Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.
Feast of The Holy Family.
Sunday within The Octave of The Epiphany.
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
[EDITOR: WHEN FAMILY LIFE IS UNDER ATTACK FROM ALL QUARTERS, NOWADAYS, LET US CONTINUALLY PRAY TO THE HOLY FAMILY FOR SUPPORT, GUIDANCE, AND HELP.]
Artist: Rene de Cramer.
"Copyright Brunelmar/Ghent/Belgium".
Used with Permission.
"Is it not fitting," says Pope Leo XIII, "to Celebrate The Royal Birth of The Son of The Supreme Father, of The House of David and the Glorious Names of that ancient Line ?" Yet, it is more consoling for us to call to memory the little house at Nazareth and the humble life lived there; thus Celebrating The Hidden Life of Our Lord.
"The Feast of The Holy Family".
Available on YouTube at
For there, The Divine Child received His training in Joseph's humble trade; there, hidden and sheltered, He grew up and showed Himself ready to share the toil of a Carpenter's life. "Let the moisture," he seemed to say, "trickle over my limbs before they are drenched with the torrent of My Blood, and the pain of this labour shall go to stone for the sins of men."
Close to The Divine Child is His Tender Mother; close to Joseph stands his devoted wife, happy to relieve their toil and suffering by her loving care. O Thou, Who wast not free from toil and care and Who hast known adversity, come to the aid of the unfortunate, crippled by poverty and struggling against the difficulties of life" (Hymn for Matins).
In this lowly dwelling at Nazareth, by practising the domestic virtues of charity, obedience, mutual help and regard, Jesus, Mary and Joseph hallowed family life (Collect, Epistle, and Gospel). There, too, they constantly found joy and peace in Recollection and Prayer in Common.
May The Great Christian Family practise here on Earth the Virtues of The Holy Family, so meriting a life in Their Blessed Company in Heaven (Collect).
Pope Benedict XV, being desirous of securing for Souls The Blessings flowing from Meditation on The Virtues of The Holy Family and from their imitation, extended this Feast to The Universal Church, fixing its observance for The Sunday in The Octave of The Epiphany.
When this Sunday happens to be The Octave Day of The Epiphany, The Feast is kept on the day before.
When The Feast is observed on a Sunday, every Parish Priest Celebrates Mass for the people of his Parish.
Mass: Exsúltat gáudio.
Commemoration: Of The Sunday.
Commemoration: Of The Octave of The Epiphany.
Gospel: Cum factus esset. As on The Sunday within The Octave of Epiphany.
The Creed: Is said.
Preface: Of The Epiphany.
Communicantes: Of The Epiphany.
Last Gospel: The Gospel of Saint John.
If The Feast of The Holy Family falls on any date from 7 January to 11 January, The Mass of The Sunday is Celebrated on the following day, Monday (8 January to 17 January).
If The Feast of The Holy Family falls on 12 January, The Mass of The Sunday is not Celebrated at all, for want of a free day.
If The Epiphany (6 January) and its Octave Day (13 January) fall on a Sunday, The Mass of The Holy Family (with The Commemoration of The Sunday and The Octave) is said "in anticipation" on Saturday, 12 January, and The Mass of The Sunday is Transferred to Saturday, 19 January, the only free day. In this case, it is said with the Gloria, but without the Credo, with the Preface but without the Communicantes of The Epiphany, and with the Gospel "Pastores" (from The Second Mass at Christmas), as Last Gospel.
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