we this day petition, vouchsafe to pardon their
gins, that they may behold Thee, and in Thy glorious light eternally rejoice. Through Jesus Christ
Our Lord. Amen.
INTROIT
0 Lord, grant them eternal rest, and let everlasting light shine upon them!—A hymn becometh Thee, 0 Lord, in
Zion, and a vow shall be paid Thee in Jerusalem—Hear my prayer—
All flesh shall come to Thee.
KYRIE
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us !
Christ, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us !
Lord, have mercy on us!
COLLECT
0 God! Who art Thyself at once the Maker
and Redeemer of all Thy faithful ones, grant
unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids
remission of all their sins; that by pious supplications they may attain the indulgence they have
ever longed for. Who livest and reignest with
God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
God, world without end. Amen. EPISTLE
In those days, I heard a voice from heaven,
saying to me: Write: Blessed are the dead who
die in the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors:
for their works follow them.
GRADUAL
0 Lord, grant them eternal rest, and let the
everlasting light shine upon them!— he just
shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not
fear the evil hearing.
TRACT
Release, 0 Lord, the souls of all the faithful
departed, from the bonds of their sins: and by
the assistance of Thy grace may they escape the
sentence of condemnation: and enjoy the bliss
of eternal light. SEQUENCE
On some days the Priest recites here the Day of Wrath.
See Liturgical Hymns. GOSPEL
At that time: Jesus said to the multitude of
the Jews: I am the living bread, which came
down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread,
he shall live forever: and the bread that I will
give is My Flesh for the life of the world.
The Jews therefore strove among themselves,
saying: How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?
Then Jesus said to them: Amen, Amen, I say
unto you, except you eat the Flesh of the Son of
Man, and drink His Blood, you shall not have
life in you: He that eateth My Flesh, and
drinketh My Blood, hath everlasting life: and I
will raise him up in the last day.
OFFERTORY
Lord, Jesus Christ, King of Glory! deliver the
souls of all the faithful departed from the flames
of hell and from the deep pit. Deliver them from
the lion's mouth, lest hell swallow them, lest they
fall into darkness; and let the standard-bearer, St.
Michael, bring them into the holy light, which
Thou didst promise of old to Abraham and his
posterity.
We offer thee, 0 Lord, a sacrifice of praise
and prayers: accept them on behalf of the souls
we commemorate this day, and let them pass from
death to life, which Thou didst promise of old
to Abraham and his posterity.
OBLATION
0 God! what victim can better appease Thy
justice, than that which we are going to offer
in this unbloody renewal of the Sacrifice of the
Cross? As that divine oblation disarmed Thy
wrath, and induced Thee to revoke the sentence
of condemnation pronounced against mankind,
so mercifully grant that this adorable sacrifice
may atone for the sins and imperfections of those
souls for whom it is offered; that being released
from the flames by which they are surrounded,
they may be received into Thy kingdom, and
through the Passion and Death of Our Divine
Redeemer, pass into eternal joys.
0 all-bountiful Jesus! Who art the propitiation for the living and the dead, what thanks are
due to Thee, for having left us this divine sacrifice, and for having thus rendered it available to
the faithful departed! Mercifully grant that they
for whom it is offered, this day, being released from suffering, may
shortly prove powerful advocates for us in heaven, who intercede for them
on earth. Amen.
SECRET
Look down favorably, we beseech Thee, 0
Lord! on the sacrifice we offer for the souls of
Thy servants: that as Thou wast pleased to bestow on them the merit of Christian faith, Thou
wouldst also grant them its abundant reward.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who
liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
PREFACE
It is truly meet and charitable, it is a holy
and wholesome thought, that we address Thee, 0
Lord God omnipotent! on behalf of those who
have departed this life, that Thou wouldst grant
them a place of rest and eternal happiness. 0
Jesus! Who dying for mankind rose again
glorious and immortal from the dead; Who
ascended into Heaven, triumphed over death, and
led captivity captive; Who art to descend again
in great power and majesty to judge the living
and the dead, we humbly address Thee in favor of
the souls recommended this day to Thy mercy;
give them a share in those eternal joys which
the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard,
nor hath it entered the heart of man to conceive. There, amidst the elect and celestial
choirs, let them proclaim, Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord God of Sabbath! the heavens and the
earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna to Him
Who is on high! Blessed is He Who cometh in
the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
CANON
We recommend to Thee, 0 Lord! the souls of
Thy servants, (recall them) and as, in mercy to
them Thou didst become Man, so now vouchsafe
to admit them into the number of the blessed.
Remember, 0 Lord! that the souls for whom we
pray are Thy creatures, not made by strange
gods, but by Thee, the only true living God; for
there is no other God but Thee, none that can
work wonders like unto Thine. Let their souls
find comfort and mercy in Thy sight, and remember not their former sins, nor any of those
faults they may have fallen into through human
frailty, or the violence of temptation; for
though they sinned, they still retained true faith
in Thee, 0 holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, and a lively zeal for Thy honour.
Remember not, 0 Lord, we beseech Thee, the
sins and ignorance of their youth, but according
to Thy great mercy, be mindful of them in Thy
glory.
May the heavens be now opened to receive
them! May the Archangel St. Michael, chief of
the heavenly host, conduct them! May the holy
Angels of God meet and accompany them into the
city of the heavenly Jerusalem! May blessed
Peter the Apostle, to whom was given the keys of
the kingdom of Heaven, receive them! May holy
Paul the Apostle, who was a vessel of election
help them! May St. John, the beloved Disciple, to whom God revealed
the secrets of Heaven, intercede for them! May all the holy Apostles, to
whom was given the power of binding and loosing, pray for them! May all the blessed and chosen
Servants of God intercede for them! that being
delivered from their present confinement and suffering, they may be admitted into the kingdom of
Heaven, through the assistance and merits of Our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And now, all powerful God! at this awful
moment, when, by the words of Consecration, Thy
Divine Son is actually present, I offer up to Thee
this same beloved Son, Who died for mankind.
I humbly entreat Thee, through the infinite merits
of His death, to show compassion and mercy to
the souls for whose repose the holy -sacrifice is
this day offered.
ELEVATION OF THE HOST
Hail! most blessed Jesus! eternal Son of the
Most High God. 0 deign to be merciful to those
for whom we pray; Thou Who didst expire on the Cross for their
sakes, give rest to their souls. To
whom shall we apply, but to Thee? Thou hast the
words of eternal life, by which Thou canst shorten
their sufferings, and give them eternal rest.
ELEVATION OF THE CHALICE
Hail! sacred Blood! that flowed for the sins
of the world; wash away whatever stains may
render Thy servants unfit to be admitted into
Heaven. 0 good and merciful God! look on the
Face of Thy Christ, in Whom Thou art always
well pleased, and permit the souls for which He
suffered to rest eternally in Thy divine presence.
AFTER THE ELEVATION
Lord Jesus Christ! we earnestly entreat Thee,
by Thy bitter agony and prayer in the garden,
to become advocate with Thine eternal Father, on
behalf of Thy servants, our Sisters, relatives,
friends, and all that have gone before us in the
sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace.
Lay before Him, we conjure Thee, all those drops
of Blood, which, in Thine anguish of spirit, flowed
from Thy sacred Body, and offer them as a sacrifice of atonement, that thereby the souls of Thy
servants may be discharged from all the punishment still inflicted by divine justice on the guilt of
their sins.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who so loved us as to become man for our salvation, we beseech Thee to
represent to the eternal Father Thine infinite
charity and goodness on behalf of Thy servants.
Plead their cause, that by such powerful mediation
they may be freed from unspeakable pains, and
find the gates of life open to receive them.
0 Lord, grant them to partake now of the fruits
of Thy bitter Passion, of Thy glorious Resurrection and admirable Ascension: grant that they
may be sensible of the effects of this holy sacrifice, and of all the prayers which are offered to
Thee by the whole Church.
Remember, 0 compassionate Jesus! that Thy
sacred arms were stretched forth on the Cross;
that in the excess of Thy torments Thou didst cry
out to Thine eternal Father, commending Thy
spirit to Him; have compassion now, we beseech
Thee, on the souls of Thy servants, that are in a
state of suffering and expect relief from Thee;
receive them into Thine arms; give them shelter
in Thine adorable Heart from all molestation, till
the anger of God pass over; into Thy hands we
commend their spirits; despise not, we beseech
Thee, those souls, which are the work of Thy
hands, created and redeemed by Thee. 0 Divine
Jesus! vouchsafe to look on them with eyes of
mercy and compassion; and grant them comfort,
peace and eternal rest.
