JUST TOO COOL: Prayer Cards for the priest’s preparation before, thanksgiving after Holy Mass

Just too cool.

When I was in Rome for the Summorum Pontificum 10th Anniversary Pilgrimage, a great time, I said Mass at the Priest-Friendliest Church in Rome™, Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini. In the sacristy there are preserved their niches with kneelers, the movable placards with the prayers priests were/are to recite pro opportunitate in preparation before and thanksgiving after saying Holy Mass.

More on that HERE.

Today I saw at NLM a great post from my friend Gregory DiPippo about these cards or placards with these very prayers.

He provides links to free, downloadable images, PDFs, of the prayers of preparation and of thanksgiving.   HERE

They look great!   As a matter of fact, I would like to have two printed and then framed, one for my chapel and one for the parish sacristy.

As Gregory observes:

Some of these prayers are included in the Missal of the Novus Ordo, but the antiphons Ne reminiscaris and Trium puerorum, and the psalms, versicles, and collects that go with them are omitted, only heaven knows why.

What are the collects which follow the Praeparatio sections recitation of the Reminiscaris and psalms and versicles?

Orémus. [Not my translations but my emphases]

Aures tuæ pietátis, mitíssime Deus, inclína précibus nostris,
et grátia Sancti Spíritus illúmina cor nostrum: ut
tuis mystériis digne ministráre, teque ætérna caritáte dilígere
mereámur. [NB: 1st person plural!  It isn’t the “royal we” that the priest prays.]

Most gracious God, incline Thy merciful ears unto our prayers and by the grace of the Holy Spirit illumine our hearts, that we may be worthy to serve at Thy holy Mysteries and to love Thee with an everlasting love.

Deus, cui omne cor patet et omnis volúntas lóquitur, et
quem nullum latet secrétum: purífica per infusiónem
Sancti Spíritus cogitatiónes cordis nostri: ut te perfécte
dilígere, et digne laudáre mereámur.

O God, to whom every heart is open, every wish is spoken, and from whom no secret is hidden, purify our inmost thoughts by the infusion of Thy Holy Spirit; that we may love Thee perfectly and praise Thee worthily.

Ure igne Sancti Spíritus renes nostros et cor nostrum,
Dómine: ut tibi casto córpore serviámus, et mundo
corde placeámus.

Enkindle, O Lord, our hearts and minds with the fire of the Holy Spirit: that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a clean heart. [renes is interesting. Latin, renes are the kidneys, or loins. However, in ecclesiastical Latin renes are the seat of the affective life, cf. Vulgate Rev. 2,23.]

Mentes nostras, qu?sumus, Dómine, Paráclitus, qui a te
procédit, illúminet: et indúcat in omnem, sicut tuus
promísit Fílius, veritátem.

Illumine, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our minds with the Paraclete who proceedeth from Thee, and lead us to all truth, just as Thy Son hath promised.

Adsit nobis, qu?sumus, Dómine, virtus Spíritus Sancti:
quæ et corda nostra cleménter expúrget et ab ómnibus
tueátur advérsis.

May the power of the Holy Spirit be with us, We beseech Thee, O Lord, and may He mercifully cleanse our hearts and defend us from all harm.

Deus, qui corda fidélium Sancti Spíritus illustratióne
docuísti: da nobis in eódem Spíritu recta sápere; et de
ejus semper consolatióne gaudére.

O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that, in the same Spirit, we may relish what is right and always rejoice in His consolation.

Consciéntias nostras, qu?sumus, Dómine, visitándo
purífica: ut véniens Dóminus noster Jesus Christus, Fílius
tuus, parátam sibi in nobis invéniat mansiónem: Qui
tecum vivit et regnat.

O Lord, we beseech Thee, visit our minds and cleanse our thoughts; that at the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, He may find in us a place prepared for Him. Who with Thee lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever.
R. Amen.

Yeah… we all know why they were omitted.

I wonder what knock on effect on the whole Church there might result were more priests to say these prayers before and after Holy Mass, and recite the vesting prayers… even with the Novus Ordo.

There is no reason why priests can’t say them… if they know about them and want to.

The prayers present quite a different picture of Mass – and of the priest – than we are used to thinking about these days, as does nearly every word of the prayers and rubrics of the older, traditional form of Mass.

That’s why they were omitted.

That’s why they are so hated by the libs.

Anyway…

Donations for the Cards (or even just for the heck of it)!