St. Francis Borgia

Confessor

Semidouble

mtv

Common

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Dómine Jesu Christe, veræ humilitátis et exémplar et præmium : quæsumus ; ut, sicut beátum Francíscum in terréni honóris contémptu imitatórem tui gloriósum effecísti, ita nos ejúsdem imitatiónis et glóriæ tríbuas esse consórtes : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thine example teachest us true lowliness of heart, and art likewise the reward of them that follow the same : we pray thee ; that, like as thou didst give to thy blessed Francis grace gloriously to imitate thee in despising earthly honours, so thou wouldest render us partakers of his imitation of thee, and of the glory that he attained thereby.  Who livest and reignest with the Father.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

At Second Vespers of St. John Leonard, C.

Ant:  Similábo eum viro sapiénti, qui ædificávit domum suam supra petram.

Ant:  I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.

V.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum.
R.  Stolam glóriæ índuit eum.

V.  The Lord loved him, and adorned him.
R.  He clothed him with a robe of glory.

Oremus.
Dómine Jesu Christe, veræ humilitátis et exémplar et præmium : quæsumus ; ut, sicut beátum Francíscum in terréni honóris contémptu imitatórem tui gloriósum effecísti, ita nos ejúsdem imitatiónis et glóriæ tríbuas esse consórtes : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thine example teachest us true lowliness of heart, and art likewise the reward of them that follow the same : we pray thee ; that, like as thou didst give to thy blessed Francis grace gloriously to imitate thee in despising earthly honours, so thou wouldest render us partakers of his imitation of thee, and of the glory that he attained thereby.  Who livest and reignest with the Father.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Matins

The first part of Matins is in the Ordinary

Invitatory and Hymn

First Nocturn

Second Nocturn

Third Nocturn
 

First Nocturn

The Lessons for the First Nocturn are taken from the occurrent Scripture.  If, however, they are to be taken from the Common, they are read from that of a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 1,  Beatus vir.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of Confessors
 

Second Nocturn

Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity.
R.  Amen.

Francíscus, Gándiæ dux quartus, Joánne Bórgia et Joánna Aragónia Ferdinándi Cathólici nepte génitus, post puerílem ætátem inter domésticos mira innocéntia et pietáte transáctam, in aula primum Cároli quinti Cæsaris, mox in Cataláuniæ administratióne, admirabílior fuit christiánæ virtútis et vitæ austerióris exémplis.  Ad Granaténse sepúlcrum Isabéllam imperatrícem cum detulísset, in ejus vultu, fœde commutáto, mortálium ómnium caducitátem rélegens, voto se adstrínxit, rebus ómnibus, cum primum licéret, abjéctis, regum Regi únice inserviéndi.  Inde tantum virtútis increméntum fecit, ut, inter negotiórum turbas, religiósæ perfectiónis simíllimam imáginem réferens, miráculum príncipum appellarétur.

Francis, fourth Duke of Gandia, was the son of John Borgia, Duke of Gandia, and of Joan of Aragon, daughter of Alfonso, natural son to Ferdinand V surnamed the Catholic, King of Aragon.  He passed his boyhood at home in great innocence and godliness, and was still more remarkable for his Christian graces and the hardness of his living, at the Court of the Emperor Charles V, and as Viceroy of Catalónia.  The Empress Isabella died, and Francis, as master of her horse, was commanded to attend her body to Granada, where it was to be buried.  The sight of the awful change which death had made in her countenance so thrilled him with the thought of our mortality and corruption, that he bound himself by vow, as soon as he lawfully might, to give up all things, and to serve the King of kings only.  From that time he so advanced in Christian graces, that his life might be called the miracle of princes, shewing, in the midst of a vast mass of business, an image of perfection attained in a cloister.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.
V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.

R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God.
R.  And gave him perpetual glory.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal.
R.  Amen.

Mortua Eleonóra de Castro cónjuge ingréssus est societátem Jesu, ut in ea latéret secúrius et præclúderet dignitátibus áditum, interpósita voti religióne ; dignus, quem et viri príncipes complúres in amplecténdo severióri institúto fúerint secúti, et Cárolus quintus ipse in abdicándo império hortatórem sibi aut ducem exstitísse non diffiterétur.  In eo arctióris vitæ stúdio Francíscus jejúniis, caténis férreis, aspérrimo cilício, cruéntis longísque verberatiónibus, somno brevíssimo, corpus ad extrémam usque máciem redégit, nullis prætérea parcens labóribus ad sui victóriam et ad salútem animárum.  Tot ítaque instrúctus virtútibus, a sancto Ignátio primum generális commissárius in Hispániis, nec multo post præpósitus generális tértius a societáte univérsa, licet invítus, elígitur.  Quo in múnere princípibus ac summis Pontifícibus prudéntia ac morum sanctitáte appríme carus, præter complúra vel cóndita vel aucta ubíque domicília, sócios in regnum Polóniæ, in ínsulas Océani, in Mexicánam et Peruánam províncias invéxit ; missis quoque in álias regiónes apostólicis viris, qui prædicatióne, sudóribus, sánguine fidem cathólicam Románam propagárunt.

His wife, Eleanora of Castille, died and he entered the Society of Jesus, that therein he might hide himself more safely, and bar by the obligation of a vow the path to dignities.  He was the worthy leader of many princes who have embraced a life of hardship, and Charles V himself when he resigned the Empire did not deny that he had been moved and shewn the way by Francis.  In his struggle after austerity Francis, by fasting, by iron chains, by the roughest of haircloth, by long and bloody flagellations, and by denying himself any but very little sleep, reduced his body to the last degree, but would still spare no toil to overcome himself and to save souls.  Thus full of ghostly strength, he was appointed by holy Ignatius Commissary-General of the Society in Spain, Portugal, and the Indies, and notwithstanding all the precautions he could take to prevent it, he was chosen by the general Congregation of the Society to be General, being the third who held that office.  In this position his wisdom and holiness of life greatly endeared him to Princes and Popes, and besides founding or enlarging very many houses in divers places, he sent brethren into the kingdom of Poland, into the islands of the Ocean, and into the provinces of Mexico and Peru, and into other lands also Apostolic men who spread the Roman Catholic faith by their preaching, their sweat, and their blood.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.
V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum.
R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.

R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.
V.  The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him.
R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love.
R.  Amen.

De se ita demísse sentiébat, ut peccatóris nomen sibi próprium fáceret.  Románam púrpuram, a summis Pontifícibus sæpius oblátam, invícta humilitátis constántia recusávit.  Vérrere sordes, emendicáre victum ostiátim, ægris ministráre in nosocomíis, mundi ac sui contémptor, in delíciis hábuit.  Síngulis diébus multas continénter horas, frequénter octo, quandóque decem, dabat cæléstium contemplatióni.  Cénties quotídie de genu Deum adorábat.  Numquam a sacrificándo abstínuit, prodebátque sese divínus quo æstuábat ardor, ejus vultu, sacram Hóstiam offeréntis aut concionántis, intérdum radiánte.  Sanctíssimum Christi corpus in Eucharístia latens ubi asservarétur, instínctu cælésti sentiébat.  Cardináli Alexandríno, ad conjungéndos contra Turcas, christiános príncipes, legáto comes ádditus a beáto Pio quinto, árduum iter, fractis jam pene víribus, suscépit ex obediéntia ; in qua et vitæ cursum Romæ, ut optárat, felíciter consummávit, anno ætátis suæ sexagésimo secúndo, salútis vero millésimo quingentésimo septuagésimo secúndo.  A sancta Terésia, quæ ejus utebátur consíliis, vir sanctus, a Gregório décimo tértio fidélis adminíster appellátus ; demum a Cleménte décimo, plúribus magnísque clarus miráculis, in Sanctórum númerum est adscríptus.

He thought so little of himself that he gave himself the nickname of Francis the sinner.  By the Popes he was oftentimes offered the dignity of Cardinal of the Roman Church, but the lowly firmness with which he refused it could never be overcome.  In his cheap esteem of the world and of himself his chief pleasures were to clean the house, to beg for food from door to door, and to wait upon the sick in hospitals.  He spent many hours every day, oftentimes eight and sometimes ten, in prayer and meditation.  An hundred times every day he worshipped God upon his knees.  He never missed the opportunity of offering the Holy Liturgy, and the fire from God which burnt within him sometimes shone forth in his countenance when he was lifting the Sacred Host, or preaching.  By an inward power given him from God he could tell where the most Holy Body of Christ, under the Eucharistic veils, was kept.  The blessed Pius V sent Francis with the Cardinal Alessandrino on an embassy to unite the Christian princes against Turkey.  His vital strength was then nearly worn out, but, through obedience, he undertook the toil of the journey.  He became much worse during the travelling, and on his return brought to a blessed end at Rome, as had been his desire, the pilgrimage of this life, in the sixty-second year of his own life, and that of salvation 1572.  Holy Teresa, who used his advice, called him an holy man, and Gregory XIII, a faithful servant.  He was famous for many and great signs and wonders, and Clement X at last numbered him among the Saints.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Iste homo perfécit ómnia quæ locútus est ei Deus, et dixit ad eum : Ingrédere in réquiem meam : * Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.

R.  This is he which did according to all that God commanded him ; and God said unto him : Enter thou into my rest : * For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  This is he which despised his life in this world, and is come unto an everlasting kingdom.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.

If this Feast be reduced to the rank of Simple, and Lesson IX of this Feast is to be said according to the Rubrics, the following abbreviated version may be used.

Francíscus, Gándiæ dux quartus, in aula Cároli quinti Cæsaris, vitæ integritáte primum cláruit.  Ad Granaténse vero sepúlcrum Isabéllam imperatrícem cum detulísset in ejus vultu, fœde commutáto, mortálium ómnium caducitátem rélegens, voto se adstrínxit, rebus ómnibus abjéctis, regum Regi únice inserviéndi.  Mórtua ígitur Eleonóra de Castro cónjuge, Societáti Jesu nomen dedit.  A sancto Ignátio generális commissárius in Hispániis factus, paulo post præpósitus generális tértius a Societáte univérsa, licet invítus, elígitur.  Cardináli Alexandríno, ad conjungéndos contra Turcas christiános príncipes legáto, comes a beáto Pio Papa quinto ádditus, cum árduum iter suscepísset ex obediéntia, vitæ tamen cursum Romæ, ut optárat, felíciter consummávit, anno salútis millésimo quingentésimo septuagésimo secúndo.  A Cleménte décimo in Sanctórum númerum est adscríptus.

Francis, fourth Duke of Gandia, was first famed for the holiness of his life at the court of Emperor Charles V.  But when he was sent to Granada to the burial of Queen Isabella and read in her face, changed by decay, the fate of all things mortal, he bound himself by vow to leave everything and serve only the King of heaven.  Accordingly, after the death of his wife, Eleanor of Castile, he entered the Society of Jesus.  St. Ignatius made him Commissary-General in Spain and a little later he was chosen, albeit against his will, to be the third General of the whole Society.  St. Pius V appointed him as an aid to his legate, Cardinal Allessandrino, in a mission to unite the Christian princes against the Turks.  Out of obedience, he undertook the difficult journey ; but it was at Rome, as he had wished, that he happily completed the course of his life in the year of salvation 1572.  Clement X numbered him among the Saints.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

After the conclusion of the Second Nocturn, the Third Nocturn is begun according to the current weekday, as given in the table below.

Third Nocturn

In the Third Nocturn, the Gospel Homily Ecce nos reliquimus is read from the Common of Abbots, Series 1.

Gospel Homily from Common of Abbots
 

Lauds

V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
R.  Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.

V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R.  And shewed him the kingdom of God.

Ad Bened. Ant:  Euge, serve bone * et fidélis, quia in pauca fuísti fidélis, supra multa te constítuam, intra in gáudium Dómini tui.

Ant. on Bened:  Well done, good and faithful servant: * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Dómine Jesu Christe, veræ humilitátis et exémplar et præmium : quæsumus ; ut, sicut beátum Francíscum in terréni honóris contémptu imitatórem tui gloriósum effecísti, ita nos ejúsdem imitatiónis et glóriæ tríbuas esse consórtes : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thine example teachest us true lowliness of heart, and art likewise the reward of them that follow the same : we pray thee ; that, like as thou didst give to thy blessed Francis grace gloriously to imitate thee in despising earthly honours, so thou wouldest render us partakers of his imitation of thee, and of the glory that he attained thereby.  Who livest and reignest with the Father.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH