November 2023

This post provides summary notes on the Ordo for November for the Benedictine Office according to the rubrics and calendar approved in 1960 (and published in the Monastic Breviary of 1963).  

Page references are to the St Michael's Abbey (Farnborough) editions of the Monastic Diurnal (MD) and Antiphonale Monasticum (AM) of 1934.

Note that you can also access these notes from the pages menu on the blog, or from this link.

The Ordo for the coming liturgical year will be available in the next few days.....more soon.

 

NOVEMBER 2023

Wednesday 1 November – All Saints, Class I [Previously: with a Common Octave] 

MD [331]/AM 1102 ff with festal psalms. 

Thursday 2 November – All Souls, Class I 

MD [337]/AM 1108 ff. 

Friday 3 November – Class IV 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 481*/AM 614. 

Saturday 4 November – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Charles Borromeo, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration, MD [344-5]/AM 1112; 1 Vespers of the first Sunday in November: Magnificat antiphon, MD 459*/AM 590; collect of the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, MD 482*/AM 615. 

Sunday 5 November – Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost/First Sunday of November, Class II

 MD 482*/AM 615.  

Monday 6 November – Class IV 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 482*/AM 615; Matins. 

Tuesday 7 November – Class IV [Benedictine Confederation: St. Willibrord, Optional Memorial] 

Wednesday 8 November – Class IV; The Four Crowned Martyrs, Memorial [Previously: Octave Day of All Saints]

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [345]/AM 1113. 

Thursday 9 November – Dedication of the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour (St John Lateran), Class II 

MD (114)/AM 697 ff. 

Friday 10 November – Class IV; St Theodore, Memorial [EF: St Andrew Avellino, Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [346]/AM 1113. 

Saturday 11 November – St Martin of Tours, Class II [EF: Class III] 

MD [346]/AM 1115 ff; 2 Vespers of St Martin, MD [352]/AM 1118 with a commemoration of the Third Sunday of November/ Fifth remaining after Epiphany, Magnificat antiphon and versicle, MD 460*/AM 591, collect, MD 485*/AM 617. 

Sunday 12 November – Fifth Sunday Remaining after Epiphany/Third Sunday of November, Class II

 MD 485*/AM 309. 

Monday 13 November – All Saints of the Benedictine Order, Class II [EF: St Didacus, Class III; USA: St Frances Xavier Cabrini, Class III] 

MD [353]/AM 1121 ff with festal psalms of Sunday. 

Tuesday 14 November – All Souls of the Benedictine Order, Class II [EF: St Josaphat, Class III] 

MD [360]/AM 1126/ SupAnt 153-4. 

Wednesday 15 November – Class IV; St Albert the Great, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [362-3]/AM 1127. 

Thursday 16 November – Class IV [EF: St Gertrude, Class III] 

Friday 17 November – St Gertrude, Class II (monasteries of nuns)/III [EF: St Gregory Thaumaturgis, Class III]

 MD [363]/AM 1130 ff. 

Saturday 18 November – Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter and Paul, Class III 

MD (114)/AM 697 ff; 1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of November: Magnificat antiphon, MD 460*/AM 592; Collect of the Sixth Sunday remaining after Epiphany, MD 486*/AM 617. 

Sunday 19 November – Sixth Sunday Remaining after Epiphany/Fourth Sunday of November, Class II

 MD 486*/AM 617. 

Monday 20 November – Class IV [**In some places: St Edmund; EF: St Felix of Valois, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 486*/AM 617; Matins readings of the fourth week of November. 

Tuesday 21 November – Presentation of the BVM, Class III; St Columba, Memorial 

MD [371]/AM 1138 ff. 

Wednesday 22 November – St Caecilia, Class III 

MD [373]/AM 1140 ff. 

Thursday 23 November – St Clement, Class III; St Felicitas, Memorial 

MD [377]/AM 1145 ff. 

Friday 24 November – Class IV; SS John of the Cross and Chrysogonus, Memorials [EF: St John of the Cross, Class III; OF/Optional Class III: SS Andrew Dung-Lac and the Vietnamese Martyrs] 

For the commemorations at Lauds, MD [382-3]/AM 1148-9. 

