(DE PROFUNDIS)

V. Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
R. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
V. If Thou, O Lord, shalt observe iniquities; Lord, who shall endure it?
R. For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness:
V. and by reason of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
R. My soul hath relied on His word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
V. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
R. Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him plentiful redemption.
V. And He shall redeem Israel from all her iniquities.

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
R. and let perpetual light shine upon them.

(Responsory Prayer for the Dead)

V. Do not remember my sins O Lord,
R. When you come to judge the world by fire
V. Direct my ways in your sight, O Lord, my God
R. When you come to judge the world by fire
V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
R. When you come to judge the world by fire
V. Lord, have mercy
R. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy
V. Our Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
R. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
V. From the gates of Hell.
R. Deliver their souls, O Lord.
V. May they rest in peace
R. Amen
V. Lord hear my prayer
R. And let my cry come to you.

V. Let us pray.

V. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through our pious supplication they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER FOR A DECEASED PRIEST

ALL: O God, Thou didst raise Thy servants to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ, according to the Order of Melchisedech, giving them the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice, to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar, and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name. We beseech Thee to reward their faithfulness and to forget their faults, admitting them speedily into Thy Holy Presence, there to enjoy forever the recompense of their labors. This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Pray for the souls of priests.

First, remember that you can gain indulgences on All Souls and the days following.

Secondly, November 5th is a first Thursday. You can gain a plenary indulgence during this year for Priests.

Third, would it not be a good idea in this Year for Priests, during the week after All Souls, for this 1st Thursday, to pray in a special way for the souls of deceased priests?

May I recommend that you bring this up with your parish priests, who might make pulpit announcements this Sunday?

If you are a blogger, would you post something on this?

Would you recommend this to your prayer groups, friends and family?

Today is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima. As the patroness of this blog, I'm especially close to the Blessed Mother, especially on this day.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

--
An Eyewitness Account by Dr. José Maria de Almeida Garrett, professor at the Faculty of Sciences of Coimbra, Portugal

"It must have been 1:30 p.m when there arose, at the exact spot where the children were, a column of smoke, thin, fine and bluish, which extended up to perhaps two meters above their heads, and evaporated at that height. This phenomenon, perfectly visible to the naked eye, lasted for a few seconds. Not having noted how long it had lasted, I cannot say whether it was more or less than a minute. The smoke dissipated abruptly, and after some time, it came back to occur a second time, then a third time.

"The sky, which had been overcast all day, suddenly cleared; the rain stopped and it looked as if the sun were about to fill with light the countryside that the wintery morning had made so gloomy. I was looking at the spot of the apparitions in a serene, if cold, expectation of something happening and with diminishing curiosity because a long time had passed without anything to excite my attention. The sun, a few moments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds which hid it and now shone clearly and intensely.

"Suddenly I heard the uproar of thousands of voices, and I saw the whole multitude spread out in that vast space at my feet…turn their backs to that spot where, until then, all their expectations had been focused, and look at the sun on the other side. I turned around, too, toward the point commanding their gaze and I could see the sun, like a very clear disc, with its sharp edge, which gleamed without hurting the sight. It could not be confused with the sun seen through a fog (there was no fog at that moment), for it was neither veiled nor dim. At Fatima, it kept its light and heat, and stood out clearly in the sky, with a sharp edge, like a large gaming table. The most astonishing thing was to be able to stare at the solar disc for a long time, brilliant with light and heat, without hurting the eyes or damaging the retina. [During this time], the sun’s disc did not remain immobile, it had a giddy motion, [but] not like the twinkling of a star in all its brilliance for it spun round upon itself in a mad whirl.

"During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described, there were also changes of color in the atmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything had assumed an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. Everything both near and far had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color.
"Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all the people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed all at once to loosen itself from the firmament and, blood red, advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was truly terrible.

"All the phenomena which I have described were observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them. Finally, I must declare that never, before or after October 13 [1917], have I observed similar atmospheric or solar phenomena."

Professor Almeida Garrett’s full account may be found in Novos Documentos de Fatima (Loyala editions, San Paulo, 1984)

In a special way, during this Year of the Priest, today is the feast of the Cure of Ars, St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests.



"Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil.
Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains."
St. John Vianney

A Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament for the Increase of Priestly and Religious Vocations

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Eternal Father,
Son of the Virgin Mary,
we thank you for offering your life in sacrifice on
the Cross, and for renewing this sacrifice
in every Mass celebrated throughout the world.

In the Power of the Holy Spirit
we adore you and proclaim
your living presence in the Eucharist.
We desire to imitate the love you show us
in your death and resurrection,
by loving and serving one another.

We ask you to call many young people to religious
life, and to provide the holy and generous priests
that are so needed in you Church today.
Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Amen.

+Justin Cardinal Rigali, Philadelphia