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Views from the Choir Loft

Vesting Prayers • Part 2 of 9

Fr. David Friel · July 12, 2015

AST WEEK, I introduced the series I will be presenting over the course of two months, reflecting on the vesting prayers. Today I begin with the very first prayer a priest says when vesting for Mass, although it is not actually connected with a particular vestment. This is the prayer he says while performing the ritual hand washing.

Here is the original Latin version of the prayer, followed by an English translation:

Da, Domine, virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendam omnem maculam ut sine pollutione mentis et corporis valeam tibi servire.

Give virtue to my hands, O Lord, that, being cleansed from all stain, I might serve You with purity of mind and body.

This hand washing is not meant to be simply procedural or practical, although having clean hands is a laudable practice for any priest celebrant. The heart of this hand washing, rather, is the underlying spiritual transition the priest must make from the world of sin to the sanctuary of God. The hand washing that takes place within Mass is quite similar, seeking purity from sin and freedom to offer an unencumbered sacrifice.

The lay faithful are invited to a similar practice. When entering the church, it is a pious practice to bless oneself with holy water from the font. This serves not only as a reminder of one’s Baptism, but also as sort of ritual purification, putting aside the distractions of this world in order to attend to heavenly things.

In many sacristies, the Da, Domine prayer is still displayed on the wall above the sink, often with a towel rack labeled Ante Missam and Post Missam. I suspect that many priests in our time have fallen out of the practice of performing this introductory ritual. It is a custom well worth recovering where it has faded.

Next week, we will consider the vesting prayer associated with the amice.

Part 1 • Introduction

Part 2 • The Hand Washing

Part 3 • The Amice

Part 4 • The Alb

Part 5 • The Cincture

Part 6 • The Maniple

Part 7 • The Stole

Part 8 • The Chasuble

Part 9 • The Dalmatic

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Traditional Catholic Vestments, Vesting Prayers Last Updated: March 29, 2021

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

When we say: “The people like this” we regard them as unable to develop, as animals rather than human beings, and we simply neglect our duties in helping them towards a true human existence — indeed, in this case, to truly Christian existence.

— Professor László Dobszay (2003)

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