The Principal Devotions
Vespers
The faithful should endeavor to assist at vespers, as this service is the one most recommended after Holy Mass.
As there are no prayers grander, more sublime and more devotional, than the holy psalms, the faithful should read them attentively at vespers, especially those which are sung by the choir, to which they should strive to conform, and which they should also endeavor to sing when the plain chant is employed.
The congregation should follow the Priest in his various postures at vespers, not the altar-boys. They should stand when he stands or walks, sit when he sits, bow when he bows and kneel also when he kneels.
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
No benediction of the Church should be coveted more than that of the Blessed Sacrament.
The faithful should kneel from the time the Blessed Sacrament is taken from the Tabernacle until it is put back again after the blessing with it has been given. They should remain in profound adoration of it all during the time of its exposition. No one should sit during benediction-service.
All should bow low and bless themselves when the Priest turns towards them and blesses them with the Sacred Host contained either in the monstrance or in the ciborium.
If anyone should enter or leave the church whilst the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for benediction, or before it has been put back into the tabernacle, he should genuflect profoundly with both knees bowing the head at the same time.
When the choir sings the psalm “Laudate Dominum” after the benediction and the tabernacle-door has been closed, the congregation should rise and remain standing until the Priest has left the sanctuary.
Plenary Indulgences
Many devotions and practices in the Church have the gaining of a plenary Indulgence attached to them. This indulgence can be gained, however, only by complying carefully with certain prescribed conditions.
The usual conditions prescribed for gaining a plenary indulgence are, to confess one’s sins, to receive Holy Communion, to visit the church, and to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.
To gain any indulgence, the soul must be in the state of grace. To be rid of the temporal punishment due to any particular sin, whether mortal or venial, such sin must be previously forgiven.
It is necessary to go to confession when confession is made an express condition for the gaining of an indulgence, although the soul be only in the state of venial sin. The confession may be made on the day preceding the day for which the indulgence is granted.
As for those who go weekly to confession and are in the habit of confessing venial sins, their weekly confession will suffice for them in order to gain all the plenary indulgences granted until their next confession, whether such confession be in the beginning or at the end of either week, provided they confess in each week.
Neither confession nor Communion need take place in any particular church, unless positively stated in the granting of the indulgence.
The visit required to the church may be made by receiving Holy Communion there, provided the condition of praying for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff be fulfilled at the same time.
If one is entitled to several plenary indulgences on the same day, however, as frequently happens on the part of those who practice many works of piety, it will be necessary both to visit the church and to pray for the intention of the Holy Father, as often on that day as one is entitled to gain a plenary indulgence.
As for those who are permanently disabled from visiting the church and receiving Holy Communion frequently, the Holy See has granted their confessors the faculties of substituting other good works instead.
The prayers required for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff may be any approved prayers of the Church and should be to the extent of at least five times the Our Father and Hail Mary.
In practicing any devotion to which plenary indulgences have been attached, it is necessary to make oneself familiar with the various occasions and conditions for gaining them, given in prayer books and special manuals published in connection with such devotions.
The Rosary
Every Catholic should have a rosary or pair of beads. The rosary is blessed and indulgenced for a person’s own use by a Priest having the necessary faculties.
If a rosary thus blessed and indulgenced is transferred to another, the indulgence is lost, and the rosary must be blessed and indulgenced again. If a rosary, however, is merely loaned to another for use, without any intention to transfer the indulgence, the indulgence is not lost to the owner.
When a rosary is repaired and some new portions are substituted for the old ones, the rosary does not lose its blessing and indulgences.
Although the complete rosary consists of fifteen decades, five decades, however, or a chaplet, as it is called, are usually recited at a time. Each decade consists of one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and the Glory be to the Father. The recitation of the decades is usually preceded by the Apostles’ Creed, one Our Father, three Hail Marys, for an increase of faith, hope and charity, with a Glory be to the Father, both after the Creed and after the three Hail Marys.
To gain the indulgences granted for the devout recitation of the rosary, the faithful must endeavor to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary.
The mysteries of the rosary are: I. The Five Joyful Mysteries; 1. The Annunciation, 2. The Visitation, 3. The Nativity of Our Lord, 4. The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, 5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple. II. The Sorrowful Mysteries; 1. The Agony in the Garden, 2. The Scourging at the Pillar, 3. The Crowning with Thorns, 4. The Carrying of the Cross, 5. The Crucifixion. III. The Glorious Mysteries; 1. The Resurrection, 2. The Ascension, 3. The Sending of the Holy Ghost, 4. The Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven, 5. The Coronation of Our Lady in Heaven.
All Catholics should make themselves familiar with the mysteries of the rosary by frequently reading of them in the Gospels and in devotional works.
Those who cannot possibly meditate on the mysteries, can gain the indulgences by simply reciting the prayers.
Most prayer-books point out the manner of reciting the rosary, containing also short meditations on the mysteries. They give also various introductory and closing prayers in connection with the essential part of the rosary.
Another condition for gaining the indulgences granted for the recitation of the rosary, requires that the beads be held in the hands whilst saying them. If several, however, say the beads in common, it will suffice if the leader complies with this condition.
The Scapular
There are various scapulars in use. The oldest and more common one, however, worn by the faithful, is that of our Lady of Mt. Carmel known as the Brown Scapular. It consists of two pieces of brown woolen cloth, worn respectively on the breast and on the back, connected over each shoulder with a piece of tape. It is an imitation and abbreviation of the large scapular or garment worn by the Carmelites. It is at the same time a badge of honor to the Mother of God, who revealed the devotion to the Carmelite Order in the person of St. Simon Stock.
