VIII Sunday after Pentecost

The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of August. 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. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Martha and of SS Abdon & Sennen followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipiunt of the Proverbs of Solomon. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a tract of St. Ambrose on the 118th Psalm. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of SS Abdon & Sennen 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 SS Abdon & Sennen, the third collect is A cunctis. 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 a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Ignatius. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the first Sunday of August will be next week. There are no commemorations at either Vespers. The Suffrage has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

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 the preceding Office St. Mary Magdalene, of St. Apollinaris and of St. Liborius. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feasts. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Officie hymn isNocte 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. Apollinaris and of St. Liborius. 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. Apollinaris, the third collect is of St. Liborius. 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 St. Apollinaris and of St. Christina. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there are no commemorations. 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

VI Sunday after Pentecost

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus, sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office St. Henry the Emperor and of the BVM of Mount Carmel. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes vigilemus omnes. 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, following the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is of the BVM of Mount Carmel. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime and at the other Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxlogy and melody of the Incarnation. At prime psalms 117, 118i & 118ii are sung. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The versicle in the Short Responsory is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the BVM of Mount Carmel. There is no third collect. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the BVM.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung. 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 Office of St. Alexius and of the BVM. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. The ordinary Doxology is sung with the hymns of the Hours. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has a single collect and the last Gospel is In principio.

V Sunday after Pentecost

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass are from St. Matthew.

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 a commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. Elizabeth followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

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 Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Gregory the Great's Book on Morals. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. 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 Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of SS Holy Brothers & Others followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. The Suffrage of the Saints and the Dominical preces have been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. Mass has a but a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Visitation of the BVM

The feast of the Visitation of the BVM is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour, this year from Mattins, is white. The feast commemorates the Visitation made by the BVM to her cousin Elizabeth (c.f. Luke 1: 39-80). The feast originated as a concession to the Franciscans at the request of St. Bonaventure in 1263. Urban VI in 1389 confirmed the celebration of the feast with an Octave on July 2nd. Boniface IX in 1390, the Council of Basle in 1441 and Nicholas V in 1451 confirmed the feast but not the Octave, according to the notes of the Pian Commission. In the 1550 Breviary it became a double feast as it also appeared in the Tridentine Breviary, with a partially new Office in 1569. Clement VIII made the feast a greater double in the 1604 BR and Pius IX made it a double of the second class in 1850. The modern reformers couldn't cope with the feast on the day following the Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist finding this illogical and so moved it to 31st May. The Byzantines keep the feast, which was only introduced in the nineteenth century, on March 30th. The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of The Most Precious Blood were sung. The antiphons Quis est iste etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. The Office hymn was Festivis resonent compita vocibus. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the feast of the Visitation of the BVM and of the Sunday. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc., and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the liturgial colour changes to white. The invitatory is proper, Visitationem Virginis Mariae celebremus: Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum. The Office hymn, antiphons and psalms are all from the Common of the BVM. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the Canticle of Canticles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from a homily of St. John Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria Virgo etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday. At Lauds the antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc are sung with the Dominical psalms, the Office hymn is from the Common, O gloriosa virginum, and the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper to the feast, Cum audisset etc. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of SS Processus and Martinian. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung to the melody and Doxlogy of the Incarnation. The antiphons from Lauds are sung at the Hours in in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii) are sung, in the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung, the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass Salve sancte parens is sung, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, (in private Masses the third collect is of SS Processus and Martinian), the Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

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

At Vespers the antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc are sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Leo II and of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgial books of 1962' the celebration of the 'green' Sunday takes precedence over the feast of the Visitation. At Vespers yesterday afternoon there were no commemorations. At Compline and at the Hours on Sunday there is no Doloxology of the Incarnation. The feast of the Visitation is commemorated at Lauds and in Low Masses only. At Mass the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart - Third Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart, the third Sunday after Pentecost, is of semi-double rite. The structure of the Office is as last Sunday and again the liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke have the parable of the shepherd going after one sheep missing from his hundred strong flock. This year it is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of St. John the Baptist. The antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Ut queant laxis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday, of the Octave of the Sacred Heart and of St. William the Abbot. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and Te lucis had the Doxology and tone of the Octave. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn, antiphons and psalms are as on the feast of the Sacred Heart but the antiphons are not doubled. In the first nocturn the lessons are a continuation of the First Book of the Kings. The responses are of the Octave. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Encyclical of Pius XI in 1928 that, inter alia, gave the feast an Octave. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Lukes Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Unus militum etc are sung, as on the feast, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is Cor, arca legem continens. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. William, of the Octave of the Sacred Heart and of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui Corde fundis gratiam etc. The antiphons from Lauds are sung in the normal sequence at the Hours. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui Corde fundis gratiam is sung. The lectio brevis is of the Sunday, Deus autem.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. William, the third collect of the Octave of the Sacred Heart, the fourth collect of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Sacred Heart.

