Breviary, Prayer Book, Missal, Hymn Book? What do I really need?

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The Breviary might be a nice addition. It’s the official daily prayer book of the church prayed by Priests, deacons, religious and laity. It’s also called “The Liturgy of the Hours” or “Christian Prayer.” It comes in one or four volume set. I recommend the four volume for ease of use and less page flipping.
 
Other people have said that a missal is what you need to follow the Mass. However you may need some guidance to use it.

The Church uses a 3 year cycle on Sundays and Holy days called Years A B and C. The season begins on the first Sunday of Advent (around the end of November, beginning of December). The main seasons are Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time.

Next Sunday will be the 4th Sunday of Easter Year B. Easter is about 6 weeks after which we resume Ordinary Time.
 
You can also check out a subscription to Magnigicat. They will send a complimentary copy upon request. They also have a large print edition. It is a monthly publication, includes Mass readings for every day as well as morning and evening prayers. They also feature bios on different saints and a write up about their cover artwork. Very easy to use. Just Google Magnificat. They also offer a special unadvertised rate for those in RCIA.
 
Thank you for the heads up on the RCIA discount! I ordered a sample of it and a couple other much simpler ones. I’m not sure I’m ready for the LOTH just yet. It’s a bit daunting.
 
LOTH lurks in my mind, but I’m still trying to use the Magnificat daily. The memorized/written prayers are new to me and I’m used to my own prayers. There is such a wealth at our disposal when you add Church history and tradition to the mix. It’s fun!
 
Elf01 said:
Other people have said that a missal is what you need to follow the Mass. However you may need some guidance to use it.
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What is confusing about a missal? Honest question.

Once I learned what the whole three year cycle was, I bought one for this year. It’s pretty straightforward to use - it’s in chronological order by date starting with Advent.

Are some of them not in order or something?
 
Catholic spiritual life is so much richer than the Baptists. I love all the history and tradition, but … baby steps. I’m starting with some sort of morning devotion, daily rosary, and evening pray. Let’s see how I keep up with that.
 
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I see the main difficulties as figuring out the starting point (i.e. where in the liturgical cycle you are) and when to flip back and forth (and that you have to).

You also need to figure out the preface and Eucharistic Prayer.
 
I purchased the missal pup recommended and put page number tabs in just as she did. It’s still a bit fiddly, but better than what I deal with trying to used the Church’s combined hymnal missal thing.
 
If you are just coming into the faith, I would recommend skipping the Liturgy of the Hours for at least 6 months. It is a bit overwhelming. Most lay Catholics do not pray the Hours.

You should become familiar with a prayer book. You can get a good prayer book for a couple of dollars.

Instead of focusing exclusively on vocal prayer, I would recommend doing some spiritual reading. When I returned to the church, I started with a Catholic prayer book and Catholicism for Dummies. I graduated to the Eucharist with St. Louis de Montfort and St. Alphonsus. The Doctor’s of the Church are great, If you see a Saint quoted a lot, and his or her words speak to you, give them a read.

Eucharistic Adoration is a great way to pray and do spiritual reading.

The rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet are nice daily exercises. If you get hung up on the Hail Mary, the book Behold Your Mother by Tim Staples will answer every conceivable question about Mary you could ever ask.

Good Luck! I think you will find a great home on this side of the Tiber. You will find lots of advice on this website.
 
Since you’re new and learning, I suggest downloading iBreviary and Laudate apps.

Between iBreviary and Laudate, you will have access to just about every single Roman Catholic prayer under the sun.

Buy a paper Missal or Breviary after you’ve become familiar with the electronic versions. The apps are much simpler to use than the books, and it’s how I got started with the Liturgy of the Hours.
 
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I’d recommend that you start out with the Magnificat https://us.magnificat.net/
It has the prayers and daily readings for the Mass, prayers and meditations, and a lightweight introduction to the Liturgy of the Hours. It’s a monthly publication, so it is smaller and a lot easier to carry than any of the other books on your list!
Try it for a while and it should help you decide what book you want to add to your collection next.
 
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Thank you Mike.

Since making this post I’ve tried the Morning and Evening LOTH prayers. I am really enjoying them.

I’m eagerly anticipating my sample of the Magnificat. In the meantime I’ve downloaded Laudate and iBreviary.

@Pup7 I used my missal today. I fumbled a bit, but I got the hang of it by the end. Thanks.
 
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