Christ the King - XXIV Sunday after Pentecost

The feast of Christ the King is a Double of the First Class and its liturgical colour is white. This year it is also the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday of November. The texts used to commemorate the Sunday do not come from those given in the Breviary and Missal for the twenty-fourth and last Sunday after Pentecost but are those from the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Sundays after the Epiphany that were not celebrated before Septuagesima, this year the fourth, fifth and sixth, are used, with slight adaptation, for those Sundays after the twenty-third and before the last Sunday before Advent.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Pacificus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Te saeculorum Principem. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Vidi, Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday of November. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui sceptra mundi temperas, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula.

At Mattins the invitatory is Jesum Christum, Regem regum Venite adoremus. In the first nocturn (Pss.2, 8 & 23) the lessons are taken from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. In the second nocturn (Pss. 28, 44 & 46) the lessons are taken from Pius XI's encyclical Quas primas. In the third nocturn (Pss. 71, 88i, 88ii) the homily on St. John's Gospel is taken from the writings of St. Augustine. The ninth lesson is the homily appointed for the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost, from St. Jerome on St. Matthew (appointed for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany). The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Suscitabit etc are sung with the Sunday psalms. The Office hymn is Vexilla Christus inclyta. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Suscitabit etc are sung with the festal psalms (at Prime Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). The Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc is sung with the hymns of the Hours. At Prime the versicle in the short responsory is Qui primatum in omnibus tenes and the lectio brevis In ipso.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is proper to the feast and the last Gospel is that of the Sunday.

At Vespers all is sung as yesterday at first Vespers except the versicle & response and the antiphon on the Magnificat which are proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there was no commemoration of the Sunday (if there were it would be of the fifth Sunday of October, not the first Sunday of November). There is no proper Doxology for Te lucis. At Mattins in the third nocturn, the third psalm (Ps. 88ii) gets stripped of over half its verses. Verses Tu vero repulisti... to Benedictus Dominus in aeternam, fiat, fiat, 39 - 53, are omitted. The former eighth lesson is split into two to provide an eighth and ninth lesson as the homily of the Sunday is omitted. At Lauds there is no commemoration sung of the Sunday. At Prime and the Hours the Doxology for the feast is omitted. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season. At Mass there is no commemoration of the Sunday and the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Icon: Russian, 17th century.

XXIII Sunday after Pentecost - Mission Sunday

The twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of October and also Mission Sunday. An oratio imperata pro re gravi is ordered to be added to all Masses following a rescript of the SCR of April 14th, 1926. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the account of the LORD healing the woman with an issue of blood.

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 Exaudiat Dominus for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday in October. 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 Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a tract of St. Chrysostom on the forty-third psalm. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, the Suffrage of the Saints was 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 fourth collect is Deus, qui nos homines (from the Votive Mass for the Propagation of the Faith). The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the following feast of St. Raphael is sung. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Suffrage has been abolished so it not sung at Vespers, nor are the Dominical preces at Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Suffrage is not sung. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is only one collect, the collect for the Propagation of the Faith being sung under one conclusion with the collect of the Sunday. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XXII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the third Sunday of October.The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew's Gospel contain the account of the Pharisees trying to trap the LORD over tribute to Caesar and the LORD's rebuttal of "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God those things that are God's."

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Refulsit sol. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Exaudiat Lugebat autem Judam for the Saturday before the third Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Teresa and of St. Hedwig. 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 Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the first Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. In third nocturn the lessons are taken from a commentary of St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aetere. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Hedwig is sung 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. Hedwing, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St.Margaret Mary and of St. Hedwig. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the concurring double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is only one collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XXI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the second Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the unjust and ungrateful servant who, forgiven his debts by the King, demands what is owed to him from others and shews complete ingratitude.

As 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 Refulsit sol for the Saturday before the second Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Bridget of Sweden and of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius. The Suffrage was omitted due to the conccurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the First Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Augustine writings on the City of God. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius 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 SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Francis Borgia and of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius. 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. At Lauds there are no commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XX Sunday after Pentecost

The twentieth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of October. Being also the first Sunday in October it Rosary Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. John give the account of the healing of the ruler's son at Capharnaum.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the 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 Sunday a commemoration was sung of the SS Guardian Angels. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the First Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the SS Guardian Angels. 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.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the SS Guardian Angels. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity. The last Gospel is of the SS Guardian Angels.

All Masses, except the Conventual Mass, may be of the Most Holy Rosary. The Mass Gaudeamus is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday (in said Masses the third collect is of the SS Guardian Angels). The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Virgin and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus and of the SS Guardian Angels. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the double feasts as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is one collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal