A letter of gratitude from Andrew Rivera

Dear Vox Cantoris readers:

Two years ago today we were in Easter week of 2023. A good friend of ours and someone familiar with most of the Latin Mass communities of Toronto, both diocesan and SSPX, was struck ill. From that week, the financial appeal above was posted here. You and others have come through in two years to just under the goal of $50,000.00. Andrew has asked me to publish this letter in gracious thanksgiving for your kindness. Andrew is not asking, but I am, please click here or on the above and bring us well over $50,000.00. 

God bless you all.   

Dear friends, 

It's been two years, almost to the day since I fell into a life-threatening illness and bearing a new burden after the more significant cross of widowerhood two years previous.  Amidst all this, the support offered to our child and family is beyond human measure and continues in our lives as we claw back from the brink of the abyss: the never-ending battle! 

In the wake of my more recent hospitalisation this past autumn, the blessings in my own life are still more than I can count with so many reasons to be grateful for what I have been freely given by God and the intercession of neighbours: a spirit of Charity not outdone in generosity!  This informal group of prayer, penances, and almsgiving rallying around our family continues to amaze and humble me. Hence, the bud of a new Apostolate of Gratitude has taken root and expression in a modest Devotion flourishing within our home amidst these latter-day calamities. 

This Apostolate of Gratitude has one purpose: the giving of thanks to the Triune God, nothing more or less or besides. (1 Tim. 2:1)  The giving of Thanks, the handmaiden of Adoration and Contrition and steward of Supplication, runs contrary to our troubled modern times: a worldly spirit seeking instant and transitory satiation, ever-prowling and ravenous upon the sterile and malnourished. 

The Method of this Devotion is found in the venerable Laudate Psalms - 148, 149, 150 - as prayed by Our Lord in the Temple during His earthly life. 

The Laudate Psalms as defined here contain all that needs to be prayed for this intention, offered by the Church throughout the ages in public and private prayer.  So long as an individual has access to a Psalter or Bible of sufficiently faithful translation, with uniform copies for group prayer, the Devotion may be prayed intact without worry of any obstacle. 

The Devotion would ideally be prayed in a church or before an altar of Sacrifice, after the model of Our Lord Himself.

Promulgating the Devotion was brought to the attention of my Parish this past January 10th; upon Parish encouragement, a proposal was then drafted and sent for review to our national Deanery and has since been vetted for refinement and submission to the General Council of my Diocese for consideration and discernment of next steps to follow. 

In the meantime, I'm compelled to foster the seedling beyond submission to my Bishop and my own daily personal practice with a proposal to those who have exercised heroic Charity to my family, and possibly expanding that prayer circle: a Novena of Gratitude, wherein the Devotion would be prayed for nine days in honour of the Holy Ghost and in union with the Nine Choirs of Angels.  The Novena would start on Palm Sunday and carry us through Easter Monday, walking us through the grandest and greatest time of the Church's year and if compelled possibly beyond these exalted days to come. 

To that end a modest and minimal structure is linked, emphasizing a gentle touch at most: 

English Version (from the Douay-Rheims - Challoner Revision): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dy5jY364UbpZwGZognz_cCXdDZLd7Oe7SctXuj8jlCk/edit?usp=sharing 

Proto-Typical Edition (Clementine Vulgate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-RKRtBaWhcOYFTblxr-mCefSiplW6PYHCbvSad5TmeU/edit?usp=sharing 

I'm really not sure where this present sharing of our Devotion will lead - I don't have clarity of vision to see if this little Devotion and Novena will "go" anywhere beyond daily practice in my own prayer life and possibly that of the one small but mighty soul under my care.  But, I am compelled to transmit this presently even if the "right" words are being drawn out of me kicking and screaming.  I welcome any advice and as always, prayers!      

Oremus pro invicem.                                                                                                               

Andrew Rivera      

Pope St. Leo, pray for us!