Recommendation of a Soul Departing

LORD, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for her (or him).
All ye angels and archangels, pray for her (or him).

From Thy anger,
From the danger of death,
From an ill end,
From the pains of hell,
From all evil,
From the power of the devil,
Through Thy nativity,
Through Thy cross and Passion,
Through Thy death and burial,
Through Thy glorious Resurrection,
Through Thine admirable Ascension,

Let us pray.

DEPART then, Christian soul, out of this miserable world, in the name of God the Father almighty, Who created thee; in the name of God the Son, Who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, cherubim, and seraphim; in the name of the patriarchs and prophets, of the holy apostles and evangelists, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks and hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God—let thy place be this day in peace, and thy abode in holy Sion; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God of clemency! God of goodness! O God, Who, according to the multitude of Thy mercies, forgivest the sins of such as repent, and graciously remittest the guilt of their past offences, mercifully regard this Thy servant, N., and grant her a full discharge from all her sins, who most earnestly begs it of Thee. Purify, O merciful Father, whatever is corrupt in her through human frailty, or by the snares of the enemy; make her a true member of the Church, and let her partake of the fruit of Thy redemption. Have compassion, O Lord, on her sighs, have pity on her tears; and admit her to the sacrament of Thy reconciliation, who has no hope but in Thee; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I recommend thee, dear sister (or brother) to almighty God, and commit thee to His mercy, Whose creature Thou art; that, having paid the common debt of nature, thou mayest surrender thy soul to thy Maker, Who formed thee out of the earth. May, therefore, the noble company of angels meet thy soul at its departure. May the court of the apostles receive thee. May the triumphant army of glorious martyrs conduct thee. May the crowds of joyful confessors encompass thee. May the choir of blessed virgins go before thee; and may a happy rest be thy portion in the company of the patriarchs. May Jesus Christ appear to thee with a mild and cheerful countenance, and give thee a place amongst those who are to dwell in His presence for ever. Mayest thou be a stranger to all who are condemned to darkness, chastised with flames, or punished with torments. May God command thy wicked enemy, with all his evil spirits, to depart from thee. May the infernal spirits tremble at thy approach, encompassed by angels, and retire into the horrid confusion of eternal night. May thy God arise, and thy enemies be put to flight. May all who hate Him fly before His face. Let them vanish like smoke, or as wax before the fire; so let sinners perish in the sight of God. But as to the just, let them rejoice and be happy in His presence. May all the ministers of hell be filled with confusion and shame, and let no evil spirit dare to stop thy course to heaven. May Christ Jesus, Who was crucified for thee, be thy deliverer; may He deliver thee from death, Who for thy sake vouchsafed to die. May Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God, place thee in His garden of paradise; and may He, the true Shepherd, own thee for one of His flock. May He absolve thee from all thy sins, and place thee at His right hand in the inheritance of the elect. Oh, may it be thy happy lot to behold thy Redeemer face to face: to be ever in His presence, in the beatific vision of that eternal truth which is the joy of the blessed. And thus placed amongst those happy spirits, mayest thou be for ever filled with heavenly sweetness. Amen.

Receive Thy servant, O Lord, into that place where she may hope for salvation from Thy mercy.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant from all dangers of hell, and from all pain and tribulation.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Enoch and Elias from the common death of the world.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Noe from the flood.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Abraham from the midst of the Chaldeans.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Job from all his afflictions.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Isaac from being sacrificed by his father.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Lot from Sodom, and the flames of fire.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Moses from the hands of Pharao, King of Egypt.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Daniel from the lions' den.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver the three children from the fiery furnace, and from the hands of an unmerciful king.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver David from the hands of Saul and Goliath.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Susanna from her false accusers.

R. Amen.

Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, as Thou didst deliver Peter and Paul out of prison.

R. Amen.

And as Thou deliveredst that blessed virgin and martyr, St. Thecla, from most cruel torments, vouchsafe to deliver the soul of this Thy servant, and bring it to the participation of Thy heavenly joys.

R. Amen.

Let us pray.

WE commend to Thee, O Lord, the soul of this Thy servant, and beseech Thee, O Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the world, that as in Thy mercy to her Thou becamest man, so now Thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit her into the number of the blessed. Remember, O Lord, that she is Thy creature, not made by strange gods, but by Thee, the only true and living God, for there is no other God but Thee, none that can work Thy wonders. Let her soul find comfort in Thy sight, and remember not her former sins, nor any of those excesses into which she has fallen, through the violence of passion and corruption. For although she hath sinned, yet she has retained a true faith in Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: she has had a zeal for Thy honor, and faithfully adored Thee her God, and the Creator of all things.

Remember not, O Lord, the sins of ignorance of her youth, but, according to Thy great mercy, be mindful of her in Thy eternal glory. Let the heavens be opened to her, and the angels rejoice with her. May St. Michael, the archangel, the chief of the heavenly host, conduct her. May blessed Peter, the apostle, to whom were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, receive her. May holy Paul, the apostle and chosen vessel of election, assist her. May St. John, the beloved disciple, to whom was revealed the secrets of heaven, intercede for her. May all the chosen servants and martyrs of God, who in this world have suffered torments for the sake of Christ, intercede for her, that, being delivered from this body of corruption, she may be admitted into the kingdom of heaven, through the assistance and merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

If the dying person continue in her (or his) senses, the following Acts may be made.

An Act of Thanksgiving.

O MY God! Thou hast created, redeemed, and sanctified me. Thou hast preserved me in many dangers both of body and soul. Thou hast fed me with Thy most blessed body and blood. Thou hast shown immense patience in bearing with my repeated crimes, and often called me to repentance. For these and all other blessings bestowed on me, a most ungrateful sinner, I offer Thee innumerable thanks.

An Act of Resignation.

O MY God! I cheerfully receive the certain summons of my death. It is a greater happiness to fulfil Thy will than to enjoy ten thousand lives. O happy news of my departure! I shall soon hear the choirs of angels sing Thy eternal praises. Let death hasten his pace, that dying I may no more offend Thee, but live with Thee, and love Thee eternally.

An Act of Contrition.

I AM truly and heartily sorry for all my sins, not for the fear of hell, nor for the hope of reward; but for the love of Thee, my God, my only good! And were I beginning instead of ending my life, I would not offend Thee for a thousand worlds. . . . O my God! despise not a contrite and humble heart. Amen.

The soul being now departed, the following Responsory is said:

COME to her assistance, all you saints of God; meet her all you angels of God; receive her soul, and present it now before its Lord. May Jesus Christ receive thee, and the angels conduct thee to thy place of rest; may they receive thy soul, and present it now before its Lord.

V. Eternal rest grant her, O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine upon her.

V. And lead us not into temptation

R. But deliver us from evil.

V. Eternal rest grant her, O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine on her.

V. From the gates of hell,

R. Deliver her soul, O Lord.

V. May she rest in peace.

R. Amen.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

ABSOLVE, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, N., that being dead to this world, she may live to Thee; and whatever sins she has committed through human frailty, we beseech Thee in Thy goodness mercifully to pardon. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.