| White | Double of the Second Class |
Mary's first action after God had come to dwell in her was one of self-denying charity. She undertook a troublesome journey in order to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Thus she proclaimed charity to be the virtue which above all Christ brought with Him from heaven. God made Mary's visit the occasion of a wonderful miracle. On her entrance into St. Elizabeth's dwelling, St. John Baptist was cleansed from sin in his mother's womb. Mary was the channel of this exceptional privilege of the cleansing away fo sin in the case of the unborn child. As then, so now: Mary is the channel of all graces, and above all, of the restoration of the sinner to friendship with God. Mary's charity is not less present now than at the time of the Visitation. Nay, she is far more eager now than then to promote the happiness and console the sorrows of those who fly to her for succor.
INTROIT ¤ Sedulius
| Salve, sancta Parens, enixa puerpera Regem: qui coelum, terramque regit in saecula saeculorum. -- Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea Regi. V.: Gloria Patri . . . -- Salve, sancta Parens . . . | Hail, holy Parent, that didst bring forth the King who ruleth Heaven and earth for ever and ever. -- (Ps. 44. 2). My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak of my works to the King. V.: Glory be to the Father . . . -- Hail, holy Parent . . . |
COLLECT.--Bestow upon Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace: that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the solemn feast of her Visitation may bring us an increase of peace. Through our Lord . . .
At low Masses, Commemoration of St. Processus and Martinian, two
soldiers, who had to watch over Sts. Peter and Paul in the Mamertine
prison, and were converted and baptized by them. They were put to death
A.D. 68.:
2nd COLLECT.--O God, who dost
guard and protect us by the glorious confession of Thy holy Martyrs
Processus and Martinian: grant that we may both profit by their example
and rejoice in their intercession. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy
Son, who liveth . . .
EPISTLE ¤ Wisdom 2. 8-14
Lesson from the Book of Wisdom.
[Christ speaks in love to His Spouse the Church and invites Her to Him. This Lesson is here applied to our Lord.]
Behold He cometh, leaping over the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold He standeth behind our wall; looking through the windows, looking through the lattices. Behold my beloved speaketh to me, Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one; and come. For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come, the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig tree hath put forth her green figs, the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come, My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ear; for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.
GRADUAL
| Benedicta et venerabilis es, Virgo Maria:
quae sine tactu pudoris, inventa es Mater Salvatoris. V.: Virgo Dei
Genitrix, quem totus non capit orbis, in tua se clausit viscera factus
homo. Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Felix es, sacra Virgo Maria, et omni laude dignissima: quia ex te ortus est sol justitiae, Christus Deus noster. Alleluia. | Blessed and venerable art thou, O Virgin
Mary: who without blemish to thy maidenhood, wast made the Mother of
the Savior. V.: O Virgin, Mother of God, He whom the whold world cannot
contain, enclosed Himself in thy womb, being made man. Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Happy art Thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and of all high praise most worthy: for out of thee hath risen the sun of justice, Christ our God. Alleluia. |
GOSPEL ¤ Luke 1. 37-47
† Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke.
[The Visitation of Our Blessed Lady. The Blessed Virgin Mary visits Elizabeth and Jesus vistis and sanctifies John. Wherefore St. John leaps with joy and Elizabeth filled by him and the Holy Ghost, exclaims: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb."]
At that time Mary rising up went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda: and she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth head the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary saith: My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
OFFERTORY
| Beata es, Virgo Maria, quae omnium portasti Creatorem: genuisti qui te fecit, et in aeternum permanes Virgo. | Truly blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary: the Creator of all things thou didst bear; Him who made thee thou didst bring forth; and a Virgin evermore thou dost remain. |
SECRET.--May the manhood of Thine only-begotten Son, O Lord, help us: that He, who, when born of the Virgin, did not lessen, but made holy the purity of His Mother, may, on this solemn Feast of her Visitation, cleanse us from our sins, and make our offering acceptable in Thy sight: even Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth . . .
Commemoration of St. Processus and Martinian:
2nd
SECRET.--Do Thou, O Lord, receive our prayers and gifts: and that they
may be found worthy to Thy sight, may we be helped by the prayers of
Thy Saints. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth . . .
PREFACE
Preface of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus. Et te in Visitatione beatae Mariae semper Virginis collaudare, benedicere, et praedicare. Quae et Unigenitum tuum Sancti Spiritus obumbratione concepit: et virginitatis gloria permanente, lumen aeternum mundo effudit, Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates. Coeli, coelorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphim, socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti jubeas deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes: | It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Visitation of the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise: |
COMMUNION
| Beata viscera Mariae Virginis, quae portaverunt aeterni Patris Filium. | Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father. |
POSTCOMMUNION.--We have received, O Lord, the Sacraments offered on this yearly feast: grant, we beseech Thee, that they may bestow on us remedies both for this life present and for life everlasting. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .
Commemoration of St. Processus and Martinian:
2nd
POSTCOMMUNION.--We who have fed at the Sacrifice of Thy most holy Body
and precious Blood, beseech Thee, O Lord our God: that what we do with
godly devotion may bring us sure salvation. Through our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .