The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-02

"Our Lady in the Church." recent
volume of essays by Marian Nesbitt,
is a veritable treasury of lore regard
ing devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
The essays are reprinted from the
Ave Maria, and while they evince
scholarship and patient research, they
all carry with them that fragrance
of devotion to the Mother of God
which is ever characteristic of Father
Hudson's splendid weekly. From the
third chapter of the book we Gull the
following account of earlier devotions
flowers with which to deck the al
tar of the Queen of May.
How various and how beautiful are
the forms of devotion to Our Lady!
We who live in these modern days
have our own special ways of honor
ing her. We have at our disposal,
means undreamed of by our Catholic
forefathers, for rendering the prac-
tice of our holy religion easy-I had
almost said too easy. We consider
that if we hear daily Mass during the
month of May, with perhaps an occa-
sional attendance at the evening de-
votions; if we are present at the Octo-
Der recitation of the Rosary at least
ten times, in accordance with the
decree of Christs Vicar on earth, if
we do these things, l repeat, we con-
slider we have amply fulfilled our obi
cations But it may be questioned if
our present methods have such last
ing effect upon the inner life of the
soul as those "old-fashioned ones
which prevailed in times gone by.
Quite usual practice amongst the
laity of England during the Ages of
Faith was that of participating, to
some extent, in the Canonical Hours
by saying instead of each Hour, five
"Our Fathers and Hail Marys," with
an appropriate prayer. These prayers
which were very beautiful, could cas-
lily be learned by heart, as they were
in Anglo-Norman verse. In the
prayer for Mathis, Our Divine Lord is
reminded how "by His sweet pleas
ure" He was Knocked, buffeted, and
spit upon; how at the same hour he
raised Himself from the dead and
delivered His own from purgatory" ;
and the petition ends: Grant me
pardon of my sins, and patience in
tribulation" At Prime are described
the condemnation by Plate and the
appearance of the Risen Christ tt
Magdalen, who loved Him much.
The concluding words are: "Shov
me, Lord, Thy face, and give me grace
to do WELL" At Tierce, the scourgins
at the pillar and the descent of the
Holy Ghost upon the Apostles are re
called, with the petition, "Enlighte1
my heart with Thy love, that l may
serve Thee day and night" And 81
on through the rest of the Hours.
The Office of the Blessed Virgin.
Several other methods of recalling
at the different hours of the day, tn,
various stages of our Lords Passion
or the joyful and sorrowful events o
our Lady's life, are given in the print
ed editions of the Horace or Littl
Office of the Blessed Virgin. 1t will
, be remembered also that it was no
; only rich and noble lords and ladie
who had ''prymers" and who said GU
Lady's Hours, but that this Offic
seems to have been the favourite dc
votion of all who could read. It is
moreover, abundantly. evident tina
, our ancestors we're accustomed t
learn it by heart in their childhood
and recite it with companion. Some
times they said it whilst dressing
and the scholars in the royal colleg
of Elton we're expected to recite tn
Mathis of our Blessed Lady Will
) making their beds.
; It is related of ST. Margaret, Quee
of Scotland, that during Advent an
Lent, after short sleep, she woul
rise at midnight, and, going to tn