January 23: St. Raymond of Pennafort, C., O.P., II Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Raymond of Pennafort, Confessor, of the Order of Preachers.  At the time the 1962 Breviary was published, his feast was III Class and contained a full set of propers for the entire office.   So the semi-festive office is prayed, according to the rubrics. Between then, and the printing of the 1967 English translation of the Breviary, the Order made his feast II Class.  At Lauds, the Psalms of Sunday are prayed and a commemoration of St. Emerentiana, virgin and martyr is made.

January 15: St. Francis de Capillas, O.P., St. Peter Sanz, B., O.P., Mm. III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the protomartyr of China, St. Francis de Capillas. The feast is III Class, so the Ordinary Office is prayed.  At the time of the 1962 calendar, Francis was a blessed. He was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on October 1, 2000.  He was canonized along with Blessed Peter Sanz and his companions, all of whom are recognized as the Martyrs of China.   The traditional feast day for Bl. Peter Sanz and his companions was June 3.  Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P.’s Dominican Rite Calendar (see sidebar) assigns this day as the date for celebrating all of these Dominican Saints who were martyred in China.

The Ferial Office During Epiphany-tide

This year, during the season of the Epiphany (January 6 through January 12), we will pray the ferial office 4 times.  In the Dominican Breviary, the ferial office in Epiphany season is similar to that of the Roman Breviary, with slight differences.  The hymn at Lauds is different, as are some of the versicles.

The ferial days in Epiphany-tide are IV Class, so when a III Class feast occurs on the calendar, no commemoration is made of the ferial office.

January is a nice month in the Dominican sanctorale, even in the 1962 calendar.  The month starts off with St. Zedislavae Berkianae, Mat., O.P. on January 3.  Next up is St. Francis de Capillis and St. Peter Sanz and Companions on January 15.  Traditionally, January 15 was the feast of Bl. Francis de Capillis.  However, when St. Peter Sanz and his companions were canonized in 2000, being martyrs of China they were grouped together with St. Francis, who is considered the protomartyr of China.  Next comes St. Margaret of Hungary on January 18, one of the numerous saints of the Hungarian nobility.  Unfortunately, her feast is impeded by a Sunday this year, so we won't celebrate it.  Finally, on January 23, we have the feast of St. Raymond of Pennafort, patron saint of canon lawyers.

January 3: St. Zedislavae Berkianae, Mat., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Zedislavae Berkianae, Matron of the Order of Preachers.  The feast is III Class, so the ordinary office is prayed.  All is taken from the Office of a a Non-Virgin outside Paschaltide, except for the Collect prayer below.

The Ferial Office During Christmastide

In the 1962 Breviarium S.O.P., the ferial days of Christmastide (January 2-5) contained no feast days of saints or blesseds, so the ferial day was prayed on each of those days, unless one of them fell on Sunday.  The liturgical rank of these ferial days was IV Class.  Of course, in previous editions of the Breiary, January 2 was the feast of Blessed Stephana Quinzani and January 3 was the feast of St. (then blessed) Zedislavae Berkianae.  On my calendar, I follow Fr. Augustine Thompson rule of including the Dominican saints who were merely blessed in the older calendar.  

So I add St. Zedislavae back into the calendar, even though she was removed in the 1962 revision.

The Christmastide ferial office is is prayed as follows: