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The Acts are, by far, most important
for our patient, before ever thinking
about any of the Sacraments. How
hopeful we ought to be in our efforts
to save the dying non-Catholic when
we recall the story of the penitent
thief on the cross! This story would be
repeated far more frequently if all
those who are called upon to care for
the dying would use greater effort to
obtain for their patients, from the Hands
of the merciful God, this greatest of all
graces. They will seldom call for help
but, when it is offered, they seldom
refuse it.
Hundreds of thousands of prayer cards
have been made and distributed. Bishop
Wade of the Solomon Islands urged all
his priests and Sisters to use it. Bishop
Nelligan of Pembroke, Canada, had the
cards printed in English and French,
and asked all the chaplains to use it.
The local Radio Station began their
daily Catholic hour with this prayer.
The Carmelites of the Carmel of Lisieux,
home of St. Térèse, the Little Flower,
distributed the prayer card to French
soldiers.
L
ay people are realizing, more and
more, that they too can help, in a very
direct way, in this most important work
for the salvation of souls. The prayer
card is an easy and effective means of
approach. The SOLDIER CARD was
designed principally for our boys in
the armed forces and is very popular.
It is plastic coated, and fits in a vestpocket.
Non-Catholic soldiers, by means
of this card, can help their seriously
wounded comrades, Catholic or
Protestant, to die a happy death. The
strong profession of Faith, coupled
with the perfect act of Contrition,
makes it the most satisfactory prayer
one could say in the face of danger.
All of us will face real danger at one
time or another but, after saying this
prayer devoutly, we will have nothing
to fear. We pray that every Catholic
priest will enter enthusiastically into this
Apostolate to Aid the Dying. Thousands
of non-Catholics, through this effort, may
acknowledge the supreme Dominion
of God and the Divinity of Christ, beg
pardon for their sins and implore
Divine Mercy. The Universal Daily Prayer
has been composed to meet the needs
of all men of all faiths. Pope Pius XII sent
the American Hospital Association in
Toronto full encouragement to promote
this Apostolate: “The Church has always
had, most deeply at heart, the
alleviation of bodily suffering and the
care of all such sufferers, without
distinction of race or creed, for She
remembers that Her Divine Founder,
Jesus Christ, deigned to make His own
the cause of the sick, and identified
Himself with them. Following the
example of the Divine Redeemer,
Who cured bodily maladies without
forgetting those of the spirit, She
is careful not to separate care of
the body from care of the soul.”
May the Apostolate to Assist Dying
Non-Catholics through the mercy of
God, be instrumental in snatching
many souls right out of the jaws of
Satan, right out of the mouth of hell,
and bringing them safely to their
happy Home in Heaven!