Benedictine Daily Prayer

[scapularkid8]

I am looking at buying the book “Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Shorter Breviary” at Borders or Barnes and Noble. Does anyone here have it and/or reccomend it? What do you like/dislike? How does it differ from “Christian Prayer”, and are the differences better or worse? Thanks.

Peace be with you all.

 

[Andruschak]

I am looking at buying the book “Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Shorter Breviary” at Borders or Barnes and Noble. Does anyone here have it and/or reccomend it? What do you like/dislike? How does it differ from “Christian Prayer”, and are the differences better or worse? Thanks.

Peace be with you all.

Hmmmmm…a few days ago a catalog arrived in the mail from THE PRINTERY HOUSE.

On page 47 they offer a book that may be the same as what you are considering. Here is the blurb…

BENEDICTINE DAILY PRAYER - A SHORT BREVIARY

“From St. John’s Abbey Liturgical Press, a new edition of one of its most popular and successful volumes. An everyday edition of the prayers of Benedictines (Divine Office), for both laypersons and religious, this volume is small enough to fit into a briefcase and is intended for people of all Christian Denominations. Leather-like cover with ribbon markers. Packaged in an illustrated cardboard sleeve. 4-1/4 " by 6”. 2, 496 pages. G762…$49.95"

Probably NOT based on the current DIVINE OFFICE. And a hefty fifty bucks? Same as what you saw in the bookstore?

 

[scapularkid8]

Yes. That’s it.

I figured that I don’t really pray any of the other prayers in the Divine Office besides the Morning and Evening Prayers, and I don’t really do the Saint’s feasts either, so I was just going to get this easy-to-transport version of the Divine Office.

 

[tee_eff_em]

:twocents:

I’ve not held the book in my hands, but: exactly what are they shortening? Or do they mean “shorter” in the same sense that *Christian Prayer *(1 volume) is shorter than the Divine Office (4 volumes)?

Just looking at the descriptions on Amazon:
*Benedictine Prayer: *2266 pages, 1.7 in thick
*Christian Prayer *(CBP): 2076 pages, 2.2 in thick
*Christian Prayer *(DoSP): 1760 pages, 1.8 in thick

Those must be insanely thin pages!

Unless you have particular devotion to Benedictine spirituality, I’d stick with one of those other volumes. If you are truly just interested in Morning and Evening Prayer, you might be better served by (the even more abbreviated) Shorter Christian Prayer (CBP, 670pp, 0.6 in thick (paperback)).

:twocents:
tee

 

[Andruschak]

Yes. That’s it.

I figured that I don’t really pray any of the other prayers in the Divine Office besides the Morning and Evening Prayers, and I don’t really do the Saint’s feasts either, so I was just going to get this easy-to-transport version of the Divine Office.

Well, here is more information from the actual publisher

 

[puzzleannie]

BENEDICTINE DAILY PRAYER - A SHORT BREVIARY

"From St. John’s Abbey Liturgical Press, a
Probably NOT based on the current DIVINE OFFICE. And a hefty fifty bucks? Same as what you saw in the bookstore?

yes, it is,
it is similar to the one volume Christian Prayer, compiled specifically for use in Benedictine abbeys and by our oblates.
the Benedictine nuns at our monastery have a few copies for examination, are awaiting permission to use it. What they have is the LOTH adapted in the 70s for use by the nuns in their mother house, which is somewhat tainted by usages of the time (such as a gender neutral glory be) which they had to correct, for instance.

When they get permission they will probably use this volume as their standard. oblates will continue to use Shorter Christian Prayer (much less expensive).

 

[Andruschak]

. What they have is the LOTH adapted in the 70s for use by the nuns in their mother house, which is somewhat tainted by usages of the time (such as a gender neutral glory be) which they had to correct, for instance.

Could you print that gender neutral Glory Be? Just curious.

The current Divine Office drops the “be” and we now have “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen”

 

[puzzleannie]

Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier etc.

They keep the books because first, they were the form prescribed by their abbey, second because they have all the classic hymns and psalm tone chant notation (go figure) and because the actual psalm translations are licit and those prescribed for their order

Each religious order may adapt LOTH for their needs, and in fact most orders have their own LOTH books with those adaptations. the new book referred to here IS a “proper” loth and was prepared for use by Benedictine abbeys and has been adopted by some already.

 

[scapularkid8]

Okay:

I found a “Shorter Christian Prayer” and it seems to be more greared to what I’m looking for. One question: does it follow the Liturgical seasons (i.e. special readings and antiphons for Lent, Advent, Easter, ect.)?

 

[Andruschak]

Okay:

I found a “Shorter Christian Prayer” and it seems to be more greared to what I’m looking for. One question: does it follow the Liturgical seasons (i.e. special readings and antiphons for Lent, Advent, Easter, ect.)?

Um, who is the publisher?

 

[Andruschak]

Each religious order may adapt LOTH for their needs, and in fact most orders have their own LOTH books with those adaptations. the new book referred to here IS a “proper” loth and was prepared for use by Benedictine abbeys and has been adopted by some already.

Exactly. LOTH can be any set of prayers based on the hours. Not all LOTHs are The Divine Office, but The Divine Office is a member of the set of LOTHs.

So is The Little Office Of The BVM a LOTH. I think it’s neat to have several LOTHs to choose from, or just switch arounf from time to time to avoid staleness. I might get that Benidictine Breviary for just that reason

 

[scapularkid8]

Um, who is the publisher?

Here’s the link to Amazon:
Shorter Christian Prayer

 

[tee_eff_em]

Okay:

I found a “Shorter Christian Prayer” and it seems to be more greared to what I’m looking for. One question: does it follow the Liturgical seasons (i.e. special readings and antiphons for Lent, Advent, Easter, ect.)?

I believe (though am not positive) that it represents non-ordinary seasons by one representative week for each, and includes only a limited number of other feasts. See a table of contents in this post [post=1725740]Divine Office[/post].

tee

 

[puzzleannie]

if you are just starting to pray LOTH I recommend shorter Christian Prayer, the red volume that is about $15. you have the readings adn antiphons for the major feasts of the Lord, the entire Psalter, including antiphons for the seasons. for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter you have a one-week cycle of readings that repeats (not those for every week of the season–thats’ why it is “shorter”), and you have the readings and proper for the Sundays of the year. You have the invitatory with psalms, morning and evening prayer, and night prayer (compline). you do not have the office of readings and the complete propers for the seasons. Since that is what confuses most people, SCP is easier to learn and use, less page flipping. there is also a sampling of hymns in the back.

 

[memphisbob]

I am looking at buying the book “Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Shorter Breviary” at Borders or Barnes and Noble. Does anyone here have it and/or reccomend it? What do you like/dislike? How does it differ from “Christian Prayer”, and are the differences better or worse? Thanks.

Peace be with you all.

Since you say that you only do Morning and Evening Prayer and not always the special saints days, I recommend you get a copy of “Shorter Christian Prayer” since this book has exactly what you need, MP and EP and only the major saint days are included. The price is $15-20. I just got back from the “One Bread, One Cup” conference at St. Meinrad Archabbey and they issue this book to the teens who attend the conference.