Christ the King - XXI 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-first Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday of November.

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 commemoration were sung of the preceding feast of SS Simon & Jude and 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.

Image: Christ as Pantocrator from the apse of the magnificent Cathedral of Monreale.

XX Sunday after Pentecost - Mission Sunday

The twentieth 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. John give the account of the healing of the ruler's son at Capharnaum.

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 St. Augustine's City of God. 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 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 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 the Suffrage of the Saints is sung as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Suffrage has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is no Suffrage. At Prime there is neither Quicumque nor are the Dominical preces. At Mass the collect for Missions is added to the collect of the day under one conclusion. At Vespers there is no Suffrage. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XIX Sunday after Pentecost

The nineteenth 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 contain the parable of the wedding feast from St. Matthew's Gospel with the sobering concluding words of the LORD Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnifcat was 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. Callistus and of St. Teresa. The Suffrage was omitted due to the double feasts as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn isPrimo die. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the first book of Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the book of St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Teresa is sung. 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 St. Teresa. Today there is no third collect. 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. Hedwig and of St. Teresa. The Suffrage of the Saints 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. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XVIII Sunday after Pentecost

The eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins, is green. This year it is the second Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew relate the healing of a paralytic, both by being forgiven his sins and physically healed by the LORD.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of the Most Holy Rosary of the BVM. The antiphons Quae est ista etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Te gestientem gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Refulsit sol for the Saturday before the second Sunday of October, followed by a commemoration of St. Bridget of Sweden. The Suffrage was omitted due to the concurring double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changes from white to green. 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 lessons are a homily from St. Peter Chrysologus on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Bridget is sung. The Suffrage is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Bridget. Today there is no third collect. 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 commemorations are sung of the following Office of SS Denis and Others and of St. Bridget. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers the Sunday is commemorated but not St. Bridget. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XVII Sunday after Pentecost

The seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass come from the twenty-second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel and have the Pharisees asking the LORD what is the greatest commandment.

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 commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Jerome and of St. Remegius. 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. Chrysostom on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the St. Remegius 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 St. Remegius, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

As, prior to the reform of 1911-13, the first Sunday in October was the feast of the Holy Rosary, all Masses, except the Conventual may be of the feast. The Mass Gaudeamus is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Virgin and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn. There are no commemorations at Lauds, nor Suffrage. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal