A
AJV
Guest
I had started this on August 15, so this is the continuation after the forum crash.
Ok, here it is: the Divine Office propers online. This is the long and pedantic introduction so while I would suggest you sit through it if you want the propers go to around post 6 or the last post in the thread.
Many people are familiar with the most important public prayer of the Church. What most people aren’t familiar with is the other form of public prayer- the Divine Office also known as the Liturgy of the Hours. The Liturgy of the Hours to paraphrase consecrates the hours of the day to God by praying the psalms. Most of the 150 psalms (the imprecatory ones are omitted) are prayed over 4 weeks. In its latest form, the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed 5 or 7 times a day. Speaking for myself, I have been amazed at how the liturgy of the hours enables me to focus on God and brings special spiritual insights. In addition to the psalms the liturgy of the hours contains many other parts that you can read about in the links below explaining the liturgy of the hours and also by viewing the Ordinary (i.e. the structure). For all hours other than the Office of Readings, there are one or two verses from Scripture, Antiphons, and psalm headings. Morning, Evening and Night prayer also contain Short responsories. The Office of the Readings contains psalms, responsories, a long passage from Scripture and a Patristic Reading from the Fathers related to the saint if one is celebrated, the day, or the season.
[To find out exactly about each part of the Liturgy of the Hours go http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdwgilh.htm”] here and read the Genernal Instruction. It’s not really necessary though because the whole thing is arranged in the documents. Also view the ‘Ordinary’(the unchangeable parts in full and the headings of the changeable ones] below. ]
Unfortunately today despite the wish of the Church that more people involve themselves in this public and spiritually enriching prayer, the LotH is not prayed very often. One reason is that some don’t know about it. Another is that some don’t really like fixed prayer. Others don’t like formal or ‘rigid’ spirituality and today are chasing after every form of ‘other’ somehow more ‘original’ spirituality imaginable. Yet from the early days of the Church, the psalms have the Church’s way of praying- even private devotions like the rosary cropped up to imitate the Divine Office. Not everyone has access to the Divine Office texts. Many people have Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer- described as the two hinges of the Divine Office. Some do not even have this. But anyway, most don’t have the Office of Readings which provides a good grounding in Scripture and the Fathers. These propers are online for that reason.
[please note: ‘hours’ in this thread usually refers to Morning Prayer, Office of Readings, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, etc. Daytime prayer can be prayed thrice (three ‘hours’) or once]
If you CAN afford the Divine Office, or the shorter Christian Prayer, Morning and Evening Prayer, Daily Prayer or whatever, I would encourage you to buy it. Some good reasons why:
You can pray it anywhere. Carry it and pray it in Church before Mass.
Guaranteed no errors
You don’t waste paper printing out these propers and hence you’re contributing to the environment
You don’t spoil your eyes reading it on your computer and you can save money later
You save money on your internet bill
You can say a votive office any time you want.
You can say the Office of the Dead for your deceased relations
You get access to alternative texts not reproduced here like the ferial days on optional memorials
You get extra canticles, gospels, etc, for observing solemn vigils
You also get shorter intercessions, more hymns, alternative prayers, and proper feasts for your own country
Leather binding and special paper looks better than crumpled A4 sheets.
There are sites that offer the Divine Office online like Universalis. But these sites
(a) do not use approved translations
(b) are not complete with integral parts like intercessions, antiphons, etc.
Hence this project.
This is meant for all the people who can’t afford the text, complain it involves too much flipping, too complicated to follow, don’t have time etc. Reciting it at breakneck speed takes less than 5 minutes (for all the sticklers out there, don’t worry, I rerecited it at a much slower pace)
Definitely Morning, Daytime/Prayer during the day, Evening and Night Prayer should continue here and as far as possible Office of Readings as well.
The files are in MS Word- if you wish a different format, PM me and I’ll try to work out something else. If a lot of people don’t have word, I’ll consider shifting it to a txt format.
Ok, here it is: the Divine Office propers online. This is the long and pedantic introduction so while I would suggest you sit through it if you want the propers go to around post 6 or the last post in the thread.
Many people are familiar with the most important public prayer of the Church. What most people aren’t familiar with is the other form of public prayer- the Divine Office also known as the Liturgy of the Hours. The Liturgy of the Hours to paraphrase consecrates the hours of the day to God by praying the psalms. Most of the 150 psalms (the imprecatory ones are omitted) are prayed over 4 weeks. In its latest form, the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed 5 or 7 times a day. Speaking for myself, I have been amazed at how the liturgy of the hours enables me to focus on God and brings special spiritual insights. In addition to the psalms the liturgy of the hours contains many other parts that you can read about in the links below explaining the liturgy of the hours and also by viewing the Ordinary (i.e. the structure). For all hours other than the Office of Readings, there are one or two verses from Scripture, Antiphons, and psalm headings. Morning, Evening and Night prayer also contain Short responsories. The Office of the Readings contains psalms, responsories, a long passage from Scripture and a Patristic Reading from the Fathers related to the saint if one is celebrated, the day, or the season.
[To find out exactly about each part of the Liturgy of the Hours go http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdwgilh.htm”] here and read the Genernal Instruction. It’s not really necessary though because the whole thing is arranged in the documents. Also view the ‘Ordinary’(the unchangeable parts in full and the headings of the changeable ones] below. ]
Unfortunately today despite the wish of the Church that more people involve themselves in this public and spiritually enriching prayer, the LotH is not prayed very often. One reason is that some don’t know about it. Another is that some don’t really like fixed prayer. Others don’t like formal or ‘rigid’ spirituality and today are chasing after every form of ‘other’ somehow more ‘original’ spirituality imaginable. Yet from the early days of the Church, the psalms have the Church’s way of praying- even private devotions like the rosary cropped up to imitate the Divine Office. Not everyone has access to the Divine Office texts. Many people have Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer- described as the two hinges of the Divine Office. Some do not even have this. But anyway, most don’t have the Office of Readings which provides a good grounding in Scripture and the Fathers. These propers are online for that reason.
[please note: ‘hours’ in this thread usually refers to Morning Prayer, Office of Readings, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, etc. Daytime prayer can be prayed thrice (three ‘hours’) or once]
If you CAN afford the Divine Office, or the shorter Christian Prayer, Morning and Evening Prayer, Daily Prayer or whatever, I would encourage you to buy it. Some good reasons why:
You can pray it anywhere. Carry it and pray it in Church before Mass.
Guaranteed no errors
You don’t waste paper printing out these propers and hence you’re contributing to the environment
You don’t spoil your eyes reading it on your computer and you can save money later
You save money on your internet bill
You can say a votive office any time you want.
You can say the Office of the Dead for your deceased relations
You get access to alternative texts not reproduced here like the ferial days on optional memorials
You get extra canticles, gospels, etc, for observing solemn vigils
You also get shorter intercessions, more hymns, alternative prayers, and proper feasts for your own country
Leather binding and special paper looks better than crumpled A4 sheets.
There are sites that offer the Divine Office online like Universalis. But these sites
(a) do not use approved translations
(b) are not complete with integral parts like intercessions, antiphons, etc.
Hence this project.
This is meant for all the people who can’t afford the text, complain it involves too much flipping, too complicated to follow, don’t have time etc. Reciting it at breakneck speed takes less than 5 minutes (for all the sticklers out there, don’t worry, I rerecited it at a much slower pace)
Definitely Morning, Daytime/Prayer during the day, Evening and Night Prayer should continue here and as far as possible Office of Readings as well.
The files are in MS Word- if you wish a different format, PM me and I’ll try to work out something else. If a lot of people don’t have word, I’ll consider shifting it to a txt format.