Dominica de Passione ~ Semiduplex Dominica I. classis

The Entry Into Jerusalem ascribed to Fra Angelico (1387-1455), Saint Mark’s, Florence

Sun, 4/6/25:

Today is Passion Sunday under the 1954 (semi-double Sunday of the I class) and 1962 (I class Sunday, officially retitled "First Sunday of the Passion") rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass. Station church at St. Peter in the Vatican (St. Peter's Basilica). Violet. Omit psalm Judica me at the prayers at the foot of the altar as well as the Gloria Patri at the Asperges, the Introit, and the Lavabo (all omitted at all Masses of the season in Passiontide). Omit Gloria. Gradual/Tract. Credo. Preface of the Holy Cross. Benedicamus (1954)/Ite (1962). Under 1954, 2nd prayer either Ecclesiae tuae for the Church or Deus omnium for the pope. No additional prayer under 1962.

Office: Sunday office. Violet. Matins of 3 nocturns of 9 lessons (1954)/1 nocturn of 3 lessons (1962; lesson II = II & III of the old Breviary combined, III = lesson VII of the old Breviary). Omit Te Deum. Omit Gloria Patri throughout Passiontide where indicated in the ordinary for Passiontide. At Matins, Invitatory Hodie with hymn Pange, lingua. Psalms of Sunday (Lauds = schema II) with proper antiphons. All else from the proper. Hymn at Lauds Lustra sex. Proper Benedictus antiphon. Collect of the Sunday. No commemorations at Lauds. (NB: Under 1954, Suffrage omitted through Trinity Sunday exclusive.) At Prime, under 1954, psalms 92, 99, 118.1, 118.2. Under 1962, psalms 53, 118.1, 118.2. Preces at Prime (1954 only).

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)

From the Holy Gospel according to John
John 8:46-59
At that time, Jesus said to the multitude of Jews: Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me? And so on.

Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great)
18th on the Gospels
Dearly beloved brethren, consider the gentleness of God. He came to take away sins, and He saith Which of you convinceth Me of sin? He Who, through the might of His Godhead, was able to justify sinners, was contented to show by argument that He was not Himself a sinner. But exceeding dread is that which followeth. He that is of God heareth God's words; ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God. If, then, whosoever is of God heareth God's words, and whosoever is not of Him cannot hear His words, let each one ask himself if he, in the ear of his heart, heareth God's words, and understandeth Whose words they are? The Truth commandeth us to long for a Fatherland in heaven, to bridle the lusts of the flesh, to turn away from the glory of the world, to seek no man's goods, and to give away our own.

Collect

℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Look graciously upon Your household, almighty God, we beseech You, that by Your grace we may be governed in body, and by Your protection safeguarded in mind.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

CONSOLATION UNDER CALUMNY

When Christ told the Jews the truth, He received insults and calumny; they called Him a Samaritan, that is, an unbeliever, a heretic, one possessed of a devil. This was a terrible slander, and it must have pained Him exceedingly, but at the same time it is a great consolation to those who are innocently calumniated, when they consider that Christ Himself received nothing better. St. Augustine consoles such by saying: "O friend, what is there that can happen to you that your Saviour did not suffer before you? Is it slander? He heard it, when He was called a glutton, a drunkard, a heretic, and a rebel, a companion of sinners, one possessed of a devil; He even heard, when casting out devils, that He did so by Beelzebub, prince of devils." (Matt. IX. 34.) He therefore comforts His apostles, saying, If they have called the good man of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household? (Matt, X. 25.) Are the pains bitter? There is no pain so bitter that He has not endured it; for what is more painful, and at the same time more ignominious, than the death of the cross? For think, says St. Paul, diligently upon him who endured such opposition from sinners against himself: that you be not wearied (by all contempt and calumny), fainting in your minds. (Heb. XII. 3.)

How and why did Christ defend Himself against those who slandered Him?

Only by denying with the greatest modesty the things with which they reproached Him, saying that He had not a devil, that He was not a Samaritan, because He honored His Father not in their manner, but in His own. In repelling this calumny while He left the rest unanswered, Christ removed all doubt in regard to His divine mission, thus vindicating the honor of God, and securing the salvation of man. Christ thus teaches us by His own conduct to defend ourselves only against those detractions and insults which endanger the honor of God and the salvation of man, and then to defend ourselves with all modesty; by no means however to do it, if they injure only our own good name, for we should leave the restoration of that to God, as exemplified by Christ, who knows better than we how to preserve and restore it.

[See the Instruction on the Epistle of the third Sunday after Epiphany.]

How had Abraham seen Christ's day?

In spirit, that is, by divine revelation he foresaw the coming of Christ and rejoiced; also, he heard, by revelation from God, with the other just in Limbo, that Christ's coming had taken place, and derived the greatest comfort from it.

Why did Christ conceal Himself from the Jews, instead of taking vengeance?

Because the time of His death had not come; because He would show His meekness and patience and teach us that we should avoid our enemies rather than resist them or take vengeance on them; Christ wished to instruct us to avoid passionate and quarrelsome people, for it is an honor for a man, to separate from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches. (Prov. XX. 3.)

