The first week of September

XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of September and the beginning of the Pars Autumnalis of the Breviary. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke tell of the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Rose of Lima and of St. Raymond Nonnatus. 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 isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Job. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Gregory's Book of Morals. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from the writings of the Venerable Bede. 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. Raymond Nonnatus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Raymond Nonnatus. Today, in the universal calendar, there is no third collect. 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 Sundays commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Giles, of St. Raymond Nonnatus and of the SS Twelve Brothers. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the first Sunday of September is next week and at Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat was Observa, fili for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of August. There were no commemorations. At Mattins the first and second lesson are for the fifth Sunday of August. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The fourth week of August

St. Bartholomew the Apostle

The feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is red. The feast was preceded by a Vigil yesterday. Although the Office of the Vigil was outranked by the double feast of St. Philip Benizi it was commemorated at Mattins, Lauds and Mass. In Cathedral and Collegiate churches the Mass of the feast was celebrated after Terce, the Mass of the Vigil after None. However, 'private' Masses of the Vigil, celebrated in violet with a commemoration of the feast, were permitted. Today the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the fourth Sunday of August, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Philip Benizi and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of August). The Suffrage was omitted due to the double feasts. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and the Dominical preces preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 60 & 63 followed by lessons proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is taken from a commentary by St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii), and both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Mihi autem nimis. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is again Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Louis and of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast is outranked by the 'green' Sunday. The Vigil of St. Bartholomew has been abolished. At Vespers (of the Sunday) there were no commemorations. At Compline the ferial psalms were sung. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. St. Bartholomew is commemorated at Lauds and at said Masses only. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

The third week of August

X Sunday after Pentecost

The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is green. The Gospel pericope from St. Luke is of the parable of the Pharisee and Publican. This year it is the third Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octaves of St. Lawrence and of the Assumption.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of St. Joachim were sung. The antiphons Domine, quinque talenta were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Iste, Confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the The antiphon on the Magnificat being Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August) and of St. Hyacinth. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology, Jesu, tibi...Qui natus etc, and melody of the Incarnation. The Dominical preces were omitted.

In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Wisdom. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. In the third nocturn the lessons of the homily are from St. Augustine's 36th sermon on the words of the LORD. 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. Hyacinth, of the Octave of the Assumpiton and of the Octave Day of St. Lawrence. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation. At Prime Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The verse in the short responsory is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Hyacinth, the third collect of the Octave of the Assumption and the fourth collect of the Octave Day of St. Lawrence. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13 the Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption was the feast of St. Joachim, Father of the BVM. One Mass, other than the Conventual, may be sung of the feast. The Mass Dispersit is sung in white vestments with Gloria, the second collect of the Sunday, the third collect is of St. Hyacinth. The Creed is sung, the Preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, and the Office hymn is Lucis creator, sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following day within the Octave of the Assumption and of St. Agapitus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octaves of St. Lawrence and of the Assumption have been abolished. At Vespers only the Sunday is commemorated. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations.The hymns of the Hours have the ordinary Doxology. At Mass there is but a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The second week of August