Combining Liturgy of the Hours

[OrganistRob]

I just want to make sure I understand the rubric correctly for combining two hours of the Office. I realize the only hour that is mentioned is the Office of Readings which often goes with Morning Prayer, but I want to combine it with Evening Prayer II for Sunday.

From what I gather the order would be as follows:
Invitatory – “God, come to my assistance….”
Hymn
Psalmody – From Office of Readings
Antiphon 1 and Psalm
(Psalm Prayer)
Antiphon 2 and Psalm
(Psalm Prayer)
Antiphon 3 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Verse
Reading
Responsory
Second Reading – from the Commentary or teaching of the Church Fathers
Repsonsory
Te Deum (If applicable)
Psalmody - From Evening Prayer II
Antiphon 1 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Antiphon 2 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Antiphon 3 and NT reading/canticle
Short Reading
Responsory
Magnificat Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions (Preces)
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
Dismissal

 

[OraLabora]

I just want to make sure I understand the rubric correctly for combining two hours of the Office. I realize the only hour that is mentioned is the Office of Readings which often goes with Morning Prayer, but I want to combine it with Evening Prayer II for Sunday.

From what I gather the order would be as follows:
Invitatory – “God, come to my assistance….”
Hymn
Psalmody – From Office of Readings
Antiphon 1 and Psalm
(Psalm Prayer)
Antiphon 2 and Psalm
(Psalm Prayer)
Antiphon 3 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Verse
Reading
Responsory
Second Reading – from the Commentary or teaching of the Church Fathers
Repsonsory
Te Deum (If applicable)
Psalmody - From Evening Prayer II
Antiphon 1 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Antiphon 2 and Psalm
Psalm Prayer
Antiphon 3 and NT reading/canticle
Short Reading
Responsory
Magnificat Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions (Preces)
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
Dismissal

Given that the structure of Evening Prayer is nearly identical to Morning Prayer, I would follow the formula for putting the two together.

I think though, that since the OOR is the vestigial office of Vigils, it might be more appropriate to put it with Compline (night prayer). It is frequently done that way in monasteries.

The structure would be:

Introductory verse
Examination of conscience and penitential rite
Hymn (either hymn for Compline or for the OOR of that day)
Psalms of Compline
First reading (biblical)
Responsory
Psalms of the OOR
Second reading (patristic)
Responsory
(optional: canticles of Vigils for Sundays, feasts or solemnities, followed by Gospel reading)
(Te Deum if applicable)
Collect
Concluding verse
Marian antiphon.

At least that’s the structure i’ve seen in a monastery in Paris where I spent some time. There’s no Nunc Dimittis nor responsory “in manus tuas”, but those aren’t part of the monastic tradition in any case. In this case, the OOR would be from the following day (i.e., the Office is anticipated). I’m not sure if that should be the case with Evening Prayer, I think that’s a less well-known arrangement.

PS, the psalm-prayers are optional. I find they’re rather clunky and detract from the flow of the Office.