February 14th - Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is of semi-double rite. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and the good ground. Violet is the liturgical colour.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were of Saturday, the chapter, antiphon at the Magnificat and collect proper to Sexagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Valentine was sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins, as for Septuagesima Sunday, the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons continue to be taken from Genesis are read concerning the story of Noah. The lessons are longer than those found in the modern editions of the Breviary. The first continues Videns autem Deus ...me fecisse eos, i.e with most of the text of the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Noe vero invenit ... and continues with all of the modern third lesson and the addition of verse 16: Fenestram in arca facies ... tristega facies in ea. The third lesson, the text of which is entirely absent from the modern books, begins Ecce ego ... and continues until Fecit igitur omnia quae praeceperat illi Deus, Gen. 6:17 - 22. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark. These are identical to those found in the modern edtions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20 the lessons are taken from a homily of St. Gregory. The eighth and ninth lessons are slightly longer than in the modern editions. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Valentine is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is of St. Valentine, the third collect A cunctis. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

February 7th - Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima Sunday is of semi-double rank. The liturgical colour is violet. With Septuagesima this year the Julian and Gregorian Kalendars again come into alignment for the Temporal Cycle. In the Julian Kalendar Easter is April 11th (in the Gregorian April 24th). Yesterday, the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany was anticipated. At Mattins the book of Genesis is begun with the account of the Creation. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew at Mattins and Mass contain the parable of the labourers in the vineyard.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) of Saturday were sung. The chapter was proper to the Sunday, Fratres, nescitis etc. The hymn was, as on previous Sundays, O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat and the collect were proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace, Da pacem Domine were sung. At Benedicamus Domino, and its response, a double Alleluia is sung. Alleluia is not sung again until Holy Saturday. At Compline, and all other Offices until the Triduum, after Deus in adjutorium etc is sung Alleluia is replaced by Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Genesis. These are the same as those found in modern editions. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than those found in the modern editions and the sixth lesson is not found in the modern books, the fifth lesson effectively having been divided into two. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. Again, these are longer than those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Miserere mei Deus etc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne rerum conditor, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to Septuagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Santa Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the order of psalmody is changed from the usual order. Under the antiphon Conventione autem Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque are sung. The Dominical preces are also sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is A cunctis, the third chosen by the Dean or Rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino .

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) of Sunday are sung, the chapter is proper to the Sunday as in the antiphon at the Magnificat. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace, Da pacem Domine are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 31st - Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is from St. Matthew and is the account of the LORD stilling the storm at sea. At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas and the antiphon on the Magnificat is again Suscepit Deus. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace, Da pacem Domine were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung. At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the hymn is Primo dierum omnium . In the first nocturn (Pss. 1 , 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Philippians. The first lesson is the same as in modern editions of the Breviary. The second lesson continues with what is now text of the third lesson: Quidam quidem et propter ... suscitare vinculis meis. The third lesson begins Quid enim? Dum omni modo... and continues with the addition of vv. 19 - 24, Scio enim, quia hoc mihi ... autem in carne necessarium propter vos. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are taken from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory. These are virtually the same as in modern editions except that the sixth lesson is shorter by the omission of the final sentence found in modern editions Dissolvi enim ... vinctum videret. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are the same as in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine are sung. At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces. Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Deus, qui salutis, the third Ecclesiae or Deus omnium. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following, semi-double, feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch. This is followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace, Da pacem Domine . At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

January 24th - Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The third Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew record the LORD healing the leper and the centurion's servant.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas and the antiphon on the Magnificat Suscepit Deus (and the same is sung on all Saturdays until Septuagesima). After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Timothy followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace, Da pacem Domine . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the hymn is Primo dierum omnium . In the first nocturn (Pss. 1 , 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Galatians. The first and second lessons are the same as those found in the modern editions, the third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit ... diebus quindecim (vv. 15 - 18). In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are an Exposition on Galatians by St. Augustine. These are the same as in the modern editions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are the same as in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Timothy is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Timothy, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle with a colour change to white. Antiphons proper to the feast, Ego plantavi etc., are sung with the psalms from first Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter is Saulus adhuc, the hymn Doctor egregie Paule mores instrue and the antiphon on the Magnificat Vade Anania. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Peter the Apostle and of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal