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.
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
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
Tuesday 31 October – Class IV [Previously: Vigil of All Saints]
1 Vespers of All
Saints, MD [328]/AM 1099 ff.
