Liturgy of the Hours: Question RE Different Book Versions

[Serenity412]

You might call some of the parishes around you to see if they have a group saying the office (whatever part) on a regular basis, and see if you can find the time to join in. That would be “hands on”.

My experience is that there are people out there saying the Office in community, but it is “volunteer” as opposed to organized by the parish, so calling may be necessary,

Next thought - see if one of the parishes has a deacon or two who might be able to say the Office with you for a period of time until you become familiar with it.

Or see if there is a seminary anywhere within a reasonable amount of time; the seminarians should be saying the office in community. For a while I had a job that would occasionally take me by our local seminary, and I could drop in for Vespers with the seminarians.

There is a Deacon at my parish who I know would be willing to help me. Should I get the regular LOTH and ask him or start off with the shorter version?

 

[drforjc]

There is a Deacon at my parish who I know would be willing to help me. Should I get the regular LOTH and ask him or start off with the shorter version?

Get either the 4 volume set or the one volume Christian Prayer, Don’t bother with Shorter Christian Prayer. You will outgrow it before you finish a liturgical year.

 

[otjm]

There is a Deacon at my parish who I know would be willing to help me. Should I get the regular LOTH and ask him or start off with the shorter version?

I started with Shorter Christian Prayer, and it was a number of years before I got the one volume version, and many fewer before I got the four volume version. I still have my Shorter Christian Prayer, however and I am not about to get rid of it.

You may find that you take to the Liturgy like a duck to water; and you may have ample time to pray. Or you may find that it doesn’t fit as well as you thought it would, or that you don’t have as much time as you thought, or any other possible permutations of the same. It is your call; but starting out with something that is a bit more simple is a good start. Starting out with something a bit more complex may end up frustrating you; or it may be that is where you should be. I can’t make the call, but I would recommend stating more simply and seeing if it fits well, and if after 6 months or a year you want to step up, then you have some good experience.

By the way - I started it in college seminary (SCP) and we used it for two years; we did not need anything more (including the one volume). I kept it after I left the seminary for my junior year of college.

 

[DKJ]

A slightly different idea is to buy a subscription to Magnificat It has alot packed into such a little beautiful book. There is a shortened version of morning, evening and night prayer as well as daily Mass. There is also daily mediations, lives of the saints, famous art pieces and a bilble study. It arrives monthly. My only complaint is that the Mass readings and responsorial psalms are not the same translation as used in Canada. I have subscribed to it for 3/4 of a year and have decided to renew my subscription.

 

[anruari]

A slightly different idea is to buy a subscription to Magnificat It has alot packed into such a little beautiful book. There is a shortened version of morning, evening and night prayer as well as daily Mass. There is also daily mediations, lives of the saints, famous art pieces and a bilble study. It arrives monthly. My only complaint is that the Mass readings and responsorial psalms are not the same translation as used in Canada. I have subscribed to it for 3/4 of a year and have decided to renew my subscription.

This is a lovely publication, but it’s not the formal Divine Office. It is a private devotion based on the Office, and inspired by it.
It also does not contain the “Office of Readings” which the O.P. specifically said he’s looking for.
It’s very suitable for the general laity who are not bound to pray the full Office. It’s not suited to Clergy or Religious who must pray the official Office or their Orders authorised variant.

 

[SachieWhitby]

This is a lovely publication, but it’s not the formal Divine Office. It is a private devotion based on the Office, and inspired by it.
It also does not contain the “Office of Readings” which the O.P. specifically said he’s looking for.
It’s very suitable for the general laity who are not bound to pray the full Office. It’s not suited to Clergy or Religious who must pray the official Office or their Orders authorised variant.

Yep! Yep! I’ve heard the Office of Readings via podcast and because of that, The Liturgy of the Hours seems like it would be incomplete with out it.

 

[DKJ]

This is a lovely publication, but it’s not the formal Divine Office. It is a private devotion based on the Office, and inspired by it.
It also does not contain the “Office of Readings” which the O.P. specifically said he’s looking for.
It’s very suitable for the general laity who are not bound to pray the full Office. It’s not suited to Clergy or Religious who must pray the official Office or their Orders authorised variant.

Thanks for explaining the difference. I have thought of buying a permanent missal and the book of Christian Prayer since in the long run it would be cheaper but I like that I can fit the Magnificat in my pocket or purse and go. I also like the daily meditations and the other little tidbits that they fit in there. Maybe when I am not so busy with my family I can move on to the Book off Christian Prayer.

 

[elizaveta01]

If you want the Office of Readings than you have to get the 4 volume (American) or 3 volume (UK) set.

There used to be a separate book of the Office of Readings (by St Paul I believe), but it is long out of print and very expensive used - about 90 bucks usually. There are usually a few copies on Amazon.

Personally I use the UK version even though I’m in the US. I like the Bible versions better (no NAB) and also that it contains the Celtic saints. Also it just has a better look/feel to it.

One consideration about deciding if you want to wait for the new version to come out is about the Psalter. The current version (both US and UK) uses the Grail Psalter. The next one will use the New Grail Psalter. Some people have an issue with the NGP because of inclusive language. If that’s an issue with you, you might want to check it out before making up your mind about waiting.

Also, if you want to be able to pray the mid-morning, noon and mid-afternoon prayers but are limited because of the size of the office (it is a bit much to carry to work with you). The Catholic Truth Society publishes a book called Prayer During the Day which has just these three offices in it. It’s a small book that is easy to carry and is available from Amazon UK for about $10 plus shipping.

 

[anruari]

One consideration about deciding if you want to wait for the new version to come out is about the Psalter. The current version (both US and UK) uses the Grail Psalter. The next one will use the New Grail Psalter. Some people have an issue with the NGP because of inclusive language. If that’s an issue with you, you might want to check it out before making up your mind about waiting.

Considering the recent issues the vatican has published, it is Extremely unlikely that they would approve a new version which uses Inclusive Language, without removing that aspect from the translation.
The vatican has made it’s opinion on that matter extremely clear, and defined in it legally binding policy documents.

For people wanting to learn the LOTH, I would strongly recommend starting with the online sites:
www.universalis.com
or www.divineoffice.org
or www.ibreviary.com

divine office.org have nice pod-casts - based on the US version of the office. - this includes Sung / Chanted office for main hours on Sundays and Feasts.

Universalis will let you buy a £20 subscription which then gives you permanent access to the full breviary on your computer or portable device, and create your own e-books of the Office for Kindle or Nook or other e-reader.
Their on-line free version is their own translation as they don’t have permission to give the Grail translation for free. (it is on the paid for versions)

 

[drforjc]

Considering the recent issues the vatican has published, it is Extremely unlikely that they would approve a new version which uses Inclusive Language, without removing that aspect from the translation.
The vatican has made it’s opinion on that matter extremely clear, and defined in it legally binding policy documents.

For people wanting to learn the LOTH, I would strongly recommend starting with the online sites:
www.universalis.com
or www.divineoffice.org
or www.ibreviary.com

divine office.org have nice pod-casts - based on the US version of the office. - this includes Sung / Chanted office for main hours on Sundays and Feasts.

Universalis will let you buy a £20 subscription which then gives you permanent access to the full breviary on your computer or portable device, and create your own e-books of the Office for Kindle or Nook or other e-reader.
Their on-line free version is their own translation as they don’t have permission to give the Grail translation for free. (it is on the paid for versions)

I have the Revised Grail Psalter, and their are places where horizontal inclusive language has been used. Typically, “men” or “sons” has been changed to language that is gender neutral. It definitely did not adopt vertical inclusive language.

The reason stated for the horizontal language is that in some places the Hebrew was not masculine in gender, so they claimed to be more accurately reflecting the original language.

 

[Marysann]

Fairwinds, “The day thou gavest, Lord is ended” is included in the Collins “Morning and Evening Prayer” which I use even though I am an American. The lovely hymns are one of my favorite features of this British edition. I purchased my first copy in 1999, and wore it out. I ordered a new copy from Amazon.UK. I had been worried that the hymns might have been changed in the new edition. I was happy to see that there were no changes at all except for the calendar and the addition of saints for Australia! I hope that if there ever is a common LOTH for all English speakers, it uses the British version and not the American. I live in Rome, and I noticed the the British LOTH is the version sold at the Vatican bookstore.