Author: sing-admin
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| Rafael Merry Del Val, 1889 | St. Mary (Prys), 1621 |
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| 1. Jesus, Thy heart has loved me well, | 6. “Child, I saw thee in Satan’s hands, |
| Far more than I love Thee. | Suffering and in woe; |
| I seek in vain, I cannot tell | My heart so longed to break those bands, |
| Why Thou shouldst so love me. | My love to crush the foe.” |
| 2. T’was not my wealth that made Thee turn, | 7. “I saw that dear, ungrateful man, |
| From heav’n’s bright home alone, | Would leave the path of life, |
| And caused Thy sacred heart to burn | But then, henceforth, through Me he can, |
| With that sweet flame of love. | Be victor in the strife.” |
| 3. What is there I can call my own, | 8. “I wished poor souls to understand, |
| That was not ever Thine? | That I had done my part, and, |
| On earth my All in heav’nly crown, | By the cross to take their stand with, |
| Yet not but sin is mine. | hopeful, loving heart.” |
| 4. Nor was it that Thou hadst foretold, | 9. Oh Sacred Love, my Lord, my All, |
| That I would grateful be, | A God could love like this, |
| Thou knowest that my heart grown cold, | And almost make that first man’s fall, |
| Would not remember thee. | A constant source of bliss. |
| 5. Oh Jesus tell me then, I pray. | Henceforth sweet Lord the world’s renown, |
| What I have sought in vain, | With me shall have no part, |
| The Midnight Cave and Calvary, | Like Thee I’ll seek a thorny crown, |
| Why so much love and pain? | And love Thy Sacred Heart. |
Separate and distinct images and meditations for each single prayer in The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. Background music masterworks in separate settings of the ancient hymn Ave Verum Corpus, “Hail True Body” (Pope Innocent VI).
How to Use the Prayers, Music and Images on this page (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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This page is a mockup for a video of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy currently under development. The video’s elements are in three layers.
The images with captions constitute a front layer. The images were originally developed as slides; in some instances there is excessive “white-space” at the bottom of the images. Please scan past the white-space and continue praying.
For the middle layer, praying out-loud the prayers displayed on the images, which you can do while scanning through each image in a series while each section’s background music is playing, is part of a testing process to eventually set up narration tempo (how fast the prayers are read), to be incorporated in the final video.
The back layer is the music audio tracks. Their length will be carefully balanced with the tempo of the narration; some notes may have to be cut or added to coordinate with the prayer sections. (In Windows, the music can be halted by touching the spacebar.)
You can help develop this project by praying the prayers and commenting the experience.
All seven of the background music selections are historic masterworks of the common practice period (1450-1950) based upon the text of the Gregorian Plainchant hymn “Ave Verum Corpus”, Hail True Body.
To audition the core thematic hymn, click the ▶ button to listen to the Gregorian Plainchant monody Ave Verum Corpus, attributed to Pope Innocent VI (1282-1362), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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Ave verum corpus, natum
de Maria Virgine, vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine: esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine. [O Iesu dulcis, O Iesu pie,
O Iesu, fili Mariae. Miserere mei. Amen] |
Hail, true Body, born
of the Virgin Mary, having truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for mankind, from whose pierced side water and blood flowed: Be for us a sweet foretaste in the trial of death! [O sweet Jesus, O holy Jesus,
O Jesus, son of Mary, have mercy on me. Amen.] |
| Introduction | Fourth Decade |
| First Decade | Fifth Decade |
| Second Decade | Conclusion |
| Third Decade |
About the Introductory Prayer Section, Background Music (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Introductory Prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (the short Introductory declarations of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, The Pater Noster, The Ave Maria, and The Apostles Creed), click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of the composition Ave Verum Corpus by the middle Renaissance Burgundian composer Josquin des Prez (1455-1521), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
To audition background music for the Introductory Prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (the short Introductory declarations of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, The Pater Noster, The Ave Maria, and The Apostles Creed), click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of the composition Ave Verum Corpus by the middle Renaissance Burgundian composer Josquin des Prez (1455-1521), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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Thou didst expire, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
About background music for the First Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the First Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of the polyphonic acapella composition Ave Verum Corpus by the high Renaissance English composer William Byrd (1540-1623), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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It was less the thought of His sufferings in His bitter Passion, than of the sins of men that afflicted Him, which caused Him this great dread of death.
“God put Jesus forward as a propitiation for forgiveness of sins by His blood, by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Romans 3; Hebrews 9) Jesus was tormented in all the members and senses of His body, and was still more bitterly afflicted in all the powers of His soul; so that the internal pains which He endured infinitely surpassed His external sufferings.
