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  Lesser Festivals September (traditional language)
     
    3 September Gregory the Great
White
   
Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 604
 
     
    Collect
     
    O merciful Father,
who didst choose thy bishop Gregory
to be a servant of the servants of God:
grant that, like him, we may ever desire to serve thee
by proclaiming thy gospel to the nations,
and may ever rejoice to sing thy praises;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Teachers of the Faith is used.
     
     
    8 September  The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
White
     
    Collect
     
    Almighty and everlasting God,
who stooped to raise fallen humanity
through the child-bearing of blessed Mary:
grant that we, who have seen thy glory
      revealed in our human nature
and thy love made perfect in our weakness,
may daily be renewed in thine image
and conformed to the pattern of thy Son
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    O God most high,
whose handmaid bore the Word made flesh:
we give thee thanks that in this sacrament of our redemption
thou dost visit us with thy Holy Spirit
and dost overshadow us with thy power;
strengthen us to walk with Mary
in the joyful path of obedience,
that we may bring forth the fruits of holiness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
     
     
    13 September John Chrysostom White
   
Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407
 
     
    Collect
     
    O God of truth and love,
who gavest to thy servant John Chrysostom
eloquence to declare thy righteousness in the great congregation
and courage to bear reproach for the honour of thy name:
mercifully grant to the ministers of thy word
such excellence in preaching
that all people may share with them
in the glory that shall be revealed;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Teachers of the Faith is used.
     
     
    15 September Cyprian
Red
   
Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258
 
     
    Collect
     
    O holy God,
who didst bring Cyprian to faith in Christ
and didst make him a bishop in the Church,
crowning his witness with a martyr's death:
grant that, following his example,
we may love the Church and her doctrine,
find thy forgiveness within her fellowship,
and so come to share the heavenly banquet
      which thou hast prepared for us;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    One of the Post Communions of Martyrs is used.
     
     
    16 September Ninian
White
   
Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts, c.432
 
     
    Collect
     
    Almighty and everlasting God,
who didst call thy servant Ninian to preach the gospel
      to the people of northern Britain:
raise up, we beseech thee, in this and every land,
heralds and evangelists of thy kingdom,
that thy Church may make known the immeasurable riches
      of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Missionaries is used.
     
     
    17 September Hildegard
White
   
Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179
 
     
    Collect
     
    Most glorious and holy God,
whose servant Hildegard, strong in the faith,
was caught up in the vision of thy heavenly courts:
by the breath of thy Spirit
open our eyes to glimpse thy glory
and our lips to sing thy praises with all the angels;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Members of Religious Communities is used.
     
     
    20 September John Coleridge Patteson
Red
   
First Bishop of Melanesia and his Companions, Martyrs, 1871,
 
     
    Collect
     
    O God of all tribes and peoples and tongues,
who didst call thy servant John Coleridge Patteson
to witness in life and death to the gospel of Christ
amongst the peoples of Melanesia:
grant us to hear thy call to service
and to respond with trust and joy
to Jesus Christ our redeemer,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    One of the Post Communions of Martyrs is used.
     
     
    25 September Lancelot Andrewes
White
     
Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626
 
     
    Collect
     
    O Lord God,
who didst give Lancelot Andrewes many gifts
      of thy Holy Spirit,
making him a man of prayer and a pastor of thy people:
perfect in us that which is lacking in thy gifts,
      of faith, to increase it,
      of hope, to establish it,
      of love, to kindle it,
that we may live in the light of thy grace and glory;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Bishops is used.
     
     
    27 September Vincent de Paul
White
   
Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), 1660
 
     
    Collect
     
    O merciful God,
whose servant Vincent de Paul,
by his ministry of preaching and pastoral care,
brought thy love to the sick and the poor:
grant to all thy people a heart of compassion,
that by serving the needs of others
      they may serve thee in word and deed;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
     
    Post Communion
     
    The Post Communion of Members of Religious Communities is used.
     
     
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