About Catholic Ordos

Catholic Ordos and Their Uses

The Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours
and Celebration of the Eucharist

The use of an Ordo dates back, in different forms, to the Middle Ages. Guides for directing and offering instruction as to the form of Mass and Office for each day of the year were among the early books printed with the invention of the printing press. Some of the earlier versions, including one from 1475, included instruction for all possible years, not one specific year. Even with the advent of the printing press, books could be costly, so disposable, annual books didn’t catch on right away. The exact date of origin of the annual Ordo as is used today is not known for sure, though it seems to have grown in popularity in the 1700s.

From the Preface of the Catholic Ordo, also called The Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours and Celebration of the Eucharist:

“This Ordo provides readers with the following:

Daily Precis: To encourage the homily “as an integral part of the service” and to assist in its preparation, a brief précis of the readings for each day of the liturgical year is provided.

Responsorial Psalm: To further assist in preparation of the Liturgy of the Word, the responsorial psalm for each day is given.

Suggested Prayers: To further enable the scriptures to cast their light on the celebration as a whole, suggestions are made on the ferias of Ordinary Time as to which prayers from the Sacramentary might best provide a connection with the readings of the day, especially the gospel.”

It also includes Monthly Papal intentions, Necrology (to remember in prayer deceased bishops, priests and deacons who served in the diocese), pastoral notes (suggestions to enrich particular seasons or celebrations, as permitted by liturgical norms), and some brief biographical data on saints listed in the liturgical calendar.

An Ordo is primarily designed for the clergy, to assist bishops, priests and deacons in preparing for the Mass. It contains information on what Masses are to be said, what feasts take precedence, and has information and suggestions to help the clergy put together an informative homily. It also indicates on what days funeral Masses and Nuptial and other ritual Masses are permitted and not permitted. Additionally, those who study the liturgy and those who teach about the liturgy may find the Ordo a useful resource.

The general edition of the Ordo is available in English and Spanish. The general edition is not specific to any diocese or archdiocese. It is especially popular with deacons and lectors. It contains most of the standard information of the Ordo, but does not contain the Necrology since it is not specific to one province.

To select an Ordo specific to your diocese, you simply need to find the region your diocese is listed under. The regional Ordo will contain the Necrology and other information particular to the dioceses it covers.

Complete Region List for the 2009 Ordo -

Region 1 - Allentown, Altoona-Johnstown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Scranton.

Region 2 - Anchorage, Portland, Seattle, Baker, Boise, Fairbanks, Juneau, Spokane, Yakima.

Region 3 - Atlanta, Mobile, Biloxi, Birmingham, Charleston, Charlotte, Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Raleigh, Savannah.

Region 4 - Baltimore, Washington DC, Wilmington.

Region 5 - Belleville, Peoria, Springfield IL.

Region 6 - Bismark, Fargo, Great Falls-Billings, Helena, Rapid City, Sioux Falls.

Region 7 - Boston, Fall River, Springfield MA, Worchester.

Region 8 - Brooklyn, Rockville Center.

Region 9 - Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Rochester, Syracuse.

Region 10 - Burlington, Manchester, Portland ME.