Prayer for a Man deceased.

Graciously hear, O Lord, the prayers we address to thee, by which we humbly entreat thy mercy, to receive into the kingdom of peace and light the soul of thy servant, N., whom thou hast called out of this world, and to reckon him among thy blessed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

V, Eternal rest, &c.

Prayer for a Woman deceased.

We beseech thee, O Lord, to shew thy bountiful mercy to the soul of thy servant, N., and being now freed from the corruption of this mortal life, grant to her the portion of thy eternal inheritance of bliss. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

V. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord. R. And let the perpetual light of glory shine upon them. V. May they rest in peace. R. Amen.

Our Father, in silence.

V. And lead us not into temptation. R. 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. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer for the commemoration of All Souls.

Let us pray.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed, the full remission of all their sins; that through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Eternal rest, &c.

Prayer for both Father and Mother deceased.

O God, who hast commanded us to honour our father and mother (our fathers and mothers), mercifully shew pity to the souls of my (our) parents, forgive them their faults, and grant me (us) the grace to see them hereafter in the joys of eternal glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

V. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord. R. And let the perpetual light of glory shine upon them. V. May they rest in peace. R. Amen.

Rules and Constitutions

OF THE

SODALITIES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

(A new translation of the Rules, &c., as approved by the Very Rev. Fr. Beckx, General of the Society of Jesus.

CHAPTER I.-COMMON RULES.

I. Since it is the Most Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, principal patroness of this Sodality, that is to be expected to cherish and protect it-as she is Mother of Mercy, loving those that love her, guardian and protectress of those who piously and religiously seek her aid-it is of the highest importance that the members of the same Sodality should not only greatly venerate, and in a very special manner honour her, but also seek, by the blameless conduct of their lives, to imitate the example of her wonderful virtues, and to excite each other to love her.

The accomplishment of all this will be greatly faci

litated by the observance of the rules which it has been thought better to have committed to writing, so that, as far as possible, they may be common to all the Sodalities in union with that of Rome.

It is, however, permitted to each Sodality to have, beside these rules, others peculiar to itself, such as it may consider suited to the various circumstances of place and persons.

II. The Sodality shall be governed by the Superior of the place in which it shall be established, and by the Prefect of the Sodality itself, aided by the counsel of two assistants. To these shall be added twelve Consultors, one of whom shall act as Secretary. The number of Consultors may, on account of the small number of members, be reduced to six. Besides these, other inferior officers shall be elected according to the wants of each Sodality. But all shall pay due deference, not only to the Director of the Sodality, but also to the Prefect and other officers, according to the rank of each, and shall obey them in all things relating to the Sodality. But when any impediment shall occur, they shall, as soon as possible, give notice to the Director or Prefect, that he may give charge of the matter to some other officer or member.

III. As the end of this Sodality is virtue and Christian piety, to the attainment of which end the frequentation of the sacraments is of the greatest utility, they who wish to join the Sodality shall, before they are received, purify their souls from sin by an ordinary or a general confession, as their confessor shall judge better in the Lord. Then all the members are to know that they must receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist at least once in the month, and also on certain feasts and solemnities of our Lord and his Most Blessed Mother. However, the principal officers, that is to say, the Prefect, Assistant, Secretary, and Consultors should

go to Confession, and, unless their Spiritual Father judge otherwise, receive the Blessed Eucharist more frequently than the other members, who should derive instruction from their example.

IV. As far as possible let an ordinary confessor be chosen, who, once that he has been selected by any one, must not without good reason, be changed. To him let each one unreservedly manifest the state of his conscience, and in all things that concern the direction of his conscience, let each one allow himself to be guided and ruled by him.

V.-On Sundays and also on holidays of obligation, all shall in the morning* be present at the meeting of the Sodality, when they shall give about an hour and a-half to spiritual exercises, according to the manner prescribed by the Director or Prefect. This shall be the usual manner of proceeding: They shall begin with the reading of some pious book, which shall be read until all, or nearly all, the members have assembled; then part of the Office of the Blessed Virgin shall be sung; then a brief exhortation on matters tending to the spiritual progress of the members shall be given by the Director of the Sodality; the exhortation shall be followed by the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, after which, and the recital of the Litanies or other prayers, according to the custom of each Sodality, the members may go away. But they who have received Holy Communion will spend at least a quarter of an hour in thanksgiving. Those Sodalities that have the custom of meeting again in the afternoon, may, at that time, give half an hour or a little more to exercises similar to those of the morning.

VI.-But since the members of the Sodality should make it their principal study to please God, and after him the Blessed Virgin, as they are dedicated to her

*Or in the evening. Besides, the time may be shortened as prudence may require.

and belong to her by the special titles, the Director and Prefect should spare no effort to procure the increase and extension of this devotion. They, therefore, shall take care that the more solemn feasts of our Lord, and of the Virgin Mother of God, be celebrated by the members of the Sodality with peculiar fervour and devotion. This devotion will be increased if, during the nine days preceding those feasts, the members prepare and dispose themselves by some special observances, and, above all, by holy meditations. That this may the more easily be done by them, let the points of meditation and the observances be prescribed for each day, and let them, unless the expense be considered too great, be placed before the members in print, or read at a convenient time in the Sodality.

VII. Where the custom exists each member shall bring to the Sodality a list of the observances he has practised during those days-but without signing his name-and shall throw it into a box or urn prepared for that purpose; and these lists, having been reduced to order and copied into a book, shall be publicly read, instead of the usual exhortation.

Let them be read, if possible, on the day immediately preceding the solemn feast, to the end that all may, by the recollection of what they have heard, be very much excited to increased fervour and devotion. The members must also know that they will render themselves very pleasing to the ever Blessed Virgin by not only making use of these practices on the above-mentioned days, but also by seeking, every day, by some pious practice, to render the Mother of God propitious to them.

VIII.--As the reading of pious books is so highly approved of by the Holy Fathers, and is so powerful a help to spiritual progress, it must, therefore, be frequently used by the members of the Sodality. On