Saint Patrick’s Lorica for Protection for Fr. James Altman
After a Catholic priest’s video message, “You cannot be Catholic & a Democrat. Period.,” went viral, his bishop appears to be taking measures to silence him even as public support for the courageous priest grows.
“[The] bishop does not want live-streaming of the Masses,” he told the faithful after his live-streamed Mass today. “This might be the very last live-stream of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that I can give. That is unfortunate, but, the ‘manner and tone’ of the people opposing us is just that vile and despicable…it causes everyone to cave, and indeed it appears to be the case here.”
“When we talk about manner and tone, that speaks volumes. [We’ve] seen the manner and tone throughout the last hundred and some days all around the councty. We’ve seen what evil manner and tone actually is. The reason why the children aren’t here today is because of that specifically.”
“If anybody wants to complain about manner and tone,” he suggested, “perhaps they should start with those people whose manner and tone actually is diabolical and evil…”
As Fr. Altman faces disciplinary measures from his bishop, support for the beleaguered but unwavering priest has been pouring in from many corners.
Let’s pray for protection for Fr. James Altman
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf recommends the very powerful “Lorica of St. Patrick” to counter this spiritual attack.
Saint Patrick’s Lorica is a prayer for protection. Lorica, in Latin, means breastplate and refers to ancient armor worn to protect the chest.
An old tradition has it that on Easter morning, as Saint Partick and his band of missionaries proceeded in processional order, toward the king’s court, they chanted the sacred Lorica, called the Faed Fiada, or Deer’s Cry, specially composed by Patrick for their protection.
As the minions of the Druids lay in ambush to intercept and kill Patrick’s band on their way to court, the assassins now saw not Patrick and his companions pass, but a harmless herd of gentle deer, a doe followed by her twenty fawns. Hence the hymn’s title, the Faed Fiada—Deer’s Cry.
Having been carried safe by the Lord through the ambush prepared for them, Saint Patrick led his host into the king’s presence, chanting: “Let them that will, trust in chariots and horses, but we walk in the name of the Lord.”
Through all the centuries since, the Faed Fiada—which many authorities pronounced to be Patrick’s own work and the first hymn written in Gaelic—has been used by the Irish as a lorica for protection.
REPLACE FIRST PERSON WITH “FR. JAMES ALTMAN”
Saint Patrick’s Lorica for Protection
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
