FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

SAINT ANDREW
Apostle

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / PURPLE

INTROIT (Ps. 24. 1-3; Ibid. 4)

To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in Thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed. Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on Thee shall be confounded. Ps. Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me, and teach me Thy paths. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT

Arise in Thy strength, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and come: from the dangers which threaten us because of our sins, be Thy presence our sure defense, be Thy deliverance our safety for evermore. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Commemoration of SAINT ANDREW

A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, a fisherman by trade, and a former disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew was the one who introduced his brother Peter to Jesus, saying, "We have found the Messias." Overshadowed henceforth by his brother, Andrew nevertheless appears again in the Gospels as introducing souls to Christ. In St. John 12:22, he goes with St. Philip to tell Our Lord of a group of Gentiles who wish to speak with the Master.
After Pentecost, Andrew took up the apostolate on a much wider scale, and is said to have been martyred at Patras in southern Greece on a cross which was in the form of an "X". This type of cross has long been known as "St. Andrew's cross."

O Lord, we humbly implore Your divine majesty to give us for our perpetual intercessor in heaven the blessed apostle Andrew, who was so outstanding a preacher and ruler in Your Church. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE (Rom 13. 11-14)

A reading from the Epistle of the blessed apostle Paul to the Romans. Brethren, knowing the time, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is past, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gradual: (Ps. 24. 3, 4)

None of them that wait on Thee shall be confounded. Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me, and teach me Thy paths.

Alleluia: (Ps. 84. 8)

Alleluia, alleluia. Show us O Lord, Thy mercy: and grant us Thy salvation. Alleluia.

Gospel: (Luke 21. 25-33)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke.

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves: men withering away for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved; and then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand." And He spoke to them a similitude: "See the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth their fruit, you know that summer is nigh; so you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen I say to you, this generation shall not pass away till all things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 24. 1-3)

To Thee have I lifted up my soul: in Thee, O my God, I put my trust, let me not be ashamed: neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait for Thee shall be confounded.

SECRET

May, O Lord, these Sacred Rites enable us, whom by Thy mighty power Thou hast cleansed from sin, to come pure in heart before Thee who art their author. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Commemoration of SAINT ANDREW

May the prayers of the blessed apostle Andrew accompany our sacrifice, O Lord, so that his merits, which we commemorate by these offerings, may make it acceptable to You. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 84. 13)

The Lord will give goodness: and our earth shall yield her fruit.

POSTCOMMUNION

May we in the midst of Thy holy temple, O Lord, receive of Thy mercy, who seek with fitting honour to welcome the coming festival of our Redemption. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Commemoration of SAINT ANDREW

We have received Your divine Mysteries with joy, O Lord, on the feast of Your blessed apostle Andrew. Grant that our reception of the Holy Eucharist may give glory to Your saints and bring us Your forgiveness. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT SATURNINUS

Martyr

SIMPLE / RED

Saturninus is said to have been a priest who came to Rome from Carthage. At an advanced age he was arrested for his faith. After suffering long imprisonment and barbarous tortures, he was beheaded in the year 309.

Mass of a Martyr, except:

COLLECT

O God, who fills us with joy at the celebration of Your martyr Saturninus' heavenly birthday, grant that the merits of this saint may help us. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET

Bless the gifts we have set apart for You, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr Saturninus help these offerings to win Your mercy for us. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament sanctify us and make us acceptable to You through the intercession of Your saints. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CATHERINE LABOURE'
Virgin

In 1830, 24 years before the dogma of the Immaculate Conception became an article of faith, Our Lady showed to Catherine Laboure', a Sister of Charity in Paris, the pattern of the medal that was to popularize this belief. During her 46 years of community life, Sister Catherine never revealed by word or sign the favors granted her by the Blessed Virgin, but gave herself in obscure devotion to the care of derelict old men. The medal has received the name of "Miraculous Medal," because of the many wonders God has worked by its means.

Mass of a VIRGIN, except:

COLLECT
O Lord Jesus Christ, You blessed the holy virgin Catherine with the wondrous apparition of Your Immaculate Mother. May we follow the example of this saint in honoring Your most holy Mother with childlike devotion and obtain the happiness of eternal life; who lives and rules with God the Father.

SECRET
May the prayer of the blessed virgin Catherine make our sacrifice pleasing to You, O Lord, so that as we celebrate it in her honor it may be acceptable to You through her merits. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
Be merciful to Your servants, O Lord, so that we, who have been wondrously refreshed by these Holy Rites, may now live a virtuous life through the example of blessed Catherine. Through Our Lord . . .

OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
(1830)

The Blessed Virgin May appeared to the young Sister Catherine Laboure while she was at prayer with the Sisters in a chapel in Paris. Our Lady appeared in an oval frame, standing on a globe of the world. She was dressed in a white robe with a blue cloak edged with silver, having as it were diamonds in Her hands from which fell streams of golden rays upon the earth. A voice was heard saying: "These rays are the graces that Mary obtains for men." Then golden words formed around the oval: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!" The oval picture then turned around, and on the reverse side the Sister saw the letter M, with a cross above it, having a crosspiece at its base, and below the letter the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the former surrounded by a crown of thorns, and the latter pierced with a sword. Then the voice said: "A medal must be struck on this pattern; the persons who shall carry it with indulgences attached to it, and shall offer the above prayer, shall enjoy a very special protection from the Mother of God."
The medal was struck and spread all over the world, and immediately the most wonderful conversions and cures attested to its miraculous efficacy. Devout Catholics everywhere attest to its wonder-working power!

COLLECT
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast willed that the most blessed Virgin Mary, Thy mother, sinless from the first moment of her conception, should be glorified by countless miracles: grant that we, who never cease from imploring her patronage, may attain in the end to eternal happiness. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, . . .

St Sylvester - 15thC fresco at Montepulciano

St Peter of Alexandria with Christ - Byzantine fresco

SAINT SYLVESTER
Abbot

SAINT PETER OF ALEXANDRIA
Bishop and Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
Sylvester, of the noble Gozzolini family, was born in Italy in 1177. After making a distinguished record at the universities of Bologna and Padua, he was made a canon at Osimo, his native city. His inclination toward the contemplative life was strengthened by the sight of the dead body of a once handsome relative. "I am what he was," said Sylvester to himself, "and I will also be what he is." At the age of 50 he resigned his post and became a hermit. Many disciples came to him, and these he organized under the rule of St. Benedict. After his death the order became known as the Sylvestrines, especially noted for their spirit of poverty. Their founder died at the age of 90.

Mass of an ABBOT, except

COLLECT
O Most merciful God, You gave the holy abbot Sylvester his vocation to be a hermit as he stood before an open grave, contemplating the vanity of this world; and then later made his hidden life brilliant with merit. May we imitate him in despising the pleasures of this life, so that we may enjoy Your presence for all eternity. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER OF ALEXANDRIA
Patriarch of Alexandria, Peter was martyred because of his orthodoxy in 310. Eusebius wrote that Patriarch Peter was "a divine model of the Christian teacher."

Almighty God, look upon our weakness and the heavey burden we carry because of our own deeds. Let the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Peter, in heaven, be our protection. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET
O Lord, we reverently offer these gifts to Your divine majesty. Grant that we may imitate the exemplary recollection and purity of Your blessed abbot Sylvester, so that we may be worthy to receive the Body and Blood of Your Son; who lives and rules with You . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER OF ALEXANDRIA
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr bishop Peter, and help us find in them unending assistance. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, You have refreshed us at Your divine banquet. Grant that we may now follow in the footsteps of the holy abbot Sylvester in order that we may share Your bounteous reward with Your saints in Your glorious kingdom. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PETER OF ALEXANDRIA
We are refreshed by the reception of Your sacred Gift, O Lord, our God. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Peter make us feel the benefit of the sacred Rite we have performed. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT CATHARINE OF ALEXANDRIA

Virgin and Martyr

DOUBLE / RED
The saint of philosophers and wheelwrights and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, Catharine of Alexandria was very popular in the Middle Ages. Her legend relates that in the early years of the fourth century, Catharine converted to Christianity a group of philosophers whom Emperor Maximinus had appointed to shake the maiden's own faith. The infuriated ruler had Catharine scourged and bound to wheels on which knives were fixed; but the wheels broke and the knives flew off, killing some of the onlookers. Then she was beheaded. Angels are said to have carried her body up to Mount Sinai in Arabia, as today's Prayer recalls.

Mass of a VIRGIN MARTYR, except:

COLLECT
O God, You gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, and later had the body of the blessed virgin martyr Catharine miraculously carried to the same spot by Your holy angels. Grant that we may reach the mountain which is Christ, through the merits and intercession of this saint; who lives and rules with You . . .

