Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost 1863

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1 SUNDAY Twenty-third after Pentecost, ALL SAINTS, double of the First Class with an Octave during which commemoration of the Octave and Creed. White.  Second Vespers of the feast, commemorations of the Sunday. White. After Bendicamus Domino Vespers of the Dead. Black. [In Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle Plenary Indulgence.]

2 Monday. All Souls. Black.

3 Tuesday. St Winifred, Virgin Martyr, double. Red. [In Diocese of Shrewsbury Double of the First Class. Plenary Indulgence.]

4 Wednesday.  St Charles, Bishop Confessor, double. Third prayers of Sts Vitalis and Agricola, Martyrs. White.

5 Thursday. Of the Octave, semidouble. Second prayers Deus qui corda. Third prayers for the Church or the Pope. White.

6 Friday.  Of the Octave, semidouble. Second prayers Deus qui corda. Third prayers for the Church or the Pope. White. Abstinence.

7 Saturday. Of the Octave, semidouble. Second prayers Deus qui corda. Third prayers for the Church or the Pope. White.

With the exception of one feast, displaced in one diocese, in November the calendar begins to run down like clockwork towards the end of the year, and with odd minor differences like the diocesan distribution of plenary indulgences the whole of the Church begins to face up as one to the end of its year and the beginning of Advent.  All Saints is a blinding flash of light which is extinguished at dusk as before, in white vestments, he finishes Vespers of All Saints, the priest vests in Black for Vespers of the Dead, the first Vespers of All Souls. Priests outside Spain and Portugal will not have the right to say three Masses on All Souls Day until 1915.

Octaves, too: Octaves have given us another dimension of richness this year.  In our impoverished Church we have only two, both showing what the year used to be like.  Easter's Octave obliterates its week, Christmas's crowns its. 

All Saints: this is the theme of this series, the Sanctoral taking precedence over the Temporal, as it were, until the reign of Pope Pius X just over 100 years ago. An ordinal number is nothing to celebrate: any Saint is. The Sabbatarianism implicit in raising any Sunday above any (or, 1910-1970, almost any) saint is more shocking, the more one thinks about it.  With a wave of the papal wand, Pope St Pius X abolished organic tradition and replaced it with an invented idea of what clever people assumed had been the rule at some remote point in the past, and began a century of liturgical vandalism. Remember that, the next time you want to criticise, for example, Pope Francis.

It has all gone, just as the Europe it had built would disappear utterly in 1918: destroy the Liturgy, destroy civilisation.

The Rev J B Colomb CB is the priest at St Edward the Confessor, Romford. On Sundays Holy Communion is distributed at 9.00, and High Mass with Sermon is at 11.00. Vespers, Instruction, and Benediction at 6.30. On Holydays, Mass is at 10.00, Rosary and Benediction at 4.00. On Days of Devotion and weekdays Mas is at 8.30. There are Confraternities of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and of the Living Rosary.  The parish is responsible for the Romford Union Workhouse.

And here is the Rev Colomb, courtesy of the parish website, and here is a short biography of him. Pray for the repose of his soul, and ask for your prayers, if he is already in Heaven, to be applied to his successors in this parish.

℣. Eternal rest, grant unto him, O LORD,

℟. And let perpetual light shine upon him.

℣. May he rest in peace.

℟. Amen.

(For the 40-odd of you who follow this, there are just three more Sundays to go.  I bought copies of the Catholic Directory for the appropriate years before discovering that they are on line (though the online version misses out a lot of the adverts). If you want to have a go yourselves after my series has been completed, Advent 1863 begins on this page, and January 1864 here.)

Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost 1863

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25 SUNDAY Twenty-second after Pentecost, The Patronage of the BVM, greater double. Second prayers and Last Gospel of the Sunday. Third prayers of Sts Crysanthus and Daria, Martyrs. Preface of the BVM. White. Second Vespers of the feast, commemorations of the Sunday and of St Evaristus. Plenary Indulgence. [In Diocese of Beverley, Patron of the Diocese, double of the First Class, with an octave, commemoration of which, Creed, and Preface of the BVM during the Octave. Commemoration of the Sunday only.]

26 Monday. The Purity of the BVM, greater double (transferred from 18 October). Second prayers of St Evaristus, Pope Martyr. Creed. Preface of the BVM. White.

27 Tuesday. Vigil of Sts Simon and Jude. The Translation of St John of Beverley, Bishop Confessor, double (transferred from 25 October. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Vigil. White. [In Diocese of Beverley greater double.]

