Votive Masses for Death, Election, and Installation of a Pope

Cardinals Entering a Conclave

 I am sure that our readers are saying prayers for the repose of the soul of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who died this morning. Although a Mass with an intention for the repose of his soul may be said immediately, an actual Requiem Mass with the suitable collects cannot be said during the Octave of Easter since those days are first class feasts, and so only the Requiem Mass of the Funeral itself can be said during this week. The Requiem on news of a death would be second class and so the next possible date for such a Mass would be Monday, April 28, the third-class feast of St. Paul of the Cross.

 The Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit for the Election of a Supreme Pontiff would be a fourth-class votive  Mass, and so the next possible date would be Saturday, May 3. A votive Mass for a special occasion like an election of a prior, and so hypothetically for the election of a pope, would be second-class, but that would assume it would be said at the actual papal election itself. But such a Mass would never have been a Dominican Rite Mass. Thus this Votive Mass in the Dominican Missal would never be higher than fourth-class. The papal election itself will take place between May 6 and May 12, 2025, the earliest and latest dates for convoking the conclave. In that time frame the dates on which a fourth-class votive Mass may be celebrated are May 6 and May 12 themselves. The other days all have at least a third-class celebration.

 Finally, the Votive Mass for the Papal Coronation (now called Installation) is second-class in our rite. Of course, it would never have been used at the actual coronation, so this Mass is in our rite actually "on the occasion" of the installation. It can be said so long as there is no first-class feast on that date. Even though, it would be assumed that this votive Mass would be said on the actual day of ceremony, it could, I think, be anticipated or deferred to an open date, should that be pastorally indicated.

Let us all pray, not only for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, but also for the Holy Spirit's guidance of the coming conclave!

 

Dominican Rite English Lectionary Revision Now Available

As readers know, some ten years ago, Dominican Liturgy Publications published an English lectionary for the Dominican Rite, containing all the Epistles and Gospels of the year. As there have been additions to the calendar since then for new Dominican saints and because we have become aware of some minor errors in the old edition, Dominican Liturgy Publications has now published a revised edition. 

 This lectionary will allow those publicly celebrating Mass in Latin to read the readings in the vernacular as is expected under the terms of Traditionis Custodes, which requires this practice, either by replacing the Latin readings with vernacular or reading the vernacular before the sermon. If you would like to order a copy of this new edition of the lectionary or want to read about it, you can access the order page here.

Dominican Rite Calendar for 2025 Now Available!

Greetings, readers!  This is just to let you know that the Dominican Rite Calendar for 2025 is now available for download on our left side bar or directly here.

 Greetings, readers!  This is just to let you know that the Dominican Rite Calendar for 2025 is now available for download on our left side bar or directly here.

This calendar is specifically prepared for those saying Mass in the traditional Dominican Rite in the United States, and even more specifically in the Western Dominican Province. As such, however, it includes, in an appendix, feasts for Canada (Archdiocese of Toronto) and Mexico (Diocese of Mexicali) because Western Dominican Friars serve in those places, as well as for all other US dioceses where they serve.  I have also included in the appendix information for all dioceses where other American provinces have houses.

I would be happy to include local information for other dioceses where American friars are serving other than the ones provided for, if that information were sent to me. For each case I need: First, if the posting is outside the US, a list of all the national feasts and their dates there as they were in 1962 and any added since with approval of Rome. Then I need, for the particular place, the titular of the Cathedral, consecration date of the Cathedral, patron(s) of the diocese, name and installation date of the bishop, and any other feasts and dates on the local calendar in 1962, or added since.  I cannot make additions without all this information, as I know you will understand.

You will also note that I have included the saints' days of Dominican saints (with ranks adjusted for the traditional rite) for saints and blesseds since 1962. You are free to use that information as you will. These feasts are current according to the most recent version of the General Calendar of the Order approved by Rome (2019). A list of "minor" Dominican blesseds approved only for local use comes last.

Finally, in your kindness, if you find any errors in this calendar, do let me know and I will correct them and put up the corrected PDF for download.

God bless you all!

Below is the picture of a Dominican Rite Solemn High Mass at St. Benedict's, McKenzie Bridge, OR, which is still a retreat center staffed by the Western US Dominicans, located near central Oregon, in the woods.  

 Here, the Deacon is proclaiming the Gospel, the Subdeacon holding the Gospel Book, and two of the servers holding candles for the Gospel.  The thurifer can be partly seen behind the Deacon, swinging the thurible.

From "The Dominicans," Autumn 1957.

The following scans are taken from the Spring 1956 (Vol 3, No 2) issue of "The Dominicans," the-then newsletter for the Western Dominican Province.  

I believe the first picture is taken from St. Albert's in Oakland, the one with the monstrance at St. Dominic's in San Francisco, and the latter ones I believe from old Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco (destroyed by fire in 1962), but corrections are welcome.

As readers know, there is no Ordination Rite in the Dominican Rite, but these took place under the local bishop and usually, the Roman Rite.

 

Dominican Rite Calendar for 2024 Now Available

Greetings, readers!  This is just to let you know that the Dominican Rite Calendar for 2024 is now available for download on our left side bar or directly here.

This calendar is specifically prepared for those saying Mass in the traditional Dominican Rite in the United States, and even more specifically in the Western Dominican Province. As such, however, it includes, in an appendix, feasts for Canada (Archdiocese of Toronto) and Mexico (Diocese of Mexicali) because Western Dominican Friars serve in those places, as well as for all other US dioceses where they serve.  I have also included in the appendix information for all dioceses where other American provinces have houses.

I would be happy to include local information for other dioceses where American friars are serving other than the ones provided for, if that information were sent to me. For each case I need: First, if the posting is outside the US, a list of all the national feasts and their dates there as they were in 1962 and any added since with approval of Rome. Then I need, for the particular place, the titular of the Cathedral, consecration date of the Cathedral, patron(s) of the diocese, name and installation date of the bishop, and any other feasts and dates on the local calendar in 1962, or added since.  I cannot make additions without all this information, as I know you will understand.

You will also note that I have included the saints' days of Dominican saints (with ranks adjusted for the traditional rite) for saints and blesseds since 1962. You are free to use that information as you will. These feasts are current according to the most recent version of the General Calendar of the Order approved by Rome (2019). A list of "minor" Dominican blesseds approved only for local use comes last.

Finally, in your kindness, if you find any errors in this calendar, do let me know and I will correct them and put up the corrected PDF for download.

God bless you all!

Conference on Medieval Dominican Liturgy, Toronto Canada, March 5-7, 2023

It is a pleasure for me, as the President of The Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies at the University of Toronto (founded by Etienne Gilson), to announce an International Conference on Medieval Dominican Liturgy, scheduled to coincide with the traditional feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, March 5 to 7, 2023.  As can be seen from the program below, this conference will include papers by scholars from all around the world who have made major contributions to the study of medieval Dominican liturgy. That program may also be downloaded here.

     This conference is open to the general public, and there is no registration fee, although those who wish to attend the sessions must register by sending an email to the PIMS Executive Assistant, Ms. Cynthia Watson. Reduced-rate rooms (limited number) are still available at the conference hotel. Should you want one, please mention this in your registration-request email.  Note also that the two public liturgies in the Dominican Rite, the First Vespers and the Solemn Mass of Thomas Aquinas, are both open to the general public without need for registration. They will be held at St. Basil’s Collegiate Church, St. Michael’s College, Toronto ON---for more information, see the program:

I look forward to meeting our readers at the Conference. If you attend, do take the time to introduce yourself to me.

Dominican Rite Calendar for A.D. 2023 Now Available

 

We are pleased to announce that the Dominican Rite Calendar for A.D. 2023 is now available for download on the Left Sidebar.

This calendar also lists all feasts proper to the United States as they were in 1962 was well as all added since then. Appendices are provided giving the local feasts in all dioceses of the United States where Dominican friars have houses, as well as for Toronto, Canada, and Mexicali, Mexico, where the Western Dominican Province has friars in residence. 

 We would be happy to add other foreign dioceses where the Western Province has friars if one of those friars sends us a list of the local feasts and their proper rank.

Finally, there is an appendix with all the minor blesseds, celebrated only within their original provinces. These may also be celebrated elsewhere for pastoral need, as votive Masses.

NEW Digital Images of the Humbert of Romans Codex (1256)

Title Page of the Humbert Codex

A number of years ago, I provided links to download digital images of the Humbert of Romans Codex.  Now I have the pleasure to announce that there are now new images, far better and more readable than the older set.  They are available for download in a zip file here.  This is a large file, so be patient as it downloads.  If you merely want to consult the images themselves they can be viewed online here. Those who download these new images have permission to use them or pass them on to others. This manuscript (Rome: Santa Sabina MS XIV L1) is the prototype for the medieval (and early-modern) Dominican Liturgy. 

The image to the left is the title page of this manuscript which lists its title and contents.  Here is a transcription:

On margin: Ecclesiasticum Officium secundum Ordinem Fratrum Praedicatorum; in hoc Volumine per Quatuordecim Libros Distinctum hoc Ordine Continetur.

In the center:
    Ordinarium: MS f. 0v - f. 12r
    Martyrologium: MS f. 13r - f. 40v
    Collectarium: MS f. 41r - f. 58r
    Processionarium: MS f. 58v - f. 65v
    Psalterium: MS f. 66r - f. 86v
    Breviarium: MS f. 87r - f. 141v
    Lectionarium: MS f. 142r - 230v
    Antiphonarium: MS f. 231r - 323r
    Graduale: MS f. 323v - f. 369v
    Pulpitarium: 370r- f. 392r
    Missale Conventuale: MS f. 393r - 421v
    Epistolarium: MS f. 422r - f. 435v
    Evangelistarium: MS f. 435v - 454v
    Missale Minorum Altarium: MS f. 455r - 500v

I include the folios on which each section is found so that this list can also serve as a table of contents to the images.  The new images show facing pages and the number of each image gives the standard folio number of the folio whose recto is on the right side of the image.

This manuscript was compiled by the Master of the Order Humbert of Romans in accord with the commission of the Dominican General Chapter of  Buda in 1254 and approved by the General Chapter of Paris in 1256.  Except for additional feasts and the Psalter Reform of St. Pius X, the texts of this document were authoritative as the prototype for our liturgical books until 1969.

 If you are looking for a particular musical chant, you may download this index of the chants found in the Humbert Codex. But please note that this scan is not of good quality.

Dominican Rite Mass Videos Online

We often get requests for links to celebrations of the Dominican Rite Mass, so we have compiled a fairly complete listing of known Masses.

The following Churches broadcast Masses according to the Rite of the Order of Preachers on a weekly or nearly weekly basis.

 

Click on these communities for links to their many Masses:

Most Holy Family Old Cathedral, Anchorage, Alaska 

The Rosary Shrine, St. Dominic Church, London, England

Holy Rosary Church, Portland, Oregon

 

Individual Masses in alphabetical order by celebration:

All Saints of the Dominican Order (High), Fr. Charles Shonk, O.P., Celebrant, St. Patrick Church, Columbus OH, Nov. 12, 2018

All Souls of the Dominican Order Requiem Mass (Solemn), Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., Celebrant, St. Dominic Church, San Francisco CA, Nov. 9, 2020 

Ember Wednesday of Advent (Solemn), Celebrant Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., Star of the Sea Church, San Francisco CA, Dec. 18, 2013

Fourth Sunday after Easter (High), Fr. Henry Steven, O.P., Celebrant, St. Gertrude Church, Cincinnati OH, Apr. 26, 2020 

Immaculate Conception (Solemn), Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., Celebrant, Star of the Sea Church, San Francisco CA, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013  

St. Dominic (Votive High), Fr. Didier Pietro Baccanti, O.P., Celebrant, Basilica San Domenico, Bologna, Italy, July 7, 2015 

St. Joseph the Worker (Solemn), Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., Celebrant, St. Albert the Great Priory, Oakland CA, May 1, 2021 

 St. Thomas Aquinas (Votive High), Fr. Paul Raftery., O.P, Celebrant, St, Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula CA, Jan. 28, 2012 

 St. Thomas Aquinas (High), Fr. Charles Shonk, O.P., St. Patrick Church, Columbus OH, Mar. 7, 2020 

In Time of Pestilence (Votive High), Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., Celebrant, St. Albert the Great Priory, Oakland CA, Apr. 4, 2020