It is the First Friday of January and of a new year of salvation.
Think about 1st Friday devotions.
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Gah, I meant to go to Mass—the church is right across the the street, but the computer guy showed up right at noon and I completely forgot until I saw this post.
Please forgive me for this rather long posting, but I feel it is important.
The following First Friday devotions are efficacious in honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus:
1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
4. Act of Reparation
5. The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
1. “I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.”
2. “I will establish peace in their homes.”
3. “I will comfort them in their afflictions.”
4. “I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death.”
5. “I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.”
6. “Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.”
7. “Tepid souls shall grow fervent.”
8. “Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.”
9. “I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.”
10. “I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.”
11. “Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.”
12. “I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”
Many years ago my small parish was known for its first Friday Sacred Heart Devotions, which included Benediction, & were prayed following daily Mass (which in turn was followed by breakfast downstairs in the parish hall). It was a lovely custom: people from all walks of life, senior citizens, college students, Downtown office workers & homeschooling families participated. The practice eventually fell away, due to changes in the Mass schedule, parish structure, etc. Wanting to enhance the devotional life of our church, a couple of us lay folks recently re-instituted the custom of reciting the Sacred Heart Litany + Consecration after Mass on First Fridays. We’ve been very pleased with the large attendance! One woman came up to me with tears in her eyes: “I never thought I’d see Sacred Heart Devotions at this church again. I’ve missed them so much,” she said. So for anybody out there who wants to take on an extra little apostolate, we say “Go for it!” The Holy Spirit just might bless & surprise you, as He has us.
My rather typical suburban Tennessee parish has a special all-day First Friday schedule:
8:00 am – First Friday Mass
8:45 am – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
8:50 am – Sacred Heart Novena and Morning Prayer
1:30 pm – Rosary
5:30 pm – Rosary led by Knights of Columbus
5:55 pm – Benediction and Reposition of Blessed Sacrament
6:00 pm – First Friday Mass
Not quite as long a post but again I ask you indulgence.
The following First Saturday devotions are efficacious in honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
4. Act of Reparation
5. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
“I promise to help at the hour of death, with the graces needed for salvation, whoever on the First Saturday of five consecutive months shall:
1. Confess and Receive Holy Communion.
2. Recite five decades of the Holy Rosary.
3. Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”
I might have mentioned that–just as in Cricket’s description–our Sacred Heart Novena after the First Friday morning Mass consists of the Sacred Heart litany and consecration, as started several years ago.
Within the past year, several people suggested that we re-start the Prayer to St. Michael at the end of daily Mass. Nobody (so far as I know) objected — why would anyone? — and so it was done. Brick by brick.
Only the monastery and 1 other church has even a Saturday morning Mass in our area of 8 medium to small rural parishes..ridiculous. It is not promoted at all. 1st Fridays, again, not promoted even though they have morning Masses except for the Monastery and the one church(I attend) –ridiculous again. But perhaps if brick by brick as said, it will happen–I am hopeful.
I used to have the 11 PM shift at a parish nearby until my health went south. Now I go when I can. Eucharistic adoration is my favorite thing in the whole universe, except going to Mass.
At the parish where I belong we have all kinds of the “old-fashioned” stuff including processions, though those don’t go very far, just around the block.
First Friday took on a particularly poignant significance for me as it was 17 years ago on Friday, January 7, 1994, that my mom died. My dad serves as an EMHC to the homebound and was taking Holy Communion to the sick when my mom took a turn for the worse. When he returned home, he took her to the hospital where she later died. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that our pastor (now deceased) had car trouble and was feeling ill, he still got to her in time to administer Last Rites.
I go as often as I can to First Friday Mass. I still pray for the repose of the soul of my mom, remembering that she died on a First Friday.
Interesting to read what other parishes are doing on First Fridays. I should emphasize this activity at our parish was initiated by members of the laity. Our parish priest wasn’t interested in helping us but, shown the prayers we intended to use (all with ecclesiastical imprimatur), gave permission for us to proceed on our own. And so we have! I don’t mean to dismiss the role of the clergy in any way (honest, Fr. Z!). But sometimes members of the priesthood of the laity have to lay a few of those “brick-by-bricks” ourselves.
First Friday yes, First Saturday not so much.
Never forget Christ has a human heart.
I had to check “No, and I don’t know much about this.”
The Divine Office (in the Ordinary Form) I try to pray daily . In the Divine Office, the character of every Friday is directed in part to Our Lord’s Passion and Death, and every Saturday in part to Our Lady as Wisdom. In Ordinary time, for Saturday, there is an Optional Memorial for Our Lady, provided no obligatory Memorial, Feast, or Solemnity falls on that day. This Optional Memorial includes every Office except Vespers and Night Prayer, which are part of the vigil for Sunday. Night Prayer can be concluded with Marian prayers, which are provided in the Breviary.
My parish has exposition every First Friday. I usually go for a while and pray.
Otherwise, I don’t do much special on First Fridays and Saturdays. Maybe I should. I’d welcome someone telling me the theology of 1st Fridays/Saturdays. I guess the start of months mean little to me, except for paying bills.
As with others, we don’t have a Saturday Mass as such in our parish. I am regularly at Mass on Fridays, even First Fridays, but it doesn’t always occur to me that it is the first one of the month.
On the other hand, it was brought up twice this morning, including by our very young associate pastor.
In the mid-1970s, right after I got my driver’s license and my first car, I used to go to 12:10 Mass on Saturday at the church where I was baptized. There were a few of us lay people who would stay after Mass and pray the Rosary. When there was a wedding in the church, we’d go downstairs to a ‘Grotto’ and pray there. I couldn’t always make First Fridays because I would be working, and there weren’t many parishes offering evening Masses.
Nowadays I just go to the local Adoration Chapel and pray my Rosary there.
My children and I meant to go today. It just didn’t work out. Instead of getting ready like they should have been whilst I was showering, they played. Hence, we can’t go because it’s too late to get there. One daughter in tears because of this. Perhaps I’ll make a special effort to go tomorrow morning, even though Sat. mornings are for cleaning, laundry, and yardwork.
For those in or visiting Las Vegas, Nev. St. Bridget Parish has a 7:00pm TLM, most often a High Mass. I have attended several times.
St. Bridget is located at 220 N. 14th St. @ Stewart Av. (Down Town Area, 9 blocks east of Las Vegas Blvd.) Sadly, This the only TLM in the Diocese of Las Vegas.
Beware that St. Joseph Catholic Church (in the same general area) offering a Tridentine Mass is not in Communion with the the Pope
We have a second Mass in the evening each First Friday at my church. The regular 12:15 Mass is in the Ordinary Form and the 7:00PM Mass is in the Extraordinary Form. So, whichever form is preferred those who wish to attend First Friday Mass have the chance to do so.
I’ve done it since June 2009 at my local parish All Saints RCC in the GTA. I started doing this when I was beginning to research Church laws, doctrine, and traditions. First Friday happened to be the most accessible practice I could do (as I don’t have my own car, its either transit or bumming rides off people for things). Tonight will be my 8th consecutive one, with next month the Ninth.
The only Mass at our parish on Fridays is at 8:30am, which mostly works well if you’re retired or don’t have a job. There are no Masses at our parish on Saturdays, but I recently completed a 5 – 1st Saturday devotion this past December at another parish, which also happens to be when they do their Latin Mass.
Our diocesan Chancery staff regularly participate together in First Friday Eucharist Adoration.
I commute to work every day but discovered recently that the parish church near my job has adoration on the first Fridays. Unfortunately couldn’t make it today but the Dominican church in my hometown has first Saturday Mass & devotions. They have maintained an active Rosary apostolate through all the years, even with the slightly heterodox views of some of the Priors who have been there.
Looking at the other post about that Friar’s views on the new translations I somehow feel that he just mightn’t feel totally at home over here. Just a sneaking suspicion, really. Dunno…could be wrong of course (looks up at sky & whistles innocently)
There are no Friday nor Saturday Masses in my rural town. There is a Sat. Vigil in a town not too far from mine. That’s it. This is a fairly protestant area. We drive two hours to assist at a TLM. I make it there on Tuesdays (because of a homeschooling coop) and Sundays. I pray that we can one day be close to a TLM and that we can assist daily.
My parish has 8-30 am Mass every Saturday and on the first Saturday of the Month we have Benediction after the Mass. I am always at the Saturday morning Mass and I lead the singing of O Salutaris, Tantum Ergo and Adoremus in Aeternum at Benediction. I have been doing this for several years now. Many in the usual congregation are of the “old school” and so the Latin was not a problem but we have a “Benediction sheet” which is given out at the beginning of Mass so the words are there for all to read (and sing). It has the words in both Latin and English and I was responsible for some of the translation and for the words in Latin. We normally have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday and every Friday after the 9-00 am Mass on those days.
My favorite devotion, too. I love the vestments, Latin prayers/singing, the smell of the incense, the heightened awareness of Our Holy Lord’s presence. Sadly, it doesn’t have much of a following in my little parish. There were five of us today besides the two (usually only one) priests. There have been many times when only I and another person stay for the one hour of Adoration. I’m concerned that if our pastor retires or dies, that will be the end of it.
Problem is I work every Friday evening. Someday maybe…
We have 1st Friday devotions in two of our local churches. Problem is that I have grown disilusioned towards the sacred heart, I gave my heart to Jesus and he promptly threw in the trashcan.
My parish has a seniors’ social, Mass, and luncheon every first Friday. I’m not a senior, but I sort of accidentally showed up once and just kept going, helping with the luncheon afterward.
I never heard of either until several years ago, and I have only ever been to one First Friday mass. My parish doesn’t do anything for either day. I do know a little bit about both but I don’t think those are devotions for me. I do love adoration, though.
