LOST FEASTS: October 31 - Commemoration of the Holy Relics

One of the great tragedies of the 20th century liturgical changes was the "Romanization" of the Dominican calendar that occurred in the revision of 1960, and which is codified in the calendar of the 1962 Breviarium iuxta ritum sacri ordinis praedicatorum.  Many unique Dominican feasts were removed from the liturgical calendar of the Order, including those of many Dominican blessed's and many other feasts that were particular to the Dominican Order.One such feast was the Feast of the Holy Relics.  

Relics of St. Thomas Aquinas at the Church of the Jacobins,

Toulouse, France.

First Vespers in the Dominican Rite - The Responsory

This is the second post on the differences between the Dominican and Roman Breviaries.  In a previous post, we talked about the Psalms used for 1st Vespers for a 1st Class feast.  Another difference between the Dominican and Roman Breviary is the responsory after the Little Chapter at 1st Vespers.

First Vespers for the Feast of St. Dominic (Breviarium S.O.P., 1962)

2014 Dominican Rite Calendar Available

Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., has published his annual Dominican Rite Calendar for 2014.  

"His calendar "includes the feasts on the Dominican General Calendar as it was in 1962, those Dominican saints canonized since 1962 and placed on the calendar by the General Chapters from 1962 to 2013, as well as saints and blesseds placed on the calendar of dioceses of the United States.

Included in appendices are particular feasts of the dioceses where houses of the Western Dominican Province are located, and a list of the "minor" Dominican blesseds, who are usually only celebrated in certain provinces.  For those not using the 1965 Missal, page references are given for the 1933 Missal and the 1939 Traveling Missal, for feasts moved in 1960 or lacking".

We thank Father Thompson for taking the time to create this calendar every year!  You can download his calendar here.

October 9: St. Louis Bertrand, C., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of Saint Louis Bertrand, confessor of the Order of Preachers.  His feast is III Class, and there is a commemoration of Ss. Denis, Bishop, and companions at Lauds only.

October 7: The Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, I Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary.  The feast is I Class in the calendar of the Order.  At First Vespers this year, since the feast falls on a Monday, a commemoration is made of the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.  Traditionally, Dominican Tertiaries would fast on the vigil of this great feast.  However, since the vigil falls on a Sunday this year, the fast would be dispensed.

From the Dominican Breviary (antiphon to the Psalms at First Vespers):

This is the Queen of virgins, the virgin, beautiful as a rose, who bore the king.  Mother of God, through whom we gain God and man, gracious Virgin, intercede for us all.

From the "The Martyrology of the Sacred Order of Friars Preachers" (Tr. by Rev. W. R. Bonniwell, O. P., The Newman Press - Westminster, Maryland, 1955):

October 5: Bl. Raymond of Capua, C., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of Blessed Raymond of Capua, confessor of the Order of Preachers.  The feast is III Class, and since it falls on a Saturday, a  commemoration is made of the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lauds only.

From “Short Lives of the Dominican Saints” (London, Kegan Paul, Trench, and Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1901):

Announcements

A few announcements to our readers:

Truly wonderful news from the Province of St. Joseph (Eastern United States).  They are in the process of publishing the Hymnarium O.P., a collection of traditional Dominican Hymns from the Divine Office.  This looks like a magnificent project, which is nearing completion.  The Latin texts are taken from the 1952 Breviarium iuxta ritum sacri ordinis praedicatorum and the English texts are from the 1967 English translation of the 1962 Breviarium iuxta ritum sacri ordinis praedicatorum.  The Province has set up a website here, where you can find more information about the forthcoming edition, as well as audio samples of the hymns being chanted.

Also, for anyone who is in the vicinity of the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in NYC, the Master General of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Bruno Cadore, O.P., will be offering the 10:30 AM Mass on Saturday, October 5, 2013 for the Feast of Bl. Raymond of Capua.  The Mass will be in the Ordinary Form.

Lastly, for those on the West Coast of the United States, Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P. of the Dominican Liturgy Blog has posted Mass times for Dominican Rite Masses in the Western Province. They can be found here.

Dominican Tertiary Indulgence Alert

Dominican Tertiaries (Lay Dominicans) are reminded that a plenary indulgence may be acquired, provided the usual conditions (confession, Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) are properly fulfilled, who make or renew, at least privately, the promise to faithfully observe the statutes of the Third Order (Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic) on the upcoming Feasts of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7.

The complete list of days when the plenary indulgence may be obtained, can be found here, at the Australian Province Website.