April 30: St, Catherine of Siena, V., D., O.P., I Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of the illustrious St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor of the Church, Patroness of the Third Order of  St. Dominic.  At the time the 1962 Dominican Breviary was published, her feast was II Class, though it could be celebrated as I Class by Tertiaries and Churches which bore her name. By the time of the publication of the English translations of the Breviarium S.O.P. in 1967, the Order raised her feast to I Class.  Accordingly,  the festive office is prayed according to the rubrics.

As yesterday was Sunday, we made said 1st Vespers of St. Catherine, and made a commemoration of the IV Sunday after Easter.  At second Vespers tonight, we will make a make a commemoration of the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

April 29: St. Peter Martyr, M., O.P., II Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the IV Sunday after Easter.  But, it is also the feast of the illustrious St. Peter Martyr, martyr, of the Order of Preachers.  And since his  feast is II Class, we make a commemoration of his feast at Lauds this morning.

The Devotion of the 15 Tuesdays to St. Dominic

The tradition of dedicating Tuesdays to Our Holy Father St. Dominic takes its origins right from the beginnings of the Order.  The first translations of the relics of our holy Patriarch took place on Whit-Tuesday (May 24) in the year 1233 at Bologna.  Successive Chapters from 1239 to 1282 introduced various liturgical practices into the rubrics of the Mass and Office of the Order, as a means of fostering devotion to him.  This process culminated in the act of the Chapter of 1362, which introduced the practice of dedicating the 3rd day of the week (Tuesday) to the holy Patriarch.  From this point forward, on every Tuesday outside of Lent, the Mass of the day was to be his Mass, with a commemoration of him in the Office.

April 24: Feast of the Most Holy Crown of Thorns, II Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of The Most Holy Crown of Thorns.  The feast is III Class, so the ordinary office is prayed.  This is one of the oldest feasts, unique to the Order, that is on the Order's calendar.  In his history of the Dominican Rite, Fr. William Bonniwell, O.P. notes that this feast is actually listed on the oldest surviving Dominican liturgical calendar, which dates back to the time when Humbert de Romans was Master of the Order.

The history of the feast is detailed in the third lesson of Matins:

"When Saint Louis, king of France, accepted from Baldwin II, emperor of Constantinople, the gift of the Lord’s crown of thorns, he sent to Constantinople two brethren, Stephen and James, of the Order of Preachers.  In the year 1239, on the day following Saint Lawrence’s feast, they brought the crown to Sens, to the king.  With great solemnity, it was borne to Paris and was finally placed in the royal palace, in a chapel built by Louis himself.  The precious treasure, profanely stolen during the unhappy days of the French Revolution towards the end of the eighteenth century, was later restored and transferred to the metropolitan basilica.  Louis however, made a gift of some thorns of the sacred crown to the Dominicans and commissioned them to celebrate, in the chapel dedicated to the crown, the anniversary of its reception there.  The feast of the most holy crown of thorns was inserted into the calendar of the Order of Preachers about the middle of the thirteenth century."

Among some of the more beautiful elements of the Office of this day are:

Matins:

Invit.  The solemnities of the Lord's crown are begun. * Let the church applaud with abundant praise, alleluia.

Ant to psalms:  An unbelieving people mocks Christ as he wears the crown of thorns; by his red blood the crown of glory is conferred, alleluia.

R. i.  The thornless Flower is pierced with the thorn through which the thorn of sin is broken; * the thorn of death is blunted by thorns, as Life itself is dying, alleluia.  V.  Through this mockery, the enemy is mocked; through death, the power of death is taken away. - The thorn of death.

 Lauds

Before Lauds V. Plaiting a crown of thorns, alleluia.  R. They put it on the Lord's head, alleulia.

Ant. 1.  This is the joyful day on which the crown of thorns, red with Christ's blood, is recalled to mind, alleluia, alleluia.

Ant. 3.  How happy the puncture, how blessed the thorn, from which flows that unguent, the cure for the world!  Alleluia. 

Prayer

Almighty God, we who on earth recall the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ by honoring his crown of thorns, beseech you that we may be worthy to be crowned with glory and honor in heaven, by him;  who lives and reigns with you…

St. Agnes of Montepulciano, V, O.P., III cl.

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Agnes of Montepulciano, virgin of the Order of Preachers.  The feast is III Class, so the Ordinary Office is prayed.  Like many III Class feasts of the Dominican saints in the Breviary, her office contains the full propers as if the feast were II Class.  At Lauds, the Psalms of Sunday are prayed.

The Ferial Office During Paschaltide

In the Dominican Breviary, the ferial office in Epiphany season is similar to that of the Roman Breviary, with slight differences.   Among the elements that are different include, the invitatory and hymn at Matins the hymn at Lauds, the Short Lesson at Prime, and the hymn at Vespers.

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

April and May are months par excellence in the traditional Dominican sanctorale.  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), St. Louis de Montfort (April 28), St. Peter Martyr (April 29) and St. Catherine of Siena (April 30).  May starts off with St. Pius V (May 5).  Then we have the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mediatrix of All Graces (May 8), St. Antonius (May 10) , Blessed Imelda (May 13), the Transfer of Our Holy Father St. Dominic (May 24), and finally Bl. William and his Companions (May 29).

Compline from Low Sunday to the Ascension

Continuing our series on the unique features of the Dominican Breviary at Compline, we now come to the period between Low Sunday and the Ascension. The changes began during the first week of Lent, and we have followed along as the hymns, and responsories, and antiphons have changed during Lent, Passion Tide, and now Paschaltide. These changes continue through the octave of the Trinity, after which Compline returns to its normal form.

Compline begins as usual. After the responsory, which is said with the Alleluia's as noted in the rubrics, the following hymn is said.

Jesu, nostra redémptio, Amor et desidérium, Deus Creátor ómnium, Homo in fine témporum: Quæ te vicit cleméntia, Ut ferres nostra crímina, Crudélem mortem pátiens, Ut nos a morte tólleres? Inférni claustra pénetrans, Tuos captívos rédimens, Victor triúmpho nóbili Ad dextram Patris résidens: Ipsa te cogat píetas Ut mala nostra súperes Parcéndo, et voti cómpotes Nos tuo vultu sáties.	Redemption, Jesus, all divine, Whom here we love, for whom we pine, God, working our creation’s plan, And, in the latter time, made man: What love of yours was that which led To take our woes upon your head, And pangs and cruel death to bear, To ransom us from death’s despair! You pierced the halls of Limbo bare, Gave freedom to your captives there; And now you sit in victor’s pride Triumphant at the Father’s side. Let very mercy force you still To spare us, conquering each ill; We pray you grant us our request, That seeing you we may be blest
From Low Sunday to the Ascension the last two versus are:
Quǽsiumus, Auctor óminum, In hoc pascháli gáudio, Ab omni mortis ímpetu Tuum defénde pópulum. Glória tibi, Dómine, Qui surrexísti a mórtuis, Cum Patre et Sancto Spíritu In sempitérna sǽcula.  Amen Ant. At Nunc Dimittis :  Allelúia.     Resurréxit Dóminus, allelúia,  sicut    dixit vobis, allelúia, allelúia.	Creator great, be you our guide In this the joy of Easter-tide; Whenever assaults of death impend, Your people strengthen and defend. All glory, Lord, to you we pay, Arisen from the dead, today; With Father and the Spirit be All glory yours eternally.  Amen. Ant. at Nunc Dimittis: Alleluia.  The Lord has risen, alleluia, as he told you, alleluia, alleluia.

The last two versus of the hymn change, during Ascension-tide and the octave of Pentecost.