St. Felix of Valois

Confessor

Double

mtv

Common

1st Vespers

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Deus, qui beátum Felícem Confessórem tuum ex erémo ad munus rediméndi captívos cælitus vocáre dignátus es : præsta, quæsumus ; ut per grátiam tuam ex peccatórum nostrórum captivitáte, ejus intercessióne, liberáti, ad cæléstem pátriam perducámur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who by thy heavenly inspiration didst call blessed Felix thy Confessor from the desert to the work of the ransoming of prisoners and captives : grant, we beseech thee ; that, through thy grace, we may, at his intercession, be delivered from the captivity of our sins, and be brought in the end to our country in heaven.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

First Vespers

The Trinitarian Church of San Tommaso in Formis, Rome

V.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum.
R.  Stolam glóriæ índuit eum.

V.  The Lord loved him, and adorned him.
R.  He clothed him with a robe of glory.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Similábo eum * viro sapiénti, qui ædificávit domum suam supra petram.

Ant. on Magnif:  I will liken him * unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Oremus.
Deus, qui beátum Felícem Confessórem tuum ex erémo ad munus rediméndi captívos cælitus vocáre dignátus es : præsta, quæsumus ; ut per grátiam tuam ex peccatórum nostrórum captivitáte, ejus intercessióne, liberáti, ad cæléstem pátriam perducámur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who by thy heavenly inspiration didst call blessed Felix thy Confessor from the desert to the work of the ransoming of prisoners and captives : grant, we beseech thee ; that, through thy grace, we may, at his intercession, be delivered from the captivity of our sins, and be brought in the end to our country in heaven.  Through.

Commemoration is made of the preceding day (St. Elisabeth, W) :

Ant:  Manum suam apéruit ínopi, et palmas suas exténdit ad páuperem, et panem otiósa non comédit.

Ant:  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor ; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy; she eateth not the bread of idleness.

V.  Diffúsa est grátia in lábiis tuis.
R.  Proptérea benedíxit te Deus in ætérnum.

V.  Full of grace are thy lips.
R.  Because God hath blessed thee for ever.

Oremus.
Tuórum corda fidélium, Deus miserátor, illústra : et, beátæ Elísabeth précibus gloriósis ; fac nos próspera mundi despícere, et cælésti semper consolatióne gaudére.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Merciful Lord, we pray thee to pour the bright beams of thy grace into our hearts : that, by the glorious prayers of thy blessed Elisabeth ; we may learn to despise all worldly prosperity, and ever to rejoice in all heavenly consolation.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Matins

The first part of Matins is in the Ordinary

Invitatory and Hymn

First Nocturn

Second Nocturn

Third Nocturn
 

First Nocturn

The Lessons for the First Nocturn are taken from the occurrent Scripture.  If, however, they are to be taken from the Common, they are read from that of a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 1,  Beatus vir.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of Confessors
 

Second Nocturn

Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity.
R.  Amen.

Felix, Hugo ántea dictus, ex regáli Valesiórum família ortus in Gállia, ab ineúnte ætáte non lévia dedit futúræ sanctitátis indícia, præsértim misericórdiæ erga páuperes.  Nam, adhuc infántulus, manu própria, ac si grándior esset et judícii maturitáte polléret, nummos egénis distríbuit ; jam grandiúsculus, solébat ex appósitis in mensa dápibus ad ipsos míttere, et ferme eo, quod sapídius erat, obsónio paupérculos púeros recreábat ; adoléscens, non semel véstibus se expoliávit, ut ínopes cooperíret.  Ab avúnculo Theobáldo, Xamphánæ et Blésii cómite, vitam reo mortis impetrávit, prædícens hunc infámem háctenus sicárium, mox sanctíssimis præditum móribus evasúrum : verídicum testimónium monstrávit evéntus.

Felix, once called Hugh, was born in France of the royal family of the Valois.  From his earliest years he gave many índications of his future sanctity, especially that he would be charitable to the poor.  While still a small child, he would distribute with his own hand, money to the needy just as though he were grown up and had reached years of mature judgment.  A little older, he sent them food from his own table, and delighted poor young children with those dishes they liked best.  More than once, after he had reached manhood, he stripped himself of his own garments to clothe the destitute.  From his uncle Theobald, Count of Champagne and Blois, he begged the life of a criminal condemned to death, predicting that this man, hitherto a notorious criminal would, if set free, reform and become a holy man.  The result shewed the truth of this prophecy.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.
V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.

