July 22: St. Mary Magdalen, Protectress of the Order, III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalen, Protectress of the Order. Though her feast is III Class in the calendar, her office has a near-complete set of propers as though the feast was actually a II Class feast. The Benedictus antiphon is particularly beautiful:

O lamp of the world and gleaming pearl, who by announcing Christ’s resurrection merited to become the Apostle of the Apostles, Mary Magdalen, be ever our loving advocate with God who has chosen you.

The Gospel reading is Luke 7:36-50 (which is also used on the Thursday in Passion Week), which recounts her washing of the feet of Our Lord when he dined at the house of Simon the Pharisee. The homily is St. Gregory the Great's Homily 25 (from his Homilies on the Gospel), which is a beautiful meditation on Divine Mercy.

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 most of what is needed is provided in the Proper of the Saints. At Pretiosa, the obit of Fr. Thomas Hyacinth Cipolletti of Ascoli, 70th Master General of the Order, is made.

Given the almost complete lack of belief, on the part of Roman Catholics today, in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist, this feast gives us reason to pause.  What have we done, or failed to do, that has caused such a reversal of belief in this great mystery of our Faith.  The Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who is eternal and thus outside of time and the material universe, nevertheless becomes present in his flesh and blood for us to receive, for the sole purpose of aiding us in becoming more like him.  What has happened to us, that this is not taught and emphasized to our children in Catholic schools, and at Mass.  Ss. John and your companions, who died for refusing to deny this great mystery, please pray for us.

July 7: Blessed Benedict XI, Pope, Confessor, O.P., Commemoration

 Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the commemoration of Blessed Benedict XI, one of the four Dominican Popes. From “Short Lives of the Dominican Saints” (London, Kegan Paul, Trench, and Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1901).

Nicholas Boccasino, who assumed the name of Benedict XI, when raised to the Pontifical dignity, was born of poor parents at Treviso in Italy, A.D. 1240. He received his early education form an uncle, who held the office of parish priest, and at the age of fourteen was admitted into the Dominican Order at Venice. The next fourteen years of his life were devoted to prayer and study, after which he was employed in teaching sacred science to his Brethren. He never allowed his lessons to interfere with his exercises of piety or to prevent him from teaching the Word of God; and he also found time to write some learned commentaries on various parts of Scripture, and other valuable works.

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: