Confessor

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COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Deus, qui beátum Petrum Confessórem tuum admirábilis pœniténtiæ et altíssimæ contemplatiónis múnere illustráre dignátus es : da nobis, quæsumus ; ut, ejus suffragántibus méritis, carne mortificáti, facílius cæléstia capiámus.  Per Dóminum nostrum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst vouchsafe to adorn thy blessed Confessor Peter with many excellent gifts of penitence and prayer : grant, we pray thee ; that by his merits and intercession we may be enabled so to mortify all earthly and carnal desires that we may readily attain to things celestial.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

At Second Vespers of St. Luke the Evangelist

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.
Deus, qui beátum Petrum Confessórem tuum admirábilis pœniténtiæ et altíssimæ contemplatiónis múnere illustráre dignátus es : da nobis, quæsumus ; ut, ejus suffragántibus méritis, carne mortificáti, facílius cæléstia capiámus.  Per Dóminum nostrum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst vouchsafe to adorn thy blessed Confessor Peter with many excellent gifts of penitence and prayer : grant, we pray thee ; that by his merits and intercession we may be enabled so to mortify all earthly and carnal desires that we may readily attain to things celestial.  Through.

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.

Petrus, Alcántaræ in Hispánia nobílibus paréntibus natus, a téneris annis futúræ sanctitátis indícia præbuit.  Décimo sexto ætátis anno órdinem Minórum ingréssus, se ómnium virtútum exémplar exhíbuit.  Tum munus concionatóris ex obediéntia exércens, innúmeros a vítiis ad veram pœniténtiam tradúxit.  Primævum sancti Francísci institútum exactíssime reparáre cúpiens, ope divína fretus et apostólica munítus auctoritáte, angustíssimum et paupérrimum cœnóbium juxta Pedrósum fundávit ; quod vitæ genus aspérrimum, ibi felíciter cœptum, per divérsas Hispániæ províncias usque ad Indias mirífice propagátum fuit.  Sanctæ Terésiæ, cujus probáverat spíritum, in promovénda Carmelitárum reformatióne adjútor fuit.  Ipsa autem, a Deo edócta quod Petri nómine nihil quisquam péteret quin prótinus exaudirétur, ejus précibus se commendáre et ipsum, adhuc vivéntem, sanctum appelláre consuévit.

Peter was born at Alcántara in Spain, to parents of good extraction.  The holiness of his life was foreshadowed from his earliest years.  In the sixteenth year of his age he entered the Order of Friars Minor, wherein he shewed himself a pattern to all.  He undertook the work of preaching in obedience to his Superiors, and thereby brought many to turn away from sin to true repentance.  He conceived a great desire to bring back the observance of the Rule of St. Francis to the uttermost straitness of old times, and to that end, supported by God's help, and armed with the approval of the Apostolic See, he founded a new stern and poor house near Pedroso, from which the harder way of life, therein happily begun, spread marvellously through divers Provinces of Spain even to the Indies.  He was an helper to holy Teresa, with whom he was like-minded, in bringing about the Reformation of the Carmelites.  She was taught of God that no one should ask anything in the name of Peter without being heard, and was used to ask him to pray for her, and to call him a Saint while as he was yet alive.

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.

Princípium obséquia, qui ipsum velut oráculum consulébant, summa humilitáte declínans, Cárolo quinto imperatóri a confessiónibus esse recusávit.  Paupertátis rigidíssimus custos, una túnica, qua nulla detérior esset, conténtus erat.  Puritátem ita cóluit, ut a fratre in extrémo morbo sibi inserviénte ne léviter quidem tangi passus sit.  Corpus suum perpétuis vigíliis, jejúniis, flagéllis, frigóre, nuditáte atque omni génere asperitátum in servitútem redégit ; cum quo pactum iníerat ne ullam in hoc sæculo ei réquiem præbéret.  Cáritas Dei et próximi, in ejus corde diffúsa, tantum quandóque excitábat incéndium, ut e cellæ angústiis in apértum campum prosilíre, aërísque refrigério concéptum ardórem temperáre cogerétur.

He humbly excused himself from accepting the courtesies of princes, by whom his advice was sought as that of an oracle, and declined to become the Confessor of the Emperor Charles V.  He was a very careful keeper to poverty, and contented himself with a single tunic than which none was worse.  Purity he carried to such a point that when he was lying sick of his last illness, he would not allow the brother who ministered to him to touch him, how lightly soever.  He brought his body into bondage by unceasing watching, fasting, scourging, cold, nakedness, and all manner of hardships, having made it a promise never to allow it any rest in this world.  The love of God and his neighbour, which was shed abroad in his heart, somewhiles burnt so that he was fain to run from his cell into the open air to cool himself.

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.

