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Question Title Posted By Question Date
5th day in Christmas Octave Patrick Saturday, December 29, 2012

Question:

For 12/29 the Guide indicates that the reading and prayer for St. Thomas à Becket can be added to the hour which also includes the Te Deum. In what order should these elements be said? For example, 1. second reading for the 29th , 2. prayer for the 29th , 3. reading for St. Thomas, 4. Te Deum, 5. prayer for St. Thomas? Should the Te Deum be said after #1 and before #2 and then finish with the two elements from the office of St. Thomas? Are the three readings said in a row, followed by the Te Deum and the two prayers? Is the prayer for the 29th surpressed and only the prayer for St. Thomas used?



Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Patrick:

Sorry I could not get to your question before the 29th. It is best that I have a week advance notice for any question that pertains to a particular day for the Complete Four Volume edition.

In any event, for future reference, and as a sample of other optional commemoratives, here is the order of things for the Office of Readings.

1. Follow the Office beginning on page 442 as written with the three Psalms with their antiphons.

2. First reading with its Responsory on pages 475-446.

3. Second Reading with its Responsory on pages 446-448. 

4. Since the instructions say you may add the reading for St. Becket, with its Responsory, it goes in this position: pages 1279-1281.

5. Then the Te Deum, page 651

6. The ending prayer is then the morning prayer of St. Becket, on page 1281-1282.

The reading for St. Becket is added, instead of a replacement for the readings in the Ordinary. The Becket prayer then replaces the ending prayer in the Ordinary.

With Memorials whatever is included in the Proper of Saints replaces the corresponding parts in the Ordinary. Here, however, it is added.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary