October 12th - XXI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the third Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the unjust and ungrateful servant who, forgiven his debts by the King, demands what is owed to him from others and shews complete ingratitude.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Lugebat autem Judam for the Saturday before the third Sunday of October. 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 Office hymn is Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons continue to be read from the First Book of the Machabees and are taken from its ninth chapter. These are identical to those found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Offices of St. Ambrose. These are, again, the same as those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions and contains the text Quod ut manifestius...to si et ipsi dimittant minora peccantibus, about half of the modern eighth lesson. The eighth lesson begins Si autem ob factam and continues with all the remaining text of the modern eighth lesson but then continues Oblatus est ei unus... to ...et peccatoris appellari stultitiam, text not found in the modern books. The ninth lesson begins Sed quo modos.. and continues to..nec a prudentibus viris recipiendae text which, again, is absent from the modern books and then continues with Sic et Pater meus and the rest of the text of the modern ninth lesson. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne. 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 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 Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis creator. 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

October 5th - XX Sunday after Pentecost

The twentieth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the second Sunday of October and its liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel give the account of the healing of the ruler's son at Capharnaum.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Iste Confessor. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Refulsit sol for the Saturday before the second Sunday of October). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons continue from the First Book of the Machabees. The first lesson includes part of the text from what is the second lesson in the modern books, Tunc ordinavit... until ...in locum immundum. The second lesson begins Et cogitavit... (from the middle of the modern second lesson) and continues with what is now part of the modern third lesson with Et acceperunt... until ...et mensam in templum. The third lesson begins Et incensum posuerunt... until ...qui prosperavit eis, i.e. continuing with vv. 52-55. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book on the City of God of St. Augustine. The fourth and fifth lessons are slightly longer than those in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. These lessons are significantly longer than in the modern editions. By the eighth lesson all three modern lessons have been read and there is additional material from the homily to complete the Tridentine eighth lesson. The ninth lesson is entirely absent from the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne. 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 A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. 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

September 28th - XIX Sunday after Pentecost

The nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost is, this year, the first Sunday of October. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes contain the parable of the wedding feast from St. Matthew's Gospel with the sobering concluding words of the LORD Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Isti sunt sancti etc, from the Common of Several Martyrs, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter, O Altitudo , the Office was of the Sunday. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Adaperiat Dominus for the Saturday before the first Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the preceding Office of SS Cosmos and Damian 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 . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the Incipit of the first Book of Machabees is read. The first lesson is the same as in the post-Clementine editions. The second lesson is longer and continues with what are the first sentences of the modern third lesson ending ... in oculis eorum. The third lesson begins Et destinaverunt... and continues beyond the end of the modern third lesson (ut facerent malum.) until ... et accepit spolia terrae Aegypti, i.e. vv. 17 - 20 are included. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. These are the same as those in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Matthews's Gospel. The seventh lesson does not appear in the modern editions. The eighth lesson consists of the modern seventh and half of the modern eighth lessons. The text of the ninth lesson consists of the rest of the modern eighth and ninth lessons and the inclusion of further texts from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne. 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 A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel are sung. The antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Tibi, Christe, splendor Patris. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

September 21st - St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist

The feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the fourth Sunday of September, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc., from the Common of Apostles, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Adonai, Domine etc for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of September. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44, all taken from the Common of Apostles. The lessons are from St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. The third lesson is considerably longer than that found in the later editions of the Breviary. The responsories are from the Common. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. The lessons are proper to the feast. These are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Jerome's Commentary on the same and is proper to the feast. The ninth lesson is slightly longer than those found in the later books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form an exteded eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from a homily of St. Peter Chrysologus on St. Matthew's Gospel. The lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions with the seventh lesson (of the Sunday) consisting of both the modern seventh and eighth lessons. The eighth lesson consists of all of the modern ninth lesson and additional texts. The text of the ninth lesson is not found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the festal psalms (at Prime 53, 118i & 118ii). At Prime the lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. 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 with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The hymn is, again, Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the following feast of St. Mauritius & Others. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.