"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)
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At Holy
Communion: Come into my heart Lord Jesus. There is room
in my heart for You.
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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.
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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
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!
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.'”
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.
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!
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…"
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."
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
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
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.
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.
' 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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