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St. Francis Borgia | 1962 Missal | Traditional Latin Mass Readings | 10/10/2026 · Vox Liturgica

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  Vox Liturgica: The propers of the day according to the 1962 Roman Missal. The feast of Saint Francis Borgia, October 10 in the year of our Lord 2026.
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  In the liturgical year Dom Prosper Garenge writes, Vanity of vanities and all is vanity. No argument was needed to impress this truth upon the saint of today when the coffin was opened which contained all that Spain had admired of youth and loveliness, and death suddenly revealed to him its awful reality. Oh, ye beauties of all times, death alone never dies.
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  It invites itself to your dances and pleasures. It assists at all your triumphs. It hears promises said to be eternal and how quickly it can scatter your adorers. A few years, a few days, perhaps even less, and all your borrowed sweetness will be decaying in the tomb. Enough of vain phantoms.
• 1:31
  Enough of serving mortal kings. Awake, oh my soul. Such was Francis Borgia's reply to the teachings of death, the friend of Charles the fifth, the great lord unequaled for nobility, fortune, and brilliant qualities, quitted the court as soon as possible. Ignatius, the soldier at the siege of Pampeloona, beheld at his feet the Viceroy of Catalonia begging to be protected against the honors which pursued him even under the poor habit of a Jesuit which was now his glory. The church relates his life in the following lines.
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  Francis, fourth Duke of Gandia, was the son of John Borgia and of Joanna of Aragon, granddaughter of Ferdinand the Catholic. He passed his childhood in his father's house in wonderful innocence and piety, but appeared still more admirable when he showed himself a pattern of Christian virtue and austerity, first at the court of the Emperor Charles the fifth and afterwards as Viceroy of Catalonia. He was charged to convey the body of the Empress Isabel to her sepulchre at Granada. Seeing the horrible change in her features he understood how fleeting are all earthly things and vowed to renounce everything as soon as possible and devote himself to the service of the King of Kings. From that day forward he made such progress in virtue that in the midst of overwhelming occupations his life was a faithful copy of religious perfection so that he was called the miracle of princes.
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  On the death of his wife Eleonora de Castro he entered the Society of Jesus that he might therein be more hidden on account of the vow which closes the door to ecclesiastical preferment. Many princes followed him in embracing a severe manner of life and Charles V himself did not hesitate to acknowledge that his advice and example had led him to abdicate the throne. Francis devoted himself to the exercises of a penitential life and macerated his body by fasting, iron chains, and rough hair shirt, long and bloody disciplines allowing himself very little sleep. While at the same time he spared no effort to conquer himself and to gain souls. His great virtue caused Saint Ignatius to appoint him commissary general for Spain And soon afterwards, against his will, he was chosen by the whole society, third general of the order.
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  In this position, his prudence and holiness endeared him both to popes and to temporal rulers. He founded and enlarged many houses of his order and introduced the society into Poland, the islands of the Atlantic, Mexico, and Peru and sent apostolic men into other regions who spread the Catholic Roman faith by their preaching, their labors, in their blood. He had a most lowly opinion of himself always calling himself the sinner. This humility led him to persistently refuse the Roman purple which was more than once offered him by the Pope. Filled with contempt for himself and the world, he delighted in sweeping away dirt, begging alms from door to door, and serving the sick in hospitals.
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  He devoted many hours every day to heavenly contemplation spending sometimes eight or even ten hours in prayer and genuflecting in adoration a 100 times in the day. He never omitted saying mass. While he was offering the divine victim or preaching, the heavenly ardor which consumed him betrayed itself by the radiance of his countenance. He knew by heavenly instinct where the most holy body of Christ hidden in the Eucharist was kept. Saint Pius the fifth appointed Francis companion to Cardinal Alessandrino in an assembly for uniting the Christian princes against the Turks.
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  Although his strength was almost exhausted he undertook this journey in obedience But on the way he happily closed his life as he had wished at Rome in the 60 of his age in the year of salvation 1572. By Saint Teresa who had often sought his advice he was called a saint and by Gregory the thirteenth a faithful servant of God. Finally, after many great miracles, he was canonized by Clement the tenth. O Lord Jesus Christ, the pattern and reward of true humility, we beseech thee, that as thou didst make blessed Francis a glorious follower of thee in the contempt of worldly honor, so thou wouldst grant us to be partakers of the same imitation and glory. Such is the prayer the Church offers through thee to her divine spouse in the collect of the day.
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  She knows that the saints always have great power with God, but especially when they would obtain for their devout clients the virtues they themselves more particularly cultivated when on earth. How precious is this prerogative in thy case, O Francis, for it concerns the virtue which attracts God's grace in this life and wins such glory hereafter. Since pride has hurled Lucifer into the abyss and the self abasement of the Son of God has led to his exaltation above the heavens, Humility, whatever men may now say, has lost nothing of its inestimable value. It is still indispensable foundation of every durable edifice, whether spiritual or social, the basis without which the other virtues, even charity, the queen of them all, could not subsist a single day. Therefore, O Francis, obtain for us this humility, thoroughly convince us of the vanity of this world's honors and false pleasures.
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  May the holy society, which thou after Saint Ignatius did surrender still more valuable to the Church, cherish this spirit of thine, so that it may deserve more and more the esteem of heaven and the gratitude of earth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The introit. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment.
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  The law of God is in his heart. Be not immulus of evildoers nor envy them that work iniquity. Glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy ghost as it was in the beginning is now and will be through all ages of ages. Amen. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom and his tongue shall speak judgment.
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  The law of God is in his heart. The Collect. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, the pattern of true humility and its reward, we beseech thee that as thou didst make blessed Francis thy glorious imitator in contempt of earthly honors, so thou wouldst grant us to share his imitation and his glory, who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God through all ages of ages. Amen.
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  A lesson from the wisdom of Sirach. Well loved by God, well loved among men, a benediction rests upon his memory. The Lord gave him such honor as he gives to his holy ones, gave him renown by striking terror into his enemies. And then at his word abated the prodigies that had befallen them. He made him great in the eyes of kings, entrusted commandments to him in full view of the chosen people, made a revelation to him of the divine glory.
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  The Lord set him apart, chosen out from the rest of mankind. So loyal he was and so gentle answered his prayer by taking him up in a cloud and there face to face imparting commandments to him the law that gives life and wisdom. The gradual. Lord, with abundant blessings thou hast met him on his way, hast set a jeweled crown upon his head. He prayed for life, and thou hast granted him life unfailing till the end of time.
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  Alleluia. Alleluia. The just man shall flourish like the palm tree. He shall grow to greatness like the cedars of Lebanon. Alleluia.
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  A continuation of the holy gospel according to Matthew. At that time, Peter said to Jesus, and what of us who have forsaken all and followed thee? What is left for us? Jesus said to them, I promise you in the new birth when the son of man sits on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit there on 12 thrones. You who have followed me and shall be judges over the 12 tribes of Israel.
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  And every man that has forsaken home or brothers or sisters or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake shall receive his reward a hundredfold, and obtain everlasting life. The offertory. Never a wish in his heart, O Lord, hast thou disappointed, never a prayer on his lips denied, thou hast set a jeweled crown on his head. The secret. May blessed Francis we beseech thee, O Lord, obtain by his prayers that the sacrifice laid on thy holy altar may profit us unto salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God through all ages of ages.
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  Amen. The common preface. Just it is indeed and fitting, right in for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, everlasting God, through whom the angels praise thy majesty, the dominions worship it, the power stand in awe, the heavens and the hosts of heaven together with the blessed Seraphim joyfully do magnify. We entreat thee that thou command it be permitted us to join with them in confessing thee while we say with lowly praise. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, the heavens and the earth are full of thy glory.
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  Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The communion. He was a faithful and wise servant whom the Lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season.
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  The post communion. Let us pray. May the pleading of blessed Francis for us, as well as the reception of thy sacrament, protect us, O Lord, that we may both share in the glory of his works and receive the help of his intercession through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, through all ages of ages. Amen. In the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost.
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  Amen. Saint Francis Borgia, pray for us.