For the Society of St. Pius X: Prayer for Missionaries

St. Louis-Marie de Montfort

An extract from the Prayer for Missionaries which could have been written expressly for the Society of St. Pius X as it prepares for its General Chapter.

Remember Lord

1. Memento, Domine, congregationis tuae, quam possedisti ab initio. Remember, Lord this Congregation which you have possessed from all eternity. You have made it your own from the beginning, ab initio, when your mind dwelt on it before time began. You made it your own from the beginning, ab initio, when you held it in your hand as you created the world out of nothing. You made it your own when you took it to your heart while your dear Son, dying on the cross, bedewed it with his blood, consecrated it by his death and entrusted it to his holy Mother's keeping.

2. Give free rein, then, O Lord, to your merciful intent and raise up men of your right hand whom you revealed through the prophetic insight of some of your greatest servants Francis of Paola, Vincent Ferrer, Catherine of Siena and so many others during the last century and even in our day.

3. Memento. Ever keep this Congregation in mind, Almighty God, and, by the power of your right arm which has lost nothing of its strength, make it a living reality and lead it to perfection. Innova signa, immuta mirabilia, sentiamus adjutorium brachii tui: Great God, who can change lifeless stones into sons of Abraham, say but one word and it will be enough to send good workers to gather in your harvest, and missionaries worthy of the name to work in your Church.

6. Lord Jesus, memento congregationis tuae: be mindful of your Congregation. Give your mother this new company so that you may renew all things through her and bring the era of grace to a close through Mary just as you began it through her. Da Matri tuae liberos, alioquin moriar: to this end, increase the number of those who call her Mother and serve her. If this is not to be so, let me die.

Da Matri tuae: it is for your Mother's sake that I make this request. It is she who gave you birth and nurtured you. Remembering this, how can you refuse me? Remember whose Son you are, and grant my plea. Remember what she means to you and what you mean to her, and fulfil my holy desires. It is no personal favour that I ask, but something which concerns your glory alone, something you can and, I make bold to say, you must grant since not only are you true God, having all power in heaven and on earth, but you are also the most dutiful of sons with an infinite love for your Mother.

Vocations

7. What, then, am I asking for? Liberos, men who are free, priests who are free with the freedom that comes from you, detached from everything, without father, mother, brothers, sisters or relatives and friends as the world and the flesh understand them, without worldly possessions to encumber or distract them, and devoid of all self-interest.

8. Liberos: men who are free but still in bondage to your love and your will; men after your own heart who, without taint or impediment of self-love, will carry out your will to the full and, like David of old, lay low all your enemies, with the Cross for their staff and the Rosary for their sling: in baculo Cruce et in virga Virgine.

9. Liberos: men as free as the clouds that sail high above the earth, filled with the dew of heaven, and moving, without let or hindrance, according to the inspiration of the Spirit. They are included among those whom the prophet had in mind when he asked: qui sunt isti qui sicut nubes volant? Ubi erat impetus spiritus illuc gradiebantur, What men are these who move like clouds in the sky, wherever the Spirit leads them?

10. Liberos: free men. Men always available, always ready to obey you when those in authority speak. Always with the words of Samuel on their lips: praesto sum, here I am; always ready to be on the move and to suffer with you and for you, just as the Apostles were: eamus et moriamur cum illo, let us go and die along with him.

Children of Mary

11. Liberos: true children of Mary whom she has conceived and begotten by her love, nurtured and reared, upheld by her and enriched with her graces.

12. Liberos: true servants of the Blessed Virgin who, like a Dominic of old, will range far and wide, with the holy Gospel issuing from their mouths like a bright and burning flame, and the Rosary in their hands, and bay like your watchdogs, burn like fire and dispel the darkness of the world like a sun. Their inspiration will be their authentic devotion to Mary which will be interior and devoid of all hypocrisy, exterior but not critical, prudent and well-informed, tender without indifference, constant without fickleness, holy without presumption. In this way, they will crush the head of the serpent wherever they go and ensure that the curse you have laid upon it of old will be fulfilled to the letter: inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem, inter semen tuum et semen ipsius et ipsa conteret caput tuum, I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed and he shall bruise your head.

