Sunday, 26 July 2026

St. Anne Mother of the BVM

The feast of St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin, is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white. The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. The feast was originally celebrated by the Franciscans and appears as a feast of nine lessons in the 1550 Breviarium Romanum. The feast was suppressed in the 1568-70 reform but was returned to the Kalendar in 1584 as a feast of double rite. The feast became a greater double in 1738 and a Double of the Second Class in 1879. Most of the texts for the feast are from the Common of Non-Virgins. The Incipit of the Fourth Book of the Kings, which would have been read in the first nocturn of the Sunday, is transferred to Monday with its responsories.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of St. James the Apostle were sung. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Anne and of the ninth Sunday after Pentecost. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and the Domincial preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Laudemus Deum nostrum, in confessione beatae Annae and the Office hymn is Hujus oratu. In the first nocturn the antiphons O quam pulchra etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 8, 18, & 23. The lessons are Mulierem fortem etc from the Proverbs of Solomon. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss.44, 45 & 47. The lessons are proper to the feast from St. John Damascene. In the third nocturn the antiphons Nigra sum etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from the writings of St. Gregory on St. Matthew's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday taken from a homily of St. Gregory. At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. and the Office hymn is Fortem virili pectore. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss.53, 118(i) & 118(ii) and the lectio brevis is Multae filiae.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Fortem virili pectore. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrage is omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Sunday takes precedence over the feast. At Vespers of St. James yesterday there was no commemoration of St. Anne. Mattins, of the Sunday, is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there is a commemoration of St. Anne. At said Masses, only, there is a second collect of St. Anne. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art:Masolino da Panicale, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday, 19 July 2026

VIII Sunday after Pentecost


The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the parable about the unjust steward.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Camillus de Lellis and of St. Vincent de Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine on the City of God. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Vincent de Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Vincent de Paul. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Jerome Emiliani, of St. Vincent de Paul and of St. Margaret. 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. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday, 12 July 2026

VII Sunday after Pentecost


The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the words of warning from the LORD concerning false prophets appearing as sheep but who, in reality, are wolves.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. John Gualbert and SS Nabor & Felix. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from am epistle of St. Jerome to Nepotianus. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Hiliary. The Te Deum is sung. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. John Gualbert and of SS Nabor & Felix. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. John Gualbert, the third collect is of SS Nabor & Felix. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers, 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. Anacletus (aka Cletus, c.f. 26th April) and of St. John Gualbert. 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. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday, 5 July 2026

VI Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul

The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark's Gospel describe the Feeding of the Four Thousand with seven loaves and fishes.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung.The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul and of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the twelfth chapter of the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Defence of David. Again, St. Ambrose provides the homily in the third nocturn on St. Mark's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria and of the Octave. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13 the first Sunday of July was the feast of the Most Precious Blood. All Masses, apart from the Conventual Mass, may be of the feast. The Mass Redemisti nos is sung in red vestments with Gloria, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers, 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 the Octave Day of SS Peter & Paul and of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria. 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. The Octave of SS Peter & Paul has been abolished. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Image: Missale Romanum, 1572, Paris.