Traditional Latin Mass in Enfield Ct

      Sunday at 11:00 A.M. January 7th followed by Blessing of Sacramentals
        St. Martha Catholic Church 214 Brainard Rd. Enfield Enfield Ct
                                                             

THE PRIESTLY ROBE

Touch it lightly, or not at all.

Let it not fall !

Let not a fabric so august

Trail in the dust!

`Tis a costly thing,

Woven by love in suffering.

`Twas Jesus` parting gift to men.

When the Lord rose to Heaven again,

His latest breathing fell on it.

A mystery hides within its folds.

Quickened by sacramental breath,

It holds

The power of life and death.

Would you sully it ? Would you rend it?

Is there a Christian would not defend it-

A robe so costly and so rare,

So wonderfully fair ?

Woe to the hand profane

Woe to the heart ungracious,

Woe to the tongue unheeding,

Would dare to cast a stain

On a vestment made so precious

By such costly bleeding!

II

I know this robe and its history,

And what strange virtue goeth forth

From its hem to bless the earth;

And I adore the mystery

That gives it grace,

In Jesus` name, to soothe and heal.

With more than human tenderness

I prize the priestly order;

And, while the reverent knee I kneel,

I do not see beneath the border

Frail feet of clay,

But seek to find, if so I may,

By feeling,

Some gracious thread which will convey

To my sore spirit healing.

Vicars of Christ ! deem me not rude,

If nearer than is wont I press me;

But turn and bless me

Amid the kneeling multitude.

The priestly robe  Rev. Clarence Walworth  anno 1888