THE WAY OF THE CROSS
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The Way of the Cross and the Holy Rosary are the devotions most practiced by Christian faithful.
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The Blessed Virgin Mary was the first to practice the Way of the Cross because Her great comfort was to walk the path of Calvary, remembering what Jesus suffered until He breathed His last on the Cross.
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It is something extremely holy and beneficial for our soul to meditate on the Lord's Passion: the sinner repents, the lukewarm becomes fervent, and the fervent makes great advances in virtue.
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Let us try to practice this devotion daily or, at the very least, once a week.
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Indulgences of the Way of the Cross.
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The Sacred Penitentiary (by decree of October 20, 1931) has abolished all the old indulgences and granted new ones.
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All the faithful who, repentant of their sins, alone or in company, make the Stations of the Cross, according to the prescriptions of the Holy See, gain:
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1. A plenary indulgence every time it is done.
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2. A second plenary indulgence on the same day it is done if Holy Communion is received, or if, having done the Stations of the Cross ten times, one receives Communion on one of the days of the following month.
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3. A partial indulgence of ten years for each station completed, if for a just reason the Stations of the Cross cannot be finished.
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Conditions: to gain the indulgences of the Way of the Cross without going to church, it is required:
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a) That it is not possible to do the Way of the Cross in church, in cases of true need, such as the sick, etc.
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b) To pray devoutly, repenting of sins and thinking about the passion of the Divine Savior, 20 Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be, namely: one for each station, 5 in memory of the five wounds, and another according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff.
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If, for some just reason, the Our Fathers are interrupted, ten years are gained for each Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be prayed.
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c) That during the recitation of these prayers, a Crucifix blessed with this privilege is kept at hand. If there are several people, it is enough that one person has it.
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If the ill person cannot pray the 20 Our Fathers, he gains the indulgences by kissing the Crucifix and even just by looking at it, praying a brief little prayer; if the ill person cannot pray these prayers, it is enough to kiss or look at his own or someone else's Crucifix.
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How to do the Way of the Cross in church
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The fourteen stations are visited: the first is next to the Gospel. [After II Vatican Council, some churches do not observe that.]
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It is not enough to visit the stations mentally; one should take a few steps from one station to the other, unless a large crowd prevents moving.
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No special prayer is prescribed: it is enough to briefly meditate on the Passion of the Lord at each station.
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Practice of the Way of the Cross (brief and quick)
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The sign of the Cross and Act of Contrition.
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At the beginning of each station, say:
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We adore You, Christ, and we bless You, because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
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We meditate for brief moments on what that station reminds us of, and pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
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Station I : Jesus is condemned to death on the Cross by Pilate, a most unjust judge.
Oh Jesus, how good You are! You accept this sentence, the most unfair, to deliver me from the eternal condemnation I deserve for my faults.
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Station II : Jesus carries the cross on His shoulders and bears it with infinite patience.
Oh Jesus, help me also to carry my cross with great patience, striving to imitate Yours!
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Station III : Jesus falls for the first timeJ, for He is very exhausted, His legs tremble, and He falls to the ground under the enormous weight of the Cross.
Oh Jesus, for such a painful fall, forgive me my falls into sin!
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Station IV : Jesus carrying the cross meets His Holy Mother.
What a cruel sword of pain pierced the hearts of Jesus and Mary! O Jesus, O Mary, my sins were the cause of Your suffering: make me detest them and walk the path of virtue, until I reach to see You in the heavenly Zion!
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Station V : Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross.
O good Jesus, how blessed was Simon! I also want to have the joy of helping You to carry the cross, carrying mine out of love for You.
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Station VI : Veronica wipes the face of Jesus with her veil, and the divine face is imprinted on that cloth.
O good Jesus! Imprint also on my soul the image of Your virtues, so that at the moment of death the Heavenly Father may find me like You, model of the elect.
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Station VII : Jesus falls for the second time.
Oh good Jesus, You fell again because we fall into sin: have mercy on us: forgive us because we are heartfelt sorry.
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Station VIII : Jesus says to some pious women who were crying at seeing Him so mistreated: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me; rather weep for yourselves and for your children…, because if they do this to the green wood, what will be done to the dry one?
O good Jesus, I tremble when considering the rigor of divine justice: look upon me and all men with eyes of mercy!
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Station IX : Jesus falls for the third time.
O good Jesus, You fell many times to the ground, because we have fallen many times into sin: make us always walk firm and steadfast in Your holy service!
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Station X : Jesus on Calvary is stripped of His garments, and they give Him gall and vinegar to drink.
O good Jesus, with what severity did You allow Your most innocent body to be treated! How just it is that I treat mine with rigor, at least with what is necessary to keep Your holy law!
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Station XI : Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
O my good Jesus, may I also be crucified with You, so that my hands never commit forbidden actions, and my feet never take criminal steps before Your divine presence!
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Station XII: Jesus dies on the Cross, after three hours of agony, for my salvation.
O good Jesus, it is right that I spend my whole life serving You, since You have given Yours for me! I wish to die so as not to sin anymore, to atone for my sins, and to see You, infinite Beauty.
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Station XIII: Jesus is taken down from the Cross and placed in the arms of His Most Holy Mother.
O most sorrowful Virgin, my sins have been the scourges, the thorns, the nails, and the lance that have covered Your most innocent Son with wounds; ask Him to forgive me and give me abundant grace to never commit them again.
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Station XIV : Jesus is laid in the tomb.
O Mary, most loving Mother! You left Your heart along with the body of Jesus, for indeed, the divine Teacher had said: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Who could have been more precious to You than Jesus? Who is more precious to me as well? Yes, make my mind and heart always be where Jesus is, that is, in heaven and in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
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It concludes with an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, for the intention of the Supreme Pontiff, to gain the Holy Indulgences.