us through this vale of misery, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives: That, when we shall have served Thee in our generation, and are to be gathered to our fathers, we may have the testimony of a good conscience, and may die in the Communion of the Catholic Church, in the confidence of a certain faith, in the comfort of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope, in favour with Thee our God, and in perfect charity with all the world. All which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Ibid.) A Thanksgiving for the beginning of a recovery. Great and Mighty God, Who bringest down to the grave, and bringest up again, we bless Thy wonderful goodness for having turned our heaviness into joy, and our mourning into gladness, by restoring this our brother to some degree of his former health. Blessed be Thy Name that Thou didst not forsake him in his sickness, but didst visit him with comforts from above, didst support him in patience and submission to Thy Will; and, at last, didst send him seasonable relief. Perfect, we beseech Thee, this Thy mercy towards him, and prosper the means which shall be made use of for his cure: that being restored to health of body, vigour of mind, and cheerfulness of spirit, he may be able to go to Thine House, to offer Thee an Oblation with great gladness, and to bless Thy Holy Name for all Thy goodness towards him, Through Jesus Christ our Saviour, to Whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. (Ibid.) And the Reader, after using, according to opportunity, such of the preceding Collects and Prayers as may be suitable, shall always conclude with The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with this our sick brother [or sister], and with us all, now and evermore. Amen. Commendation of the Dying. NOTE-When it seems that death is approaching, the Parish Priest, if not at the time in the house, should at once be summoned, or, in his absence, any Priest that can be found, to give the departing soul the last consolations of Religion, according as he may deem necessary and suitable, to pray with him and for him, together with other Christian friends that may be at hand to take part in this pious and most necessary duty, to commend him in his last moments to the mercy of our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our Lord, and to comfort the Survivors. The Priest, or other person officiating, shall stand by the side of the sick person and say as follows, the rest present all kneeling, and making the responses in a low and quiet voice. Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. O God the Father, of Heaven, have mercy upon this Thy servant, whose soul Thou art calling unto Thyself, O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon him. Have mercy upon him. O God, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy upon him. Have mercy upon him. O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, have mercy upon him. Have mercy upon him. Jesus, Son of the Living God, Have mercy upon him. (And after each of the following Invocations shall be said, Have mercy upon him.) Jesus, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus, Most Mighty, Jesus, Most Merciful, Jesus, our Refuge, Jesus, our God and Saviour, Jesus, our only Hope, Jesus, our Mediator and Redeemer, Jesus, our Advocate with the Father, Jesus, our all-atoning Sacrifice and Propitiation, Jesus, our perpetual Intercessor, Jesus, Lover of our souls, Jesus, Conqueror of death and sin, Have mercy upon him. Be merciful to him, O Jesus, Be merciful to him, O Jesus, Be merciful to him, O Jesus, From Thy wrath, Good Lord, deliver him. |