Anglican LOTH

[DL82]

I used to say the Hours of Vespers and Compline from an Anglican prayer book from the Society of St Francis (the Anglican Franciscan order). I found their LOTH quite simple and prayerful, and as it’s almost entirely based on elements of the Catholic and Eastern liturgies, and grounded in Scripture, there’s nothing heretical about the content.

I have bought a Monastic Diurnal, and am trying to get to grips with the Catholic LOTH, again Vespers and Compline, but finding it much less easy to focus on the prayers. I can’t really explain this.

Would it be acceptable to use the SSF book of the hours? Would I lose something of the blessings of praying with the Church by not praying the standard form of the hours as they are prayed within the Catholic Church?

Also, my Diurnal is a Benedictine one, is the LOTH different in different orders? Maybe I’d have more success with a Franciscan liturgy if theirs is different, as this is what the SSF hours are based upon.

 

[porthos11]

I used to say the Hours of Vespers and Compline from an Anglican prayer book from the Society of St Francis (the Anglican Franciscan order). I found their LOTH quite simple and prayerful, and as it’s almost entirely based on elements of the Catholic and Eastern liturgies, and grounded in Scripture, there’s nothing heretical about the content.

I have bought a Monastic Diurnal, and am trying to get to grips with the Catholic LOTH, again Vespers and Compline, but finding it much less easy to focus on the prayers. I can’t really explain this.

Would it be acceptable to use the SSF book of the hours? Would I lose something of the blessings of praying with the Church by not praying the standard form of the hours as they are prayed within the Catholic Church?

Also, my Diurnal is a Benedictine one, is the LOTH different in different orders? Maybe I’d have more success with a Franciscan liturgy if theirs is different, as this is what the SSF hours are based upon.

You would not be saying the Hours as liturgy in such a case. Of course, you can use such material devotionally, but it wouldn’t be within the intent of the Hours, which requires, among others, that only approved editions be used.

Besides, praying the Hours means we are of one mind with the Church in prayer, and we are not just doing so by ourselves. It is part of humility and obedience to pray what is duly promulgated by the Church, regardless of our own personal tastes and preferences.

That means, if you are a Benedictine or Franciscan, you use the Hours as promulgated by your due superior. Otherwise, if one wants to pray the Hours as the Liturgy of the Hours, then one uses the Divine Office for one’s own canonical Rite.

As for losing blessings, well, that’s not for anyone to say, surely prayer always profits something.

 

[twiztedseraph]

I used to say the Hours of Vespers and Compline from an Anglican prayer book from the Society of St Francis (the Anglican Franciscan order). I found their LOTH quite simple and prayerful, and as it’s almost entirely based on elements of the Catholic and Eastern liturgies, and grounded in Scripture, there’s nothing heretical about the content.

I have bought a Monastic Diurnal, and am trying to get to grips with the Catholic LOTH, again Vespers and Compline, but finding it much less easy to focus on the prayers. I can’t really explain this.

Would it be acceptable to use the SSF book of the hours? Would I lose something of the blessings of praying with the Church by not praying the standard form of the hours as they are prayed within the Catholic Church?

Also, my Diurnal is a Benedictine one, is the LOTH different in different orders? Maybe I’d have more success with a Franciscan liturgy if theirs is different, as this is what the SSF hours are based upon.

Yes the ‘Diurnal’ is different for the different orders. Some use the normal breviary (book with the Hours), some use a specialised version. If you wanted to pray the same office as the Pope you’d be best getting the divine office (ask at a Catholic bookstore).

 

[lak611]

You would not be saying the Hours as liturgy in such a case. Of course, you can use such material devotionally, but it wouldn’t be within the intent of the Hours, which requires, among others, that only approved editions be used.

I dislike the NAB, so I am interested in getting a Catholic breviary that is not based on the NAB. I am looking at getting the one used in the UK and Australia. It is approved there but not in the USA. Is that acceptable, since it is approved by the Catholic Church just not in the USA?

 

[twiztedseraph]

I dislike the NAB, so I am interested in getting a Catholic breviary that is not based on the NAB. I am looking at getting the one used in the UK and Australia. It is approved there but not in the USA. Is that acceptable, since it is approved by the Catholic Church just not in the USA?

