ITINERARIUM
Or Invoking God's Blessing When Starting on a Journey.
A cleric when starting on a journey says the following in the singular if he is to travel alone; but in the plural if he has companions:
Antiphon: May the almighty and merciful Lord lead us in the way of peace and prosperity. May the Angel Raphael be our companion on the journey and bring us back to our homes in peace, health, and happiness.
Then the Canticle of Zachary is said; and after the canticle the above antiphon is repeated. Then the priest continues:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
- P: And lead us not into temptation.
- All: But deliver us from evil.
- P: Save Your servants.
- All: Who trust in You, my God.
- P: Lord, send us aid from Your holy place.
- All: And watch over us from Sion.
- P: Let us find in You, Lord, a fortified tower.
- All: In the face of the enemy.
- P: Let the enemy have no power over us.
- All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm us.
- P: May the Lord be praised at all times.
- All: May God, our helper, grant us a happy journey.
- P: Lord, show us Your ways.
- All: And lead us along Your paths.
- P: Oh, that our life be bent.
- All: On keeping Your precepts.
- P: For the crooked ways will be made straight.
- All: And the rough places plain.
- P: God has given His angels charge over you.
- All: To guard you in all your undertakings.
- P: Lord, heed my prayer.
- All: And let my cry be heard by You.
- P: The Lord be with you.
- All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God, who led the children of Israel dry-shod through the sea, and showed the way to the three Magi by the guidance of a star; grant us, we pray, a happy journey and peaceful days, so that, with Your holy angel as our guide, we may safely reach our destination and finally come to the haven of everlasting salvation.God, who led Your servant, Abraham, out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and kept him safe in all his wanderings; may it please You, we pray, also to watch over us, Your servants. Be to us, Lord, a help in our preparations, comfort on the way, shade in the heat, shelter in the rain and cold, a carriage in tiredness, a shield in adversity, a staff in insecurity, a haven in accident; so that under Your guidance we may happily reach our destination, and finally return safe to our homes.
Lord, we beg You to hear our request that You guide the steps of Your servants along the path of well-being that comes from You, and that in the midst of this fickle world we may always live under Your protection.
Grant, we pray, O Almighty God, that Your party of travellers find a safe route; and heeding the admonitions of blessed John, the precursor, come finally to Him whom John foretold, Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
- P: Let us go forth in peace.
- All: In the name of the Lord. Amen.
MEALS
Before the Noonday Meal
The priest, or the father of the family, who is to bless the table says:
- P: Bless the Lord.
- All: Bless the Lord.
- P: The eyes of all hope in You, Lord.
- All: You give them food in due time. You open Your hand and fill all creatures with Your blessing. Glory be to the Father, etc.
- P: Lord, have mercy.
- All: Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
- P: Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
- P: And lead us not into temptation.
- All: But deliver us from evil.
- P: Let us pray. Bless us, O Lord, and these Your gifts which we are about to receive from Your bounty; through Christ our Lord.
- All: Amen.
One of the family: Please, Father, give us a blessing.
- P: May the King of everlasting glory give us a place at His heavenly table.
- All: Amen.
After the Noonday Meal
If there has been reading at table the reader concludes "But You, O Lord, have mercy on us. All: Thanks be to God." Then all rise.
- P: Let all Your works praise You, O Lord.
- All: Let all Your saints glorify You. Glory be to the Father, etc.
- P: We give You thanks, almighty God, for all Your benefits; You who live and reign forever and ever.
- All: Amen.
- P: Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify Him, all you peoples.
- All: His love for us is enduring; He is faithful forever.
- P: Glory be to the Father.
- All: As it was in the beginning.
- P: Lord, have mercy.
- All: Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
- P: Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
- P: And lead us not into temptation.
- All: But deliver us from evil.
- P: He has been generous to the poor.
- All: His goodness is everlasting.
- P: I will bless the Lord at all times.
- All: His praises are ever on my lips.
- P: My soul will exult in the Lord.
- All: The meek will hear it with gladness.
- P: Praise the Lord with me.
- All: Let us heighten our praise of His name.
- P: Blessed be the name of the Lord.
- All: Both now and forevermore.
- P: Lord, be pleased to award everlasting life to all who do good to us in Your name.
- All: Amen.
- P: Let us bless the Lord.
- All: Thanks be to God.
- P: May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
- All: Amen.
Then an Our Father may be said silently, after which this conclusion is added:
- P: May the Lord grant us His peace.
- All: Amen.
Before the Evening Meal
- P: Bless the Lord.
- All: Bless the Lord.
- P: The poor will eat and receive their fill.
- All: Those who seek the Lord will praise Him and will live forever. Glory be to the Father, etc.
- P: Lord, have mercy.
- All: Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
- P: Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
- P: And lead us not into temptation.
- All: But deliver us from evil.
- P: Let us pray. Bless us, O Lord, and these Your gifts which we are about to receive from Your bounty; through Christ our Lord.
- All: Amen.
One of the family: Please, Father, give us a blessing.
- P: May the King of everlasting glory bring us to His heavenly banquet.
- All: Amen.
After the Evening Meal
- P: The kind and compassionate Lord has left us a memorial of His wondrous deeds.
