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N the name of the

Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and

kindle in them the fire of thy love.

Send forth thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Our Father. Hail Mary. I believe (as before, p. 9).

1. Place yourself in the presence of God.

O Almighty and eternal God, whose majesty filleth heaven and earth, I firmly believe that thou art here present; that

thy all-seeing eye is upon me; that thou knowest all things, and art acquainted with the most secret thoughts of my heart. I desire to bow down all the powers of my soul to adore thee; I desire to join my voice with all thy blessed angels and saints, to praise thee and glorify thee now and for ever.

2. Give thanks.

I most heartily thank thee, O Lord, for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon me and upon thy whole Church; and particularly for those I have received from thee this day, in watching over me, and preserving me from the many evils and dangers to which I am exposed. [Here pause, and meditate on God's mercies.] Oh, let me never more be ungrateful unto thee, my God, who art so good and gracious unto

me.

3. Ask for light to discover your sins.

And now, dear Lord, add this one blessing to the rest; that I may clearly discover the sins which I have committed this day, by thought, word, and deed, or by any omission of any part of my duty to thee, to my neighbour, or to myself, that no part of my guilt may be hidden from my

own eyes, but that I may see my sins, and may hate them as I ought.

4. Daily Examination. See p. 52. Examine your conscience, and consider where and in what company you have been this day. Call to mind the sins committed against God, your neighbour, or yourself.

5. An Act of Contrition.

my

O heavenly Father! I acknowledge and confess, and am heartily sorry for, all the sins of my past life, and of this day in particular. I grieve from the bottom of heart that I have been so ungrateful to thee for thy benefits, and have so often offended thee, my God and my chief good. Spare me, I beseech thee, by the death and love of Jesus Christ thy Son; and mercifully forgive me whatsoever sins I have this day, or heretofore, committed against thee, my neighbour, or myself.

6. A Resolution of Amendment.

O Almighty God! I firmly resolve, here in thy presence, and before the whole company of heaven, to live henceforth in more strict obedience to thy commandments. I resolve to keep a closer watch over myself; to correct my evil habits; to attend

more diligently to my duties; to avoid more carefully all sin, and whatever may lead to it.

But without thy assistance, O Lord, there is no strength in man. Thou, therefore, who makest me to will that which is good, give me also the power to perform it. Grant that I may live a pious life in this world, and praise thee for ever with thy saints in the world to come. Accept, O Lord, this my evening sacrifice, and let it ascend as incense in thy sight.

O my good angel, whom God has appointed to be my guardian, enlighten and protect me, direct and govern me, this night. Amen.

O Lord, help us with thy grace when we are awake, and defend us by thy power while we are asleep; that, whether we wake or sleep, the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with us.

Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy. Let thy holy angels dwell therein to preserve us in peace; and let thy blessing be always upon us, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the Almighty God be our guar

dian and our comforter; may he keep far from us bad dreams and vain imaginations, and preserve us pure in body and soul.

We fly to thy refuge, O holy Mary, and we implore thy aid. Turn thine eyes of compassion upon us, thy children, and protect us this night. Be to us always our most loving mother, and pour down upon us thy maternal benediction, O blessed, O sweetest Mary!

O you, my holy patrons, and all ye saints of God, pray for us, and obtain for us a quiet night and a happy death.

Bless, O Lord, the repose I am about to take, that, my bodily strength being renewed, I may be the better enabled to serve thee.

And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

At our Evening Devotions.

Let us call to mind that death may surprise us this very night, and that the torments of hell are infinite and eternal. Let us endeavour so to lie down, so to take our rest, and so to rise, with the grace of God accompanying us through life, that, when death shall come, we may awake to everlasting joy.

While you are undressing, be careful to observe the strictest modesty, and always remember your Guardian Angel, who never leaves you.

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