Liturgy of the Hours for 3rd shift worker

[Hopefulsaint]

Greeting everyone,

I am a avid follower of Liturgy of the Hours but I recently got a new job and am having a problem!

I was wondering if you had any suggestions for someone that is a full time student and also working the 3rd shift (8PM-6AM) on the weekend, so basically I switch from nighttime to daytime often.

I’m interested in what time each day you would have me pray Morning Prayer, (1) Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer. Please be specific (If i’m going to bed at 6AM saturday morning and should pray Night Prayer before going to bed…do I pray Friday’s night prayer…or Saturday’s night Prayer)

For example, here is my past weekend and this upcoming week:

Friday (Sacred heart of Jesus): I get off work at 6AM, Mass at 7:30AM sleep from 8AM-12PM ish.School from 1-3. Nap until 7. Back to work at 8PM.
Saturday (Immaculate Heart of Mary/12th Sunday of Ordinary Time vigil): I get off work at 6AM, sleep from 7AM-2/3 PM. Mass/Confession at 4 back to work at 8PM.
Sunday (12th Sunday of Ordinary Time): Off work at 6:30 AM. Sleep from 7-3. Mass at 5PM. Back to work at 8PM.
Monday (Feast of St. Thomas Moore): Off work at 6:30 AM. Sleep from 7-12. School from 1-3. force myself to stay awake until 10PM and go to bed.
Tuesday: Normal day(awake around 8AM, sleep around 10PM)School from 1-3
Wednesday(some feast of John the Baptist right? ): Normal day (awake around 8AM, sleep around 10PM)School from 1-3
Thursday: Normal day with an all-nighter for work at 8PM.School from 1-3

Any help would be appreciated. Anyone know a Saint of staying up all night working/studying?

 

[chatto]

Wow, sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate!

I love the Divine Office too, though clearly I’m not half as dedicated to it as you are! If I say all three main offices in one day, it’s a rare treat.

First of all, as for saints who could help in your cause, St. Joseph the Guardian of Jesus is honoured by the Church as Joseph the Worker on a separate feast day, and I can’t think of anyone better. Given that you’re a student, St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of Catholic students.

With regards Compline, the General Instructions in the front of my LH (the UK/Ireland version) say it should be said before going to bed, even if that is after midnight. So in your example, you’d say Friday’s night prayer.

Friday (Sacred heart of Jesus): I get off work at 6AM, Mass at 7:30AM Night Prayer sleep from 8AM-12PM ish.Morning PrayerSchool from 1-3. Nap until 7.** Evening Prayer** Back to work at 8PM.
Saturday (Immaculate Heart of Mary/12th Sunday of Ordinary Time vigil): I get off work at 6AM, Night Prayer sleep from 7AM-2/3 PM. Mass/Confession at 4 Evening Prayer I back to work at 8PM.
Sunday (12th Sunday of Ordinary Time): Off work at 6:30 AM. Night Prayer Sleep from 7-3. Mass at 5PM. Evening Prayer IIBack to work at 8PM.
Monday (Feast of St. Thomas Moore and St. John Fisher): Off work at 6:30 AMNight Prayer for Sunday Sleep from 7-12. Morning Prayer School from 1-3. force myself to stay awake until 10PM Evening Prayer and go to bed Night Prayer for Monday.
Tuesday: Normal day(awake around 8AM, sleep around 10PM)School from 1-3
Wednesday(some feast of John the Baptist right?The Nativity of John the Baptist ): Normal day (awake around 8AM, sleep around 10PM)School from 1-3
Thursday: Normal day with an all-nighter for work at 8PM.School from 1-3

I haven’t included anything for the ‘normal days’, though I’ve added John Fisher’s name for Monday (cos he’s one of our ‘national’ saints in England as well!)

As Wednesday is a Solemnity, you can say Compline after Vespers I for Sundays and Solemnities tonight, because there’ll be a Vigil office of Evening Prayer. Did any of that make sense?

Anyway, it’s all just a suggestion. I simply couldn’t crowbar Morning Prayer in to a couple of your days, and I’ll add that I’m sure God won’t mind. You’ll be no use to Him at all if you’re sleep deprived! If you feel weird saying Night Prayer at 6.30 AM, you could always do the Office of Readings. The General Instructions (which are online) state:

1. The Constitution on the Liturgy directs that the office of readings, “though it should retain its character as a night office of praise when celebrated in choir, shall be adapted so that it may be recited at any hour of the day; it shall be made up of fewer psalms and longer readings.”

Good luck with it all!

 

[Hopefulsaint]

Thank you very much, that was very helpful!

I think that the best thing to do is to try to stick to a routine of regular prayer and your suggestions will help greatly with that!

Thanks1

 

[DeusVeritas]

Why don’t you just pray the **Office of Readings ** which can be prayed at any hour of the day? That is what I tend to do when my day has been so hectic that I miss either Morning or Evening Prayer.

You can also pray the Office of Readings for the Blessed Virgin Mary called The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.