A CONTEMPORARY LITANY OF THE SAINTS BEFORE THE THRONE OF THE LAMB

A litany is usually a group of statements someone says for a specified purpose. The traditional litany of the Saints of the Church Universal invokes those who are standing before the throne of the Lamb to intercede along with us to the Father for a specific intention.

Last week, one of my Lectio Divina meditations l(Phil 2:5) landed on reciting a litany of prayers in reparation for the abuses in the Church of its clergy. Ironically, I have been saying litanies of the saints since 1954 in reparation not only for my own sins and failings but to ask God’s mercy on the Church. Did I commit any of the sins for which people are so now agitated? No. I did not personally condemn Christ to death on the cross, but I share in the reparation all humans owe God for the sin of Adam and Eve. Remember, the Church Universal is not just like the Elks or Moose Clubs. You are tattooed on your heart with the sign of the cross in Baptism and Confirmation, at Marriage and Holy Orders. You carry that sign on your heart, no matter if you want to leave the Church because it is corrupt. Like humans, the Church is not evil but may commit sins of omission and even commission during its journey towards Forever. As a victim, I did not commit the crime, but as a member of the human family, I must be penitent and keep asking God to relent in his punishment of a sinful people. As a member, I must constantly do penance for all humans and ask God to relent his punishment on a people who have turned away from righteousness toward idolatry and hatred. In this context, I offer a prayer of Litany of Saints in reparation for all the sins of the Holocaust, for all the atrocities of the crucifixion and death of Christ, for those who the Church which has strayed away from taking up their cross daily and following Christ. You can’t leave the Church. You may not accept responsibility for its failures and actions (which have always been there) but also to make all things new. If you leave the Church like you change organizations like the Moose and the Elks, because you don’t like the people there, then maybe you were never there in the first place. Maybe you were just a cultural Catholic, or an M and M Catholic, one who melts in the hands of adversity at the first sign of heat from Satan , one who goes to Church but doesn’t believe in the Real Presence (the true test of your Faith), one who hasn’t a clue what the purpose of the Church is collectively, but more important as a way to love others as Christ loves us. We have a lot to do penance about and we ask those who have died and gone on before us to join with us in seeking God’s mercy. They stand before the Throne of the Lamb, we do not. They can raise their voices in adoration and praise with Christ to give glory and praise to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. The God who is, who was, and who is to come at the end of the ages. Does this all sound too far-fetched, too outlandish, too theoretical? I hope so. The folly of God is wiser than all the wisdom of humans collectively. We petition God the Almighty to have mercy on all of us, all sinners seeking to make all things news in our own time with the help and intercession of those whom you see right now before your Throne. Hear our prayer for humility and obedience to your will. Give us strength, through Christ, to refocus on love instead of revenge and hatred. Be to us a God of mercy and justice, of kindness and compassion. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09291a.htm

The Litany of the Saints is to allow our hearts to be closer to that of Christ in recognition that all the Saints tried to have in them the mind of Christ Jesus to the best of their ability. (Phil 2:5)

What follows is part of my Lectio Divina and the saints that I petitioned before the Throne of the Lamb to have mercy of us. I remember walking up the road to Monte Casino Shrine to the Blessed Mother during Lent and reciting the Litany. There were about two hundred of us, two by two, trudging up the road to the Shrine and reciting the Litany in Latin. http://www.saintmeinrad.org

Here are Youtube versions of the Litany of the Saints. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaWRPjNztTs

 

 

 

 MY LAY CISTERCIAN CONTEMPORARY LITANY OF THE SAINTS (just the Lectio Divina of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit).

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

 

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

 

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.

 

St. Michael, pray for us.

St. Gabriel, pray for us.

St. Raphael, pray for us.

All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.

All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us.

 

St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us.

 

St. Peter, pray for us.

St. Paul, pray for us.

st. Mel Patton, O.S.B.  pray for us. (monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and my tutor in music)

st. Hilary Ottensmeyer, O.S.B. pray for us. (monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and my teacher)

st. Gavin Barnes, O.S.B. pray for us. (monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and my homiletic professor)

st. Christopher Shepard, O.S.B. pray for us. ( (monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and from my same home town of Vincennes, Indiana)

st. Aldelbert Buscher, O.S.B. pray for us. (monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and my moral theology professor and confessor)

st.Anthony Deliese O.C.S.O.pray for us. (monk of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery and Lay Cistercian founder and spiritual adviser)

st Francisco Ambrosetti, pray for us. (Lay Cistercian from Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery and my novice instructor)

All deceased Benedictine monks and nuns, pray for us.

All deceased Cistercians monks and nuns, pray for us.

All decased Lay Cistercians, pray for us.

All deceased family members, pray for us.

st. Marcus Hepburn, deacon, pray for us. (My friend from Good Shepherd Parish, Tallahassee, Florida)

St. Thaddeus, pray for us.

St. Matthias, pray for us.

St. Barnabas, pray for us.

St. Luke, pray for us.

St. Mark, pray for us.

All ye holy Apostles and evangelists, pray for us.

All ye holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us.

All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us.

All ye holy Doctors, pray for us.

St. Anthony, pray for us.

St. Benedict, pray for us.

