Responses during a Dominic Rite Missa Solitaria

One of our readers recently wrote me asking whether there are any formal rules for the language and rubrics of a “Missa Solitaria,” that is a Mass said privately without the presence of a server or anyone else to make the responses.  An example of three priests saying such a Mass can be seen to the right. Obviously, such a situation makes the priest’s parts addressed to those present, such as Dominus vobiscum, very odd.

With one somewhat indirect exception, I know of no explicit rules about priest’s parts addressed to others when there is no one to make the response. This is not surprising because it was always assumed that there would be at least one server to make the responses. And it was an obligation of the local superior to provide a server for any Dominican in his community who was saying a “Private Mass.” So, at least in theory, Missae Solitariae did not happen. They were even listed among the “faults” in the introduction of the Missal. In the modern period, this kind of provision of servers has lapsed and priests still have to say Mass, at least for the stipend expected by the community. So what to do? 

First, the exception I mentioned is the case of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, which were traditionally directed to the servers, not the people. Before Vatican II, Dominicans often said Mass in “Roman” parishes, where the servers did not know the Dominican forms. In that case, it was explicitly provided that the priest say the Confiteor in the form used at Prime or Compline, which changes the form from second person to first person and drops the Absolutionem. This, by the way, was also the form used in the Office when said privately, or by nuns in the absence of a priest.  But what about the other responses?

Although there is nothing specific on this, the provision for use of the first-person Confiteor at Prime provides and analogous solution. The analogy is to be found in other rubrics of the Office. When the Office was said privately or by nuns without a priest present to lead, the following changes were made:

    1. Dominus vobisum; Et cum spiritu tuo. was replaced by Domine exaudi orationem meum; et clamor meus ad te veniat.  That also makes sense for Mass because that is already done in the Dominican Mass (quietly) before the Secret Prayer at the Offertory. This would also work for the dialogue before the Gospel (paralleling what is done Matins said privately) and before the Ite (paralleling the practice before the Benedicamus Domino at the other hours of Office).

    2. At the Office said alone, the blessing that ends Compline is changed from the second person form to the first person: Benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti descendat super nos et maneat semper.  So I think this formula should be used at Mass as well.

    3. A more difficult problem is presented by the Orate, fratres. This directive is addressed, in the traditional liturgy, to the servers or other ministers at the altar.  They are all absent. And it makes no sense to turn it into a first-person hortatory form. This, however, seems to parallel the case of the Absolutionem. It is theologically bizarre to impart an absolution to one's self, so that part of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar is logically just dropped.  Since the Orate seems a parallel case, it seems best to just drop the directive entirely. 

    4. Finally, it seems logical to not turn to the empty nave of the church when saying these formula.

So, although not explicit, I think this resolves the remaining rubrical questions that arise during a Missa Solitaria by analogy.

Wonderful Animated Videos on Dominican Lay Brothers

I have the real pleasure to announce to our readers that the cooperator brothers, as we now call what used to be known as our lay brothers, from the Western Dominican and Central American Provinces have produced a wonderful series of animated videos about the lives of four less-well-known lay brothers.

These are Blessed. James of Ulm, the famous stained-glass artist; Bro. Carino of Balsamo, who, before becoming a penitent brother, assassinated St. Peter Martyr; Bro. Balthasar Carayol, a remarkable early-modern French educator, and finally Bro. Marcos de Mena, an adventurous missionary in early Spanish America.

I urge readers to see the whole series of videos here.  They are very suitable for children as well as adults! 

Dominican Rite Mass Ordo Available for 2026

 I am happy to announce that, through the hard work of the staff of Holy Rosary Church in Portland OR, we can now make available a Dominican Rite Mass Ordo for 2026.

 This Ordo, of which a sample page is found to the right, gives not only the feast to be celebrated at Mass on each day of the year, but also vestment color, the rank of the feast, whether there is a Gloria or Creed, any additional collects, and finally page reference for the Mass as found in the 1933, 1939, and 1965 Dominican Rite Missals. In cases where there are more than one collect the Ordo gives their order and which ones have a doxology.

 In addition, this Ordo has special entries for all feasts proper to the Western Dominican Province, the dioceses of that province where there are houses, and of all the local houses of the province. To make the Ordo useful to non-Western Province Dominicans, there is a supplement with the proper feasts of the other three American Provinces.

This Ordo can be ordered here: here. I apologize that this Ordo is a bit late appearing, but it is a new production and so took a bit more time in preparation than expected.

 Those who would prefer a PDF digital version of this Ordo may download it from the left sidebar under Dominican Rite Texts -- Downloadable.  

Book Review: Prayers in Honor of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Thomas O'Sullivan

13. The method and principles by which the old scholastic doctors cultivated theology are no longer suitable to the demands of our times and to the progress of the sciences. -Proposition condemned by Pope Bl. Pius IX, Syllabus of Errors, 13

    In recent years, there has been a kind of renaissance of Thomistic thought, and with it, devotion to St. Thomas Aquinas, and interest in his many works and thought.  In addition, the devotion of the Angelic Warfare Confraternity, which has sought to promote purity and chastity in our world, and as a defense against the flood of unchaste imagery in our day and age, has become more popular among the young, who seem to bear the sad brunt of much of the social media attacks, and the lack of modesty in fashion.  

    Mr. Thomas O'Sullivan recently compiled a small booklet with various traditional prayers, in English and Latin, for use.  Some have been updated and made more consistent in language or biblical translation used, but to me, all of these seem perfectly suitable for use in our days, even if they might not carry the same indulgences granted before.  

    The Six Sundays in Honor of St. Thomas Aquinas provide good, brief lessons on the various virtues of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas.  St. Thomas Aquinas, and Thomism in general, sometimes get a sort of "ivory tower" or "intellectual nerd" connotation, but while his thought and teaching are certainly deep and sometimes does require intense study, there is much beauty and accessible material that he has bequeathed us - one only need to see all the various liturgical texts and hymns centered on the Feast of Corpus Christi.  

    The search for wisdom and knowledge is not limited within the walls of Ivy League and exclusive  boarding schools - it is available to all who seek to drink deeply from the Font of Wisdom, which is Christ, whose Heavenly Father hid "these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children." (Matthew 11:26)     

    I find the quality of the texts chosen and the translations to be excellent, with good line art to accompany the reader.  It could serve both the individual reader, and perhaps any young person or student.  May St. Thomas aid us all in our search to follow Christ more closely.  

    This booklet may be purchase through Os Justi or Amazon, or wherever else available.

2026 Calendar for the Dominican Rite Now Available.

Greetings, readers!  This is just to let you know that the Dominican Rite Calendar for 2026 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), Mexico (Diocese of Mexicali), and Italy (Archdiocese of Rome) 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!

Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows: Origins of the Sequence "Stabat Mater'

Some time ago, I published at Dominican Liturgy three posts on the then new discoveries about the origins of the Stabat Mater.  As today is the the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, I thought is useful to gather these earlier posts together in one post.

I thank Fr. Innocent Smith O.P. for calling my attention to the original article announcing the discovery of the famous Stabat Mater being used as a sequence in the Gradual produced by a convent of Dominican nuns in Bologna in the later thirteenth century. This is by far the earliest known manuscript example of this hymn used as a sequence rather than as a devotional hymn. It has been commonly believed that the hymn only became used as a sequence in the late middle ages. It is also interesting that the melody provided matches neither the received Roman one nor that found in the printed Dominican books. This text is found in Bologna: Museo Civico Medievale MS 518, fo. 200v-04r.

The news was published in Cesarino Ruini, "Un antico versione dello Stabat Mater in un graduale delle Domenicane bolognesi," Deo è lo scrivano ch’el canto à ensegnato: Segni e simboli nella musica al tempo di Iacopone, Atti del Convegno internazionale, Collazzone, 7-8 luglio 2006, ed. Ernesto Sergio Mainoldi and Stefania Vitale, Philomusica On-line, 9, no. 3 (2010). Those who would like the full text of the chant may find it at the end of this article.

For those who do not wish to read the article in Italian, here is an English summary:

The discovery of a Stabat Mater version set to music as a sequence in a late 13th-century Gradual from a Bolognese Dominican nunnery, makes it possible to advance new hypotheses about the origins and history of this renowned text. Untilnow there was no evidence that it was used as a sequence before the mid 15th century. The analysis of the piece highlights previously unidentified peculiarities regarding the historical and the liturgico-musical context in which it was used, whilst the comparison with the wealth of textual variants offered by its complex tradition points to concordances with later sources, mainly originating in Veneto and Emilia. As one of the earliest witnesses of this popular composition (there is only one other contemporary version, also from Bologna, but it is unnotated) there can be no doubt about its importance for textual criticism, and, inter alia, it does not favour the disputable paternity of Iacopone da Todi.

Here is the image of the manuscript with the beginning of the chant.



Careful readers will not that there are textual variants in this version as well. The Dominican Rite used by the friars added the Stabat Mater as a sequence on the feast of our Lady of Sorrows only in the 15th Century, thereby conforming the rite to the Roman, which had already added it. But the melody is not that of the thirteenth-century version. Here it is for comparison:



And here for additional comparison is the first verse with the melody as found in the 1961 Roman Gradual:



The discovery of this manuscript, as explained in the article (in Italian) linked above, shows, by the manuscript date that the traditional ascription of authorship to Jacopone of Todi can no longer be sustained. The date, however, leaves open the possibility, often mentioned, that it is the work of Pope Innocent III.

This new version is interesting for a number of reasons. First, this is the earliest use of the text as a sequence. Until the discovery of this version, it was only known as a hymn until the late middle ages. This manuscript shows that the earliest known use of the text as a sequence was among Italian Dominican nuns in the late 1200s.

Next, the text includes not only a number of verbal variants, but also includes two verses absent from the commonly received version. Those who wish to examine these can download my transcription and compare the text to the received version here.

Even more interesting is the music. As pointed out to me by the nuns of Summit NJ, this ancient sequence borrows, with the exception of one stanza, the melody (cf. verses 19 and 20), the melodies of the Sequence of St. Dominic in the Dominican Rite. There are a number of minor musical variants as well. Those interested might want to compare the music to that found in the Dominican Gradual for the Mass of St. Dominic.


Through the kindness of one of our readers who converted the PDFs of this music into JPGs I am posting below the newly discovered 13th-Century Sequence version of the Stabat Mater for viewing by readers. The PDFs may still be downloaded here.

I am aware that these images are a bit blurry; if you click on them or download them, you will get a clearer image.Perhaps some Dominicans (and non-Dominicans) may want to make use of the ancient version on the up-coming celebration of Our Lady of Sorrows.

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.

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.