St. John Cantius

 St. John Cantius

 

 

Da, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut, sancti Ioánnis Confessóris exémplo in sciéntia Sanctórum proficiéntes, atque áliis misericórdiam exhibéntes; eius méritis, indulgéntiam apud te consequámur.

 

Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we may so follow after the example of thy blessed Confessor John in learning ever more and more the knowledge which maketh thy Saints, and in showing mercy to our neighbor, that Thou for the same thy servant's sake mayest forgive us our trespasses.

 

Da, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus, ut, exémplo sancti Ioánnis presbýteri, in sanctórum sciéntia procedámus atque, misericórdiam ómnibus exhibéntes, apud te indulgéntiam consequámur.

 

Grant, almighty God and Father,

  that like Saint John of Kęty

  we may grow in the wisdom of the saints.

By showing compassion to all,

  may we experience your love and mercy.

 

Antony María Claret, was born at Sallent in Spain, of pious and respectable parents. As a youth he practiced the weaver's trade, but later became priest. After some time in the parochial ministry, he went to Rome, hoping that the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith would send him to the foreign missions. But God disposed otherwise, and he returned to Spain, where he traveled throughout Catalonia and the Canary Islands as an apostolic missionary. Besides writing many worthwhile books, he founded the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Having been appointed archbishop of Santiago in Cuba, he was conspicuous for the virtues of a zealous shepherd. He restored the seminary, promoted the teaching and the discipline of the clergy, started projects for social welfare, and founded the teaching Sisters of Mary Immaculate for the Christian education of girls. At length having been summoned to Madrid, to become confessor to the Queen of Spain and her adviser in the most serious affairs of the Church, he gave an outstanding example of austerity and of all virtues. At the Vatican Council he strenuously defended the infallibility of the Pope. He was responsible for a remarkable spread of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and her Rosary. Finally he died in exile at Fontfroide in France in the year 1870. Renowned for his miracles, he was beatified by Pope Pius XI and canonized by Pius XII.

 

Matins/Office of Readings

 

Corpus domas ieiúniis,

Cædis cruénto vérbere,

Ut castra pœniténtium

Miles sequáris ínnocens.

 

Sequámur et nos sédulo

Gressus paréntis óptimi,

Sequámur, ut licéntiam

Carnis refrénet spíritus.

 

Rigénte bruma, próvidum

Præbes amíctum páuperi,

Sitim famémque egéntium

Esca potúque súblevas.

 

O qui negásti némini

Opem rogánti, pátrium

Regnum tuére, póstulant

Cives Polóni et éxteri.

 

Sit laus Patri, sit Fílio,

Tibíque, Sancte Spíritus;

Preces Ioánnis ímpetrent

Beáta nobis gáudia.

Amen.

 

Hymn {from the Proper of Saints}

Long fasting hath thy body tamed,

With many cruel stripes it bleeds,

Though innocence exemption claimed

For thee from penitential deeds

 

Then let us follow in the path

Of John, our father and our guide;

Who follows him, his spirit hath

The power to curb all carnal pride.

 

In winter's frost thy loving care

Provides a garment for the poor;

For those who want thou dost prepare

Of meat and drink a copious store.

 

O thou who never didst deny

thine aid unto the suppliant's prayer,

Hear Christendom's and Poland's cry,

And save thy country from despair.

 

Now let us chant in glad refrain

Unto the Triune God our praise:

O may the prayers of John obtain

Blest joys for us in endless days.

 

Lauds

 

Te deprecánte, córporum

Lues recédit, ímprobi

Morbi fugántur, prístina

Rédeunt salútis múnera.

 

Phthisi febríque et úlcere

Diram redáctos ad necem,

Sacrátas morti víctimas,

Eius rapis e fáucibus.

 

Te deprecánte, túmido

Merces abáctæ flúmine,

Tractæ Dei poténtia,

Sursum fluunt retrógradæ.

 

Cum tanta possis, sédibus

Cæli locátus, póscimus:

Respónde votis súpplicum,

Et invocátus súbveni.

 

O una semper Trínitas,

O trina semper Únitas:

Da, supplicánte Cántio,

Ætérna nobis prǽmia.

Amen.

 

 

When thou dost pray thy mighty prayer,

Disorders flee, and plagues abate,

And bodies, wasting in disease,

Regain at once their healthful state.

 

When phthisis, fevers, ulcers dire,

Have brought men to their latest breath,

When they are mourned as victims doomed,

Thou tak'st them from the jaws of death.

 

Thou pray'st; and goods, which down the stream

Are hurried on at headlong pace,

Drawn by the mighty hand of God,

Float upwards, and their source retrace.

 

Do thou, who canst such wonders work,

Now from thy throne in heaven deign

To listen to our suppliant prayers,

That we may answering help obtain.

 

O Trinity forever One,

O Unity forever Trine,

That we may gain eternal joys,

To Cantius’ prayer thine ear incline.

Amen.

 

Vespers

 

Gentis Polónæ glória,

Cleríque splendor nóbilis,

Decus Lycǽi, et pátriæ

Pater, Ioánnes ínclite.

 

Legem supérni Núminis

Doces magíster, et facis.

Nil scire prodest: sédulo

Legem nitámur éxsequi.

 

Apostolórum límina

Pedes viátor vísitas;

Ad pátriam, ad quam téndimus,

Gressus viámque dírige.

 

Urbem petis Ierúsalem:

Signáta sacra Sánguine

Christi colis vestígia

Rigásque fusis flétibus.

 

Acérba Christi vúlnera,

Hæréte nostris córdibus,

Ut cogitémus cónsequi

Redemptiónis prétium.

 

Te prona mundi máchina,

Clemens, adoret, Trínitas,

Et nos novi per grátiam

Novum canámus cánticum.

Amen.

 

 

O glory of the Polish race,

O splendour of the priestly band,

Whose lore did thy lyceum grace,

John, father of the fatherland.

 

The law of the supernal will

Thou teachest both in word and deed;

Knowledge is naught—we must fulfill

In works, not barren words, our creed!

 

On foot to apostolic Rome

Thy pilgrim spirit joyful hied;

Oh, to our everlasting home

The path declare, the footstep guide!

 

Again, in Sion's holy street,

Anew thou wet'st with tearful flood

The pathway of the Saviour's feet

Erst wet with His redeeming blood.

 

O sweet and bitter wounds of Christ,

Deep in our hearts imprinted stay,

That the blest fruit the sacrificed

Redeemer gained, be ours for aye!

 

Then let the world obeisance due

Perform, O God, to Thy high Will;

And let our souls, by grace made new,

Sing to Thee a new canticle!

Amen.