Double of the First Class Feast of the Dedication of Saint Michael the Archangel

White Vestments

Missa "Benedicite Dominum"

        This is the original feast of the leader of the Heavenly armies, Saint Michael. The captain of the heavenly armies, the angel named in the Canon of the Mass, held from early times the first place in the Liturgy among the other angels; wherefore many churches dedicated to St. Michael in the Middle Ages were simply known as churches "of the holy angel." St. Michael, whose name signifies "who is like unto God" cast the evil spirit out of Heaven, and overcame Satan in the struggle for possession of the body of Moses. God has entrusted our defense, in the combat with the devil, to the angels. The reason of this is easily understood. The devil is a spirit who has lost none of the powers inherent to his nature. In order, therefore, that the struggle should not be unequal, God has placed at our side defenders of the same nature as Lucifer, that is to say pure spirits, who are, however, greater and more powerful than he is.

        There are several feasts of St. Michael in the Liturgy. Very ancient is the commemoration of the dedication of the celebrated Lombard sanctuary on Sant' Angelo on Monte Gargano in Apulia, near the ancient Sipontum. There is a tradition that St. Michael appeared on this mountain and requested that a church be erected to him and all the angels. In the Old and the New Testament St. Michael, in the struggle against the Evil One, is always depicted as the invincible champion of God. The mystery of iniquity which, according to St. Paul, shall be boldly revealed in the last ages of the world and which has already begun its work of perversion, meets at present with an obstacle which hinders its full development. This obstacle is usually said to be the protection of St. Michael. St. Michael is appointed by God Himself to be the protector and defender of the Church.

        After the protective duty conferred on St. Joseph, there is no work on earth of such great importance and sublimity as that entrusted to St. Michael.

        The Epistle treats the charge to St. John by an Angel to write to the seven Churches in Asia. In the Gospel Christ teaches humility, to beware of scandal, and to flee the occasions of sin, for our Guardian Angels see the face of God. For the full prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII see Complete Prayer of Saint Michael the Archangel

      Resources: We are grateful to Friends of Our Lady of Fatima for providing the Propers for the faithful. Sources: Saint Andrew Daily Missal and the Marian Missal , 1945


Missa "Benedicite Dominum"
    Go to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE MASS OF THE CATECHUMENS
    INTROIT: Psalm 102: 20
    Benedícite Dóminum, omnes Angeli ejus: poténtes virtúte, qui fácitis verbum ejus, ad audiéndam vocem sermónem ejus. (Ps.102: 1) Bénedic, ánima mea, Dómino: et ómnia, quæ intra me sunt, nómini sancto ejus. v. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancti sicut erat in principio et nunc, et semper, et saecula saeculorum. Amen.
    Repeat Benedicite Dominum...
    Bless the Lord, all ye His angels: you that are mighty in strength, and execute His word, harkening to the voice of His orders. (Ps. 102: 1) Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless His holy name. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat Bless the Lord...
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    COLLECT
    Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

    Oremus. Deus qui miro órdine, Angelórum ministéria hominúmque dispénsas: concéde propítius; ut, a quibus tibi ministrántibus in coelo semper assistitur, ab his in terra vita nostra muniatur. Per eúmdem Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
    Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
    R. Amen.

    The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

    Let us pray. O God, Who dost in wonderful order dispose the ministries of angels and men, mercifully grant that our lives be fortified by those who continually stand in Thy presence and minister before Thee in heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,
    Forever and ever.
    R.Amen.


    EPISTLE: Apocalypse 1: 1-15
    Léctio libri Apocalypsis beáti Joánnis Apóstoli. In diébus iliis: Significávit Deus quæ opórtet fíeri cito, mittens per Angelum suum servo suo Joánni, qui testimónium perhíbuit verbo Dei, et testimónium Jesu Christi, quæcúmque vidit. Beátus qui legit, et audit verba prophetíæ hujus: et servat ea, quæ in ea scripta sunt: tempus enim prope est. Joánnes septem ecclésiis, quæ sunt in Asia. Grátia vobis, et pax ab eo, qui est, et qui erat, et qui ventúrus est: et a septem spirítibus, qui in conspéctu throni ejus sunt: et a Jesu Christo, qui est testis fidélis, primogénitus mortuórum, et princeps regum terra', qui diléxit nos, et lavit nos a peccátis nostris in sanguine suo. Deo Gratias.
    Lesson from the Book of the Apocalypse of blessed John the Apostle. In those days: God signified the things which must shortly come to pass, sending by His angel to His servant John, who hath given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy, and keepeth those things which are written in it; for the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you and peace from Him that is, and that was, and that is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth Who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood. Thanks be to God.

