English · Original
All ye who groan beneath A load of ills oppress'd, Entreat St. Paul, and he will pray The Lord to give you rest. O victim dear to Heaven! O Paul, thou teacher true! Thou love and joy of Christendom, To thee for help we sue. Pierced by the flame of love, Descending from on high, 'Twas thine to preach the faith which once Thou soughtest to destroy. O victim, etc. Nor toil, nor threatened death, Nor tempest, scourge, nor chain, Could from the assembly of the saints Thy loving heart detain. O victim, etc. Oh, by that quenchless love Which burnt in thee of yore, Take pity on our miseries, Our fainting hope restore. O victim, etc. True champion of the Lord, Crush thou the schemes of hell, And with adoring multitudes Thy sacred temples fill. O victim, etc. Through thy prevailing prayer May charity abound; Sweet charity, which knows no ill, Which nothing can confound. O victim, etc. To earth's remotest shores May one same faith extend; And thy epistles through all climes Their blessed perfume send. O victim, etc. Grant us the will and power To serve Thee, God of might, Lest, wav'ring still and unprepared, We sink in depths of night. O victim, etc. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. O victim, etc. Ant. He is my Vessel of Election, to carry my Name among the gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. V. Pray for us, O blessed Apostle Paul. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, who in thy divine compassion didst direct thy blessed Apostle Paul what to do that he might be filled with thy Holy Spirit; grant that we may be so counselled by his teaching, and aided by the suffrage of his merits, that, serving Thee in fear and trembling, we may be filled with the consolation of thy heavenly gifts. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.