Onward Christian Soldiers

Since I will be returning to live and work in Tasmania at the end of this year, I feel I must play my part in gaining a weekly Sunday Latin Mass there in Hobart, where for well over a decade there has been Mass - nearly always a Missa cantata, sung by the schola I used to belong to - in the Extraordinary Form on the 1st Sunday of each month, firstly under Fr Jarrett (now Bishop of Lismore, N.S.W.) at his parish church of Sacred Heart, New Town, and latterly at St Canice, Lower Sandy Bay, with the generous assistance of Fr Gerald Quinn, C.P.  So far as I understand, there is certainly a "stable group" of at least 80 to 100 people who attend it; the Archdiocese has manpower problems, so to speak, with a lack of priests, but with the expanding FSSP apostolate in Australia one would think that the last State capital to be without a weekly Tridentine Mass could soon be delivered from that status.

"Work as if all depends on oneself, pray as if all depends on God" (St Ignatius Loyola): to this end, here is the prayer I have penned to St Patrick, Patron of the Archdiocese of Hobart, and to St Canice, whose church it is where the Mass is now held; the prayers may be said in their entirety, or the central prayer to God through the intercession of St Patrick (in larger type) may be used alone for more brevity:

Perpetual Prayer 

to St Patrick, Patron of the Archdiocese of Hobart, 

& St Canice

(for Obtaining Mass in the Extraordinary Form every Sunday)

Great Apostle of Ireland, Holy Pontiff, glorious Confessor, man of God, choice vessel of the Holy Ghost, blessed Patrick, thou venerable ambassador of God and indefatigable preacher of His Word: who by a prodigy of the Most High didst convert the Irish heathen from the darkness of paganism to the light of the Gospel, so confirming their hearts in holiness that down all the ages thy disciples have ever remained steadfast children of Rome, loyal to Christ's Church and His Vicar on earth despite every trial: be thou attentive to our humble prayer; win for us, most beloved Saint and Patron of our Isle also, a like grace to that of thy children of old; and as thou didst bring unto Ireland the True Faith, obtain for us of the Most Holy Trinity never to depart from it; and as thou didst by Divine power drive forth from Ireland all manner of venomous serpents, so now manifest unto us the Divine mercy, that our hearts may be turned to the Lord and delivered from all vice and corruption. By thine uncountable suffrages and merits, gain for us patience, resignation, charitable zeal, dauntless courage in adversity, and all virtues needful that we may save our souls; by thy potent intercession, beg the Lord to send us that which we implore, if it be for His honour and our salvation, and in the manner that He shall most benignly decide.

V/. Pray for us, blessed Patrick.

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

Let us pray.

Through the prayers of St Patrick, Thy Bishop and Confessor, we entreat Thy Divine Majesty, that Thou mayest permit us to worship and adore Thee according to the Traditional Latin Rite of the Holy Roman Church, on all Sundays and Holy Days:

May this clean oblation be acceptable unto Thee, O Lord of hosts, which, through the labours of blessed Patrick, from the rising to the setting of the sun, shall be offered unto Thy great Name among the nations, as Thou hast willed. Through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen. 

[Secret of the Mass of St Patrick*]

We thy poor clients turn likewise in trust and hope toward thee, good St Canice, thou man of virtue, eloquence and learning, wise in the ways of God, zealous preacher, holy priest, dauntless missionary, gracefilled abbot, devoted to the Gospel in word and deed, one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland: intercede for us, be our mediator with Christ, pray that our cause may be just and acceptable unto the Lord, that He may deign to give us our heart's desire – to worship and adore Him according to the liturgy of our fathers.

V/. Pray for us, blessed Canice.

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

Let us pray.

God Almighty, Whose service is the highest and fullest joy: grant, we beseech Thee, that following the example of blessed Canice, and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ as obedient sons, we may freely and lovingly serve Thee in holiness and righteousness. Through the same Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.  

[Collect of St Canice†]

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* Acceptabilis tibi sit, Domine exercituum, hæc oblatio munda; quam per beati Patricii labores, ab ortu solis usque ad occasum, magno nomini tuo in gentibus offerri voluisti. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. R/. Amen.

† Deus omnipotens, cujus servitus summa et plena felicitas: præsta, quæsumus; ut beati Canici imitatione, subjecti invicem in timore Christi quasi filii obedientiæ, libera tibi caritate in sanctitate et justitia serviamus. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. R/. Amen.