Thursday, July 31, 2014

Dominican Tertiary Indulgence Alert!

Dominican Tertiaries 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 Holy Father St. Dominic on August 4th (if you are attending a Dominican Rite Mass) or August 8 (if you are attending a Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite), as well as on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15.

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

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

July 30: Bl. Mannes, C., O.P., Commemoration

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we make a commemoration of Blessed Mannes, Confessor, of the Order of Preachers.  Since today is a ferial day, the ferial office is prayed according to the rubrics, and a commemoration is made of Bl. Manes at Lauds only.  In addition, a commemoration is made at Lauds of Ss. Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs.


From the Martyrology of the Sacred Order of Friars Preachers:
At Calaruega in Spain, Blessed Mannes, brother of our Father St. Dominic. He possessed sincerity and simplicity to a high degree, and was devoted to contemplation. Rich in merit and renowned for his miracles, he died a holy death in the Cistercian monastery of St. Peter at Gamiel.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

August 1: Day of Prayer and Penance for Christians Being Persecuted in Iraq

We here at Breviarium S.O.P. blog site unite our hearts and minds in prayer, with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), in making Friday, August 1st, a day of penance and prayer for our fellow Christians who are being persecuted in Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Photo's of Dominican Rite Mass for Bl. Ceslaus, 2013


A reader from Poland was kind enough to send us a link to a Traditional Dominican website, and a post reporting on a Solemn Mass in the Dominican Rite that was offered on the Feast of Blessed Ceslaus at his tomb in the Dominican Church of St. Adalbert, in Wroclaw, Poland in 2013.  The Mass was in honor of the 300th anniversary of his beatification by Pope Clement XI in 1713.  Some pictures from the Mass are below.  A host of beautiful photo's can be found at the bottom of the post.


The website, Ryt dominikanski, looks very nice, and has links to numerous resources.  The link on the upper right, "Schola Gregoriana Silesiensis", contains mp3 files of some beautiful liturgical chant.  I have added a permanent link to this blog on my blog roll list below.  With the help of Google Chrome's translation function, I can understand the posts and resources available on with wonderful site.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

July 17: Bl. Ceslaus, C., O.P., Commemoration

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we make a commemoration of Blessed Ceslaus, Confessor, of the Order of Preachers.  Since today is a ferial day, the ferial office is prayed according to the rubrics, and a commemoration is made of Bl. Ceslaus at Lauds only.




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

Friday, July 11, 2014

July 11: Ss. Ignatius and Dominic, Bb, O.P., and Companions, Mm., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of Ss. Ignatius and Dominic, Bishops, and their Companions, Martyrs.  The feast is III Class, and as such the Ordinary Office is prayed according to the rubrics.

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

Of the glorious band of seventy-seven martyrs beatified by Pope Leo XIII on May 27, in the holy year of Jubilee, 1900, twenty-six are assigned in the Apostolic Brief to the Order of Preachers, nineteen by actual profession, and the remaining seven by their connection with the Dominican mission of Eastern Tonquin. They are often spoken of as the Martyrs of the Annamite Church, the name of Annam having been formerly applied to a larger extent of country than at the present day; and they suffered in the persecution which raged during the years 1838, 1839, and 1840.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

July 9: SS. John, O.P., and Companions , Mm., III Cl.


On this day, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the Feast of SS. John of Cologne, O.P., and companions, the Martyr's of Gorcum.  The feast is III Class, so the Ordinary Office is prayed according to the rubrics.  This feast is one of those III Class feasts where everything is provided in the Proper of the Saints, so nothing is required from the Common of the Saints.  At Pretiosa, the obit of Fr. Thomas Hyacinth Cipolletti of Ascoli, 70th Master General of the Order, is made.

