Tridentine Community News - Spiritual Suggestions for Lent

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (February 23, 2020):

January 23, 2020 - Quinquagésima Sunday

Spiritual Suggestions for Lent

Much press is given to the meritorious practice of giving something up for Lent. We can all do without our favorite sweets or a certain enjoyable activity during this holy season. It’s also worthwhile to consider going an extra mile during Lent by making a special effort to participate in some additional spiritual activities. Here are a few suggestions:

Weekday Mass: Try to attend one of the local weekday Masses in the Extraordinary Form once per week during Lent. If you can’t make it to a Tridentine Mass, consider attending Holy Mass in the Ordinary Form at a parish which offers it in a traditional manner, such as the daily 12:15 PM Mass at Old St. Mary’s.

Spiritual Communion: On each day that you cannot receive Holy Communion, take a minute and make a Spiritual Communion. Holy Mother Church grants a Partial Indulgence for this practice. St. Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori composed the following prayer for this purpose:

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. Amen.

Daily Rosary: Strive to pray the Holy Rosary every day during Lent, for an intention of your choosing. If you are able to pray the Rosary in a church, with a group or privately, you may gain a Plenary Indulgence for yourself or for the Souls in Purgatory, under the usual conditions of Confession within 20 days, reception of Holy Communion once per Plenary Indulgence sought, prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions, and freedom from attachment to sin.

Confession: Try to begin the habit of going to Confession at least once per month, if you don’t already.

Adoration: At least once per week, make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Many churches offer extended hours for this purpose, including the Stone Chapel at St. Hugo of the Hills in Bloomfield Hills, the 24/7 Adoration Chapel at the Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, and the Rosary Chapel at Assumption Church in Windsor. If you are able to spend 30 minutes in Adoration, you may gain a Plenary Indulgence under the above conditions.

Stations of the Cross: Pray the Stations at least once during Lent. If done in a church, you may gain a Plenary Indulgence under the above conditions. If you are making the devotion privately, you must physically move from station to station.

Indulgence for each Communion: Strive to gain a Plenary Indulgence for the Souls in Purgatory for each Holy Communion you receive. This is a great act of charity for souls who cannot help themselves. Praying the Rosary in a church or spending 30 minutes in Adoration are two easy ways to attain this goal.

Indulgenced Prayer Before a Crucifix: On the Fridays of Lent, the Church grants a Plenary Indulgence for the simple act of praying this prayer before a Crucifix after receiving Holy Communion, under the usual conditions. A Partial Indulgence may be gained by praying this same prayer after receiving Holy Communion at other times.

En ego, o bone et dulcíssime Jesu, ante conspéctum tuum génibus me provólvo, ac máximo ánimi ardóre te oro atque obtéstor, ut meum in cor vívidos fídei, spei et caritátis sensus, atque veram peccatórum meórum pæniténtiam, eáque emendándi firmíssimam voluntátem velis imprímere; dum magno ánimi afféctu et dolóre tua quinque vúlnera mecum ipse consídero, ac mente contémplor, illud præ óculis habens, quod jam in ore ponébat tuo David Prophéta de te, o bone Jesu: “Fodérunt manus meas et pedes meos: dinumeravérunt ómnia ossa mea.”

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with a true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five wounds, having before my eyes the words which David the prophet put on Thy lips concerning Thee: “My hands and My feet they have pierced, they have numbered all My bones.”

On Saints’ Feast Days, Pray the Collect [Opening Prayer] from the Mass: If you have a hand missal for the Extraordinary or Ordinary Forms, on Feast Days of Saints, take a minute and pray the Collect for the day’s Mass. This practice is enriched with a Partial Indulgence.

Resolve to make the nine First Fridays or the five First Saturdays: Metro Detroit now has sites where you can conveniently attend these weekday Masses in the Extraordinary Form, for example Old St. Mary’s on First Fridays and St. Mary of Redford and Ss. Peter & Paul Westside on First Saturdays.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Tue. 02/25 7:00 PM: High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Matthias, Apostle)
• Wed. 02/26 8:00 AM: High Mass at St. Matthew, Flint (Ash Wednesday)
• Wed. 02/26: 8:00 AM & 12:00 Noon Low Mass, 7:00 PM High Mass at St. Joseph (Ash Wednesday)
• Wed. 02/26 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Alphonsus, Windsor (Ash Wednesday)
• Sat. 02/29 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Saturday After Ash Wednesday)
• Sun. 03/01: No Mass at OCLMA/Academy

[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Albertus (Detroit), Academy of the Sacred Heart (Bloomfield Hills), and St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for February 23, 2020. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]