The first week of November

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.  The Sunday is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

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 of the Sunday was sung (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 and the Office hymn Aeterna Imagao Altissimi. In the first nocturn the antiphons Ego autem etc are sung, doubled, with Pss.2, 8 & 23. The lessons are taken from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Sedebit etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 28, 44 & 46. The lessons are taken from Pius XI's encyclical Quas primas. In the third nocturn the antiphons Benedicentur in ipso are sung, doubled, with 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-first Sunday after Pentecost, a sermon of St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Suscitabit etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is Vexilla Christus inclyta. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

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 of the Sunday is sung.

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 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.

The fourth week of October

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 fourth Sunday of October and Mission Sunday. At the request of the Superior Council of the Pontifical Work for the Propagation of the Faith the Sacred Congregation of Rites directed in 1926 that the prayer, from the Votive Mass Pro Propagatione Fidei, should be added to all Masses today as an oratio imperata pro re gravi. 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 of 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. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne. 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 and the fourth collect is the oration Deus, qui nos homines..., for the propagation of the faith. This is taken from the Votive Mass Pro Propagatione Fidei. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Raphael the Archangel. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Suffrage has been abolished at Vespers and at Lauds as have the Dominical preces at Prime and Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Prime there is neither Quicumque nor the Dominical preces. At Mass the prayer Deus, qui omnes homines is added to the collect of the Sunday under one conclusion. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

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, Teresa and of St. Hedwig. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted 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 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 rerum. 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. Hedwig, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Margaret Mary and of St. Hedwig. 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 of three lessons. Quiqumque is said only once a year and the Domninical preces have been abolished. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but one collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The second week of October

XVIII Sunday after Pentecost

The eighteenth 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 relate the healing of a paralytic, both by being forgiven his sins and physically healed by the LORD.

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 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 and of SS Denis, Rusticus & Eleutherius. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted 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 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. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Denis, 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 Denis, Rusticus & Eleutherius, the third collect is A cunctis. 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 St Francis Borgia and of SS Denis, Rusticus & Eleutherius followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemoration nor Suffrage at either Vespers. The Dominical preces at Compline and Prime have been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations, nor Suffrage. At Prime Quicumque is omitted. At Mass there is a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The first week of October

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.

As 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 Adaperiat Dominus for the Saturday before the first Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the Holy Guardian Angels. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted 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 are the Incipit of the First Book of the 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. Chrysostom 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 the Holy Guardian Angels is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints 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 the Holy Guardian Angels. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung. the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Holy Guardian Angels.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13 the first Sunday in October was the feast of the Most Holy Rosary of the BVM. All Masses, except the Conventual Mass (although a Double of the Second Class the feast had special privileges), may be of the feast. The Mass Gaudeamus is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday and the third collect is of the Holy Guardian Angels. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Virgin and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) are sung. 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 Holy Guardian Angels. 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