Preface.

The Church, desirous of filling our minds with pious thoughts from the beginning to the end of the year, has encouraged, and in some cases designated, certain devotions to be practised, and sets aside a whole month in which the prevailing thought ought to be centred on a certain devotion. Not that the Church has by any decree appointed a special devotion for any particular time, except in the cases of Advent and Lent; but the universal piety of the people has adopted them; and each month has its particular devotion.

The Church celebrates the feast of the Sacred Heart in June, and during this month we may offer our prayers in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that our souls may be thoroughly imbued with the beauty of this devotion.

The Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Rosary on the first Sunday of October, and our Holy Father Leo XIII. has ordered that the Rosary be recited each day during the month.

The feast of the Guardian Angel is celebrated on the second of October; thus two devotions are practised [pg 004] during this month. The Church has arranged some special devotion for each month by which our confidence in God is increased, and our love of holy Church intensified. What a rich treasure of piety and love for God may a good Catholic not gather from one year of such holy practices!