Saturday 25 November – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Catherine of Alexandria, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [383-4]/AM 1149; 1 Vespers of the Fifth Sunday of November: Magnificat antiphon, MD 461*/AM 592; collect of the last Sunday after Pentecost, MD 487*/AM 617-8. 

Sunday 26 November – Twenty-six and last Sunday after Pentecost/ Fifth Sunday of November, Class II

 MD 487*/AM 617-8. 

Monday 27 November – Class IV [Gower: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Memorial] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 487*/AM 618; Matins readings of the fifth week of November. 

Tuesday 28 November – Class IV 

Wednesday 29 November – Class IV; St Saturninus, Memorial [In some places: Vigil of St Andrew] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [385]/AM 753. 

Thursday 30 November – St Andrew, Class II 

MD [2]/AM 755 ff. 

Book review: Latin Prayer by David Birch

 This is a very belated review, for which my deepest apologies, of a book I flagged well over a year ago, but which I think will be of interest to many readers.

David Birch, Latin Prayer Aspects of Language and Catholic Spirituality, Rivo Torto@Drouin: Pax et Bonum, 2022. $US 27.95 (paperback); also available on kindle.

Latin, private devotion and the liturgy

There is a growing genre of books that focus on the reasons for retaining both Latin, rather than using the vernacular, and the traditional forms of the liturgy, in the face of the antipathy to the tradition that led to the revolution in worship post-Vatican II, and is currently in high favour.

This book though, tackles the problem from a rather different perspective, namely the Latin language's importance in conveying the truths of the faith; its deep integration into the spiritual infrastructure of the Western Church; and its importance to the very nature of prayer in the Catholic tradition.

Although it draws on numerous liturgical texts, including the office hymns, psalms and more, its primary focus is actually the relevance of Latin to public and private devotional prayer.

It is also almost unique in that rather than being polemical in character, it is clearly both the product of lectio divina, and a potential source for it.

The book provides a rich source of liturgical, devotional and other material to meditate on from all ages of the Church's history, and is surely meant to be read slowly; savoured and pondered, rather than read right through quickly in one go.  

The problem of translation

A key focus of the book is the problems associated with trying to translate theologically dense concepts from Latin into English. 

For most of the Church's history, prayers, litanies, theological formulas were normally composed in Latin: capturing all of the nuances of them in a single English translation is virtually impossible.  

Early on the text, the book points out that most the translations in Missals and other sources do not even attempt to convey the underlying grammatical structures of the original, but rather focus on trying to convey the meaning in terms a person speaking today would understand. 

This leads to two key threads running through the book. 

Layers of meaning

First, Dr Birch, a retired academic linguist, provides a lot of explanation of the differences between the way the two languages work, and the alternative possible translations of many Latin prayers that should ideally co-exist in our minds as we read or pray them.  

There are of course quite a number of books that explore similar ground for students of Latin, but rather fewer that do so in an ecclesiastical context, or in such a systematic way. 

As such, the book will be extremely helpful for those with a knowledge of Latin but who want to gain a greater depth of understanding of it, as well as for those with little or Latin but who want to understand the way the language works in the context of the liturgy. 

And on this topic the book is also a very useful bibliography for liturgical Latin, which includes links where texts are available online.

The book will also, I think, hopefully serve to inspire those with no Latin to actually learn the language.

Retention of Latin as a liturgical and theological language

The second thread running through the book, though, is a plea, based on these issues, to retain Latin as the language of the church (regardless of the form of the Mass) since without it, the tradition is all too easily distorted.  

The book avoids entering into judgments on the reasons for the anti-Latin push, but the cynics amongst us (and that means pretty much all traditionalists these days) would say that that is precisely why so many church leaders today are intent on eradicating the use of Latin even in the Novus Ordo Mass. 

 How, after all, can one possibly justify so many novel propositions if people are constantly assailed with traces of the tradition!

The spiritual infrastructure of the church

The second, and perhaps equally important theme of the book is that the liturgy - in the form of the Mass, Office and sacraments - does not exist in isolation from either public devotional or private prayer, rather it is part of a much broader spiritual infrastructure that also needs to be preserved.

Litanies and other prayers, the book argues, provide important distillations of theological truths that both build on and support our understanding of the liturgy and faith more generally, and we need to pay deep attention to them.