St. Bernard, pray for us.

St. Dominic, pray for us.

St. Francis, pray for us.

All ye holy priests and Levites, pray for us.

All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us.

St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us.

St. Agatha, pray for us.

St. Lucy, pray for us.

St. Agnes, pray for us.

St. Cecelia, pray for us.

St. Catherine, pray for us.

St. Anastasia, pray for us.

All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us.

 

All ye holy men and women, Saints of God, make intercession for us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

From the evil of idolatry, pervading our Church, deliver us, O Lord.

From the sins of priests, religious and laity against the innocent, deliver us, O Lord.

From complacency and cover up of evil, deliver us, O Lord.

 

From all evil, deliver us, O Lord.

From all sin, deliver us, O Lord.

From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord.

From sudden and provided death, deliver us, O Lord.

From the deceits of the devil, deliver us, O Lord.

From anger, hatred, and all ill will, deliver us, O Lord.

From lightning and tempest, deliver us, O Lord.

From the scourge of earthquakes, deliver us, O Lord.

From the plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord.

From everlasting death, deliver us, O Lord.

Through  the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy coming, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Nativity, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Baptism and holy fasting, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Cross and Passion, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us, O Lord.  

Through Thy wondrous Ascension, deliver us, O Lord.

Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, deliver us, O Lord.

In the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord.

We sinners, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst spare us, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst pardon us, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst govern and preserve Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst preserve our Holy Father and all ecclesiastical Orders in holy religion, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give peace and unity to the whole Christian world, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth, and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

The Thou wouldst lift up our minds to Heavenly desires, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from everlasting damnation, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give and preserve the fruits of the earth, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst graciously hear us, Son of God,We beseech Thee to hear us.

 

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

 

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

 

(Silently) Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

V. And lead us not into temptation,

R. But deliver us from all evil. Amen.

 

TRADITIONAL LITANY OF THE SAINTS FOR THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL

What follows is the Litany of the Saints from the Church Universal. I would ask you to join me in praying it every day for nine days.

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

 

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

 

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.

 

St. Michael, pray for us.

St. Gabriel, pray for us.

St. Raphael, pray for us.

All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.

All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us.

 

St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us.

 

St. Peter, pray for us.

St. Paul, pray for us.

St. Andrew, pray for us.

St. James, pray for us.

St. John, pray for us.

St. Thomas, pray for us.

St. Philip, pray for us.

St. Bartholomew, pray for us.

St. Matthew, pray for us.

St. Simon, pray for us.

St. Thaddeus, pray for us.

St. Matthias, pray for us.

St. Barnabas, pray for us.

St. Luke, pray for us.

St. Mark, pray for us.

All ye holy Apostles and evangelists, pray for us.

All ye holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us.

 

All ye holy innocents, pray for us.

St. Stephen, pray for us.

St. Lawrence, pray for us.

St. Vincent, pray for us.

SS. Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us.

SS. John and Paul, pray for us.

SS. Cosmos and Damian, pray for us.

SS. Gervase and Protase, pray for us.

All Holy Martyrs, pray for us.

 

St. Sylvester, pray for us.

St. Gregory, pray for us.

St. Ambrose, pray for us.

St. Augustine, pray for us.

St. Jerome, pray for us.

St. Martin, pray for us.

St. Nicholas, pray for us.

All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us.

All ye holy Doctors, pray for us.

 

St. Anthony, pray for us.

St. Benedict, pray for us.

St. Bernard, pray for us.

St. Dominic, pray for us.

St. Francis, pray for us.

All ye holy priests and Levites, pray for us.

All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us.

 

St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us.

St. Agatha, pray for us.

St. Lucy, pray for us.

St. Agnes, pray for us.

St. Cecelia, pray for us.

St. Catherine, pray for us.

St. Anastasia, pray for us.

All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us.

 

All ye holy men and women, Saints of God, make intercession for us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

 

From all evil, deliver us, O Lord.

From all sin, deliver us, O Lord.

From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord.

From sudden and provided death, deliver us, O Lord.

From the deceits of the devil, deliver us, O Lord.

From anger, hatred, and all ill will, deliver us, O Lord.

From lightning and tempest, deliver us, O Lord.

From the scourge of earthquakes, deliver us, O Lord.

From the plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord.

From everlasting death, deliver us, O Lord.

Through  the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy coming, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Nativity, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Baptism and holy fasting, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy Cross and Passion, deliver us, O Lord.

Through Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us, O Lord.  

Through Thy wondrous Ascension, deliver us, O Lord.

Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, deliver us, O Lord.

In the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord.

 

We sinners,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst spare us,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst pardon us,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst govern and preserve Thy holy Church,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst preserve our Holy Father and all ecclesiastical Orders in holy religion,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst humble the enemies of Thy holy Church,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give peace and unity to the whole Christian world,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth, and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

The Thou wouldst lift up our minds to Heavenly desires,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from everlasting damnation,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst give and preserve the fruits of the earth,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thou wouldst graciously hear us, Son of God,

We beseech Thee to hear us.

 

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

 

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

 

(Silently) Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

 

V. And lead us not into temptation,

R. But deliver us from all evil. Amen.

 

That in all things, God be glorified.  –St. Benedict