Christian Prayer

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I managed to pick up a copy of “Christian Prayer” by the Catholic Book Publishing Corp. I’ve always wanted to begin praying the Morning/Evening Prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Upon trying to learn how to use this book, I am overwhelmed. I have no idea what I am looking for in the book.

I went to the following website for instruction: divineoffice.org

Even with the page numbers listed I am still finding I have no clue how to navigate the book. For example, I can’t find the first hymn listed under “Morning Prayer” for August 24. The hymn listed on PG. 1392 is Hymn 169, which doesn’t match the words of the hymn on the divineoffice.org website. Maybe I’m misunderstanding how to use this book.

Is there a website somewhere on the internet that tells me exactly how to utilize the “Christian Prayer” book? Thanks.
 
Divine Office for Dodo’s - teaches you the mechanics of the LotH. The best learning, though, is to hook up with a group actually praying it. Check your local parishes to see if their are any groups doing this.

Guide for Christian Prayer - gives you pages for each day of the year. A new edition is put out each year. It’s cheap and saves a lot of time.
 
There’s a great blog called “Coffee and Canticles: Ordinary Catholics Loving the Liturgy of the Hours” that has a section titled “Breviary Boot Camp”. It can be found by clicking here. It’ll give ya some of the basics and some of the terms. It also has some tips on how to start so you’re not overwhelmed. That’s the best free resource I can think of, short of a priest walking you through it.

As far as the order of prayers, readings, etc. you have it right in Christian Prayer, it’s called the Ordinary. Think of it as the step-by-step instructions for Morning, Evening, and Night Prayer. Spend some time with that, and put a bookmark in it to make it easy to refer back to.

And don’t let it overwhelm you! I’ve only been praying the Divine Office for less than a month and the main thing is it just takes time to get used to and be patient with yourself. 👍
 
Tous_Logous said:
I managed to pick up a copy of “Christian Prayer” by the Catholic Book Publishing Corp. I’ve always wanted to begin praying the Morning/Evening Prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Upon trying to learn how to use this book, I am overwhelmed. I have no idea what I am looking for in the book.

I went to the following website for instruction: divineoffice.org

Even with the page numbers listed I am still finding I have no clue how to navigate the book. For example, I can’t find the first hymn listed under “Morning Prayer” for August 24. *The hymn listed on PG. 1392 is Hymn 169, which doesn’t match the words of the hymn on the divineoffice.org website. Maybe I’m misunderstanding how to use this book.

Is there a website somewhere on the internet that tells me exactly how to utilize the “Christian Prayer” book? Thanks.*

1st The main thing is to know what week it is.
We are in the 20th week of ordinary time. In the front of the book The Proper of Seasons, you will see all the Sundays and which of the 4 week cycles of Psalms to use (I, II, III, or IV) of the Psalter.

2nd Always check in the Proper of Saints or Feast days by date further back in the book. If it is a special feast it will refer you to “Commons” like Common of Pastors or Religious, etc.

3rd If it is not a feast day of some kind all you have to do is go to the day in the Psalter
Click to expand...
of whatever week it is.

That is why there are so many ribbons. One for the front where the *Proper of Seasons *where the Sundays are, one for the 4 week Psalter, one for the dated feast days In the Proper of Saints, one for Commons, etc.

Today is Saint Bartholomew, Apostle so the rubrics (Red Print) in the Proper of Saints dated Feast part direct us to Common of Apostles.

I don’t have the “Christian Prayer” with me right now. I have the 4 Volume “Liturgy of the Hours”. They are set up differently so I don’t know about the hymns right now.

I think the hymns are different because the one in “Christian Prayer” is there for all Common Apostles and the one at the web sits might be specific for St Bartholomew. But hymns are not anything to be too concerned about. In fact, the 4 volume has a different hymn than iether the “Christian Prayer” or the website.

Have you tried the “Shorter Christian Prayer”?
 
Ok. I have my Christian Prayer.

In the front on page 29 we have the General Roman Calander for August and we see that the 25th is the Feast of Louis and Joseph Calasanz.

But since today is Sunday and neither of these is a Solemnity that has precedence. We do not need to bother with the Proper of Saints on page 1236 and 1237. If it was a week day we would have that option.

Instead we go to Proper of Seasons page 626 where we have 21st Sunday in Ordinary time and it directs us to Psalter Week I.
For evening prayer last night it was page 701.
For Morning Prayer it is page 706.
There we have recommeded Hymns #1 (page 1507) or # 151 (page 1673), the antiphons and psalms, Reading & Response.

For the antiphone of the Canticle of Zechariah we go back to the** Proper of Seasons on page 626. (Those ribbons come in handy).
The canticle itself is found in the I]Ordinary for Morning prayer on page 691.
It is better if you have a card with Canticle of Zechariah on one side and Cantilce of Mary on the other. You can use it as a page marker and don’t have to keep going to the Ordinary.**
After the Canticle continue with the Psalter Week I Sunday on page 711. Intercessions & Our Father.

The closing prayer i in in the Proper of Seasons, page 626.

Dismissal in the Ordinary page 693.
“May the Lord bless us protect us from evil and bring us to everlasting life - Amen.”
That will soon be memorized.

When several saints feast are on the same day or any on Sunday we can use the Table of Liturgical Days order of precedence.

osb.org/liturgy/precede.html

For example: we see that today is I. 6 (Sunday of the Christmas season and Sundays in ordinary time. That has precednce over todays’s Feast of Louis and Joseph Calasanz which are optional memorials III. 12.

If you have the card or paper with Canticles you need at least three ribons. One for Proper of Seasons, one for Psalter, and one for Proper of Saints.

Helpful?
 
The Table of Contents on page 5 and 6 gives you a good overview:

Proper of Seasons & Solemnities

The Ordinary (general form of each hour)

Psalter (Weeks I, II, III, or IV)

Proper of Saints (special feast days or memorials)

Commons (additional prayers for Pastors, martyrs, bishops, etc.)
 
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