R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God.
R.  And gave him perpetual glory.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal.
R.  Amen.

Saints John Matha and Felix of Valois
Co-Founders of the Trinitarian Order

Post exáctam laudabíliter adolescéntiam cœpit ex cæléstis contemplatiónis stúdio solitúdinem cogitáre ; prius tamen vóluit Sacris initiári, ut omnem regni, a cujus successióne jure legis Sálicæ non longe distábat, spem sibi præcíderet.  Sacérdos factus, et prima Missa devotíssime celebráta, non multo post in erémum secéssit, ubi, summa abstinéntia víctitans, cæléstium charísmatum abundántia pascebátur.  Ibi cum sancto Joánne de Matha Parisiénsi doctóre, a quo ex divína inspiratióne quæsítus et invéntus, per áliquot annos sanctíssime vixit ; donec ambo per Angelum a Deo admóniti Romam petiérunt, speciálem a summo Pontífice vivéndi régulam impetratúri.  Facta ígitur Innocéntio Papæ tértio inter Missárum solémnia revelatióne religiónis et institúti de rediméndis captívis, ab ipso Pontífice, simul cum sócio, cándidis véstibus bicolóri cruce signátis indúitur, ad eam formam qua Angelus indútus appáruit.  Et ínsuper vóluit Póntifex, ut nova relígio, juxta tríplicem colórem quo hábitus constat, sanctíssimæ Trinitátis título decorarétur.

After a youth spent in a most praiseworthy fashion, his zeal for heavenly contemplation led Felix to think of retiring into solitude.  He decided to take Holy Orders first, however, and so to cut himself off from all possibility of succeeding to the crown, for according to Salic Law Felix was not far removed from the succession.  Ordained a priest, he said his first Mass with great devotion.  Shortly afterward he retired into a desert where he lived a life of strictest abstinence, fed mostly by an abundance of heavenly graces.  In company with the saintly doctor John of Matha, a Parisian who had been directed by divine inspiration to seek and find Felix, he lived a most holy life for some years.  Then counseled by an angel of God, both set out for Rome to receive a special rule of life from the Sovereign Pontiff.  About this time, Pope Innocent III, during a Solemn Mass, received a revelation about a religious order and society for the ransoming of captives.  The Pope personally clothed Felix and his company in a white habit, marked with a cross of two colours, similar to the one the Angel of the reveleation had worn.  The Pope specified, moreover, that because of the three colours of the habit, the new Order should bear the Name of the most Holy Trinity.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.
V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum.
R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.

R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.
V.  The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him.
R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.

Pope Innocent III

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love.
R.  Amen.

Régula própria, ex summi Pontíficis Innocéntii confirmatióne, accépta, in diœcési Meldénsi apud locum qui Cervus Frígidus dícitur, primum órdinis paulo ante a se et sócio exstrúctum cœnóbium ampliávit, ubi religiósam observántiam et redemptiónis institútum mirífice cóluit, ac inde per alúmnos in álias províncias diligentíssime propagávit.  Illústrem hic a beáta Vírgine Matre favórem accépit ; dormiéntibus síquidem cunctis frátribus et ad matutínas preces in pervigílio Nativitátis Deíparæ média nocte recitándas, Deo sic disponénte, non surgéntibus, Felix, de more vígilans et horas prævéniens, chorum ingréssus, réperit beátam Vírginem in médio chori, hábitu cruce órdinis insigníto indútam, ac Cælítibus simíliter indútis sociátam.  Quibus permíxtus Felix, præcinénte Deípara, laudes divínas concínuit ríteque persólvit.  Et, quasi jam a terréstri ad cæléstem chorum evocarétur, instántis mortis ab Angelo cértior factus, fílios ad caritátem erga páuperes et captívos adhórtans, ánimam Deo réddidit, ætáte ac méritis consummátus, anno post Christum natum ducentésimo duodécimo supra millésimum, sub eódem Pontífice Innocéntio tértio.

