I introduced to you the Holy Face Devotion in these two posts: The Holy Face Devotion: what we need for our times and The Holy Face, Disfigured by Sin
In short, the Devotion to the Holy Face is a work of reparation to atone for blasphemy against the Lord’s name and the profanation of Sundays and Holy Days. In addition, it was also intended as a spiritual weapon to be used in the war against Communism.
There is a trilogy of books that are regarded as holding the basics of the Devotion. These are offered by TAN books (well, sort of. I’ll discuss that in a few sentences). The books are “The Golden Arrow,” the first half of which contains the autobiography of the Carmelite Nun in Tours, France who received the revelations from Jesus in 1846-1848, Sr. Marie of St. Peter. It also contains all of the messages of Jesus in the second half. The next two are written by Dorothy Scallan. First is “The “Holy Man of Tours: The Life of Leo Dupont (1797-1876), Apostle of the Holy Face Devotion,” and lastly is “The Whole World Will Love Me: The Life of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face (1873-1897).”
As I said, all are available through tanbooks.com, (just click on the titles, they’re links to their TAN page). Except for the biography of Leo Dupont, which is not in print. That is only available as an ebook. I emailed TAN asking if they have plans to return it to print, but they do not; although they customer service representative kindly told me she’ll pass my request up to her superiors. And here is where you readers can come in handy: If you would please go to tanbooks.com and access the contact information (at the bottom of the page, it’s basically CustomerService at TANBooks dot com but it’s easier if you click on that email link on their site.) and nicely, politely, respectfully request that “The “Holy Man of Tours: The Life of Leo Dupont (1797-1876), Apostle of the Holy Face Devotion,” by Dorothy Scallan (Sku: 1124) be brought back into print? Yes, it’s available by ebook, but paper is better! 😉 Thank you! Perhaps if there’s a sudden rise in interest they’ll reconsider and re-issue it. Maybe you can be persuasive; explain how the Devotion is sorely needed in these times… TAN seems to be increasing the number of titles on current events and a Catholic response to them.
If, however, TAN does not want to re-issue it, there is another biography of Leo Dupont that is in the public domain and available FOR FREE LEGAL DOWNLOAD online through the Internet Archive. You can get The holy man of Tours : or, the life of Léon Papin-Dupont, “who died at Tours in the odor of sanctity, March 18, 1876” written by M. L’Abbe Pierre Desire Janvier. It’s 517 pages and available in a wide variety of formats.
TAN also sells another good little prayer book on the Holy Face Devotion. It also has meditations and great spiritual readings on this; please consider: Devotion to the Holy Face by Mary Frances Lester
NOTE: AS OF THIS WRITING (JULY 2020) THE BIOGRAPHY OF ST. THERESE IS ONLY $5!!!!! It is currently among their monthly “$5-a-book” campaign. It has been in the past, that’s why I bought it a few months ago! TAKE ADVANTAGE! (I don’t get anything from sales.)
Another thing to consider is the Holy Face Chaplet. The “…chaplet of the Holy Face is comprised of 33 round cross beads and 6 oval beads on a brown cord with a wood cross and picture medal of Jesus’ Holy Face. The little chaplet of the Holy Face has for its object the honoring of the five senses of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is well to recite it every day in order to obtain the triumph of our holy mother the Catholic Church and the downfall of her enemies! Includes instructions and prayers.’ This is available through EWTN here: CHAPLET OF THE HOLY FACE – CROSS BEADS (Again, I receive no money from sales.) The Chaplet is also available from other sources and made from different materials, but EWTN is where I bought mine.
I’ve become a little addicted to reciting it, it is quite comforting. On the cross you recite the prayer: “God, come to my assistance; Lord, Make haste to help me,” and then the “Glory be…” Then on the each first large bead announce the sense of our Lord (for the first section, “Touch”) and say “My Jesus, Mercy,” followed by the “Glory Be.” Then on each of the six smaller beads say, “Arise, O God, let thy enemies be scattered and let those who hate thee flee before Thy Face.” Then repeat this for each of the next four sections, each one representing the senses of hearing, sight, smell and finally taste. After “Taste,” say “My Jesus, Mercy,” followed by the “Glory Be” on the next large bead. After follows three small beads which you would probably be curious about what to do about them, if you had the chaplet already. You recite on each bead, “Arise, O God, let thy enemies be scattered and let those who hate thee flee before Thy Face.” Then on the medal dangling from near the cross you say, “O God, Our Protector, please look upon us and cast your gaze upon the Face of Thy Christ.” And that’s it! It doesn’t take long to say.
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