Quarantine of St. Louis

[Editor's Note: Click on image above to get a pdf version of the explanation. I found this prayer researching on the Holy Face.  It is explained in "The Life of Sr. Marie St. Peter" and "The Holy Man of Tours" by Abbe Janvier in the 1880's. Because of the extreme gravity of the worldwide takeover, I thought that would be most important to attempt to assist in bringing back a devotion that was used to avert the Wrath of God upon France.  It was given approval of the hierarchy in France at the time.  It is a work of Reparation against Blasphemy to the Holy Name of God. Many might say it is too late but as long as we are living, it is never too late to beg Heaven for mercy! Please join us in praying this novena. For, has there ever been just a time in the history of the world as it is now when evil has been flaunted so boldly and irreverently in the Face of Our God? Holy cards will be available shortly.... God willing!]

“Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered.”

Union of prayers from July 16th to August 25th inclusive,
for the needs of the Church and of the State.

Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri to be repeated three times.

St. Michael and all ye holy Angels, pray and fight for us.
St. Peter and all ye holy Apostles, intercede for us.
St. Martin of Tours, pray for us.
St. Louis King of France, pray for us.
St. Ignatius, St. Teresa, and all ye inhabitants of the
heavenly Jerusalem, pray for us.

Ven. Leo Dupont, pray for us.*
Sr. Mary of St. Peter, pray for us.*

Aspiration
May Thy Name, O Lord, be known and blessed at all times and in all places. Most holy Mary, reign over us, thou and thy Divine Son. Amen.

* The above invocations were added in honor of these holy persons’ devotion to Our Lord’s Holy Face.

The Quarantine of St. Louis was originated in Rome by Pope Gregory XVI and was re-introduced by Ven. Leo Dupont and the work of Sr. Mary of St. Peter and the Carmelite Order once located in Tours, France. Here is a brief history of the beginning of this powerful work against blasphemy and the need of reparation that led to the Quarantine of St. Louis and the Golden Arrow prayer.

Initially the work of reparation began in 1819, by Abbe Soyer, then vicar general of Poitiers, who became bishop of Lucan. To the first title of Appeal to the People of France, there was added a second, Reparation, inspired to appease the Anger of God. Therein it was stated openly that blasphemy drew down anger of God on France; to avert which, prayers and supplications, similar to those proposed by Sr. Mary St Peter, were specified. "In her surprise," continues the latter, "our good mother said, smilingly, 'Well, sister, if I did not know you, I would think you were a sorceress.' I replied: 'Mother, I am confident that the holy Angels have brought this to light; for I remembered having invoked them before going to our Mother's office; undoubtedly it was they who caused this book to be taken from the library at the proper moment."

The mother prioress sought further information on the subject, and wrote to Abbe Soyer for an explanation. The prelate replied that it was he who had published the "Appeal" at the solicitation of a Carmelite, of Poitiers, named Sister Adelaide, a soul of predilection, with whom the Lord had held the
most intimate communications." That admirable Carmelite, "said he, 'was the most mortified, the most humble, and the most saintly soul I have ever met.' It would greatly contribute to the edification of the members of your order
if her life were written." Mother Adelaide died on 31st of July, of the same year, 1843 ; and just twenty-six days after her death, Sr. Mary of St. Peter, religious of the same order, was inspired to demand the work of Reparation for blasphemy; as though God had awaited the death of one prophet before raising up another.

[Click on image above for the prayer in a pdf for printing out.]

"Another remarkable coincidence happened on the same day, the 26th of August. A pious gentleman had distributed among several of the communities of Tours, a prayer in honor of the Holy Name of God, to obtain through the intercession of St. Louis, king of France, the dispersion of the enemies of that divine Name. This prayer had been recited before the feast of St. Louis, and what was more admirable still in the dispensations of Divine Providence, was that the prayers had been circulated among all the religious houses of the city, as was afterward learned, the Carmelites alone being forgotten. On the very next day, the Lord communicated to the most unworthy of his servants, the fruit of the prayers of these holy souls."

The very pious gentlemen in question, is no other than M. Leo Dupont, the holy man of Tours. He was on the most friendly terms with the Carmelites, and this occurrence, as may be supposed, only the more strongly cemented the bonds of friendship existing between them. For years he had burned with an ardent zeal for the reparation of blasphemy, and as a natural consequence, with a great devotion to St. Louis, king of France. This fervent Christian, as the sister relates, had received with great joy the formula of prayers called the "Quarantine of St. Louis," which had come to Tours by post, one knew from whence, in the early part of July, 1843. Madam Deshayes, religious
of the Sacred Heart, considered as one of the foundresses of the Institution, was the first to receive thirty copies; she gave one to M. Leo Dupont who lost no time in having more printed. The prayer was in honor of the Holy Name
of God, and in reparation for blasphemy. On the copy distributed among the faithful, there was the following :

"From the 16th of July to the 25th of August, inclusively, the faithful are called upon to unite in prayer for the necessities of the Church and State. "May thy Name, Lord! be known and blessed, in all times, and in all places!"

This prayer had been recited during the forty days prescribed, in all the communities of the city. But what was most astonishing, was that  notwithstanding the intimacy existing between M.Leo Dupont and the Carmelites, (besides the circumstance that the Quarantine seems to have been put under the protection of our Lady of Mount Carmel), the mother prioress and her daughters, as the sister remarked, had not the slightest knowledge of the event. The day after the feast of St. Louis, 26th of August, immediately after the last day of the Quarantine, the pious sister received the divine communication, of which we have spoken. We cannot but be forcibly struck
with the coincidence, as well as with the affinity existing between the words of the quarantine: May Thy Name be known, blessed, and those of the "Golden Dagger (arrow)" inspired to Sr. Mary of St. Peter, the same day: "May the holy Name of God be forever praised and blessed."

M. Leo Dupont, especially, attached so much the more importance to this, as he was then preoccupied with the idea of reparation for blasphemy. He naturally concluded that the prayers, offered in 1843 by a great number of holy souls, had been heard. "If faith does not oblige us," said he, "it at least allows us to believe that God has heard our prayers, according to his promise: 'Where several are united in My Name, there am I in the midst.'

It was only one year after the revelations made to the venerable sister, that we were informed of the very mysterious coincidence existing between the prayers of the quarantine and the invocation dictated her by Our Lord. It seemed as though Heaven had heard the supplication of earth, and planted the seeds of Reparation, which would ere long spring forth and blossom."

From the general aspect, it seems as if this year was predestined by Divine Providence for the work of Reparation. It was on the 8th of August, 1843, that the Pope Gregory XVI, promulgated a brief for the erection of a pious
confraternity under the patronage of St. Louis, king of France, for the Reparation of blasphemy against the Holy Name of God. "We find that at the same epoch, a Jesuit labored for some time in vain in a small country village of the diocese of Nantes, whose inhabitants were strangely addicted to blasphemy. But after his bishop had approved of an association in reparation for blasphemy, to which an indulgence of forty days was attached, he obtained the most salutary and abundant fruits. These events had the effect of causing the superiors of Sr. Mary of St. Peter, to relax some what in their severity toward her.

The Roman association, to which here alludes, is that established by a decree of Gregory XVI. on the 8th of August, 1843. The headquarters of this association was at Rome, under the invocation of Peter Caravitay and was placed under the protection of St. Louis, king of France. Each member proposed to himself never to utter a blasphemy or an imprecation. Those invested with authority, should try to encourage their dependents to avoid this odious sin. If they cannot prevent its commission, they must, at least, offer an aspiration of praise, such as, "May God be praised!," "May his Holy Name be Blessed!" and so on. This association would recite daily "Pater and Ave " for the conversion of blasphemers. His Holiness has granted many spiritual favors, notably a plenary indulgence once a month, on any day at option, provided the ordinary conditions be fulfilled; and at the hour of death, another plenary indulgence on the invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus; many other special indulgences are also attached thereto.

An association for the Reparation of blasphemy was not a new institution in the Church ; thus we see that Sr. Mary St. Peter was greatly consoled on learning of the existence of a similar association at Rome, and she with good reason inferred from this fact, that the communications, made to her on the  subject, were of divine origin. Yet, as it was a question of repairing and extirpating this evil, peculiar to our times, which was propagating itself with alarming rapidity, reparation for blasphemy, the only object proposed by the association of Rome, was not sufficient for that of France, where it was necessary to add reparation for the profanation of Sunday.

This Quarantine of prayer plays a great part in M. Dupont's life, and he looked upon it as the foundation- stone of his work of reparation. A few words must therefore be said about it. The formula of prayers was sent early in July, 1843, to the Mere Deshayes, third foundress of the Sacre Coeur, then residing at Tours. Several copies arrived by post, and no one ever knew whence they came. Their object was the glorification of the Holy Name of God and reparation for blasphemy. The leaflets distributed to the faithful had on them a little cross surrounded by a large crown of thorns, with this motto : " Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered." Then, written on separate lines, followed, "Union of prayers from the 16th July to the 25th August inclusive, for the needs of the Church and of the State. Pater, Ave, and Gloria Patri be repeated three times. '

St. Michael and all ye holy Angels, pray and fight for us.

St. Peter and all ye Apostles, intercede for us,

St. Ignatius, St. Teresa, and all ye inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, pray for us.'

Aspiration during the day:

May Thy Name, O Lord, be known and blessed at all times and in all places. Most holy Mary, reign over us, thou and thy Divine Son. Amen.'"

Text provided by “The Life of Sr. Mary of St. Peter” & “Ven. Leo Dupont- The Holy Man of Tours”