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I. Office of the "Aves"
The Tertiaries must say each day:
For Matins and Lauds: "I Believe" once and fifteen "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys," adding each time: "Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary". (Indulgence, 300 days, once a day. Leo XIII, 1884),
For each Hour of Prime, Terce, Sext, and Nones, seven "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys," adding each time: "Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary". (Indulgence, 300 days, once a day. Leo XIII, 1884),
For Vespers, twelve "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys," adding each time: "Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary". (Indulgence, 300 days, once a day. Leo XIII, 1884),
For Compline, seven "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys," adding each time: "Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary". (Indulgence, 300 days, once a day. Leo XIII, 1884),
II. Office of the "Acts":
If the Brothers and Sisters are already so much occupied by their usual prayers or hindered by their daily occupations, that they cannot easily say the above prayers, they may, in the place of the prescribed prayers, practise the following acts of virtue (See Rule VII):
For Matins, an act of good intention to please God in all things:
(N.B.: Any form or set of words which expresses an offering of ou4r works, words, thoughts, sufferings, etc. may be used; it may be short or long as time allows or devotion suggests, and may form part of the morning prayer. The following Offering is taken from the Racolta, and is indulgenced:
"Eternal God, behold me prostrate before the immensity of Thy majesty. I humbly adore Thee, and offer Thee all my thoughts, words, and works of this day. I intend to do everything for love of Thee, for Thy glory, and for the fulfilment of Thy Divine will; in order to serve, praise, and bless Thee, to be enlightened in the mysteries of our holy faith, to secure my salvation, and to hope in Thy mercy; to satisfy the Divine justice for my many grievous sins, to assist the holy souls in purgatory, and to obtain the grace of a true conversion for all sinners. I desire, in fine, to do everything in union with that most pure intention which Jesus and Mary had during life, and the Saints in Heaven, and the just now on earth. Would that I could write down this intention with my own blood, and repeat it as often as there be moments in eternity! Accept, my God, my goodwill; grant me Thy holy blessing and efficacious grace never to commit a mortal sin throughout the course of my life, but particularly on this day, on which I desire and purpose to gain all the Indulgences which it is possible for me to gain, and to be present in spirit at all the Masses which will be celebrated today in the whole world, that I may apply them to the souls in purgatory, and free them from all pain. Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen."
(Indulgences: 100 days, once a day; Plenary once a month. Conditions: Confession, Communion, prayer for the intention of the Holy Father, Pius IX, 1867)
N.B.: The particulars about these and the following indulgences are taken from the Italian edition of the Racolta di orazioni e pie opere, 1886, Roma.
For Prime, acts of faith, hope and charity:
N.B.: Any form of words may be used provided it expresses the motives of these theological virtues. Add the Norbertine ejaculation: "Praise be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
(Indulgences: 7 years and 7 quarantines for each time. Plenary once a month, if recited every day. Conditions: Confession, Communion, prayer for the intention of the Holy Father. Plenary at the hour of death, Benedict XIV, 1756).
For Terce, an act of contrition, with purpose of amendment:
Say the usual "Act of Contrition" - or the "Confiteor":
"Oh my God, I am heartily sorry that I have offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because they have offended Thee My God, Who art all good and worthy of all my love; I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and avoid the near occasion of sin."
or
"I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed; Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, and all the Saints to pray to the Lord our God for me."
Finish with the Norbertine ejaculation: "Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
For Sext, an act of praise and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament:
Any form of prayer, for instance the following:
"O God, Who in this wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood that we may continually find in our souls the fruit of Thy redemption, Who livest and reignest world without end. Praise be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen."
For Nones, an act of resignation to the will of God; for instance:
"May the most just, amiable and adorable will of God be ever done, praised and eternally exalted in all things. Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen."
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day. Plenary, once a year for recitation every day. Conditions: Confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father. Plenary at the hour of death, Pius VII, 1818)
For Vespers, acts of charity towards our neighbour, of forgiveness of injuries, and of benevolence towards enemies. Say slowly:
"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, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen."
For Compline, acts of thanksgiving for all the favours received from God; also act of humility:
These acts may form part of the evening prayer. Say for instance, the "Te Deum," or the Prayer:
"O God, of Whose mercies there is no number, and of Whose goodness the treasure is infinite, we render thanks to Thy most gracious Majesty for the gifts Thou hast bestowed upon us; continue Thy mercy to us, and give us so much of Thy temporal blessings as Thou knowest will be for our good. Grant that the fruits of the earth may, by Thy holy blessing, increase and multiply; preserve them of all storms and tempests and whatever else may be hurtful to them. It is from Thy hand only we look for succor, and to Thee we have recourse in all our necessities. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thee. Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
(300 days, once a day. Pius XI, 1868)
III. The Suffrage of St. Norbert:
Neither the secular nor the regular priests are bound to the recital of the Office of the "Aves" specified in Rule VII. The recitation of their office will be a sufficient substitute. Both should, however, when the Rubrics prescribe the usual suffrages at "Lauds" and "Vespers," join thereto the following commemoration of St. Norbert, which is taken from the Premonstratensian Breviary.
Antiphon: Norbert, as a burning light placed on a candlestick, illumined all who dwelt with him.
V. Pray for us, O Blessed Father Norbert,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God, who didst make of Blessed Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, an excellent preacher of the Word, and by his means didst enrich Thy Church with new offspring, grant, we beseech Thee, that through his intercession we may put in practice, by Thy grace, what he taught us, both in word and work, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
