Forgotten Books & Texts: Anglican Patrimony

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There are so many wonderful books of prayer, chant, and hymnals that have been used by Episcopalians and Anglicans throughout the world, and yet today they are not even faint memories.  I hope to contribute to reviving the lost memories of such treasures among the people who are the Anglican Patrimony.  Such things are not always texts we must use today, but they speak to the kinds and sorts of texts that should be evaluated and adapted to our needs today whether we are Roman Catholic, in communion with Canterbury, or in a community of faith not connected to either.


Today I include a prayer from the beautiful book "Treasury of Devotion" and from "The Day Hours of the Church" which was originally entitled "The Day Hours of the Church of England".  Although I care deeply about these various books for divine worship, I recognise that I am in the extreme minority. Since returning to this blog, I have been greatly heartened to learn how many people are curious about these texts and desirous to see them at least considered.


Today's 2 excerpts are meant to point toward two separate needs.  The first is the need for private prayers for the faithful to pray before, during, and after Mass which type of prayer should be bound within The Book of Common Prayer (by whatever title).   The first prayer quoted below is a good example of the kind of prayers prayed by "Prayer Book Catholics" around the world in times past.  My great-great-Grandfather prayed this prayer, and I still pray it.   


The second underscores the need to return to a traditional calendar where the feasts of the angels are St. Gabriel (March 24th), St. Michael and All Angels, and St. Raphael.   (Of course, I should make mention of St. Uriel and his place in Anglicanism, but that will be another post to come.)  The current Ordinary Form Calendar of Rome should in no way be the base or the guide for determining what is a proper Kalendar for members of the Anglican diaspora within the Catholic Church. 


From Treasury of Devotion, Revd T. Carter, ed., 1908

I YIELD Thee thanks, O Lord, Holy FATHER, Almighty, Everlasting GOD, Who, not for any merit of mine, but of the condescension of Thy mercy only, hast vouchsafed to feed me a sinner, Thy unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Thy SON, our LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And I humbly entreat Thy boundless clemency, Almighty and Merciful Lord, that this Holy Communion may not bring guilt upon me to condemnation, but may be unto me for pardon and salvation.  Let it be unto me an armour of faith, and a shield of good resolution.  Let it be unto me a riddance of all vices, an extermination of all evil desires and lusts, and an increase of love and patience, of humility and obedience, and all virtues, especially . . . : a firm defence against the wiles of all enemies, visible or invisible, a perfect quieting of all sinful impulses, fleshly or spiritual, especially . . . : a firm adherence to Thee, the One True GOD, and a blessed consummation of my end.  And I pray Thee, that Thou wouldest vouchsafe to bring me a sinner to that ineffable Feast, where Thou with thy SON and the HOLY GHOST art to Thy Saints true Light, full and everlasting Joy, and perfect Happiness ; through the Same our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Amen.


From The Day Hours of the Church, London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1950

ST. RAPHAEL ARCHANGEL October 24

Hymn. Tibi Christe

Thee, O Christ, the Father's splendour.

Life and virtue of the heart,

In the presence of the Angels

Sing we now with tuneful art:

Meetly in alternate chorus,

Bearing our responsive part.

Hail, all ye angelic princedoms,

Thrones celestial, bathed in light;

Hail, benevolent Physician,

Raphaël, life's Guardian bright,

Binding fast the fiend of darkness

In the glory of thy might.

Oh may Christ beneath thy pinions,

Shield us from all harm this day,

Keep us pure in flesh and spirit,

Guard our footsteps lest they stray,

And hereafter of his mercy,

Bid us reign with him for aye.

Glory to the Sire Eternal

Sing we now in anthems sweet:

Glory to our blest Redeemer,

Glory to the Paraclete.

Triune God, whom all creation

Praiseth, as is right and meet.  Amen.

V. An Angel stood by the altar of the temple.

R. Having a golden censer in his hand.

Antiphon to Magnificat

Lo, I am* Raphael, the Angel who stands before the Lord: 

but as for you, bless ye the Lord and tell forth all his wondrous works.

Collect

O GOD, who didst give the blessed Archangel Raphael to thy servant Tobias to be his companion on the way: Grant, we beseech thee, to thy servants that we may ever be kept in safety under his protection, be continually defended by his ready help.  Through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

+All ye Saints, pray for us to the LORD Our GOD.

