against evil — composed by Pope Leo XIII after a vision.
Catholics Pray it after Mass in some
Parishes and on Michælmas (29 September).
The origin of this Prayer is one of the
most dramatic episodes in modern Church history.
According to multiple accounts, on 13 October 1884 — exactly thirty-three years before the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima — Pope Leo XIII had a profound and terrifying mystical experience immediately after Mass in the Vatican.
The Pope suddenly stopped at the
foot of the Altar, his face drained of colour.
He stood motionless for about ten minutes, staring into the distance. Those present feared he had died or suffered a stroke. When he finally came to himself, he went directly to his office and composed the Prayer to Saint Michael.
The harsh voice was that of Satan, boasting to God that he could destroy the Church if given enough time and power.
Satan asked for seventy-five to one hundred years to do his worst. God granted the request. The gentle voice was that of Christ, assuring that His Church would prevail.
Whether this account is entirely accurate in every detail,
the historical fact is undeniable: Pope Leo XIII was so shaken by what he experienced that he immediately composed a Prayer calling on the greatest Warrior of Heaven for the Church’s defence [Editor: Saint Michæl].
Today, many Parishes have restored the Prayer to Saint Michael after Mass, and it is widely Prayed by individuals, families, and groups, as a daily protection against evil.
Saint Michael is one of only three Angels named in Sacred Scripture (along with Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael).
His name in Hebrew means “Who is like God ?” —
a battle cry, not a question.
It is the declaration he made when he led
the Heavenly Host against Lucifer and the
rebellious Angels at the beginning of time.
Scripture assigns Saint Michæl four distinct roles that
make him uniquely suited to be the Protector of The Church:
Warrior: In Revelation 12:7-9, Saint Michæl leads
the Angels in battle against the Dragon (Satan) and casts
him out of Heaven. He is the Commander of the Armies of God.
Protector of God’s People: In Daniel 10:13 and 12:1,
Saint Michæl is called “the great Prince who stands guard over your people.” He is the guardian of Israel — and, by extension, of The Church, the new Israel.
Weigher of Souls: In ancient Christian Tradition, Saint Michæl accompanies Souls at the moment of death and presents them before God’s judgement. He is the Angel of “The Last Things”.
Guardian of The Church: The Church has always understood Saint Michæl as her special protector, the one who stands between The Faithful and The Powers of Darkness.
Pray it with Faith, not as a magic formula. The Prayer
works not because of the words themselves but because
of the Faith and Trust in God that animates them.
Saint Michael is a Servant of God — he acts in response
to God’s Will and the Faith of those who call on him.
The Catholic Church has always taught that spiritual
warfare is real. The Catechism states clearly: “The
whole of man’s history has been the story of dour
combat with The Powers of Darkness” (CCC 409).
Satan is not a myth or metaphor — he is a real
personal being who seeks the destruction of Souls.
Those seeking to create a more Reverent and Prayerful approach to The Sacred Liturgy often give great focus to The Liturgy, itself; but a Reverent and Prayerful Liturgy doesn’t begin with the ringing of the Bell at the beginning of Mass; it begins in the Pews and in the Sacristy before Mass even begins.
Wander in to many a Sacristy, today, and you could be forgiven for thinking it is little more than the Ecclesiastical equivalent of a Locker Room.
It is not uncommon for the Servers to be joking around, for Laity to be coming in and out to catch up with the Priest, for Priests to be visiting with one another, and so forth.
Discussions surrounding sporting events, work, upcoming dinner engagements, the weather, or practical Parish discussion abound.
No doubt, most of us have participated in this to one degree or another — myself included — and, in a culture that is often devoid of silence, this is hardly a surprise, it is rather a symptom.
Human nature being what it is, we cannot simply turn off one disposition and turn on another, like a light switch, and, if the climate in the Sacristy is one of socialising and camaraderie (good things within the right context) rather than mindfulness and Prayer, this will hardly be conducive to proper preparation for either the Priest or the Servers - and it is liable to seep into The Liturgy, itself.
By contrast, if you enter a Traditional Roman Sacristy, you will find the following command and reminder prominently hung from the Sacristy's walls:
This single word is a powerful reminder that the Sacristy is not a social place; rather, the Sacristy is a place of Prayerful preparation; it is an echo and extension of The Liturgy, itself. This “echo” is something that we must regain, and it is not solely through this practice of silence that it will be regained, but also through associated Ceremonial actions that Traditionally take place there.
With that in mind, let's take a quick look at some things that could be done to reclaim our Sacristies.
1. Post the “SILENTIVM” sign in The Sacristy.
Catechise Around It.
And Begin To Practice It.
It all begins with silence. So, in the first instance, I would recommend posting the aforementioned sign in your Sacristy and — importantly — provide some Catechesis around it. Set clear expectations and give the underlying reasons for this custom.
The Sacristy of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome. (Source)
This sign should be placed inside the main part of the Sacristy (though one could also be posted outside, of course).
If you wish this to be taken seriously, the amount of effort you do or do not put into this signage will speak volumes about how important it really is or is not.
Using your home or office printer and tacking your print-off onto the wall will have less effect than a proper sign.
My own recommendation would be to get a sign properly made up, which then has some permanence to it.
This should really be fairly simple and inexpensive to accomplish and examples abound on the Internet, if you want to look for some ideas.
Then, of course, you must actually pursue the practice. There is, typically, a reasonable progression in these things.
In the Sacristy, outside of Mass times, this matter of silence is obviously less strict.
As the hour of Mass approaches, however, the Cloistral hush should begin to take a firmer hold, beginning at first with hushed tones and moving into near total silence and whispers once the Clerics begin to Vest.
At this point as well, the Servers should be at full attention; their Serving role has now already begun, even though the first Bell of The Mass has yet to be rung.
Speaking of which, I would note that the Vesting Prayers should be mounted in the Sacristy in the place where the Priest Vests.
Typically, these are printed and framed. Not only is this beneficial to the Priest, but all of these elements combine to set the tone of the Sacristy.
Prayers for Altar Servers have also been created by organisations like The Guild of Saint Stephen, and these could, likewise, be posted, and that practice promoted amongst the Servers by the Priest or M.C.
2. Laying Out The Vestments And Assisting In The Vesting.
Another one of the rich Traditions of the Sacristy that not only constitutes an art in its own right, but which is also Ceremonial in nature, is that of the laying out of the Vestments in a particular order.
This method has both a symbolic connotation (for example, forming an “IHS”) and also a practical benefit: Namely, assisting the Priest in his act of Vesting.
This is typically done by the Servers (or Sacristan) and, in my experience, the Servers quite enjoy learning and participating in these Ceremonial aspects.
They become part of the art and knowledge of Serving at the Altar.
What’s more, these sorts of activities help to give them focus and maintain the appropriate disposition in the Sacristy in preparation for Mass.
Closely related to this, Servers will also often assist the Priest as he Vests and Prays The Vesting Prayers, helping him to get his Alb on properly, ensuring that the Vestments are on straight and the like.
In this regard, there are similarities to be found here, loosely speaking, between this and the Vesting of the Bishop in the Solemn Pontifical Mass.
If you don’t think all of this sets a particular tone in the Sacristy, you would be mistaken.
3. The Sacristy Crucifix.
One final piece, that I would mention, is that of The Cross at The Final Blessing.
The Crucifix is an important feature of any Traditional Sacristy and it should be prominent.
Traditionally, the Priest and Servers will bow to The Cross as they prepare to leave the Sacristy at the beginning of Mass, and they will also do so at the end of Mass, before they “divest”.
If your Sacristy does not have a Cross in it, make sure to add one, and also begin these customs of acknowledging The Cross before and after Mass with the Servers.
Something as simply as this helps to facilitate a more Prayerful environment that flows to and from the Sacred Liturgy.
The reality is that a great deal more could be said on this subject, but I hope that these three very simple suggestions might serve as a starting point for the process of re-shaping and re-claiming our Sacristies.
Text from “The Liturgical Year”. By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B. Volume 14. Time After Pentecost. Book V.
Althought the Solemnity of 29 September Celebrates the praises of all the Nine Glorious Choirs of Heaven, yet the piety of The Faithful, in the latter ages, desired to have a special day Consecrated to The Guardian Angels.
Several Churches having taken the initiative, and kept the Feast under various Rites and on different days, Pope Paul V (1608) authorised the Celebration “ad libitum”.
Pope Clement X (1670) established it by precept as a Feast of Double Rite [Editor: It has been a Greater-Double since 1883] on 2 October, the first free day after Michaelmas, on which it thus remains in some way dependent.
It is of Faith, on the testimony of the Scriptures and of unanimous Tradition, that God commits to His Angels the guardianship of men, who are called to contemplate Him together with these Blessed Spirits in their common Fatherland.
Catholic Theology teaches that this protection is extended to every member of the human race, without any distinction of Just and Sinners, Infidels and Baptised.
To ward off dangers; to uphold man in his struggle against the demons; to awaken in him Holy Thoughts; to prevent him sinning, and even, at times, to chastise him; to Pray for him, and present his Prayers to God.
Such is the Office of The Guardian Angel.
So special is his mission, that one Angel does not undertake the guardianship of several persons simultaneously; so diligent is his care, that he follows his ward from the first day to the last of his mortal existence, receiving the Soul as it quits this life, and bearing it from the feet of the Sovereign Judge to the place it has merited in Heaven, or to its temporary sojourn in the place of expiation and purification.
It is from the lowest of the Nine Choirs, the nearest to ourselves, that The Guardian Angels are, for the most part, selected. God reserves to the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, the honour of forming His own immediate Court.
The Dominations, from the steps of His Throne, preside over the government of the Universe; the Virtues watch over the course of Nature’s laws, the preservation of species, and the movements of the heavens; the Powers hold the Spirits of Wickedness in subjection.
The human race in its entirety, as also its great social bodies, the Nations and the Churches, are confided to the Principalities; while the Archangels, who preside over smaller communities, seem also to have the Office of transmitting to the Angels the commands of God, together with the love and light which come down even to us from the first and highest hierarchy.
O the depths of the Wisdom of God ! Thus, then, the admirable distribution of Offices among the Choirs of Heavenly Spirits terminates in the function committed to the lowest rank, the guardianship of man, for whom the Universe subsists.
Such is the teaching of the School; and the Apostle, in like manner, says: “Are they not all Ministering Spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of Salvation ?”
In conclusion, let us listen to the Abbot of Clairvaux, who here gives free rein to his eloquence:
“In every place, show respect to thy Angel. Let gratitude for his benefits incite thee to honour his greatness. Love this thy future co-heir, the Guardian appointed for thee by The Father during thy childhood.
“For though we are sons of God, we are as yet but children, and long and dangerous is our journey. But God hath given His Angels charge of thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
“In their hands, they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt walk upon the Asp and the Basilisk; and thou shalt trample under foot the Lion and the Dragon [Editor: Psalm 90].
“Yes, where the road is smooth enough for a child, they will content themselves with guiding thee, and sustaining thy footsteps, as one does for children.
“But, if trials threaten to surpass thy strength, they will bear thee up in their hands. Oh those hands of Angels !
“Thanks to them, what fearful straits we have passed through, as it were without thinking, and with no other impression left upon us, than that of a nightmare suddenly dispelled !”
