PROPER OFFICES
SAINT LOUIS ORIONE
16 May
Saint LOUIS ORIONE
priest
Optional Memorial
Louis Orione was born at Pontecurone, Italy, on 23 June 1872. He became a disciple of St John Bosco, whom he admired and imitated as a model of apostolic holiness. While still a student at the seminary of Tortona he began his apostolate among youth, and after his priestly ordination he continued to dedicate his energies to the relief of every kind of physical and moral distress, so as to spread among people the love for Christ and lead them to perceive his presence in the Church, the Pope and the bishops. He devoted his life to works of charity in many countries, especially Italy and Latin America, and founded several Congregations. After a life of hard work and suffering, he died at Sanremo, Italy, on 12 March 1940. He was beatified by John Paul II on 26 October 1980 and canonised by him on 18 May 2004
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From the Common of Saints: Saints of charity or from the Common of Pastors. with psalms from the day as in the Psalter.
Office of Readings
Second Reading
From "Notes" of Saint Louis Orione
(25 February 1939)
Place me, O Lord, at the mouth of hell,
that by your mercy I may close it.
To be able to see and love in the world only the souls of our brothers and sisters. Souls of little ones, souls of the poor, souls of sinners, souls that have been led astray, repentant souls, souls rebelling against God's will, souls rebelling against Christ's Church, souls of depraved children, souls of wretched and disloyal priests, souls overwhelmed by grief, souls white as doves, pure and simple virginal souls, souls that have fallen into the darkness of the senses and the bestiality of the flesh, souls proud of their evil state, souls greedy for money and power, souls full of themselves, wandering souls looking for the right road, sorrowing souls looking for refuge or a kind word, condemned souls crying out in desperation or souls intoxicated with the elation of living the truth: all these are souls loved by Christ; for all of them Christ died; all of them he wants safe in his arms and pressed to his transfixed Heart.
Our life and our whole Congregation must be a joint canticle and holocaust of brotherhood in Christ, so as to see and feel Christ in mankind. In us must be the deepest and most lofty music of charity. For us the central point of the universe is the Church of Christ and the soul the corner-stone of the Christian drama. All I hear is an infinite divine symphony of spirits palpitating around the Cross, and from the Cross exudes through the centuries, drop by drop, the divine blood shed for each human soul.
From the Cross Christ cries out: "I thirst!" - a terrible cry of yearning which stems not from the flesh but from the craving for souls, and it is for this thirst for our souls that Christ dies.
All I see is a heaven; but a heaven truly divine, because it is the paradise of salvation and of true peace: I see only a kingdom of God, the kingdom of love and forgiveness, where the whole multitude of peoples is the heritage of Christ and his kingdom.
Responsory
R/. Christ wants everyone to be safe in his arms and close to his pierced heart. From the cross he cries out: "I thirst" * for the salvation of souls
V/. I shall write my life with blood and tears,
R/. for the salvation of souls
Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.
Morning Prayer
Scripture Reading Rm 12, 1-2
My brothers, I implore you by God’s mercy to offer your very selves to him: a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for his acceptance; the worship offered by mind and heart. Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world, but let your minds be remade, and you whole nature thus transformed. Then you will be able to discern the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect.
Short Responsory
Eastertide:
R/. The law of God guides him; his mind is fixed on God. * Alleluia, alleluia.
The law of God guides him; his mind is fixed on God. Alleluia, alleluia.
V/. His steps will never falter.
* Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The law of God guides him; his mind is fixed on God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Outside Eastertide:
R/. The law of God guides him, * his mind is fixed on God.
The law of God guides him; his mind is fixed on God.
V/. His steps will never falter
* his mind is fixed on God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The law of God guides him; his mind is fixed on God.
Ant. At the Ben. Whatever you do for the least of my brethren,
that you do unto me, says the Lord. (T.P. alleluia).
Intercessions
United in the liturgy of praise, let us invoke Christ the Lord, so that following the example of Saint Louis Orione, we may serve him in holiness and justice all the days of our life:
Sanctify you people O Lord.
You were tempted in every way that we are, but you did not sin,
–Lord Jesus, have mercy on us.
You came to serve and not to be served,
– Lord Jesus, teach us to serve you in our brothers and sisters
You call everyone to perfect love,
–Lord Jesus, sanctify your people.
You have told us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world,
–Lord Jesus, enlighten your people.
In Saint Louis Orione you have given us a model of trust in Providence and of total dedication to our brother and sisters most in need,
–Lord Jesus, grant that the religious Institutes he founded “The Little Work of Divine Providence” and the “Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity” may be faithful to their charism in the service of the Church.
Our Father
Prayer
God of boundless mercy, you empowered your priest, Saint Louis Orione, to love Christ your Son in the young and the poor; grant that we too may practise works of mercy, and daily experience the tenderness of your Fatherly love. We ask this through our Lord...
Evening Prayer
Scripture Reading Rm 8, 28-30
We are well assured that everything helps to secure the good of those who love God, those whom he has called in fulfilment of his design. All those who from the first were known to him, he has destined from the first to be moulded into the image of his Son, who is thus to become the eldest-born among many brethren. So predestined, he called them; so called, he justified them; so justified, he glorified them.
Short Responsory
Eastertide:
R/. The Lord is good, he loves good deeds. * Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord is good, he loves good deeds. Alleluia, alleluia
V/. His face is turned towards the upright man.
* Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is good, he loves good deeds. Alleluia, alleluia
Outside Eastertide:
R/. The Lord is good * he loves good deeds.
The Lord is good, he loves good deeds.
V/. His face is turned towards the upright man,
* he loves good deeds.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is good, he loves good deeds.
Ant. At the Magn. Let us never tire in doing good; let us work for the good of
all. In due time we shall reap the reward (T.P. alleluia).
Intercessions
Let us ask the Father source of all holiness that through the example and the intercession of the Saints we may live according to our baptism.
Make us holy as you are holy.
Holy Father, it was your will that we be called you children and that is what we are,
–may your Church all over the world bear witness to your goodness.
Holy Father, you have called us to walk in a way worthy of our vocation to please you in everything,
– may our lives be rich in every kind of good work.
Holy Father, you call some to follow Christ poor and humble more closely,
–may they reach the perfection of love.
Holy Father, saint Louis Orione, a disciple of Don Bosco, imitated him in his apostolic zeal and holiness of life:
–grant to us and to all the members of the Salesian Family to be apostles of Christ and bearers of hi love, especially to young people most in need.
Holy Father, admit our deceased brothers to the contemplation of your face,
–make us too worthy of your glory.
Our Father.
Prayer
God of boundless mercy, you empowered your priest, Saint Louis Orione, to love Christ your Son in the young and the poor; grant that we too may practise works of mercy, and daily experience the tenderness of your Fatherly love. We ask this through our Lord...
