While Saint Clement was praying there appeared unto him the Lamb of God.
Come bride of Christ, and receive the crown, which the Lord has prepared for you for ever.
“Go forth to the world and proclaim the Good News!”
Thus sent forth, the Church has, with no time to lose,
Sent missioners brave to the ends of the earth,
That souls thralled in darkness may come to new birth.
With charity filled and heart burning with zeal,
Saint Rose sought to serve God, and sent her appeal,
Which brought her companions who caught her delight
And went to Missouri to spread Jesus’ light.
In hardship and hunger, she forged on with strength;
For girls’ education, she struggled at length.
And then, when her work and her harvest was nigh,
She turned to the missions for natives nearby.
O praise God the Father, O praise God the Son,
And praise God the Spirit, the great Three-in-One.
We ask through Saint Rose for strong faith, hope, and love,
As we praise the One who is reigning above.
J. Michael Thompson
Though born in Lombardy, Mother Cabrini immigrated to the USA with the permission of Pope Leo XIII. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for the poor children in schools and hospitals, especially the Italian immigrants. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini is the patroness of immigrants. The Mass prayer (collect) above is a beautiful expression of how theology meets our human reality. Saint Frances Cabrini is buried* here in NYC…pay a visit to her shrine!
The great monk from the East! Monastic influence was tremendous especially since he pioneered what is often called urban monasticism.
A tradition on the day which the liturgical memorial of Saint Willibrord is celebrated is the blessing of water. As we know, Catholics use the natural world to “hook” on to the supernatural world. That is, the Incarnation of the Word came into human history to hallow creation and for the redemption of the world. The Church sensing this, has organically developed blessings of things and people to lead us into the deeper reality of our faith looking toward salvation. The opening prayer for the Mass of Saint Willibrord may be found here, and ritual for the blessing of water follows.
Saint Willibrord (d. 738) freed a home haunted by an evil spirit through the use of water blessed by him.
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
Thou creature water, I purge thee of evil by the living + God, by the holy + God, that thou mayest become a saving remedy for body and soul, through Him Who shall come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.
Let us pray.
Bless, + O Lord, this water as a remedy for repulsing the foe of mankind, and send down on it they Holy Spirit, so empowered by heaven it may drive out both sickness and the worst enemy of all, and be a source of health to all who drink thereof. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray.
O Lord Almighty! Bless + this water which thou has granted for mankind’s use in washing away all guilt of sin, so that, through invoking upon it thy holy name, it may prove an unfailing and divine remedy whatever it is sprinkled or used for drink. Let this water serve to wash away every impurity, and to bestow by thy beneficence health of body and soul upon all who use it, through Him Who shall come to judge the living and the dead and world of fire. Amen.
Let us pray.
O Lord, the Father Almighty! Bless + this creature of water that it become a saving means for humankind in removing all evil of body and soul and in expelling all harmful influence of the enemy. And grant that, through invoking thy holy name, we may possess in it a safeguard for our corporal and spiritual well-being. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray.
O God, Who has appointed illustrious promoters of the true faith for the various nations; grant, we beseech thee, that all who come seeking the intercession of our holy teacher, Saint Willibrord, may experience the joy of good health here on earth and prosperity and the glory of beatitude in the life to come. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forevermore. Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son + and Holy Spirit come upon this water and remain for all time. Amen.
The Lord led the just in right paths. And showed him the kingdom of God.
I saw a great multitude which no man could number, out all nations, standing before the throne.