Just to let you know, the Ordo for the coming liturgical year is now available for purchase through Lulu.
I've provided three versions this year:
- paperback
- ebook (EPUB), for use on devices such as kindles; and
- PDF.
1962
As usual, the Ordo is keyed to the '1962' books, which in this case means the rubrics and General Calendar approved for the Benedictine Confederation in 1960.
It includes pages references to the Office books based on this calendar and rubrics, including the St Michael's Abbey (Farnborough) Monastic Diurnal editions dating from 2005 onwards for the day hours; the 1963 Monastic Breviary, newly reprinted by Pax inter Spinas Press (Brignoles); and the Le Barroux Nocturnale Monasticum for Matins. The Matins books published by Gower can also readily be used in conjunction with this Ordo.
The Ordo includes references to books containing the chants where possible, particularly the Antiphonale Monasticum 1934 (which can readily be used for it).
The ferial vs festal Office
The Ordo basically assumes that you are familiar with the 'ferial' form of the Benedictine Office (ie the hour as set out in the psalter section of your Office book). If you aren't sure how to say the hours, check out the notes here!
The Ordo, though, helps you find the parts of the Office that change according to the season, feast and day.
For an ordinary weekday during the year, for example, the only 'variable' text is the collect (usually that of the relevant Sunday). So an entry might look like this, where MD stands for Monastic Diurnal, and AM for Antiphonale Monasticum:
Monday 8 June – Class IV
All as in the psalter for throughout the year; collect MD 462*/AM 557.
Where there is a commemoration to be made, or a feast adds or changes some of the texts, the Ordo spells out the changes in detail, as the example below illustrates:
Thursday 25 December – The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas), Class I
Matins: Three nocturns with invitatory, hymn, psalms, antiphons, twelve readings and responsories all of the feast, MB 92/NM 56/LR 54 ff.
Lauds: Festal psalms with chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Benedictus antiphon and collect of the feast, MD 61*/AM 240 ff.
Prime: Psalms of the day of the week; antiphon MD 64*/AM 244.
Terce to None: Psalms of the day of the week; antiphon, chapter, versicle and collect of the feast, MD 64-5*/AM 244-5.
2 Vespers of the Nativity: Antiphons, psalms, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Magnificat antiphon and collect of the feast, MD 65*/AM 245 ff.
(MB = Monastic Breviary; NM= Nocturnale Monasticum; LR = Liber Responsorialis)
'1962 Plus'
The Ordo also lists selected feasts of saints that can or should be added into the (admittedly rather stark) 1960 monastic calendar, as well as the main variants in rubrics employed by the traditional monasteries.
Adding in required feasts
In the 'should' be added category, the Ordo lists feasts specific to particular countries and regions. Individual readers should also check for any specific to their own diocese and associated monastery, as well as adding in the feast of the dedication of the (current) cathedral of their diocese.
Optional feasts
In the 'can' category, the decree Cum Sanctissima permitted almost any feast or saint from the martyrology, as well as saints canonised since 1962, to be said as a Class III feast, provided the rules of precedence allow it, and provided that the Mass of the day is the same as the Office.
As well as alerting users to the relevant feast, the Ordo provides references to sources for the proper texts where these are available. The feasts are from:
- the 1962 Extraordinary Form calendar;
- selected feasts specific to some monasteries;
- 1953 and earlier twentieth century monastic breviaries removed in 1960; and
- the newer Benedictine Confederation (Ordinary Form) calendar (note though that this calendar is currently under review and a new version may be promulgated in the near future).
For example:
Tuesday 2 December – Class III; St Peter Chrysologus, Memorial [1953: Class III. EF: St Bibiana, Class III]
For St Peter Chrysologus as Class III, MB 426*/AM 759.
Ordinary of Advent; antiphons at Prime to None of week 1; canticle antiphons at Lauds and Vespers, MD 18*/AM 191-2; collect, MD 11*/AM 189; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [8-9]/AM 759.
[MB in this case refers to the supplementary material in the Brignoles reprint of the 1963 Breviary]
Feasts celebrated on different dates
This year's ordo also includes an appendix listing the (large number of) changes in dates for feasts celebrated in both the 1960 and 2002 calendars to assist those who attend Mass in the Ordinary Form and want to say the Office appropriate to the day in that calendar.
1953?
Given the considerable interest in earlier twentieth century versions of the breviary, this year's Ordo provides more extensive notes and references to the 1953 breviary (which largely apply also to the 1930 breviary), though not a full Ordo.
Corrections and suggestions
As always, if you have any suggestions or comments on the Ordo for the future, or find any errors in the Ordo, please do alert me either by commenting on the blog or email.
And of course, if you are a monk or a monastery and would like a copy, please contact me and I'll send you a copy!

