Traditional Chair of Unity Octave

[LordHaveMercy]

For those of you who attend the Traditional Mass, does your parish pray the Chair of Unity Octave? It began on January 18th and ends on January 25th, when the Church celebrates the conversion of Saint Paul. The purpose is to pray for the unity of all the worlds Christians, and each day the Church prays for a specific intention.

Brief History
The Octave was started by Fr. Paul of Graymoor, founder of The Society of the Atonement, a religious order with the mission of promoting Christian unity and working with the poor. Fr. Paul was an* Episcopalian *and the Society of the Atonement was an Episcopalian order. Fr. Paul began promoting an Octave of prayers for Christian Unity in 1908. The prayers worked because in 1909 Fr. Paul received the grace of conversion and entered the Catholic Church and the Society of the Atonement became the first religious community to be received corporately into the Catholic Church since the Reformation. In September 2015, Cardinal Dolan formally opened the cause for the cannonization of Servant of God Fr. Paul of Graymoor. The Octave was approved by Pope St. Pius X and extended to the Universal Church by Pope Benedict XV, and strongly encouraged by Pope St. John XXIII.

The Chair of Unity Octave was eventually replaced by the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” under Pope Bl. Paul VI, but here are the prayers written by Servant of God Fr. Paul of Graymoor, approved by Pope St. Pius X and encouraged by Pope St. John XXIII, with the intentions for each day of the Octave. We pray these after Mass each year during the Octave at my parish.

The Daily Prayers from Catholic Culture

ANTIPHON: 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 hast sent me.
V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter; R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

[Here is brought to mind the intention for the day’s prayer.]

January 18: For the return of the “other sheep” to the One Fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.
January 19: For the return of the Eastern Orthodox Christians to communion with the Apostolic See.
January 20: For the return of the Anglicans to the authority of the Vicar of Christ.
January 21: For the return of all Protestants throughout the world to the unity of the Catholic Church.
January 22: That Christians in America may be one, in union with the Chair of Saint Peter.
January 23: That lapsed Catholics will return to the Sacraments of the Church.
January 24: That the Jewish people will be converted to the Catholic Faith.
January 25: That missionary zeal will conquer the world for Christ.

[The following prayer is then said.]

Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Does your parish pray the Chair of Unity Octave?

 

[Chatter163]

Yes, my FSSP parish observes the octave in the traditional way, as you have described.

 

[LordHaveMercy]

Yes, my FSSP parish observes the octave in the traditional way, as you have described.

Nice, I spoke with a friend from an FSSP Parish in another state and he does not recall these prayers after Mass yesterday, so I don’t know if it’s universally practiced at FSSP parishes.

 

[Chatter163]

The unity prayers are commended to FSSP priests, but not required.