INTRODUCTION

The missionaries will announce the hour for the final service of the mission. The exercises will consist of the Rosary, Mass, a sermon, the Apostolic Blessing, and blessing of religious articles.
 
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THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING

This blessing gives a plenary indulgence to those who make the mission, receive the blessing, go to Confession and Communion and say one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory be to the Father for the intention of the Pope.

Standing at the pulpit, the missionary faces the people and blesses them with a crucifix, saying:

"May the Blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain with you forever. Amen."

 
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CONCLUSION

Thank God for having bestowed upon you the grace to make this mission so well. By the grace of God, some change has taken place in your heart and you are closer to your Lord and Master. You have begun to realize something of the enormity of sin and of the happiness of serving God. Pray that you may never in the future stray from the path of duty to God, and beg of God to give you the grace to persevere in this newness of life unto death.

One of the greatest causes for failure in the Christian life is too much confidence in self. We think we are strong, whereas we are weakness itself. Hence, many expose themselves to the occasions of sin recklessly. The rule that Jesus gave to the young man mentioned in the Gospel says, "If you will enter into life, keep the Commandments." To make sure that you do not become overconfident in self and to help you to keep the Commandments, observe the following rules:

1) Avoid all the occasions of sin, e.g. bad company, sinful amusements and places of amusement, suggestive reading.

2) If possible, go to the Sacraments at least once a month. Better still, if possible, go every day or every week. Penance and the Eucharist are tremendous sources of strength in resisting temptations and in making progress in virtue.

3) Never miss Mass on Sundays or Holydays when you are able to attend.

4) Endeavor to hear the word of God when you can. The Psalmist says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths."

5) Never neglect your daily prayers. Prayer is the key to heaven. Remember that you live in the presence of God and promptly call on Him in times of temptation for help, and in times of calm offer Him your affections.

6) Every day feed your mind by reading the Scriptures or some book which teaches the truths of faith.

7) Every day say at least five decades of the Rosary. Cultivate a tender devotion to St. Joseph, your guardian angel and some of the saints.

8) Do not expect that the happiness and feeling of exhilaration which you perhaps experience in your conversion to God will continue indefinitely.  Make the renewal of your spiritual life a thing of conviction and resolution that will not falter in moods of dryness when you are wearied by the monotony of your efforts.

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PRAYER TO OBTAIN FINAL PERSEVERANCE

Eternal Father, I humbly adore You, and thank You for having created and redeemed me through Jesus Christ. I thank You most sincerely for having made me a Christian by giving me the true faith and by adopting me as Your child in the Sacrament of Baptism. I thank you for having, after the numberless sins I have committed, waited for my repentance and for having pardoned, as I humbly hope, all my offenses for which I am now sincerely sorry, because they displeased You Who are infinite goodness. I thank You for having preserved me so frequently from lapsing into my former sins, which I certainly should have done had it not been for Your divine protection. But my enemies still continue to persecute me, and until the moment of my death they will unceasingly endeavor to make me their slave. If You do not constantly guard and succor me with Your aid, I, a miserable creature, shall return to sin and certainly lose Your grace. I beseech You, then, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me holy perseverance unto death.

Jesus, Your Son, has promised that You will grant us whatsoever we ask in His Name. Through the merits, then, of Jesus Christ, I beg for myself and for all the just the grace never again to be separated from Your love, but to love You forever, in time and eternity. Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me. Amen.

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