Am I praying the Liturgy of the Hours for January Right?

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Hi, I received the 4 volume set as a gift, but I don’t know where to start.
Since I want to be on the same page as everyone, can anyone confirm to me that I pray the Lithurgy of hours right?
Let’s say: It’s January 12th, 2019, Saturday.

Do I start with volume 3 (brown book), page 810 for morning prayer?
If yes, I would proceed like this:
start with the following Hymn (page 811): Praise, my soul, the King of heaven
Then proceed to An1 (page 811): Dawn finds me ready to welcome you, my G-d…
Then to Psalm 119 (page 812): I call with all my heart, Lord, hear me, I will keep your commands…
Then to Canticle: (p812): I will sing to the Lord, for her is gloriously triumphant."

If anyone can confirm I use the correct page number this this would be great as it’s said combined prayer works best.

If anyone is so kind and tells me how to use the Lithurgy for a full DAY like an expert(January 12, 2019) and what time to pray , I would be grateful.
 
Look for Guide for the Liturgy of the Hours. Cost should be about $2.50 and if you have a Catholic bookstore anywhere near you, they should have it; or you can get it on Amazon.

It will outline where to be page by page and day by day, with any alternatives.

If the 4 volume set is your first “rodeo” you may find yourself feeling you you have been thrown into the deep end of the pool without the life jacket; but the guide will get you through very easily.
 
If you are in the U.S., we are still in Volume 1. January 12 is the day before the Baptism of the Lord. Monday we will go to Volume III, Monday of the first week in Ordinary time.
 
Start with Compline as it is the easiest to learn and in my book less flipping around than the other prayers for the day.
 
HeDa said:
Start with Compline as it is the easiest to learn and in my book less flipping around than the other prayers for the day.
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Good point! Quite a few guides/manuals I have seen about praying the Divine Office make this recommendation, too.
 
Where I live we say “Completorium - bön vid dagens slut” so what everything is called in English is a challenge for someone who does not worship in English more than maybe once or twice/year. I tend to use the Latin words as they are usually understood by everyone and not my “made up English words”.
 
You may want to consider a companion app or website until you get the hang of it. I personally use iBreviary for the US translation (and love the DivineOffice.org folks, but theirs is no longer open to newcomers); others here will recommend other apps. This allowed me, when I was learning, to compare the text on my page (and in some cases, page numbers) to the app to assure me I was in the right place for the day/hour I wanted to pray.

It will also help you discover some questions you can come back here to ask or ask someone else as you discover options within the liturgy. For example, optional memorials… why did the app choose order A when it looks like in my book I can do order B.
 
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It can be a little complicated to start out, especially at this time of year. But don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it!

Right now, we are in Week II of the Psalter. This is where your psalms and antiphons will come from. Closer to the front of the Breviary, you can find the readings, intercessions, etc. Today is Saturday after Epiphany. Tomorrow will be the Baptism of the Lord, afterwhich we switch to volume III in the Breviary. Once the Christmas season is over, it should be a little bit easier to get the hang of, as there’s less flipping back and forth.
 
Catholic Company has a YouTube video called, How to Pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

From the Saint Joseph Guide For the Liturgy of the Hours For 2019:

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS (partial)

Ab - Abbot
ALL - All hours
Ant - Antiphon
BVM - Blessed Virgin Mary
Com - Common
DP - Daytime Prayer
EP - Evening Prayer
F - Feast
f - following page(s)
Mem - Memorial (Obligatory)
MP - Morning Prayer
NP - Night Prayer
OOR - Office of Readings
Pr - Prayer
Ps - Psalmody
Rel - Religious
Rd - Reading(s)
St. - Saint

BEGIN WITH VOLUME I

JANUARY
  1. Sat. Saturday after Epiphany
    ALL 906, Ant, Rd, etc. 618
    EP I (of Baptism) 625; NP 1169
  2. Sun. BAPTISM OF THE LORD (F)
    All 628, Te Deum; DP Ps 934; NF 1172
BEGIN VOLUME III
  1. Mon. Monday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
    ALL 702, Rd 53 & Pr 56; NP 1275
  2. Tue. Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
    ALL 722, Rd 57 & Pr 60; NP 1278
  3. Wed. Wednesday of th 1st Week in Ordinary Time
    All 744, Rd 60 & Pr 64; NP 1280
  4. Thu. St. Anthony, Ab (Mem) (1303)
    From Com of Rel 1858
    OOR 765, Rd 65 & 1304, Pr 1305
    MP 1862, Ps 769, Pr 1305; DP 774
    EP 1864, Ps 780, Pr 1305; NP 1283
  5. Fri. Friday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
    ALL 786, Rd 69 & Pr 73; NP 1285
  6. Sat. Saturday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
    All 807, Rd 73 & Pr 77; EP see below
OR: BVM on Saturday - 1642 & 807
Rd 73 & 1642f, Pr 1653f; DP 816
EP I (of Sunday) 821, Ant & Pr 78; NP 1269
  1. Sun. SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
    ALL 826, Rd, Te Deum, Ant & Pr 78; NP 1272
 
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The Invitatory precedes the first Hour, whether that be the Office of Readings or Morning Prayer.
Morning Prayer is said “as the light of a new day is dawning.”
Evening Prayer is said “when evening approaches and the day is already far spent.”
Daytime Prayer(s), namely, Midmorning, Midday, Midafternoon, if said, is/are said at the appropriate time(s) of day as suggested by their name.
Night Prayer “is the last prayer of the day, said before retiring at night, even after midnight.”
Office of Reading, traditionally a night prayer, may be said any time. It is often said immediately before Morning Prayer.
 
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I wish we got some good resources like the St Joseph Guide here in England. Every time I look for something on the Net I find a US resource. Even if I search our own bishops’ conference’s liturgy office website the resources are not so good. I’ve nothing against US resources, many are often very good it is just that they’re not always relevant. The St Joseph Guide is for the USA-approved four volume ‘Liturgy of the Hours’. Unlike the Missal, England went its own way with the canonical hours. We didn’t use ICEL and have our own three volume ‘Divine Office’. Something comparable to the St Joseph Guide would be very useful.
 
Thank you. This has been very helpful. However, when I look at the Saint Jospeh Guide for 2019 (I don’t have the booklet, but you can google it and you see the front page) it shows that Volume 3 is to be used from January 9 to Feb 13.

which means Volume 3 has started 3 days ago. You sure this is the updated version?
 
There is an error on that particular front page image; even though it says it is for 2019, the dates it shows are for 2018, not 2019. This image has the correct dates for 2019.
 
seasonsofbooks said:
Thank you. This has been very helpful. However, when I look at the Saint Jospeh Guide for 2019 (I don’t have the booklet, but you can google it and you see the front page) it shows that Volume 3 is to be used from January 9 to Feb 13.

which means Volume 3 has started 3 days ago. You sure this is the updated version?
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I saw that photo, and it’s definitely a mistake. Vol III begins on January 14th and runs through March 5th. March 6th is Ash Wednesday and we switch to Volume II for Lent.

You will begin Volume III on Mnday, January 14th, and you will start with the Psalter, Week I.

Oh, and if your set is new, you should have a set of cards. Read them all, but especially the one that says “Format of the Offices”. That is very helpful.
 
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Thank you so much for helping out, Todd. You have been such a help. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Hoy Spirit be with you. Amen.
 
Thank you. I had no idea there was a mistake, so I’m happy I found this forum. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Hoy Spirit be with you. Amen.
 
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