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

SAINT CHRYSOGONUS

Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
John of the Cross was born near Avila in Spain in 1542. Educated by the Jesuits, he entered the Carmelite Order at the age of 21. He felt attracted to the life of a Carthusian, but Teresa of Avila asked him to co-operate with her in the restoration of the primitive Carmelite rule. After John established several monasteries of Discalced Carmelites, those opposed to the reform had him imprisoned at Toledo. During the nine months of his imprisonment, he wrote many of the poems and prose works that have made him one of the foremost authorities on mysticism in the West. He had asked God for suffering, and he received an abundance of both physical and spiritual torment right up to his death in 1591.


Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except:

COLLECT
O God, who blessed the holy confessor and doctor John with a spirit of complete self-denial and a deep love of the cross, grant that we may always follow his example and thus attain to eternal glory. Though Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOGONUS, MARTYR
Mentioned in the Canon of the Mass, Chrysogonus, a Greek Christian, was martyred under Diocletian at Aquileia at the beginning of the fourth century.

O Lord, hear our humble prayers. May the intercession of Your blessed martyr Chrysogonus free us from the guilt of sin which troubles us. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET
O Lord, let the blessed confessor and doctor John always help us, and through his intercession accept our offering and pardon our sins. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOLOGUS
O Lord, be moved to compassion by our offerings and shield us from all danger through the prayers of Your holy martyr Chrysologus. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may this sacrifice bring us closer to our salvation through the intercession of Your blessed confessor and illustrious doctor John. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CHRYSOLOGUS
O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament cleanse us from our hidden faults, and guard us against the deceptions of our enemies. Through Our Lord . . .

TWENTY SIXTH AND LAST
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

SAINT CLEMENT I
Pope and Martyr

SAINT FELICITAS
Martyr

DOUBLE / GREEN
INTROIT Jer. 29:11, 12, 14
Said the Lord: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places."
Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, stir up the wills of the faithful that they may be more eager to seek the fruits of divine grace, and to discover in Your mercy greater healing for their sinfulness. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CLEMENT
Pope Clement I, third successor of St. Peter, is believed to have ruled the See of Rome during the last ten years of the first century. He was the author of a beautiful and widely celebrated letter to the Corinthians. "They who are great," he wrote, "cannot yet subsist without those that are little, nor the little without the great. In our body, the head without the feet is nothing, neither the feet without the head. And the smallest members of our body are useful and necessary to the whole." He is said to have been exiled by Trajan to the Chersonese, where he converted so many pagans that the Emperor had him drowned in the sea.

O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Clement shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection.

Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS
According to ancient tradition, Felicitas, a Roman widow, was the mother of seven sons executed for the Faith. Felicitas herself was beheaded in the year 165 under Marcus Antoninus.

O Almighty God, may the merits and prayers of Your blessed martyr Felicitas, whose feast we celebrate today, be our protection. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE Col. 1:9-14
Brethren: Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: Strengthened with all might according to the power of his glory, in all patience and long-suffering with joy, giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.

Gradual Ps. 43:8-9
You have freed us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day, and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 24:15-35
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house: And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child and that give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
"Then if any man shall say to you, 'Lo here is Christ,' or 'there': do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you, 'Behold he is in the desert': go ye not out. 'Behold he is in the closets': believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.
"And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.
"And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 129:1-2
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET
O Lord, lend a responsive ear to our petitions. Receive the offerings and prayers of Your people, and turn the hearts of us all towards Yourself, so that we may be drawn from earthly desires to the joys of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CLEMENT
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and it pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You.

Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS
Look with favor upon the offerings of Your people, O Lord. Let us rejoice in the protection of Your saints whose feast we are permitted to celebrate today. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Mark 11:24
Amen I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, cure the evil in our hearts by the healing power of the Sacrament we have received. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CLEMENT
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your Heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction, so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith.

Commemoration of SAINT FELICITAS
Increase Your Gifts within us, O Almighty God, and order our lives according to Your will through the intercession of Your saints. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT CECILIA
Virgin and Martyr

DOUBLE / RED
The "Acts" of St. Cecilia say that she was brought up as a Christian amidst all the luxury of a patrician family in pagan Rome. Though she had vowed virginity, her father forced her to marry a young pagan named Valerian. Cecilia told Valerian of her vow, and he was converted by a vision of her guardian angel. Later, Valerian and his brother Tiburtius (also a convert) were beheaded for having given burial to Christian martyrs. When Cecilia interred the bodies of Valerian and Tiburtius at her villa on the Appian Way, she herself was arrested. After the persecutors had tried unsuccessfully to suffocate her in the bathroom of her own home, she was beheaded. St. Cecilia has been chosen as the saint of musicians because of the following sentence in her "Acts," "While the instruments were playing [at her wedding feast] profane music, Cecilia sang rather to God in her heart."

INTROIT Ps. 118:46-47
I spoke of Your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed; I meditated on Your commandments, which I loved dearly.
Ps. 118:1 Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
We are made happy, O God, by the annual feast of Your blessed virgin martyr Cecilia. May we be inspired by the example of Your saint, as we honor her in this Mass. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON Eccli. 51:13-17
O Lord my God, You have exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that He would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help. I will praise Your name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard. And You have saved me from destruction, and have delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks, and praise You, O Lord our God.

GRADUAL Ps. 44:11, 12, 5
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, for the king greatly desires your beauty. V. In your splendor and your beauty, make ready, ride on triumphant, and rule.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Matt. 25:4, 6
The five wise virgins took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And at midnight a cry arose, "Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go forth to meet Christ the Lord."
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 25:1-13
At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: 'Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him.' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: 'Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.' The wise answered, saying: 'Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.' Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But he answering said: 'Amen I say to you, I know you not.' Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 44:15, 16
Behind her the virgins shall be led to the king; her friends shall be brought to you with gladness and joy; they shall be led into the temple of the king, Our Lord.

SECRET
May this offering, established to atone for our sins and bestow Your peace, O Lord, make us always worthy of Your forgiveness through the intercession of Your virgin martyr Cecilia. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 118:78, 80
Let the proud be put to shame for having unjustly harmed me; but as for me, I will observe Your commandments and Your precepts, that I may not be confounded.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through Our Lord . . .

THE PRESENTATION OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
An ancient tradition holds that Our Lady was conducted by her parents to the Temple at Jerusalem to be consecrated entirely to God when she was three years old. This meeting of the ancient Temple of God and the new "Temple of the Savior" reminds us of the continuity between the Old Law and the New. For Mary, the Mother of God's new People, was the personification and completion of all that was good in the Old Testament. Her Magnificat shows that she was steeped in the Scriptures and Law of her fathers: Even as He spoke to our fathers -- to Abraham and to his posterity forever" (St. Luke 1:55).

Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, except

COLLECT
O God, You willed that the blessed ever-virgin Mary, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, should be presented in the temple on this day. May we be worthy through her intercession to be presented in the temple of Your glory. Through Our Lord . . . in the unity of the same Holy Spirit.

SECRET
O Lord, through Your mercy and the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, let this offering bring us prosperity and peace now and forever. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, grant that we who have received the Sacrament of our salvation may be protected through the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, in whose honor we have offered this Sacrifice to Your majesty. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS
Confessor

DOUBLE / WHITE
Felix renounced life at the royal court of France and had already grown old as a hermit in a forest of Valois when St. John of Martha visited him there in the year 1200. God had given both of them the idea of founding an order devoted to ransoming the numerous Christians captured by the Saracen pirates on the Mediterranean at that time. Together they secured approval from Pope Innocent III in Rome and established the order of the Trinitarians. John became superior of the order, and Felix took charge of the monastery of Cerfroid in France, where he died in 1212.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

COLLECT
O God, through a messenger from heaven You called the blessed confessor Felix to come out of the desert to labor for the ransom of captives. May his intercession free us from the slavery of our sins and bring us safely to our home in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY
Queen and Widow

SAINT PONTIANUS
Pope and Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
Daughter of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth was taken at the age of four to the castle of her future husband, Louis IV, Duke of Thuringia, who was then eleven. The pair grew up together, loved each other deeply, and were married in 1221. During their brief married life, Elizabeth extended her ceaseless charity toward the needy and the sick of the kingdom. After Louis had joined Emperor Frederick II on the Fifth Crusade, he caught the plague at Otranto and died. His uncle drove Elizabeth and her three children from the court in midwinter. After she had suffered great hardships, the Duke's companions returned from the Crusade and she was restored. Her children provided for, Elizabeth became a Franciscan tertiary. She died at the age of 24.

