Anyone know how to use the Benedictine Daily Prayer breviary

[chezel1984]

I recently purchased the Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Short Breviary and am a little confused as how to use it. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don’t understand what the vigils are for, for example. I do currently pray the Divine Office using the Daily Prayer from the Divine Office breviary.

Thanks in advance for any help and God bless!!

 

[OraLabora]

I recently purchased the Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Short Breviary and am a little confused as how to use it. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don’t understand what the vigils are for, for example. I do currently pray the Divine Office using the Daily Prayer from the Divine Office breviary.

Thanks in advance for any help and God bless!!

Vigils are the monastic equivalent of the Office of Readings. I the monastic tradition this office is recited during the night, very early in the morning or anticipated the previous evening. Unlike the Office of Readings, it cannot be said at just any time in the day.

 

[chezel1984]

Vigils are the monastic equivalent of the Office of Readings. I the monastic tradition this office is recited during the night, very early in the morning or anticipated the previous evening. Unlike the Office of Readings, it cannot be said at just any time in the day.

Oh thanks so very much, God bless!!

 

[otjm]

Vigils are the monastic equivalent of the Office of Readings. I the monastic tradition this office is recited during the night, very early in the morning or anticipated the previous evening. Unlike the Office of Readings, it cannot be said at just any time in the day.

So, if one were not able to recite it at the proper time, but recited it (say, in the morning, late), then would one be considered to be saying private prayer rather than joining in Liturgical worship?
Presuming one is not bound in obedience to recite it…

 

[OraLabora]

So, if one were not able to recite it at the proper time, but recited it (say, in the morning, late), then would one be considered to be saying private prayer rather than joining in Liturgical worship?
Presuming one is not bound in obedience to recite it…

Well given that Benedictine Daily Prayer isn’t really liturgical (unapproved translations, etc.) I guess it’s already in the realm of “private devotions” so one could adapt it as one wishes.

However taking the monastic breviary of the abbey I’m associated with, which is an approved liturgy, given that I’m not bound in obedience to recite all of it, but only as much as my life situation allows (which happens to be all of it, but that’s my own situation), then if I can’t respect the verity of the hour I can just omit it. If I have to do that, I at least try to read the Biblical and patristic/hagiographic readings at some other convenient time.

However I think one could just call it “Office of Readings with a different psalm schema” and get away with it; in fact the Monastic Breviary gives a hymn to sing when the Office is recited “the previous evening or during the day” The Office of Readings has the structure of Vigils anyway with the difference that most monastic schemas are divided into two nocturnes: psalmody and Biblical reading, followed by psalmody and patristic or hagiographic reading.

Note that at least in our abbey, oblates can also pray the standard Liturgy of the Hours, which is what I do most of the time because of its greater flexibility (I do the Monastic when my days are more stable and predictable, which is what I had been doing for the past three weeks; however this week looks quite busy so it is the LOTH for now). But I still do the Office of Readings very early in the morning as “vigils” (around 5:30 am most days). It’s my favourite time of day for prayer and the OOR/Vigils is my favourite Office. Our oblate director in fact encourages the LOTH rather than the Monastic Breviary for oblates as it’s much more suited to secular life.

 

[otjm]

Well given that Benedictine Daily Prayer isn’t really liturgical (unapproved translations, etc.) I guess it’s already in the realm of “private devotions” so one could adapt it as one wishes.

However taking the monastic breviary of the abbey I’m associated with, which is an approved liturgy, given that I’m not bound in obedience to recite all of it, but only as much as my life situation allows (which happens to be all of it, but that’s my own situation), then if I can’t respect the verity of the hour I can just omit it. If I have to do that, I at least try to read the Biblical and patristic/hagiographic readings at some other convenient time.

However I think one could just call it “Office of Readings with a different psalm schema” and get away with it; in fact the Monastic Breviary gives a hymn to sing when the Office is recited “the previous evening or during the day” The Office of Readings has the structure of Vigils anyway with the difference that most monastic schemas are divided into two nocturnes: psalmody and Biblical reading, followed by psalmody and patristic or hagiographic reading.

Note that at least in our abbey, oblates can also pray the standard Liturgy of the Hours, which is what I do most of the time because of its greater flexibility (I do the Monastic when my days are more stable and predictable, which is what I had been doing for the past three weeks; however this week looks quite busy so it is the LOTH for now). But I still do the Office of Readings very early in the morning as “vigils” (around 5:30 am most days). It’s my favourite time of day for prayer and the OOR/Vigils is my favourite Office. Our oblate director in fact encourages the LOTH rather than the Monastic Breviary for oblates as it’s much more suited to secular life.

