Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/517



Y Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  for  love  of  us  didst suffer the  agony  of  thirst  upon  the  Cross,  grant we beseech  thee,  through  the  merits  of  thy  sacred passion and  death,  that  we  may  subdue  our  sinful desires, and  may  never  have  the  misfortune  to  commit the sin  of  drunkenness. This most  grievous  sin  has cast innumerable  souls  into  hell. It brings  in  its train innumerable  other  sins. It closes  the  heart against sanctifying  grace,  gives  loose  reins  to  the vilest passions,  destroys  Christian  peace  in  families, leads to  fighting  and  quarrelling,  to  cursing  and swearing, to  improper  and  sinful  words. O God! through thy own  great  mercy,  preserve  us  from  the sin of  drunkenness,  and  through  thy  love  for  all  the Saints of  Ireland,  banish  this  terrible  vice  entirely from amongst  us.

Say, from your  heart,  one  “Hall  Mary,”  to  obtain  the  blessing  of Temperance,  and  add:

O sacred Heart  of  Jesus,  through  thy  thirst  and agony on  the  Cross,  have  mercy  on  us.

Immaculate Mary,  through  thy  compassionate heart, obtain  for  me  the  blessing  of  Temperance.

EFEND, O Lord,  thy  servants,  we  beseech  thee, from all  dangers  both  of  body  and  soul; and, by the  intercession  of  the  blessed  and  glorious  Virgin Mary, Mother  of  God,  of  the  blessed  Apostles  Peter and Paul,  of  blessed  N.,  and  of  all  thy  saints,  mercifully grant  us  the  blessings  of  peace  and  safety; that