Deo Gratias Service

Each year on December 31st, the parish family of St. John Cantius gathers at 11:00 p.m. for the “Deo Gratias” Service. This Eucharistic Holy Hour of thanksgiving includes the chanting of Matins and the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

At the “Deo Gratias” Service, we pray for those in our parish family who have died in the past year. But we rejoice also with those who have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist during the past calendar year, as well as those who have been married in our parish during the year. At the conclusion of the Holy Hour we chant the solemn “Te Deum,” (see text below) the church’s Hymn of Thanksgiving, for which we can receive a plenary indulgence.

The “Deo Gratias” Service is followed by the Tridentine Latin High Mass for the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord, which is also the Octave Day of Christmas, and a Holy Day of Obligation. The Mass begins at 12 o’clock Midnight Mass and fulfills the holy day obligation.

Te Deum laudámus: te Dóminum confitémur. Te ætérnum Patrem, omnis terra venerátur.
Tibi omnes ángeli, tibi cæli et univérsæ potestátes: tibi chérubim et séraphim incessábili voce proclámant:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra maiestátis glóriæ tuæ.
Te gloriósus apostolòrum chorus, te prophetárum
laudábilis númerus, te mártyrum candidátus laudat exércitus.
Te per orbem terrárum sancta confitétur Ecclésia,
Patrem imménsæ maiestátis; venerándum tuum verum et únicum Fílium;
Sanctum quoque Paráclitum Spíritum.
Tu rex glóriæ, Christe. Tu Patris sempitérnus es Filius.
Tu, ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem, non horrúisti Virginis úterum.
Tu, devícto mortis acúleo, aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum.
Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes, in glória Patris.
Iudex créderis esse ventúrus. Te ergo quǽsumus, tuis fámulis súbveni, quos pretióso sánguine redemísti.
Ætérna fac cum sanctis tuis in glória numerári.
Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ.
Et rege eos, et extólle illos usque in ætérnum.
Per síngulos dies benedícimus te; et laudámus nomen tuum in sǽculum, et in sǽculum sǽculi.
Dignáre, Dómine, die isto sine peccáto nos custodíre.
Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri. Fiat misericórdia tua,
Dómine, super nos, quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
In te, Dómine, sperávi: non confúndar in ætérnum.

We praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty; Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter. Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death : thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.

We therefore pray thee, help thy servants : whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people : and bless thine heritage.
Govern them : and lift them up for ever. Day by day : we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name : ever world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord : to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us : have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us : as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted : let me never be confounded.