Daily Mass and the Divine Office

[Little_Boy_Lost]

In a conversation I was having with several friends we were discussing the idea of daily mass and the disappearance of the divine office from the American parish. I then got to wondering if the Divine Office was even celebrated before the Second Vatican Council. I was told that the Divine Office had begun to disappear during the 12th century in Europe as Eucharistic devotion came to replace the hours. Private Masses, eventually turned into a daily communal daily masses and adoration of the sacrament became more prevalent. I get the impression that because of this mass centric view, the west is different in its outlook on liturgy. I read where the east views itself as “Doxological”. If that is the case. What is the west then? And is there any way to bring back the divine office in western parishes?

Thanks!

 

[laszlo]

The divine Office was prayed in every diocesan Cathedral in every day. In some of them it is still prayed. Diocesan priests (together with the subdeacons and deacons) outside of the Cathedral prayed the Divine Office private Priests still have the obligation to pray the significantly shortened Liturgy of Hours, deacons a part of it (Lauds and vespers).

Some priest, like the St John Cantius Fathers still pray the Office publicly in the church. Also there are private Association who pray at least some hours publicly in a Church or chapel.

A growing number of faithful is praying the office in private. With the acknowledgment of the local pastor any laymen can organize such association and pray the office in public.

 

[OraLabora]

I pray it… chant it rather… daily in my home office where I have a small oratory.

I think that there is a desire from Rome, in particular, to restore Vespers to parish use. To that end the Roman Antiphonary’s first volume to be released since the 40 years of the Liturgy of the Hours, focuses on Vespers for Sundays, Feasts and Solemnities.

Remains to be seen if it will catch on.

Of course in all monasteries and most religious houses, some form of the Divine Office is being prayed daily, either the Liturgy of the Hours or a format traditional to the house and approved by the Vatican, such as one of the 4 Benedictine schemas (the first of which is the traditional Divine Office of St. Benedict).

 

[Anne1964]

Midday Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed in our cathedral before afternoon Mass every day during the week. Sometimes Vespers or Evening Prayer is also prayed if there is an early evening Mass. This is the only church I have been to locally which offers this. I would love to see more of it.