(In the Visitation, St. John the Baptist kneels within the womb of his mother, St. Elizabeth, adoring the Lord Jesus enthroned within the womb of His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.) Jesus even from the first instant of His life continually suffered all the torments of His Passion; He had before His eyes all the horrid scene of torments and insults which He was to receive from men, the scourges, the thorns, the cross, the outrages of His Passion, the desolate death that awaited Him. “My sorrow is continually before Me.” —Psalm 37:18
He came to die for love of us, that we might come to love Him. How is it possible for us to enter upon the meditation of the Passion of Jesus Christ without being wounded, as by so many darts of love, by those sufferings and agonies which so greatly afflicted the body and soul of our loving Lord, and without being sweetly constrained to love Him who loved us so much?
I die of love! … Come near and sustain Me in My mystic agony … Will you this evening be angels of consolation to me for one hour? – Fr. Mateo, January Holy Hour
His greatest sorrow was that He saw how His Passion and death, offered with supreme love, would be of no avail to many souls. His infinitely meritorious Sacrifice, the power to save men from all their sins, would be received with indifference and ingratitude. “Souls do not want to accept My mercy.”
Moses said to God: Lo, I shall go to the children of Israel, and say to them: The God of your fathers hath sent me to you. If they should say to me: What is His name? what shall I say to them? God said to Moses: I AM WHO AM. (YHWH) He said: Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: HE WHO IS, hath sent me to you. And God said again to Moses: Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me to you: This is My Name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations. – Exodus 3: 13-15
About background music for the Second Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Second Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of a composition of Ave Verum Corpus by the early French Baroque composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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Greater love than this no man has, that He lay down His life for His friends. (John 15: 13) But He laid down His life for us, when we were not His friends, but enemies and rebels against Him.
Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith to him: Feed My lambs. He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? He saith to Him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith to him: Feed My lambs. He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved, because He had said to him the third time: Lovest thou Me? And he said to Him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love Thee. He said to him: Feed My sheep.
He was offered because it was His own will, and He opened not His mouth: He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before His shearer, and He shall not open His mouth.
He was beaten, the chastisement inflicted on slaves only, to take on Himself the punishment due to us, of the slaves of sin.
About background music for the Third Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Third Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of a composition of Ave Verum Corpus by the late Renaissance and early Baroque English composer Fr. Peter Philips (1560-1628), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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About background music for the Fourth Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Fourth Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to a setting of a composition of Ave Verum Corpus as adapted from a fragment of figured bass, traditionally called an Adagio, attributed to the 18th-century Venetian Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751), by the twentieth century Italian musicologist and composer Remo Giazotto (1910-1998), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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In the midst of condemned criminals there moves forward to death the King of heaven, the only-begotten Son of God, laden with His cross, to be executed, together with the malefactors, upon a gibbet of infamy.
I lay dow?i My life; no one taketh it away from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.
About background music for the Fifth Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Fifth Decade of prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to a polyphonic organ setting, implicitly in a minor mode, of the Gregorian Plainchant Ave Verum Corpus, the original attributed to Pope Innocent VI (1282-1362), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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O Son, Divine Lord, made man, draw me entirely to Thyself, detach me from earth, crucify me with Thyself that I may become, in union with Thee, a sacrifice of praise for the glory of Thy Father.
And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. – Revelation 12:17
Jesus was abandoned in His passion in order that we might not remain abandoned in the sins which we have committed.
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For the sake of His sorrowful passion,
have mercy on us, and on the whole world.
About background music for the Ending Prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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To audition background music for the Ending Prayers of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, click the ▶ button to listen to an organ setting of the composition Ave Verum Corpus by the late Romantic English composer Edward Elgar (1857-1954), or play the music in a New Window ⧉
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May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in heaven, on earth, and under the earth by all the creatures of God and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
How the Several Main Traditional Catholic Groups, the SSPX, the FSSP and ICKSP, regard the Orthodoxy of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
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How do the several main Traditional Catholic groups, the SSPX, the FSSP and ICKSP regard the orthodoxy of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy?
There is variation among Traditional Catholic groups, and it hinges on both their general approach to private revelation and their attitude toward the post–Vatican II liturgical landscape.
1. SSPX (Society of St. Pius X)
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Official stance: The SSPX has historically been critical of the Divine Mercy devotion and chaplet. Their critique is not just about liturgical novelty, but also about the theological underpinnings of St. Faustina Kowalska’s diary.
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Concerns include:
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Ambiguous language about God’s mercy (they argue it risks minimizing God’s justice).
