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The Chair of Unity Octave

The Octave is a period of eight days of
prayer (Jan. 18-25) for the reunion of

Christendom, the return of lapsed Catholics,

and the conversion of unbelievers. It was

founded by Fr. Paul James Francis, S.A. in

1908 and blessed by St. Pius X in 1909.
Since then it has spread to all parts of the

Catholic world. The intentions of the Octave

are given below.

Daily Intentions

Jan. 18. Feast of St. Peter s Chair at

Rome. The return of all the “other sheep”

to the one Fold of St. Peter, the One Shep-

herd.

Jan. 19. The return of all Oriental Sep-

aratists to Communion with the Apostolic

See.

Jan. 20. The submission of Anglicans to

the Authority of the Vicar of Christ.

Jan. 21. That the Lutherans and all other

Protestants of Continental Europe may find

their way “Back to Holy Church.”

Jan. 22. That Christians in America may
become One in Communion with the Chair

of St. Peter.

Jan. 28. The return to the Sacraments of

lapsed Catholics.

Jan. 24. The conversion of the Jews.

Jan. 25. Feast of the Conversion of

St. Paul. The Missionary conquest of the

world for Christ.

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What We Pray For
The unity which all men desire in these

dark days cannot be had apart from Jesus

Christ; everyone who professes to be Chris-

tian admits this. But the unity which Christ

offers is that of one fold and one shepherd.

The Octave aims to secure for all men this

unitv of Christ.
*

As Fr. Paul said: “There is no other unity

possible in the divine economy save that

which is built upon the same foundation as

the one on which Christ Jesus, the Lord and

Master, founded His Church, and you know

what that foundation is: . . . ‘And I say to

thee that thou art Peter, and upon this

Rock, I will build my Church, and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. And I

will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of

heaven (by which He meant His Church)

and whatever thou shalt bind upon earth

shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever

thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed

also in heaven/ . . . When, therefore, you

unite with us in the observance of the Unity

Octave it should be to pray specifically that

all those who, down through the centuries,

have been separated from the Chair of Peter

at Rome, may return to Catholic commun-

ion, that is to say, communion with the

Apostolic See.”

National Office

CHAIR OF UNITY OCTAVE

Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

Graymoor, Garrison, N.Y.
Leaflet No. 1

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The Official Octave Prayer

Form of Prayer Decreed by Pope Benedict

XV to be recited daily during the Octave.
Antiphon. That they all may be One, as
Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee; that
they also may be one in Us; that the world
may believe that Thou has sent Me.

—John 17:21

y. I say unto thee thou art Peter;

And upon this Rock I will build my
Church.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto
Thine Apostles: Peace I leave with you, My
Peace I give unto you: regard not our sins,

but the faith of Thy Church, and grant

unto her that peace and unity which are

agreeable to Thy will; Who livest and
reignest God forever and ever. Amen.

Indulgences

(attached to official prayer)

Granted by rescript of December 10, 1946,

by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, through

Nicola Cardinal Ganali.

1. Partial indulgence of 300 days on each

day of the Octave in any Church or public

oratory where the exercise is performed.

2. Plenary indulgence under usual condi-

tions—at the completion of the Octave.

Lord Jesus, most gracious Saviour of the

world, we humbly beg of Thee by Thy Most

Sacred Heart, that all the sheep now wan-

dering astray may be converted to Thee,

the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls:

Who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen.

(
Raccolta

,
625—500 days)

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Prayer to Our Lady

Priest and People : O Virgin Immaculate—
who was preserved by a singular privilege

of grace from original sin—look down with

pity upon our separated brethren—who are

still your children and call them back to

the Center of Unity.—Many have, even from
afar—preserved a most tender devotion

towards you, O Mother.—Reward them for
their devotion—by obtaining for them the

grace of conversion.—Victorious over the

powers of hell—from the very first moment

of your existence—renew, now that the

necessity is more urgent—your triumphant

progress, as in ages past.—Glorify your Son,

O Mother—by bringing back to the One
Fold His straying sheep—making them obe-

dient to the guidance of the universal Shep-

herd—who is His Vicar on earth.—And may
it be your glory, O Virgin Mary—to banish
error from the earth—to put an end to dis-

unity—and to restore peace to the world.

Amen.

Raccolta
,
627—500 days.

Our Lady of the Atonement, intercede for

us that there may be fulfilled the prayer of
your divine Son: That all may be one.

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Prayer to St. Peter

O glorious Saint Peter, who, in return for
thy lively and generous faith, thy profound

and sincere humility, and thy burning love,

wast honored by Jesus Christ with singular

privileges, and in particular, with the leader-

ship of the other Apostles and the primacy of

the whole Church, of which thou wast made
the foundation stone, do thou obtain for us

the grace of a lively faith, that shall not fear

to profess itself openly, in its entirety and in

all of its manifestations, even to the shedding

of blood, if occasion should demand it, and to

the sacrifice of life itself in preference to sur-

render. Obtain for us likewise, a sincere loyalty

to our holy mother, the Church; grant that we
may ever remain most closely and sincerely
united to the Roman Pontiff, who is the heir
of thy faith and of thy authority, the one, true,

visible Head of the Catholic Church, that mys-

tic ark outside which there is no salvation.

Grant, moreover, that we may follow, in all
humility and meekness, her teaching and her

counsels, and may be obedient to all her pre-
cepts, in order to be able here on earth to

enjoy a peace that is sure and undisturbed,

and to attain one day in heaven to everlasting

happiness. Amen.

y. Pray for us, Saint Peter the Apostle,

R7 . That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, who hast given unto Thy blessed
Apostle Peter the keys of the kingdom of heav-

en, and the power to bind and loose: grant

that we may be delivered, through the help of

his intercession, from the bonds of all our

sins : Who livest and reignest world without
end. Amen.

Raccolta
,
484—500 days.

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That all be one O dearest Lord, we pray. That

to Thy Church from which the wand’rers stray, And

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Thy true Faith she keeps, like saints of old. O

bring them back. Good Shepherd of the sheep; And

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rouse the heathen nations from their sleep. Amen

Then praise we God the Father, God the

Son,

And God the Holy Spirit, Three in One,

That one in Him and one together we

In unity may praise the Trinity;

Till all the ransomed fall before His Throne

And give all glory to our God alone. Amen.

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Suggestions—

How to observe the Octave:

1. Recite official prayer daily.

2. Assist at Mass and receive Communion
daily.

3. Pray the Rosary daily for Unity.

4. Attend Octave exercises in parish church

or parish in vicinity; bring non-Catholic

friends with you.

5. Visit the Blessed Sacrament; make the
Way of the Cross; perform spiritual and
corporal works of mercy.

6. Offer daily actions for Unity.

7. Read Catholic literature.

8. Give good example to Catholics and non-

Catholics.

Imprimi Potest:

Angelus F. Delahunt, S.A., Superior General

Nihil Obstat:

Edward Hanahoe, S.A., Censor Deputatus

Imprimatur:

Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declara-
tions that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or

moral error. No implication is contained therein that
those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and Impri-
matur agree with the contents, opinions or statements

expressed.

Published by Chair of Unity Octave

FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE ATONEMENT
Graymoor, Garrison, New York

Designed and Printed at Graymoor Press, Peekskill, N.Y<