I call to the membership’s attention an error on the 2011 Ordo and Liturgical Calendar issued by the FSSP concerning the observance of the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord which the FSSP had originally marked as being transferred to Saturday, July 2 this year. This is an error; July 2 remains the 2nd. class Feast of the Visitation of the B.V.M.
Normally, the Precious Blood is celebrated on July 1 and is ranked First Class. However, because of the late date of Easter this year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (also First Class) falls on July 1 (Friday after the 2nd. Sunday after Pentecost). The Sacred Heart, being a moveable feast, takes precedence. Section 95 of the Rubricae Generales issued on 25 July, 1960 states that whenever two feasts of the same Divine Person, Saint or Blesssed occur on the same day, the superior feast is celebrated while the other is omitted entirely. Since both feasts in question celebrate the Second Person of the Trinity, this rubric applies and the Feast of the Most Precious Blood is omitted this year rather than being transferred to another day according to the rubric in section 96 of the same instruction.
Priests retain the option of celebrating a 4th. class Votive Mass of the Precious Blood on Monday, July 4 which is a 4th. class Feria. However, there is no provision in the 1962 Breviarium to observe a Votive Office; therefore, the Office of the Most Precious Blood is omitted this year and the Office is of the Feria on July 4 regardless of the option to celebrate a Votive Mass of the former that day.