Ordo for May



The notes below provide a guide to the day hours for the Monastic Office as set out in the Monastic Diurnal (MD) and Antiphonale Monasticum (AM), according to the 1960 rubrics and General Calendar for the Benedictine Confederation.

More detailed notes, including cross-references to the calendars for the Extraordinary Form Mass, selected national calendars, and calendars of selected monasteries, can be obtained by purchasing the Ordo through Lulu..

The liturgical season for May 1 to 8 is Eastertide, for which the Ordinary can be found at MD 346*/AM 466 ff. 

Notes on Ascensiontide (May 9 to 17), the Octave of Pentecost, and time after Pentecost can be found below.

MAY 2024

 Wednesday 1 May – St Joseph, Class I 

There is a choice of Offices for this date, with the rubrics allowing either the feast of St Joseph the Worker, MD [126] ff, or the Solemnity of St Joseph, MD [133]/AM 886 ff, to be said. 

Thursday 2 May – St Athanasius, Class III 

MD [138]/AM 896. 

Friday 3 May – Class IV; SS Alexander, Eventius and Theodolus, Memorial 

Ordinary of Eastertide; canticle antiphons for Lauds and Vespers, MD 371-2*/AM 498/495; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [138-9]/AM 902. 

4 May Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Monica, Memorial 

Office of Our Lady in Eastertide, MD (135)/AM 718-9; note that at Prime to None the antiphons should have alleluia added to them; for the commemoration, MD [139-40]/AM 903. 

1 Vespers of the Fifth Sunday after Easter, MD 372*/AM 499 ff. 

5 May Fifth Sunday after Easter, Class II

 [The feast of St Pius V is not marked in the Office this year.] 

MD 373*/AM 499 ff. 

Monday 6 May Class IV; Rogation Day 

Ordinary of Eastertide, MD 346*/AM 466 ff; canticle antiphons (Monday in the fifth week after Easter), MD 375*/AM 501-2; collect, MD 373-4*/AM 500. 

Tuesday 7 May – Class IV; Rogation Day 

canticle antiphons, MD 375-6*/AM 503; collect, MD 373-4*/AM 500. 

Wednesday 8 May – Vigil of the Ascension, Class II; Rogation Day 

Lauds to None: Ordinary of Eastertide; collect, MD 373-4*/AM 466; at Lauds, versicle and Benedictus antiphon MD 376*/AM 503-4. 

START OF ASCENSIONTIDE 

1 Vespers of the Ascension, MD 376*/AM 505 ff. 

Thursday 9 May The Ascension of Our Lord, Class I 

[The feast of St Gregory Nazianzen is not marked in the Office this year.] 

MD 379*/AM 508 ff. 

The Office in Ascensiontide

In the 1960 calendar, Ascensiontide has its own Ordinary texts, including hymns for Matins, Lauds and Vespers, which can be found at NM 400-401//MD 383*/AM 509 ff. At Lauds and Vespers the canticle antiphons are as for the feast. 

Friday 10 May – Class IV; SS Gordian and Epimachis, Memorial 

Ordinary of the Ascension, MD 383*/AM 509 ff; collect, MD 386*/AM 512; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [141-2]/AM 905. 

Saturday 11 May SS Philip and James, Class II 

MD [142]/AM 893 ff (Note: Common of apostles in Eastertide). 

12 May Sunday after the Ascension (Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension), Class II

 [The feast of SS Nereus, Archilleus and Pancras is not marked in the Office this year.] 

MD 389*/AM 513 ff. 

Monday 13 May Class IV; St Robert Bellarmine, Memorial 

Ordinary of the Ascension, MD 383*/AM 509 ff; collect (of the Sunday), MD 386*/AM 514; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [147]/AM 909. 

Tuesday 14 May Class IV; St Pachomius, Memorial 

Wednesday 15 May – Class IV 

Thursday 16 May – Class IV 

Friday 17 May Class IV 

Saturday 18 May – Vigil of the Pentecost, Class I 

Ordinary of the Ascension, MD 383*/AM 509 ff with collect (except at Prime), MD 386*/AM 514. 

START OF THE SEASON OF PENTECOST 

1 Vespers of Pentecost, MD 393*/AM 517 ff. 

19 May – Pentecost Sunday, Class I with Class I Octave

 [The feast of St Peter Celestine is not marked in the Office this year.] 

MD 396*/AM 520 ff. 

The Office in the Octave of Pentecost

During the Octave, the texts used throughout the week are those of the feast day, except as set out for Matins; the canticle antiphons for Lauds and Vespers; and the collects (which are of the day of the week). Festal psalms are used at Lauds and Vespers. 

20 May Pentecost Monday, Class I 

As for Pentecost Sunday, with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers, except for the canticle antiphons and collect, MD 403*/AM 525-6; at Terce, hymn Veni Creator. 

21 May Pentecost Tuesday, Class I 

Canticle antiphons and collect, MD 403-4*/AM 527. 

22 May Ember Wednesday of Pentecost, Class I 

Canticle antiphons and collect, MD 404-5*/AM 528. 

23 May – Pentecost Thursday, Class I 

Canticle antiphons and collect, MD 405*/AM 529-30. 

24 May – Ember Friday of Pentecost, Class I 

[In places where Our Lady Help of Christians is Class I, it is transferred this year.] 

Canticle antiphons and collect, MD 405-6*/AM 530-1. 

25 May Ember Saturday of Pentecost, Class I 

[The feast of St Gregory VII is not marked in the Office this year.] 

Lauds to None: As for Pentecost Sunday, with festal psalms at Lauds, except for the Benedictus antiphon and collect, MD 406-7*/AM 531. 

START OF TIME AFTER PENTECOST (THROUGHOUT THE YEAR) 

1 Vespers of the Most Holy Trinity, MD 407*/AM 532 ff (no commemoration of the Sunday). 

Compline: Marian Antiphon Salve Regina, MD 268-9/AM 176 or 180, henceforward. 

The Office throughout the year during ‘summer’

 This week marks the return to time throughout the year, and thus the default texts in the psalter. Part II of the breviary (tomus alter) is used from I Vespers of Trinity Sunday. The Magnificat antiphon for Saturday Vespers follows the Matins reading cycle, while the canticle antiphons on Sunday generally reflect those of the Sunday (EF) Mass Gospel cycle, hence are found in separate places in most Office books. For Sundays up to the end of July, both are labelled as for the relevant Sunday after Pentecost. 

Sunday 26 May – Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, Class I

 [The feast of St Augustine of Canterbury is not marked in the Office this year.] 

MD 409*/AM 535 ff (no commemoration of the Sunday). 

Monday 27 May – St Bede, Class III 

MD [150]/AM 913. 

Tuesday 28 May Class IV 

All as in the psalter for time throughout the year, collect of the First Sunday after Pentecost, MD 418*/AM 535 (Deus in te sperantium). 

Wednesday 29 May Class IV 

All as in the psalter with collect of the First Sunday after Pentecost, MD 418*/AM 535. 

1 Vespers of Corpus Christi, MD 419*/AM 543 ff. 

Thursday 30 May Corpus Christi, Class I 

MD 427*/AM 550 ff. 

Friday 31 May – Class IV 

All as in the psalter with collect of the First Sunday after Pentecost, MD 418*/AM 535. 

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