A few questions..

[Alyssa1948]

I’m a rather new convert to the Catholic faith. I’m wondering if someone could explain the differences/define a Breviary, The Liturgy of the Hours, and the Divine Office. Same thing, difference names? Condensed? I’ve done some light research, and I’m still confused.

I also see a lot of discussion regarding very very specific changes after such and such years, usually in the threads regarding missals. So… in a somewhat related question, where can I find a good, comprehensive yet readable history of the Catholic church/liturgy?

Thank you!

 

[James0235]

I’m a rather new convert to the Catholic faith. I’m wondering if someone could explain the differences/define a Breviary, The Liturgy of the Hours, and the Divine Office. Same thing, difference names? Condensed? I’ve done some light research, and I’m still confused.

The Divine Office and the Liturgy of the Hours (LOTH) are essentially the same thing. They can be used interchangeably. The Divine Office / LOTH is the public prayer of the Church offered by priests, deacons, religious, and even many laypersons several times a day. It consists mostly of praying the psalms as well as other prayers.

Sometimes people will use the term Divine Office to mean the Liturgy of the Hours before Vatican II.

A Breviary is the prayer book that contains the LOTH. In the US the post Vatican II LOTH is contained in 4 books. There is an abridged one volume version called Christian Prayer.

God bless,

James

 

[John_Lilburne]

Usually “breviary” is referring to a book. The “Liturgy of the Hours” is referring to a liturgy, a ceremony.

“Divine Office” is usually regarded as a older name for the “Liturgy of the Hours” (Dennis Smolarski, Liturgical Literarcy, Paulist Press, 1990, page 96).

But in some places the book has the title “The Divine Office” (such as The Divine Office, published by E.J. Dwyer, Sydney, 1974, ISBN 085574233X ).

 

[diggerdomer]

So… in a somewhat related question, where can I find a good, comprehensive yet readable history of the Catholic church/liturgy?

Thank you!

This is a broad topic…actually two topics!!

Off the top of my head:

1. Church history: Thomas Bokenkotter “A Concise History of the Catholic Church.”

It’s pretty thick (I always smile at the “concise” word, but then again that shows you how rich a history it is) but very readable. Some may think he’s too liberal perhaps, I don’t know, but it’s a good resource at least for starters. No one book is going to present everything adequately.

1. Liturgy:

a. Joseph Martos’ “Doors to the Sacred.” This is actually a history of Sacraments (and a thorough one at that), but most Catholic liturgy is Sacraments so it should be helpful. I know for sure some consider him too liberal, but I don’t, I think he’s balanced in his presentation. The latest edition to his book (orig written in the 1980s) was updated to incorporate the universal Catechism when it was released in the 1990s.

b. Theodor Klauser “A Short History of the Western Liturgy” I think this was originally written in German, so it may not be as “readable” as the English authors I noted above…but it’s a shorter book and I found it quite readable. I’ve never heard any criticize it for being too far liberal/conservative right/left or whatever labels people like to use.

BEst wishes.