A New Priest, Deo gratias

Excellent news just to hand: while, sadly, our esteemed parish priest, Fr Allan Hartcher, OFM, is about to retire to Sydney at the end of this year (he is now eighty), our new Archbishop has persuaded Cardinal Pell to release a Sydney priest, Fr Martin Aye Ngwe, to come south and become the new priest administrator of West Tamar parish – so the church won't close as we feared it would, Deo gratias!

Internet searches reveal that Fr Martin is a learned and orthodox priest, proof of which, if aught were needed, is the way the notoriously dreadful Bishop of Broken Bay, of whom I have heard so much that is unpleasant and uncatholic, treated him so badly as to drive him to transfer to Sydney, a part of the Church more happily united to Rome in one faith than the former. (In a better world, Walker would have been deposed just as Morris was, but his time is almost up in any case.)

I am indebted to Jadwiga, a stalwart of the parish, who suggested we make a novena to St Francis to obtain a new parish priest: it's certainly worked, all thanks to "Holy Uncle Frank"! I just said the Te Deum in thanksgiving, and invite all readers to do the same, and to offer up prayers that Fr Martin will prove an ornament to our parish, and a wise shepherd of souls, as I fully expect he will be. Priests who have suffered are always holier and kindlier than those who have not; and no good priest even gets ordained without enduring many crosses.

Novena to St Francis

My old friends the Dominicans liked to refer to St Francis as "Holy Uncle Frank". Clearly, something of the same resonated with a certain Jesuit earlier this year... And as I'm in a Franciscan parish these days, and one whose parish priest is getting on a bit (dear Fr Allan is eighty), I ask readers to join in a Novena to St Francis, with the intention that, when (hopefully none too soon!) our parish priest retires, we be given a new one (not a foregone conclusion, given the local shortage of clergy). An indefatigable parishioner suggested this to me yester-day: the Novena begins today, and concludes on the 3rd of October, the day of the death of St Francis.

What text? I suggest the traditional form of the Transitus: Psalm 141, Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi, which was prayed by St Francis as he lay dying – indeed he gave up the ghost as he recited the last verse, "Bring my soul out of this prison, and then I shall praise thy name" (and how wonderful a memory it is to think that I looked at that very spot when in the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels at Assisi a year or so ago) – with the antiphon O sanctissima anima; five Pater's, Ave's and Gloria's ("cross prayers" said with arms outstretched); the antiphon Salve, sancte Pater (which we sang last night at Compline and Benediction), with versicle and collect; and a final "Lord, hear my prayer" and "Let us bless the Lord", praying that He bless us by granting our request:

******

TRANSITUS S.P.N. FRANCISCI.

Aña. O sanctíssima ánima, in cujus tránsitu cæli cives occúrrunt, Angelórum chorus exsúltat, et gloriósa Trínitas invítat, dicens: Mane nobíscum in ætérnum.

Ps. 141.

Voce mea ad Dóminum clamávi: * voce mea ad Dóminum deprecátus sum.

Effúndo in conspéctu ejus oratiónem meam, * et tribulatiónem meam ante ipsum pronúntio.

In deficiéndo ex me spíritum meum, * et tu cognovísti sémitas meas.

In via hac, qua ambulábam, * abscondérunt láqueum mihi.

Considerábam ad déxteram, et vidébam: * et non erat qui cognósceret me.

Périit fuga a me, * et non est qui requírat ánimam meam.

Clamávi ad te, Dómine, † dixi: Tu es spes mea, * pórtio mea in terra vivéntium.

Inténde ad deprecatiónem meam: * quia humiliátus sum nimis.

Líbera me a persequéntibus me: * quia confortáti sunt super me.

Educ de custódia ánimam meam † ad confiténdum nómini tuo: * me exspéctant justi, donec retríbuas mihi.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sæcula sæculórum. Amen.

Aña. O sanctíssima ánima, in cujus tránsitu cæli cives occúrrunt, Angelórum chorus exsúltat, et gloriósa Trínitas invítat, dicens: Mane nobíscum in ætérnum.