Concluding a Service or Office

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The conclusions of the services of prayer among the Anglican Churches exhibit a wide variety of ascriptions, scriptures, and blessings. More contemporary forms conclude the Office with the sharing of the Peace dislocated from the Mass and without its Sacrificial context.  However, it does make perfect sense to observe the Peace at that point if the Offertory and Eucharist are to follow directly.   How shall the offices conclude in the revised rites and services?  I offer the following as a first thought drawing simply from what I did with the Prayer Book Office in expanding the conclusion to include other options such as the two ascriptions of praise by the sainted Thomas Ken as well as several selections of Sacred Scripture.

With the Anglican Morning Office normatively containing V. Praise ye the Lord. R. The Lord's Name be praised. I would conclude with the Benedicamus Domino then The Grace followed by a line from the Divine Liturgy that served as parallel to the verse and response mentioned above at an earlier part of the Office.  Whether it was the use of the Gloria at the end of Mass or an ascription of Praise at the end of the Office, to the traditional Anglican mind the worship of the Lord should end on a note of joy.  I type the following in English though in published form I would include English and Latin in parallel columns:

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Grace + of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord 
henceforth and forevermore.

[A kind friend in the west of Scotland has written that in her parish they do the above in a reversed order such that they say (1) Blessed be the Name..., (2) The Grace, and (3) Let us bless the Lord ... With the Eastward gaze whilst standing in the West, there are commonalities among these local riches worthy of consideration.]

For General Use on a feast or festival, I would use these words from Thomas Ken which in contemporary form figure prominently in the An Anglican Prayer Book 1989: 

Blessing and honour and thanksgiving and praise

more than we can utter, more than we can conceive

be unto Thee, O most adorable Trinity,

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

by all angels, all men, all creatures

for ever and ever,  Amen and Amen.

At times I used the following depending upon the weekday:

Sunday:   
To God the Father, who loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved: to God the Son, who loved us, and loosed us from our sins by his own blood:  to God the Holy Spirit, who poureth the love of God into our hearts:  to the one true God, be all love and all glory, for time and for eternity. Amen.    Thomas Ken
Monday:   
Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that worketh in us:  To him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations, world without end. Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21 Rheims
Tuesday:  
Now unto the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.  1 Timothy 1:17 AV (with Rheims)
Wednesday:  
Now to him who is able to preserve us without sin, and to present us spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, To the only wise God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.  Jude 24-25 Rheims (with AV)
Thursday:  
Now may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we  may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Amen.  Romans 15:13  Rheims
Friday:  
Unto Jesus Christ, who hath loved us and freed us from our sins by his own blood,  and hath made us a kingdom, to be priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  Revelation 1:4-6 (composite)

I also have a table of such conclusions for the Office depending upon Seasons of the Church Year, particular Red Letter Days, and a few special occasions, but I won't take up space here to print them.  In a printed edition it may be best to provide a ferial form and a festal one preceded with a permissive rubric to use something else.  I offer these as an idea on how our worship through the Office might conclude on that "note of joy" characteristic of the framers of the Eucharistic rite found in the 1928 & 1929 Books of Common Prayer.

Now that we are Catholic, I hope that in the appropriate Offices the Marian antiphons such as Ave Regina Caelorum, Salve Regina, and Regina Caeli will be sung after the Office in their traditional place.  As to which English translation should be employed ... ah, but that is another post.

+De ventre matris meae  

All Sorts and Conditions

GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men: that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that she may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [*especially those for whom our prayers are desired;] that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Book of Common Prayer, 1662
alt.

Be mindful, O Lord, of thy people present here before thee, and of those who are absent through age, sickness, or infirmity. Care for the infants, guide the young, support the aged, encourage the faint-hearted, collect the scattered, and bring back the wandering to thy fold. Travel with the voyagers, defend the widows, shield the orphans, deliver the captives, heal the sick. Succour all who are in tribulation, necessity, or distress. Remember for good all those that love us, and those that hate us, and those that have desired us, unworthy as we are, to pray for them. And those whom we have forgotten, do thou, O Lord, remember. For thou art the helper of the helpless, the saviour of the lost, the refuge of the wanderer, the healer of the sick. Thou, who knowest the need of each one, and hast heard their prayer, grant unto each according to thy merciful loving-kindness, and thy eternal love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Book of Common Prayer, 2004
Church of Ireland