As noted last Sunday in one of the many liturgical changes initiated by Pius X in 1911-13 the feast of St. John the Baptist was moved from its traditional date of 24th June to the fourth Sunday in June. Consequently, although the fest was restored to its correct date all Masses today, except the Conventual Mass, may be of the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist with a commemoration of the Sunday and Octave of the Sacred Heart and last Gospel of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Unus militum etc, not doubled, are sung with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The Office hymn is En ut superba criminum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of SS John and Paul, of St. William, of the Octave of the Sacred Heart and of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology and tone of the Octave, the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octaves of the Sacred Heart and of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist have been abolished. The liturgical colour of the day is green. At Vespers on Saturday the Sunday, only, was commemorated. Mattins is is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. Prime has the Dominical psalms and Qui sedes etc in the short responsory. None of the hymns have the Doxology of the abolished Octave. Mass has a single collect and the preface of the Trinity. At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung, there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi - Second Sunday after Pentecost

The Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi and the Second Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of the feast of Corpus Christi, Sacerdos in aeternum etc, were sung, not doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The chapter was of the Sunday, the hymn and the following versicle & response were of the feast. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were of the Sunday followed by commemorations of the Octave, of St. Ephraem and of SS. Mark & Marcellianus. The Suffrage is omitted.  At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem adoremus dominantem Gentibus: Qui se manducantibus dat spiritus pinguedinem. The Office hymn is Sacris solemnis. The antiphons and psalms are as on the feast of Corpus Christi but the antiphons are not doubled.  The lessons are proper to the Sunday. In the first nocturn these are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn they are taken from a sermon of St. Chrysostom to the people of Antioch and the homily in the third nocturn is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons are those sung on the feast of Corpus Christi, Sapientia etc. The chapter is of the Sunday, the hymn as on the feast. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave, of St. Ephraem and of SS Mark and Marcellianus. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Little Hours the hymns are sung to the same tone as on the feast of the Nativity of the LORD (there of course being a deep link between the Incarnation and Corpus Christi) with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es for the feast and Octave, the short lesson is Filioli mei, of the Sunday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave, the third collect is of St. Ephraem, the fourth collect is of SS Mark & Marcellianus. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Nativity.

In Collegiate and Cathedral Churches a Mass of the feast of Corpus Christi is sung after None with Gloria, second collect of the Sunday, the Sequence Lauda Sion, Creed, preface of the Nativity and last Gospel of the Sunday. After this a Procession is made as on the feast. Likewise in those countries where the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi is observed on the Sunday following the feast Masses are of the feast with a commemoration of the Sunday. Indeed for a few years in the second decade of the twentieth century Corpus Christi was, rather bizarrely, universally moved to the Sunday after Trinity by a motu proprio of Pius X, De Diebus festis (AAS 3, 1911, pp.305-306).

(Second section of the motu proprio: Note also the moving to Sundays of St. Joseph's March feast and the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist)

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are as at Second Vespers of the feast except that the antiphons are not doubled. The chapter is of the Sunday, the hymn, versicle & response of the feast and the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of Corpus Christi, of St. Juliana, of St. Ephraem and of SS Gervase and Protase.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi has been abolished. The Second Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated as a 'green' Sunday. Mattins is stripped down to a single of three lessons with the invitatory and antiphons of the Sunday. There are no commemorations at either Vespers, Lauds or Mass. The hymn tones are not those of the Nativity, the Doxology has gone, the versicle at Prime is Qui sedes. At Mass there is a single collect and the preface is of the Trinity. The Octave of Corpus Christi has been abolished.