Thanks - it is always good to hear from you.

And at 5:30 in the morning, I haven’t rolled over for the last time…

 

[packerfan1968]

I’d start by getting this book online:
amazon.com/Everyday-Catholics-Guide-Liturgy-Hours/dp/1616365285/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Daria Sockey give you all of the basics for maneuvering the Roman breviary, the Benedictine Daily Prayer breviary is roughly the same as far as maneuvering around, maybe simpler as there is less page hunting in most cases.

I use BDP off and on as well as the Church’s official breviary, as I will be invested as a lay novice oblate in October, BDP gives a nice BENEDICTINE prayer rhythm to the day.

PM me with any specific questions, I can likely walk you through it.

 

[drforjc]

I’d start by getting this book online:
amazon.com/Everyday-Catholics-Guide-Liturgy-Hours/dp/1616365285/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Daria Sockey give you all of the basics for maneuvering the Roman breviary, the Benedictine Daily Prayer breviary is roughly the same as far as maneuvering around, maybe simpler as there is less page hunting in most cases.

I use BDP off and on as well as the Church’s official breviary, as I will be invested as a lay novice oblate in October, BDP gives a nice BENEDICTINE prayer rhythm to the day.

PM me with any specific questions, I can likely walk you through it.

Problem is, BDP is not the liturgy of the Church. LOTH is truly the prayer of the Church.

Private devotions are fine, but to replace the liturgy with a “paraliturgy” seems to be wasting an opportunity to be literally praying with the Church in her own words.

 

[OraLabora]

Problem is, BDP is not the liturgy of the Church. LOTH is truly the prayer of the Church.

Private devotions are fine, but to replace the liturgy with a “paraliturgy” seems to be wasting an opportunity to be literally praying with the Church in her own words.

There are however approved Benedictine breviaries of varying degree of difficulty. I suggest that Packerfan first look at the liturgy of tha monastery he plans to join with.

The Abbey I’m associated with requires that oblates pray at least a part of the Liturgy of the Hours each day, with a recommendation to pray at least Lauds, Vespers and Compline.

We have the choice of using the abbey’s breviary all or in part (they have published an abridged version consisting of those three hours only), the Roman Liturgy of the Hours (the current 4-week liturgy of the Church) or another approved breviary. All are licit and part of the Church’s official liturgy.

It’s a pity that BDP didn’t use approved translations; as a condensed Benedictine breviary it is otherwise very well done and easily recognizable as faithful to Benedictine tradition.
I alternate between our abbey’s liturgy (monastic schema B) and the LOTH depending on the chaos level of my life.

That said, there are many Benedictine influences and traditions in the LOTH, especially when some of the options are used, apart from the 4-week psalter. As oblates we are inspired by the rule and not directed by it so we are not bound to reciting the entire psalter in one week

 

[packerfan1968]

There are however approved Benedictine breviaries of varying degree of difficulty. I suggest that Packerfan first look at the liturgy of tha monastery he plans to join with.

The Abbey I’m associated with requires that oblates pray at least a part of the Liturgy of the Hours each day, with a recommendation to pray at least Lauds, Vespers and Compline.

We have the choice of using the abbey’s breviary all or in part (they have published an abridged version consisting of those three hours only), the Roman Liturgy of the Hours (the current 4-week liturgy of the Church) or another approved breviary. All are licit and part of the Church’s official liturgy.

It’s a pity that BDP didn’t use approved translations; as a condensed Benedictine breviary it is otherwise very well done and easily recognizable as faithful to Benedictine tradition.
I alternate between our abbey’s liturgy (monastic schema B) and the LOTH depending on the chaos level of my life.

That said, there are many Benedictine influences and traditions in the LOTH, especially when some of the options are used, apart from the 4-week psalter. As oblates we are inspired by the rule and not directed by it so we are not bound to reciting the entire psalter in one week

It’ll be at St. Meinrad’s, I already have their abbreviated breviary for oblates, it is very much an abbreviated version and does not have a seasonal psalter or anything beyond the normal 4 week rotation, better than nothing, for sure and a good breviary for someone new to the Hours to learn on.

I just choose to use a combo of the Roman and the BDP as I don’t / won’t have a canonical responsibility to any particular edition. Both have their merits.