PRO MILITIA

LITANIA HVMILITATIS

Litany of Humility

Composed by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (d. 1930), Secretary of State under Pope St. Pius X, this litany systematically uproots vainglory (cenodoxia). Its three sections petition deliverance from vain desires, from vain fears, and for the grace to desire that others be preferred to oneself. Cenodoxia differs from pride (superbia): vainglory seeks praise from others, while pride needs no audience.

LATINE
O Iesu, mitis et humilis corde,
exaudi me.
A desideriis vanis
A desiderio aestimationis,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut amer,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut extoller,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut honorer,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut lauder,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut ceteris praeferar,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut consuler,
libera me, Iesu.
A desiderio ut approber,
libera me, Iesu.
A timoribus vanis
A timore humiliationis,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore ut despiciar,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore obiurgationum,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore calumniae,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore oblivionis,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore irrisionis,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore iniuriae,
libera me, Iesu.
A timore suspicionis,
libera me, Iesu.
Ut alii praeferantur
Ut alii prae me amentur,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut alii prae me aestimentur,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut in opinione mundi alii crescant et ego minuar,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut alii eligantur et ego seponar,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut alii laudentur et ego praetermittar,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut alii in omnibus mihi praeferantur,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
Ut alii sanctiores me evadant, dummodo ego quam sanctus esse debeam fiam,
da mihi gratiam hoc desiderandi, Iesu.
ENGLISH
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
hear me.
From Vain Desires
From the desire of being esteemed,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From Vain Fears
From the fear of being humiliated,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,
deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,
deliver me, O Jesus.
That Others May Be Preferred
That others may be loved more than I,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
grant me the grace to desire it, O Jesus.
NOTA
FONS
Raphael Cardinalis Merry del Val (d. 1930), Secretarius Status sub Pio X
USUS
Against vainglory, pride, desire for human respect; daily examination
CONTEXT
Cenodoxia (vainglory) differs from superbia (pride): vainglory seeks praise from others, while pride needs no audience. Cassian (Institutes XI): 'Vainglory is a most subtle evil... it attacks the soldier of Christ from every side.'