PETITION  When Thine enemies calumniated Thee, most meek Jesus, Thou didst answer them with tender words, and when they were about to stone Thee, Thou didst depart from them, whilst we can scarcely bear a hard word, and far from yielding to our neighbor, defend and avenge ourselves most passionately. Ah! pardon us our impatience, and grant us the grace to bear patiently the wrongs done us, and when necessary, answer with gentleness for Thy glory and the salvation of our neighbor.

(Fr Goffine)

Passiontide

 The season of Passiontide begins today at I Vespers of Passion Sunday. In Offices of the season, the Gloria Patri is at all times omitted, while the suffrage is omitted on days on simple and semi-double rite until Trinity Sunday. In Masses of the season, the psalm Judica me is omitted from the the prayers at the foot of the altar, as is the Gloria Patri in the Asperges rite at the principal Mass on Sundays, in the Introit, and at the Lavabo. (Note that none of this applies to festal or votive Masses; the Judica me and Gloria Patri are said as usual.) The Preface of the Holy Cross is used at all Masses that do not have a proper preface. Under the 1954 rubrics, in Masses of simple or semi-double rite on which a feast of double rite is not commemorated, the 2nd prayer is either Ecclesiae tuae for the Church or Deus omnium for the pope; no 3rd seasonal oration is said.

In all churches, chapels, and oratories, all statues, paintings, crucifixes, and other works of sacred art are covered in violet cloths from I Vespers of Passion Sunday until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil Mass. This tradition arose from the final section of the Gospel for Passion Sunday ("And Jesus hid Himself").

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)

S. Vincentii Ferrerii Confessoris ~ Duplex

Commemoratio: Sabbato infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima 

Sat, 4/5/25:

Today is the feast of St. Vincent Ferrer, C, under the 1954 (double) rubrics.

Mass: Os justi of a confessor not a bishop with proper collect. White. Gloria. Gradual/Tract. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Ite. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Lenten feria.

In parish churches, at private (low) Masses, the Mass of the Lenten feria (Sitientes Saturday) may be offered in place of the Mass of the feast. Proper Mass. Station church at St. Nicholas in Prison. Violet. Omit Gloria. Omit Tract. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Prayer over the people. Benedicamus. Commemoration of St. Vincent Ferrer.

Office: Ordinary office. White. Matins of 3 nocturns of 9 lessons (1st nocturn = Beatus vir with proper responsories, IX = of the feria). Te Deum. Psalms and antiphons of the feria (Lauds = schema I). All else from the common of a confessor not a bishop. Proper collect. Commemoration of the Lenten feria at Lauds (proper Benedictus antiphon and collect). Omit suffrage. At Prime, announce Dominica Passionis at the start of the martyrology.

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, Who graciously enlightened Your Church by the virtues and preaching of blessed Vincent, Your Confessor, grant that we, Your servants, may be taught by his example and delivered from all harm by his intercession.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Let us pray.
Commemoration Sabbato infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima
Make fruitful, we beseech You, O Lord, the zeal of our fervent devotion; for only if it pleases You shall the fasting we have undertaken be of benefit to us.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

S. Isidori Episcopi Confessoris et Ecclesiæ Doctoris ~ Duplex

Commemoratio: Feria Sexta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima

Fri, 4/4/25:

Today is the feast of St. Isidore, B, C & D, under the 1954 (double) rubrics.

Mass: In medio of a doctor. White. Gloria. Gradual/Tract. Credo (1954 only; for feasts of doctors). Preface of Lent. Ite. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Lenten feria.

In parish churches, at private (low) Masses, the Mass of the Lenten feria may be offered in place of the Mass of the feast. Proper Mass. Violet. Station church at St. Eusebius. Omit Gloria. Gradual. Tract with genuflection at Adjuva nos. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Prayer over the people. Benedicamus. Commemoration of St. Isidore.

Office: Ordinary office. White. Matins of 3 nocturns of 9 lessons (1st nocturn = Sapientiam with proper responsories, IX = of the feria). Te Deum. Psalms and antiphons of the feria (Lauds = schema I). All else from the common of a confessor bishop. Collect Deus qui populo. Commemoration of the Lenten feria (proper Benedictus antiphon and collect). Omit suffrage.

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)

Homily by St. Isidore, Archbishop of Seville.
Bk. ii. to St. Fulgentius in Offices, c. 5
Whosoever is set over the people to teach them and to catechize them in good works, him it behooveth in all things to be holy, and in nothing to be held blameworthy. For he which rebuketh another for sin, should have no dealings with sin himself. Since with what face can he rebuke them which are under him, if he which is rebuked of him be able to answer him straightway, saying Begin by teaching thyself to do well? Verily, whosoever setteth himself to teach others to live well, him it behooveth first of all to correct his own life, so that in all things he may be able to give the same his own life for an example, and may provoke all to good living by his works as well as by his words. Likewise also he must needs be learned in the Scriptures, since if the life of a Bishop be holy only, then is he profitable to himself only. But if he be learned also in his teaching and discourse, he is able to edify his neighbors, both teaching such as are his own, and confounding the gainsayers, who, unless they be confounded and unmasked, are easily able to lead astray the hearts of the simple.

