DIVINE MERCY LITANY

THE LITANY OF THE DIVINE MERCY

Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father,
– I TRUST IN YOU. (Repeat this after each line)

Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God,
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery,
Divine Mercy, fountain gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity,
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic,
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness,
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens,
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders,
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe,
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus,
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners,
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Heart,
Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church,
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism,
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ,
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life,
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death,
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life,
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life,
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell,
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners,
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible for Saints,
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God,
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery,
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy,
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence,
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands,
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God’s handiwork,
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed,
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts,
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls,
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear,
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls,
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope.

Let us pray:
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is love and mercy itself. Amen.

 

FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

The first Friday of the month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
filled with infinite love;
broken by our ingratitude
and pierced by our sins,
yet loving us still;
accept the consecration
we now make to You of all that
we are and all that we have.
Take every faculty of our souls
and bodies, only day by day
draw us nearer and nearer to
Your Sacred Heart; and there
as we shall hear the lesson,
teach us Your Holy Way.
Amen.

 

“I DO NOTICE PEOPLE STILL GOING AROUND THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS…”

QUESTION: “…I do notice people still going around the Stations of the Cross… When did the devotion of doing the Stations of the Cross begin? … Would you recommend it as a practice for Lent?

ANSWER: The answer to your second question is that I would certainly recommend it as a devotional practice for Lent. Lent is a time of prayer and penance in preparation for Easter – for Christ’s death and Resurrection. The Stations of the Cross, prayed at home or in the church, with their focus on the suffering of Christ as he made his way to Calvary is an ideal prayer and practice for Lent.

When did this devotion begin? The devotion to the passion of Christ actually began with the Crucifixion but it developed into its present form through the efforts of Franciscan Friars in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Franciscan preachers and writers began spreading the devotion worldwide, publicising the spiritual richness of the devotion.”

This article was published in “Saint Martin Magazine” issue March 2004. For subscriptions please visit http://www.stmartin.ie (external link).

 

A MESSAGE OF LOVE TO JESUS CRUCIFIED

This Devotion invites all the Faithful, like so many loving children, to come every evening before the Crucifix to make an act of deep sorrow for their sins and to kiss the bruised and wounded feet of Jesus Crucified “good-night,” by saying with loving reverence and contrition the aspiration:

“We adore thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, and we bless thee, for through thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world. – My Jesus, mercy.”

This is a night telegram of love, a wireless message to His Sacred Heart, purifying, ennobled, sanctifying and uplifting every heart that makes this act of contrite love. It is a protest of love, making reparation for all the insults and blasphemies hurled against Almighty God the whole day long. Let us practise this beautiful Devotion as a means of intimate spiritual communication with God’s great loving Sacred Heart – the centre of all Love – for the benefit of all our friends. By kissing His Dear Wounded Feet for each one of them we will win mercy for all our dear ones, living and dead, we will interest His Sacred Heart in their conversion and become helpers of the salvation of many poor sinners, even the most hardened.

St Anthony’s Treasury, 1916

 

FIRST FRIDAY – DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

• O beautiful Heart, may my heart be joined to Yours, and to flaming and holy love open its doors.
• Because You are my meek and humble Lover, I will consider every man my brother.
• O loving Heart, I ask unity with You, that I may live all my life in humility with You.
• Wise, holy Heart, I do not deserve to live, unless I serve You with all my life.
• Jesus, may You find my prayer, the gift of my soul, beautiful and fair.
• O patient Heart of God my Lover, with You I want to weep, with You I want to suffer.
• O loving Heart, I am worth nothing, unless I give You glory, both in heaven and on earth.
• May the pious remembrance of Your pain help my soul to reach holiness.
• Beautiful Heart may I to this world in death be given, that I may for God and with You be risen.
• Loving Heart I know You are present mysteriously veiled in the Blessed Sacrament.
• Glorious Heart, how I yearn for unity with You and paradise for evermore.
  – Mons. Nicola Tafuri

 

FRIDAY – LENT: SHORT PRAYERS FOR MAKING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN CHURCH

Begin by expressing sorrow for all the sins of your life and rejecting all attachment to sin. If possible, move from Station to Station. Say before each Station:

V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee;
R. Because by thy holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

(Genuflect at the word “because” and remain on one knee; arise after “redeemed the world”.)

Station I: Jesus is condemned to death
It was for our sins, O Jesus, that You were condemned to suffer. Grant that we may detest our sins and, by this repentance, obtain Your mercy and pardon.

Station II: Jesus is burdened with the Cross
O Jesus, grant us, by virtue of Your Cross, that we may accept the difficulties of our state with meekness and cheerful submission. May we always be ready to take up our cross and follow You.

Station III: Jesus falls for the first time
O Jesus, it was for our sins that You bore the heavy burden of the Cross and fell under its weight. May the thought of Your sufferings make us watchful over ourselves and save us from falling into sin.

Station IV: Jesus meets His sorrowful Mother
O Jesus, by the compassion which You felt for Your Mother, have compassion on us and give us a share in her intercession. Our most afflicted Mother, intercede for us, that through the sufferings of Your Son, we may bear with courage the sorrows of this life.

Station V: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross
O Jesus, just as Simon relieved You of Your burden, inspire us also to console You by our prayers of reparation and love.

Station VI: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
O Jesus, may the contemplation of Your Holy Face enkindle in our hearts a more fervent love for You, and may Your image be imprinted on our minds and souls until we are transformed into Your likeness.

Station VII: Jesus falls a second time
O Jesus, our repeated falls into sin have added to the burden which You carried for our redemption. As You are weakened by the weight of our sins, we are the cause of this second fall. Please give us the strength never to offend You again.

Station VIII: Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
O Jesus, just as You instructed the women of Jerusalem, please instruct us in the ways of virtue and help us to escape the dreadful judgements prepared for all who reject or neglect You in this life.

Station IX: Jesus falls the third time
O Lord Jesus! We entreat You, by the merits of this third most painful fall, to pardon our frequent relapses and our long continuance in sin. May the thought of Your sufferings grieve us and move us to make frequent acts of love and reparation.

Station X: Jesus is stripped of His garments
O Jesus, by the pain You suffered in having Your clothing torn from Your bleeding body, please strip us of all conceit and pride, and instruct us in the ways of humility, purity of intention and simplicity of heart.

Station XI: Jesus is nailed to the Cross
As You were nailed to the Cross, O Jesus, fasten our hearts there also, that they may be united to You until death.

Station XII: Jesus dies on the Cross
O Jesus, we devoutly embrace the holy Cross whereon You loved us even unto death. We thank You for Your sacrifice, and we desire to love You as much as You love us.

Station XIII: Jesus is laid in the arms of His holy Mother
We grieve with you, O Mary, for the sorrow you experienced as you examined the wounds on the body of your dear Son. By these sacred Wounds may we obtain pardon and mercy for our sins.

Station XIV: Jesus is laid in the tomb
O Jesus, someday our bodies will also be placed in a tomb. Freed from the bonds of this earth, may we then be received into Heaven by You and Your holy Mother, so that we may praise and love You for all eternity. Amen.

 

ROSARY OF THE HOLY TRINITY

In order to get the right idea of ​​this prayer and of chaplets in general it is important to know that they consist of a certain number of pious invocations which are counted on beads. They are said in honour of God or certain saints, and so on. To use a beautiful parable, these prayers are offered up as fragrant roses, as it were. The Rosary of the Holy Trinity is prayed like this:

Begin with the holy Sign of the Cross then you pray the opening of litanies:
“God the Father in heaven, have mercy on us;
God the Son, Saviour of the world, have mercy on us; God, Holy Spirit, true God, have mercy on us;
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us.”

After this, pray the Creed, in which the confession of the Holy Trinity must be recited with devotion, and finally three decades of the rosary are prayed in the following manner:

ON THE LARGE BEADS:
One “Our Father“, or the 116th Psalm:
“O praise the Lord, all you nations
acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever. Amen.”

ON THE SMALL BEADS:
“Glory be to God the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen,” or: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”

CONCLUSION:
“May the almighty and merciful Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, bless and protect us. Amen.”

Source: Devotion to the Seven Refuges – Andacht zu den Sieben Zufluchten, Michael Sintzel, Verlag G. J. Manz, Regensburg, 1846

 

HOW TO VENERATE THE SEVEN REFUGES

Who are the Seven Refuges ?

