Sunday 31 July 2016

XI Sunday after Pentecost


The eleventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year is also the first Sunday of August. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark contain the account of the LORD healing a deaf and dumb man with His spittle.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the occurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipiunt of the Proverbs of Solomon. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a tract of St. Ambrose on the 118th Psalm. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory the Great. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Ignatius. The Suffrage is omitted because of the occurring double feast.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Ignatius. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Peter's Chains, of St. Paul the Apostle, of St. Ignatius and of the Holy Machabees. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons, the first and second lesson are from the fourth Book of the Kings. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect. The feast of St. Peter's Chains has been abolished.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday 24 July 2016

X Sunday after Pentecost


The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Vigil of St. James the Apostle was anticipated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Apollinaris and of St. Christina. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Fourth book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a homily of St. Chrysostom on Romans. In the third nocturn the lessons are from section from St. Augustine's 36th sermon on the words of the LORD. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Christina followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Christina, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and First Vespers of the feast of St. James the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc from the Common of Apostles are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Domincial preces at Compline.

In the liturgical books of the 1960s the Vigil of St. James is not anticipated or observed in any fashion as it has been abolished. There are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are always omitted. At Mass there is a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemoration of St. James.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday 17 July 2016

IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the account of the LORD casting out the money lenders in the temple.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of the BVM of Mount Carmel and of St. Alexius. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted. At Compline Te lucis too was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Fourth Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon by St. Augustine. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Alexiusfollowed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Alexius, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Camillus, of St. Alexius and of SS Symphorosa and her Sons. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the concurrent double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. The hymns are sung with the ordinary Doxology and melody. Mattins is stripped down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime Quicumque is not sung nor are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is a single collect.

Sunday 10 July 2016

VIII Sunday after Pentecost


The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the parable about the unjust steward.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Seven Holy Brothers & Others was sung followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a St. Augustine's City of God. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of the Seven Holy Brothers followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Seven Holy Brothers, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Pius I and of the Seven Holy Brothers followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. The Suffrages and Dominical preces have been abolished. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday 3 July 2016

VII Sunday after Pentecost


The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the words of warning from the LORD concerning false prophets appearing as sheep but who, in reality, are wolves. This year it is also the Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter and Paul.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers for the feast of the Visitation of the BVM were sung. The antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc were sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the seventh Sunday after Pentecost and of St. Leo. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Officie hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from am epistle of St. Jerome to Nepotianus. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Hiliary. The Te Deum is sung. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Leo and of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast and Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Leo, the third collect is of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the day within the Octave, Ecce nos reliquimus.

All Masses, apart from the Conventual Mass, may be of the feast of the Precious Blood that, prior to the 1911-13 reform, was assigned to the first Sunday of July. The Mass Redemisti nos is sung in red vestments with Gloria, second collect of the Sunday, Creed, preface of the Cross and last Gospel of the Sunday.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following day within the Octave of SS Peter and Paul and of St. Leo. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there is no commemoration of St. Leo. At Compline Te lucis is sung without the Doxology of the Incarnation in the ordinary tone. At Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. The Octave of SS Peter and Paul has been abolished. At Mass there is a single collect and the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Saturday 2 July 2016

Visitation of the BVM


The feast of the Visitation of the BVM is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white. The feast commemorates the Visitation made by the BVM to her cousin Elizabeth (c.f. Luke 1: 39-80). The feast originated as a concession to the Franciscans at the request of St. Bonaventure in 1263. Urban VI in 1389 confirmed the celebration of the feast with an Octave on July 2nd. Boniface IX in 1390, the Council of Basle in 1441 and Nicholas V in 1451 confirmed the feast but not the Octave, according to the notes of the Pian Commission. In the 1550 Breviary it became a double feast as it also appeared in the Tridentine Breviary, with a partially new Office in 1569. Clement VIII made the feast a greater double in the 1604 BR and Pius IX made it a double of the second class in 1850. The modern reformers couldn't cope with the feast on the day following the Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist finding this illogical and so moved it to 31st May. The Byzantines keep the feast, which was only introduced in the nineteenth century, on March 30th.

The feast begins with Mattins (Vespers having been of the Feast of the Precious Blood with a commemoration of the Visitation). The invitatory is proper, Visitationem Virginis Mariae celebremus: Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum. The Office hymn, antiphons and psalms are all from the Common of the BVM. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung with Pss. 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the Canticle of Canticles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from a homily of St. John Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria Virgo etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of SS Processus and Martinian. At Lauds the antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc are sung with the Sunday psalms, the Office hymn is from the Common, O gloriosa virginum, and the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper, Cum audisset etc. A commemoration is sung of SS Processus and Martinian (but not of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul). The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung to the melody of the Incarnation and with its Doxology. The antiphons from Lauds are sung with the Sunday psalms. At Prime the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii) are sung, in the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung, the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass Salve sancte parens is sung, the Gloria is sung, in private Masses a commemoration is made of SS Processus and Martinian, the Creed is sung and the preface is of the BVM.

At Vespers the antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc are sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the seventh Sunday after Pentecost and of St. Leo. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgial books of 1962' at Mattins the ninth lesson of SS Processus and Martinian is suppressed. At the Hours the ferial antiphons and psalms are sung, the hymns do not have the Doxology of the Incarnation. At Prime the short lesson is of the season. At Vespers there is no commemoration of St. Leo.