SECTION II.


THE YEAR AND ITS PARTS.

The Council of Trent, Sess. XXIII., c. 18, orders "_ut in disciplina
ecclesiastica clerici commodius instituantur grammaticas, cantus,
computi ecclesiastici, aliarumque bonarum artium disciplinam
discant_." The minute study of the ecclesiastical calendar is not
now so necessary for each priest, as it was centuries ago. The _Ordo
Divini Officii recitandi_, issued yearly, and prepared with great
accuracy, relieves priests of much labour and secures them from many
doubts. And the decision of the Congregation of Rites (13th January,
1899) regarding the authority of the _ordo_ gives greater security.
"_Qui probabilius judicat errare Calendarium tenetur eidem Calend.
stare, nec potest proprio inhaerere judicio quoad officium, Missam vel
colorem Paramentorum._" Of course this decision does not apply to
errors which are _openly_ and _plainly_ at variance with the
rubrics of the Missal and Breviary. However, it may be well to revise
and to recall the student days' lessons on the Church's Calendar. The
study is not an easy one, and in labouring to be brief, probably, I may
be obscure and incomplete.

"_Annus menses habet duodecim..._" says the Breviary. The year has
twelve months, fifty-two weeks plus one day, or 365 days and almost six
hours. But these six hours make up a day every four years, and this
fourth year is called bisextile.