PRAYERS TO OUR LADY

The Way of the Cross by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri

The Way of the Cross by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri

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Kneeling before the altar, make an act of Contrition, and form the intention of gaining the indulgences, whether for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory.

Then say:

My Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast made this journey to die for me with love unutterable, and I have so many times unworthily abandoned Thee; but now I love Thee with my whole heart, and because I love Thee, I repent sincerely for ever having offended Thee. Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany Thee on this journey. Thou goest to die for love of me; I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of Thee. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to Thee.

Dear Jesus, Thou dost go to die For very love of me:
Ah! let me bear Thee company; I wish to die with Thee.

First Station

Jesus is Condemned to Death

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the Cross.

My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was my sins that condemned Thee to die. I beseech Thee, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in her journey towards eternity. I love Thee, my beloved Jesus; I repent with my whole heart for having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

AT, the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.

Second Station

Jesus is Made to Carry His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how Jesus, in making this journey with the Cross on His shoulders thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father the death He was about to undergo.

My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations Thou hast destined for me until death. I beseech Thee, by the merits of the pain Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy Cross, to give me the necessary grace to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation. I love Thee, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

Third Station

Jesus Falls the First Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider this first fall of Jesus under His Cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that he could scarcely walk, and yet he had to carry this great load upon His shoulders. The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.

My Jesus, it is not the weight of the Cross, but of my sins, which have made Thee suffer so much pain. Ah! by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin. I love Thee, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.

Fourth Station

Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.

My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow Thou didst experience in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Thy most holy Mother. And thou, my Queen, who wast overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by thy intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of thy Son. I love Thee, Jesus my love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.

Fifth Station

The Cyrenian (Simon) Helps Jesus to Carry the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how the Jews, seeing that at each step Jesus from weakness was on the point of expiring, and fearing that He would die on the way, when they wished Him to die the ignominious death of the Cross, constrained Simon the Cyrenian to carry the Cross behind our Lord.

My most beloved Jesus, I will not refuse the Cross, as the Cyrenian did; I accept it; I embrace it. I accept in particular the death Thou hast destined for me; with all the pains that may accompany it; I unite it to Thy death, I offer it to Thee. Thou hast died for love of me; I will die for love of Thee, and to please Thee. Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Sixth Station

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how the holy woman named Veronica, seeing Jesus so afflicted, and His face bathed in sweat and blood, presented Him with a towel, with which He wiped His adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance.

My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas! my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Thy grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins; Thou alone, my Redeemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Thy Passion, O Jesus. I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?

Seventh Station

Jesus Falls the Second Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider the second fall of Jesus under the Cross -- a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.

My most gentle Jesus, how many times Thou hast pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend Thee! Oh, by the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary help to persevere in Thy grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which assail me I may always commend myself to Thee. I love Thee, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent:

Eighth Station

The Women of Jeruselum Weep Over Jesus.

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus in such a pitiable state, streaming with blood, as He walked along. But Jesus said to them: Weep not for Me, but for your children.

My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offences I have committed against Thee, because of the pains they have deserved, and still more because of the displeasure they have caused Thee, who hast loved me so much. It is Thy love, more than the fear of hell, which causes me to weep for my sins. My Jesus, I love Thee more than myself; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

Ninth Station

Jesus Falls the Third Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive, who tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move.

Ah, my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness Thou didst suffer in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect, and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Thy friendship. I love Thee, Jesus my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:

Tenth Station

Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh, and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Savior thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:

My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in Thee, who art so worthy of my love. I love Thee, O Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.

Eleventh Station

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how Jesus, after being thrown on the Cross extended His hands, and offered to His Eternal Father the sacrifice of His death for our salvation. These barbarians fastened Him with nails, and then, raising the Cross, allowed Him to die with anguish on this infamous gibbet.

My Jesus! loaded with contempt, nail my heart to Thy feet, that it may ever remain there, to love Thee, and never quit Thee again. I love Thee more than myself; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:

Twelfth Station

Jesus Dies on Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how thy Jesus, after three hours' Agony on the Cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.

O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the Cross on which Thou didst die for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death; but Thy death is my hope. Ah, by the merits of Thy death, give me grace to die, embracing Thy feet, and burning with love for Thee. I commit my soul into Thy hands. I love Thee with my whole heart; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.

Thirteenth Station

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how, after the death of our Lord, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the Cross, and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.

O Mother of sorrow, for the love of this Son, accept me for thy servant, and pray to Him for me. And Thou, my Redeemer, since Thou hast died for me, permit me to love Thee; for I wish but Thee, and nothing more. I love Thee, my Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:

Fourteenth Station

Jesus is Placed in the Sepulcher

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They then closed the tomb, and all withdrew.

Oh, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses Thee. But Thou didst rise again the third day. I beseech Thee, by Thy resurrection, make me rise glorious with Thee at the last day, to be always united with Thee in heaven, to praise Thee and love Thee forever. I love Thee, and I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.

After this, say the “Our Father”, the “Hail Mary”, and the “Glory be to the Father”, five times, in honour of the Passion of Jesus Christ, to gain other indulgences granted those who recite them. Lastly, say one “Our Father”, “Hail Mary”, and “Glory be to the Father”, for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
be Thy Mother my defense,
be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

St Alphonsus Liguori, Pray for us! Amen.

HOW TO GAIN A PARTIAL
OR PLENARY INDULGENCE

To gain a partial indulgence, a Catholic in good standing must simply perform the prescribed work -- in this case make the Way of the Cross -- in the state of grace (that is, free of having committed a mortal sin that remains unforgiven in Confession) and have at least a general intention of gaining indulgences. A partial indulgence can be aquired more than once a day, unless otherwise expressly indicated.

To gain a plenary indulgence, however, several additional factors must also be present. All together, they are the following:

The person must be a Catholic, not excommunicated, and in the state of grace, that is, free from mortal sin that has not been confessed and forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance.
The recipient must go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, and say at least one Our Father and one Hail Mary for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. These can all be done several days before or after performing the prescribed "work," in this case, making the Way of the Cross. But it is more fitting that the Communion and the prayers for the Pope's intentions be on the same day that the "work" is performed. A single Confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but sacramental Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.
The recipient must be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin. Although a person might still sin, as we all do, or even be inclined to an habitual sin, such as using God's name in vain, yet so long as the attachment to the sin or the desire to commit it is absent from the person's soul, he or she would be considered "free from attachment to sin." (If this disposition is in any way less than perfect or if any of the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial.)
Only one plenary indulgence may be gained per day. But one can obtain the plenary indulgence "for the moment of death;" even if another plenary indulgence had been acquired on the same day.
The person must perform the prescribcd work, in this case, make the Way of the Cross -- with at least the general intention of gaining indulgences. In making the Way of the Cross, the following norms apply:
1. The pious exercise must be made before stations of the Way of the Cross legitimately erected.
2. For the erection of the Way of the Cross, fourteen crosses are required, to which it is customary to add fourteen pictures or images, which represent the stations of Jerusalem.
3. Although according to the more common practice the pious exercise consists of fourteen pious readings to which some vocal prayers are added, yet nothing more is required than a pious meditation on the Passion and Death of the Lord, which need not be a particular consideration of the individual mysteries of the stations.
4. A movement from one station to the next is required, but if the pious exercise is made publicly and if it is not possible for all taking part to go in an orderly way from station to station, it suffices if at least the one conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the others remaining in their places.
5. Those who are "impeded" can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least a half hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.*

* The above was taken from the Enchiridion of Indulgences -- Norms and Grants, authorized English Edition, translated by Fr. William T. Barry, C.SS.R., Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, New York, from the Second Revised Edition of the Enchiridion of Indulgences issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968 and originally published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City, 1968.

Brother Estanislao of Bugedo in the early part of the 20th Century received apparitions of Our Lord who made the following promises to those who devote themselves to the Way of the Cross:

1. I'll grant everything that 's asked of Me with Faith, when making the Way of The Cross.

2. I promise Eternal Life to those who pray from time to time, the Way of The Cross.

3. I'll follow them everywhere in life and I'll help them especially at the hour of death.

4. Even if they have more sins than blades of grass in the fields, and grains of sand in the sea, all of them will be erased by the Way of The Cross. (Note: This promise doesn't eliminate the obligation to confess all mortal sins, and this, before we can receive Holy Communion.)

5. Those who pray the Way of The Cross often, will have a special glory in Heaven.

6. I'll deliver them from Purgatory, indeed if they go there at all, the first Tuesday or Friday after their death.

7. I'll bless them at each Way of The Cross, and My blessing will follow them everywhere on earth and, after their death, in Heaven for all Eternity.

8. At the hour of death, I won't permit the devil to tempt them; I'll lift all power from him in order that they'll repose tranquilly in My Arms.

9. If they pray it with true love, I'll make of each one of them a living Ciborium in which it will please Me to pour My grace.

10. I'll fix My Eyes on those who pray The Way of The Cross often; My hands will always be open to protect them.

11. As I am nailed to the Cross, so also will I always be with those who honour Me in making The Way of The Cross frequently.

12. They will never be able to separate themselves from Me, for I'll give them the grace never again to commit a mortal sin.

13. At the hour of death, I'll console them with My Presence and we'll go together to Heaven. Death will be sweet to all those who have honoured Me during their lives by praying the Way of The Cross.

14. My soul will be a protective shield for them, and will always help them, whenever they have recourse.

From Father Partain, via Christian Order, March 2013.