Thursday 21 March 2019

The Psalm 44 Initiative - Mass offerings for Cardinal Pell

I am asking the assistance of Catholic priests around the world with a project that came in prayer while offering the daily office and, in particular, while praying Psalm 44.  

Psalm 44. Deus, auribus.

WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us * what thou hast done in their time of old:
    
    2 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and planted our fathers in; * how thou hast destroyed the nations, and made thy people to flourish.
    3 For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword, * neither was it their own arm that helped them;
    4 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance; * because thou hadst a favour unto them.
    5 Thou art my King, O God; * send help unto Jacob.
    6 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies, * and in thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
    7 For I will not trust in my bow, * it is not my sword that shall help me;
    8 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, * and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
    9 We make our boast of God all day long, * and will praise thy Name for ever.
    10 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion, * and goest not forth with our armies.
    11 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies, * so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
    12 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, * and hast scattered us among the heathen.
    13 Thou sellest thy people for nought, * and takest no money for them.
    14 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, * to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them that are round about us.
   
    15 Thou makest us to be a byword among the nations1, * and that the peoples2 shake their heads at us.
    16 My confusion is daily before me, * and the shame of my face hath covered me;
    17 For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, * for the enemy and avenger.
    18 And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, * nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
    19 Our heart is not turned back, * neither our steps gone out of thy way;
    20 No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, * and covered us with the shadow of death.
    21 If we have forgotten the Name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange god, * shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
    22 For thy sake also are we killed all the day long, * and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
    23 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou? * awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
    24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, * and forgettest our misery and trouble?
    25 For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust; * our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
    26 Arise, and help us, * and deliver us, for thy mercy's sake.


Coverdale Version  

I was convicted by the Holy Spirit to offer one Mass each week on behalf of Cardinal Pell while he is incarcerated and to send him a Mass card with a note explaining what is being done.  I am asking you, my brother priests, to do likewise.   


Of course lay people may also offer their Mass intentions for Cardinal Pell and send him a note of support.  


A wave of Mass offerings and mountains of mail going to the Cardinal can be a great spiritual grace for all of us during these very dark days.  


Send your Mass cards and letters to:

George Cardinal Pell,
Melbourne Assessment Prison,
317-353 Spencer St.,
West Melbourne, VIC 3003
Australia