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, who didst give blessed Isidore to be thy people’s minister in eternal salvation; grant, we pray, that we who have him for teacher of life here on earth, may also deserve now that he is in heaven, to have him for an advocate.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Let us pray.
Commemoration Feria Sexta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima
O God, Who by your wondrous sacraments renew the world, grant that Your church may benefit from Your eternal decrees and not be deprived of temporal help.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima ~ Feria major

Thurs, 4/3/25:

Today is a Lenten feria under the 1954 (simple) and 1962 (III class) rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass. Violet. Station church at Ss. Sylvester and Martin. Omit Gloria. Gradual. Omit Tract. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Prayer over the people. Benedicamus (1954)/Ite (1962). Under 1954, 2nd prayer A cunctis for the intercession of the saints. 3rd prayer Omnipotens for the living and the dead. No additional prayers under 1962.

Office: Ferial office. Violet. Matins of 1 nocturn of 3 lessons (all from occurring Scripture). Omit Te Deum. Psalms and antiphons of the feria (Lauds = schema II). All else from the ferial office for Lent. Proper Benedictus antiphon and collect. No commemorations at Lauds. Preces at Lauds and the hours (1954 only). Suffrage (1954 only). At Prime, add displaced psalm 97 (1954 only).

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, who didst give blessed Isidore to be thy people’s minister in eternal salvation; grant, we pray, that we who have him for teacher of life here on earth, may also deserve now that he is in heaven, to have him for an advocate.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Let us pray.
Commemoration Feria Sexta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima
O God, Who by your wondrous sacraments renew the world, grant that Your church may benefit from Your eternal decrees and not be deprived of temporal help.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

S. Francisci de Paula Confessoris ~ Duplex

Commemoratio: Feria Quarta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima

Wed, 4/2/25:

Today is the feast of St. Francis of Paula, C, under the 1954 (double) rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass. White. Gloria. Gradual/Tract. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Ite. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Lenten feria.

In private (low) Masses offered in parish churches, the Mass of the Lenten feria may be offered in place of the Mass of the feast. Proper Mass. Violet. Station church at St. Paul Outside the Walls. Omit Gloria. Additional Prophecy, Gradual, and collect before the Epistle. Gradual/Tract with genuflection at Adjuva nos. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Prayer over the people. Benedicamus. Commemoration of St. Francis of Paula.

Office: Ordinary office. White. Matins of 3 nocturns of 9 lessons (1st nocturn = Beatus vir with proper responsories, IX = of the Lenten feria). Te Deum. Psalms (Lauds = schema I) and antiphons of the feria. All else from the common of a confessor not a bishop. Proper collect. Commemoration of the Lenten feria at Lauds (proper Benedictus antiphon and collect). Omit suffrage.

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, the greatness of the humble, Who raised blessed Francis, Your Confessor, to the glory of Your Saints, grant, we beseech You, that, by his merits and our imitation of his life, we may happily attain the rewards promised to the humble.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Let us pray.
Commemoration Feria Quarta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima
O God, Who graciously grant to the righteous the rewards of their merits, and to sinners forgiveness through fasting, have mercy upon Your humble servants, so that, confessing our guilt, we may obtain pardon for our transgressions.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

Feria Tertia infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima ~ Feria major

Tues, 4/1/25:

Today is a Lenten feria under the 1954 (simple) and 1962 (III class) rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass. Violet. Station church at St. Lawrence in Damaso. Omit Gloria. Gradual. Omit Tract. Omit Credo. Preface of Lent. Prayer over the people. Benedicamus (1954)/Ite (1962). Under 1954, 2nd prayer A cunctis for the intercession of the saints. 3rd prayer Omnipotens for the living and the dead. No additional prayers under 1962.

Office: Ferial office. Violet. Matins of 1 nocturn of 3 lessons (all from occurring Scripture). Omit Te Deum. Psalms and antiphons of the feria (Lauds = schema II). All else from the ferial office for Lent. Proper Benedictus antiphon and collect. No commemorations at Lauds. Preces at Lauds and the hours (1954 only). Suffrage (1954 only). At Prime, add displaced psalm 95.

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
May the sacred practice of fasting, we beseech You, O Lord, win for us increased holiness of life and the continuing help of Your mercy.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.


Let us pray.
Collect of the Saints
From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech thee, and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of blessed N. and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, thy Church may serve thee in security and freedom.

pro vivis et mortuos
Almighty and eternal God, who has dominion over both the living and the dead, and has mercy upon all whom You foreknow will be Yours by faith and good works; we humbly beseech You that all for whom we have resolved to make supplication, whether the present world home still holds them in the flesh or the world to come holds them out of the body, may, through the intercession of Your saints, obtain of Your goodness and clemency pardon for all their sins.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

℟. Amen.