Ceremony of Profession

 

The profession calls for wearing the scapular and cord over the outer garments.  During this ceremony they receive a new cord, white in color.  Novices are led into the church in procession.  The novices make their profession singly or in two at a time.

 

Priest:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The priest kneels at the foot of the altar and sings Veni, Creator Spiritus.   People may sing or hum the melody along.

1. Veni, Creator Spiritus,                                        2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,

Mentes tuorum visita.                                              Altissimi donum Dei,

Imple superna gratia,                                               Fons vivus, ignis, caritas,

Quae tu creasti pectora.                                           Et spiritalis unctio.

 

3. Tu septiformis munere                                       4. Accende lumen sensibus,

Digitus paternae dexterae,                                     Infude amorem cordibus,

Tu rite promissum Patris,                                      Infirma nostri corporis,
Sermone ditans guttura.                                       Virtute firmans, perpeti

 

5. Hostem repellas longius,                                   6. Per te sciamus da Patrem,

Pacemque dones protinus;                                      Noscamus atque Filium,

Ductore sic te praevio,                                             Te utriusque Spiritum

Vitemus omne noxium.                                            Credamus omni tempore.

 

7. Deo Patri sit Gloria,
   Et Filio, qui a mortuis

Surrexit, ac Paraclito
In saeculorum saecula. Amen

 

Priest:   Let us pray:

All:    O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord.    Amen.

Priest:    Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, that these your servants, whom you have deigned to honor with the habit of the Order, may happily attain to the completion of the work begun.   Through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Priest:   Our help is in the name of the Lord

All:   Who made heaven and earth.

Priest:   O Lord, hear my prayer

All:   And let my cry come unto you.

Priest:   The Lord be with you.

All:   And with your spirit

 

Priest:   Dear brother(s) and sister(s), what do you request?

Novices together:   Reverend Father, I ask to be admitted to holy profession in the Third Order of St. Francis, that I may serve God more faithfully in the Family of St. Francis.

Priest:    Thanks be to God.
N.N, do you agree to take on the responsibilities of this profession?

Novice:   I am, we are, ready and willing.

Priest:   Do you, the members of this fraternity, wish to accept N.N for profession in the Third Order of St. Francis?

Fraternity responds:     Glory be to you Oh Lord, King of all creation.     Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

 

Blessing of the cord

 

Priest:         Let us pray:
O God our Lord, bless we beseech you these cinctures and grant that your servants who are girded with this bond of penance, may be always mindful of the cords of our Lord Jesus Christ and ever acknowledge themselves bound to your service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord for ever and ever.

All:   Amen

 

Priest addresses to the novices a few words on the sanctity of the profession to be made, reminding them that their profession implies no vow or obligation under pain of sin.   However, he comments on the value of voluntary desire to live a life of perfection.

 

After the discourse, the Novices come to the altar, kneel and make their profession.   The novice master and minister should be on hand to assist.

 

The novice makes profession with folded hands, saying:

In the presence of almighty God, in honor of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, of blessed father Francis and of all the saints, I promise to observe all the time of my life the commandments of God and the Rule of the Third Order instituted by the same blessed Francis, according to the form approved by Nicholas the Fourth and Leo the Thirteenth.

Priest:   If you observe what you have promised, I, on the part of almighty God, I promise you life everlasting.   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Priest:    May the Lord divest you of the old man with his acts, and turn away your heart from the pomps of the world, which you renounced when receiving Baptism.

All:     Amen.

Priest:   As you turn toward Christ in the spirit of St. Francis, May the Lord cloth you with the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.

 All:   Amen

Priest:   May the Lord gird you with the cincture of purity and extinguish in you the passion of lust so that the virtue of continency and chastity may dwell within you.

All:    Amen

Priest:   O God, you have called your servant(s) to the Franciscan way of life, which requires that they (he/ she) follow in the footsteps of your Son. Grant the petitions and desires of these (this) your servant(s).

All:    Grant that we may live with them in true community and mutual charity. Amen

Priest:   Let us pray:
O God our Father, you are the source and giver of every vocation. We pray that these (this) your servant(s) who have joined our Franciscan Family may faithfully fulfill its way of life. Strengthen us also that we may persevere in your service. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who live and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever,

All:   Amen

 

All arise.  Standing at the foot of the altar, the priest intones the “Te Deum”:

You are God, we praise you;

You are the Lord: we acclaim you;

You are the eternal Father:

All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in

endless praise: Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might, heaven and

earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.

The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.

The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the Holy Church acclaims you:

Father, of majesty unbounded,

you true and only Son, worthy of all worship,

and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the stink of death,

and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own

blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

 

Priest:   Save your people, Lord and bless your inheritance.

All:        Govern and uphold them now and always.

Priest:   Day by day we bless you.

All:        We praise your name forever.

Priest:   Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.

All:        Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Priest:   Lord, show us your love and mercy;

All:        for we put our trust in you.

Priest:   In you, Lord, is our hope:

All:         and we shall never hope in vain.   Amen.

 

Priest:

It is right and just to sing to you, to bless you, to praise you, to thank you, to worship you everywhere in your domain, for you are God ineffable, incomprehensible, invisible, inscrutable, ever existing, yet ever the same, you and your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit.   From nothingness you brought us into being and you raised us up again when we fell.   You stopped at nothing so as to lead us to heaven and gifted us with your promised Kingdom.   Your mercies are without number and the treasure of goodness is infinite; we render thanks to your most gracious majesty for the gifts you have bestowed upon us, evermore beseeching your clemency that you grant petitions of your servants, never forsake them but will prepare them for the rewards to come.
It is trully right to bless you as the Theotokos, as the ever-blessed and immaculate mother of our God.  More honorable than Cherubim and more glorious than Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word.   O true Mother of God we magnify you!   We beseech you Lord, make us pure at the intercession of your Mother.
O Lord Jesus Christ, when the world was growing cold, you renewed the sacred marks of your suffering in our blessed father Francis.   Through his intercession inflame our hearts with the fire of your love: mercifully grant that by his merit and prayers we may always carry the cross and bring forth worthy fruits of penance.

 

 

Blessing of Brothers:

 

Priest:   O God, who have transferred blessed Louis, your confessor from the earthly kingdom to the glory of a heavenly kingdom, grant we beseech you, that through his merits and intercession these brothers of yours may become the companions of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, your Son.

 

 

Blessing of Sisters:

 

Priest:   O merciful God, grant through the glorious prayers of blessed Elizabeth that they may despise the prosperity of the world, and ever enjoy the consolation of Heaven.   Take possession of their hearts and infuse them with your grace, that fortified by the aid of your protection they may fulfill what at your inspiration they have promised.   Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

Blessing and Presentation of the Crucifix

 

Blessing of Crucifix

Priest:  Our help is in the name of the Lord

All:  Who made heaven and earth.

Priest:  O Lord, hear my prayer

All:  And let my cry come unto you.

Priest:  The Lord be with you.

All:  And with your spirit.

Priest:   Let us pray:

Bless, O Lord Jesus Christ, these crosses, through which you wrested the world from the power of the demons, and overcame with your suffering the prompter of sin, who rejoiced at the transgression of the first man in eating of the forbidden tree.   May these emblems of the Cross be sanctified in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, so that those who pray and humble themselves before them for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, may find health of body and soul.   We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.   Amen

 

Final Blessing:

Priest:   May the Lord, who caused the Franciscan Family to arise in the Church, lead us through the guidance of St. Francis to go beyond our earthly horizons and find our constant joy in the riches of his kingdom.

All:    Amen

Priest:   May God strengthen the hearts of those he has called to the Family of Francis.

All:   Amen.

Priest:   May the Lord bless you and keep you.

All:    Amen.

Priest:   May he turn his face to you and have mercy on you.

All:   Amen.

Priest:   May he turn his countenance to you and give you his peace.

All:   Amen.

Priest:   May the Lord bless you: The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

All:   Amen.