The CatholiCity Message
Volume VIII, Number 3 – April 14, 2004
Dear CatholiCity Citizen,
This month we offer you spiritual poetry, as well as a suggestion which ought to enrich your reception of Holy Communion for the rest of your days. Our theme is John Henry Cardinal Newman.
1. NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THE MOVIE...
For those of you who have seen The Movie, the Gospel readings on Palm Sunday were likely a richer spiritual experience. In a similar vein, there exists a prayer which hundreds of millions of Catholics have recited after receiving Communion in a tradition which extends back for centuries.
The name of this prayer in Latin is "Anima Christi." In English, "Soul of Christ." Here is the prayer in Latin:
Anima Christi, sanctificame
Corpus Christi, salva me
Sanguis Christi, inebria me
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me
Passio Christi, conforta me
O bone Jesu, exaudi me
Intratua vulnera absconde me
Ne permitas me separari a te
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me
Et jube me venire ad te
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te
In secula seculorum. Amen
NEWMAN'S OWN
As with the Saint Michael Prayer, there are several closely-related English translations floating around, with a version by Cardinal Newman considered perhaps the most poetic. This prayer is, in fact, an almost pristinely beautiful way of meditating upon The Passion of Christ.
A contemplative recitation of this prayer directly after receiving the Holy Eucharist can be truly mystical, especially if one adds the nitro of the prayer's beauty to the glycerin of Mr. Gibson's equally poetic cinematic imagery.
Be not misled: poetry aside, this is a gritty, carnal prayer.
DIAMONDS IN YOUR POCKET
Yet before we pray it together in just a bit, please ponder this suggestion:
Consider making a firm commitment to memorize the Anima Christi. Your goal should be to know this prayer as well as you know the Our Father and the Hail Mary. You will imbibe graces for the length of your life if you invest in this little bit of memorization.
Once memorized, you will also then be able to share it with other souls as if it were a diamond in your pocket. Hand this diamond out as easily as Easter candy.
We have posted the Anima Christi and other Top Shelf Diamond-Quality Catholic prayers on our Prayers & Devotions page:
http://www.catholicity.com/prayersdevotions/commonprayers.html
One final note. The Anima Christi was composed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who literally laid the spiritual foundations of the Jesuits, one of the most influential religious orders in the history of the world, upon the contemplation of the Passion of Christ. It is said that Saint Ignatius could not but gaze upon a Crucifix without being moved to tears of joy by his ardent desire to suffer and die in Our Lord in anticipation of heaven.
2. THE MAN WITH THE RED HAT
Also for Holy Week, we are featuring Father John McCloskey's wonderfully helpful article on Cardinal Newman, "The Apostolate of Personal Influence." Read it from our homepage in the Commentary and Opinion section:
VINNIE'S BASEMENT REDUX (VBR)
You cannot possibly know what VBR means, but you shall later this month when we offer you a Special Easter Gift in this Message.
QUOTE NOT USED IN THE MOVIE
"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us,' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23: 28-31)
2005 CATHOLIC FACT
Over 150,000 catechumens will officially become fully drenched in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church in the United States on Easter Sunday.
QUOTE FROM THE RED HAT
"..it is proposed to consider, whether the influence of Truth in the world at large does not arise from the personal influence, direct and indirect, of those who are commissioned to teach it. But, after all, (consider there) are few such Christians. What follows? They are enough to carry on God's noiseless work."
4. NOISELESS WORK?
On the small side, we recently redesigned our online ordering system for our free Catholic novels and CDs/tapes. It ought be much easier. That is, we hope it is much easier. We can't be sure until a bunch of you take our new online ordering webpages out for a "test drive." If you are in the mood for a little "noiseless work," (or simply need to stock up or finally try out our stuff), could you be so kind as to actually order something from us, then tell us about your own personal "ease-of-use experience" in the Comments section of the online order forms? Thanks.
To Test Drive Catholic CDs/Tapes:
https://secure.catholicity.com/order.html
To Test Drive Catholic Novels:
https://secure.catholicity.com/order.html
5. MYSTICAL BODY AGILITY
Let us then prepare, all 60,000 of us from over fifty countries all over the world, to pray together the Anima Christi prayer of Saint Ignatius. And we thus begin by making the Sign of the Cross, and praying "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...
Soul of Christ, make me holy
Body of Christ, be my salvation
Blood of Christ, let me drink your wine
Water flowing from the side of Christ, wash me clean
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
Kind Jesus, hear my prayer
Hide me within your wounds
And keep me close to you
Defend me from the evil enemy
And call me at the hour of my death
To the fellowship of your saints
That I might sing your praise with them
for all eternity, Amen."
And Amen. Gonna memorize it, eh?
If you wish, print it out and bring the Anima Christi with you to Easter Mass, so you can pray it after receiving Communion on that Glorious Day. At the least, please consider NOT deciding to NOT memorize it until after you've prayed it after receiving the Eucharist. May God bless you always. We remain...
With Christ,
Your Friends at CatholiCity
