Here the Bridegroom places the ring on the thumb of the Bride's left hand, saying: In the Name of the Father [then on the second finger, saying:] And of the Son: [then on the third finger, saying:] And of the Holy Ghost: [lastly on the fourth finger, saying:] Amen.

y. R.

And there he leaves the ring. This done, the Priest adds:

Confirm that, O God, which Thou hast wrought in us.
From thy holy temple, which is in Jerusalem.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, etc.

And lead us not into temptation.

R. But deliver us from evil.

Let us pray.

Look down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon these Thy servants, and graciously bless Thine own institution, whereby Thou hast ordained the increase of mankind; that they who are joined together by Thine authority may be kept by Thy help. Through. R. Amen.

When this is over, if the Nuptial Blessing is to be given, the Parish Priest shall say Mass for a Bridegroom and Bride as in the Missal* page 177.

INSTRUCTIONS AND DEVOTIONS FOR CONFESSION

PRAYER BEFORE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.

O most merciful, God, I most humbly thank Thee for all Thy mercies unto me; and, particularly at this time, for Thy forbearance and long-suffering with me, notwithstanding my many and grievous sins. It is of Thy great mercy that I have not fallen into greater and more grievous sins that those which I have committed, and that I have not been cut off and cast into hell. O my God, although I have been so ungrateful to Thee in times past, yet now I beseech Thee to accept me, returning to Thee with an earnest desire to repent, and devote myself to Thee, my Lord and my God, and to praise Thy holy Name for ever.

Receive my confession, and spare me, O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ,

When possible, the rite or ceremony of marriage should be followed and perfected by the special votive Nuptial Mass, which has appropriate prayers and blessings for the married couple. These prayers and blessings may be given apart from the Nuptial Mass, and even a considerable time after the marriage, provided they are used during Mass and according to the rubrics.

SO me

whom I, an unworthy sinner, am not worthy to name, because I have often offended Thee. Rebuke me not in Thine anger, and cast not away from Thy face, O good Jesus, who hast said that Thou willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Receive me, I beseech Thee, returning to Thee with a penitent and contrite heart. Spare me, O most kind Jesus, who didst die upon the Cross, that Thou mightest save sinners. Have mercy upon me, O most gracious Lord, and despise not the humble and contrite heart of Thy servant. Grant me, I beseech Thee, perfect contrition for my sins. Send forth Thy light into my soul, and discover to me all those sins which I ought to confess at this time. Assist me by Thy grace, that I may be able to declare them to the priest, Thy vicar, fully, humbly, and with a contrite heart, and so obtain perfect remission of them all through Thine infinite goodness. Amen.

O most gracious Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, intercede for me to Him. Obtain for me the full remission of my sins, and perfect amendment of life, to the salvation of my soul, and the glory of His Name. Amen.

I implore the same grace through thee, O my Angel guardian; through you, my holy Patrons, N.N.; through you, O holy Peter and holy Magdalen, and through all the Saints of God. Intercede for me a sinner, repenting of my sins, and resolving to confess and amend them. Amen.

An Examination of Conscience for those who confess their sins regularly and frequently, according to the threefold duty we owe to God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves.

I. IN RELATION TO GOD.

Have I omitted morning or evening prayer, or neglected to make my daily examination of conscience? Have I prayed negligently, and with wilful distractions?

2. Have I been negligent in the discharge of any of my religious duties? Have I taken care that those under my charge have not wanted the instructions necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or to prepare for the sacraments?

3.

Have I spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have I taken his Name in vain, or told untruths?

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Have I omitted my duty through human respect or interest? etc. Have I been zealous for God's honour, for justice, virtue, and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise?

5.

6.

Have I resigned my will to God in troubles, necessities, sickness? Have I carefully avoided all kinds of impurity, and faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption?

1.

I. IN RELATION TO YOUR NEIGHBOUR.

Have I disobeyed my superiors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously?

2. Have I been troubled, peevish, or impatient, when told of my faults, and not corrected them? Have I scorned the good advice of others, or censured their proceedings?

3. Have I offended any one by injurious words or actions, or given way to hatred, jealousy, or revenge?

4. Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detraction, or in any matter of importance?

5. Have I formed rash judgments, or spread any report, true or false, that exposed my neigbour to contempt, or made him undervalued?

6. Have I, by carrying stories backward and forward, or otherwise, created discord and misunderstanding between neighbours?

7. Have I been forward or peevish towards any one in my carriage, speech, or conversation?

8. Or taken pleasure to vex, mortify, or provoke them?

9. Have I mocked or reproached them for their corporal or spiritual imperfections?

10. Have I been excessive in reprehending those under my care, or been wanting in giving them just reproof?

11. Have I borne with their oversights and imperfections, and given them good counsel?

12. Have I been solicitous for such as are under my charge; and provided for their souls and bodies?

III. IN RELATION TO YOURSELF.

1. Have I been obstinate in following my own will, or in defending my own opinion in things either indifferent, dangerous or scandalous?

2.

Have I taken pleasure in hearing myself praised, or acted from motives of vanity or human respect.

3. Have I indulged myself in too much ease and sloth, or any ways yielded to sensuality or impurity?

4. Has my conversation been edifying and moderate; or have I been forward, proud, or troublesome to others?

5. Have I spent over much time in recreation or useless employments, and thereby omitted or put off my devotions to unseasonable times?

6. Have I yielded to intemperance, rage, impatience, or jealousy?
Considerations to excite in our mind true contrition for our sins.

1. Place before yourself, as distinctly as you can, all the sins which you are going to confess.

2. Consider who God is, and how good and gracious He has been to you, whom you have so often and so much offended by these sins. He made you—

He made you for Himself, to know, love, and serve Him, and to be happy with Him for ever. He redeemed you by His blood. He has borne with you and waited for you so long. He it is who has called you and moved you to repentance. Why have you thus sinned against Him? Why have you been thus ungrateful? What more could He have done for you? Oh, be ashamed, and mourn, and hate yourself, because you have sinned against your Maker and your Redeemer, whom you ought to have loved above all things.

3. Consider the full consequences of even one mortal sin. By it you lose the grace of God. You destroy peace of conscience; you forfeit the felicity of heaven, for which you were created and redeemed; and you prepare for yourself eternal punishment. If we grieve for the loss of temporal and earthly things, how much more for those which are eternal and heavenly? If we grieve at the departure of a soul from the body, how much more at the death of a soul, which is the loss of the presence of the grace of God? "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" And "who

can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Who can endure to be cast out from the presence of God for ever?

4. Consider how great has been and is the love of God for you, if only from this, that He hath so long waited for you, and spared you, when He might have so justly cast you into hell. Behold Him fastened to the Cross for love of you! Behold Him pouring forth His Precious Blood to be a fountain to cleanse you from your sins! Hear Him saying, "I thirst," as it were with an ardent desire for your salvation. Behold Him stretching out His arms to embrace you, and expecting you, until you should come to yourself and turn unto Him, and throw yourself before Him, and say, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son. Let the consideration of these things touch your heart with love for Him who has so loved you, and love will beget true contrition, most acceptable to God.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION.

O Lord Jesus Christ, lover of our souls, who, for the great love wherewith Thou hast loved us, wouldst not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I have offended Thee, my most loving Father and Redeemer, unto whom all sin is infinitely displeasing; who hast so loved me that Thou didst shed Thy Blood for me, and endure the bitter torments of a most cruel death. O my God! O infinite Goodness! would that I had never offended Thee. Pardon me, O Lord Jesus, most humbly imploring Thy mercy. Have pity upon a sinner for whom Thy Blood pleads before the face of the Father.

O most merciful and forgiving Lord, for the love of Thee I forgive all who have ever offended me. I firmly resolve to forsake and flee from all sins, and to avoid the occasions of them; and to confess, in bitterness of spirit, all those sins which I have committed against Thy divine goodness, and to love Thee, O my God, for Thine own sake, above all things and for ever. Grant me grace so to do, O most gracious Lord Jesus.

ASPIRATIONS BEFORE OR AFTER CONFESSION.

My Lord and my God, I sincerely acknowledge myself a vile and wretched sinner, unworthy to appear in Thy presence; but do Thou have mercy on me, and save me.

Most loving Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am unworthy to be called Thy child; make me as one of Thy servants, and may I for the future be ever faithful to Thee.

It truly grieves me, O my God, to have sinned, and so many times transgressed Thy law; but wash me now from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. O loving Father, assist me by Thy grace, that I may bring forth worthy fruits of penance.

Oh, that I had never transgressed Thy commandments! Oh, that I had never sinned! Happy those souls who have preserved their innocence: oh, that I had been so happy!

But now I am resolved, with the help of Thy grace, to be more watchful over myself, to amend my failings, and fulfil Thy law. Look down on me with the eyes of mercy, O God, and blot out my sins.

Forgive me what is past, and through Thine infinite goodness, secure me, by Thy grace, against all my wonted failings for the time to come.

Thou didst come, O dear Redeemer, not to call the just, but sinners to repentance; behold a miserable sinner here before Thee: oh, draw me powerfully to Thyself.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my iniquities. Sprinkle me with Thy Precious Blood, and I shall be whiter than snow.

How great is Thy goodness, O Lord, in having so long spared such a worthless servant, and waited with so much patience for his amendment! What return shall I make for Thine infinite mercies? Oh, let this mercy be added to the rest, that I may never more offend Thee: this single favour I earnestly beg of Thee, O Lord, viz., that I may for the future renounce my own will to follow Thine.

Help me, O Lord my God, and have compassion on my sinful soul. Amen.

A THANKSGIVING AFTER CONFESSION.

O Almighty and most merciful God, who, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, hast vouchsafed once more to receive Thy prodigal child, after so many times going astray from Thee, and to admit me to this sacrament of reconciliation; I give Thee thanks with all the powers of my soul for this and all other mercies, graces, and blessings, bestowed on me; and prostrating myself at Thy sacred feet, I offer myself to be henceforth for ever Thine. Oh! let nothing in life or death ever separate me from Thee. I renounce with my whole soul all my treasons against Thee, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. I renew my promises made in baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself eternally to Thy love and service. Oh! grant that for the time to come I may abhor sin more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and company as have unhappily brought me to it. This I resolve to do, by the aid of Thy divine grace, without which I can do nothing. I beg Thy blessing upon these my resolutions, that they may not be ineffectual, like so many others I have formerly made, for, O Lord, without Thee I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply also, by thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent, through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen.

FORM OF ABSOLUTION.

The Priest, wearing surplice and violet stole, after imposing the penance to be performed by the penitent shall say, with his right hand uplifted:

May Almighty God have mercy upon you and forgive you your sins and bring you to everlasting life.

Amen.

ABSOLUTION.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath left power to His Church to Absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in Him, of His great mercy forgive thee thine offences: And by His authority committed to me, I Absolve thee from thy sins, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.