Manual of The Third Order

of St. Norbert

 

Compiled by Rev. Martin Geudens, O. Praem.  

 

Part III:  Ceremonial and Pious Practices of the Third Order

Chapter 3:  Pious Practices in Honour of St. Norbert

 

---

I.  Little Office In Honour of Our Holy Father St. Norbert:  

Matins:

V.  Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips; 

R.  And my tongue shall announce Thy praise.

V.  Incline unto mine aid, O God,

R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, 

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

Hymn:  The Conversion of St. Norbert:

 

O blessed Saint! While yet unborn,

A voice Divine decreed for thee;

"Thou'lt bear, through many a life-long storm,

The priest's and bishop's dignity".

Yet worldly glory wooed thy heart,

And thou, of noble race, didst turn

Away from thine eternal part

To seek the fair, false lights that burn

In royal halls of earth.  But lo!

These halls are trembling 'neath the power

Of Him Who stoops to thee, to show

Thou shalt be His.  Alas!  That hour

Thou'rt faltering still.  The voice of fame,

Its flattery, in thine ear is sweet.

Again thy God thy heart must claim

And sweetly stay thy wand'ring feet.

May we, like thee, shun worldly praise,

In worldly paths no longer roam,

But tread the peaceful, heavenward ways,

Till angels come to lead us home.

 

Antiphon:  Being found in the rugged paths of vice by the Guardian of the city, stayed by lightning stroke, he puts off the old man, and is clothed with the first robe of innocence.  He who was dead lives again; he who was lost is found.

 

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert,

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Let us pray:  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

Prime:

V.  Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips; 

R.  And my tongue shall announce Thy praise.

V.  Incline unto mine aid, O God,

R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.  

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, 

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

Hymn:  Norbert's Penance

With deep affliction thou hast mourned

The failings of thy former life;

Thy robes of princely state are spurned;

The court, its pomps, its gilded strife,

Are thine no more, for higher love

Has fortified thy glowing heart,

And, barefoot, through the snow thou'lt move

As one all heedless of the smart

Of scorne and insult.  Then with fasts, 

With scourges, and with iron chain,

Thou'lt seek to expiate the past,

and heal, with care, the former pain

Thy pride inflicted.  May we now

Rich fruit of penance daily bear,

And in the hour of death do thou

Obtain our pardon by thy prayer.  

Antiphon:  Having laid aside his store of earthly goods, and bestowed them upon the poor of Christ, denying himself, and following Christ in a narrower path, he went barefoot, putting on a hair shirt - the garb of a penitent.

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert,

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Let us pray:  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

 

Terce:  

V.  Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips; 

R.  And my tongue shall announce Thy praise.

V.  Incline unto mine aid, O God,

R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.  

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, 

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

 

Hymn:  The Foundation of Norbert's Order

 

In token of her constant love

The glorious Queen of Heaven above

Clothes thee in white, that thou may'st be

A witness to her purity.

St. Austin gives his hallowed Rule

To train thy followers in that school

Of holy life.  And robed in light,

The Saviour meets the raptured sight,

To show, by seven-fold rays, the place

Where Norbert's band - a chosen race,

Shall dwell, as oft by Heaven foretold,

In lone Prémontré's blessed fold.

St. Norbert, who the world disdained,

Pray that we may, with hearts unstained, 

Walk in the light of purity,

And thus the heavenly nuptials see.

Antiphon:  He sought a place wherein he might fitly live and walk in the path of God, where there are different ways that lead to Him.  When, therefore, he had found the vale of Prémonte, he cried out: "This is the spot which the Lord has chosen for us",

 

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert, 

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

 

Let us pray.  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

Sext:  

V.  Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips; 

R.  And my tongue shall announce Thy praise.

V.  Incline unto mine aid, O God,

R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.  

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, 

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

 

Hymn:  Norbert's Preaching

In cloistered hearts thou didst awake

The love of Him, Who for our sake

Dwells on our altars, closely veiled.

When Tanchelin's profane touch assailed

That sacred Mystery, thou didst raise

Thy trumpet voice.  And with amaze

The Gallic nation stood to hear

Thy matchless accents, rich and clear; 

St. Bernard, too, proclaiming thee

A lute of heavenly melody.

Angels of peace, at thy command

Fierce discord vanished from the land,

And hearts by thee to Jesus given

Brought forth abundant fruit for Heaven.

When comes, at last, the harvest hour,

Oh! garner us, with saintly power.

Antiphon:  Like unto a trumpet did he raise his voice, upbraiding a people steeped in sin.  What he preached in word he fulfilled in deed, confirming all by his miracles and wonderful actions.

