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.

Various Prayers from the Patrimony

from The Manual of Catholic Devotion 
(For Members of the Church of England), 1950

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O LORD JESUS Christ, who for our sake didst vouchsafe to descend from thy throne of glory and from the bosom of the Father to this vale of tears and woe; who wast conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, and wast made Man; make, we beseech thee, our hearts a fit habitation for thyself.  Beautify and fill them with all spiritual graces, and possess them wholly by thy power.  Give us grace to prepare for thy coming with deep humility, to receive thee with burning love, and to hold thee fast with a firm faith; that we may never depart from thee for ever; through thy merits, O blessed Lord JESU, who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.  Amen.

BLESSED Mother and inviolate Virgin, glorious Queen of the world, intercede with the Lord for us.

V. Blessed art thou among women.

R. And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

GRANT, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we thy servants may ever enjoy health of mind and of body; and at the glorious intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, may be delivered from the sorrows of this present world, and rejoice in everlasting happiness in the world to come.  Through JESUS Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.


O LORD our Saviour, who hast warned us that thou wilt require much of those to whom much is given; grant that we, whose lot thou hast cast in so goodly a heritage, may strive together the more abundantly by prayer, by almsgiving, and by every other appointed means, to extend to others what we so richly enjoy ; and as we have entered into the labours of other men, so to labour that, in their turn, other men may enter into ours, to the fulfilling of thy holy will, and our everlasting salvation: Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.


ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst ordain that thine only-begotten Son should be the Redeemer of the world and hast vouchsafed to accept his Blood as the propitiation for our sins; mercifully grant that we who here rejoice to honour that Blood, the price of our salvation, may be defended by its power in this present world, and rejoice in the everlasting fruits thereof in the world to come, Through the same thy Son JESUS Christ our Lord. Amen.


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.

+We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.