Prayer and 'grammar'

The third key theme, and perhaps the most difficult for the non-linguist (such as myself!) to grasp, is on the nature of prayer, where Dr Birch categorizes types of prayer not by their purpose (thanksgiving, intercession, etc), but by linguistic, functional categories.

The terminology used - nominative prayer, vocative prayer, sociative prayer and so forth - though sometimes requiring some effort to grasp, need not necessarily be a barrier, since they are all carefully explained.  

And there certainly is some value, I think, to be gained from thinking about analysing prayer from a linguistic perspective, though these categories wouldn't be my ultimate choice for regular use.

Competing approaches to exegesis and contemplation

That said, the book's emphasis on grammar and textual analysis as a way to prayer and contemplation (albeit not with these particular grammatical categories) is not entirely novel: as the book points out, an emphasis on the tools of the linguist to draw out meaning has a long genealogy in the Church, going back to influential writers such as Origen amongst others.

But it has to be said that the emphasis on grammatical analysis, even if only as a starting point for exegesis, has long been the subject of considerable debate, with the pendulum swinging back and forth, both within the Benedictine Order and more widely in the Church. 

St Benedict's contemporary Cassiodorus, for example, sought desperately to preserve the Classical grammatical  tradition in his Monastery of the Vivarium, but St Gregory the Great was directly critical of his approach, instead lauding St Benedict's rejection of the liberal arts, and proclaiming that the Bible was superior to the rules and analytical methods of the grammarians.

My own perspective is that while this type of analysis can certainly provide a useful starting point, it shouldn't be an end-point - and personally I see more gain from the study of typological and other allegorical approaches to meaning in Scripture and liturgy than deep grammar. But that is just my own personal preference!

Moreover, the book provides a rich selection of hymns, litanies, prayers, Magisterial documents, Scriptural and other liturgical texts that will be useful fodder for lectio divina, and the dimensions of them drawn out in the text will certainly repay the reader's effort.

It is worth noting too, that the royalties from the book go to Colebrook (Notre Dame) Priory, a traditional Benedictine foundation in Australia.

Coming soon: Ordo for the liturgical year 2023-4

I've been receiving a few inquiries on the Ordo for the coming year; fear not, it is coming!

I expect to send it to the printer for a proof copy later this week, so should be on track for release in early November.

In the interim, I have put the draft Ordo for December up on the pages accessible from the top bar of the blog so that you can see what it will look like - please do let me know if you find any errors! 

Ordo for October 2023

The notes below 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. 

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.           

(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.

 

OCTOBER 2023

 

Sunday 1 October – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost/First Sunday of October, Class II [EF: Optional External Solemnity of BVM of the Rosary]

MD 477*/AM 609-10; at Lauds, hymn Aeterne rerum Conditor henceforward. 

Monday 2 October – The Holy Guardian Angels, Class III 

MD [291]/AM 1067 ff. 

Tuesday 3 October – Class IV; St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Memorial [**In some places, Class I; EF: Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 477*/AM 610; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [297]/SupAnt 135. 

Wednesday 4 October – St Francis, Class III 

MD [298]/AM 1071. 

Thursday 5 October – SS Maurus and Placid, Class III [Gower/Previously: St Placid and Companions, Class III] 

MD [299]/AM 37* ff. 

Friday 6 October – Class IV; St Bruno, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [305]/AM 1072. 

Saturday 7 October – The Rosary of Blessed Virgin Mary, Class III [EF: Class II] 

MD [307]/AM 1075 ff; 1 Vespers of the Second Sunday of October: Magnificat antiphon, MD 458*/AM 588; collect of the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, collect, MD 478*/AM 611. 

Sunday 8 October – Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Second Sunday of October, Class II

MD 478*/AM 610-1. 

Monday 9 October – Class IV [EF: St John Leonardi, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 478*/AM 611.

Tuesday 10 October – Class IV [EF: St Francis Borgia, Class III]

Wednesday 11 October – Class IV [EF/Gower: The Maternity of Our Lady, Class II] 

Thursday 12 October – Class IV [**In some places: St Wilfrid, Class III] 

Friday 13 October – Class IV [**In some places/EF: St Edward, Class III] 

Saturday 14 October – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Callistus, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [314]/AM 1085. 

