Breviary Question

[torch621]

OK, I’ll keep it as short and sweet as I can. Today, I’m saying the offices for the Feast of St. George (I’m a layman). My little St. Joseph Guide (these little booklets that you can buy which tell you where to place your ribbons for each day of the current year) tell me that for the offices of St. George’s feast day, the ribbon for the Psalter should be placed on the page corresponding to the psalms for the weekday (Friday of Week III).

But, when I opened the commons (where everything for a saint’s feast day is taken), I saw that the psalms for Morning Prayer are taken from Sunday of Week I, while the psalms and such for Evening Prayer are taken straight from the commons like they are for the Office of Readings.

Is there anyone who’s good with the Liturgy of the Hours who can help me clear this up? Thanks.

 

[curlycool89]

OK, I’ll keep it as short and sweet as I can. Today, I’m saying the offices for the Feast of St. George (I’m a layman). My little St. Joseph Guide (these little booklets that you can buy which tell you where to place your ribbons for each day of the current year) tell me that for the offices of St. George’s feast day, the ribbon for the Psalter should be placed on the page corresponding to the psalms for the weekday (Friday of Week III).

But, when I opened the commons (where everything for a saint’s feast day is taken), I saw that the psalms for Morning Prayer are taken from Sunday of Week I, while the psalms and such for Evening Prayer are taken straight from the commons like they are for the Office of Readings.

Is there anyone who’s good with the Liturgy of the Hours who can help me clear this up? Thanks.

You say either or. So you can decide to follow the Commons (Sunday I and Evening Prayer right from the Commons) or follow the Psalter (and Proper if you wish since it’s Easter).

Of course I’m assuming here that you’re celebrating it as a memorial (the St. Joseph’s Guide follows the US calendar I believe). I guess in certain countries it would be a feast (or in England i guess it’s a full Solemnity). In that case if it’s being celebrated as a Feast or a Solemnity, then you take the whole thing (besides what’s in the Proper of Saints) from the Commons and ignore the part from the Psalter.

There should really be a sticky for LOTH questions.

 

[DCNBILL]

If one is praying the office honoring the Martyr use the psalms as directed in the Common of One Martyr (Sunday Week 1 for Morning prayer and the psalms in the common for evening prayar)

If one is not praying the memorial for the Martyr use the psalms from Friday Week III.

 

[OraLabora]

If one is praying the office honoring the Martyr use the psalms as directed in the Common of One Martyr (Sunday Week 1 for Morning prayer and the psalms in the common for evening prayar)

If one is not praying the memorial for the Martyr use the psalms from Friday Week III.

This is incorrect. For optional or mandatory memorials, one always uses the antiphons+psalms of the corresponding ordinary weekday unless otherwise directed in the proper of the saint.

It is only for feasts and solemnities that one uses the festive psalms as indicated in the Commons.

There are a few memorials that are exceptions and that use the festive psalms with proper antiphons, carryovers from the complex levels of feasts from the pre-Vatican II days and where there is a strong tradition attached to that particular saint.

St George is an optional memorial at least in N. America.

From the General Instructions for the Liturgy of the Hours:

Memorials During Ordinary Time

1. In the office of readings, at morning prayer, and at evening prayer:

a. the psalms and their antiphons are taken from the current week and day, unless there are proper antiphons or proper psalms, which is indicated as the case occurs;

Eastertide would follow the above as well. The exception would be for Lent, and for the last week of Advent, when you say the entire office of the season, and after that office, you say the antiphon of the Gospel canticle (Benedictus or Magnificat) followed by the concluding prayer of the saint.

 

[torch621]

This is incorrect. For optional or mandatory memorials, one always uses the antiphons+psalms of the corresponding ordinary weekday unless otherwise directed in the proper of the saint.

It is only for feasts and solemnities that one uses the festive psalms as indicated in the Commons.

There are a few memorials that are exceptions and that use the festive psalms with proper antiphons, carryovers from the complex levels of feasts from the pre-Vatican II days and where there is a strong tradition attached to that particular saint.

St George is an optional memorial at least in N. America.

From the General Instructions for the Liturgy of the Hours:

Eastertide would follow the above as well. The exception would be for Lent, and for the last week of Advent, when you say the entire office of the season, and after that office, you say the antiphon of the Gospel canticle (Benedictus or Magnificat) followed by the concluding prayer of the saint.

In other words, I take everything from the Psalter for Friday of Week III except for the readings and prayer?

 

[OraLabora]

In other words, I take everything from the Psalter for Friday of Week III except for the readings and prayer?

Here are the choices for this particular memorial:

Hymn: of the season, or from the common of martyrs
Antiphons+psalmody: from Friday Week III of the psalter
Readings: From the common of martyrs
Responsory: from the common of martyrs
Benedictus and Magnificat antiphons: choice of Friday, week III of Easter or common of martyrs
Intercessions: from common of martyrs
Final prayer: from the proper of the saint, or if none exists (e.g. a newly canonized saint), from the common of martyrs.

 

[Sirach2]

I asked this in Spirituality, but nobody responded. In my breviary instructions, it says that the concluding prayer is always “proper.” When it is a memorial or optional memorial, but there is a concluding prayer in the breviary, are we supposed to say it? Or do we simply use the regular concluding prayer of the season if we have prayed the weekday psalter during Eastertide?

Thanks for any help.

 

[OraLabora]

I asked this in Spirituality, but nobody responded. In my breviary instructions, it says that the concluding prayer is always “proper.” When it is a memorial or optional memorial, but there is a concluding prayer in the breviary, are we supposed to say it? Or do we simply use the regular concluding prayer of the season?

Thanks for any help.

For an optional memorial, if you are praying the memorial, then use the concluding prayer of the memorial. If you are just praying it as a regular day, say the concluding prayer of the day/season.

In privileged seasons such as the last week of Advent, and Lent, any mandatory memorial becomes optional that year if they fall in those times. The way to pray an optional memorial in those times, is to pray the entire office of the season. Following that office’s concluding prayer, you then say the antiphon for the Benedictus or Magnificat antiphon (depending on whether it is Morning or Evening prayer), and the concluding prayer of the saint.

 

[Sirach2]

Thanks for your help, Ora. I have been wondering about this for a good while, so it is nice to finally have an answer.

 

[OraLabora]

Thanks for your help, Ora. I have been wondering about this for a good while, so it is nice to finally have an answer.

You’re welcome. Any time you (or any others) have a question about praying the Liturgy of the Hours, PM me and I’ll do my best to answer. If I can’t find the answer, surely my Benedictine spiritual director can help me!