STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Begin by expressing sorrow for all the sins of your life and rejecting all attachment to sin. If possible, move from Station to Station. Say before each Station:

V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee;
R. Because by thy holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

(Genuflect at the word “because” and remain on one knee; arise after “redeemed the world”.)

Station I: 

Jesus is condemned to death
It was for our sins, O Jesus, that You were condemned to suffer. Grant that we may detest our sins and, by this repentance, obtain Your mercy and pardon.

Station II: 

Jesus is burdened with the Cross
O Jesus, grant us, by virtue of Your Cross, that we may accept the difficulties of our state with meekness and cheerful submission. May we always be ready to take up our cross and follow You.

Station III: 

Jesus falls for the first time
O Jesus, it was for our sins that You bore the heavy burden of the Cross and fell under its weight. May the thought of Your sufferings make us watchful over ourselves and save us from falling into sin.

Station IV: 

Jesus meets His sorrowful Mother
O Jesus, by the compassion which You felt for Your Mother, have compassion on us and give us a share in her intercession. Our most afflicted Mother, intercede for us, that through the sufferings of Your Son, we may bear with courage the sorrows of this life.

Station V: 

Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross
O Jesus, just as Simon relieved You of Your burden, inspire us also to console You by our prayers of reparation and love.

Station VI: 

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
O Jesus, may the contemplation of Your Holy Face enkindle in our hearts a more fervent love for You, and may Your image be imprinted on our minds and souls until we are transformed into Your likeness.

Station VII: 

Jesus falls a second time
O Jesus, our repeated falls into sin have added to the burden which You carried for our redemption. As You are weakened by the weight of our sins, we are the cause of this second fall. Please give us the strength never to offend You again.

Station VIII: 

Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
O Jesus, just as You instructed the women of Jerusalem, please instruct us in the ways of virtue and help us to escape the dreadful judgements prepared for all who reject or neglect You in this life.

Station IX: 

Jesus falls the third time
O Lord Jesus! We entreat You, by the merits of this third most painful fall, to pardon our frequent relapses and our long continuance in sin. May the thought of Your sufferings grieve us and move us to make frequent acts of love and reparation.

Station X: 

Jesus is stripped of His garments
O Jesus, by the pain You suffered in having Your clothing torn from Your bleeding body, please strip us of all conceit and pride, and instruct us in the ways of humility, purity of intention and simplicity of heart.

Station XI: 

Jesus is nailed to the Cross
As You were nailed to the Cross, O Jesus, fasten our hearts there also, that they may be united to You until death.

Station XII: 

Jesus dies on the Cross
O Jesus, we devoutly embrace the holy Cross whereon You loved us even unto death. We thank You for Your sacrifice, and we desire to love You as much as You love us.

Station XIII: 

Jesus is laid in the arms of His holy Mother
We grieve with you, O Mary, for the sorrow you experienced as you examined the wounds on the body of your dear Son. By these sacred Wounds may we obtain pardon and mercy for our sins.

Station XIV: 

Jesus is laid in the tomb
O Jesus, someday our bodies will also be placed in a tomb. Freed from the bonds of this earth, may we then be received into Heaven by You and Your holy Mother, so that we may praise and love You for all eternity. Amen.

Pope Intention: One Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

We fly to thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God despise not our prayers in our necessities but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen

PROMISES ATTACHED TO MAKING STATIONS OF THE CROSS:

I. The following 14 promises regarding the Way of the Cross were given to Bro. Estanislao (1903-1927), a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools at Bugedo. According to the Master of Novices, Bro. Estanislao was a privileged soul who received messages from Heaven. His spiritual director asked him to write the promises made by Our Lord to those who have devotion to the Way of the Cross. These promises and the Brother’s virtues have been favourably recognized by confessors and theologians.

1. I will grant everything that is asked of Me with faith when making the Way of the Cross.

2. I promise eternal life to those who from time to time pray the Way of the Cross.

3. I will follow them everywhere in life, and I will help them especially at the hour of death.

4. Even if they have more sins than blades of grass in the fields and grains of sand in the sea, all of these sins will be erased by the Way of the Cross. (This promise does not eliminate the obligation to confess all mortal sins, and this before receiving Holy Communion.)

5. Those who pray the Way of the Cross often will have a special glory in Heaven.

6. I will deliver them from Purgatory – indeed, if they go there at all – the first Tuesday or Friday after their death.

7. I will bless them at each Way of the Cross, and My blessing will follow them everywhere on earth and, after death, in Heaven for all eternity.

8. At the hour of death. I will not permit the devil to tempt them; I will lift all power from him in order that they will repose tranquilly in My arms.

9. If they pray with true love, I will make each one of them a living ciborium in which it will please Me to pour My grace.

10. I will fix My eyes on those who pray the Way of the Cross often; My hands will always be open to protect them.

11. As I am nailed to the Cross, so also will I always be with those who honour Me in making the Way of the Cross frequently.

12. They will never be able to separate themselves from Me, for I will give them the grace never again to commit a mortal sin.

13. At the hour of death I will console them with My presence, and we will go together to Heaven. Death will be sweet to all those who have honoured Me during their lives by praying the Way of the Cross.

14. My soul will be a protective shield for them, and will always help them whenever they have recourse to it.

II. HOW TO GAIN A PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR MAKING THE STATIONS – FROM THE ENCHIRIDION. OF INDULGENCES, No. 26:
To gain a plenary indulgence for making the Stations it is necessary to move from Station, to meditate on the sufferings of Our Lord (no specific prayers are required), and to have the intention of gaining the indulgence. (Indulgences can always be applied to the Souls in Purgatory.)
Moreover, “To acquire a plenary indulgence , it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff (e.g., one ‘Our Father’ and one ‘Hail Mary’). It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.”