Appropriate Text for the Divine Office

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Exactly how much of the “official” text of the Liturgy of the Hours must be followed in order for it to actually be called the Divine Office, and be the public prayer of the Church?

The reason I ask this is, our new pastor has changed the psalms, hymn and order of our daily parish Evening Prayer. We now use a “fixed” psalter that does not change daily.

Our pastor stated that this is the “cathedral style” of praying the Office, and that it is more appropriate for a parish setting than the old “monastic style.”

My response was, that current liturgical rules covering the LOTH require the proper texts in the proper order, or it becomes private prayer instead of public prayer. The ancient practice of the so-called “cathedral style” was done before there was a set liturgy in place for the Divine Office (similar to the time when the Mass was celebrated differently in various dioceses).

Am I right on this one? At what point would the LOTH cease being the official public liturgy and become private prayer instead?
 
your pastor is indeed right, there are two ways of praying the LOTH, and the format for parish use he describes is acceptable.
 
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puzzleannie:
your pastor is indeed right, there are two ways of praying the LOTH, and the format for parish use he describes is acceptable.
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Where is this info found? I never heard of it. The closest I know is that religious orders are permitted to pray their traditional Offices, while Diocesan clergy and parishes are bound to the Roman Office.
 
Just a reminder to all those critical of how any public liturgy is conducted in your parish, the priest is the liturgist and makes these decisions. In fact, delegating this responsibility to improperly trained lay persons is at the root of a lot of the abuses we see. Before you challenge your priest on any aspect of the way liturgy is celebrated, be very sure of your ground and follow the proper procedures in cases where there is legitimate abuse.
 
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puzzleannie:
Just a reminder to all those critical of how any public liturgy is conducted in your parish, the priest is the liturgist and makes these decisions. In fact, delegating this responsibility to improperly trained lay persons is at the root of a lot of the abuses we see. Before you challenge your priest on any aspect of the way liturgy is celebrated, be very sure of your ground and follow the proper procedures in cases where there is legitimate abuse.
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Unfortunately, in my own parish, the priest himself performs his own creative liturgy right there at the altar. 😦

Anyway, what was that document or instruction again about the the alternative Office format? I know only of the Roman Office.
 
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puzzleannie:
Just a reminder to all those critical of how any public liturgy is conducted in your parish, the priest is the liturgist and makes these decisions. In fact, delegating this responsibility to improperly trained lay persons is at the root of a lot of the abuses we see. Before you challenge your priest on any aspect of the way liturgy is celebrated, be very sure of your ground and follow the proper procedures in cases where there is legitimate abuse.
Click to expand...
It’s a bit more than that because the priest is responsible and only the priest for what goes on at the parish. Only he is culpable for liturgical abuses–though it is certainly true that everyone suffers. Most priests just take an attitude of “well this is the way it is done here…” trying to pass abuses off on the constitution of the congregation. The priest is always responsible.

About the Liturgy of the Hours thing, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ve been wondering whether it counts as the Liturgy of the Hours if one prays to pre-Vatican II Divine Office in Latin.
 
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totustuusmaria:
About the Liturgy of the Hours thing, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ve been wondering whether it counts as the Liturgy of the Hours if one prays to pre-Vatican II Divine Office in Latin.
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It certainly does. The FSSP does it. As does the Institue of Christ the King. And the monks of Clear Creek.

I pray the pre VII office in English (psalms) and Latin (the Ordinary).

It is ok for private devotion and for public recitation in parishes where the Tridentine Mass is celebrated. It probably should not be publicly prayed in the average parish which uses the 1970 Missal. The modern LOTH should be used.

James
 
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puzzleannie:
your pastor is indeed right, there are two ways of praying the LOTH, and the format for parish use he describes is acceptable.
Click to expand...
Puzzleannie,

I have searched and searched, but cannot find any liturgical documents to support this statement. The only information I could find involves adaptations to the Roman Office for monastic orders.

This Thesaurus - approved by the Holy See in 1977 - allows individual monasteries within the Benedictine Confederation to make alterations to the LOTH as listed in four separate appendicies.

I would think that at some point, changes in the LOTH would render it totally private prayer and not the “official public prayer of the Church.”
 
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totustuusmaria:
About the Liturgy of the Hours thing, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ve been wondering whether it counts as the Liturgy of the Hours if one prays to pre-Vatican II Divine Office in Latin.
Click to expand...
I know that the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter utilized the 1962 Roman Breviary in accordance with their permission by the Holy See to use the liturgical books in force in 1962.

Our Lady of the Annunciation monastery in Clear Creek, OK, uses the 1962 Monastic Breviary with the approval of the Holy See and the Benedictine Confederation. I have been told that Oblates of this monastery also have permission to use this Office as well.
 
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