Pater noster... (v) Ave María... (v) Glória Patri... (v)

Aña. Salve, sancte Pater, pátriæ lux, forma Minórum: Virtútis spéculum, recti via, régula morum; Carnis ab exsílio duc nos ad regna polórum.

V/. Francíscus pauper et húmilis cælum dives ingréditur.

R/. Hymnis cæléstibus honorátur.

Orémus.

Oratio.

Deus, qui (hodiérna die) ánimæ beáti Patris nostri Francísci ætérnæ beatitúdinis præmia contulísti: † concéde propítius; ut qui ejus migratiónis memóriam piis afféctibus celebrámus, * ad ejúsdem beatitúdinis præmia felíciter perveníre mereámur. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum. R/. Amen.

V/. Dóminus vobíscum.

R/. Et cum spíritu tuo.

V/. Benedicámus Dómino.

R/. Deo grátias.

******

The first antiphon and the versicle are, of course, derived from the Office of St Martin of Tours, which itself drew from the Life of St Martin compiled by Sulpicius Severus:

«...O sanctissima anima...» (Aña ad Magn., 11 Nov.)
«... in cujus transitu...» (R/. vii, Brev. Rom. = R/. ix, Brev. Mon., 11 Nov.)
«...exsultant Angeli ...invitat: Mane nobiscum in æternum.» (Aña ad Bened., 11 Nov.)

«...Martinus, hic pauper et modicus, cælum dives ingreditur, hymnis cælestibus honoratur» (Aña. 5. ad Laudes et Vesperis, 11 Nov.)

Novena to St Philip Neri: 3rd Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 2nd Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 1st Day

Of your charity, begin this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

The Once and Future Father

Fr John Hunwicke – as out of respect I have not ceased to address him, in regard to his renowned wisdom as a spiritual elder, disseminated via his far-famed blog of old – having come into full communion with the Holy Father last year on Wednesday of Holy Week, as part of the English Ordinariate, and having endured a bitter test by having his ordination deferred for a year (owing to the machinations of certain... persons), is – rejoice! – to be deaconed on the 26th of May, the feast of good St Philip Neri (whose sons the Oratorians have, I trust, been faithful supports to Fr H.); and one hopes in Christ that He will have very soon thereafter "a wise and faithful priest, who in his days pleased God" standing at the altar to sacrifice in the beauty of holiness.

May I invite one and all to join in a Novena to St Philip Neri this year, with the special intention of praying a double portion of grace for this faithful man?

While on the 26th I'll be in Europe – hurrah! – I'll be in France, not England, and walking the pilgrim way to Chartres from Paris; together with prayers for Fr H., I also plan to ask graces for another cleric, himself resident in France, recommending them to Our Lady (and of course, begging her to cast a pitying eye on me a sinner, on all those near and dear to me, and on all poor sinners).

The Novena to St Philip begins, of course, this Thursday the 17th of May: I will post daily texts for it.

Oremus.

Novenas to Christ the King

Strangely, the Christus Rex Society suggests beginning one's Novena to Christ the King on Saturday the 17th, to conclude on Sunday the 25th, Feast of Christ the King - when surely it should begin on the Friday (the 16th), and conclude on the day before the Feast.

After all, Our Lady and the Apostles made the first and greatest Novena, or nine days' prayer, between Ascension and Pentecost - that is, from Friday after Ascension until Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost. The nine days' prayer finished, God the Father having resolved from all eternity to answer the plea of His Saints made through Christ, and so fulfil His Divine triumphant Son's promise, God the Holy Ghost came down...

A novena, therefore, is best made for the nine days before the prepared-for day: it is, after all, a preparation. However, to exclude all superstition, there is nothing magical about the number nine, however fitting it is to imitate that first nine days' prayer in the Cenacle; what is called for is persevering prayer, with one mind and heart in God, that His will be done.

In any case, here is the suggested Novena Prayer, which attentive readers will find to be taken from the "Jesus King of All Nations" private devotion, with the pronouns archaized (see here for the original):

NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING

Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be per day followed by the Novena Prayer:

O Lord our God, Thou alone are [sic; lege art] the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations.

We pray to Thee, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from Thee, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things.

Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth.

Guard us, we pray, Most Faithful One.

Protect us from our enemies and from Thy Just Judg[e]ment.

Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against Thee.

Jesus, Thou art a King of Mercy.

We have deserved Thy Just Judg[e]ment.

Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us.

We trust in Thy Great Mercy.

O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before Thee and pray;

May Thy Reign, Thy Kingdom, be recognized on earth.

Amen.

It amuses me - hopefully not too impiously - to find Traditionalists using such a modern prayer from American visionaries of the 1980's and '90's, while my old Opus Dei prayerbook (Socías, ed., Handbook of Prayers) contains, in Latin and English, an impeccably "liturgical" devotion to Christus Rex, one that involves Psalm 2 (in the Neo-Vulgate) with the second antiphon (from Daniel vii, 27b) of the Vespers and the old, pre-Vatican II Collect of Christ the King: surely this is a preferable form? This alternative runs thus, but substituting the more familiar and Traditional Clementine Vulgate ("O my darlin', O my darlin', O my darlin' Clementine..."):

PSALM 2

Aña. Regnum ejus regnum sempiternum est, et omnes reges servient ei et obœdient.

Quare fremuerunt gentes, * et populi meditati sunt inania?

Astiterunt reges terræ, et principes convenerunt in unum * adversus Dominum, et adversus Christum ejus.

Dirumpamus vincula eorum: * et projiciamus a nobis jugum ipsorum.

Qui habitat in cælis, irridebit eos: * et Dominus subsannabit eos.

Tunc loquetur ad eos in ira sua: * et in furore suo conturbabit eos.

Ego autem constitutus sum Rex ab eo super Sion montem sanctum ejus, * prædicans præceptum ejus.

Dominus dixit ad me: * Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te.

Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hæreditatem tuam, * et possessionem tuam terminos terræ.

Reges eos in virga ferrea, * et tamquam vas figuli confringes eos.

Et nunc, reges, intelligite: * erudimini, qui judicatis terram.

Servite Domino in timore: * et exsultate ei cum tremore.

Apprehendite disciplinam, nequando irascatur Dominus, * et pereatis de via justa.

Cum exarserit in brevi ira ejus, * beati omnes qui confidunt in eo.

Gloria Patri...

Aña. Regnum ejus regnum sempiternum est, et omnes reges servient ei et obœdient.

V/. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

R/. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

Oremus.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui in dilecto Filio tuo, universorum Rege, omnia instaurare voluisti: concede propitius, ut cunctæ familiæ Gentium, peccati vulnere disgregatæ, ejus suavissimo subdantur imperio: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. R/. Amen.

I wonder which Novena prayer I'll use?

Novena to St Philip Neri: 9th Day

To-morrow is the feast of St Philip Neri: to-day is the eve of the feast, and the last day of his Novena.  Please consult my last year's posting of a pious passage from Fr Faber, so as to prepare the better for the feast... (and make use of Newman's Litany of St Philip).

Fittingly for the eve of one who was the Third Apostle of Rome, confidant of Popes, loyal son of the Apostolic See, unwearying accepter of crosses and tribulations, and zealous votary of primitive saints and martyrs, this day marks the feast of St Gregory VII, and St Urban I - both Popes, the latter a martyr, and the former all but a martyr, who expired saying "I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile."

In Christchurch, I and any other traditionalist Catholic am spoilt for choices, with two daily Latin Masses: 7.30am Mass with the F.Ss.R. at their chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, or 8.15am Mass with the F.S.S.P. at the beautiful Bl Sacrament Cathedral?  Well, as my hotel is less than a kilometre from the latter, I think I'll walk there... it will be nice to see Fr Rizzo again!

(According to my schedule, I will be driving down from Christchurch to Dunedin to-day.  Of your charity, pray for all tourists and travellers, including yours truly!)

Novena to St Philip Neri: 8th Day

This post was composed some days ago; hopefully as this appears on my blog, I am on my way to the 10am Sunday Mass in Rutland St, St Albans, Christchurch at the chapel of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer... ora pro me.

At home, this would be the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians; but, since yours truly is supposed to be in New Zealand, the Mass of Sunday after the Ascension will presumably be what I'll find celebrated.

(See here for a passage from Fr Faber in honour of St Philip, which may be used as part of the Novena in his honour, for which I intend to pray Newman's Litany of St Philip.)

Novena to St Philip Neri: 7th Day

(The first map of New Zealand, made by Captain Cook during his, the first circumnavigation thereof in 1769-1770.  The North Island is labelled Eaheinomauwe, and the South Island Toai Poonamoo - Cook's transcriptions of their Maori names Tehinga o Maui, a variant of Te Ika a Māui, and Te Wai Pounamu.)

I will appreciate readers sparing a prayer for a safe journey for me - I fly from here in Tasmania to the South Island of New Zealand this afternoon and evening.  (If I'm still in Australia when about to read Vespers, they would be first Vespers of Our Lady Help of Christians, whose proper Office I posted last year - but if I'm out of the country, it will be first Vespers of Sunday after the Ascension...)

As this is a Saturday, the Breviary celebrates Our Lady in the usual manner.

Prayers ought also be said in preparation for the feast of St Philip Neri, Confessor, Founder of the Oratorians - such as the soon-to-be beatified Cardinal Newman's Litany of St Philip.  Here is a link to a relevant text of Fr Faber that I posted last year; it may be used with profit as a meditation concerning St Philip.

Novena to St Philip Neri: 6th Day

As part of the ongoing Novea to St Philip, one of Fr Faber's devout reflections may be accessed here; and his fellow Oratorian Ven. John Henry Newman's Litany of St Philip is well worth praying.

Pray for us, St Philip: 

that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Jam Ascendit

The Dominicans (and other religious orders) have a special form of the Regina cæli for Ascensiontide: they sing, not Resurrexit, sicut dixit, but Jam ascendit, sicut dixit - "Now He's ascended, as He said" (not "Jam's gone up"!).  These words, having the same number of syllables as Resurrexit, can be sung to the same tune.

As a private devotion, very suitable for Ascensiontide as we make with all the Church the original Novena and await the Promised Spirit, one may add a modification of the usual versicle ("for the Lord hath truly ascended"), plus an appropriate collect from the 1738 Paris Missal (for Friday after the Octave of the Ascension), as follows:

Regina cæli, lætare, alleluja:

Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluja:

Jam ascendit, sicut dixit, alleluja:

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluja.

V/.  Gaude et lætare, Virgo Maria, alleluja.

R/.  Quia ascendit Dominus vere, alleluja.

Oremus.

Deus, qui nos Resurrectionis et Ascensionis Dominicæ solemnia celebrare fecisti: da famulis tuis, ut et advenientis Spiritus sancti gratiam purificatis mentibus suscipere mereamur.  Per eumdem Dominum... in unitate ejusdem Spiritus...

(God, Who hast made us to celebrate the solemnities of the Lord's Resurrection and Ascension: give unto Thy servants that we may also deserve to receive with pure minds the grace of the promised Holy Spirit.  Through the same our Lord... in the unity of the same Holy Spirit...)

Novena to St Philip Neri: 5th Day

The Lord ascends with trumpet blast: 

sing praise to our King, sing praise!

The Breviary bids this Thursday be the solemn annual remembrance of Our Lord's Ascension into heaven, marking the supreme triumph of His sacred humanity, evermore united body and soul to His Divine Person, raised up and exalted above all the heavens, and seated henceforth upon the throne of God: it is our triumph in hope, for if our Head has so ascended, so may we His members pray one day we shall join Him there, as sharers in His victory.

We ought have our thoughts on heavenly things, not on things of earth: raising our hearts to the Lord in heaven, it may also be profitable to lift up our eyes and contemplate the saints in glory, hidden with Christ in God, as we beg may be our part and portion after this life of trial has run its course.

For the same reason, let us henceforth invoke the Holy Ghost to come with yet more vehemence into our souls, to make us the saints that we are called to be - else never shall we enter heaven and there rejoice with all the saints.

Fr Faber provided meditations in preparation for the feast of his Father Founder, St Philip, which is upcoming, and happily coincides so closely with this sacred season of heavenly longing; here is a link to one I posted last year... also for the Novena, Newman's Litany of St Philip is most suitable.

St Philip Neri, pray for us unto Christ God, that He save our souls!

Novena to St Philip Neri: 4th Day

To-day is the Vigil of the Ascension, as well as the last rogation day; as it is of the 2nd class, no commemoration is made of to-day's saint, but all comes from the Common of Eastertide and the Proper - despite it being a Vigil, the Preces are not read at Lauds, presumably because the joy of Easter trumps the usual sobriety and strictness of a Vigil.  With evening comes first Vespers of the Ascension...

While he is not feasted on this date this year, it is useful to recall St Bernardine of Siena, indefatigable preacher of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, and a fellow Italian saint dear to St Philip Neri's heart: what a joy to ceaseless hymn and repeat over and again the Name of Our Lord, the Name that brings salvation - Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...

I am using Newman's Litany of St Philip for this Novena. Last year I gave passages from Fr Faber for each day of St Philip's Novena; please click this link.

******

As to-day my mum is having an operation, if my readers could spare her a prayer I and she and all the family would be most grateful.

Novena to St Philip Neri: 3rd Day

We celebrate a holy hermit and a Pope this day: St Peter Celestine, the only man freely to abdicate the Chair of the Fisherman.  No doubt St Philip, ever steadfast in refusing every high office pressed upon him - even the Cardinalate: when one Pope put the red hat on his head, he laughingly returned it - would have earnestly admonished his followers to imitate so extraordinary an example of humility.

For the Novena, pray for instance Newman's Litany of St Philip.

Consider what Fr Faber wrote of his spiritual father, the Founder of the Oratorians, which I quoted last year...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 2nd Day

Philip Neri ever counselled his disciples to read saint's lives, to be attent to sermons, to be assiduous in prayer, to be habitues of the confessional. He lived in close communion with the saints of primitive times, and so would have gladly celebrated the Mass and Office of to-day's saint, Venantius, a martyr at Camerino under Decius - just as he hailed the students of the English College with the words Salvete flores martyrum, recognizing them as worthy heirs of the faithful of old, who would stand fast for Christ unto death.

One of Philip's devotees used to say,

"When I consider my sins I feel myself a lost man; but through the prayers of Father Philip I hope to be saved."

With such thoughts in mind, pray Newman's Litany of St Philip; and consult Fr Faber's meditation on St Philip, which I published here last year...

******

This is the Collect of St Venantius:

Deus, qui hunc diem beati Venantii Martyris tui triumpho consecrasti: exaudi preces populi tui, et praesta; ut qui ejus merita veneramur, fidei constantiam imitemur. Per...

(God, Who hast consecrated this day to the triumph of blessed Venantius Thy Martyr: hear the prayers of Thy people, and grant, that we who revere his merits, may imitate the constancy of his faith. Through...)

The Martyr's triumph is the irruption in his life of the Paschal Victory of Christ: it ought be for us not merely a cause of passing joy, but a serious call to imitation of such faith, a stedfast witness to Our Lord usque ad mortem - as the Apostle said, "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ." (I Cor. xi, 1.)

Apparently Pope Clement X was previously bishop of Camerino (a small town in the Marches of the Papal States), and he it was who composed the proper Office hymns for the feast of St Venantius, the patron of his former see:

Matins Hymn

Athleta Christi nobilis
Idola damnat gentium,
Deique amore saucius
Vitae pericla despicit.

Loris revinctus asperis,
E rupe praeceps volvitur:
Spineta vultum lancinant:
Per saxa corpus scinditur.

Dum membra raptant martyris,
Languent siti satellites:
Signo crucis Venantius
E rupe fontes elicit.

Bellator o fortissime,
Qui perfidis tortoribus
E caute praebes poculum,
Nos rore gratiae irriga.

Sit laus Patri, sit Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus:
Da per preces Venantii
Beata nobis gaudia. Amen.

Noble champion of the Lord!
Armed against idolatry!
In thy fervent zeal for God
Death had naught of fear for thee.

Bound with thongs, thy youthful form
Down the rugged steep they tear,
Jagged rock and rending thorn
All thy tender flesh lay bare.

Spent with toil, the savage crew,
Fainting, sinks with deadly thirst;
Thou the cross dost sign; and lo!

From the rock the waters burst.

Saintly warrior-prince! who thus
thy tormentors couldst forgive;
Pour the dew of grace on us,
Bid our fainting spirits live.

To thee, O Father, with the Son
And Holy Spirit, glory be;
Oh, grant us through thy martyr's prayer
The joys of immortality. Amen.

Lauds Hymn

Dum nocte pulsa lucifer
Diem propinquam nuntiat,
Nobis refert Venantius
Lucis beatae munera.

Nam criminum caliginem,
Stygisque noctem depulit,
Veroque cives lumine
Divinitatis imbuit.

Aquis sacri baptismatis
Lustravit ille patriam:
Quos tinxit unda milites,
In astra misit martyres.

Nunc angelorum particeps,
Adesto votis supplicum:
Procul repelle crimina,
Tuumque lumen ingere.

Sit laus Patri, sit Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus:
Da per preces Venantii
Beata nobis gaudia. Amen.

The golden star of morn
Is climbing in the sky;
The birthday of Venantius
Awakes the Church to joy.

His native land in depths
Of pagan darkness lay;
He o'er her guilty regions poured
The light of heavenly day.

Her in baptismal streams
Of grace he purified;
E'en those who came to take his life,
With him as martyrs died.

With the angels now he shares
Those joys which never cease;
Look down on us, O Spirit blest,
And send us gifts of peace.

Praise to the Father, Son,
And, Holy Ghost, to thee,
Oh, grant us through thy martyr's prayer
A blest eternity. Amen.

Vespers Hymn

Martyr Dei Venantius,
Lux et decus Camertium,
Tortore victo et judice,
Laetus truimphum concinit.

Annis puer, post vincula,
Post carceres, post verbera,
Longa fame frementibus
Cibus datur leonibus.

Sed ejus innocentiae
Parcit leonum immanitas,
Pedesque lambunt martyris,
Irae famisque immemores.

Verso deorsum vertice
Haurire fumum cogitur:
Costas utrimque et viscera
Succensa lampas ustulat.

Sit laus Patri, sit Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus:
Da per preces Venantii
Beata nobis gaudia. Amen.

Venantius, hail! God's martyr bright,
thy country's honour and her light;
Who didst with joy thy triumph sing,
thy judge and tortures conquering.

A child in years, he heeds no pain,
Nor dungeon damp, nor galling chain;
The tender youth for food is thrown
To lions, mad with hunger grown.

O wondrous sight! the beasts of prey
Their food reject, and turn away;
Then tamely lick the martyr's feet,
A tribute to his virtue meet.

Then downwards hung, his mouth exposed
To clouds of smoke beneath disposed,
Whilst with slow torches, burning clear,
His naked breasts and sides they sear.

Praise to the Father, and the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One;
Oh! grant that through this martyr's prayer,
Your blissful joy we all may share. Amen.

Novena to St Philip Neri: 1st Day

To-day, besides being the fifth Sunday after Easter, marks the beginning of the Novena in preparation for the feast of St Philip Neri: for instance, recite Newman's Litany of St Philip.

