Another LOBVM Question

[mccorm45]

I have currently been praying through the Baronius Press traditional (1961) Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary each day. Love it! But I do have a question in regards to Matins. In the current LotH, Matins was replaced by the Office of Readings, which can be prayed at any point of the day. Now, Matins, in the LOBVM has some variety to it, so I would like to pray it everyday. However can one pray Matins in the traditional Breviary at any point of the day?

 

[Brooklyn]

I have currently been praying through the Baronius Press traditional (1961) Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary each day. Love it! But I do have a question in regards to Matins. In the current LotH, Matins was replaced by the Office of Readings, which can be prayed at any point of the day. Now, Matins, in the LOBVM has some variety to it, so I would like to pray it everyday. However can one pray Matins in the traditional Breviary at any point of the day?

I could be wrong about this, and I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong. In the Traditional Breviary, Matins and Lauds should be prayed at midnight when prayed as a group. As a group, Matins and Lauds must be prayed together. If you pray it individually, it can be separated from Lauds. You should understand that the Traditional Breviary was never intended for use by the laity but by monks and clergy, so the rules aer much stricter. It was also to be prayed only in Latin. The traditional Breviary is much more demanding that the LOTH currently in use.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

As you are doing this as a private devotion and are not bound to the recitation of the Office you can do anything you want as to the ordering of the prayers.

 

[Brooklyn]

As you are doing this as a private devotion and are not bound to the recitation of the Office you can do anything you want as to the ordering of the prayers.

Yes, and I’m so grateful for that!

 

[mccorm45]

As you are doing this as a private devotion and are not bound to the recitation of the Office you can do anything you want as to the ordering of the prayers.

Now since it is approved to pray publically, in Latin, via Summorum Pontificam, I would venture to say that a group would need to do it at the appropriate hours, including Matins?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Now since it is approved to pray publically, in Latin, via Summorum Pontificam, I would venture to say that a group would need to do it at the appropriate hours, including Matins?

Lay people need no approval to pray the Office, any Office, as a devotion.

If they wish to say that they are praying with the Church then they need to keep the guidelines as laid out by the Church but as a devotion anything goes.

Only those bound to pray the Hours must always follow the rules.

 

[corsair]

As has been said, a lot depends on whether you are part of an Order, clerical or religious, or whether you say the Office “just because” of your own desire to honor Mary.

It also depends on which version of the LOBVM that you recite. So many variable!

 

[newyorkcatholic]

According to the 1961 rubrics, Matins can be said separately from Lauds. It can be anticipated the previous day but no earlier than 2:00 PM. It should be said at least after Vespers is said, but it can be anticipated before compline.

It used to be the common practice that matins and lauds were combined, as they still can be. But they are not requires to be in individual recitation. The main change in the 1961 rubrics is that lauds can no longer be anticipated so if saying both you have to start sometime after midnight.

Of course you aren’t bound to these rules as ByzCath has said.

There is still value in following this rubric to some extent, since Matins traditionally retains the feel of a night / early morning office.

So you do have quite a bit of freedom in saying tomorrow’s matins today.

What I would not recommend would be saying today’s Matins any time later than today’s Lauds – it makes little liturgical sense.