Monday, July 7, 2014

July 7: Anniversary of the Bull "Consurgit in nobis"

On this day, in the year 1267, Pope Clement IV issued the Bull "Consurgit in nobis", granting the request of Blessed John of Vercelli to give official approval of the Dominican Office.  From "A History of the Dominican Liturgy, 1944, pp. 197-198:
"We are filled with the greatest spiritual joy, when we behold those who are dedicated to the divine service bonded together in virtuous harmony.  Especially when we perceive them desiring, for the honor of the Divine Name, that the cause of holy unity should prosper among them to such an extent that their state in life may enjoy not only lasting peace and tranquil devotion, but also appear always well-ordered - as propriety demands.  For both reasons there is a great cause for congratulations, since unity of faith and pious deeds so shine forth in these religious that this renowned Order may assume this praise:  it possesses every adornment of surpassing beauty, and it is entirely free of every blemish.
Dominican Office crica 1254-1256
"Gladly have we heard your petition.  When your illustrious Order had, by the grace of Christ, spread its branches from sea to sea, the Divine Office was not uniformly observed throughout the Order owing to the various customs of the different provinces.  Wherefore, as true servants of God and sincere lovers of sound unity, you realized with commendable foresight that this diversity of observance would be prejudicial to devotion or even perhaps become an occasion of grave scandal.  So you unanimously commissioned Our beloved son, Friar Humbert, former general of the Order, to make the said office uniform, that everywhere throughout the world the entire Order might reverently and humbly observe this uniformity.  When at length Humbert had completed a skillful and befitting arrangement of the ecclesiastical office, you carefully examined the work, and then decreed in three successive general chapters that the arrangement of the office should be observed throughout your Order.  For this reason, you have humbly petitioned Us to add the authority of Apostolic protection to this office.
"We being favorable to your supplications and holding as valid and lasting the arrangement of the office, do therefore decree and confirm by Our Apostolic authority that the aforesaid arrangement is to be followed in all your houses and by the protection of these presents We do strengthen it.
"We strictly forbid anyone, without the permission of the Apostolic See, to change anything in the aforesaid office against the tenor of Our Confirmation and Constitution and that of the aforesaid arrangement.
"To absolutely none, therefore, is it permitted to disregard this confirmation, constitution and prohibition, etc..
"Given at Viterbo, on the 7th day of July, in the third year of Our Pontificate (1267)
Happy 747th Birthday to the Breviarium juxta ritum ordinis prædicatorum!!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

July 6: Anniversary Of Those Buried In Our Cemetaries



On this day, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, the anniversary of those buried in the cemeteries of the Order are remembered.
"Dear Brother and Sister Tertiaries, you have come into an Order which is devoted to the dead.  You will eventually profit by it, and in the meantime the Rule requires you to do your part to maintain this devotion".
Thus Fr. F.D. Joret, O.P., begins his Chapter entitled "Prayer For Our Dead", in his wonderful book "Dominican Life" (The Newman Bookshop, 1947).  He then proceeds to describe each of the four Anniversaries during which the Order prays for her dead.  Of today's Anniversary, he says:
"Furthermore, all those who are buried in our cemeteries, a privilege formerly greatly valued, benefit by our prayers and particularly by that De profundis which, in obedience to the Constitutions, is recited on the way through the cloister of the dead".
At Pretiosa today, the Anniversary is announced as follows:
The Anniversary of all those buried in our Cemeteries.  Also, the Obit of the Venerable Brother John de Feynier, forty-second Master of the Order.
At Pretiosa, Psalm 129 is prayed, as it always is on the day of an Anniversary.  Afterwards, the Prayer for the deceased Master of the Order, and the Prayer for an Anniversary, are prayed under one conclusion:

O
 God, you made your servant John to be honored with the priestly dignity among apostolic priests; grant, we beseech you, that he may be joined in fellowship with them forever.

O
 God, Lord of mercies, give to the souls of your servants, whose anniversary we keep, the home of refreshment, the blessedness of peace and the brightness of light.  Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.  May they rest in peace.  Amen
In addition, the Office of the Dead is prayed

Friday, July 4, 2014

July 4: Anniversary of the 1962 Breviarium juxta ritum ordinis prædicatorum

Today is the anniversary of the approval of the last official Breviary of the Order of Preachers.  On July 4, 1961, Master General of the Order Michael Browne, O.P., approved the new revised Breviary.  His letter of approval and introduction is in the front of the Breviary.  It is reprinted below.  The copyright date on the title sheet, however, is 1962 which explains why it is always referred to as the 1962 Breviarium sacri ordinis praedicatorum.  This particular breviary is the one that is authorized, under Pope Benedict XVI moto proprio "Summorum Pontificum", for use by the Order should a friar, or group of friars, or even a whole priory should decide to use it either occasionally, or even adopt it permanently.  


Michael Cardinal Browne, O.P.
Master General of the Order of Preachers
(1955-1962)