After completing my 5th first Saturday this month, I have decided to keep going. I love it!
How do people who work days manage to get to Mass at 8AM?
Of course we all know the first friday devotion is useless without confession
I didn’t vote because I go to daily Mass and we always have Adoration on Fridays which I attend. No mention is ever made of it being a First Friday although I do notice a few more people at Mass.
Our family has observed the First Friday devotion for maybe four years now and we are committed to it. Admittedly, circumstances and logistics are such that we have no excuse to not do it. Making Mass on every Friday is a priority and it is the one day (besides Sunday obviously) we attend Mass absolutely. Our parish has daily Mass each weekday (M-F) 0630 and 0900 and 0900 on Saturday; Adoration until 1900 on Wednesday and Friday. Confessions are available to meet the “rules” of the First Friday and First Saturday devotions. Since moving to this parish in the fall, I have finally completed my first “5 First Saturday” devotion, because our priests do what they can to support us in this.
I don’t know much about First Friday observances. My parish has Mass every weekday and the Angelus at noon before Mass on Friday. It does have a First Saturday Mass that began several years ago that precedes confession.
Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but I do believe that the Holy Hour was meant to take place on the Thursday prior to First Friday, to make reparation to the Sacred Heart for the agony Jesus suffered alone on Holy Thursday before His Passion. If one cannot make it to Adoration on Thursday, or for that matter to Mass on First Friday, it’s still better to make some act of reparation and devotion when you can than to do nothing at all.
My mother has always been devoted to making First Friday Mass. I guess her influence rubbed off on me, as it is something I try, assiduously, to attain. Today was a bit tough here in southwest Connectticut due to a big snowstorm, but the turnout at 12:10 Mass was sizeable despite the slippery conditions. I had 45 minutes prior to Mass to spend in Eucharistic Adoration in our basement chapel. Today was a very, very good day for me. Deo Gratias.
The Sacred Heart Jesus was enthroned in our home several years ago. We all pledged to keep this devotion. In our area, we could attend Friday mass at any time, morning, noon or night, however we are committed to the 1st Friday evening sung TLM. So many things allure on a Friday night, so it’s a greater sacrifice for us, but we do it in reparation.
I wish there had been a choice in the poll that said, “Yes, I did them once.” That’s what I would have picked. Here in Louisville, KY, we have a zillion daily masses to choose from.
St. Martin of Tours has confessions, mass, and prayers on First Fridays which lasts all evening; it ends with a midnight mass on Saturday. A devotion of such heroic lengths is too much for me, but there are people who do it.
When I was pre-teen and a teen, we made the First Fridays and Saturdays MANY times. I have always wondered….since I didn’t really grasp the importance of that devotion and went because it is just something my family did, should I make them all again? I knew about the promises etc., but did I really get it? Anyone?
You asked for anyone’s opinion, so, for whatever it’s worth, Semperfi, here’s mine. The point of our lives is to die to self-will and accept everything that’s happens to us, both good and evil, as coming from the nail-scarred hands of our Lord. If a particular devotion can help instill that attitude in us, well and good. If it doesn’t, don’t worry about it. Use some other prayer.
Thus, I wouldn’t get caught up worrying about whether or not you’ll receive the promised benefits of these devotions. As long as you make it your chief concern to do our Lord’s will, He’ll take care of you now and at the hour of your death.
For several years a nearby parish had an evening Mass on First Friday with confessions prior to Mass. I sang with a small group which provided traditional hymns for Mass. Then one month, they announced there would be no more confessions (priest too busy?), then no Mass during summer months (priests on vacation), then our choir was replaced with a cantor/piano player doing the same pop music as at most Sunday Masses. Then, the Mass was cancelled altogether because ‘attendance was poor’. Really? Can we guess why?
I am usually able to make moring Mass somewhere on First Friday but my children who attend school obviously cannot make it. This Friday I was unable to attend in the morning so searched for an evening Mass. There were only 2 in the diocese and the closest was 50 min. away. Sigh. The chances of getting an evening Mass back at our parish is very small, I think, since the bishop has just announced that, due to the priest shortage, all parishes must reduce the number of Masses that they currently offer.
@David Collins, thanks so much for taking the time to answer. I was brought up in a very strict, traditional Catholic home. I don’t regret it at all. We had many devotions, some I didn’t particularly care for, but did them out of the utmost respect for my dad. During Lent we prayed the 7 decade Rosary in honor of the 7 Sorrows of Our Lady (Franciscan Crown)with our arms outstretched as though hanging on a cross, while kneeling. I didn’t like it but today I am so happy that I did it. It has taught me to suffer well and to offer the suffering up for the Holy Souls, which is my greatest devotion. I have retained some of the devotions I learned as a child and teen and I have dropped some and added others. I think God calls us to different devotions depending on our needs, the needs of others, and our daily lives.
I have not as an adult except PERHAPS twice in the last ten or so years. My parish is conspiratorially silent on devotional practices — except for when they try to create new ones.