April is a wonderful month for those of us who pray the Dominican Breviary. April contains the feasts of St. Vincent Ferrer (April 5), Our Lord's Most Holy Crown of Thorns (April 24), St. Agnes of Montepulciano (April 20, unfortunately impeded by Easter Week this year), St. Louis de Montfort (April 28), St. Peter Martyr (April 29) and St. Catherine of Siena (April 30), which falls on a Sunday this year. And, of course, we begin the 15 Tuesdays Devotion to Our Holy Father St. Dominic this year on April 25.
Matins
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Inv. Let us adore the Lord: * He redeemed us by the cross.
At the end of the invitatory psalm the Glory is omitted; instead the whole invitatory is said twice.
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Hymn: Sing my tongue, the noble battle…(Pange, lingua, gloriosi…)
Psalms and antiphons from weekday; versicle of Passiontide as in the Psalter. Te Deum is not said.
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Lauds
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Before Lauds ℣. Come close to my soul and redeem me. ℟. Ransom me, pressed by my foes.
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Little Chapter (Jer. 11): “But, Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause, Lord, my God.
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Hymn: Thirty years of offering finished… (Lustris sex qui iam peráctis…)
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℣. Rescue me, God, from my foes. ℟. Protect me from those who attack me.
The Benedictus antiphon is proper.
Preces are said
Prayer is proper.
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At Pretiosa, the Rule is read.
At the Hours, psalms are from weekday with antiphons from Passiontide as in the Psalter.
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Prime
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Ant. The soul of the wicked, they murmured against me: and my heart was heavy upon them.
Little Chapter: (Zach. 8): Love ye truth and peace, thus says the Lord almighty. Amen.
Immediately after is said:
℣. Arise, O Christ, and help us. ℟. And deliver us for Thy name’s sake.
Confiteor.
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Terce
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Ant. You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have defended my life, O Lord, my God.
Little Chapter as in Lauds
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℟. Rescue my soul from the sword; * my life from the grip of these dogs. ℣. Save my life from the jaws of these lions, my poor soul from the horns of the oxen. – My life. ℟. Rescue.
℣. From the jaws of these lions deliver me, Lord. ℟. My poor sould from the horns of these oxen.
Preces are said. Prayer of Lauds
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Sext
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Ant. My people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
Little Chapter (Is. 50): I hid not my face from shame and spitting; for the Lord God helps me, therefore I have not been confounded.
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℟. From the jaws of these lions deliver me, Lord; * my poor sould from the horns of these oxen. ℣. Rescue my soul, from the sword; my life from the grip of these dogs. – My poor soul. ℟. From the jaws.
℣. O God, do not destroy my soul with the impious. ℟. Nor my life with bloodthirsty men.
Preces are said. Prayer of Lauds.
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None
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Ant. Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life.
Little Chapter (Jer. 17): Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of evil; destroy them with double destruction, Lord our God.
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℟. Trough princes oppress me without cause I stand in awe of your word. * I take delight in your promise.
℣. Like one who finds a treasure. – I take delight. – Though princes.
℣. Rescue me, God, from my foes. ℟. Protect me from those who attack me.
Preces are said. Prayer of Lauds.
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Vespers
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Psalms and antiphons as in the Psalter
Little Chapter (Jer. 11): “But, Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause, Lord, my God.
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Hymn: The royal banners forward go… (Vexílla regis pródeunt).
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℣. Rescue me, Lord, from evil men. ℟. From the violent keep me safe.
Magn. antiphon proper. Preces are said. Proper Prayer.
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Compline
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Psalms and antiphon as on the weekday. Remainder as noted in the Ordinary, with changes for Passiontide as noted.
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