XVI Sunday after Pentecost

The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it the first Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke tell of the LORD healing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Adaperiat Dominus for the Saturday before the first Sunday of October. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of SS Cosmas and Damian and of St. Wenceslaus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the first book of Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. In the third nocturn the lessons are also from St. Ambrose, a homily on St. Lukes's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Wenceslaus 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. Wenceslaus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

At Vespers the liturgical colour changes to white and first Vespers of St. Michael the Archangel are sung. The antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung, doubled with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Te splendor et virtus Patris. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat was Adonai, Domine for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of September. There were no commemorations. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos etc and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn, the first and second lessons being taken from the Book of Judith. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce. There are no commemorations or Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is but a single collect. Vespers are the same as in the traditional rite.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

St. Matthew the Apostle

The feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is a Double of the Second class and the liturgical colour of the feast is red. The fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the fourth Sunday of September, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc., from the Common of Apostles, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Eustace and Companions and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Adonai, Domine etc for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of September. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44, all taken from the Common of Apostles, with the lessons and responsories also from the Common. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. The lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Jerome's Commentary on the same and is proper to the feast. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday and is a homily of St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the Sunday psalms. The hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At the Little Hours the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the festal psalms (at Prime 53, 118i & 118ii). At Prime the lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The hymn is, again, Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Thomas of Villanova and of the Sunday. At Compline the Sunday psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the 'green' Sunday takes precedence over St. Matthew's feast. At Vespers yesterday there were no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. St. Matthew is commemorated at Lauds and in Low Masses. In sung Masses there is but single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Ember Saturday - SS Eustace and Companions

Today is the Ember Saturday in September and is also the double rank feast of SS Eustace and Companions. Today is also the Vigil of St. Matthew the Apostle. However, as today is an Ember Day the Vigil is not commemorated in the Office. The liturgical colour of the feast is red.

At Mattins the lessons in the first nocturn are those appointed for Tuesday of this week sung with the responsories of Saturday. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the ninth lesson is the homily from the Ember Saturday which is taken the writings of St. Gregory. At Lauds a commemoration of the Ember Saturday is sung after the collect of the feast.

Mass, of the feast, is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Ember Saturday (the first collect after the Kyrie and invitation to pray - Omnipotens...) and the third collect is of the Vigil. The common preface is sung and the last Gospel that of the Ember Saturday.

Private Masses, celebrated in violet vestments, may be of the Ember Saturday with commemorations of the feast and Vigil with the last Gospel of the Vigil. Private Masses may also be of the Vigil, again in violet, with commemorations of the feast and Ember Saturday with the last Gospel of the Ember Saturday.

In Cathedral and Collegiate Churches Mass of the feast is celebrated after Terce without any commemoration of the Ember Saturday or of the Vigil. After None the Mass of the Ember Saturday is celebrated in violet vestments with the deacon and subdeacon wearing folded chasubles rather than dalmatic and tunicle. The Mass has the usual, ancient form, for Ember Saturdays. After the Kyrie there are a series of structural units comprising of the invitation Oremus, followed by Flectamus genua, Levate, a collect, O.T. reading and gradual. The first and second OT readings are from the Book of Leviticus. The third lesson is from Micheas the Prophet, the fourth from the Prophet Zachararias. The fifth is from the Prophet Daniel describing the LORD protecting Azarias and his two companions in the Babylonian fiery furnace. After the reading from Daniel instead of a gradual the hymn of the Three Men in fiery furnace is sung, Beneditus es, Domine, Deus patrum nostrorum and its collect Deus, qui tribus pueris. After this collect the collect of the Vigil is sung followed by the collect A cunctis. A Tract is sung between the Epistle and Gospel. Mass then continues as usual (with of course kneeling for the orations and from the Canon through to the Fraction as usual on penitential days) with Benedicamus Domino as the dismissal and the last Gospel of the Vigil.

When orders are conferred the Tonsure is given after the Kyrie. After the first OT lesson Door-keepers are ordained; after the second, Readers; after the third, the Exorcists; after the fourth, the Acolytes; after the fifth, the Subdeacons; after the Epistle, the Deacons, and before the last verse of the Tract, the priests.

In the afternoon first Vespers of the feast of St. Matthew are sung with commemorations of the Sunday and of SS Eustace and Companions.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' today is a IV class Saturday of the BVM. SS Eustace and Companions get a commemoration at Lauds and low Mass. Vespers are of the Sunday (with a different antiphon on the Magnificat as they are a week behind) and no commemorations.

Ember Friday - SS Januarius and Companions

Today the Ember Friday in September. Traditionally it was a day of fast and abstinence. Today is also the double feast of St. Januarius and Companions. The liturgical colour of the feast is red.

At Mattins the lessons in the first nocturn are those appointed for Monday of this week (when the lessons from occurring Scripture could not be read due to the proper lessons for the feast of the Seven Dolours and the transferred Incipit of the Book of Tobias) sung with the responsories appointed for today. In the third nocturn the ninth lesson is of the Friday. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Ember Friday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Ember Friday, the Common Preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Ember Friday.

Private Masses may be of the Ember Friday with violet vestments. The Mass texts are proper, the second collect is of the feast and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. In Cathedral and Collegiate churches there are two Masses. The first, of the feast, is after Terce. There is no commemoration of the Ember Day and the last Gospel is In principio. After None the Mass of the Ember Friday is sung without commemoration of the feast. The deacon and sub-deacon wear violet folded chasubles rather than dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are, from the chapter, of the following feast of SS Eustace and Companions with a commemoration of the preceding feast. The liturgy of the Ember Day ends with None so there is no commemoration of it at Vespers.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Ember Friday is postponed until next week. Today is the II class feast of SS Januarius and his Companions with a single nocturn at Mattins. Vespers are of the feast with no commemorations.

Ember Wednesday - The Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis

Today is the Ember Wednesday in September or, sometimes, referred to as the Michaelmas Ember Wednesday. Traditionally it was a day of fast and abstinence. Today is also the double feast of The Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

At Mattins the lessons in the first nocturn are proper to the feast with the responsories from the Common of Confessors. In the third nocturn the eighth responsory is proper to the feast and the ninth lesson is of the Ember Wednesday. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Ember Wednesday is sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Ember Wednesday, the Common Preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Ember Wednesday.

Private Masses may be of the Ember Wednesday with violet vestments. The Mass texts are proper, the second collect is of the feast and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. In Cathedral and Collegiate churches there are two Masses. The first, of the feast, is after Terce. There is no commemoration of the Ember Day and the last Gospel is In principio. After None the Mass of the Ember Day is sung without commemoration of the feast. The deacon and sub-deacon wear violet folded chasubles rather than dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are of the following feast of St. Joseph of Cupertino with a commemoration of the preceding feast. The liturgy of the Ember Wednesday ends with None so there is no commemoration of it at Vespers.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Ember Wednesday is postponed a week due to the novel way introduced of calculating the first Sunday of the month. Today is a IV class ferial day with the Mass of the preceding Sunday. At Lauds and Low Mass there is a commemoration of the Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is of greater double rite and takes precedence, as a feast of the LORD, over the 'green' Sunday. The origin of the feast was the dedication of Constantine's basilica in Jerusalem in 335. The feast appears to have been celebrated in Rome since the seventh century. A double feast in the Tridentine Missal of 1570 it was raised to greater double rank by Clement VIII. The liturgical colour of the feast is red. The fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the third Sunday of September, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was the magnificent Vexilla regis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ne reminiscaris for the Saturday before the third Sunday of September). The Suffrage was omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem, pro nobis in Cruce exaltatum, Venite adoremus. The antiphons and responsories for the three nocturns are proper. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from the Book of Numbers with the account of Moses and the brazen serpent, a prefigurement of the Cross. In the second nocturn the lessons describe the taking of the Cross from Jerusalem and its triumphant return. In the third nocturn the lessons are from a homily on the Passion of the Lord from St. Leo the Great. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday, a homily from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc are, again, sung this time with Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite and 148. The Office hymn is Lustra sex. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At the Hours the O magnum pietatis opus etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted, the lectio brevis is proper, Humiliavit semetipsum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. There is no third collect today. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers see a colour change to white and first Vespers of the following feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin. The antiphons Quo abiit etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the preceding feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology proper to the feast of the Seven Sorrows, Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui passus es pro servulis etc. The week ahead will be that of the September Ember Days.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' although the feast has been raised in rank to 'second class' (connected with the abolition of the May feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross) it loses first Vespers with the exception of when it falls on a Sunday. The Sunday is not commemorated being considered an identical mystery with the feast. If the Sunday were to be commemorated it would be the second Sunday of September not the third. At the Little Hours the antiphons for the Sunday, not the feast are sung. At Prime (Ps. 117, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is of the Sunday. At Mass there is a single collect and the last Gospel is In principio. Vespers are second Vespers of the Exaltation of the Cross without commemoration of the following Office of the Seven Sorrows or of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology. The Ember Days will not be celebrated for another week.

Icon from the Greek Catholic Church.

XIII Sunday after Pentecost

The thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the second Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel tell of the LORD and the ten lepers, only one of which thanked Him for being healed.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn, Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was In omnibus his for the Saturday before the second Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. 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 are taken from the book of Job. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Gregory's Book of Morals and in the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

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 A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin are sung. The antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers the antiphon on the Magnificat is Cum audisset Job as this Sunday becomes the first Sunday of September. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline. Mattins has a single nocturn of three lessons (the first and second lessons being what was read last week in the traditional rite). At Lauds the Suffrage is omitted. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations. At Compline the hymn is sung in the ordinary tone and with the ordinary Doxology and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal