26 St. Felix Valois, c. double. com. of St. Peter, m. PAGE 772
27 St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, bp. c. double,

28

29 Vigil; com. of St. Saturninus, m.

30 St. Andrew, ap, d. II. cl.

773

DECEMBER XXXI Days.

2 St. Bibiana, v. m. semidouble,

3 St. Francis Xavier. c. double,

4 St. Peter Chrysologus, bp, c. double, com. of St. Bar-
bara, v. m.

-

574

575

5 St. Birinus, bp. of Dorchester, c. double, com. of St.

8 Conception of the B. V. Mary, d. 11. cl. with an Oct. 577
9 Of the Octave, semidouble,

10 Of the Octave, sd. com. of St. Melchiades, p. m.

11 St. Damasus, p. c. semidouble, com of the Oct.
12 Of the Octave, semidouble,

13 St. Lucy, v, m, double, com, of the Octave,

14 Of the Octave, semidouble,

15 Octave of the Conception, double,

16 St, Eusebius, bp- m. semidouble,

17

18 Expectation of the B. V. Mary, gr, double,

19

20 Vigil,

21 St. Thomas, ap, d, II, cl.

22

23

25 NATIVITY of our Lord, d. I. cl. with an Octave,
com. of St. Anastasia in second Mass,

26 St. Stephen, proto-m. d. II cl, with an Oct. com, PAGE
of the Octave of the Nativity,

27 St. John, ap. Evang. d. 11 cl. with an Octave com.
of the Ootaves,

28 Holy Innocents, d. II cl, with an Oct, com. of the
Oct. -

115

118

-

119

122

123

125

29 St, Thomas of Canterbury, abp. m. d. I cl. with an
Oct. com, of the Oct. of the Nativity,

30 Of Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity,
semidouble, com. of the Octaves,

31 St. Silvester, p. c. double, com. of the Octaves,

30

FASTING DAYS.

1. The forty days of Lent.

2. The Ember days at the four seasons, being the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, of the first week in Lent; of Whitsun-week; of the third week in September; and of the third week in Advent.

3. The Eves or Vigils of Whitsunday; of Saints Peter and Paul; of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin; of All Saints, and of Christmas Day. N. B. When a Feast falls upon a Monday, the Vigil is kept upon the Saturday, 4. All Wednesdays and Fridays in Advent.

ABSTINENCE DAYS.

The Sundays in Lent, unless leave be given to the contrary. All Fridays in the year; but if Christmas Day falls upon a Friday, it is not a day of Abstinence.

HOLY-DAYS OF OBLIGATION.

January 1. The Circumcision of our Lord.

January 6. The Epiphany.

Ascension-day, the Thursday after the fifth Sunday after
Easter,

Corpus Christi, the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
June 29. SS, Peter and Paul.

August 15. The Assumption of the B. Virgin.

November 1. All Saints.

December 25. Christmas Day.

CATHOLIC READER,

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, speaking of the Mass, calls it "the most holy, sacred, and august sacrifice; the Sun of spiritual exercises;-the Centre of the Christian religion;-the Heart of devotion, and the Soul of piety:-a Mystery so ineffable, as to comprise within itself that abyss of divine charity, whence God communicates himself really to us, and, in a special manner, replenishes our souls with spiritual graces and favours."

"When prayer," continues the Saint, "is united to this divine sacrifice, it becomes so unspeakably efficacious, as to cause the soul to overflow, as it were, with heavenly consolations."

"Endeavour, therefore, to assist at Mass every day, that you may, jointly with the priest, offer up the holy sacrifice of your Redeemer to God his Father, for yourself and the whole Church. The angels, says St. Chrysostom, always attend in great numbers to honour this adorable mystery; and we, by associating ourselves to them with the same intention, cannot but receive many favourable influences from so holy a society. The choirs of the triumphant and militant Church unite themselves to our Lord in this divine action; that with Him, in Him, and through Him, they may gain the heart of God the Father, and make his mercy all our own."