Monday 23 October 2023

A note on certain proper last Gospels

Some comments were made on the post for the XVII Sunday after Pentecost on which this year the feast of Our Lady of Ransom occurred and was commemorated in the Office and at Mass. At Mass the last Gospel was of the commemorated feast. Reference was made to another highly-useful website, Restore the '54', that stated as the Gospel for the feast of Our Lady of Ransom was from the Common for feasts of the BVM then it was not proper, presumably based on Additiones et Variationes IX, 3.

However, such an interpretation ignores a decree (4369) of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of 29th April 1922 that clarified the above rubric and indicated which Gospels were strictly proper. The basis of the decree was the special dignity of Persons.

As well as J.B. O'Connell, quoted in the comments of the post, Joseph Wuest C.SS.R in 'Matters Liturgical' delineates these as:

 "The following Masses of Mysteries, Feasts or Persons of special dignity have Gospels that must be regarded as Proper:
(a) Mysteries and Feasts of Our Lord except the Dedication of a Church with the Gospel 'Ingressus Jesus';
(b) Of the Blessed Virgin Mary, except the Mass of the Assumption 'Intravit Jesus in quoddam castellam';
(c) Of the Archangels and of the Guardian Angels;
(d) Of St. John the Baptist and of St. Joseph;
(e) Of the Twelve Apostles." 

He then adds the Gospels for the feasts of the Holy Innocents, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Martha, the Commemoration of All Holy Pontiffs and the first series of Votive Masses printed in the Missal. Many printing of the Missal after the decree, although not all, clarified the matter for the celebrant by the additiion of a 'P' to note the Gospel was proper or even a rubric as in the case of this 1932 Ratisbon edition for the feast of Our Lady of Ransom although the Gospel is from the Common:
Looking at the same Missal for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel the same Gospel is marked with a 'P':
The last image from the same Missal shews the Common of Feasts of the BVM and, again, there is a 'P' noting the Gospel pericope is indeed proper:
Finally, Ordo 2023 was compared with two extant ordines in our collection. Firstly a 1939 Capuchin Ordo for Switzerland. The commemoration of Our Lady of Ransom is the second commemoration due to an occuring OFM feast but the last Gospel is clearly indicated:

The second Ordo, for 1944, was from Carcassonnne. Again, the last Gospel of the feast of Our Lady of Ransom is explicitly mentioned.

2 comments:

Zephyrinus said...

A most interesting, apposite, and necessary, Article, Rubricarius.

More similar Articles, please.

Deo Gratias.

Peter said...

This site is such a mine of information. Thank you so much, dear Rubricarius!