Lord, I desire to praise thee for ever, in sickness as well as in health; I desire to join my heart and voice with the whole church of heaven and earth, in blessing thee for

ever.

I give thee thanks from the bottom of my heart, for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon me and thy whole church, through Jesus Christ thy Son; and above all, for thy having loved me from all eternity, and redeemed ine with his precious blood. Oh! let not that blood be shed for me in vain.

Lord, I believe all those heavenly truths which thou hast revealed, and which thy holy Catholic church believes and teaches. Thou art the sovereign Truth, who neither canst deceive, nor be deceived:. and thou hast promised the Spirit of Truth, to guide thy church into all truth. I believe in God the Father Almighty, &c. In this faith, I re

solve, through thy grace, both to live and die. O Lord, strengthen and increase this my faith.

O my God, all my hopes are in thee: and through Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, and through his passion and death, I hope for mercy, grace, and salvation from thee. In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust; Oh, let me never be confounded!

O sweet Jesus, receive me into thine arms, in this day of my distress: hide me in thy wounds, bathe my soul in thy precious blood.

I love thee, O my God, with my whole heart and soul, above all things; at least, I desire so to love thee. Oh, come now and take full possession of my whole soul, and teach me to love thee for ever.

I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.

Oh, when will thy kingdom come? O Lord, when wilt thou perfectly

reign in all hearts? When shall sin be no more?

I desire to embrace every neighbour with perfect charity for the love of thee. I forgive, from my heart, all who have in any way offended or injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have in any way offended.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out mine iniquity.

Oh, who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to mine eyes, that night and day I may weep for all my sins?

Oh, that I had never offended so good a God! Oh, that I had never sinned! Happy those souls that have always preserved their baptismal innocence!

Lord, be merciful to me a sinner: sweet Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.

I commend my soul to God my Creator, who made me out of nothing; to Jesus Christ, my Saviour, who redeemed me with his precious blood; to the Holy Ghost, who sanctified me in baptism. thy hands, O Lord, I commend spirit.

Into

my

I renounce from this moment, and for all eternity, the devil and all his works; and I abhor all his suggestions and temptations. Oh, suffer not, O Lord, this mortal enemy of my soul to have any power over me, either now or at my last hour. Oh, let thy holy angels defend me from all the powers of darkness.

O holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. O all ye blessed angels and saints of God, pray for me, a poor sinner.

It may be proper also, in time of sickness, to read to the sick person leisurely, and as he is able to bear it, the passion of Christ, or some

meditations on his passion; the Miserere, and other penitential psalms, devout acts of contrition, &c. but not too much at once; for that might fatigue him, and do him harm.

The Holy Viaticum.

THE Viaticum is the Holy Eucharist received with the intention of preparing the Sick for death. This blessed Sacrament is indeed the bread of life, which the pious Christian frequently receives, it is to be hoped, with great profit during health: but when the soul is about to pass from this to an immortal life, there arises a new and peculiar obligation of receiving it again. This obligation is founded on the abundant graces which this holy sacrament above all the rest is capable of imparting, and which are at that time so necessary. It is the safeguard that must preserve the soul on its journey to heaven, it is the pledge of immortal glory. He that eats this bread shall live for ever, St. John, vi. And so urgent is the obligation of receiving it at the approach of death, that the church dispenses in behalf of those who are dangerously sick, and allows them to communicate after having broken their fast. The sick person will therefore use his best endeavour to make a worthy preparation for this blessed Sacrament.