Repeat the Lord's Prayer with the Priest, after which say;
0 Divine Lord! Whose adorable Heart ardently sighs for the happiness
of Thy banished children, we humbly beseech Thee to remember the
souls of Thy servants for whom we pray; command them, we conjure Thee, to be received by
Thy holy angels, and conveyed to the abodes of
rest and peace. Amen.
AGNUS DEI
Lamb of God, Who takest away the
sins of the
word, grant them rest!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the
sins of the
world, grant them rest!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the
sins of the
world, grant them rest everlasting! PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION
0 Eternal God! behold here on this altar, as
was once on the Cross, Thy dear and only Son,
the beloved Object of Thy complacency. Behold
this adorable Victim, Who, to appease Thine
anger, sacrifices His own precious Body and
Blood! He immolates Himself with the same
excess of mercy and love, as He did on Mount
Calvary. O let not His Sacred Blood be shed in;
vain, but grant that its infinite merits may be
applied to the souls of Thy suffering servants,
and give them admittance to Thy presence, that
they may bless and praise Thee for ever and ever.
Ah, my God ! Thou knowest that the flames which
surround them are not more active than their ardent desire to behold
Thee. MASS FOR THE DEAD
As the heart pants after the fountain of living
waters, so do these souls thirst after Thee, 0 God!
the inexhaustible source of eternal and ineffable
joys. Thou canst open that spring of living
water for which they so ardently thirst; Thou
canst fill their hungry souls with good things, and
bestow on them the inheritance purchased by the
Blood of a dying Saviour. Draw aside, then, the
veil which hides Thine amiable countenance; for
what do these souls desire but to contemplate
praise, and love Thee, their Sovereign Good, for
all eternity?
COMMUNION
I most ardently desire, 0 my adorable Savior,
that Thou wouldst honor this day the dwelling
of my heart by Thy divine presence. With what
confidence could I then implore rest and eternal
peace for the suffering souls of Purgatory,
whom Thou lovest, though Thy justice forces
Thee to banish them for a time from their
heavenly inheritance. Look, nevertheless, 0
merciful Redeemer, on the work of Thy hands;
hasten the happy hour of their deliverance, and
grant that, partaking spiritually of the merits of Thine august
Sacrifice, I may submissively accept, and patiently bear all that is disagreeable and
painful to inclination, and thus avert a long
separation from Thee after the close of my mortal
life. Amen. POSTCOMMUNION
Grant, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord! that our
humble prayers on behalf of the souls of Thy
servants may be profitable to them; so that Thou mayest deliver them from all the punishment due
to their sins, and make them partakers of the
redemption Thou hast purchased for them. Who
livest and reignest with God the Father, in the
unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Amen.
LAST GOSPEL
May now the bright company of Angels meet
your souls, 0 departed servants of the Lord!
May the society of Apostles receive you! May the triumphant army
of glorious Martyrs conduct you! and may a happy rest be your portion
in the company of the Patriarchs! May Jesus
Christ appear to you with a mild and cheerful
countenance, and give you a place among those
who are to be in His presence forever!
May Christ Jesus Himself, Who lovingly died
for you, rescue you from torments. May the
eternal Son of the living God place you in His
garden of Paradise, and may He, the true Shepherd, own you for those of His flock; may He
liberate you from confinement, and place you at
His right hand in the inheritance of His elect.
We pray that it may be your happy lot to behold
your Redeemer face to face; to be forever in His
presence, in the vision of that truth which is the
joy of the blessed; and thus placed among those
happy spirits, may you be for ever replenished
with heavenly sweetness. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER MASS
And now, 0 God! having recommended to Thy
mercy the souls of Thy departed servants, grant
that we may ever remember that we are most
certainly to follow them. Give us grace to prepare for our last hour by a good life, that so
death, however sudden it may be, may not find us
unworthy of admittance into eternal glory.
Open likewise the eyes, and soften the hearts
of those who have the misfortune of being at
variance with Thee; inspire them, we humbly
beseech Thee, with a true sense of their dreadful
danger, that by a timely consideration of the
uncertainty of life, and the certainty of death,
they may be sincerely converted, obtain pardon
for their sins in this life, and be happy with
Thee forever in the next. Amen. |
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