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Are there different types of MEMORIALS?
YES. A MEMORIAL may be obligatory or optional. If it is obligatory, it has to be celebrated. If optional, one may take the prayers from the current week of the Psalter instead of using prayers from the COMMONS. Also, during certain times of the year, Memorials are celebrated as COMMEMORATIONS only.
When the celebration is a MEMORIAL, there is greater flexibility in that many of the prayers may be taken from the current week of the Psalter instead of from the Common of the Saint. However, my preference is to use the COMMONS - rather than the current week of the Psalter - for the invitatory antiphon, hymn, reading, responsory, antiphon for the Canticle and intercessions since the COMMON of the Saint generally has more relevance to the day’s celebration. However, the choice is there! Two important points to remember, however, are that the prayers from the PROPER of the Saint must be said, and the psalms and their antiphons must come from the current week of the Psalter.
How can one tell if a MEMORIAL is obligatory or optional?
When a MEMORIAL is obligatory, it is marked “Memorial” or else has a large “M.” When a MEMORIAL is optional, it is marked with a small “m” or else it is unmarked. Sometimes on a Catholic calendar, an optional Memorial is bracketed.
How do Memorials differ from Feast Days?
A Memorial uses the current week of the Psalter for its antiphons and psalms for both Morning and Evening Prayer. Feast Days use the psalms from Sunday, Week 1 in Morning Prayer, and the psalms and antiphons from the Proper of the Saint (~f given) or from the Commons in Evening Prayer.
What are the similarities between the Memorial and the Feast?
There are notable similarities:
- Like a Memorial, a Feast does NOT have Evening I on the eve of the celebration. The exception is a universal FEAST of Our Lord that occurs on a Sunday.
- Night Prayer comes from the current weekday in both the Memorial and the Feast.
What is the difference between the Memorial and the Solemnity?
There are distinct differences:
- A Solemnity has Evening Prayer I on the eve of the Solemnity. Memorials do not.
- A Solemnity, unlike a Memorial, uses the psalms from Sunday, Week 1 for Morning Prayer and the psalms from the Proper (if indicated) or from the Common for Evening Prayer.
Night Prayer, for both a Memorial and a Feast Day, comes from the current week day The solemnity follows the format of Sunday.
Seven exceptions to the rule of using the Current Psalter for a Memorial’s psalms and antiphons
Memorize the following little ditty which will help you to know all the exceptions:
A Memorial may be obligatory or optional. But Sunday, Week One, we know it’s not! Unless it’s Agnes’ day, we reply or Mary of Magdalene in July. Forget not the martyrdom of good St. John and Our Mother of Sorrows in September.
Remember, too, October seventh and Martin of Tours in November.
That leaves just one, lest we neglect the Angels in October:Guardians to whom we pray to keep US safely on our way.
The Memorials of Sr. Agnes (January 21st); St. Mary Magdalene (July 22nd); the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29th); Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15th); Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7th); 51. Martin of Tours (November 11th), and the Holy Angles (October 2nd) are the seven exceptions to the rule. Each of these Memorials uses the psalms from Sunday, Week One of the Psalter for Morning Prayer. The psalms for Evening Prayer come from either the PROPER of the Saint (if given) or from the COMMONS. The Current Week of the Psalter, characteristic of the Memorial, IS NOT USED for these seven celebrations.
COMMEMORATION
In the pecking order of celebrations, the COMMEMORATION
follows the Solemnity, the Feast and the MemoriaL
What is the distinguishing characteristic of the Commemoration?
During Morning and Evening Prayer, the antiphon (for the Canticle of Zechariah/Canticle of Mary) and the final prayer of the saint being celebrated are prayed after the concluding prayer of the day.
The PROPER of the SEASON of Lent takes precedence over the Memorial of Saints during that sacred season. This happens at other times during the Church year. For example, during the eight days following Christmas and from December 17th - 23rd before Christmas, Memorials are also observed as Commemorations. This keeps the focus on the Proper of the Season: in these cases, the Season of Christmas and the Season of Advent respectively.
In the Book of Christian Prayer, for February 5th, there are two notations under the name of St. Agatha: Memorial and Lent: Commemoration. Please explain why there are two notations.
The two notations remind you that during the Proper of the Season of Lent, the Memorial of St. Agatha is celebrated as a Commemoration.
If Lent has not started by February 5th, her day is celebrated as a Memorial
What about the Solemnities of the Annunciation and St. Joseph that occur
during Lent? Do they become Commemorations, also?
No. Only Memorials are observed as Commemorations. Even though the Solemnities of St. Joseph (March 19th) and the Annunciation (March 25th) occur during Lent, they are celebrated as Solemnities. The exception is Holy Week. If a Solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the nearest day possible. In 2005, the Solemnity of the Annunciation occurs on Good Friday; it will therefore be moved to April 4th, 2005.
