The good folks at One Peter Five are reminding us that we are now in the Octave of Christian Unity:
Known as the “Octave of Christian Unity” as well as the “Chair of the Octave of Christian Unity” this period of time which lasts from January 18th through January 25th has been virtually forgotten even while it is kept as a more informal “Week of Christian Unity” in the modern Church. Sadly, the aftermath of Vatican II has obscured the primary purpose of this Octave: to pray and work for the conversion of those outside of the True Faith (i.e., the Catholic Faith). –Matthew Plese
The “all faiths lead to God” crowd shudders at the thought of praying for those outside the Roman Catholic Church, as in this traditional prayer for the Octave:
Ant. That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou has sent me.
℣. I say to thee, that thou art Peter,
℟. And upon this rock I will build my Church.Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst say to Thine Apostles: peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, look not upon my sins, but upon the faith of Thy Church; and vouchsafe unto Her that peace and unity which is agreeable to Thy will: Who livest and reignest God forever and ever. Amen.
They are especially scandalized by the daily Octave prayers dedicated to specific peoples who, according to the modernists, are never to be proselytized:
- Prayer for Pagans
- Prayer for Jews
- Prayer for Muslims
- Prayer for Schismatic Orthodox Christians
- Prayer for Protestant Sects
- Prayer for Freemasons
- Prayer for Lapsed Catholics
- Prayer for the True Faith
During this Holy Octave, let us also consider including a prayer for those who think themselves to be Roman Catholic, but who have abandoned the Church through their heretical beliefs.
PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF HERETICS AND SCHISMATICS.
Mary, Mother of mercy and refuge of sinners! we beseech thee to look with pitying eyes on heritical and schismatical nations. D6″ thou, who art the seat of wisdom, illumine their minds, wretchedly involved in the darkness of ignorance and sin, that they may know the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church to be the only true Church of Jesus Christ. Finally, complete their conversion by obtaining for them the grace to believe every truth of our holy faith, and to submit the Sovereign Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth; that thus being soon united to us by the bonds of divine charity, they may make with us but one fold under one and the same pastor, and that we may thus, O glorious Virgin ! all sing exultingly forever: ” Rejoice, O Virgin Mary ! thou alone hast destroyed all heresies in the whole world.” Amen. Those who say this prayer with the Hail Maty, three times, gain an indulgence of three hundred days, once a day.