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The association with John Paul II, who canonized Faustina and promoted the devotion, which the SSPX often interprets in the broader context of post-conciliar innovations.
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The earlier 1959 prohibition (the Holy Office initially forbade public propagation of the devotion due to translation and theological concerns; this ban was lifted in 1978). The SSPX tends to point back to the fact that serious doubts once existed at the Vatican level.
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Summary: The SSPX does not promote the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and often warns the faithful against it, preferring traditional devotions such as the Rosary, Sacred Heart, and traditional Stations of the Cross.
2. FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter)
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Official stance: The FSSP, being in full canonical union with Rome and generally deferential to papal guidance, accepts the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as orthodox and legitimate.
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Practice: Many FSSP parishes may not emphasize it as much as the Rosary or traditional devotions, but they do not oppose it. Individual priests sometimes lead Divine Mercy devotions, especially around Divine Mercy Sunday.
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Summary: Seen as an approved, orthodox devotion, but not at the center of their apostolate.
3. ICKSP (Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest)
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Official stance: Like the FSSP, the ICKSP is fully regularized under Rome and does not oppose the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
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Practice: Their spirituality is heavily oriented to the Sacred Heart, Christ the King, and liturgical solemnity, so the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is not a major emphasis. However, it is not excluded or regarded as heterodox.
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Summary: Accepted as orthodox, but not as central as older, “classic” devotions.
Overall picture
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SSPX: Skeptical, critical, discourages it.
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FSSP & ICKSP: Accept its orthodoxy, do not oppose it, but usually emphasize older traditional devotions.
Categories
Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Click the podcast player above, and click to open the PDF file below to accompany it.
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy slideshow for praying with the sound file above.
Jesus told St. Faustina that He would give three tries, to get a departed soul to accept His mercy. (We can expect that the process of finally departing this life may take as long as 3 days.)
Categories
Soul of My Savior (Anima Christi)
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| Anonymous, 14th c. Translated by J. Hegarty. | Rev. William J. Maher, 1823-1877. |
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| 1) Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast, Body of Christ, be Thou my saving guest, Blood of my Saviour, bathe me in Thy tide, Wash me with water flowing from Thy side. |
3) Guard & defend me from the foe malign, In death’s dread moments make me only Thine; Call me & bid me come to Thee on high, Where I may praise Thee with Thy saints for aye. |
| 2) Strength & protection may Thy Passion be, O blessed Jesus, hear and answer me; Deep in Thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me, So shall I never, never part from Thee. |
Amen. |
Sing `Anima Christi` 𝄞 (Click/Expand or Bypass)
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Anima Christi (“Soul of My Savior”)
Anima Christi (“Soul of My Savior”)
| Anima Christi, sanctifica me. Soul of Christ, sanctify me. |
Corpus Christi, salva me. Body of Christ, save me. |
| Sanguis Christi, inebria me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. |
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. |
| Passio Christi, conforta me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. |
O bone Jesu, exaudi me. O good Jesus, hear me. |
| Intra tua vulnera absconde me. Within Thy wounds hide me. |
Ne permittas me separari a te. Suffer me never to be separated from Thee. |
| Ab hoste maligno defende me. From the malignant enemy defend me. |
In hora mortis meae voca me. In the hour of my death call me. |
| Et iube me venire ad te. And bid me come unto Thee. |
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te. That with Thy Saints I may praise Thee. |
| In saecula saeculorum. Amen. Forever. Amen. |
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Categories
The Five Wounds
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| Anonymous | The Sodalist’s Hymnal, Philadelphia, E.F. MacGonigle, 1887 P. 30 |
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| 1) What are those wounds so deep, so red, From which, dear Lord, Thy Blood was shed, In priceless streams and sweet? And who could do so base a sin, As make those cruel gashes in Thy hands and side and feet? |
