Passion Sunday 1863

.
22 SUNDAY. PASSION SUNDAY, semidouble. Second prayers for the Church or Pope. Violet. First Vespers of St Cuthbert (Meruit supremos in the hymn) with commemoration of the Sunday. White. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, First Vespers of the Most Precious Blood, with commemoration of the Sunday and of the Octave of St Cuthbert. Red.]

23 Monday. St Cuthbert, Bishop Confessor, double (transferred from 20 March). White. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, The Most Precious Blood of OUR LORD, greater double (transferred from 20 March). Creed.  preface of the Cross. Red. Plenary Indulgence.]

24 Tuesday. Feria. Violet. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle second prayers of the Octave, third prayers of the BVM (Concede) without Gloria or Creed. In Diocese of Plymouth, St Edward, King Martyr, double (transferred from 22 March). Red.]

25 Wednesday. (Feast of Devotion) THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, double of the second class. Creed.  Preface of the BVM. White.Plenary Indulgence.

26 Thursday. Feria. Violet. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle second prayers of the Octave, third prayers of the BVM (Concede) without Gloria or Creed.]

27 Friday. The Seven Dolours of the BVM, greater double. Creed. Preface of the BVM. White. Plenary Indulgence. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, Octave of St Cuthbert, Bishop Confessor, double. Creed. White.]

28 Saturday. Feria. Violet. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle The Seven Dolours of the BVM, greater double. Creed. Preface of the BVM. White. Plenary Indulgence]

The Indulgence begins.

Passiontide has begun and from Passion Sunday until Maundy Thursday the second prayers for the Church (Ecclesia tua) or the Pope (Deus omnium) are said.  The opening psalm of the Mass (Judica me) and the Gloria Patri after the priest has washed his hands are omitted, except on feasts. Crosses and pictures were veiled yesterday before first Vespers of Passion Sunday. After this week and until Low Sunday feasts which are doubles are transferred to the period after Low Sunday, when they will be celebrated chronologically.

The calendar in Hexham and Newcastle has been seriously knocked about by the Octave of St Cuthbert which gives the northeastern week a very different feel.  But the countdown to Holy Week continues in spite of the feast of the Annunciation.  This Friday is the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the BVM, though it had been reduced to a commemoration before Pius XII carried out his own reforms of Holy Week.  In its traditional form it includes the whole of the Stabat Mater as its Tract.

The Easter Indulgence begins after None on Saturday.  Its conditions are the same as those for Christmas: Confession; Communion; a visit to a Church or Chapel in which Mass is celebrated to pray for the peace of God's Church; and  to assist the poor with alms, or to attend catechism or sermons as often as possible, or to assist the sick or those who are near to their end. (The fourth condition doesn't have to be met on the same day as Communion is received, but Communion must be received by somebody disposed to fulfill the condition if the Indulgence is to be obtained.)

St Mary's in Caermarthen is served by the Rev Lewis Havard, the Missionary Rector.  Mass on Sundays is at 11.00. Catechism is at 3.00, and Evening Prayers and a Discourse are at 6.00.  On the first Sunday of the month the Sermon and prayers are in Welsh.  On weekdays and days of devotion, Mass is at 8.00.  There are some 340 Catholics in Caermarthen and its several widely-spaced outstations, which stretch as far as Aberystwyth. 

Gifford's Hall School certainly comes well recommended! Click on the picture for more detail.