Te Deum for the Pope's Anglican Outreach

"Let us give thanks unto our Lord God. It is meet and right so to do." As you have no doubt read elsewhere (thanks, Rob, for alerting me to the news!), His Holiness the Pope, ever solicitous for the lost sheep of the House of Israel, and seeking to gather all Christians into the one fold of the Redeemer (Whose Vicar he is), will shortly issue an Apostolic Constitution providing for the corporate reunion of Anglicans seeking to swim the Tiber and come home to Rome, setting up personal ordinariates for them, and allowing them concessions such as married priests and special liturgical arrangements...

(Fr Rutler offers concise and penetrating commentary on all this.)

While it is as yet early days, well we may pray that, at the intercession of soon-to-be Blessed John Henry Newman (whose petitions before the Most Highest may well have obtained this blessing from heaven), many Anglicans may find the consummation of all their hopes in the embrace of Holy Mother Church, for the salvation of their souls and the greater glory of God. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis: sed nomini tuo da gloriam.

Let us therefore sing Te Deum. I append the Anglican version thereof, with suitable prayers from their books; the Order is modelled on the service of thanksgiving for the Anniversary of Her Majesty's happy reign, but with rather different collects - the first, addressed to God who works such wonders, for "the Pope [my own inclusion!], our Bishops, and Curates, and the congregations committed to their charge" (which may be read as referring to Catholics and those-soon-to-be such); then one for the Anglican Use (as already present in the approved Book of Divine Worship); one for those to be ordained (since the Church will have to be careful in her choice of suitable candidates), one, the General Thanksgiving (with its proper insert referring to those who give thanks for benefits received); second-last, the famous and beautiful Prayer for Unity; and finally the all-purpose Actiones nostras (reminding us that without God's grace sustaining us, all is in vain):

AN ORDER FOR

A SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

WE praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubin, and Seraphin : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Sabaoth ;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy Glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge thee ;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty ;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son ;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.

THOU art the King of glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death : thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the Glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants : whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.

O LORD, save thy people : and bless thine heritage.
Govern them : and lift them up for ever.
Day by day : we magnify thee ;
And we worship thy Name : ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord : to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us : have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us : as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted : let me never be confounded.

THE LORD'S PRAYER AND SUFFRAGES

[The Lord be with you.
[And with thy spirit.]

Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

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.

O Lord, save thy servants ;
That put their trust in thee.
Send unto them help from thy holy place.
And evermore mightily defend them.
Let the enemy have no advantage of them ;
Nor the wicked approach to hurt them.
O Lord, hear our prayer.
And let our cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

A PRAYER FOR THE CLERGY AND PEOPLE

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels ; Send down upon the Pope, our Bishops, and Curates, and all Congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace ; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE COLLECT FOR THE ANGLICAN USE

O HOLY Ghost the Lord, who on Pentecost gavest the Church the gift of tongues that Christ might be known, loved and served by peoples of divers nations and customs : watch over the Anglican heritage within thy Church, we pray thee, that, led by thy guidance and strengthened by thy grace, that Use may find such favour in thy sight that its people may increase both in holiness and number, and so shew forth thy glory ; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Son, one God world without end. Amen.

FOR THOSE THAT ARE TO BE ADMITTED INTO HOLY ORDERS

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who hast purchased to thyself an universal Church by the precious blood of thy dear Son ; Mercifully look upon the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of thy servants the Bishops and Pastors of thy flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred Ministry of thy Church. And to those which shall be ordained to any holy function give thy grace and heavenly benediction ; that both by their life and doctrine they may set forth thy glory, and set forward the salvation of all men ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A GENERAL THANKSGIVING

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men ; particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life ; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives ; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR UNITY

O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace ; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly Union and Concord: that, as there is but one Body, and one Spirit, and one Hope of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, united in one holy bond of Truth and Peace, of Faith and Charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A COLLECT

PREVENT us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help ; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE GRACE (2 Corinthians 13:14)

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.