The spiritual advantages of the scapular are, among many, the special protection of the Blessed Virgin, a share in the merits of all the good works performed by the Carmelites, and many indulgences, plenary and partial.
Neither the wearing of the scapular, even if one has been enrolled in it, nor the recitation of the prayers connected with it, bind under pain of sin. Hence, any neglect in this respect should not be made a matter of confession.
If this brown scapular becomes worn out or is lost, it is not necessary to have a new one blessed or to be enrolled again. The blessing of the old scapular is transferred to the new one without any ceremony.
Each one desiring to wear a scapular must be enrolled personally by a priest having the necessary faculties. No one can have another enrolled by simply bringing a pair of scapulars to the Priest to have them blessed for such a one.
Taking the scapular off when necessary, to replace it as soon as convenient, does not deprive the wearer of its benefits.
Neglecting to wear it for some time, however, although one does not need to be enrolled again in order to resume it, deprives, nevertheless, of its spiritual advantages during such time.
If the scapular, on the other hand, has been laid aside purposely, with the intention of abandoning it, a new enrollment in it would be necessary, in order to wear it with benefit again.
Plenary indulgences granted to wearers of the Brown Scapular may be gained on the following occasions under the usual conditions for gaining such indulgences:
On the day of enrolment, on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (July 16), or on the following Sunday, or on any day within the octave; on the feasts of the Immaculate Conception, Nativity, Presentation, Annunciation, Visitation, Purification, and Assumption of Our Blessed Lady; also on the feasts of St. Joseph, St. Simon Stock, (May 16), St. Ann, St. Michael, St. Teresa and on any Wednesday of the year.
See Plenary Indulgences, page 81.
For the gaining of other indulgences, plenary and partial, see special manuals, published on the scapulars.
The Way of the Cross
The beautiful devotion of the “Way of the Cross” or “Stations of the Cross,” as it is variously called, is represented in most churches by the fourteen pictures of Our Lord’s passion, or crosses found in them. Most prayer-books contain suitable meditations for this devotion.
What is essentially necessary in making the way of the cross, is to move from station to station, and to make a short reflection on the sufferings of our Lord before each one of them.
But when this devotion is performed in public, it will suffice for the priest and his assistants to make the journey from station to station, whilst the others remain at their places.
It is well to make an act of contrition before beginning the way of the cross.
To gain the indulgences attached to the way of the cross at least five “Our Fathers,” five “Hail Marys” and the “Glory be to the Father” should be said at the end of the devotion for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
As for the sick and for those who are otherwise physically disabled from going to church to make the way of the cross, a small crucifix may be specially indulgenced for them by such as have the necessary faculties. By holding this crucifix in the hand and reciting twenty times each the “Our Father,” “Hail Mary” and “Glory be to the Father” before it, all the indulgences granted in favor of the way of the cross, may be gained.
The Forty Hours’ Adoration
This devotion performed in most churches once in the year, is designed to kindle in the faithful great love and reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament as well as to make reparation to our Dear Saviour in the sacrament of His Love for so much coldness, indifference and such great outrages committed against Him by so many ungrateful beings.
It is the custom of all fervent Catholics to approach the sacraments on this occasion and visit the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar during the days of the devotion.
To encourage these practices the Sovereign Pontiffs have granted a plenary indulgence to all the faithful who confess their sins, receive Holy Communion and visiting the church during the adoration, pray for the Sovereign Pontiffs’ intentions.
The confession may be made previously to the opening of the devotion, as on the day before it, or in the case of weekly penitents, at their usual time.
The Communion may be received on the morning of the day on which the devotion is opened, although the opening has not yet taken place. It is, moreover, not necessary, that the Communion be received in the church where the adoration is held.
To gain the plenary indulgence of the Forty Hours’ Devotion it is necessary to visit the church during the adoration.
Besides the plenary indulgence, a partial indulgence of ten years and ten quadragenes is granted for each visit made to the Blessed Sacrament exposed during this devotion. All these indulgences are applicable to the souls in Purgatory.
The faithful, according to the desire of the Church, should endeavor to visit the church on each of the days and spend some time in adoration. They should, moreover, bring candles, flowers and other ornaments for the decoration of the altar, or contribute in money for the same. They should show the liveliest interest and exhibit the greatest fervor on this occasion, as one of the best to exercise their faith and piety.
Novenas
A Novena is a devotion ordinarily of nine days, made either as a preparation for some feast, or made at any time usually for the purpose of obtaining some favor.
Novenas made as a preparation for a feast, are made during the nine days preceding the feast day, so that the feast day itself would be the tenth day from the beginning of the novena.
There are many devotions for novenas found in the prayer-books. When no special devotion is prescribed, or if one does not choose to follow a prescribed devotion, it is customary to say at least nine Hail Marys on each of the nine days. There is no limit to the other prayers and practices that may be performed on these days. Individual fervor must suggest most of them.
There is nothing of obligation or of special precept in the making of novenas. It is well, however, to confess at the beginning of a novena, especially if one should be in sin. It is customary, also, to receive Holy Communion on the morning following the Novena, that is, on the feast-day, or on the tenth day.
Other devotions and practices suitable in making novenas are, for instance, the hearing of Holy Mass, having Masses said, visits to the church, fasting, abstaining, almsgiving, offerings made to the Church, prudent promises, especially when directed by the Confessor, and many other acts of piety and self-denial, suggested by individual devotion and fervor.