▪️ The Most Holy Trinity,

▪️ Christ the Crucified,

▪️ Christ hidden in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar,

▪️ the Immaculate Virgin and Mother of God, Mary,

▪️ all angels,

▪️ all the saints in heaven,

▪️ all holy souls of Purgatory.

How to venerate the Seven Refuges

One should choose them as helpers and protectors through the following prayer:

“Most Holy Seven Refuges! Although I am completely unworthy of your love and help, I still rely on the inexpressible love with which you embrace all people, and with the most profound humility and deepest trust I choose you as my most merciful helpers and protectors, and I seriously intend to venerate you to the best of my ability and to take refuge in you in tribulations, troubles, and in all my needs. Therefore I ask that you will graciously accept me into your protection, give and maintain grace and stability for this project of mine, and faithfully support me in all my tribulations, but especially in the hour of death. Amen.”

Every year a certain day should be chosen to be celebrated with special devotion for the honour and love of the seven refuges, namely:

▪️ in honour of the Immaculate Virgin: the Feast of her Immaculate Conception,

▪️ in honour of all holy angels: the Feast of the Guardian Angels on the first Sunday of September [nowadays 2 October]

▪️ in honour of all saints: the feast of All Saints,

▪️ for the love and consolation of the souls in Purgatory: the day of their memory on 2 November (All Souls’ Day)

On these days, whenever possible, one should also confess and participate in Holy Communion, reverently say some prayers, which you will find listed below, and also carry out godly works according to your mood and ability.

Finally, one day each week should be dedicated to one of these seven refuges, namely:

▪️ Sunday in honour of the Most Holy Trinity,

▪️ Monday for the love of the holy souls in Purgatory,

▪️ Tuesday in honour of all the holy angels,

▪️ Wednesday in honour of all saints,

▪️ Thursday in honour of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar,

▪️ Friday in honour of the crucified Christ,

▪️ Saturday in honour of the wonderful Mother of God.

On each of these days, one should recite one or more prayers with the specific intent to honour the Seven Refuges, e.g. an Office, litany or other prayer, or failing that, a zealous Our Father, Angelic Salutation and Creed with special devotion. In the evening conclude your offering by praying along these lines: “Most Holy Trinity! Through our Lord I bring you all the works performed on this day as humble sacrifice, with the request that you would receive them with favour and pardon in mercy what I have done imperfectly.”

This prayer should also be addressed to any of the Seven Refuges on all days except Mondays. On Mondays, however, one should pray to God in the following way: Most merciful God! Through our Lord I offer you all the works committed this day for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, deign to let them benefit from these humble works, but in your mercy to forgive me for the sins I have committed.

In order to show a constant service of honour and love to the Seven Refuges, one should sacrifice all actions to them in union with our Lord and therefore also put special effort into them. To this end, the following prayer may be recited:

“Most Holy Seven Refuges! I recognise and confess that you deserve to be venerated in every possible way, partly because of your supreme holiness, partly because of the inestimable benefits you have shown me. The most pleasant way of honouring you is by sacrificing my entire life to you in love. I hereby vow from the innermost depths of my heart that all thoughts, words and works of my life shall be dedicated to your honour and for love of you. Kindly deign to accept this humble offering of mine, and please support me with the power of your grace. Amen.”

Furthermore, in honour of the Seven Refuges, one should especially abstain from those sins to which one is particularly inclined to commit, or endure a severe tribulation with patience, or forgive one’s enemies from the bottom of one’s heart. These works, which show a truly knightly self-conquest, are therefore, above all others, the most pleasant sacrifice to the Seven Refuges.

Finally, one should truly desire and ask God that this devotion will be spread and received by others, and that we ourselves endeavour to encourage the devotion to the Seven Refuges through words and examples.

Source: Devotion to the Seven Refuges – Andacht zu den Sieben Zufluchten, Michael Sintzel, Verlag G. J. Manz, Regensburg, 1846

 

NOVENA PRAYER TO THE SEVEN REFUGES

The Seven Refuges are a Catholic motif often depicted in the Baroque period, especially in the Alpine region (South Germany, Austria etc.). The first pictorial representation was created in 1691 by the Munich court painter Antonio Domenico Triva. This piece of art for a side chapel of the Munich Frauenkirche served as a model for all other Seven Refuges images.

The Seven Refuges are trusted as reliable and powerful helpers in times of danger to body and soul, especially in the hour of death.

These are the Seven Refuges in detail:
▪️The Most Holy Trinity;
▪️Jesus, the crucified;
▪️Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar;
▪️Mary, the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God;
▪️The nine choirs of the holy angels;
▪️The saints and blessed of heaven;
▪️The Poor Souls of Purgatory.

On all nine days the following prayer is prayed:

Full of confidence I turn to you, Seven Refuges, with a heartfelt request for help in my current, severe suffering (name it). My plea will not go unheard; for no one who has entrusted himself to you has ever been left without conspicuous support. My loving Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, O Most Holy Trinity – and also you, most loving Mother Mary, all you angels and saints and also you poor souls – thank you for your loving help.

Most Holy Trinity, for the sake of your infinite love, grant me the grace to one day be able to dwell with you forever in perpetual praise and thanksgiving.

Crucified Saviour, because of your bitter sufferings, please be merciful to me, a sinner, on the day of judgment.

Jesus, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, grant me that I may receive Holy Communion often and with thorough preparation and great devotion. O Sovereign Love, who instituted the august Sacrament in order to dwell here below in our midst, in order to give to our souls your Flesh as food, and your Blood as drink; we believe firmly, Lord Jesus, in that supreme Love which has caused you to institute the Most Holy Eucharist.
Fill me with your love and grace by this Most Holy Sacrament. Strengthen my soul before death with your holy food.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, acquire for me temporal and eternal well-being. After God, I put all my hope in you, because of your intercession with our dear Lord. Show yourself to me as the Mother of mercy. You nine choirs of angels, ask God for the great gift of being able to rejoice in your midst for all eternity.

You saints and blessed ones of heaven, pray continually for me, a sinner, so that I may one day be accepted into your company.

You poor souls of Purgatory, by virtue of your state of grace, pray to God for me. Implore for me the mercy of the Lord, abundant virtue and great holiness.

Most Holy Seven Refuges! I recognise and confess that you deserve to be venerated in every possible way, partly because of your supreme holiness, partly because of the inestimable benefits you have shown me. The most pleasant way of honouring you is by sacrificing my entire life to you in love. I hereby vow from the innermost depths of my heart that all thoughts, words and works of my life shall be dedicated to your honour and for love of you. Kindly deign to accept this humble offering of mine, and please support me with the power of your grace. Amen.

Sources: Devotion to the Seven Refuges – Andacht zu den Sieben Zufluchten, Michael Sintzel, Verlag G. J. Manz, Regensburg, 1846, https://www.kathpedia.com/index.php/Novene_zu_den_sieben_Zufluchten
https://www.sn.at/wiki/Die_Sieben_Heiligen_Zufluchten

 

PRAYERFUL SIGHS TO THE HOLY TRINITY

Most Holy and Undivided Trinity! I firmly believe that you, the true God, single in Essence and threefold in Persons, are most worthy of all honour and praise. Therefore, from the bottom of my heart I desire that I may worship you to the best of my ability, honour, praise and bless you, here temporally and yonder eternally.

Most Holy Trinity, I also believe that you are the true, only and infinite Good, worthy of being loved with all my heart. I therefore renounce all sinful love for other creatures and earnestly resolve to instead turn all my love towards you and to love you with all my heart, with all my strength and with all my fervour.

Most Holy Trinity! I confess with a grateful spirit that I have received from you, as the inexhaustible Source of all good, all the favours that I have enjoyed so far, or will continue to enjoy. Please deign to receive my deepest gratitude for these, just as my only wish is to be able to adore, praise and bless you for all eternity.

Most Holy Trinity! I confess with a trembling and contrite heart that I have often gravely offended you. By your infinite goodness and mercy, I humbly appeal to you for forgiveness and declare myself ready to lay down my life a thousand times over rather than knowingly insult you ever again, my greatest Good.

Holy Trinity! My heart is far from any doubt about your infinite power, wisdom and love, and sees in everything that takes place in heaven and on earth only the wisest arrangement for your honour and our salvation. I surrender myself completely to your divine Providence and am prepared to live and die at any time according to your well-intentioned will. Amen.

From: Devotion to the Seven Refuges – Andacht zu den Sieben Zufluchten, Michael Sintzel, Verlag G. J. Manz, Regensburg, 1846