The Holy Hour is centered upon the Rosary and the intention for our own purification and that of the whole Church.

It would also be good to spend fifteen minutes of silent meditation and self-examination with the intention that we might receive the light and grace to see where the Church and our individual lives are in need of purification. And since this necessarily involves both what we believe and how we live (Faith and Charity), a reading of both the Apostles Creed and the Beatitudes (by a priest, religious, or designated lay person) would seem singularly appropriate as an introduction to this period of silence.

We therefore suggest the following structure to this Holy Hour:

1. Statement of Intention: For the Interior Purification of the Church and Ourselves.
2. Read the following:

“The purification of both our own individual lives and the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ necessarily involves both what we believe as Catholics, and the way we live our faith in this world. Before we pray the Rosary begging Our Lady for the grace of purification of the Church, we will therefore spend 15 minutes here in silent meditation and examination of conscience.  We begin this period of silence with a reading of the Nicene Creed, which summarizes what we are to believe, to be followed by a reading of the Beatitudes, which contain Our Lord’s teachings as to how we are to live our faith in this world.” [Both the Nicene Creed and the Beatitudes should be read so that they can be clearly heard by all, and at a relatively slow and deliberate pace}

 The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

The Holy Rosary.

1. If there is time, we might close with the Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Or, there is a beautiful prayer to be found in the meditation on the Feast of the Purification from Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen’s Divine Intimacy. It could be prayed either before the period of silence (after the recitation of the Beatitudes), or at the end of the Holy Hour.

                   “O Jesus, through the hands of Mary, I wish to offer myself today with You to the eternal Father. But You are a pure, holy, and immaculate Host, while I am defiled  with misery, and sin. O, Mary, Mother, you were willing to be purified, although you were free from the slightest shadow of imperfection; purify, I beseech you, my poor soul, so that it may be less unworthy to be offered to the Father along with Jesus, who is your Son as well as His. O Virgin, most pure, lead me along the way of a serious, and thorough purification; accompany me yourself, so that my weakness will not make me faint because of the roughness of the road.”

2. If this Holy Hour occurs with Exposition, it will of course be accompanied by the necessary prayers.

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