These Ordo notes are intended as an aid to those who wish to say the traditional form of the Benedictine Office using the Monastic Diurnal (MD) published by St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough; the Antiphonale Monasticum (AM); and/or the Breviarium Monasticum.
The Ordo generally follows the rubrics and General Calendar approved for the Benedictine Confederation of 1962. In addition to the feasts specified in the General Calendar, it is necessary to add in any local feasts particular to your region, country, diocese, and monastery and/or parish.
Consistent with the decree Cum Sanctissima, the Ordo also identifies some ‘optional Class III feasts’ for certain feasts previously reduced to commemorations during Lent, as well as for selected saints canonized since 1962.
More detailed instructions on how to say the Benedictine Office can be found here, while more detailed Ordo notes can be found in the Ordo available in PDF or book form from Lulu.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
MD Monastic Diurnal, Farnborough, 2005 and later editions.
AM Antiphonale Monasticum, Solesmes, 1934.
LR Liber Responsorialis, Solesmes, 1895.
LH Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983.
SupAnt Supplement to the Antiphonale Monasticum, Fontgombault (Clear Creek)
** Indicates a feast celebrated in some places only, for which texts for feast available in supplement at the back of the Monastic Diurnal (page numbers with **).
ff And following pages.
Canticle antiphons In reference to Lauds and Vespers, refers to the Benedictus and Magnificat respectively. At Matins, it refers to the third nocturn canticles of Matins used for Sundays and feasts.
Festal psalms a) At Lauds: Psalm 66, 92, 99, 62, Sunday or festal canticle of the day of the week, Psalms 148-150;
(b) At Vespers: The psalms of Sunday or of a particular types of saints/feast (ie of one of the ‘Commons’), or specific to the feast; and
(c) At Matins: For the type of saint/feast (ie of the Commons) or specific to the feast.
SEPTEMBER
2023
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 473*/AM 604.
Saturday 2 September – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady [EF:
St Stephen, Class III/Gower: Memorial]
1 Vespers of the First Sunday of September: Magnificat antiphon, MD 452-3*/AM 582-3; collect of the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 473-4*/AM 605.
Sunday 3 September – Fourteenth
Sunday after Pentecost/ First Sunday of September, Class II
Monday 4 September – Class IV
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 473-4*/AM 605.
Tuesday 5 September – Class IV [EF: St Laurence Justinian, Class III]
Wednesday 6 September – Class IV
Thursday 7 September – Class IV
Friday 8 September – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Class II [Previously: with a Simple Octave]
MD
[259]/AM 1032 ff.
Saturday 9 September – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Gorgonius, Memorial [US: St Peter Claver, Class III]
For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [264-5]/AM 1037; 1 Vespers of the Second Sunday of September: Magnificat antiphon, MD 453*/AM 583; collect of the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 474-5*/AM 606.
Sunday 10 September – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Second Sunday of
September, Class II
Monday 11 September – Class IV; SS Protus and Hyacinth, Memorial
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 474-5*/AM 606; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [265]/AM 1037.
Tuesday 12 September – Class IV [EF/Previously: Most Holy Name of Mary, Class III/Gower: Memorial]
Wednesday 13 September – Class IV
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 474-5*/AM 606.
Thursday 14 September – Exaltation of Holy Cross, Class II
MD [266]/AM 1040 ff.
Friday 15 September – The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Class III [EF: Class II]
MD [273]/AM 1047 ff.
Saturday 16 September – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; SS Cornelius and Cyprian, Memorial [EF: Class III]
For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [278]/AM 1040; 1 Vespers of the Third Sunday of September: Magnificat antiphon, MD 453-4*/AM 584; collect of the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 475*/AM 607.
Sunday 17 September – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Third Sunday of
September, Class II
Monday 18 September – Class IV [EF: St Joseph of Cupertino, Class III]
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 475*/AM 607.
Tuesday 19 September – Class IV [EF: St Januarius and companions, Class III; **In some places, St Theodore, Class III]
Wednesday 20 September – Ember Wednesday, Class II [EF:
and St Eustace and Companions, Memorial]
MD 454*/AM 584.
Thursday 21 September – St Matthew, Class II
MD [279]/AM 1053.
Friday 22 September – Ember Friday, Class II; St Maurice and Companions, Memorial
MD 455*/AM 585-6; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [280]/AM 1053/SupAnt
133.
Saturday 23 September – Ember Saturday, Class II; St Linus, Memorial
MD 456*/AM 586; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [280-1]/AM 1053; 1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of September: Magnificat antiphon, MD 456-7*/AM 586-7; collect of the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 476*/AM 609.
Sunday 24 September– Seventeenth
Sunday after Pentecost/ Fourth Sunday of September, Class II
MD 476-7*/AM 608-9.
Monday 25 September – Class IV
All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 476*/AM 609.
Tuesday 26 September – Class IV [EF: SS Cyprian and Justina, Memorial; Gower: SS Isaac Jogues, John de Brébeuf and Companions, Memorial, in Canada, Class II/elsewhere Optional Class III]
Wednesday 27 September – Class IV, SS Cosmas and Damian, Memorial [EF: Class III]
For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [281]/AM 1054.
Thursday 28 September – Class IV [EF: St Wenceslaus, Class III; St Lioba, Optional Class III]
1 Vespers of St Michael, MD [282]/AM 1055 ff.
Friday 29 September – Dedication of St Michael the Archangel, Class I
MD [284]/AM 1058 ff.
Saturday 30 September – St Jerome, Class III
MD [290]/AM 1064; 1 Vespers of First Sunday of October: Magnificat
antiphon, MD 457*/AM 587-8; collect
of the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 477*/AM 610.
