The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

A dear and esteemed friend of our monastery was inspired, while praying before the Most Blessed Sacrament, to write the following Litany for the Clergy. In praying through, one senses that it is evidence that, in every hour of the Church’s life, the Holy Ghost comes to the aid of our weakness, causing inspired prayers to well up from the hearts of the faithful. The Litany for the Clergy may be prayed most suitably on the Ember Days and on every Thursday.

The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; when we do not know what prayer to offer, to pray as we ought, the Spirit himself intercedes for us, with groans beyond all utterance: and God, who can read our hearts, knows well what the Spirit’s intent is; for indeed it is according to the mind of God that he makes intercession for the saints. (Romans 8:26–27)

Litany for the Clergy (for non-liturgical use)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us. Christ, graciously

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To put one’s hope in God (IV:2)

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

19 Jan. 20 May. 19 Sept.
22. Not to give way to anger.
23.  Not to harbour a desire of revenge.
24. Not to foster guile in one’s heart.
25. Not to make a feigned peace.
26. Not to forsake charity.
27. Not to swear, lest perchance one forswear oneself.
28. To utter truth from heart and mouth.
29. Not to render evil for evil.
30. To do no wrong to anyone yea, to bear patiently wrong done to oneself.
31. To love one’s enemies.
32. Not to render cursing for cursing, but rather blessing.
33. To bear persecution for justice’s sake.
34. Not to be proud.
35. Not given to wine.
36. Not a glutton.
37. Not drowsy.
38. Not slothful.
39. Not a murmurer.
40. Not a detractor.
41. To put one’s hope in God.
42. To attribute any good that one sees in oneself to God, and not to oneself.
43. But to recognise and

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In Thanksgiving to Saint Rita for a Favour Received

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

The saints befriend those whom God entrusts to them. Often the saints introduce themselves into one’s life by means of a reference in conversation, the gift of a book, or the random discovery of an image. One who has experienced the friendship of the saints in this valley of tears will always cherish it. The circle of heavenly friends is ever widening, ever expanding. There is, at every moment, a mysterious commerce between heaven and earth. No one is excluded from this commerce; it is willed by God and set in motion by His Eternal Love lest, at any moment, one be overwhelmed by too great a sorrow or crushed beneath too heavy a burden.

O glorious Saint Rita, thou who art familiar with suffering, powerful indeed are thy pleadings in the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, most cruelly scourged, crowned with thorns, nailed to the wood of the Cross, and pierced by the soldier’s lance! The Divine Bridegroom has given thee so wondrous a gift of intercession that countless souls have obtained, through thy prayers, favours that many would call

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To prefer nothing to the love of Christ (IV:1)

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

CHAPTER IV. What are the Instruments of Good Works
18 Jan. 19 May. 18 Sept.
In the first place, to love the Lord God with all one’s heart, all one’s soul, and all one’s strength.
2. Then one’s neighbour as oneself.
3. Then not to kill.
4. Not to commit adultery.
5. Not to steal.
6. Not to covet.
7. Not to bear false witness.
8. To honour all men.
9. Not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself.
10. To deny oneself, in order to follow Christ.
11. To chastise the body.
12. Not to seek after delicate living.
13. To love fasting.
14. To relieve the poor.
15. To clothe the naked.
16. To visit the sick.
17. To bury the dead.
18. To help in affliction.
19. To console the sorrowing.
20. To keep aloof from worldly actions.
21. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

Saint Benedict lays

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In omnibus igitur omnes magistram sequantur regulam (III:2)

Monday, 17 September 2018

Sunrise Over Silverstream, 17 September 2018

17 Jan. 18 May. 17 Sept.
Let all therefore, follow the Rule in all things as their guide, and let no man rashly depart from it. Let no one in the monastery follow the will of his own heart: nor let any one presume insolently to contend with his Abbot, either within or without the monastery. But if he should so presume, let him be subjected to the discipline appointed by the Rule. The Abbot himself, however, must do everything with the fear of God and in observance of the Rule: knowing that he will have without doubt to render to God, the most just Judge, an account of all his judgments. If it happen that less important matters have to be transacted for the good of the monastery, let him take counsel with the Seniors only, as it is written: “Do all things with counsel, and thou shalt not afterwards repent it.”

Saint Benedict says, “Let all therefore, follow the Rule in all things as their guide, and let no

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Support the monks of Silverstream Priory:

Situated amidst pasture land and forest in the eastern reaches of County Meath, Silverstream Priory was founded in 2012 at the invitation of the Most Reverend Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath, and canonically erected as an autonomous monastery of diocesan right on 25 February 2017. The property belonged, from the early 15th century, to the Preston family, premier Viscounts of Ireland and Lords of Gormanston. In 1843 Thomas Preston (1817-1903), son of Jenico Preston, the 12th Viscount (1775-1860), built what today is Silverstream Priory.

Silverstream Priory is a providential realisation of the cherished project of Abbot Celestino Maria Colombo, O.S.B. (1874–1935), who, following the impetus given by Catherine–Mectilde de Bar in the 17th century, sought to establish a house of Benedictine monks committed to ceaseless prayer before the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar in a spirit of reparation. The community of Silverstream Priory holding to the use of Latin and Gregorian Chant, celebrate the Divine Office in its traditional Benedictine form and Holy Mass in the “Usus Antiquior” of the Roman Rite. Praying and working in the enclosure of the monastery, the monks of Silverstream keep at heart the sanctification of priests labouring in the vineyard of the Lord. They undertake various works compatible with their monastic vocation, notably the development of the land and gardens, hospitality to the clergy in need of a spiritual respite, scholarly work, and publishing.

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