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Prayers of Spiritual Communion and Contrition

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"It is a great privilege for a priest to be able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily, and you can all seek the fruits of the Sacrifice of the Mass through a spiritual communion. This reminds us that Jesus does not abandon His people, but draws near, indeed comes into the heart of each one, if we turn to him." When you are watching (online) or joining me (at home) each morning at 8.30 a.m. do use the prayer (further) below at the time of communion (Fr. Philip Lockdown April 2020)

Short prayers (meditative and reflective prayers are further below)

At Holy Communion: Come into my heart Lord Jesus. There is room in my heart for You.

Act of Contrition: O my God, I am sorry for my sins because You are so good. With the help of Thy grace, I will not sin again.

video: Bishop Mark's Lockdown 2020 message to the Diocese urging “Spiritual Communion” during the time of the Coronavirus Pandemic. YouTube video no longer available but text is further below.

... I finish these words by sharing with you an act of spiritual communion which you may want to make your own in these days; “My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”

The full text of Bishop Mark's video message is below  - more Diocesan videos

nb Pope Francis 'Spiritual Communion' and Contrition notes are further below

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Cardinal Nichols video message on 'Easter Duties', Confession and the Forgiveness of Sins

As it is not possible for the faithful to receive Holy Communion at this time, and into the future, the Bishops of England and Wales have dispensed the Easter Duties for the year 2020. The Bishops have asked that all should make a Perfect Act of Contrition at this time. Perfect contrition (or a Contrition of Charity) is true and real sorrow for our sins which is created when we realise the immense love of God for each one of us. We express this contrition when we realise how we offend God by our sinful words, deeds and omissions in contrast to the immeasurable love and mercy that he continually shows us. This requires us to be contrite of heart for what we have done, know and be overwhelmed by the love and mercy of God for his children, and to approach this grace with humility and resolution not to sin again.

An Act of Contrition My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy

Pope Francis' 'Sacrament of Confession' note is further below ##

St Augustine writes, "...when we turn to God in prayer, we do not separate the Son from him, and when the body of the Son prays, it does not separate its head from itself: it is the one Saviour of his body, our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, who prays for us and prays in us and is prayed to by us." How apt these words are for us in our present situation!

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more spiritual communion prayers

1. Pope Francis offers the Faithful a prayer for spiritual communion: “My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I prostrate myself at your feet, O my Jesus, and I offer you the repentance of my heart, which abases itself in its nothingness and in your Holy Presence. I adore You in the Sacrament of your Love; I desire to receive You in the poor abode that my heart offers You. While awaiting the happiness of Sacramental Communion, I wish to possess you in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, that I may come to You. May your Love inflame my whole being in life and in death. Jesus, I believe in You, I hope in You, I love You.”

Pope Francis has been offering his daily Mass celebrated in the chapel of his Santa Casa Marta residence in the Vatican to all who are affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. The Masses are live streamed on YouTube at 7am Rome time, Last Friday, offered his Mass for those who are sick, those who care for the sick, and all those who are affected by the coronavirus. In his homily, he addressed those who are unable to receive Communion or the Sacrament of Confession in the midst of coronavirus cancelled Masses. ... “Many will say to me today: ‘But, Father, where can I find a priest, a confessor, because one can’t leave home? And I want to make peace with the Lord, I want Him to embrace me, that my Papa embrace me. What can I do if I can’t find priests?'” ... ## The Holy Father told the Faithful to follow the Catechism and confess your sins to God. “Do what the Catechism says. it’s very clear: if you don’t find a priest to hear your Confession, talk with God, He is your Father, and tell Him the truth: ‘Lord, I’ve done this, and that, and that I’m sorry,’ and ask Him for forgiveness with all your heart, with the Act of Contrition and promise Him: ‘Afterwards I will go to Confession, but forgive me now.'”

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2. A prayer of Spiritual Communion: O Jesus! You have given us in the Holy Eucharist Your body and blood to be our spiritual nourishment, through which we may have life everlasting. Would that I were now able to approach the Altar to be united with You in the Blessed Sacrament! I desire with all my heart, to receive this living Bread which came down from Heaven. Let me taste, at least, the sweetness of a spiritual Communion. Come to me, Jesus, my Lord, my Master. Come and refresh my soul. Strengthen me, that in union with You I may do perfectly the Heavenly Father's will. Let me never be separated from You by sin. Keep me in Your love and Your grace. I will not be lured away from You by the deceitful honours and pleasures of the world. I love You above all things and with my whole heart. Increase my faith, strengthen my hope, kindle my love, that I may die to self and live but for You. Amen.

3. My Jesus, I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen

4. Lord Jesus come into my heart, Jesus, there is room in my heart for You.

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Spiritual Communion, a few words from the Saints: (curated by Sister Emmanuel+, Community of the Beatitudes)

Saint Anthony Marie Claret: "I will have a chapel erected in my heart, and in it, day and night, I shall worship the Good Lord by giving Him spiritual worship".

Saint Leonardo da Porto Maurizio: "If you practice the holy exercise of spiritual communion several times a day, after a month you will see your heart completely changed."

Saint José Maria Escrivà: "What a source of grace is spiritual communion! If you practice it frequently, you will have more of God's presence and greater union with Him in your works."

Saint John Vianney: "A spiritual communion acts on the soul like a gust of wind on embers that are on the verge of dying out. Every time you see your love for God growing cold, quickly make a spiritual communion!"