Happy few

18. Memento Congregationis tuae: it is to be a congregation, a gathering, a selection, a picked handful of predestined men to be chosen by you from among those who are in the world: Ego elegi vos de mundo, I have chosen you from amidst the world.

22. These followers of the Apostles will preach with great power and effect. So powerful will their impact be that they will stir the minds and hearts of all who hear them. It is to them that you will give your word, dabit verbum; the very words of your own mouth and wisdom: dabo vobis os et sapientiam cui non poterunt resistere omnes adversarii vestri, and none of their enemies will be able to withstand them.

23. It is among these men so dear to you, that you, Holy Spirit, as the greatest gift that Jesus Christ, the beloved Son, has made to men, will be pleased to dwell since, in all the missions they undertake, their sole aim will be to give glory to you for the spoils they have won from your enemies: Rex virtutum dilecti et speciei domus dividere spolia.

26. Memento Congregationis tuae. Tuae: Be mindful of this, your Congregation, for it is you alone who must, by your grace, make it a living reality. If man is the first to put his hand to the work, nothing will come of it. If he contributes anything of his own to what you are doing, the entire undertaking will be warped and come down in ruins.

Tuae Congregationis: your own Congregation. Opus tuum fac, it is your work, great God. Make your divine purpose a reality. Muster your chosen men from every corner of your dominions. Call them and gather them together. Mobilise them and make of them an army to fight against your enemies.

Against the odds

27. Look, Lord God of hosts, the captains of war are forming companies, each with its full complement of soldiers; and potentates have recruited vast armies. The ship-owners have whole fleets at their disposal, and the merchants are thronging to the markets and fairs. What a motley assembly of ungodly men! Thieves, drunkards and profligates gather together every day under the flimsiest pretexts in order to oppose you! Blow a whistle, beat a drum, show the blunt point of a sword, promise a withered laurel branch as a reward, offer a piece of gold or silver; in short, a whiff of fame, a worthless reward, a vile beastly pleasure, and, in the twinkling of an eye, along come the thieves, soldiers rally by battalions, and merchants flock together. Gambling dens and market places are crammed full and the whole of land and sea is covered with an innumerable multitude of reprobates. These people, although at variance among themselves for reasons of distance, temperament or personal interest, are nevertheless all unanimously resolved to wage war to the death against you, under the banner and leadership of the devil.

28. How is it, then, great God, that although it is so glorious, so satisfying and so profitable to serve you, hardly anyone will support your cause? Scarcely one soldier lines up under your standard. Scarcely anyone fired with zeal for your glory will stand up and cry out, like St. Michael in the midst of his fellow-angels: Quis ut Deus? Who is like to God? Let me then raise the cry of alarm: "The House of God is on fire! Souls are perishing in the flames! The sanctuary itself is ablaze! Help! Help! Good people! Help our brother who is being murdered. Help our children who are being massacred. Help our kind father who is being done to death!"

29. Qui Domini est jungatur mihi: if anyone has the Lord's cause at heart, let him stand side by side with me. Let all those worthy priests who are to be found throughout the world, those still in the fight and those who have withdrawn to deserts and secluded places, let them, I say, come and join us. In unity there is strength. With the cross as our standard, let us form a strongly disciplined army drawn up in lines of battle. Let us make a concerted attack on the enemies of God who have already sounded the call to arms: sonuerunt, frenduerunt, fremuerunt, multiplicati sunt. Dirumpamus vincula eorum et projiciamus a nobis jugum ipsorum. Qui habitat in caelis irridebit eos. They have sounded the alarm, vented their anger and become a mighty army. Let us break their bonds asunder and throw away their yoke. He who dwells in heaven will laugh them to scorn.

30. Exsurgat Deus et dissipentur inimici ejus! Exsurge, Domine, quare obdormis? Exsurge! Let the Lord arise and let his enemies be scattered. Arise, Lord. Why is it you appear to be like one asleep? Arise in your might, your mercy and your justice and create this bodyguard of hand-picked men who will protect your house, defend your glory and save the souls that are yours. Thus, there will be but one sheepfold and one shepherd, and all will make your temple resound with their praise of your glory: et in templo ejus omnes dicent gloriam. Amen.

God alone!

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