Online Resources: The Oldest Notated Dominican Breviary

On the feast of St Dominic last year, we posted notice (via the website Dominican Liturgy) of a very high quality scan of the Humbert of Romans Codex (Rome: Santa Sabina MS XIV L1), the manuscript which served as the prototype for the medieval (and early-modern) Dominican Liturgy. (Also available at https://archive.org/details/rome_santa_sabina_xiv_l1) Our friend Fr Innocent Smith OP, a scholar of Dominican chant and liturgy has just recently posted scans of an even older breviary from the same archive, which is kept at the Order’s mother house of Santa Sabina in Rome (Santa Sabina, XIV L2). Fr Smith informs me that this is the earliest Dominican breviary, dating from the middle of the 13th century, to include musical notation of the Office chants. It therefore slightly predates the reform of Humbert of Romans, which gave a definitive stamp to the Dominican Use; there are a few other pre-Humbert chant sources for the office, but this one is especially important since it also has the breviary texts in addition to the chants. It can be seen and downloaded at the following link: https://archive.org/details/rome_santa_sabina_xiv_l2_202401

Note the file is quite large, almost 600 JPGs at 3008x2000 pixels each, totaling 2GB, so it may take some time to download. Here are a few sample pages.

The calendar pages of February and March. The entire calendar is in a different hand from the main body of the breviary, which indicates that it was added to the book later; the feast of St Thomas Aquinas has been added to March 7, sometime after his canonization in 1323. 

The beginning of the psalter; the texts of the Sunday and ferial antiphons was added by a later hand throughout.

The Litany of the Saints at the end of the psalter; the folio on the right is obviously a replacement for one that fell out.

Rubrics before the beginning of the Temporal cycle.

More rubrics, and the first Sunday of Advent, with the prolix responsory after the chapter at Vespers of the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent in chant notation. 

Continue Reading this Article. . .

Live Lecture Tomorrow on “Dominican Mass Books and the Liturgical Piety of St Thomas Aquinas”

Father Innocent Smith OP, a specialist in the early chant and liturgy of his order, will be giving a lecture on “Dominican Mass Books and the Liturgical Piety of St Thomas Aquinas”, tomorrow, the traditional feast day of St Thomas. The talk is at 7:30 pm Dublin Time (GMT), 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time, and open to all via Zoom; the link can be found at the following website: https://prioryinstitute.com/events/aquinas-lecture-2022

“According to Thomas Aquinas, ‘Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses.’ In light of this axiom, understanding the liturgical experience of Thomas Aquinas requires us to consider the material and sensible context of his sacramental life, including the books which he used to celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy. In this lecture, I will describe the various types of liturgical books used by Dominican friars at different stages of Thomas Aquinas’ life, showing how extant manuscript sources can shed light on the liturgical piety of the Angelic Doctor.”

“Active and Contemplative Participation in the Liturgy” : Lecture in NYC by Fr Innocent Smith, April 28

The Catholic Artists Society proudly presents Fr Innocent Smith, O.P., for this season’s final lecture of its Art of the Beautiful lecture series. The talk is entitled “How Can I Keep From Singing? Active and Contemplative Participation in the Liturgy.”

The lecture takes place Saturday, April 28, 7:30 pm, at the Catholic Center at New York University, located at 238 Thompson St., just south of Washington Square Park. A reception and sung Compline will follow. (RSVP by clicking to this Google document. Reservations will be kept until 7:20 PM. Admission for Sustaining Members: FREE. Suggested donation for non-members: $10)

For more than a century, the Church has repeatedly insisted on the importance of cultivating active participation in the liturgy. In practice, some modes of advancing this goal leave little room for a “contemplative” mode of participation. In this talk, Fr. Innocent will describe the need for both active and contemplative participation, focusing on the realm of music in the liturgy. Through a careful balance of vocal and auditory participation, members of the Church can more effectively join their minds as well as their voices to the Heavenly Liturgy.

Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P., is a Dominican Friar of the Province of St Joseph. Born in California and raised in Indiana, he attend St Gregory’s Academy and the University of Notre Dame before entering the Order of Preachers in 2008. He received an S.T.L. in 2015 at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., writing a thesis on the liturgical theology of Thomas Aquinas. At present he is assigned to the Priory of St Vincent Ferrer in New York City, where he serves as parochial vicar at the Parish of St Vincent Ferrer and St Catherine of Siena.

The Catholic Artists Society seeks to encourage the ongoing artistic and spiritual development of artists and media professionals, so that their work may more perfectly reflect God’s glory, enriching and ennobling men and women, our society, and our culture.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Visit Norwalk for Conference and Mass

As part of its 10th anniversary celebration of Summorum Pontificum, St Mary’s Church in Norwalk, Connecticut, has partnered with the St Hugh of Cluny Society to invite Bishop Athanasius Schneider for a conference and Pontifical High Mass at the faldstool on Thursday, October 19.

The Schola Cantorum of St. Mary’s Church, under the direction of David Hughes and Charles Weaver, will sing the Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament.

Bishop Schneider is making his second visit to Norwalk, first celebrating a Pontifical Mass in January 2013. He and Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P, will each have a presentation, beginning at 5:30 in the school hall, followed by the Mass at 7:30. A reception follows. No registration is required for the conference, but a free-will offering will be accepted.

Parish Study on Participating in the Mysteries of the Mass

This spring, Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. and James Wetzel will present a series of talks on the theme “Pray with Understanding: Participating in the Mysteries of the Mass.” The presentations will take place in the parish hall of the church of St Vincent Ferrer in New York City, located at 869 Lexington Ave; the first will be held this coming Tuesday, January 17th, from 6:45-7:45 p.m., and the series will continue until April 4th. Throughout the twelve sessions, they will delve into the mysteries of the Mass, explaining the history, symbolism, theological and musical dimensions of the liturgy.

Fr Innocent writes in the parish bulletin: The Church’s liturgy sometimes feels mysterious. On one hand, this is fitting for what is at heart a participation in the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. On the other hand, when we are mystified by the words and actions employed we can at times be distracted from the task at hand of entering into that Mystery more deeply—mysteries can obscure the Mystery. By learning why the liturgy employs the words and gestures that we encounter from week to week or from day to day, we can enter into the Mass with the conscious and active participation that Church desires for each member of the faithful.

This spring, our Parish Study program aims to help members of our parish to come to a better understanding of the Mass so that we may more fully follow St. Paul’s exhortation to “pray with understanding” (1 Cor 14, 15). ... the twelve week class will give an overview of the parts of the Mass that we encounter each week: ... The class will be taught by me together with our director of music, James Wetzel. Each week we will consider different aspects of the words, actions, and music we encounter in the Mass. ... You are most welcome to attend each class or to drop in from time to time as your schedule allows. By participating in this Parish Study program, we hope that you may come to experience a deeper participation in the liturgy of the Church.

St Thomas on the Rites of the Mass - Lectures by Fr Innocent Smith O.P.

On Saturday, December 3, Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. gave a pair of lectures at the Catholic Center at New York University, entitled “The Rest is Said in Praise to God: Thomas Aquinas on the Rites of the Mass,” drawing on the commentaries on the Mass that may be found in the Scriptum on the Sentences of Peter Lombard and the Summa theologiae. Throughout his writings, St Thomas Aquinas offers profound insights into the liturgy that draw on the thought of his predecessors, while bringing his own to the mysteries of the Church’s prayer. Fr Smith’s lectures focus on the traditional and innovative aspects of Thomas’s liturgical thought within his 13th century context, and also aim to help us to enter more deeply into the liturgy as experienced in its various forms today.

They have just been posted on Soundcloud, and can be heard at the following links:

https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-12316-part-1

https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-121316-part-2

There are also two handouts which can be accessed through Academia.edu.

https://www.academia.edu/30401789/Aquinas_on_the_Mass_in_the_Scriptum_and_Summa

https://www.academia.edu/30401790/Dominican_Ordo_Missae_with_Thomistic_Commentary

Our thanks to Fr Smith for letting us know that these are now available, I am sure many of our readers will find them extremely useful and interesting. 

Thomas Aquinas on the Rite of Mass: Lecture Coming Up in NYC

On Saturday, December 3, at the Catholic Center at New York University, Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. will give a set of lectures titled: “The Rest is Said in Praise to God: Thomas Aquinas on the Rites of the Mass.” Throughout his writings, St Thomas Aquinas offers profound insights into the liturgy that draw on the thought of his predecessors while offering new insights into the mysteries of the Church’s liturgy. These lectures will draw on the commentaries on the Mass that may be found in his Scriptum on the Sentences of Peter Lombard and the Summa theologiae.

While focusing on the traditional and innovative aspects of Thomas’s liturgical thought within his 13th century context, these lectures aim to help us to enter more deeply into the liturgy as experienced in its various forms today. The first lecture takes place at 1:00 pm, the second at 2:30 pm, and Mass will be offered at 3:45 pm. Refreshments will be available before the first and second lectures. The event will take place at the Catholic Center at NYU (238 Thompson Street, New York, NY), and are part of The Wisdom of St Thomas Aquinas series sponsored by the Thomistic Institute at NYU (thomisticinstitute.org). To register for the lectures, which are free and open to the public, visit thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

Upcoming Lecture and Solemn Mass in NYC: “Musical Life of English Catholics under Elizabeth”

The Society of St Hugh of Cluny is sponsoring an event in New York City, (details in poster below), which will explore the riches of English Catholic musical and religious culture under the Tudors. The lecture by Dr. Samuel Schmitt will describe the musical life of recusant Catholics in the time of Elizabeth, with live examples provided by Grant and Priscilla Herreid and Charles Weaver.

The Mass which follows, in the traditional Dominican rite, features the Missa Regali of Robert Fayrfax, essentially in its original liturgical context, in the English Gothic Revival setting of the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer. The contrast in musical styles will serve to highlight what was lost and what was gained in sacred music in the tumultuous passing from the age of Fayrfax to that of Byrd.

Gregorian Chant Workshop in Amenia, NY, June 21-24

A four day workshop-retreat for those who want to learn how to sing and lead Gregorian chant will take place from Tuesday, June 21, through Friday, June 24, at the Wethersfield Estate in Amenia, New York.

Two Dominican priests will lead the workshop, Fathers Vincent Ferrer Bagan and Innocent Smith, both of whom have studied chant and church music and have led church and school choirs in singing chant. They also collaborated in Ave Maria: Dominican Chant for the Immaculate Conception, a recent recording by the friars of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.

In addition to formal instruction time, the workshop will include singing chant in the Church’s liturgy as well as discussion about the place of chant in the churches and schools from which the participants come. The $150 fee includes room and board for the four-day retreat/workshop. For more information and to register, please contact Nicole Martin at nmartin@hlfoundation.org.

Introduction to Dominican Chant at St Vincent Ferrer in NYC

Beginning on Sunday, February 7, 2016, the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena will offer a three-part series of workshops on Dominican chant, the dialect of Gregorian chant used by the Order of Preachers.

Led by Fr. Innocent Smith, o.p., the workshops will take place on three successive Sundays, February 7, 14, and 21, from 3:00–3:50 pm in the Parish Hall of the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer (in the undercroft the Church, accessible from Lexington Ave. to the right of the front steps of the Church). On February 14 and 21 the workshop will be followed by Vespers at 4:00 pm in the Church, giving participants a chance to sing some of the chants they have studied in the workshop.

To RSVP for the workshops, please email parish@svsc.info.

A leaf of a Missal decorated by Saint Fra Angelico, the famous Dominican painter, from the museum of the Dominican church of San Marco in Florence, ca. 1430.