Prime: Antiphon of the Office of Our Lady, MD (131)/AM 715. 

Terce to None: Antiphon, chapter, versicle and collect of the Office of Our Lady, MD (132-3) /AM 715-6. 

1 Vespers of the Third Sunday of October: Magnificat antiphon, MD 458*/AM 588-9; collect of the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 479*/AM 612. 

Sunday 15 October – Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost/Third Sunday of October, Class II

 MD 479*/AM 611-2. 

Monday 16 October – Class IV [**In some places, St Gall; EF: St Hedwig, Class III; Canada: St Marguerite d’Youville, Class III] 

All as in the psalter throughout the year with collect, MD 479*/AM 612. 

Tuesday 17 October – Class IV [EF: St Margaret Mary Alacoque, Class III/ Gower: Memorial] 

Wednesday 18 October – St Luke, Evangelist, Class II 

MD [317-8]/AM 1087. 

Thursday 19 October – Class IV [EF: St Peter of Alcantara, Class III; USA: SS John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues and Companions, Class III] 

Friday 20 October – Class IV [EF: St John Cantius, Class III] 

Saturday 21 October – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Hilarion, Memorial 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [318]/AM 1087; 1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of October: Magnificat antiphon, MD 459*/AM 589; collect of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, MD 480*/AM 613. 

Sunday 22 October – Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, Class II/Fourth Sunday of October

 MD 480*/AM 612-3. 

Monday 23 October – Class IV [EF: St Antony Mary Claret, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 480*/AM 613. 

Tuesday 24 October – Class IV [EF/**In some places: St Raphael, Class III] 

Wednesday 25 October – Class IV; SS Chrysanthus and Daria, Memorial [The Welsh Martyrs, Optional Class III; Gower: SS Chrysanthus, Daria, and Isidore the Farmer, Memorials] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [327]/AM 1097. 

Thursday 26 October – Class IV [EF: St Evaristus, Memorial] 

Friday 27 October – Class IV [Previously: Vigil of SS Simon and Jude] 

Saturday 28 October – SS Simon and Jude, Class II 

MD [327]/AM 1098; 1 Vespers of Christ the King: Psalms of Sunday with antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Magnificat antiphon and collect, MD [318]/AM 1088 ff; no commemoration of the Sunday or feast. 

Sunday 29 October – Feast of Christ the King, Class I

 MD [322]/1092 ff; no commemoration of the Sunday. 

Monday 30 October – Class IV 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect of the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, MD 481*/AM 614. 

Tuesday 31 October – Class IV [Previously: Vigil of All Saints] 

1 Vespers of All Saints, MD [328]/AM 1099 ff.

 

September 2023

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

 Friday 1 September – Class IV [EF: St Giles, Memorial] 

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

 MD 473-4*/AM 605-6. 

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

 MD 474-5*/AM 606-7. 

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

 MD 475-6*/AM 607-8. 

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.

 

August 2023

The 'ordinary' texts for the Office in August are for time throughout the year (after the Octave of Pentecost). 

At Matins on ordinary weekdays, the readings follow the summer pattern of one short reading and short responsory only.

On Sundays, the Matins readings for Nocturns I&II and responsories are of the relevant week of August rather than the Sunday after Pentecost (except where displaced by a feast).

At Saturday Vespers, the Magnificat antiphon refers to the Matins readings of the Sunday, and so are of the relevant Sunday of August (except where displaced by a feast, such as on the first Sunday, with the Transfiguration). 

If you would like more detailed notes, you can purchase the full ordo through Lulu in hardcopy or PDF form.

You can also find notes on how to say the Benedictine Office according to the 1962 calendar and rubrics here.  

AUGUST 2023

 Tuesday 1 August – Class IV; The Holy Maccabees, Memorial [In some places: St Peter in Chains] 

For St Peter, see AM 987 ff. 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect MD 469*/AM 600; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [209-10]/AM 988. 

Wednesday 2 August – Class IV; St Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [210]/AM 993. 

Thursday 3 August – Class IV 

Friday 4 August – St Dominic, Class III 

MD [211]/AM 994. 

Saturday 5 August – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [211-2]/AM 994; 1 Vespers of the Transfiguration: MD [212]/AM 997 ff; no commemoration of the Sunday. 

Sunday 6 August – Transfiguration of Our Lord, Class I

 MD [212]/AM 998 ff; no commemoration of the Sunday. 

Monday 7 August – Class IV; SS Sixtus II, Felicissimus and Agapitus, Memorial [EF: St Cajetan, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect of the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 470*/AM 601; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [219]/AM 1001. 

Tuesday 8 August – Class IV; St Cyriacus, Memorial [EF/Gower: St John Mary Vianney, Class III; Australia and NZ: St Mary of the Cross, Class I] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [219-20]/AM 1004. 

Wednesday 9 August – Vigil of St Lawrence, Class III [OF/ in Europe/Optional Class III: St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)] 

MD [220]/AM 1004. 

Thursday 10 August – St Lawrence, Class II 

MD [221]/AM 1005 ff. 

Friday 11 August – Class IV; St Tiburtius, Memorial [EF: and St Susanna; Gower: SS Tiburtius, Susanna and Philomena, Memorials] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [227-8]/AM 1009-10. 

Saturday 12 August – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady; St Clare, Memorial [EF: Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [228]/AM 1010; 1 Vespers of the Second Sunday of August, Magnificat antiphon, MD 451*/AM 580-1; collect of the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, MD 471*/AM 602. 

Sunday 13 August – Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost/Second Sunday of August, Class II

 MD 470-1*/AM 602. 

Monday 14 August – Vigil of the Assumption, Class II 

MD [229]/AM 1011; 1 Vespers of the Assumption, MD [230]/AM 1011 ff. 

Tuesday 15 August – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Class I [Previously: with a Common Octave] 

MD [233]/AM 1013 ff. 

Wednesday 16 August – Class IV [EF: St Joachim, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 471*/AM 602. 

Thursday 17 August – Class IV [EF: St Hyacinth, Class III] 

Friday 18 August – Class IV; St Agapitus, Memorial 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [245]/AM 1019.

Saturday 19 August – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady [EF: St John Eudes, Class III; Benedictine Confederation: St Bernard Tolomei, Optional Memorial] 

1 Vespers of the Third Sunday of August: Magnificat antiphon, MD 451*/AM 581; collect of the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, MD 472*/AM 603. 

Sunday 20 August – Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost/Third Sunday of August, Class II

 MD 471-2*/AM 602-3. 

Monday 21 August – Class IV; St Bernard Ptolemy, Memorial [EF: St Jane Frances de Chantal, Class III] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 472*/AM 603; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [249]/AM 1022. 

Tuesday 22 August – Class IV; St Timothy, Memorial [EF: Immaculate Heart of the BVM, Class II/ Gower: Class I] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [250]/AM 1023. 

Wednesday 23 August – Class IV [EF: St Philip Benizi, Class III; Previously: Vigil of St Bartholomew] 

Thursday 24 August – St Bartholomew, Class II 

MD [250]/AM 1024. 

Friday 25 August – Class IV [**In some places/EF: St Louis, Class III/Gower: Memorial] 

All as in the psalter for throughout the year with collect, MD 472*/AM 603. 

Saturday 26 August – Class IV; Saturday of Our Lady [EF: St Zepherinus, Memorial] 

1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of August: Magnificat antiphon, MD 452*/AM 581-2; collect of the Thirteenth Sunday, MD 472-3*/AM 604. 

Sunday 27 August – Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Fourth Sunday of August, Class II

 MD 472-3*/AM 604-5. 

Monday 28 August – St Augustine of Hippo, Class III; St Hermes, Memorial 

MD [251]/AM 1024. 

Tuesday 29 August – Beheading of St John the Baptist, Class III 

MD [252]/AM 1026 ff. 

Wednesday 30 August – Class IV; SS Felix and Adauctus, Memorial [Gower: and St Rose of Lima, Memorials; EF/**In some places, St Rose of Lima, Class III] 

For the commemoration at Lauds, MD [257]/AM 1029. 

Thursday 31 August – Class IV [EF: St Raymond Nonnatus, Class III]