On this Rogation Sunday, words from the George Herbert on the usefulness of the Rogation Procession.
 
‘The Countrey Parson is a Lover of old Customes, if they be good, and harmlesse; and the rather, because Countrey people are much addicted to them, so that to favour them therein is to win their hearts, and to oppose them therin is to deject them. If there be any ill in the custome, that may be severed from the good, he pares the apple, and gives them the clean to feed on. Particularly, he loves Procession, and maintains it, because there are contained therein 4 manifest advantages. First, a blessing of God for the fruits of the field: Secondly, justice in the Preservation of bounds: Thirdly, Charity in loving walking, and neighbourly accompanying one another, with reconciling of differences at that time, if there be any: Fourthly, Mercy in releeving the poor by a liberall distribution and largesse, which at that time is, or ought to be used. Wherefore he exacts of all to bee present at the perambulation, and those that withdraw, and sever themselves from it, he mislikes, and reproves as uncharitable, and unneighbourly; and if they will not reforme, presents them. Nay, he is so farre from condemning such assemblies, that he rather procures them to be often, as knowing that absence breedes strangeness, but presence love’.

​from Chapter XXXV, The Parson Condescending
in A Priest to the Temple by George Herbert, ​1593-1633

‘If we compare the indifference shown by the Catholics of the present age for the Rogation Days, with the devotion wherewith our ancestors kept them, we cannot but acknowledge that there is a great falling off in faith and piety. Knowing, as we do, the importance attached to these Processions by the Church, we cannot help wondering how it is that there are so few among the Faithful who assist at them. Our surprise increases when we find persons preferring their own private devotions to these public Prayers of the Church, which to say nothing of the result of good example, merit far greater graces than any exercises of our own fancying.
 
The whole Western Church soon adopted the Rogation Days. They were introduced into England at an early period; so, likewise, into Spain, and Germany. Rome herself sanctioned them by her own observing them; this she did in the 8th century, during the Pontificate of St Leo the Third. She gave them the name of the Lesser Litanies, in contradistinction to the Procession of the 25th of April, which she calls the Greater Litanies. With regard to the Fast which the Churches of Gaul observed during the Rogation Days, Rome did not adopt that part of the institution. Fasting seemed to her to throw a gloom over the joyous forty days, which our Risen Jesus grants to his Disciples; she therefore enjoined only abstinence from flesh-meat during the Rogation Days. The Church of Milan, which, as we have just seen, so strictly observes the Rogations, keeps them on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after the Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension, that is to say, after the forty days devoted to the celebration of the Resurrection.
 
If, then, we would have a correct idea of the Rogation Days, we must consider them as Rome does, - that is, as a holy institution which, without interrupting our Paschal joy, tempers it. The purple vestments used during the Procession and Mass do not signify that our Jesus has fled from us, but that the time for his departure is approaching. By prescribing Abstinence for these three days, the Church would express how much she will feel the loss of her Spouse, who is so soon to be taken from her’.

​from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger OSB, 1805-1875

​O Almighty God, who hast created the earth for man, and man for thy glory: mercifully hear the supplications of the people, and be mindful of thy covenant; that both the earth may yield her increase, and the good seed of thy word may bring forth abundantly, to the glory of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. - Divine Worship: The Missal.

‘Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you’. – St John xvi.23
 
‘The real meaning of the prayer of intercession is that we seek in it to put the power of our own wills and the energies of our own affections at God’s disposal as a means of blessing for His world. Putting ourselves at His disposal, we implore His efficacious grace for the conversion of souls, for the spread of the holy Faith throughout the world, or for the welfare of our country, our friends, our family – for He would have us come to Him as persons with the individual petition which is the secret of each separate soul. But this petition will never have the character of reminding or instructing Him, but will rather be the soul’s confidence in His interest in the personal life, hopes, fears, and yearnings of each individual soul.
 
As every true act of satisfaction or reparation will always be in union with the everlasting Sacrifice of the Divine Son, so the prayer of petition will seek to unite itself with the intentions of the Sacred Heart, knowing that there is ever proceeding from Jesus our Lord the energy of a perpetual desire that all the human nature which He came to redeem may be wholly responsive to His Father’s love and wholly receptive of His Father’s blessing, and seeking to unite its own love, its own petition, with the stream of that desire’.

​​Father Andrew SDC, 1869-1946

‘The Rogation Days should be carefully kept as days of intercession for God’s blessing on the fruits of the earth. The Litany should be said before the principal Eucharist on each day, blue being the colour for these two services. The late Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Benson, in urging the better observance of these days, sanctioned special collects, and recommended the use of the Litany. In the new book of 1927 the Rogation Days are the only days on which the Litany is absolutely required.