Mass of a HOLY WOMAN, except

COLLECT
O God of mercy, enlighten the hearts of Your faithful and grant us grace through the prayers of the glorious blessed Elizabeth, so that we may scorn the wealth of the world and see heaven as our joy and consolation. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PONTIANUS
Pontianus was pope from 230 to 235, during the harsh persecution of Emperor Alexander Severus. He was seized and banished to the Sardinian mines, where ill treatment brought about his death.

O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Pontianus shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET
Accept this gift, O LOrd, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PONTIANUS
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and its pastors under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. may we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT PONTIANUS
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your Heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction, so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith. Through our Lord . . .

DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
Today the Church goes on spiritual pilgrimage to the tombs of the two greatest apostles. To the famous basilica of St. Peter's, built over the tomb of the Vicar of Christ at Rome, have come Christians of every age, every race, and every nation, for Peter is the rock and foundation of their faith. while we are thus reminded of the unity of all the members of the Mystical Body, St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, directs our thoughts toward those who have yet to be taught the message of Salvation.

Mass of the DEDICATION OF A CHURCH:

COLLECT
O God, by Your care we come safely each year to commemorate with these sacred rites the dedication of Your holy temple. Graciously hear the prayers of Your people and grant that all who implore Your blessings in this church may joyfully receive the favors they ask. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET
Graciously hear our prayers, O Lord. May the gifts we offer You help us to attain Your eternal rewards. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O God, by Your divine choosing, living stones are used to build an everlasting dwelling place for Your majesty. Hear the prayers of Your people who call upon You and grant that the material growth of Your Church may be accompanied by a deepening spiritual development in her. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT GREGORY
THE WONDER WORKER
Bishop and Confessor

SIMPLE / WHITE
Gregory, one of the Fathers of the Church, was converted to the faith by Origen about the year 232. He then returned to his native city of Neocaesarea in Asia Minor, and was made its bishop. At that time there were only 17 Christians in the city, but Gregory's apostolic zeal was such that before his death there were only 17 non-Christians left. Gregory was aided in his apostolate by an extraordinary gift of miracles. A legend relating that he once caused the removal of a mountain from the spot where he wished to build a church is alluded to in today's Gospel. He died about the year 270.

Mass of a CONFESSOR BISHOP, except

COLLECT
O Almighty God, grant that our solemn celebration of the feast of Your confessor bishop Gregory may increase our devotion and bring us closer to our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .

GOSPEL Mark 11:22-24
At that time, Jesus answering, said to His disciples: "Have faith in God. Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Arise, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and does not waver in his heart, but believes that whatever he says will be done, it shall be done for him. Therefore I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you."

SECRET
O Lord, may Your saints everywhere be a source of joy for us, and may we feel the power of their intercession with You as we solemnly recall the deeds of their lives. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Almighty God, may the expression of our gratitude to You for all Your Gifts bring us even greater benefits, through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Gregory. Through Our Lord . . .

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY
AFTER PENTECOST
ADDITIONAL MASS NUMBER FOUR

SAINT GERTRUDE THE GREAT Virgin

DOUBLE / GREEN

INTROIT Jer. 29:11, 12, 14
SAID THE LORD: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places."
Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
ALMIGHTY GOD, let our minds always be fixed on Your truths, so that, in every word and deed, we may do what is pleasing to You. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GERTRUDE

Gertrude was a 13th-century Cistercian mystic of Helfta, near Eisleben in Saxony. The book of her life and revelations, which she was asked to write in a vision of God, has been praised by scholars and saints alike. A very intelligent woman, Gertrude was early attracted to secular learning, but after the first of her numerous visions she restricted her reading to the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church. Her whole life was centered on the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office. She was one of the first to whom our Lord revealed the mystery of His Sacred Heart; He also asked her to develop a deep love for the cross and to pray for the conversion of souls.

O God, the heart of the holy virgin Gertrude was a happy abode that You prepared as Your own. Cleanse our hearts from the stains of sin and let us share in her eternal happiness through the merits and prayers of this saint. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE I Thess. 1:2-10

Brethren: We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the work of your faith and labor and charity: and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father.
Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election: For our gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power also: and in the Holy Ghost and in much fullness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us and of the Lord: receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and in Achaia but also in every place: your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you: and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead), Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

GRADUAL Ps. 43:8-9
YOU HAVE FREED us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us.
V. In God we will glory all the day and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 13:31-35
AT THAT TIME, Jesus spoke this parable unto them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof."
Another parable he spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 129:1-2
OUT OF THE DEPTHS I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET
O GOD, may this offering cleanse us from sin and bring us life, that by it we may be guided and protected. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GERTRUDE