Yep, only thing is that you wouldn’t be able to pray in Community over there as they’re all using the US version…

 

[porthos11]

I dislike the NAB, so I am interested in getting a Catholic breviary that is not based on the NAB. I am looking at getting the one used in the UK and Australia. It is approved there but not in the USA. Is that acceptable, since it is approved by the Catholic Church just not in the USA?

I think it is, but only for private use.

As I mentioned, the NAB isn’t my favorite translation either, but I use the US edition, simply because it’s what the Bishops’ Conference duly promulgated for use in the liturgy. I am of the opinion that the liturgy is subject to the authority of the Church first, and not my own personal preferences. So I find it an exercise in obedience. Besides, I do not feel comfortable using an unapproved edition.

For you, to use the US edition would not only be obedient, but also an opportunity for merit and sacrifice.

 

[DL82]

You would not be saying the Hours as liturgy in such a case. Of course, you can use such material devotionally, but it wouldn’t be within the intent of the Hours, which requires, among others, that only approved editions be used.

Besides, praying the Hours means we are of one mind with the Church in prayer, and we are not just doing so by ourselves. It is part of humility and obedience to pray what is duly promulgated by the Church, regardless of our own personal tastes and preferences.

That means, if you are a Benedictine or Franciscan, you use the Hours as promulgated by your due superior. Otherwise, if one wants to pray the Hours as the Liturgy of the Hours, then one uses the Divine Office for one’s own canonical Rite.

As for losing blessings, well, that’s not for anyone to say, surely prayer always profits something.

Thanks for that.

So basically, the only one that would count as praying “the Hours” for me as a lay person would be the Divine Office for the Latin Rite?

What about praying from the Melkite horologion? I was originally interested in joining the Eastern Church, and spoke to a Melkite Deacon for some weeks. We concluded that in reality I’d need the Latin Church for fellowship, but that I could still pray the office of any Catholic Rite in private prayer.

 

[porthos11]

Thanks for that.

So basically, the only one that would count as praying “the Hours” for me as a lay person would be the Divine Office for the Latin Rite?

What about praying from the Melkite horologion? I was originally interested in joining the Eastern Church, and spoke to a Melkite Deacon for some weeks. We concluded that in reality I’d need the Latin Church for fellowship, but that I could still pray the office of any Catholic Rite in private prayer.

I guess you can, after all there’s no law prohibiting it to my knowledge However, other threads in the Eastern Christianity and EWTN Eastern forums have indicated that the Byzantine Divine Office is not designed for private recitation. It’s much longer and more involved.

Perhaps the Eastern Christianity forum can help.

 

[AJV]

I guess you can, after all there’s no law prohibiting it to my knowledge However, other threads in the Eastern Christianity and EWTN Eastern forums have indicated that the Byzantine Divine Office is not designed for private recitation. It’s much longer and more involved.

And MANY more books.

 

[AJV]

I guess you can, after all there’s no law prohibiting it to my knowledge However, other threads in the Eastern Christianity and EWTN Eastern forums have indicated that the Byzantine Divine Office is not designed for private recitation. It’s much longer and more involved.

And MANY more books if you want to pray it fully. In addition to the Horologion you’ll also need the Menaion, Octoechos, Pentecostarion and Triodion (but as porthos has said, the EC forum is the place to ask). These are quite big volumes: the Menaion is 12 books and often the Octoechos is 4.

 

[porthos11]

And MANY more books if you want to pray it fully. In addition to the Horologion you’ll also need the Menaion, Octoechos, Pentecostarion and Triodion (but as porthos has said, the EC forum is the place to ask). These are quite big volumes: the Menaion is 12 books and often the Octoechos is 4.

Wow. Makes the Latin Liturgy of the Hours look light by comparison.

Quite frankly, I find it one of the perks of being Latin, an accessible Divine Office.

 

[David_Zampino]

Another option would be “The Book of Divine Worship” which HAS been approved by the Church. It takes much of what is good from the Anglican Liturgy of the Hours. It has both a traditional language and modern language version of Morning and Evening Prayer; Compline; and both a traditional language and modern language version of the Psalter.

You might give it a try!