God of Earth and Altar
G.K. Chesterton

O God of earth and altar,
    Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter,
    Our people drift and die;
The walls of gold entomb us,
    The swords of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us,
    But take away our pride.

From all that terror teaches,
    From lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches
    That comfort cruel men,
From sale and profanation
    Of honour and the sword,
From sleep and from damnation,
    Deliver us, good Lord.

Tie in a living tether
    The prince and priest and thrall,
Bind all our lives together,
    Smite us and save us all;
In ire and exultation
    Aflame with faith, and free,
Lift up a living nation,
    A single sword to thee.

Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. 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.

Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
St. Joseph, helper in all needs, pray for us.
Fourteen Holy Helpers, pray for us.
St. George, valiant Martyr of Christ, pray for us.
St. Blaise, zealous bishop and benefactor of the poor, pray for us.
St. Erasmus, mighty protector of the oppressed, pray for us.
St. Pantaleon, miraculous exemplar of charity, pray for us.
St. Vitus, special protector of chastity, pray for us.
St. Christophorus, mighty intercessor in dangers, pray for us.
St. Dionysius, shining mirror of faith and confidence, pray for us.
St. Cyriacus, terror of Hell, pray for us.
St. Achatius, helpful advocate in death, pray for us.
St. Eustachius, exemplar of patience in adversity, pray for us.
St. Giles, despiser of the world, pray for us.
St. Margaret, valiant champion of the Faith, pray for us.
St. Catherine, victorious defender of the Faith and of purity, pray for us.
St. Barbara, mighty patroness of the dying, pray for us.
All ye Holy Helpers, pray for us.

All ye Saints of God, pray for us.

In temptations against faith, pray for us.
In adversity and trials, pray for us.
In anxiety and want, pray for us.
In every combat, pray for us.
In every temptation, pray for us.
In sickness, pray for us.
In all needs, pray for us.
In fear and terror , pray for us.
In dangers of salvation, pray for us.
In dangers of honor, pray for us.
In dangers of reputation, pray for us.
In dangers of property, pray for us.
In dangers by fire and water,pray for us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord!
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord!

From all sin, deliver us, O Lord.
From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord.
From the scourge of earthquake, deliver us, O Lord.
From plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord.
From lightning and storms, deliver us, O Lord.
From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord.
From eternal damnation, deliver us, O Lord.
Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, deliver us, O Lord.
Through Thy birth and Thy life, deliver us, O Lord.
Through Thy Cross and Passion, deliver us, O Lord.
Through Thy death and burial, deliver us, O Lord.
Through the merits of Thy blessed Mother Mary, deliver us, O Lord.
Through the merits of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, deliver us, O Lord.
On the Day of Judgment,deliver us, O Lord!

We sinners, beseech Thee hear us.
That Thou spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt convert us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt protect and propagate Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt preserve peace and concord among the nations, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt give eternal rest to the souls of the departed, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wilt come to our aid through the intercession of the Holy Helpers, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That through the intercession of St. George Thou wilt preserve us in the Faith, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Blaise Thou wilt confirm us in hope, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Erasmus Thou wilt enkindle in us Thy holy love, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Pantaleon Thou wilt give us charity for our neighbor, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Vitus Thou wilt teach us the value of our soul, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Christophorus Thou wilt preserve us from sin, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Dionysius Thou wilt give us tranquillity of conscience, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Cyriacus Thou wilt grant us resignation to Thy holy will, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Eustachius Thou wilt give us patience in adversity, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Achatius Thou wilt grant us a happy death, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Giles Thou wilt grant us a merciful judgment, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Margaret Thou wilt preserve us from Hell, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Catherine Thou wilt shorten our Purgatory, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of St. Barbara Thou wilt receive us in Heaven, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That through the intercession of all the Holy Helpers Thou wilt grant our prayers, we beseech Thee, hear 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, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, ye Fourteen Holy Helpers.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.

Let us Pray.

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast bestowed extraordinary graces and gifts on Thy Saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus, Christophorus, Dionysius, Cyriacus, Eustachius, Achatius, Giles, Margaret,Catherine, and Barbara, and hast illustrated them by miracles; we beseech Thee to graciously hear the petitions of all who invoke their intercession.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who didst miraculously fortify the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the confession of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee,
to imitate their fortitude in overcoming all temptations against it, and protect us through their intercession in all dangers of soul and body, so that we may serve Thee in purity of heart and chastity of body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Invocation:

Holy Helpers,
who served God in humility
and confidence on earth
and are now in the enjoyment
of His beatific vision in Heaven;
because thou persevered till death
thou gained the crown of eternal life.
Remember the dangers that surround us
in this vale of tears,
and intercede for us in all our needs and adversities. Amen.

Fourteen Holy Helpers,
select friends of God,
I honor thee as mighty intercessors,
and come with filial confidence to thee in my needs,
for the relief of which
I have undertaken to make this novena.
Help me by thy intercession to placate God's wrath,
which I have provoked by my sins,
and aid me in amending my life and doing penance.
Obtain for me the grace
to serve God with a willing heart,
to be resigned to His holy will,
to be patient in adversity
and to persevere unto the end,
so that, having finished my earthly course,
I may join thee in Heaven,
there to praise for ever God,
Who is wonderful in His Saints. Amen.


Purification of a House