Join with the Bishops of England and Wales to pray a Holy Hour for the dignity of all human life as peers in the House of Lords continue to debate whether to make Assisted Suicide law.
Sunday 19 April – 4:30pm
On Sunday, 19 April at 4:30 pm (UK time), the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales will hold a Holy Hour to pray for the promotion of a culture of life in our lands.
We are asking the parishes and Catholic communities of our two nations to unite and hold a Holy Hour on the same day as the Bishops.
This is to present a unified, prayerful front to offer this petition to Our Lord for the dignity of life from conception to natural end and to pray that assisted suicide will not become law.
In a Lenten statement, the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend John Sherrington, reaffirmed the Church’s principled objection to the Terminally Ill (Adults) End of Life Bill, and urged Catholics to pray for parliamentarians debating the Private Members’ Bill in the House of Lords. Archbishop Sherrington, the Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops’ Conference, asked for a special prayerful focus on those who are suffering near the end of their lives and those who care for them. Read more.
To support this particular initiative, we have a two-page PDF that can be printed and used to pray a Holy Hour for the Dignity of Life.
Please also refer to the structure and accompanying prayers below.
The Rite of Exposition, Adoration, Benediction and Reposition should always be used in worship in Eucharistic Adoration.
If a person wants to observe a personal Holy Hour where the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed, then the use of readings and reflections in the themed documents can help guide this.
This structure is recommended when taking part in Eucharistic Adoration.
The structure of the Rite is as follows:
Exposition
Song
Exposition (Procession from the place of Reservation)
(Exposition after Mass)
Adoration
Readings, homily, prayers, songs ad libitum or
Liturgy of the Hours
Benediction
Eucharistic Song
Prayer
Blessing
Reposition
Reposition (Procession to the place of Reservation)
Acclamation
Opening and closing prayers, the Divine Praises, Tantum Ergo Sacramentum – in Latin and English – and O Sacrament Most Holy.
Opening Prayer – once the Blessed Sacrament is exposed
O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament
have left us a memorial of your Passion,
grant us, we pray,
so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood
that we may always experience in ourselves
the fruits of your redemption.
Who live and reign with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(The Roman Missal, Collect – The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
Closing Prayer – just before the Blessed Sacrament is reposed
Lord Jesus Christ, You gave us the Eucharist
as the memorial of Your suffering and death.
May our worship of this sacrament of Your body and blood
help us to experience the salvation You won for us
and the peace of the kingdom
where You live with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.
Tantum Ergo Sacramentum
Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o’er ancient forms departing,
newer rites of grace prevail;
faith for all defects supplying,
where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
and the Son who reigns on high,
with the Holy Ghost proceeding
forth from Each eternally,
be salvation, honour, blessing,
might and endless majesty.
Amen
Tantum Ergo Sacramentum – Latin
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.
Amen
O Sacrament most holy – to be used at Reposition
O sacrament most holy,
O sacrament divine
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine!
The Jubilee Cathedral visitations take place across England and Wales.
