Letter #83, 2021, Wednesday, Aug 11: Viganò

    St. Michael the Archangel (link). Pope Leo XIII — Pope in the years after the Papal States, in 1870, had been lost to the Holy See — wrote a prayer to the Archangel Michael in 1884, asking him to “defend us in battle.” The Letter to the Ephesians urges Christians to persist in prayer while engaging in the inevitable spiritual battle for good and against evil, saying: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same spiritual battle, recalling before our eyes in this context the image of St. Michael the Archangel (cf. Revelation 12:7)    

    “It is our sacred duty to unite ourselves to the spiritual battle, aligning ourselves without hesitation under the banners of Christ our King and Mary our Queen.”—Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, in a letter written today, but dated tomorrow, August 12, the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi. The archbishop invites all Catholic bishops and priests to make Saturday, August 14 — the Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption, August 15 — a day of prayer and fasting. The archbishop, echoing an appeal he made last year on Holy Saturday, April 11, 2020, just after all the churches were closed due to the virus, further invites all priests and bishops to join with him in reciting the exorcism of Leo XIII at 12 noon (Rome time) on August 14, Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption

    “The secularized world, and along with it not a few Shepherds, will be able to mock this appeal and the Exorcism itself, considering it the legacy of a past to be cancelled along with the Faith of our fathers. But we know well that, although we are unworthy sinners, a power has been given to us by Our Lord which terrorizes the Gates of Hell and its servants.” —Archbishop Viganò, in the same appeal, released this evening

    Letter #83, 2021, Wednesday, August 11: A new appeal from Archbishop Viganò

    This evening I received this letter from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, and publish it here.

    It is an invitation to all Catholic bishops and priests to join him in dedicating the day of the Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption (August 14, vigil of the Feast itself, which falls on August 15) to prayer and fasting.

    Furthermore, the archbishop asks all Catholic bishops and priests to join with him on Saturday, August 14, at the hour of noon (Roman time), to recite the Exorcism of Pope Leo XIII (text at bottom).

    Here is the new appeal, or invitation:

INVITATION
TO BISHOPS AND PRIESTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
TO A DAY OF FASTING
AND THE RECITATION OF THE EXORCISM OF LEO XIII
ON THE VIGIL OF
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
INTO HEAVEN

    From Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò

    In this moment of very serious spiritual and material crisis, in which the public Authorities support the plans of the New World Order and the Shepherds are silent accomplices in the face of the destruction of society and of the Church of Christ herself, it is our sacred duty to unite ourselves to the spiritual battle, aligning ourselves without hesitation under the banners of Christ our King and Mary our Queen.

    The Lord has given to Bishops and Priests the power to cast out demons in His Name.

    Already on Holy Saturday of 2020 many of them welcomed my appeal with generosity and a supernatural spirit.

    Today I intend to renew this appeal.

    I ask, therefore, my venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and Priesthood to dedicate the Vigil of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary to prayer and fasting, and to reciting the Exorcismus in Satanam et angelos apostaticos of Leo XIII (Rituale Romanum, Tit. XII, Caput III), at the hour of 12 noon in Rome.

    This sacramental will be placed under the mantle of the most fearful Adversary of the infernal powers, so that the choral prayer of the Ministers of God will remove from the Church and the world the snares of the Enemy of mankind which today threaten society, families, individuals, and in a particular way the faithful of Christ.

    The secularized world, and along with it not a few Shepherds, will be able to mock this appeal and the Exorcism itself, considering it the legacy of a past to be cancelled along with the Faith of our fathers.

    But we know well that, although we are unworthy sinners, a power has been given to us by Our Lord which terrorizes the Gates of Hell and its servants.

    In the silence and fasting which prepares us for the Feast of the Assumption of the Queen of Heaven, let us invoke the Most Holy Virgin, terrible as an army set in battle array, and Saint Michael the Archangel, the Patron of the Holy Church and Prince of the Heavenly Hosts.

    + Carlo Maria Viganò, Archbishop

    12 August 2021

    Sanctae Clarae Virginis

    Here is the text of Archbishop Viganò’s original appeal from last April, April 9, 2020. It opens with a brief explanation of the origin of Pope Leo XIII‘s prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. It seemed appropriate to publish this brief explanation again here, followed by the text of the Exorcism itself.

    By Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò

    April 9, 2020

    On October 13, 1884, Leo XIII had a terrible vision of the assault of the powers of Hell against Holy Mother Church, and ordered the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel to be said at the end of Mass.

    He also composed an Act of Exorcism and ordered it to be inserted into the Roman Ritual, and explicitly mentioned what he had seen: “The Church, the Spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, has been filled with bitterness and inebriated with poison by her crafty enemies, who have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the place where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.”

    In these modern times of terrible tribulation, when the pandemic has deprived Catholics of Holy Mass and the Sacraments, the Evil One has gone into a frenzy and multiplied his attacks to tempt souls into sin.

    These blessed days of Holy Week, which used to be the ideal time to go to Confession to prepare ourselves for our Easter Communion, now see us locked inside our houses, but they cannot stop us praying to Our Lord.

    Since it is a day of silence, while we await His glorious Resurrection, this Holy Saturday ought to be an ideal opportunity for Sacred Ministers. There is no need to go out, or to breach any of the laws currently in force.

    [Editor’s Note: What follows refers, of course, to last year.]

    I should like to ask you all to pray together, using the form given by Leo XIII, the Exorcism against Satan and the Apostate Angels (Exorcismus in Satanam et angelos apostaticos, Rituale Romanum, Tit. XII, Caput III), at three o’clock in the afternoon, Roman time (15:00 hours, Central European Summer Time) on Saturday April 11, 2020, so we can all fight together the common enemy of the whole human race [See exorcism prayer below, in Latin and English].

    Holy Saturday is the day when we remember Our Lord Jesus Christ as He descended into Hell to free the souls of the Fathers from Satan’s chains. In the great silence after Our Lord’s Passion and Death, Our Lady kept watch and believed, waiting in hope for the Resurrection of Her dearly beloved Son. It was a time when the world seemed to have won, but when everything was being prepared for the glory of Easter.

    I should like to ask all my brother Bishops and Priests to join me as I recite this Exorcism, knowing the power of this Sacramental — especially when it is recited together with all other Priests — to help the Church in Her fight against Satan. I should also like to recommend that all of you wear a stole, the sign of your Priestly power, and Holy Water.

    The great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy, terrible as an army set in array, and Saint Michael the Archangel, Patron of the Holy Church and Prince of the Heavenly Host, will help all of us.

    + Carlo Maria Viganò,

    Titular Archbishop of Ulpiana

    Maundy Thursday (April 9), 2020

    English Translation of Pope Leo XIII’s Exorcism

    (For the complete Introduction and the original Latin text, see here and here).

    † In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

    Let us Pray

    God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we invoke Your Holy Name and we implore suplicatingly Your clemency so that, by the intercession of the always Immaculate and Virgin Mary Mother of God, of the Archangel Saint Michael, of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Most Holy Virgin, of the Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the Saints, that You deign to lend us Your efficacious aid against Satan and all the putrid spirits that roam throughout the world so as to harm the human race and for the perdition of souls. Amen.

    EXORCISM

    (At the “†” make the sign of the Cross)

    We exorcize you, all malignant spirit, satanic power, attacks of the infernal adversary, legion, concentration and diabolical sect, in the Name and Virtue of Our Lord Jesus † Christ, to leave and flee from the Church of God, from souls created in the image of God and redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb. †

    From now on, do not venture, most perfidious serpent, to deceive the elect and sift them like wheat. † The Most High God commands this to you, to whom, in your insolent arrogance you still pretend to resemble, “He who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy, 2).

    God the Father commands you. †

    God the Son commands you. †

    God the Holy Ghost commands you. †

    The Majesty of Jesus † Christ, God’s Eternal Word made man, commands you. †

    He, Who to save our race, which became lost due to your envy, “humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death” (Philippians, 2, 8);

    He, Who has built His Church on firm rock and revealed that the powers of hell would never prevail against Her, because He will dwell with Her all the days until the end of the world” (Saint Matthew, 28, 20).

    The sacred Sign of the Holy † Cross commands you,

    and also the virtue of All the Mysteries of the Christian Faith. †

    The august Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you † who, by her humility from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, crushed your proud head. †

    The faith of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the other Apostles commands you. †

    The blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints commands you. †

    Thus, cursed dragon and all diabolical legions, we adjure you by the Living † God, by the True † God, † by the Holy † God, “Who so loved the world that He handed over His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but live the everlasting life” (Saint John, 3); stop deceiving human creatures and feeding them the poison of eternal perdition; stop harming the Church and setting traps against Her liberty.

    Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all fallacy, enemy of the salvation of men. Place yourself before Jesus † Christ in Whom you have found none of your works. Place yourself before the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the same One acquired by Jesus † Christ with His Blood.

    Humble yourself below the All-Powerful Hand of God. Tremble and flee as we invoke the Holy and terrible Name of Jesus, before which all hells tremble, to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of the Heavens submit, which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly with voices saying: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, the God of Hosts.

    V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

    R. And let my cry come unto You.

    V. May the Lord be with You.

    R. And with Your Spirit.

    Let us pray

    God of Heaven and of the earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God Who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other God outside of You, nor can there be any other than Yourself, Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose reign there shall be no end: we humbly supplicate to You that Your glorious Majesty may deem to free us efficiently and guard and heal us, keep us healthy, safe and sound from all power, chains, lies and malice of the infernal spirits. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

    V. From the snares of the devil,

    R. Deliver us, O Lord.

    V. Make it be that Your Church serve You with secure liberty,

    R. We beg You to hear us.

    V. Deign to humble all the enemies of Your Church,

    R. We implore You: hear us.

    Amen.

    (Holy water is then sprinkled in the place and on those present where we have prayed this prayer.)

    Lord, do not remember our wrongdoings nor those of our parents; do not take revenge for our sins (Tobias 3:3).

    Pray the OUR FATHER

    Our Father, Who are in Heaven,

    Hallowed be Your Name.

    Your Kingdom come.

    Your Will be done

    on earth as it is in Heaven.

    Give us this day, our daily bread

    and forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those who trespass against us;

    and lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil. Amen

    † In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

    =======o

    Poem by St. Teresa of Avila        

    Yours are the feet

    with which Christ walks to do good.

    Yours are the hands

    with which Christ blesses the world.

    —St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)