Accept this gift,O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your Saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Mark 11:24
AMEN I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION
O LORD, grant that we who have been nourished with the Food of Heaven may always hunger after this Bread which truly makes us live. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GERTRUDE

O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the food of heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your Saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT ALBERT THE GREAT
Bishop and Doctor of the Church

DOUBLE / WHITE

Albert the Great, Universal Doctor and Patron of the Sciences, was born in the castle of Lauingen on the Danube early in the 13th century. Under the inspiration of Bl. Jordan of Saxony (St. Dominic's successor), the young count entered the Order of Preachers from the University of Padua, despite family opposition. Following ordination he taught in Dominican houses of study at Hildesheim, Freiburg in Breisgau, Ratisbon, and Cologne, achieving greatest distinction at the Priory of St. Jacques affiliated to the University of Paris. He was a pioneer in the experimental scientific method as well as in Aristotelian philosophy, and his solid achievements in science are acknowledged today. He was probably the most prolific writer on scientific and spiritual subjects in the medieval period. He was also bishop of Ratisbon, and preacher of the last Crusade in Germany. He died in Cologne in 1280, some time after an arduous walk to Paris and back to defend the memory of his greatest disciple, Thomas Aquinas.

Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except

COLLECT
O God, you made the blessed doctor and bishop Albert great by teaching him to place divine faith above his own human learning. Grant that we may follow his doctrine so that we may enjoy perfect wisdom in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET
Look favorably upon our sacrificial offerings, O Lord, so that by the celebration of these mysteries in memory of the passion of Your Son, our Lord, we may devotedly experience their effects through the prayers and example of blessed Albert. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
May the Holy Mysteries that we have received defend us against the attacks of our enemies, O Lord, and grant that we may live in continual peace through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Albert. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT JOSAPHAT
Bishop and Martyr

DOUBLE / RED
Josaphat, apostle and a martyr of Church unity was baptized John Kuncevyk. When he was 16, in 1595, the Ruthenian Church, to which he belonged, was officially united with Rome. As a young apprentice-merchant with a monastic vocation, he devoted his spare time to learning Church Slavonic, in order to assist more intelligently at the Liturgy and to recite some of the Divine Office each day. As soon as possible he entered the monastery of the Holy Trinity at Vilna. Made Archbishop of Polotsk in 1617, he fought tirelessly to preserve the union with Rome against fierce opposition from many of the people and a schismatic hierarchy. He was beaten to death in a riot incited by his opponents in 1623. St. Josaphat is one of the patrons of Poland.

INTROIT
Let us all rejoice in the Lord as we celebrate the feast in honor of the blessed martyr Josaphat, at whose martyrdom the angels rejoiced and praised the Son of God.
Ps. 32:1. Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, infuse into your Church the Spirit that filled the blessed martyr bishop Josaphat when he gave his life for his flock. May that Spirit move and strengthen us through the prayers of this saint so that we may fearlessly sacrifice our lives for our brothers. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE Heb. 5:1-6
Brethren: Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Neither doth any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was. So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest: but he that said unto him: "Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee." As he saith also in another place: "Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech."

GRADUAL Ps. 88:21-23
I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, that My hand may help him and My arm strengthen him.
V. The enemy shall have no advantage over him, nor shall the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.

Alleluia, alleluia!
V. This is the priest whom the Lord has crowned.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL St. John 10:11-16
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf casteth and scattereth the sheep, And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON St. John 13:13
Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends.

SECRET
O Most Merciful God, bless these gifts of ours, and deepen in us that faith which Your blessed martyr bishop Josaphat upheld even at the cost of his life. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON St. John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep and mine know me.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may the food of heaven which we have taken fill us with the spiritual strength of Your blessed martyr bishop Josaphat, which made him victorious in defending the Church. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT DIDACUS
Confessor

Didacus, a 15th-century Spanish Franciscan laybrother, labored for some years in the Canary Islands, where he instructed and converted many people. For a time he also headed a large monastery he had founded there. Didacus was above all a contemplative, and his abundant good works were the fruit of his ardent love of Christ. His charity for the sick was especially moving.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except:

COLLECT
Almighty and eternal God, Your wondrous providence has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong. Hear our humble prayer and grant that the prayers of Your blessed confessor Didacus may make us worthy of eternal glory in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT MARTIN I
Pope and Martyr

SIMPLE / RED
Martin I, formerly papal ambassador at the court of Constantinople, was elected Pope in July, 649. In October of the same year he convoked the Lateran Council which condemned the heresy of the Monothelites (who denied that Christ had a human will). Emperor Constans II favored the heresy, and, after an unsuccessful attempt on the Pope's life, had him arrested, taken to Constantinople, and condemned to death. When the death sentence was commuted to exile, Pope Martin was banished to the Chersonese, where he died in 655, broken by his sufferings.

Mass of a POPE

O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Martin shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .

Saint Martin of Tours

Christ and Saint Mennas. 6th-century icon from Bawit, Egypt, now in the Louvre

SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS
Bishop and Confessor

SAINT MENNAS
Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
Son of an officer in the Roman army, martin of Tours (c. 316-397) was already a catechumen when he was conscripted into the imperial horse-guards at the age of 15. The famous incident in which Martin cut his cloak in two with his sword to clothe a beggar, took place while he was on garrison duty at Amiens. Soon after this, he was baptized, left the army, and went to serve Bishop Hilary of Poitiers as a cleric in minor orders. Later he founded a famous monastery at Liguge. When St. Hilary died, the people of Tours made martin his successor, virtually by force. During his long episcopate, Martin not only organized parish life in his diocese, but journeyed throughout Gaul, evangelizing the French countryside, and earning the title, "Apostle of France."

INTROIT (Eccli. 45:30)
The Lord established a covenant of peace with him, and made him a prince, that the dignity of priesthood should be his forever. Ps. 131:1. O Lord, remember David and all his meekness. V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You see that we cannot depend upon our own strength. Mercifully preserve us from all harm through the intercesion of Your blessed confessor bishop Martin. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
Mennas was an Egyptian, martyred about 295 under Diocletian. He was one of the most popular saints in the early Eastern Church.

O Almighty God, grant that we who celebrate the birthday of Your blessed martyr Mennas, may be made stronger in our love of You through his intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON (Eccli. 44:16-27; 45:3-20)
Behold, a great priest, who in his days pleased God and was found just; and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation. There was none found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High. Therefore by an oath the Lord made him increase among his people. He gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon his head. He acknowledged him in his blessings; he preserved for him his mercy; and he found grace before the eyes of the Lord. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him a crown of glory. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him a great priesthood; and made him blessed in glory. To execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise in his name, and to offer him a worthy incense for an odor of sweetness.

GRADUAL (Eccli. 44:16, 20)
Behold a great priest, who pleased God in his life. V. There was none found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
That blessed man, Saint Martin, bishop of Tours, has entered into his rest. The Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominations and Powers have welcomed him. Alleluia!

GOSPEL (St. Luke 11:33-36)
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "No man lighteth a candle and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness: the whole shall be lightsome and, as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 88:25)
My truth and My mercy shall be with him; and in My Name shall his power be exalted.

SECRET
O Lord God, sanctify these gifts we offer on the feast of Your holy bishop Martin, and grant that they may guide our lives in prosperity as well as in adversity. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
Accept our offerings and prayers, O Lord. Cleanse us by this heavenly rite, and in Your mercy hear our petitions. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Matt. 24:46-47)
Blessed is that servant whom the master, when he comes, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, he will set him over all his goods.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord our God, grant that this sacrifice which we offer on the feast of Your saints may aid our salvation through their intercession. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
O Lord our God, may we who now joyfully commemorate Your saints on earth rejoice one day with them in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

PCED respond: bishops can’t force changes to Roman calendar for TLM

Emphases and comments are by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf :

Vatican slaps down English bishops over holy days of obligation


The Vatican has stopped the Bishops of England and Wales from trying to force traditionalist Catholics to celebrate holy days of obligation – feasts such as the Ascension and Corpus Christi – according to the new calendar that the bishops imposed on the Church without consultation.