Grátia contemplatiónis admirábilis in eo fuit : qua cum assídue spíritus reficerétur, intérdum áccidit ut ab omni cibo et potu plúribus diébus abstinúerit.  In áëra frequénter sublátus, miro fulgóre coruscáre visus est.  Rápidos flúvios sicco pede trajécit.  Fratres in extréma penúria, cælitus deláta alimónia, cibávit.  Báculus, ab ipso terræ defíxus, mox in víridem ficúlneam excrévit.  Cum noctu iter ágeret, densa nive cadénte, dírutam domum sine tecto ingréssus est, eíque nix in áëre péndula pro tecto fuit, ne illíus cópia suffocarétur.  Dono prophetíæ ac discretiónis spirítuum imbútum fuísse sancta Terésia testátur.  Dénique, annum agens sexagésimum tértium, hora qua prædíxerat, migrávit ad Dóminum, mirábili visióne Sanctorúmque præséntia confortátus.  Quem eódem moménto in cælum ferri beáta Terésia procul distans vidit ; cui póstea appárens dixit : O felix pœniténtia, quæ tantam mihi proméruit glóriam!  Post mortem vero plúrimis miráculis cláruit, et a Cleménte nono Sanctórum número adscríptus est.

It was marvellous how his thoughts became altogether rapt in God, so that somewhiles it befell that he neither ate nor drank for the space of several days.  He was oftentimes seen to rise into the air, shining with an unearthly glory.  He passed dry-shod over torrents.  When his brethren were in the last state of need, he fed them with food from heaven.  A staff which he fixed in the earth grew presently into a green fig-tree.  Once while he was travelling by night in the midst of an heavy snowstorm, and took refuge in a ruined and roofless house, then the falling snow made a roof over him lest he should be overwhelmed.  Holy Teresa beareth witness that he had the gift of prophecy and of the discerning of spirits.  At length, in the 63rd year of his own age, at the hour which he had himself foretold, he passed away to be for ever with the Lord, cheered in his last moments by a wonderful vision and by the presence of Saints.  At the instant of his death, blessed Teresa, then afar off, saw him carried to heaven.  He appeared to her afterwards, and said : O what happy penance, to have won for me such glory!  After his death he became famous for very many miracles, and Clement IX inscribed his name among those of 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.

Petrus Alcántaræ in Hispánia nobílibus paréntibus natus, décimo sexto ætátis anno órdinem Minórum ingréssus, se ómnium virtútum, præcípue paupertátis et castitátis, exémplar exhíbuit et innúmeros, verbi Dei prædicatióne, a vítiis ad pœniténtiam tradúxit.  Primævum sancti Francísci institútum reparáre studens, in angustíssimo et paupérrimo cœnóbio, juxta Pedrósum exstrúcto, aspérrimum vitæ genus felíciter incépit, quod deínde mirífice propagátum est.  Sanctæ Terésiæ, cujus probáverat spíritum et a qua sanctus vivens passim vocabátur, in promovénda Carmelitárum reformatióne adjútor fuit.  Contemplatiónis et miraculórum grátia insígnem, dono prophetíæ ac discretiónis spirítuum imbútum fuísse éadem sancta Terésia testátur.  Dénique, annum agens sexagésimum tértium, migrávit in cælum.  Quem beáta Terésia mirábili glória renidéntem per visum conspéxit.

Born of noble parents at Alcántara in Spain, Peter entered the Order of Friars Minor at the age of sixteen.  He shewed himself a model of all virtues, especially poverty and chastity, and brought numberless men from vice to repentance by preaching the word of God.  Eager to restore the original observance of St. Francis, he built a very small and very poor monastery near Pedroso.  The way of life there was of the strictest, and from this auspicious beginning it spread in a remarkable way.  He was a help to St. Teresa in promoting the Carmelite reform, having approved the spirit in which she had begun it.  Teresa often referred to him as a saint even while he was still living ; and we learn from her that he was famous for the grace of contemplation and miracles, and was imbued with the gift of prophecy and of the discernment of spirits.  Finally he went to heaven in his sixty-third year, and blessed Teresa saw him in a vision, shining with wonderful glory.

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

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

The Tomb of St. Peter of Alcantara, Arenas, Spain

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 Nolite timere is read from the Common of Confessors, Series 2.

Gospel Homily from Common of Confessors
 

Lauds

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.
Deus, qui beátum Petrum Confessórem tuum admirábilis pœniténtiæ et altíssimæ contemplatiónis múnere illustráre dignátus es : da nobis, quæsumus ; ut, ejus suffragántibus méritis, carne mortificáti, facílius cæléstia capiámus.  Per Dóminum nostrum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst vouchsafe to adorn thy blessed Confessor Peter with many excellent gifts of penitence and prayer : grant, we pray thee ; that by his merits and intercession we may be enabled so to mortify all earthly and carnal desires that we may readily attain to things celestial.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Vespers from the Chapter onwards of the following day.  Commemoration of the preceding day.