Contents.
| Preface | [7] |
| Table of Moveable Feasts | [10] |
| Feasts and Fasts throughout the Year | [11] |
| Unlawful Marriages | [12] |
| Plenary Indulgences | [12] |
| Manner of Lay Baptism | [14] |
| Ecclesiastical Calendar | [14] |
| Morning Prayer | [25] |
| Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity | [30] |
| The Litany of the holy Name of Jesus | [33] |
| Salva Regina | [36] |
| The Angelus Domini | [37] |
| Short Ejaculations in the course of the Day | [38] |
| Prayers for Night | [39] |
| The Litany of the Blessed Virgin | [44] |
| The Hymn, Te lucis ante terminum—in English | [47] |
| A Prayer before Sermon, Spiritual Reading, &c. | [49] |
| A Prayer before Mass | [50] |
| Prayers at Mass | [56] |
| Preparation for Confession | [80] |
| A Protestation before the Examination of Conscience | [81] |
| Prayers before the Examination of Conscience | [82] |
| An Examination of Conscience | [85] |
| Prayers before Confession | [92] |
| A Prayer at receiving Absolution | [97] |
| Prayers after Confession | [98] |
| Instructions for Communion | [103] |
| Prayers before Communion | [107] |
| Acts of Virtue before Communion | [111] |
| A Prayer to obtain the effects of a Plenary Indulgence | [118] |
| Prayers after Communion | [124] |
| Acts of Virtue after Communion | [130] |
| The Seven Penitential Psalms | [141] |
| The Litany of Saints | [150] |
| Motives to Perseverance in a Virtuous Life | [158] |
| Devotions for every Day in the Week | [160] |
| Pious Reflections for every Day in the Month; from the French of the Rev. F. Bouhours | [171] |
| Meditations on the Articles of the Creed— to be used as a Devotion by Societies, Families, &c | [210] |
| Anthem of the Blessed Virgin, Salve Regina | [224] |
| An Universal Prayer for all things necessary to Salvation | [225] |
| A Prayer for the Choice of a State of Life | [227] |
| A Prayer for a Pregnant Woman | [227] |
| Litany of Divine Providence | [229] |
| Prayer of St. Bernard to the Blessed Virgin | [232] |
| Litany of St. Winefrid | [233] |
| The Golden Litany | [239] |
| The Prayers of St. Bridget | [247] |
| Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus | [258] |
| Litany of the Sacred Heart | [259] |
| Reparation of Honour to the Sacred Heart | [262] |
| Devotions for the Sick | [264] |
| A Prayer upon Recovery from Sickness | [277] |
| Preparation for Death | [278] |
| A Prayer by St. Liguori | [291] |
| A Prayer of St. Augustin on the Sufferings of Christ | [292] |
| A Prayer of St. Jerome in time of Agony | [293] |
| Prayers to be recited by the Assistants when the Dying Person loses the use of Speech | [294] |
| Recommendation of a Soul Departing | [298] |
| Litany for a Happy Death | [305] |
| A Prayer for all that are buried in a Church or Church-yard | [309] |
| Exequies, or Sacred Rites over the Tomb, (in Latin and English) | [310] |
| Litany for the Dead | [316] |
| A Prayer upon the day of Decease or Burial | [320] |
| Vespers for Sundays, (in Latin and English) | [321] |
| The Hymn, Lucis Creator Optime, (Latin and English) | [326] |
| Litany of the Blessed Virgin, (in Latin) | [328] |
| Method of Serving at Mass | [330] |
| Supplement | |
| On the Mass, and the use of the Latin Liturgy | [336] |
| The Ordinary of the Holy Mass | [340] |
| Explanatory Prayers at Mass | [367] |
| Epistles and Gospels for the Sundays and Principal Festivals throughout the Year | [388] |
| Instructions and Devotions for Confirmation | [482] |
| The Psalter of Jesus | [492] |
| The Rosary of the blessed Name of Jesus | [503] |
| The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin | [510] |
| The Hymn, Te Deum, (in English) | [521] |
| The Thirty Days' Prayer | [522] |
| Hymns for Festivals, (in Latin and English) | |
| Advent, Alma Redemptor | [527] |
| Christmas, Adeste Fidelis | [527] |
| Passion and Palm-Sundays, Vexilla regis | [528] |
| Good-Friday, Stabat mater | [529]. |
| Easter, O Filii | [532] |
| Whit-Sunday, Veni Creator | [534] |
| Sequence to do., Veni Sancte | [536] |
| Corpus Christi, Pange lingua | [538] |
| At the Elevation, O Salutaris | [540] |
Preface.
Of all the means we can employ for our advancement in the great affair of our salvation, Prayer is certainly one of the most powerful. Saint Augustin calls it the Key of Heaven, that unlocks the treasures of God, and gives us free access to the riches of his divine bounty. It was by prayer that Elias, when he pleased, opened and shut the sluices of heaven, and caused fire to descend from above to consume his sacrifice. It was by prayer that Joshua caused the sun to stop in the midst of its course. The prayer of Moses contributed more to the signal victory obtained by Joshua over the army of the Amalekites, than all the weapons of Israel: for as long as his hands were raised up to heaven, his prayers drew down a blessing on the people of God: but no sooner did he let his hands fall, (being unable to keep them in that painful posture,) and had ceased from prayer, than the Amalekites began to prevail.
But if Prayer be so powerful, it is no less necessary: our poverty and indigence; our manifold wants, infirmities, and miseries; the various dangers to which we are continually exposed; the frequent temptations we have to encounter; our absolute insufficiency of ourselves, and inability to do the least good without the grace of God; are corroborating proofs of the indispensable necessity of Prayer.
Though every good gift comes from the Father of Lights, who knows our wants, and is always inclined to relieve us, yet he requires that we have recourse in all our necessities, corporal and spiritual, to the throne of his mercy, under the assurance that whatever we ask with confidence, humility, piety, and perseverance, in the name of Jesus, shall be granted.
However, the idea of Prayer is not to be confined to that of Petition, as frequently happens. Many Christians, indeed, pray to God; but where are they to be found, who, like David, are incessantly employed in singing the mercies of the Lord, and have the remembrance of them deeply engraven in their hearts? They call upon God, to represent to him their wants, either temporal or spiritual; they appear only in his presence with a hand lifted up to receive, as if they imagined he was indebted to them, and that he never gave them enough. They have a heart but to wish, and a tongue but to ask. Their wants are eloquent and pressing, their gratitude cold and silent; for how seldom do they think of appearing before him to bless and praise him, and to celebrate the wonders of his love for us! Alas! to recollect his benefits, to thank him for them, to feel confused at the sight of their own ingratitude, to excite themselves, from this motive, to confidence and love, to be ready to do all, to suffer all, for a God who has shown them so much goodness, is a practice which is known but to a small number of fervent souls. We are all earnest in asking; but in general so deficient in thanksgiving, that, like the Lepers in the Gospel, it is to be feared not above one in ten gives due thanks to God for the blessings received.