The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-02-20
UNIVERSAL PRAYERS FOR PEACE
TEXT OF THE DECREE PREscRIR-
ING SOLEMN SERVICES FOR
PEAcE-sUNDAY, MARCH ri, Is
DATE SET FOR THIS COUNTRY.

The following is translation of the
decree by which our Holy Father,
Pope Benedict XIV, through the medi-
UNI of the Papal Secretary of State,
orders universal intercession in favor
of peace:
His Holiness our Sovereign Lord,
Pope Benedict XIV, in deep affliction
at the sight of a war which destroys
thousands of young lives, brings
misery to families and cities, and
rushes flourishing nations to the brink
Of ruin, yet bearing in mind that AL
mighty God, Whose prerogative it is
to heal by chastisement and through
pardon to preserve, is moved by the
prayers which spring from contrite
and humble hearts, desires ardently
that above the clang of arms may be
heard the voice of Faith, Hope and
Charity, alone capable of welding to-
gether the hearts of men in one mind
and one spirit. Therefore, while He
exhorts the clergy and the faithful of
the whole world to works of NORTH
cation and piety in expiation for the
sins by which we have called down
upon ourselves the just wrath of God,
the Holy Father has ordained that
throughout the Catholic Church sol
emn prayers shall be offered in order
to obtain from the mercy of Almighty
God the peace which all desire.
For this purpose it is hereby de.
creed that in every Metropolitical,
Cathedral, Parochial and Conventual
Church in all European countries, on
the It'll day OF February next (being
the Sunday called Sexagesima) and in
all dioceses situated outside of Europe
on the 21st day of March (being Pas
sion Sunday there shall be celebrated
special religions functions in the fol
lowing order:
In the morning, Immediately after
the Conventual or Parochial Mass, the
Most Blessed Sacrament shall be eX-
posed with all solemnity, and duly in
censed; after which the Psalm Miser-
ere mel, Deus Cps. 500 shall be sung
with the Antiphon: Da pacem, Dom
inc, in diebus nostris, quia non est
alius qui pugnet pro nobis nisi til,
Deus noster, followed by the-Fiat
pax in virtue tua -. Eft abnndantia in
turribus tuis; and the Collect, Deus, a
quo sancta desideria, etc.
| The Most Blessed Sacrament shall
then remain exposed to public veneer
alton till evening; and it is desirable
that arrangements be made whereby
children also should take due part in
the public alteration.
In the evening, previously to the
deposition of the Most Blessed Sacra-
ment, the third part of the Rosary is
to be recited followed by the annexed
prayer, expressly composed by His
Holiness in order to obtain the bene-
| fit of peace; then the Litanies of the
Saints, according to the form pre-.
Hours Prayer in the Rituale Roman
UNI of the year 1913. Immediately
after the Litanies shall be sung the
Parce, Domino, parce populo tue; ne
in aeternum irascaris nobis, with the
versicles and Prayer usually recited
/ dlICt Jlc IIOSCooiOiID III luNSHhAdNS
tribulatione, as in the Rituale Roman
um, with the addition of the Collect
Deus, a quo sancta desideria. The
sacred function shall conclude with
the Tantum Ergo and Benediction OF
the Most Blessed Sacrament, more
solito.
In the hope that Almighty God may
pour forth in yet greater abundance
His Divine Grace, the Sovereign Pom
tiff exhorts the Faithful to approach
| the Sacrament of Penance and to re
ceive Holy Communion, and grants to
all those who, after Confession and
Communion, shall assist at one OF
other of the sacred functions as above
ordered or shall pray for some time
/ before the Most Blessed Sacrament
while solemnly exposed, Plenary
/ Indulgence.
From the Vatican, January 10th
1916.
PETER CARDINAL GASPARRI,
Secretary of State