- All: He has given food to all who live in holy fear. Glory be to the Father, etc.
- P: Blessed is God in His gifts and holy in all His works; He who lives and reigns forever and ever.
- All: Amen.
Then they alternate in saying Ps. 116 "Praise the Lord, all you nations" and the rest as given above after the noonday meal.
If only one meal is taken the prayers are those of the evening meal.
The preceding manner of blessing and giving thanks at meals is used at all times of the year, except on the days noted below, when there are some variations.
On the Feast of Christmas until supper on the eve of Epiphany exclusive
- P: The Word was made flesh, alleluia.
- All: And dwelt among us, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as above.
At the end of the meal:
- P: The Lord has manifested Himself to us, alleluia.
- All: The Savior has appeared to us, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as above.
On Epiphany and throughout the following week
Before and after meals:
- P: The kings of Tarsis and the islands pay tribute, alleluia.
- All: The kings of Arabia and Saba bring gifts, alleluia.
And the rest as above.
On Maundy Thursday
Before meals:
- P: For our sake Christ was obedient unto death.
Then the Our Father is said silently by all; after which the priest makes the sign of the cross over the table without saying anything.
- P: For our sake Christ was obedient unto death.
- P: Have mercy on me, God, in Your goodness; in the greatness of Your compassion wipe out my offense.
- All: Thoroughly wash me of my guilt, and cleanse me of my sin.
The rest of psalm 50 can be said; but the doxology is:
- P: Lord, we beg You to look with favor on this family of yours, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be handed over to wicked men and to submit to death on the cross.
Then all say the Our Father silently; the rest is omitted.
On Good Friday
At both meals all is said as on Maundy Thursday, except that the versicle is:
- P: For our sake Christ was obedient unto death, even to death on the cross.
On Holy Saturday
Before the noonday meal:
- P: For our sake Christ was obedient unto death, even to death on the cross.
- All: This is why God has exalted Him, and given Him the name above all names.
The rest as on Maundy Thursday
After the noonday meal: the same versicle and response is said as before the meal; then follow the verses of psalm 50 as above on Maundy Thursday. Lastly the priest says:
Grant, we beg You, almighty God, that we who devoutly anticipate the resurrection of Your Son may partake of the glory of His resurrection.
Then all say the Our Father silently; the rest is omitted.
Before the evening meal:
- P: The chief priests and the Pharisees went and secured the grave.
- All: By sealing the slab and setting the guard.
The rest as on Maundy Thursday
After the evening meal the same versicle and response is said as before the meal; then follow the verses of psalm 116:
- P: Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify Him, all you peoples.
- All: His love for us is enduring; He is faithful forever.
After this the Our Father is said silently; and then the prayer "Grant, we beg You, almighty God" as after the noonday meal.
On Easter and throughout the octave
Before meals:
- P: This day was made by the Lord, alleluia.
- All: We rejoice and are glad, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as under Blessing at Meals.
After meals:
The same versicle and response are said as before the meal, and the rest is the same as Blessing at Meals.
On Ascension and throughout the following week
Before meals:
- P: God mounts His throne amid shouts of joy, alleluia.
- All: The Lord rises on high amid trumpet blast, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as Blessing at Meals.
After meals:
- P: Christ rises on high, alleluia.
- All: He leads the onetime captives to freedom, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as Blessing at Meals.
On Pentecost
Starting on the eve and throughout the octave.
Before meals:
- P: The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world, alleluia.
- All: He sustains all things and knows man's words, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as Blessing at Meals.
After meals:
- P: They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, alleluia.
- All: They spoke in foreign tongues, alleluia. Glory be to the Father, etc., and the rest as Blessing at Meals.
HOME ENTHRONEMENT OF THE SACRED HEART
His Eminence Albert Cardinal Meyer, in a televised talk given on May 31, 1964, said: "The enthronement of the Sacred Heart in a home is not just a pretty ceremony once performed and then forgotten. It is a way of life. It is the official and social recognition of the loving kingship of the Heart of Jesus in a Christian family." The Cardinal also noted that the presence of a priest is not necessary at the enthronement; that the father of the family may conduct the ceremony; but that if a priest were present he could bless the picture or statue of the Sacred Heart during the rite. The present suggested ceremony may be adapted according to circumstances, depending on whether a priest or the father of the family presides at the enthronement.
On entering the home the priest sprinkles holy water in the living room and on the members of the family, saying:
Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Have mercy on me, God in Your great kindness. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
- All: As it was in the beginning, etc.
- P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
- All: Who made heaven and earth.
- P: Lord, heed my prayer.
- All: And let my cry be heard by You.
- P: The Lord be with you.
- All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in Your goodness send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who live in this home, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, as I, in all humility, enter this home, let there enter with me abiding happiness and God's choicest blessings. Let serene joy pervade this home and charity abound here and health never fail. Let no evil spirits approach this place but drive them far away. Let Your angels of peace take over and put down all wicked strife. Teach us, O Lord, to recognize the majesty of Your holy name. Sanctify our humble visit and bless what we are about to do; You who are holy, You who are kind, You who abide with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.All: Amen.