Concerning the LOTH Invitatory Psalm

[Andruschak]

PS on 28 November. On page 686 of CHRISTIAN PRAYER, Catholic Book Publishing Company edition, it is stated that “In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the Psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.”

I’m not sure if one still, in individual recitation, needs to speak the antiphon twice before the invitatory psalm, and repeat it after the “Glory to…”

Comments?

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I pray the antiphon before the Psalm and after the “Glory be…” at the end of the Psalm. I am not too sure if this is the correct procedure - it is simply what I have adopted.
There is a totally different ‘feel’ to me personally from praying The Hours in community and then praying them individually.

Barb

 

[acadian]

I say the antiphon twice at the beginning - not sure why - but not after the Glory Be. But I am certainly no expert.

 

[drforjc]

Once at the beginning and once after the “Glory” is acceptable according to the instructions in the LOTH. One may also repeat it after each strophe (which would be the normal method in communal celebration).

 

[ncjohn]

I pray the antiphon before the Psalm and after the “Glory be…” at the end of the Psalm. I am not too sure if this is the correct procedure - it is simply what I have adopted.
There is a totally different ‘feel’ to me personally from praying The Hours in community and then praying them individually.

Barb

That’s what I do also. Even if my wife and I do it together we do it this way rather than repeating the antiphon after each strophe, though we are probably techincally doing it in community at that point.

I agree about the different feel to it Barb. I would love to partcipate in a community that actually chanted the Hours and as the new minister of our local Franciscan fraternity I’m going to see if I can get any interest in our parish for doing evening prayer at least once a month. From there, if we got enough interest, maybe we could even learn to chant it.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In private,I say the antiphon before the psalm and then after the prayer. When I have set it up for a group I divide the group in two. The reader recites the antiphon, then the two groups alternate stanzas. At the end the leader recites the prayer [if any] and the reader recites the antiphon. The clergy have approved it, or at least no one has complained.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Keep in mind that the LOTH is written to be prayed with a group. Individually, you have to make some adaptations.

Also, different religious orders will have little differences.

The Discalced Carmelites, that I’ve been involved with, they only say the antiphon at the begining of the psalm. The exception is the Canticles, then its said at the begining and after the Glory Be.

In fact, when I became a formation director for my group, I got raked over the coals by an older member of my OCDS group, for suggesting that we say the antiphon before and after the Glory Be. She said I was going against OCD tradition.

At the Abbey I got to, the monks sing all the psalms, and the antiphon is sung before and after the Glory Be, on all the Psalms and Canticles.

Jim

 

[BarbaraTherese]

That’s what I do also. Even if my wife and I do it together we do it this way rather than repeating the antiphon after each strophe, though we are probably techincally doing it in community at that point.

I agree about the different feel to it Barb. I would love to partcipate in a community that actually chanted the Hours and as the new minister of our local Franciscan fraternity I’m going to see if I can get any interest in our parish for doing evening prayer at least once a month. From there, if we got enough interest, maybe we could even learn to chant it.

Communal celebration and most especially by monastics is a truly wonderful experience…it has an entirely different ‘feel’ to me to any other time - altho I would rate a parish communal celebration of the Hours or an Hour as a different ‘feel’ again and not as wonderful as monastics, yet better than praying it alone. But these things are purely personal and each really has something to recommend it unique to itself.

Two praying the Divine Office is for sure a communal celebration.
And I think that the Divine Office is truly at its best in every way prayed communally…but this is a matter of personal experience unique to each person.

I find praying the antiphon after each strophe alone becomes an experience of repitition that can loose its meaning. It is different, I find, in community.

Hey ! congrats on being the new minister for your Franciscan fraternity and I am absolutely and totally confident you will serve outstandingly!

Great to catch up with you again, John…Barb