Reminder - Epiphany Blessing for the Home - 2016

"Adoration of the Three Kings" by Girolamo da Santacroce 

Picture source

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.  Traditionally, the Church celebrated it on January 3rd.

The following is the blessing for the home.

Epiphany Blessing of the Home & Household - 2016

The traditional date of Epiphany is January 3, but in the United States it is celebrated on the Sunday
after Christmas, between January 2 and January 8. The whole of the Christmas season, especially on
the feast of the Epiphany, is a traditional time to bless homes, including passageways and doorways.

Often related to these blessings is a ritual of “chalking” the doors of the home with the numbers of the year separated by the initials, CMB. The letters traditionally refer to the legendary names of the three kings: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar (Scripture neither names them nor says there were three of them). Another tradition refers to it as the abbreviation of the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem
benedicat, translated as “May Christ bless this house.”

Here is one form of an Epiphany House Blessing:
V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
A. Amen
V. Peace be to this house and: to all who dwell here, in the name of the Lord.
A. Blessed be God forever.

V. A reading from the holy gospel according to St. John
A. Glory to You, O Lord.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be….. And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only
Son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-3.14)
A. Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ

After the prayers of the blessing are recited, each room of the home is sprinkled with holy water. The
year and initials of the Magi are inscribed above the doors with the blessed chalk (Casper, Melchior
and Balthasar with the first two numerals of the year preceding the C and the last two numerals of the
year placed after the B).

20 + C + M + B + 16

As you inscribe the initials say: “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” which means “May Christ bless this house”.)

V. Lord God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness and the keeping of your law. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our love for each other may go out to all. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

A. Amen.

Dec. 31 plenary indulgence pray the TE DEUM

Thanks again to Mary Jane!

December 31 - pray the TE DEUM

public recitation on the last day of the year as an act of thanksgiving may earn a plenary indulgence 

 

1. What is a Plenary Indulgence?

    A Plenary Indulgence is the full remission of temporal punishment
    due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after
the sinner has confessed and received absolution. Indulgences draw on the Treasury of Merit
accumulated by Christ's superabundantly meritorious sacrifice on the cross and the virtues and
penances of the saints. They are granted for specific good works and prayers.

 

2. Who Can Gain A Plenary Indulgence?

To be capable of gaining an indulgence for oneself, it is
required that one be baptized, not excommunicated, in the state of grace at least at the completion of
the prescribed works, and a subject of the one granting the indulgence.

3. Who Can I get a Plenary Indulgence for?

You can gain a Plenary Indulgence for yourself or for a
deceased person (or a holy soul in purgatory) But not for another living person, they have to get it for themselves. 

 

Here are the usual conditions for obtaining one:

1. Receive Holy Communion on Dec, 31

2. Go to Confession (within 8 Days)

3. Have no attachment to sin.
4. Pray for the Intentions of the Pope one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be

 Te Deum - in English and Latin (below) 

 

O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge
Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
The glorious choir of the Apostles,
The wonderful company of Prophets,
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:
The Father of infinite Majesty;
Thy adorable, true and only Son;
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man,
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin's womb.
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sitest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou willst come to be our Judge.
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.

V.  Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance!
R.  Govern them, and raise them up forever.

V.  Every day we thank Thee.
R.  And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.

V.  O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

V.  Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
R.  O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.
 

Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur.
Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates;
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Patrem immensae maiestatis:
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

V.  Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
R.  Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

V.  Per singulos dies benedicimus te.
R.  Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

V.  Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
R.  Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.

V.  Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
R.  In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.
 

Jan. 1 Veni Creator Spiritus – plenary indulgence if recited publicly

A big thanks to Mary Jane!

Veni Creator Spiritus – plenary indulgence can be obtained for Jan. 1 if recited publicly - print out & bring to Mass - recite with fellow parishioners and/or family  (Latin and English below)

  

 

1. What is a Plenary Indulgence?

    A Plenary Indulgence is the full remission of temporal punishment
    due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after
the sinner has confessed and received absolution. Indulgences draw on the Treasury of Merit
accumulated by Christ's superabundantly meritorious sacrifice on the cross and the virtues and
penances of the saints. They are granted for specific good works and prayers.

 

2. Who Can Gain A Plenary Indulgence?

To be capable of gaining an indulgence for oneself, it is
required that one be baptized, not excommunicated, in the state of grace at least at the completion of
the prescribed works, and a subject of the one granting the indulgence.

 

3. Who Can I get a Plenary Indulgence for?

You can gain a Plenary Indulgence for yourself or for a
deceased person (or a holy soul in purgatory) But not for another living person, they have to get it for themselves. 

 

Here are the usual conditions for obtaining one:

1. Receive Holy Communion on January 1

2. Go to Confession (within 8 Days)

3. Have no attachment to sin.
4. Pray for the Intentions of the Pope one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be

 

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

 

O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

 

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

 

Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o'erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.

 

Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.

 

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

 

Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen.
---------------------------------------------------
Veni, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora.

 

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissima donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.

 

Tu, septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.

 

Accende lumen sensibus:
infunde amorem cordibus:
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.

 

Hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus:
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

 

Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utrisque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

 

Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio, qui a mortuis
surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.