What is the reason for the long delay? The Solemnity of the Annunciation is usually celebrated on the 25th of March!
In the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and calendar, we read. “A Solemnity impeded by a Liturgical Day that takes precedence over it should be transferred to the closest day.” Just as there is a pecking order among the different types of liturgical celebrations (Solemnity, Feast, Memorial, Commemoration), there is an order among all celebrations. The Easter Triduum of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection (of which Good Friday is part) has the highest priority among all liturgical celebrations. The Sundays of the Easter Season the days within the octave of Easter also take precedence over the Solemnity of the Annunciation. That is why the Annunciation has been transferred to the Monday after Mercy Sunday.
SOLEMNITIES
Question: I have noticed that during the liturgical year, certain days are celebrated with greater ceremony. Both the Gloria and the Creed are said during the day’s Holy Mass. How do these Solemnities differ from a Feast or a Memorial when praying the Liturgy of the Hours?
- YES, there are specific differences between a Solemnity and a Feast. Solemnities, like Sundays, have Evening Prayer I prayed on the evening preceding the Solemnity, and Evening Prayer 2, on the evening of the celebration. When you think of a Solemnity, think of Sunday’s format!
- Let’s take an example: The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) has Evening Prayer I on its eve, December 7th. It has Evening Prayer 2 on the day of the celebration, December 8th. When Evening Prayer 1 is said, his the only Evening Prayer said; therefore, there is no Evening Prayer for the Memorial of St. Ambrose which is celebrated on December 7th Don’t forget that there is an order of priority among the celebrations!
Unlike Sundays and Solemnities, the Feast does not have Evening Prayer 1. (There is one exception: Evening Prayer 1 is said on the eve of universal Feasts of Our Lord that occur on a Sunday. This makes sense because the Sunday Liturgy of the Hours always has Evening Prayer 1 on Saturday evening and Evening Prayer 2 on Sunday evening.
Question: Is the current week of the Psalter ever used for a Solemnity?
NO. For Morning Prayer, the psalms come from Sunday, Week 1 of the Psalter; everything else comes from the PROPER or the COMMON. (Remember the PROPER takes precedence over the COMMON. Go to the PROPER first and it will direct you to the COMMON, if appropriate.)
For Evening Prayer for a Solemnity, everything comes from the PROPER and the COMMON (when directed to go there.)
Question:Must one remember the names of the Solemnities?
No. There is no need to remember the names of the Solemnities celebrated in the USA, because the Book of Christian Prayer: the Liturgy of the Hours will tell you the type of celebration.
- If you want to know the names of the Solemnities - and there is no necessity - the sentence below will help to trigger your memory.
The list cannot be complete since Religious Orders have additional Solemnitiesthat are not included in this list. The Carmelites, for example, celebrate the days of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Teresa of JESUS and St. John of the Cross as Solemnities.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
August 15th |
Christ the King |
Last Sunday in Ord Time |
All Saints Day |
November 1st |
Corpus Christi |
Sunday after Trinity Sunday |
Sts. Peter and Paul |
June 29th |
Pentecost |
50 days after Easter |
Ascension Thursday |
40 days after Easter |
Christmas |
December 25th |
Sacred Heart of JESUS |
Friday after Corpus Christi |
St. Joseph |
March 19th |
Nativity of St. John the Baptist |
June 24th |
Trinity Sunday |
Sunday after Pentecost |
Immaculate Conception |
December 8th |
Annunciation |
March 25th |
Epiphany |
January 6th or the Sunday between January 2 and 8 |
Mary, Mother of GOD |
January 1st |
Note that certain very solemn days are not included - Easter , for example, Only Solemnities having Evening Prayer I are listed.
FEAST DAY
Question: When a FEAST is celebrated, do we use the current week of the Psalter for the psalms?
NO. For Morning Prayer, the psalms are taken from Sunday, Week I of the Psalter. The antiphons come from the PROPER (f given); if not, the antiphons come from the COMMON. This is also true for a Solemnity. The remaining prayers come from the PROPER and COMMON. The current week of the Psalter is not used for or Solemnity.
- For Evening Prayer, the psalms and their antiphons come from the Proper or the Common if not found in the Proper. The remaining prayers all come from the Proper and Common. This is also true for the Solemnity. The current week of the Psalter is never used in the celebration of a Feast Day,.
Question: When do I use the PROPER? The COMMON?
- It is very important to remember that the prayers in the PROPER always take precedence over the prayers in the COMMON.
- Always start with the PROPER which will direct you to the COMMON where applicable.
Question: Since the FEAST has much in common with the SOLEMNITY, does the FEAST also have Evening Prayer 1 on its eve?
- No- with one exception. When a universal FEAST of Our Lord is celebrated on a Sunday. Evening Prayer 1 is said on Saturday evening and Evening Prayer 2 on Sunday evening~
- One final point: Night Prayer for a FEAST is taken from the current weekday except when a universal FEAST of Our Lord is celebrated on a Sunday. In that case, Night Prayer follows the same format as that of a Sunday celebration. It makes sense to do that
SATURDAY IS MARY’S DAY
May I take the psalms and antiphons from the COMMON of Mary on Saturday since Saturday is traditionally Mary’s day?
- If a celebration on a Saturday is an optional Memorial, you may chose instead the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday. (Seep. 1338 in the St. Paul edition of Christian Prayer.)
- The antiphons and psalms ~yj~ be taken from the current week of the Psalter - not from the COMMON of the Blessed Virgin Mary -since the celebration is a Memorial.
- The Invitatory antiphon, reading, responsory, etc. may be taken from the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday. (pp.1338-41).
Do I ever use the psalms from Sunday, Week 1 of the Psalter for a Saturday celebration of Our Blessed Lady? When do I use the antiphons from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary? (See pp.1328-29)
- If a Solemnity ~ Feast of Our Blessed Mother falls on Saturday, the psalms for Morning Prayer would come from Sunday, Week 1 of the Psalter. The antiphons for the Solemnity or Feast would come from the PROPER of the Blessed Virgin Mary (if provided) or from the COMMON of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- For an optional Memorial of Mary on Saturday, both antiphons and psalms come from the current week of the Psalter
Remember that the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Mary on Saturday may only be used when there is no obligatory Memorial, Feast or Solemnity celebrated on the same day.
ANTIPHONS
Question:
When a MEMORIAL is celebrated, why do we not use the antiphons that appear in the COMMONS? For example, September 30th is the Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church. On p. 1242 [St. Paul edition of Christian Prayer] we find the PROPER of St. Jerome. The PROPER directs us to go to the COMMON of Doctors of the Church, found on page 1396 (St. Paul ed.)There we find antiphons 1, 2 and 3 [Ant 1 I Ant 2 / Ant. 3] Why do we NOT use these antiphons since we were directed to go there by the PROPER of St. Jerome?
Answer:
- That is a very good question! The reason is that the type of celebration determines which antiphons/psalms are to be used.
- St. Jerome is a MEMORIAL; we have to use the psalms and antiphons from the current week of the Psalter.
- If the celebration of St. Jerome were a FEAST. not a MEMORIAL we would use the antiphons from the COMMON of the Doctors of the Church - jf the antiphons were not already provided in the PROPER of the Saint!
- Contrast the Memorial of St. Jerome with the Feast of St. Matthew (September 21st)
- Since the celebration of St. Matthew is a FEAST, we donot use the antiphons from the current week of the Psalter. We use the antiphons from either the PROPER of St. Matthew or from the COMMONS, and Sunday, Week 1 of the Psalter for the psalms.
- The PROPER of St. Matthew refers us to theCOMMON of Apostles. On p. 1346 of theCOMMON, we find Ant 1, Ant 2, and Ant 3 – the three antiphons for the psalms in the COMMON of Apostles.
- Since no antiphons are niven in the PROPER of St. Matthew, we have to use the antiphons from the COMMON of Apostles.
Question:
I still don’t get it! Why does the PROPER of the MEMORIAL of St. Jerome direct me to the COMMON of Pastors or Doctors of the Church if I am not supposed to use the three antiphons given in the COMMON? I know that the MEMORIAL uses the current week of the Psalter for its psalms, but why can’t I use the three antiphons given in the COMMON? After all, the PROPER directed me to go to the COMMON!
Answer:
I could simply reply that it is the rule that MEMORIALS use the antiphons AND the psalms from the current week of the Psalter.
The reason that we do not use the antiphons from the COMMON of Pastors or from the COMMON of Doctors of the Church for the MEMORIAL of St. Jerome is that a MEMORIAL does not have the right ticket! Only Feasts and Solemnities (and the seven exceptions to the rule for Memorials) do!!! So check out the type of celebration before rushing to the COMMONS for antiphons and psalms!
Helpful Hints:
Sometimes in the Liturgy of the Hours we find that the word “alleluia” is printed in parentheses. What does that mean?
When the alleluia is enclosed in parentheses, it means that it is said during the Easter Season. During other times of the year it is omitted.
If an alleluia is found without parenthesis, it is said except during the Lenten Season. Each day we begin Evening Prayer by praying: God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. The alleluia is omitted during Lent!
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Ecclesial
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