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

773
28
29 Vigil; com. of St. Saturninus, m.

369
30 St. Andrew, ap, d, II. c.

572

DECEMBER XXXI Days.

2 St. Bibiana, v. m, semidouble,

574
3 St. Francis Xavier. c. double,

574
4 St. Peter Chrysologus, bp, Co double, com. of St. Bar.
bara, v. m.

575
5 St. Birinus, bp, of Dorchester, ce double, com, of St.
Sabbas, ab

575
6 St. Nicholas, bp. c. double,

575
7 St, Ambrose, bp. c. D, double,

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

580
10 Or the Octave, sd, com. of St. Melchiades, p. m. 580
11 St. Damasus, p. C. semidouble, com of the Oct. 560
12 or the Octave, semidouble,

580
13 St. Lucy, v, m, double, com, of the Octave,

580
14 Of the Octave, semidouble,

580
15 Octave of the Conception, double,

577
16 St, Eusebius, bp- m. semidoable,

581
17
18 Expectation of the B. V, Mary, gr, double,

581
19
20 Vigil,

581
21 St. Thomas, ap, d, II, cl.

• 581
22
23
24 Vigil, or Christmas Eve,

107
25 NATIVITY of our Lord, d, I, cl, with an Octave,
com, of St. Anastasia in second Mass,

109

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

115
27 St. John, ap. Evang, d, Il cl. with an Octave com.
of the Ooiaves,

118
28 Holy Innocents, d. II cl, with an Oct, com. of the
Oct. -

119
29 St, Thomas of Canterbury, abp. m. d. I cl.with an
Oct, com, of the Oct. of the Nativity,

122
30 Of Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity,
semidouble, com. of the Octaves,

123
31 St. Silvester, p. c, double, com, of the Octaves, 125

22 Apr

18 Apr

6 Mar 23 May 11 28 Nov 30 25 Apr 12 May 31 25 Nov 29 17 Apr

4 May 23 26 Nov 28 9 Apr 24 June 12 23 Nov 27

8 May 27 26 Dec 2 13 Mar 31 May 19 27 Dec 1 5 Apr 20 June 8/ 24 Nov 30

5 May 24 26 Nov 29 10 Mar 27 May 15 27 Nov 27 1 Apr 16 June 4 25 Dec 3 1 May 20 27 Dec

2 6 Apr 21 June 9 24 Dec 1 26 Apr

12 May 31 25 Nov 29 10 Mar 26 May 1627 Nov 28 2 Apr 17 June 5 24 Nov 27

9 May 28 26 Dec 3 14 Mar 31 May 19 27 Dec 1 26 Apr

13 June 25 Nov 341

5 May 24 26 Nov 29 10 Mar 28 May 16 27 Nov 28

14 Apr

22 Apr

1876 Feb 1877 Jan

13 Mar
28 Feb

1 Apr 14 Apr

16 June 4 25 Dec
May 20 27 Dec

3 2

FASTING DAYS.

1. The forty days of Lent. 2. The Ember days at the four seasons, being the Wednes

day, 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."