28 Wednesday.  (Feast of Devotion) Sts SIMON and JUDE, Apostles, double of the second class. Creed. Preface of the Apostles. Red. [In Diocese of St David's and Newport Second Prayers for the Bishop.]

29 Thursday. Venerable Bede, Confessor, greater double. White. Plenary Indulgence.

30 Friday.  St Francis Borgia, Confessor, semidouble (transferred from 11 October). Second prayers A Cunctis. Third prayers at the choice of the priest. White. Abstinence. [In Diocese of Beverley, of the Octave, semidouble. Second prayers Deus qui corda. Third prayers for the Church or the Pope. White. In Diocese of St David's and Newport Sts Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs, semidouble (transferred from 27 September). Second prayers A Cunctis. Third prayers at the choice of the priest. Red.]

31 Saturday. Vigil. All-Hallows Eve. Second Prayers for the Dead. Third prayers Deus qui corda. Violet. FAST. [In Diocese of Beverley, of the Octave, semidouble. Second prayers and Last Gospel of the Vigil. Third prayers Deus qui corda. White. In Diocese of St David's and Newport, St Francis Borgia, Confessor, semidouble (transferred from 11 October). Second prayers and Last Gospel of the Vigil. Third prayers Deus qui corda. White.]

The Patronage of Our Lady celebrates all those defeats of Saracens, pagans and heretics achieved by Catholic forces under Her Patronage, from Covadonga through to Belgrade.  Like the feast of Our Lady Of Victories it was originally instituted for Spain.  By 1863 the focus of the latter feast was on the Rosary, while today's feast focuses on the victories which an appeal for Our Lady's protection and guidance can achieve.

As we approach the end of the Church's year, and the end of this series showing what the pre-Pius X Calendar looked like, it is worth reflecting on how sophisticated the pre-1910 calendar was, how flexibly it could cope with the needs of the Sanctoral as well as the Dominical, and how important the local Church was, its particular celebrations taking precedence over all but the major feasts of the Universal Church.  Yet in the same way as the Sundays of Epiphany which are missed if Septuagesima comes early fill in for the Sundays after Pentecost which have no propers, so the Calendar copes with local feasts displacing universal feasts, fitting them back in even a couple of months late. 

And I have been particularly struck by the importance to the Diocese of its Principal Patron.  Apart from having to explain the concept of there being more than two (or three for 1962ists) Octaves, imagine trying to point out the punctiliousness that means that while the whole Diocese celebrates the Patronal Feast and commemorates it for a week, only the Cathedral Church and those parishes which fall within the city in which the Cathedral is situated celebrate the Octave Day similarly. We talk about lex orandi lex credendi,  forgetting that the lex orandi is a lot more than the Order of Mass.

More on all of this as I conclude my weekly offerings.

I write this while away from the Muniment Room and its bookcases, unsorted manuscripts, unindexed documents and cabinets of curiosities, so I cannot explain why the feast of St Bede should merit a Plenary Indulgence, or rather, why St Bede's should merit one while other saints whose feasts might rightly be thought to be equally significant to life in England and Wales, don't.

The parish of St Mary of the Angels in Bayswater is served by the Oblates of St Charles Borromeo. The Right Reverend Henry Edward Manning DD, Pronotary-Apostolic and Provost of Westminster is Superior. The Community comprises the Rev Frs Herbert Vaughan DD, Thomas Dillon, Thomas Macdonnell, Henry O'Callaghan, Robert Butler DD, William H Manning, Walter John Bruce Richards, Charles Denny, Henry Bayley and David C Nicols. Masses on Sunday are at 7.00, 8.00 and 9.00, with High Mass at 11.00. Vespers and Benediction at 3.30. Sermon and Benediction at 7.00pm. Mass on weekdays at 7.00, 8.00 and 9.00. The Way of the Cross is on Thursdays at 7.30pm. At 8.00pm on Wednesdays there is a Sermon and Benediction for the Confraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The intentions of members are read out after the Sermon. On Fridays the same for the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart. On all feasts of the BVM, the Apostles, and on Feasts of Devotion Benediction.  The Third Order of St Francis is established in this church and all Franciscan indulgences can be obtained in it.  It possesses also all of the indulgences associated with the Holy Basilica of St John Lateran, to which it is affiliated; and the side altars have the Indulgences of the Seven Churches of Rome.  The parish serves the hospital of St Mary's Paddington and the Paddington Workhouse.

Two future (and great) Cardinals in one community!

I can't find an online hymn for the Patronage of Mary so here's a hymn to Our Lady of Walsingham, though sung, unfortunately, as a dirge.

Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost 1863

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18 SUNDAY Twenty-first after Pentecost, St LUKE the Evangelist, double of the second class. Second prayers and Last Gospel of the Sunday. Preface of the Apostles. Red. Second Vespers of the feast, commemorations of St Peter of Alcantara and of the Sunday. Plenary Indulgence for the Purity of the BVM.

19 Monday. St Peter of Alcantara, Confessor, double. White.

20 Tuesday. The Octave of St Edward, King Confessor, double. White.

21 Wednesday.  St Ursula and her Companions, Virgins Martyrs, greater double. Second prayers of St Hilarion, Abbott. Red.

22 Thursday. St John Cantius, Confessor, double. White.

23 Friday.  Our Most HOLY REDEEMER, greater double. Creed. Preface of the Cross. White. Abstinence. Plenary Indulgence.

24 Saturday. St Raphael, Archangel, greater double. Creed. White.

Every Sunday in October is a feast of Our Lady, but the feast of her Purity is outranked by the feast of St Luke the Evangelist.  Although celebration of the feast is put back by just over a week, the Plenary Indulgence associated with the feast, and the processions and guild activities associated with it may still be celebrated today.


On 21 October we celebrate St Ursula and her Companions.  Already in 1863 the feast of St Ursula and her 11,000 Companions had been discreetly renamed, as though talking about senseless slaughter of large numbers of people were an embarrassment.

There is no feast of Christ the King yet, but the feast of Our Most Holy Redeemer is celebrated this week.

The parish of St Ninian in Wooler is served by the Rev John Carlile. Mass on Sunday is celebrated on alternate Sundays at 10.30. On Holydays Mass is at 10.00. On summer weekdays, Mass is at 8.00, and at 8.30 in winter. Catechism is at 3.00 pm followed by Baptisms at 3,30. Benediction with a sermon is at 7.00 pm. During the week, Prayers and Instruction are each evening at 7.00 pm. Confessions are attended every evening after Prayers. Stations of the Cross are on Fridays at 7.00 pm. Rosary and Litany of the BVM on Saturdays at 7.00 pm.

For the feast of the Purity of the BVM.

Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost 1863

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11 SUNDAY Twentieth after Pentecost, The Maternity of the BVM, greater double. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Sunday. Preface of the BVM. White. Second Vespers of the feast, commemorations of the Sunday and of St Wilfrid. Plenary Indulgence.

12 Monday. St Wilfrid, Confessor, double (transferred from 4 October). Second prayers of St Placid and Companions, Martyrs. White.

13 Tuesday. The Translation of St Edward, King Confessor, double of the second class with an Octave, during which a Commemoration. White.  Plenary Indulgence during the Octave for all benefactors of the Poor Schools Committee.

14 Wednesday.  St Callistus, Pope Martyr, double. Red.

15 Thursday. St Theresa, Virgin, double. White.

16 Friday.  Of the Octave of King St Edward, semidouble. Second prayers A Cunctis.  Third prayers at the choice of the priest. White. Abstinence.

17 Saturday. St Hedwiges, Widow, semidouble. Third prayers Concede. White.

This is an English week.  The feast of St Wilfrid is only celebrated in England and Wales, and the feast of the Translation of St Edward only enjoys an Octave here, and in the absence of any other feast on Friday, the Mass will be of the Octave. The feast of St Hedwig should intrigue any children who think that an owl's name was invented by a writer.

The Rev Francis Verhagen is the Vicar of the parish of Our Lady of Light in Sclerder, Liskeard in Cornwall. He is supported by the Revs Bruno de Grave, Martin Verhagen and Amandus Mers OSF. Masses on Sunday are at 7.00 and 7.30, with High Mass and Sermon at 10.00. Catechism is at 2.30. Vespers, Sermon and Benediction is at 3.00. On weekdays there are Masses from 5.30 to 7.00. On Thursdays there is Benediction and Rosary at 5.00 pm. The feast of the Portiuncula (2 August), of St Francis (4 October), and of all the great feasts of the Order are kept with great solemnity. The Franciscan Recollect Fathers, besides giving Missions or Retreats, also receive in their Convent those of the clergy or laity who desire to make the spiritual exercises.

This parish has been blessed by the presence of evangelists from overseas in several different guises: see here. I wonder whether Martin and Francis Verhagen were brothers.  And what did Belgian Franciscans made of mid-nineteenth century Cornwall?

I'll sing a hymn to Mary, the Mother of my God. Will you?

Correction Of An Earlier Synod

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On 28 August 1794, Pius VI condemned eighty-five of those propositions of the Synod of Pistoia which Grand Duke Leopold of Tuscany had caused to be printed and issued as authoritative to clergy in areas under his temporal rule. 

The section on The Previous Disposition Necessary for Admitting Penitents to Reconciliation is remarkably apposite today.

Section 36 of the Pope's Constitution Auctorem Fidei reads as follows:

The doctrine of the synod in which, after it stated that "when there are unmistakeable signs of the love of God dominating the heart of a man, he can be deservedly be considered worthy of being admitted to participation in the Blood of Jesus Christ which takes place in the sacraments", it further adds "that false conversions, which take place through attrition [[incomplete sorrow for sins]], are not usually efficacious or durable", consequently "the shepherd of souls must insist on unmistakeable signs of the dominating charity before he admits his penitents to the sacraments"; which signs as it [[the decree]] then teaches " a pastor can deduce from a stable abstention from sin, and from fervour in good works"; and this "fervour of charity", moreover, it prescribes, as the disposition that "should precede absolution";

if understood in the sense that for a man to be admitted to the sacraments, and, in particular, for penitents to be admitted to the benefit of absolution, there is generally and absolutely required not only imperfect contrition, which is sometimes called "attrition", even when it is united to the love by which man begins to love God as the source of all justice, nd not only contrition formed by charity, but also the fervour of dominating charity that has proved itself through long experience by fervour in good works;

[[is]] false, rash, disturbing to the peace of souls, contrary to the secure and approved practice of the Church, detracting from the efficacy of the sacrament and injurious to it.

(Denzinger Enchiridion 2636)

You can't mess about with the doctrine of Absolution to allow people to receive Holy Communion, and you can't mess the Eucharist up to allow people to play fast and loose with the Sacrament of Matrimony. If you start tugging at one of the threads, then the whole thing has to unravel. 
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Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost 1863

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4 SUNDAY Nineteenth after Pentecost, The Most Holy Rosary of the BVM, greater double. Commemoration and Last Gospel of the Sunday. Preface of the BVM. White. Second Vespers of the feast, commemorations of the Sunday and of Sts Placid and Companions, Martyrs. Plenary Indulgence. [In Diocese of Southwark, Collection.]

5 Monday. St Francis, Confessor, double (transferred from 4 October). Second prayers of St Placid and Companions, Martyrs. White.

6 Tuesday. St Bruno, Confessor, double. White. [In Diocese of St David's and Newport, the Octave of St Michael, double. Creed. White.]

7 Wednesday.  Sts Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs, semidouble (transferred from 27 September). Second prayers of St Mark, Pope Confessor. Third prayers of St Sergius and Companions, Martyrs. Red. [In Diocese of St David's and Newport, St Bruno, Confessor, double. Second prayers of St Mark, Pope Confessor. Third prayers of St Sergius and Companions, Martyrs. White.]

8 Thursday. St Bridget, Widow, double. White.

9 Friday.  St Denys and Companions, Martyrs, semidouble. Second prayers A Cunctis.  Third prayers at the choice of the priest. Abstinence.

10 Saturday. St Paulinus, Bishop Confessor, double. White. [In Dioceses of Beverley, Plenary Indulgence.]

October is Mary's month: three Sundays are dedicated to a Marian festival. Not all of these even survived Pius X. More on this as the month progresses.

The feast of the Most Holy Rosary displaces St Francis of Assisi this year: I can't believe that there were any Franciscans who were worried.

St Paul's, on Queen Elizabeth-square in Dover, is served by the Revs Joseph Savage and Richard G Davis.  (Their residence is at 22 Castle-street.) Masses on Sunday are at 9.00 and 10.00, with High Mass at 11.00. Catechism is at 2.00, and Vespers and Benediction is at 3.00, and Prayers, Sermon and Benediction is at 6.00.  On Holydays Mass is at 9.00, and High Mass at 10.00. Benediction is at 6.00.  On weekdays, Mass is at 9.00. Rosary is every evening at 6.00. On Wednesday there is Benediction for schoolchildren at 4.00 pm. On Thursday there is Benediction after Rosary. Confessions in English and French every evening after Rosary, and on Saturday evenings from 6.00 until 8.00. The parish serves Dover Barracks, the Military Hospital and the Workhouse.

Click on the link to hear O Queen of the Holy Rosary.