4) When bitter mem’ries of the past, Their chilling shadows o’er me cast, And hope gives way to fears, Thy wounded Feet I’ll clasp and kiss, And there, like Mary, taste the bliss Of penitential tears. |
| 2) They are the pledges of Thy love, Which spent itself in death to prove How dear we are to Thee; They are the tokens of our guilt— Those wounds we made, Thy Blood we spilt, And nailed Thee to the tree. |
5) When lightnings flash and thunders roll, And terror strikes my inmost soul At heaven’s angry form, I’ll fly, O Jesus, to Thy Side, And seek within Its wound so wide, A shelter from the storm. |
| 3) Though sad bereavements tear my heart, Though sin and sorrow leave their smart, And keen remorse I feel, I’ll touch, dear Lord, Thy bleeding Palm, Thy holy Hands distill a balm, My deepest wounds to heal. |
Amen. |
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| Anonymous | Holy Face Hymnal (1891) |
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| 1) Lord Jesus Whom by pow’r divine, Now hidden ‘neath the outward sign, We worship and adore, We worship and adore. Grant when the veil away is roll’d, With open face we may behold, Thyself for evermore, Thyself for evermore. |
3) O Fount of Love, O cleansing Tide, Which from the Saviour’s pierced Side, And Sacred Heart dost flow, And Sacred Heart dost flow. Be ours to drink of Thy pure rill Which only can our spirits fill. And all we need bestow, And all we need bestow. |
| 2) O Food that weary pilgrims love, O Bread of Angel hosts above, O Manna of the Saints, O Manna of the Saints. The hungry soul would feed on Thee; Ne’er may the heart unsolaced be, Which for Thy sweetness faints, Which for Thy sweetness faints. |
Amen. |
Categories
After Communion
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| Co-operative Music Co. Philadelphia, 1911. | Sacred Heart Hymns |
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| 1) Thou for whom I’ve long been sighing; Jesus now at length Thou’rt mine, In Thy sweet embraces lying, Press, O press my heart to Thine. Ah! what bliss this life completing, Senses soul on You hath come, Leap exultant to His greeting, Bid Him welcome to your home. |
3) When the rising sunlight blesses, When the ev’ning bids farewell, May my soul Thy sweet caresses, My good Jesus ever feel. Let not death nor life asunder, Rend the bond that makes me Thine, Ah, how blissful is the wonder, That uplifts to life divine. |
| 2) Happy morning sweet the hour_ That on which Thou cam’st to me, Beauteous too that glorious power, Where I bask in light from Thee. Who possesses Thee possesses, More than all this world bestows, E’en the joys in heav’n that blesses, To Thy Heart its fountain owes. |
4) Life itself shall bear me ever, Chanting all Thy mercies praise, And when death shall come to sever, This earth’s bond it too shall raise. Songs triumphant ’till disclosing, All Thy beauty face to face, ‘Mid Thy angels bright reposing, Then transform me by Thy grace. |
Categories
Upon the Altar Night and Day
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| Anonymous | St. Basil Hymnal (Unnamed Tune) |
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| 1) Upon the Altar, night and day, The Heart of Jesus lies, And night and day throughout the world, Do men Its claims despise; For by their cold ungrateful lives, They pierce It through and through, And by the scourges of their crimes, Its agonies renew. Chorus |
Chorus: Oh draw us close to Thee, sweet Lord! And burning zeal impart, To now repair, by praise and pray’r, The wrongs of Thy dear Heart! |
| 2) Beneath a crown of cruel thorns, Thy Heart is all on fire; And brightly shines from out Its flames, The cross of Thy desire. If pure and true must be the soul, That fain would hide in Thee, Oh! let Thy royal love supply, For all our misery! Chorus: |
3) We offer Thee our humble gifts, For poor they are and small, Our hearts, our souls, our little lives, Dear Heart! we give Thee all; And joyous victims we shall be, Consumed before Thy throne, If dead to sin, if dead to self, We live to Thee alone! Chorus: |
Categories
Like a Strong and Raging Fire
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| (Unnamed Tune). Meter: 8.7.8.7.3x |
Eleanor C. Donnelly, 1838 – 1917 |
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| In The Army and Navy Hymnal of 1921 and 1942 | |
| 1) Like a strong and raging fire In a narrow furnace pent, Glows the Sacred Heart’s desire In the Holy Sacrament Round that sacred furnace thronging, Shall these hearts refuse to burn? Heart of love and tender longing Shall we make Thee no return? Chorus. |
Chorus: Bending low in adoration, While our souls are borne above, Hear our hymn of reparation, Heart of Jesus! Be our love! Final Chorus Postscript: ‘Twill be sweeter far to wear it, Than a crown of fairest flow’rs. |
| 2) Twas to cast abroad Love’s fire, That our God from Heaven came; May those sparks our love inspire, May we burn with that blest flame! All our sins, our slights, our coldness, All our insults we deplore, Pardon, Lord, our daring boldness, We will never wound Thee more! Chorus. |
3) Blessed Lord! Thy Heart is cloven, With the cross of bitter woe, There are thorns a-round It woven, And the blood-drops from It flow; Let us take Thy cross, and bear it, Let Thy thorny crown be ours, ‘Twill be sweeter far to wear it, Than a crown of fairest flow’rs. Chorus. |