Basically, this is a slap in the face for vindictive liberals in the Bishops’ Conference who relished the idea of wrecking the calendar of the traditional (Tridentine) Missal. It’s a complicated story, so here’s today’s press release from the Latin Mass Society in full. Note that, with characteristic lack of transparency, the Conference had refused to release relevant details of its earlier correspondence with Rome:

Transferred Holydays of Obligation: an Important Clarification From the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei

In April 2008, the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales sought a ruling from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei aimed at harmonising [Which in itself is not such a bad idea where it can be handled appropriately. Forcing the TLM to shift from Ascension Thursday to a Sunday was NOT appropriate. It isn’t appropriate for the Novus Ordo either. But I have written about that elsewhere.] the celebration of certain Holy Days of Obligation in the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms of the Roman Rite. The bishops had, in the case of the Epiphany, the Ascension and Corpus Christi, transferred these to specific Sundays and in the case of all other Holy Days of Obligation that are kept in England and Wales, with the exception of Christmas, transferred them also to specific Sundays, whenever they fall on a Saturday or a Monday. They wished to ensure that these Holy Days were also kept on Sundays by those attached to the Extraordinary Form.

Consequently, the Bishops’ Conference submitted a dubium [heh heh… don’t ask questions unless a) you really want to know the answer or b) you already know the answer.] to Rome but declined to release the full text or of Ecclesia Dei’s reply. The LMS therefore submitted its own dubium to Rome in July and a reply, dated 20 October, has now been received.

The reply from the Ecclesia Dei Commission confirms that the Mass and Office of Holy Days can continue to be said on the days prescribed in the calendar for the Extraordinary Form ["can"...but… "must"?] and that the right to use this calendar is intrinsic to the right to use the Extraordinary Form.

The LMS’s letter requested confirmation that:

I. the legitimate use of the liturgical books in use in 1962 decreed by the Sovereign Pontiff in Summorum Pontificum includes the right to the use of the calendar intrinsic to those liturgical books.

II. That, whilst in accordance with Canon 1246 the Episcopal Conference with the approbation of the Holy See legitimately transfers Holydays of Obligation or suppresses the obligation of Holydays, it is legitimate to celebrate the Mass and Office of those feasts on the days prescribed in the calendar of the liturgical books in use in 1962 with the clear understanding that, in accordance with the legitimate decision of the Episcopal Conference, there is no obligation to attend Mass on those days.

III. That, in accordance with nn. 356-361 of the Rubricae generales Missalis romani of 1962, it is appropriate to celebrate the external solemnity of Holy Days on the Sunday [A good solution.] to which they have been transferred by the Episcopal Conference as has been customary in many other countries hitherto.

Ecclesia Dei’s reply stated:

1. The legitimate use of the liturgical books in use in 1962 includes the right to the use of the calendar intrinsic to those liturgical books. [That settles it. Bishops cannot force TLM celebrates to not observe the old calendar.]

2. While in accordance with Canon 1246 §2 of the Code of Canon Law the Episcopal Conference can legitimately transfer Holydays of obligation with the approbation of the Holy See, it is also legitimate to celebrate the Mass and Office of those feasts on the days prescribed in the calendar of the liturgical books in use in 1962 with the clear understanding that, in accordance with the legitimate decision of the Episcopal Conference, there is no obligation to attend Mass on those days.

3. Thus, in accordance with nn. 356-361 of the Rubricae Generales Missalis Romani of 1962, it is appropriate to celebrate the external solemnity of Holy Days on the Sunday to which they have been transferred by the Episcopal Conference, as has been customary in many other countries hitherto.” [Pretty good, all in all.]

Ecclesia Dei’s reply is signed by its Vice-President, Mgr Camille Perl.

As a consequence of the Ecclesia Dei ruling, the Latin Mass Society will continue to organise Masses on the days prescribed in the 1962 calendar for Holy Days but will also, where appropriate, organise feast day Masses as External Solemnities on the Sundays prescribed by the English and Welsh bishops so that obedience and communion are maintained whilst respecting the sensibilities of those who wish to celebrate the feasts on the traditional days.

Mr Julian Chadwick, Chairman of the LMS, said: ‘This ruling is very important. It confirms that the calendar for the Extraordinary Form is integral to the rite [I don’t know that that is a proper conclusion from this response. It simply means that the old calendar can be used without interference.] and cannot be suppressed or altered by bishops’ conferences. It also confirms the right of those attached to the Extraordinary Form to continue to celebrate the traditional feast days. Of course, when we organise Masses on the Sundays prescribed by the bishops to celebrate transferred Holy Days we will organise external solemnities of the Holy Days to fulfill the bishops’ requirement that feast days in both Forms of the Roman Rite be celebrated in common’.

The full texts of the LMS’s dubium and the Ecclesia Dei reply can be seen on the LMS’s website: www.latin-mass-society.org