Bishop Calls for Prayers  of Reparation; Decrees Partial Indulgences

LAKE CHARLES – Bishop Glen John Provost has called for the faithful of the Diocese of Lake Charles to join him on Friday, June 27, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Prayers of Reparation for sins offending our Lord, especially in the Most Holy Eucharist.

The Bishop also decreed two partial indulgences – one for each devout recitation of the Prayer for the Family and one for the devout recitation of any hour of the Divine Office in the presence of Our Lord in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, whether solemnly exposed for adoration or reserved in the tabernacle.

These two decrees, in particular law for the Diocese, were announced at the close of the Ordination Mass on Saturday, June 7. Along with them, a third decree was announced that the Apostolic Penitentiary for the Universal Church has granted a partial indulgence to the Christian Faithful who devoutly recites the Act of Reparation prepared by the Apostolic Penitentiary. This indulgence will be a plenary one when this Act of Reparation is publicly recited on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

According to the decrees, the norms for the reception of partial indulgences for reciting the Divine Office or the Prayer for the Family are that one must be at least inwardly contrite, have at least the general intention of acquiring them, and complete the prescribed works. Generally, while partial indulgences may be gained several times a day, theses indulgences are granted for each hour recited and each time the Prayer for the Family is recited, according to the required conditions.

The decrees also explain that the indulgences pertain to all the faithful within the territory of the Diocese of Lake Charles and to all the faithful belonging to the Diocese of Lake Charles, even when outside their territory.

Bishop’s call for Prayers of Reparation on June 27 may include a Holy Hour for the vigil of the Solemnity, communal recitation of the rosary, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the praying of Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Prayer of Reparation. All are available to parishioners through their pastors and can be printed out below.
 
The sins specifically mentioned by the Bishop that require reparation include, but are not restricted to desecration of the Eucharist, sacrilegious communions, disrespect for the Eucharistic Presence, blasphemy and profanity, and sins violating members of the Body of Christ, such as child abuse, human trafficking, racial prejudice, abortion, pornography, calumny, detraction, and disregard for sacred duties by those who have care for souls. All sin has a communal dimension.  

“While we may not perform acts such as these in violation of God’s will, we can be aware of them and even tolerate them and thus become responsible to whatever extent,” Bishop Provost said. 

The Official Decree of Announcement For Indulgences, the Decrees themselves, the Prayer for the Family, and the Act of Reparation are available as PDFs below and have been provided to each church parish.

Prayer of Reparation for Insults and Blasphemies

O Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, Son of the living God, behold, we come before You and offer You our reparation; we would make amends for all the blasphemies uttered against Your holy Name, for all the injuries dine to You in the Blessed Sacrament, for all the irreverence shown toward Your Immaculate Virgin Mother, for all the calumnies and slanders spoken against Your Spouse, the Holy Catholic and Roman Church. O Jesus, Who has said: “If you ask the Father anything in My Name, He will give it to you,” we pray and beseech You for all our brothers and sisters who are in danger of sin; shield them from every temptation to fall away from the true Faith; save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss; to all of them give light and knowledge of the truth, courage and strength for the conflict with the evil one, perseverance in faith and an active charity! For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus, in Your Name, to God the Father, with whom You live and reign in the Unity of the Holy Spirit world without end. Amen.

The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy. 
Christ, have mercy. 
Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. 
God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us. 
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the Virgin Mother by the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, united substantially with the word of God, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Divinity, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us. 

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, saturated with revilings, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, crushed for our iniquities, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, made obedient unto death, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord, 
Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. 

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart. 
R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart. 
R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart. 
R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, in Thy great goodness, grant pardon to them who seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, world without end.

  Seven Penitential Psalms
These Psalms may be prayed together in a assembly or individually.
Psalm 6
Psalm 32
Psalm 38
Psalm 51
Psalm 102
Psalm 130
Psalm 143