After receiving the approval of their particular rule from the Supreme Pontiff Innocent, Felix enlarged the first monastery of the Order.  This he and his companions had built shortly before in a place called Cerfroid, in the diocese of Meaux.  There Felix cultivated in a truly marvellous way religious observance and the ransoming of captives.  From this monastery he zealously directed the propagation of his Order by sending disciples into other provinces.  It was here, too, he received an extraordinary favour from the Blessed Virgin Mary.  During the night watch on the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, while the brethren slept, and in the providence of God did not wake for midnight office, Felix who had been watching, as was his habit, in anticipation of reciting the Office, entered the choir.  There he found the Blessed Virgin in the middle of the choir, robed in the habit and cross of the Order.  Around her was a company of heavenly beings, clothed in similar attire.  Felix took his place among them, and as the Mother of God intoned the Office, sang with them and duly rendered praises unto God.  Then, as if already he was being summoned from an earthly choir to an heavenly one, an Angel informed him that death was at hand.  Felix exhorted his children to have love for the poor, especially the captives, then full of years and merits, he gave back his soul to God.  This was in the year 1212 after the birth of Christ, and in the pontificate of the same Innocent III.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Iste homo perfécit ómnia quæ locútus est ei Deus, et dixit ad eum : Ingrédere in réquiem meam : * Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.

R.  This is he which did according to all that God commanded him ; and God said unto him : Enter thou into my rest : * For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  This is he which despised his life in this world, and is come unto an everlasting kingdom.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.

If this Feast be reduced to the rank of Simple, and Lesson IX of this Feast is to be said according to the Rubrics, the following abbreviated version may be used.

Felix, Hugo ántea dictus, ex regáli Valesiórum família ortus in Gállia, ab adolescéntia cœpit cæléstis contemplatiónis stúdio solitúdinem cogitare.  Sacérdos factus, in erémum secéssit, ubi cum sancto Joánne de Matha per áliquot annos vixit, donec ambo, per Angelum a Deo admóniti, Romam petiérunt, ubi a summo Pontífice Innocéntio tértio, cælitus item admónito, approbatiónem novi órdinis ad rediméndos captívos obtinuérunt ; quem ex cándidis véstibus, bicolóri cruce signátis, ab Angelo accéptis, idem Póntifex, sanctíssimæ Trinitátis nómine decorávit.  Mox in diœcési Meldénsi apud locum, qui Cervus Frígidus dícitur, primum órdinis cœnóbium exstruxérunt.  Illústrem ibi Felix a beáta Vírgine María favórem accépit, cum eam in médio chori, hábitu cruce órdinis insigníto indútam, réperit.  Ætáte ac méritis consummátus, óbiit in Dómino, anno ducentésimo duodécimo supra millésimum.

Felix, previously called Hugh, of the royal family of the Valois in France, from his youth began to seek solitude from the desire of heavenly contemplation.  When he was ordained priest, he withdrew to an hermitage, where he lived for some years with St. John of Matha.  Then God told them both through the message of an Angel to go to Rome and to obtain from Pope Innocent III, who had also been advised from heaven, the approbation of a new Order, for the redemption of captives.  Because of the white habit adorned with a cross in two colours which they had received from the Angel, the same Pontiff gave this order the name of the most Holy Trinity.  They soon built the first house of the Order in the diocese of Meaux at a place called Cerfroid.  There Felix received a great favour from the Blessed Virgin Mary : he saw her in the middle of the choir clothed in the habit of the Order with its cross.  Full of merits, he fell asleep in the Lord at an advanced age in the year 1212.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

Seal of the Trinitarian Order

After the conclusion of the Second Nocturn, the Third Nocturn is begun according to the current weekday, as given in the table below.

Third Nocturn

In the Third Nocturn, the Gospel Homily Nolite timere is read from the Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 2.

A Trinitarian Monk

Gospel Homily from Common of Confessors
 

Lauds

V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
R.  Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.

V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R.  And shewed him the kingdom of God.

Ad Bened. Ant:  Euge, serve bone * et fidélis, quia in pauca fuísti fidélis, supra multa te constítuam, intra in gáudium Dómini tui.

Ant. on Bened:  Well done, good and faithful servant: * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

THE BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Deus, qui beátum Felícem Confessórem tuum ex erémo ad munus rediméndi captívos cælitus vocáre dignátus es : præsta, quæsumus ; ut per grátiam tuam ex peccatórum nostrórum captivitáte, ejus intercessióne, liberáti, ad cæléstem pátriam perducámur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who by thy heavenly inspiration didst call blessed Felix thy Confessor from the desert to the work of the ransoming of prisoners and captives : grant, we beseech thee ; that, through thy grace, we may, at his intercession, be delivered from the captivity of our sins, and be brought in the end to our country in heaven.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH