Dodos for the Divine Office ;)

[ausculta]

This is addressed to all who struggle to pray the LOTH.

I have gradually incorporated the major hours into my prayer life as per the SFO rule. I’m currently praying the Morning (MP), Evening (EP) and Night hours, and I would like to work in the Office of Readings (OoR) and Day Prayers in the near future. My questions for my fellow CA Dodos are these:

1. The OoR: This is traditionally prayed very early in the morning and is usually called the first hour, but this seems to throw off the flow of the hours. The invitatory seems to naturally flows into MP and not the OoR, so would it be more appropriate to pray it during the day or perhaps just before or after Evening Prayer? When do you all pray the OoR?
2. Praying the minor hours of Day Prayer (mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon) separately at their usual times is impossible for me. I discovered from the rule of the Confraternity of Penitents (I use this to supplement my formation) that one could pray all 3 at one time, say around noon. But there seems to be a problem (help!): there is only one set of antiphons and psalms given. So, should I use these same 3 psalms/antiphons for each hour? That seems too redundant and impractical. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time.

God’s peace and all Good,

 

[sungirl]

1. The OoR: This is traditionally prayed very early in the morning and is usually called the first hour, but this seems to throw off the flow of the hours. The invitatory seems to naturally flows into MP and not the OoR, so would it be more appropriate to pray it during the day or perhaps just before or after Evening Prayer? When do you all pray the OoR?
2. Praying the minor hours of Day Prayer (mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon) separately at their usual times is impossible for me. I discovered from the rule of the Confraternity of Penitents (I use this to supplement my formation) that one could pray all 3 at one time, say around noon. But there seems to be a problem (help!): there is only one set of antiphons and psalms given. So, should I use these same 3 psalms/antiphons for each hour? That seems too redundant and impractical. Any suggestions?

1. Although the OOR is based on the early morning prayers, it can be prayed anytime during the day. I never pray it first; I pray it sometime during the day when I feel alert and have time to focus on the readings (and that varies from day to day). Just be sure to pray the invitatory before your first prayers of the day.
2. My personal (nonofficial) suggestion is, if you pray only once during the daytime hours, just pray the part closest to the time you’re praying. I usually pray one or two of the daytime hours, and I pray the one(s) appropriate to when I’m praying and just let the other ones go.