    GRADUAL: Psalm 102: 20, 1
    Benedícite Dóminum, omnes Angeli ejus: poténtes virtúte, qui fácitis verbum ejus. V. Bénedic, ánima mea, Dóminum, et ómnia interióra mea nomen sanctum ejus. Allelúja, allelúja. V. Sancte Míchæl Archángele, defénde nos in prælio: ut non pereámus in treméndo judício. Allelúja. V. Concússum est mare, et contrémuit terra, ubi Archángelus Míchæl descéndit de Coelo. Allelúja.
    Bless the Lord all ye His angels: you that are mighty in strength, that do His will. V. O my soul, bless thou the Lord: and all that is within me praise His holy name. Alleluia, alleluia. V. Holy archangel Michael, defend us in battle, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. Alleluia. V. The sea was shaken, and the earth trembled, when the archangel Michael descended from Heaven. Alleluia.

    GOSPEL:   Matthew 18: 1-10
    Dominus vobiscum.
    R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
    Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum R.Gloria tibi, Domine

    In illo témpore: Accessérunt discípuli ad Jesum, dicéntes: Quis, putas, major est in regno coelórum? Et ádvocans Jesus párvulum, státuit eum in médio eórum, et dixit: "Amen, dico vobis, nisi convérsi fuéritis, et efficiámini sicut párvuli, non intrábitis in regnum coelórum. Quicúmque ergo humiliáverit se sicut párvulus iste, hic est major in regno cælórum. Et qui suscéperit unum párvulum talem in nómine meo, me súscipit. Qui autem scandalizáverit unum de pusíllis istis, qui in me credunt, expedit eì, ut suspendátur mola asinária in collo ejus, et demergátur in profúndum maris. Væ mundo a scándalis. Necésse est enim ut véniant scándala: verúmtamen væ hómini illi, per quem scándalum venit. Si autem manus tua, vel pes tuus scandalízat te, abscíde eum, et prójice abs te: bonum tibi est ad vitam ingredi débilem, vel claudum, quam duas manus, vel duos pedes habéntem mitti in ignem ætérnum. Et si óculos tuus scandalízat te, érue eum, et prójice abs te:bonum tibi est cum uno óculo in vitam intráre, quam duos óculos habéntem mitti in gehénnam ignis. Vidéte ne contemnátis unum ex his pusíllis: dico enim vobis, quia Angeli eórum in coelis semper vident fáciem Patris mei, qui in coelis est.

    The Lord be with you.
    R. And with thy spirit.
    The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew. R. Glory to Thee, O Lord

    At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who, thinkest Thou, is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven? And Jesus calling unto Him a little child, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child he is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven: and he that shall receive one such little child in My name, receiveth Me; but he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals: for it must needs be that scandals come; but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. And if thy hand, or thy foot, scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. See that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father Who is in Heaven."
    Praise be to Christ

    Return to THE CREDO
    OFFERTORY:    Apocalypse 8: 3-4
    Dominus vobiscum.
    R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

    Stetit Angelus juxta aram templi, habens thuríbulum áureum in manu sua, et data sunt ei incénsa multa: et ascéndit fumus arómatum in conspéctu Dei, allelúja.
    The Lord be with you.
    R. And with thy spirit.

    An angel stood near the altar of the temple, having a golden censer in his hand: and there was given to him much incense: and the smoke of the perfumes ascended before God, alleluia.
    Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE OFFERTORY
    SECRET
    Hóstias tibi, Dómine, laudis offérimus, supplíciter deprecántes: ut eásdem, angélico pro nobis interveniénte suffrágio, et placátus accípias, et ad salútem nostram provenire concédas. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
    Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
    R. Amen.
    We offer Thee sacrifices of praise, O Lord, humbly praying that Thou be pleased to receive them, through the angelic intercession in our behalf, and grant that they may avail for, our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,
    Forever and ever.
    R.Amen.

    PREFACE   Common Preface
    Dominus vobiscum.
    R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
    Sursum corda.
    R.Habemus ad Dominum.
    Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
    R. Dignum et justum est.

    Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos Tibi simper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: per Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem Tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates, Coeli, Coelorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphim socia exultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti, jubeas, supplici confessione dicentes:
    SANCTUS, SANCTUS, SANCTUS...
    The Lord be with you.
    R. And with thy spirit.
    Lift up your hearts.
    R.We have lifted them up to the Lord.
    Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
    R. It is meet and just.

    It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: through Christ our Lord. Through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise:
    HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...

    Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS THE CANON OF THE MASS
    COMMUNION: Daniel 3: 58
    Benedícite, omnes Angeli Dómini, Dóminum: hymnum dícite, et superexaltáte eum in sæcula, allelúja.
    All ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: sing a hymn, and exalt Him above all forever, alleluia.

    POSTCOMMUNION
    Dominus vobiscum.
    R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
    Oremus.
    Beáti Archángeli tui Michaelis intercessióne suffúlti: súpplices te, Dómine, deprecámur; ut, quod ore proséquimur, contingámus et mente. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
    Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
    R. Amen.

    The Lord be with you.
    R. And with thy spirit.
    Let us pray.
    Relying upon the intercession of blessed Michael, Thine archangel, O Lord, we Thy suppliants pray that what we perform with our lips we may attain with our hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God
    For ever and ever.
    R. Amen.

    Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS CONCLUSION OF THE HOLY MASS



    Feast of St. Michael the Archangel