This Act of Contrition to be repeated after each Station.

While passing from one Station to another, a verse of the Stabat Mater is sung or said.

Y. Stabat Mater dolorosa
Juxta crucem lacrymosa,
Dum pendebat Filius.

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother

weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

If many persons perform the Via Crucis, the priests, or one part of the people, may sing the verses in order, and the rest of the people repeat after each verse:

R. Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
Cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

Or this verse alone may be sung after each Station.

A heavy cross is laid upon the bruised shoulders of Jesus. He receives it with meekness, nay, with a secret joy, for it is the instrument with which he is to redeem the world.

Prayer.

O Jesus! grant us, by virtue of thy cross, to embrace with meekness and cheerful submission the difficulties

of our state, and to be ever ready to take up our cross and follow thee.

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.

Y. Cujus animam gementem,
Contristatam, et dolentem,
Pertransivit gladius.

R. Sancta Mater, &c.

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,

All his bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had pass'd.

Holy Mother, &c.

Bowed down under the weight of the cross, Jesus slowly sets forth on the way to Calvary, amidst the mockeries and insults of the crowd. His agony in the garden has exhausted his body; he is sore with blows and wounds; his strength fails him; he falls to the ground under the cross.

Prayer.

O Jesus! who for our sins didst bear the heavy burden of the cross, and fell under its weight, may the thoughts of thy sufferings make us watchful over ourselves, and save us from any grievous fall into sin.

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.

. O quam tristis et afflicta

Fuit illa benedicta

Mater Unigeniti !

Sancta Mater, &c.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole-begotten one!
Holy Mother, &c.

Still burdened with his cross, and wounded yet more by his fall, Jesus proceeds on his way. He is met by his Mother. What a meeting must that have been! What a sword of anguish must have pierced that Mother's bosom ! What must have been the compassion of that Son for his holy Mother!

Prayer.

O Jesus! by the compassion which thou didst feel for thy Mother, have compassion on us, and give us a share in her intercession. O Mary, most afflicted Mother! intercede for us, that, through the sufferings of thy Son, we may be delivered from the wrath to come.

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.

Pater, Ave, &c. as before.

As the strength of Jesus fails, and he is unable to proceed, the executioners seize and compel Simon of

Cyrene to carry his cross. The virtue of that cross changed his heart, and from a compulsory task it be'came a privilege and a joy.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus! may it be our privilege also to bear thy cross; may we glory in nothing else; by it may the world be crucified unto us, and we unto the world; may we never shrink from sufferings, but rather rejoice if we may be counted worthy to suffer for thy name's sake.

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.
Pater noster, &c. as before.

. Quis est homo qui non
fleret,

Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?

Ry. Sancta Mater, &c.

Is there one who would not

weep,

Whelm'd in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Holy Mother, &c.

As Jesus proceeds on the way, covered with the sweat of death, a woman, moved with compassion, makes her way through the crowd, and wipes his face with a handkerchief. As a reward of her piety, the impressica of his sacred countenance is miraculously imprinted upon the handkerchief.

Prayer.

O Jesus! may the contemplation of thy sufferings move us with the deepest compassion, make us to hate our sins, and kindle in our hearts more fervent love to thee. May thy image be graven on our minds, until we are transformed into thy likeness.

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.
Pater noster, &c. as before.

V. Quis non posset contris-
tari,
Christi Matrem contem-
plari

Dolentem cum Filio?

R. Sancta Mater, &c.

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother's pain untold?

Holy Mother, &c.

Seventh Station.

JESUS FALLS A SECOND TIME.

V. Adoramus te, &c.

R. Quia per, &c.

y. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c.

Priest.

The pain of his wound, and the loss of blood increasing at every step of his way, again his strength fails him, and Jesus falls to the ground a second time.

Prayer.

O Jesus! falling again under the burden of our sins, and of thy sufferings for our sins, how often have we grieved thee by our repeated falls into sin! Oh, may we rather die than ever offend thee again!

Act of Contrition, &c. as before.

Pater noster, &c. as before.