Here's a link to my notes on this day last year...

Lowly St Philip, pray for us!

Novena to St Philip Neri 2009

It's that time of year again: the feast of St Philip Neri approaches (it falls on the 26th of May, which will find me en route from Dunedin to Te Anau in N.Z.), and so to-morrow, Sunday the 17th, is the first day of his Novena: nine days' prayer - for which I suggest Newman's Litany of St Philip.

Last year I also posted some of Fr Faber's meditations concerning St Philip; I will be setting posts linking back to these, since they may be of relevance.

Novena for WYD: 9 Days to Go

It suddenly struck me that it is nine days to go until I depart for the week of WYD: my party leaves Perth on the afternoon of Monday the 14th of July, and the official events begin on the next day, Tuesday the 15th, leading up to the actual Day itself, Sunday the 20th of July, after which my group returns on Monday the 21st.

Therefore, to make some preparation, I will pray the Litany of St Philip Neri each day, entrusting my preparation and travels to him, my chosen patron.

Please, if any readers will be in Sydney for WYD, or for that matter in Perth for the Days in the Diocese leading up to it, please leave a comment, or email me (go to my profile to do so) - I wouldn't mind meeting up!

Second Sunday after Pentecost - 9th Day of the Novena to St Philip Neri

From Fr Faber:

XII. ST PHILIP’S DAY. [1861] [2nd part: III.]

III. How did he work upon his times? What did he tell people to do? His times were bad, as ours are; and he was raised up, remember, to be the apostle of his times in the centre and capital of all Christendom.
1. The things he did not do; yet other saints had done them.
(1) He never went the world’s way, nor borrowed its methods, however good or promising or lawful they might be.
(2) He preached no reforms, but the secret reforms of single souls.
(3) He founded no intellectual school of philosophy or theology.
(4) He stood aloof from all political movements or views, as things not to his purpose. Indeed I cannot fancy St. Philip having any views; his whole soul was in the Church; his views were not views, they were faiths, principles, obediences.
(5) He attacked nothing, unless indeed it were sin, frivolity, worldliness, and the reluctance of rich people to give large alms; not even did he attack dress or expensiveness, intensely as he hated both the one and the other.
2. What did he tell people to do? Oh strange foolish wisdom of the Gospel!
(1) To keep in their own places, and attend to their ordinary actions, avoiding change, avoiding excitement.
(2) To be exceedingly simple, and not to mind criticisms and talk. If you are devout to St. Philip, he will give you the grace not to care what people say of you — and is not that perfect happiness?
(3) To be always reading the lives of the saints, because that makes an atmosphere, and excludes worldliness without trouble.
(4) To pray, frequent the sacraments, and hear a great many sermons.
(5) To love everybody, to praise everybody, and to find good in everybody. And all this because of the one mastering thought and sovereign love of God.
What was there wonderful in all this? Was it not strangely commonplace, for a saint in whose broken heart the Holy Ghost dwelt supernaturally, and who was the recognised Apostle of great Rome? Yes! this was wonderful, — that he kept to it, that he mixed nothing else with it, that he added nothing else to it, that he persevered in this bare singleness of purpose. This is in my eyes a greater miracle than we read in any of the lives of the saints.
See then, brethren, to what a conclusion we have come! The saint, who had the Holy Ghost in his miraculously dilated heart, is the most commonplace of saints; yet he is also the most peculiar and individual of saints, because of the persevering simplicity of his commonplaceness. Oh how much there is to learn, how much to learn of God and Jesus Christ in this one fact, that St. Philip became the Apostle of Rome, a second Peter and a second Paul in his one self, through the mere perseverance of his enthusiastic, unadventurous simplicity!

[Faber, Frederick William. Notes on Doctrinal and Spiritual Subjects. Volume 1. “Mysteries and Festivals.” 3rd ed. London: Burns & Oates, n.d. [post 1866], pp. 376-8]