Archbishop Benson also urged that “Where the Perambulation of Parish Bounds is still observed and suitable, I hope that it will always be with such religious services as are happily used in many places”. Unfortunately, the old processions had become associated with tin cans (both empty and full) and with much unseemliness. But in country places the people welcome a revival of the old religious processions; and the parson who omits them loses a great opportunity of touching and helping his flock. In large towns also processions become very popular.

As late as about 1675, at Wolverhampton, “the sacrist, resident prebendaries, and members of the choir, assembled at Morning Prayers on Monday and Tuesday in Rogation Week, with the charity children, bearing long poles clothed with all kinds of flowers then in season, and which were afterwards carried through the streets of the town with much solemnity, the clergy, singing men and boys, dressed in their sacred vestments, closing the procession, and chanting in a grave and appropriate melody the Canticle Benedicite omnia opera​”. The boundaries of the parish were marked at many points by Gospel trees where the Gospel was read.

Here, then, we touch hands with tradition, and the parson may easily accommodate it to his own opportunities. For the Psalms, &c., to be used he can turn to the old authorities, and will find that Psalms ciii and civ, together with the Litany, are “by law appointed”’.

from The Parson’s Handbook, 12th edition, 1932, by ​Percy Dearmer, 1867-1936

‘This is a penitential season of fasting and intercession for the fruits of the earth. The celebration of the Eucharist preceded by the Litany would seem the most suitable observance for the three days. In addition the connexion between processions and penitential seasons must not be forgotten. The more public this procession the better. In some country places the route might follow the bounds of the parish, stations being made fairly frequently by the allotments or other crops. In town parishes a convenient route varying, if desired, from year to year, might be planned with stations at suitable places.

“Stations” may take the form of very short informal services, e.g. a reading from Scripture, followed by a collect, the Lord’s Prayer, and possibly a hymn. At one or more important stations an address should be given. The proper place is before the Eucharist, but in practice the evening will be found to be the most suitable time for this Procession.

All who take part in the procession - and it should include all the congregation - will meet in Church for a few initial prayers and, if desired, a hymn. As it is extremely difficult to sing hymns in an outdoor Procession, psalms and litanies should be chosen in preference or hymns sung by a few voices with a popular refrain in which all may join. Psalms ciii, civ, cxiv, and cxv, the Lent and Advent proses in the English Hymnal, the Prayer Book Litany, and some metrical Litany will be found suitable. When the Procession returns to the Church, a hymn, collect, and blessing might terminate the service.

The most convenient order of Procession will be as follows: Verger with mace, Churchwardens with staves, Cross-bearer, Servers with lanterns on poles, Priest, Banner-bearer and the Passiontide or some very simple banner, members of the congregation in fours, Choir boys, Chanters, Choir men, Clergy in choir habit, and the remaining members of the congregation’.

from A Directory of Ceremonial: Part II, Alcuin Club Tracts XIX, 1930

  Heavy and sad the Church must go:
  Full weary are her latter days,
  And she must hush the voice of praise
  While tears of penance flow.
  And she must fast, though by her side
  The Bridegroom yet on earth doth move;
  And fear must be instead of love
  For her own children’s pride.

  Yet, holy Mother! Lent is past:
  And long ago the Easter sun
  Into the middle sky hath run;-
  Wherefore this second fast?
  Mother! with us the Lord doth bide;
  Yet but a little while He stays,-
  Then for three dim and lonely days
  Why keep us from His side?
  He said we should not fast when He
  Came down to live with us below:
  Then, holy Mother! why forego
  Our ancient liberty?
  When thou wert in thy virgin prime,
  Those forty days through all the earth
  Thy heart did swell with festal mirth-
  It was thy bridal time.

  Talk not, my son, of early days:
  My precious stones were passing fair,
  My life was Sacrament and prayer,
  My unity was praise.
  These glories now are well-nigh past:
  My son! the world is waxing strong;
  The day is hot; the fight is long,
  And therefore do I fast.
  And ye are weak, and cannot bear
  Full forty days of Easter mirth:
  And nought is left unstained of earth,
  But penance, fast, and prayer.
  Oh! weary is my stay below;
  And thus with strong and earnest cry,
  As each Ascension-day glides by,
  I fain with Him would go.

  Then watch and fast, like saints of yore;
  These three new days perchance may bring
  The earlier advent of our King,
  And we shall fast no more!

Frederick Faber, Cong. Orat., 1814-1863