St. John Paul II: "It is very profitable to cultivate in our minds the constant desire for the Holy Eucharistic Sacrament. That is where the practice of spiritual communion stems from." Upon entering the Easter Triduum, know that we are more than ever together, all united around our Saviour and His Mother, weeping with them, praying and giving thanks for the ineffable gift of salvation and eternal life obtained at such great cost. "We remember your death, Lord Jesus, we proclaim your Resurrection and we await your coming in glory!" With all my heart I say to you: Stay courageous, and be blessed in this Easter celebration of tears and glory!

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What is Spiritual Communion? ... St. Teresa of Avila – Way of Perfection Chapter 28:

“You know that God is everywhere; and this is a great truth, for of course, wherever the king is , or so they say, the court is too: that is to say wherever God is, there is Heaven. No doubt you can believe that, in any place where His Majesty is, there is fullness of glory. Remember how St. Augustine tells us about his seeking God in many places and eventually finding him within himself. Do you suppose that it is of little importance that a soul which is often distracted should come to understand this truth and to find that, in order to speak to its Eternal Father and to take its delight in Him, it has no need to go to heaven or to speak in a loud voice? However quietly we speak, He is so near that He will hear us: we need no wings to go in search of Him but have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us. Nor need we feel strange in the presence of so kind a Guest; we must talk to Him very humbly, as we should to our father, ask Him for things as we should ask a father, tell Him our troubles, beg Him to put them right, and yet realise that we are not worthy to be called His children ... 

Those who are able to shut themselves up in this way within this little Heaven of the soul, wherein dwells the Maker of Heaven and earth, and who have formed the habit of looking at nothing and staying in no place which will distract these outward senses, may be sure that they are walking on an excellent road, and will come without fail to drink of the water of the fountain, for they will journey a long way in a short time. They are like one that travels in a ship, and if he has a good wind, reaches the end of the voyage in a few days, while those who go by land take much longer….
…..we have actually something within us incomparably more precious than anything we see outside…"

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Act of Spiritual Communion by St. Alphonsus de Liguori: "My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen."

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Video full text: Bishop Mark sends Message to the Diocese urging “Spiritual Communion” during the time of the Coronavirus Pandemic. (watch video above)

My dear friends,

I greet you today, on this Feast of St Joseph, at a time when our Church and our diocesan family, faces, together with the whole world, a huge challenge. We have become more conscious that we are not masters of the universe. We are more vulnerable than perhaps we have dared to believe. We are more aware than ever of our own mortality.

In the face of the darkness and uncertainty of these days, we must turn more urgently to God, who is our only and sure hope, and who gives us light and strength beyond our human capacities.

For us, as Catholics, we know that there is no substitute for personally participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the source and summit of our life in Christ. We pray for the time when this may be universally available once more.

Mass will continue to be celebrated every day in our churches by our priests, but of course, without a congregation. Yet we can all seek the fruits of the Sacrifice of the Mass through a spiritual communion. This is an act of faith which we each make personally, hopefully each day. It is a practise which will remind us that Jesus does not abandon His people, but draws near, indeed comes into the heart of each one, if we but turn to Him in sincerity and truth.

So many of our brothers and sisters around the world are deprived of the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, for many reasons. Due to this pandemic we also will now experience their suffering. This sacrifice we must make, will, I am sure, help us to cherish more profoundly the great gift of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It will certainly intensify our hunger for Jesus, our Eucharistic Lord.

Mass in the Cathedral, celebrated every day at 11am, will be available on our Diocesan and Cathedral websites. This is one place where we can join together each day, as a Diocesan family, and individually make our own act of spiritual communion. In addition, every afternoon at 4.30 there will be a time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, again available online. Prayer is the most important thing we can do at this time – prayer for the sick, for the dying, for the bereaved, for our health care professionals and for those seeking a vaccine. Let us remember that the mercies of the Lord are everlasting. He renews them in us each day.

I finish these words by sharing with you an act of spiritual communion which you may want to make your own in these days;

“My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”

Our Lady, Mother of us All, Pray for us

St Joseph, Guardian of the Church, Pray for us

St Boniface, Patron of our Diocese, Pray for us

May God bless you all at this time.

Pray for me. +Mark O’Toole Bishop of Plymouth

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How to participate in Mass from home during Covid-19 restrictions

see Masses Online for live stream links ~ get the readings of the day ~ Homilies (2021) from Fr. Philip are here

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Prayer to your Guardian Angel when unable to attend Holy Mass.
This ancient prayer invites your Guardian Angel to attend Holy Mass on your behalf when you are unable to do so:

Go, my Angel Guardian dear, To church for me, the Mass to hear. Go, kneel devoutly at my place. And treasure for me every grace. At the Offertory time, Please offer me to God Divine. All I have and all I am, Present it with the Precious Lamb. Adore for me the great Oblation. Pray for all I hold most dear, Be they far or be they near. Remember too, my own dear dead. For whom Christ’s Precious Blood was shed. And at Communion bring to me, Christ’s Flesh and Blood, my food to be. To give me strength and holy grace. A pledge to see Him face to face. And when the Holy Mass is done, Then with His blessing, come back home. 

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Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in this day of battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

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 ' Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by'. Isaiah 26:20

“He said not 'Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be dis-eased'; but He said, 'Thou shalt not be overcome.” ~ Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love

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