Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[Merrick]

I have been reciting privately the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in English in a traditional form. I read this instruction online but do not understand the Latin. What does that mean?

Only Priests and Deacons presiding at Office have the right to say V. Dominus vobiscum; in their absence it is to be replaced by V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam whenever it occurs.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

Dominus vobiscum means “The Lord be with you”. Domine, exaudi orationem meam means “Lord, hear my prayer”. If your Little Office is like mine, it’s written for the layman reciting it privately, so the Dominus vobiscums have already been replaced with Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

 

[Merrick]

Dominus vobiscum means “The Lord be with you”. Domine, exaudi orationem meam means “Lord, hear my prayer”. If your Little Office is like mine, it’s written for the layman reciting it privately, so the Dominus vobiscums have already been replaced with Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

Mine is not written for laymen.

The usual way goes:

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

If I instead say:

Lord, hear my prayer.

What is the next response? Is it:

And let my cry come unto thee?

 

[Lormar]

Mine is not written for laymen.

The usual way goes:

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

If I instead say:

Lord, hear my prayer.

What is the next response? Is it:

And let my cry come unto thee?

Yes.

Deus in adjutorium meum intende

Domine ad adjuvandum me festina

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

Mine is not written for laymen.

The usual way goes:

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

If I instead say:

Lord, hear my prayer.

What is the next response? Is it:

And let my cry come unto thee?

Yes, that would be the correct response.