Postcommunion Prayer

from The Book of Common Prayer according to the Use in King's Chapel, Boston

King's Chapel, Boston is an unusual part of the Anglican diaspora having moved in the Unitarian direction away from credal Christianity long ago. They self-identify as "christian Unitarian in theology, Anglican in worship, ..." and publish a most interesting version of The Book of Common Prayer. I find especially interesting this postcommunion prayer which derives directly from an Anglican original:

O Lord and heavenly Father, mercifully accept our sacrifice of praise, and grant that looking unto Christ and entering into his fellowship, we may be changed into his likeness and with him pass from death to life. Here we offer and present to thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice, humbly beseeching thee that all we who are partakers of this holy communion may be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Humble Access

This is the version I believe should be employed at Mass

We do not presume to come to this thy Table,
O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in thy manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy so much
as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table.
But thou art the same Lord,
whose property is always to have mercy:
Grant us therefore, gracious Lord,
in these holy Mysteries
so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ,
and to drink his blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood,
and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

De Sancta Eucharistia

Liber Precum Publicarum, 1979 USA

Deus, qui nobis sub Sacramento mirabili passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: Tribue, quaesumus, ita nos Corporis et Sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus; qui vivis et regnas, cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom in Latin

Liber Precum Publicarum, 1560

Precatio Divi Chrysostomi

OMNIPOTENS sempiterne Deus, qui nobis gratiam dedisti ut hoc tempore unanimiter congregati, preces nostras ad te offerremus, quique polliceris, ut ubi duo vel tres congregati fuerint in tuo nomine, te eorum supplicationes clementer exauditurum, petimus, ut vota et preces tuorum famulorum, pro ut tibi videbitur eorum saluti maxime expedire, perficias, et præsta nobis in hac vita tuæ veritatis cognitionem, et in futura, vitam æternam. Amen.

II Corinth. xiii.

GRATIA Domini nostri Jesu Christi, charitas Dei, et communicatio Sancti Spiritus, sit semper cum omnibus nobis. Amen.

Pentecost and Whitsuntide Collects, Ancient and Modern, in the Anglican Tradition

Pentecost, Sarum Missal
Deus qui hodierna die corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti : da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de ejus semper consolatione gaudere.

Whitsunday, 1549 BCP
God, which as upon this day hast taught the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end.

Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday, second collect, 1928 USA
Almighty and most merciful God, grant, we beseech thee, that by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit, we may be enlightened and strengthened for thy service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end.

Monday in Whitsunday Week, 1928 USA
Send, we beseech thee, Almighty God, thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that he may direct and rule us according to thy will, comfort us in all our afflictions, defend us from all error, and lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end.

Tuesday in Whitsunday Week, 1928 USA
Grant we beseech thee, merciful God, that thy Church, being gathered together in unity by thy Holy Spirit, may manifest thy power among all peoples, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end.

Day of Pentecost, 1979 USA BCP
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit : Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you , in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Vigil of Pentecost, Pentecost Eve
God our Father when your Son ascended into heaven he promised to send us the Holy Spirit : grant that we, who have not been left as orphans may abide always in that Spirit, and be loving and obedient disciples of your Son; who lives ...

An Anglican Prayer Book, CPSA, South Africa

Pentecost, First Collect, An Anglican Prayer Book, CPSA
Almighty God, on the day of Pentecost you sent your Holy Spirit to the disciples with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame : inspire our hearts and set them on fire with his joy and power and send us out as witnesses to the wonder of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives ...

Pentecost, Second Collect, Ireland Alternate Prayer Book
Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples, filling them with joy and with boldness to preach the Gospel : Send us out in the power of the same Spirit to witness to your truth, and to draw all men to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Pentecost, Canada BAS
Almighty and everliving God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your Holy Spirit and opening to every race and nation the way of life eternal, keep us in the unity of your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives ...

Pentecost, Year B, A Prayer Book for Australia
Almighty God, you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church: open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, in love, joy and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Pentecost, Year C, A Prayer Book for Australia
O God, who in smoke and fire upon Mount Sinai gave the law to Moses, and who revealed the new covenant in the fire of the Spirit: grant, we pray, that, kindled by that same Spirit, which you poured forth upon your apostles, we may fulfil with joy your commandment of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Ascension Day

O ALMIGHTY GOD, whose blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the ages; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.


GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens, so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Collects from the Book of Common Prayer Tradition