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert, 

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

 

Let us pray.  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

Nones:  

Hymn:  Norbert's Miracles

 

Filled with Faith's spirit, miracles were thine,

And thy skilled lips interpreted each sign

Of heavenly dealings.  Thou didst banish far

The phantoms of hell's spiritual war.

Nor from the nauseous insect didst thou shrink

But calmly dared the chalice still to drink.

Diseases fled thy touch; the famished came

And all were soothed by thee in Jesus' name.

More wondrous still, a wolf thou didst compel

To guard the trembling sheep, and guard them well.

Thy prophecies resounded loudly.  Then

The demon fled the tortured souls of men

At thy desire.  And when the raging flood

Bore all away, at thy command they stood

Beside thee, saved.  Thou, too, didst call to life

Three breathless forms that sank in mortal strife.

To us, thy clients, teach the heavenly art

To live and yet to die to evil's part.

Antiphon:  At home and abroad he overcame, by the name of Jesus, the power of devils; on Easter Sunday, at Wurzburg, he gave sight to a blind woman by breathing on her eyes; he discovered some of the bodies of the eleven thousand virgins, and those of the two Ewalds, martyrs, and placed his church at Prémontré under their protection.

 

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert, 

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

 

Let us pray.  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

Vespers:  

Hymn:  Norbert's Persecution

Great Pastor!  Model of thy flock!  Thy mind,

Fixed on eternal interests, entwined

Round God's unchanging Church thy constant care;

Nor didst thou then her reckless plunderers spare.

They struck thee with the sword and with the tongue;

They exiled thee; vainly their darts were flung

Around thy tranquil soul.  Thy zeal untamed,

New merits and new recompenses claimed.  

Pray for us now that trials ne'er may be,

Triumphant o'er our faith and constancy;

Rather that heavenly pity, bending down,

May add new rays of glory to our crown.

Antiphon:  Clothed in the garment of poverty, and barefoot, he entered Magdeburg, his episcopal city; unweariedly he preached the word of God, proving himself a faithful guardian of the household with which he was entrusted, a strenuous defender and protector of the patrimony of Christ.

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert, 

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

 

Let us pray.  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

Compline:

V.  Convert us, O God, our Salvation

R.  And turn away their anger from us.

V.  Incline unto mine aid, O God,

R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.

 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

 

Hymn:  Norbert's Death and Translation.

 

Death summons thee, but do not fear,

The voice of Jesus soundeth near; 

"Come, my beloved, take thy rest,

Come, for thou shalt be crowned and blessed".

Thy combat o'er, thy work is done.

The arms of Mary and her Son

Are clasped around thee.  Thou dost bear

The olive and the lily fair,

And thus, beyond the distant star,

Thou'rt borne to heavenly courts afar, 

Oh! may we win that peaceful rest,

We pray, who in thy joy are blest.

 

Antiphon:  Having given his support to the Holy Church of Rome in her affliction, blessing his brethren, he happily fell asleep in Christ.

 

V.  Pray for us, O St. Norbert, 

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

 

Let us pray.  Awake O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop, was guided in order that, filled with the same Spirit, we may love what he loved, and live as he taught us.  Through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

 

II.  Hymns in Honour of St. Norbert

Norbert's Life and Death:

Sing, my song, the fitting praise

of this glorious Prelate's ways.

Let my lips intone the fame

Of St. Norbert's hallowed name;

For while yet unborn 'twas said,

He would crush the serpent's head.

 

Thou, by Heaven, wast revealed

To thy mother's eyes unsealed,

Even before thy radiant birth

Gave a Pastor great to earth.

Heaven and earth both welcome thee,

Opening bud of Sanctity.

 

Thou the favourite of the king;

Thou, who didst all flower-like spring

Upward, to the world's delight;

Thou, who touched its shining height

Then, like Paul, was downward cast

By the Spirit's mighty blast.

 

Lily of white purity;

O'er the land thou goest free,

Preaching, soothing, breathing peace,

Bidding many sorrows cease

By the glance of thy pure eyes,

Lifted swiftly to you skies.

 

And while thy reforming hand

Marked the clerics of the land

Came Augustine, bidding thee

Joy amongst the poor to be.

Wise his holy teachings; so

Scatheless on thy path thou'll go.

 

White-robed warriors round thee throng;

Thou, their father, calm and strong, 

Leadest them to the See of Rome,

Whence the sacred seal will come.

O'er Christ's foes they'll hold their sway,

Fearless on Last Judgment Day.

 

Comes the spotless Queen of Heaven

With the snowy habit, given

As her pledge of constant care.

Christ, the Sovereign, standing there,

Blessing them, whate'er betide,

Shields them in His pierced side.

 

Magdeburg is seeking thee

For the pastoral dignity

Crime denounced with fearless word

Speaks the Champion of the Lord,

Vowed to lead his warriors on

Till the citadel is won.

 

Vainly Tanchelin strove to sow

Seeds of heresy and woe,

In the peaceful pastures where

Norbert's flock, secured with care,

Saw their shepherd bear away

All the laurels of the day.

 

Vainly Tanchelin might assail

Christ beneath the mystic veil,

Where the forms of bread and wine,

God and man, in silence, shine

Flushed with diabolic flame

Proudly forth the scoffer came.

 

Came in raging hate, but then

Rose thy clarion voice again; 

Eucharistic truth it proved;

Every listening heart is moved;

And the heretic condemned, 

Prostrate, shows the falsehood's end.

 

Let us venerate on high

Him who gained the victory;

Let him judge and guardian be.

Let that holiest Mystery

Ever o'er false doctrines reign: 

Norbert labouring not in vain.

 

Christ, Our Saviour, with Thy grace

Light our earthly dwelling place,

Strengthen and confirm our faith;

Watch our life and guard our death.

May St. Norbert's guiding hand

Place us 'mid Thy chosen band.

 

To the Father and the Son

Be our reverent homage done, 

And to Him, the Almighty Dove, 

Still proceeding from their love.

Praise and honour too be given

To St. Norbert, throned in Heaven.

 

St. Norbert and the Blessed Sacrament:

Life's light chains had sweetly bound him, 

Life's soft voices wooed his soul, 

In his heart life's yearnings round him

Swelled, all restless of control.

Lo!  the lightning flash is falling,

And the voice that will not cease

Speaks in accents, richly calling:

"Turn to Me and Seek for Peace!"

Chorus:

O St. Norbert, may thy spirit

Live in us till Mary's hand

Leads thy children home forever

Sheltered in the changeless land.

Lowly listened Norbert, praying: 

"As Thou wilt"; and, far away,

Heavenly music answered, saying:

"Hail! O Victor of the day".

Never from that morn, forsaking

Him Who sorrow's path hat drod,

Went St. Norbert, always seeking

Peace Divine, the Peace of God.

Chorus

 

Ever silently repeating,

"Love for Thee, and Thee alone";

Ever, 'mid dark shadows, meeting

Starlight from Our Lady's throne;

Ever on her Aves dwelling

When the foes grew loud and strong;

Ever from his heart was swelling

Mary's praise on one sweet song.

Chorus

 

While the great, unwearied Fountain

Of the love, abiding here, 

On the Eucharistic Mountain

Soothed him oft through toil and fear.

Then the fulness of fruition

Came at last.  The combat o'er, 

Norbert gazes on the vision

Changeless on the golden shore.

Chorus

 

(Words by S.G., Music by Chevalier Lemmens-Sherrington)

 

********************:

 

Hymn to St. Norbert

 

Blessed trance, to life awaking,

Slumberinig soul of noble worth!

Heaven-sent storm, whose pealing thunder

Heralded thy spirit's birth!

What to thee were worldly honours,

Wealth, or courtly favours high?

Since, like Paul, by grace converted,

Thou hadst seen thy God so nigh.

 

Chorus

Hail St. Norbert, ardent lover

Of this Sacrament Divine!

Pray thy children may inherit

Faith unwavering, love like thine.

 

White robed prophet, holy founder

Of a band whose blessed part

Is to emulate the virtues

Of the Virgin Mother's heart;

She, who bore her child, her Saviour, 

On her pure and sinless breast, 

And from Calvary's gory summit

Gave Him to a world oppressed.

 

Chorus

 

With thy God upon thy bosom,

In the pyx or in the cup,

Forth thou went a conquering hero, 

Breaking chains of thraldom, up;

Heresy and social bondage,

Fiercest feuds and passions wild

Bent their crippled forms and vanished

'Neath thy rule of mercy mild.

 

Chorus

 

Great St. Norbert, thus triumphing

By the Holy Eucharist!

Send again thine arm of vigour

That all evil we resist

Let all praise be ever given

To Our Lord Who reigns above,

But Who still upon our altars

Is a God of grace and love.

 

Chorus

 

********************

 

St. Norbert and the Immaculate Conception

 

In lone Prémontré's valley prayed

St. Norbert through the night,

Till suddenly the dark green wild

Grew glorious with soft light,

And 'mid the starry spendour stood

Our Queen of many years,

Our joy in days of gladness; then

The solace of our tears.

Chorus A:

Oh! aid us from thy throne above,

St. Norbert, by thy prayer;

Dear Lady of our life-long love,

Ah! take us to thy ccare.

 

OR

 

Chorus B:

St. Norbert, by thy holy prayer

Be thou our advocate;

May thy pure Heart our model be,

Mary Immaculate.

The Saint with glowing heart beheld

The radiant Queen who said:

"Take thou this sign of grace, my child,"

As o'er his bending head

She held the snowy habit, blessed

By heavenly hands above,

And brought by Mary's care, to be

A token of her love.

Chorus:

 

The light grew dim; this Queen was gone;

St. Norbert slowly rose

And in the spotless habit clad

Went forth to meet his foes.

The foes of the great heart of love, 

Who sought the altar throne;

The foes of her whom nations hail

"Immaculate Alone".

Chorus

 

Long years went by; St. Norbert found

A holier home than earth, 

Yet still the pure white habit tells 

Its spiritual birth,

And still it bids St. Norbert's bend,

With hearts that dwell above,

In choral prayer and praise proclaim

God and Our Lady's love.

Chorus

 

Still to the wand'ring and the weak

They haste with holy care;

Still shrinks the tempter from the touch

Of Norbert's Lily fair.

And when from exile and from strife

The call to rest has come,

St. Norbert's glorious band will lead

His faithful children home.

Chorus.

III.  Litany in Honour of Our Holy Father, St. Norbert:

Lord, have mercy on us,

Christ, 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 Son, 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,

Queen of the White-robed Order, pray for us,

Thou who hadst a great love for St. Norbert, pray for us,

Holy Father Norbert, pray for us,

St. Norbert, whose birth was foretold from Heaven, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who was marvelously converted by God, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Mirror of true penance, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst trample earthly pomps under foot, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Despiser of the world, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst conquer thy passions and affections, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst gain the victory over temptations, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst quell and cast down devils, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Restorer of peace and concord, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst walk barefoot, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst practise mortification, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Lover of the Cross, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Pattern of abstinence, pray for us,

St. Norbert, most strict Observer of fasting, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst thyself practice and teach silence, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who didst receive the white habit from the Mother of God, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Most constant in faith, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Most firm in hope, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Most fervent in charity, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Zealous lover of chastity, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Model of poverty, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Mirror of obedience, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Vigilant teacher of discipline, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Defender of the true faith, pray for us,

St. Norbert, choice Vindicator of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Pillar of the Catholic Church, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Flower of sanctity and brightness of all virtue, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Light of prayer and contemplation, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Pattern of perfection, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Leader of the white-robed army, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Patriarch of the Premonstratensians, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Father and protector of thy Order, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Primate of Germany, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Worker of miracles, pray for us,

St. Norbert, wonderful Discerner of spirits, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Imitator of Jesus Christ, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Follower of the Apostles, pray for us,

St. Norbert, who was like to the Martyrs, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Gem of Pontiffs, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Glory of Confessors, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Companion of virgins, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Colleague of all Saints, pray for us,

St. Norbert, Admirable in his translation, pray for us,

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord, 

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord, 

From the neglect of Thy commandments, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the transgression of our vows, deliver us, O Lord, 

From uncleanness of mind and body, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Lord, 

From a proud and sad spirit, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord, 

From overwhelming temptation, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the disorder of our passions, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the blindness of self-love, deliver us, O Lord, 

From the obstinacy of self-will, deliver us, O Lord, 

From an evil and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through the wonderful conversion of St. Norbert, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his austere penance, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his ardent zeal in preaching, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his exemplary life, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through all his virtues, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his holy death, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his wonderful translation, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his glorious crown in Heaven, deliver us, O Lord, 

Through his merits and intercession, deliver us, O Lord, 

We sinners, beseech Thee, hear us,  

That Thou wouldst grant us true sorrow and contrition of heart, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst grant us a true conversion of life, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst grant us obedience to our Rule and preserve us in the same, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst make faith, hope and charity to grow in us, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst make us zealous observers of our three vows, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst grant us the gift of prayer, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst bestow upon us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to extend and preserve the Premonstratensian Order, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to strengthen the Abbot General and all the Abbots of the Order with perfect spirit, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant us the crown of perseverance, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

That Thou wouldst give grace to the living and to the departed eternal rest, we beseech Thee, hear us, 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord, 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christ hear us, 

Christ Graciously hear us, 

Lord have mercy on us, 

Christ, have mercy on us, 

Lord, have mercy on us, 

(secretly)  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 evil.

 

V. Pray for us, O Holy Father Norbert,

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

V.  O Lord, hear my prayer,

R.  And let my cry come unto Thee.

 

V.  The Lord be with you,

R.  And also with you.

 

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.  

 

Awake, O Lord, in Thy Church the Spirit by Whom St. Norbert, Thy Confessor and Bishop was guided, in order that, filled with the same spirit, we may love what he loved and live as he taught us. 

 

O Lord, grant to us Thy servant's constancy in Thy faith and service, that, rooted in Divine charity, we may not be conquered by any temptation.  Through Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

 

Praised be the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Praised be Jesus Christ.  Amen.