Monday, December 25, 2017
Midnight Mass
White Double of the First Class with Privileged Octave of third Order It is now time to offer the Great Sacrifice, and to call down our Emmanuel from heaven: He alone can fully pay the debt of gratitude which mankind owes to the Eternal Father. He will intercede for us on the Altar, as he […]
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Sunday, December 24, 2017
Christmas Day—Afternoon of the Eve
Christmas Eve, with its own happy spirit, is drawing to its close. Already has the Church terminated all her Advent Offices, by the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. In her maternal considerateness, she has permitted her children to break their Fast of preparation for the great Feast, by taking their meal at midday. While refreshing […]
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Christmas Eve
Violet Privilege of the First Class (Double from Lauds onwards) “At length,” says St. Peter Damian in his Sermon for this holy Eve, “at length we have got from the stormy sea in to the tranquil port; hitherto it was the promise; now it is the prize; hitherto labor, now rest; hitherto despair, now hope; […]
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The Season of Christmas
The History of Christmas We apply the name of Christmas to the forty days, which begin with the Nativity of our Lord, December 25th, and end with the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, February 2nd. It is a period, which forms a distinct portion of the Liturgical Year, as distinct, by its own special spirit, […]
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The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Violet Privileged Sunday of the Second Class (Semidouble) (If this Sunday fall on the 24th of December, it is omitted that year; and in its place is said the Office of Christmas Eve, which is given here) We have now entered into the week which immediately precedes the Birth of the Messias. That long-desired Coming […]
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Saturday, December 23, 2017
Saturday in Ember Week
Violet Fast and Partial Abstinence Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh; come, let us adore. The Lessons from the Prophet Isaias are interrupted today also; and a Homily on the Gospel of the Mass is read in their place. As this Gospel is repeated in the Mass of the fourth […]
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Seventh Antiphon
The Church sings this Antiphon in today’s Lauds: Ant. Ecce completa sunt omnia quæ dicta sunt per Angelum, de Virgine Maria. Ant. Lo! all things are accomplished that were said by the Angel, of the Virgin Mary. Seventh Antiphon O Emmanuel, Rex et Legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et salvator earum; veni ad salvandum nos, Domine […]
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Friday, December 22, 2017
Friday in Ember Week
Violet Fast and Full Abstinence Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh: come, let us adore. The Church does not read anything from the Prophet Isaias today; she merely gives, in the Office of Matins, a sentence of that chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel which relates the mystery of our Lady’s […]
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Sixth Antiphon
Sixth Antiphon O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, Lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum; veni, et salva hominem quem de limo formasti. O King of nations, and their Desired One, and the Corner-Stone that makest both one; come and save man whom thou formedst out of slime. O King of Nations! thou art approaching still […]
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Thursday, December 21, 2017
Saint Thomas, Apostle
Red Double of the Second Class The Church announces to us today, in her Office of Lauds, these solemn words: Nolite timere: quinta enim die veniet ad vos Dominus noster. Fear not: for on the fifth day, our Lord will come to you. This is the last Feast the Church keeps before the great one […]
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