Liturgy of the Hours

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Which do you like better Christian Prayer (1 volume set) or the 4 Volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours?

I’ve been using Christian Prayer and am planning to move on to the 4 Vol. set; but I would like to know what to expect. What are the differences between the two? Is the 4 Vol. set easier to use? Can I expect to get more out of it?

Also, how long have you been praying the Liturgy? Do you do it by yourself or in a group?
 
If you plan on doing morning and evening prayers you will only need the Christian Prayer book. If you want to do the office of readings also you will need the 4 volume set. I hope I helped.
 
I’ve been praying the Liturgy of the Hours for about 7 years. I learned using a Christian Prayer book and did it on my own and with other people. After a year or so I got the four volume set. I prefer the four volume. I think it’s easier to navigate but then again it’s what I have used the longest. The bonus of having the four volume is that you are able to do the Office of Readings. It consists of 2 psalms and a canticle and then two readings. One reading is from scripture and the other is a spiritual writing. If I remember correctly, the four volume also has a more complete proper for the feast days of saints. I can’t remember if daytime prayer is any different.
 
I’m currently in Deacon Formation where both the single volume (Christian Prayer) and the four volume set is used. It is more a matter of preference. The four volume contains more options for certain days (certain Saint’s feast days) but the single volume contains the music for the hymns and at times a longer Biblical reading. I personally enjoy opening a different book with the change of the Liturgical Season as it brings a special acknowledgement of each part of the Liturgical year.
I hope this helps.
Peace:blessyou:
 
In many ways, the four volume is easier to use. You aren’t having to flip back for antiphons to be repeated at the end of Psalms because they are printed again at the end of each Psalm. Also, everything flows very smoothly.

I used to pray this version a lot, but have moved on to other forms of the Office.
 
Sacred_Heart said:
Which do you like better Christian Prayer (1 volume set) or the 4 Volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours?

I’ve been using Christian Prayer and am planning to move on to the 4 Vol. set; but I would like to know what to expect. What are the differences between the two? Is the 4 Vol. set easier to use? Can I expect to get more out of it?

Also, how long have you been praying the Liturgy? Do you do it by yourself or in a group?
Click to expand...
Greetings Sacred_Heart,

I particularly perfer the Four Volume set. It was a bit difficult at first, but now I am quite comfortable with praying it.

I have been praying it for the last three years, next year will be my fourth. I pray it alone, however is someone prays the hours and we are together, I like praying it together as a group as well.

The difference is that the Four Volume set has all the offices of the day in it.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
 
marty1818 said:
I’ve been praying the Liturgy of the Hours for about 7 years. I learned using a Christian Prayer book and did it on my own and with other people. After a year or so I got the four volume set. I prefer the four volume. I think it’s easier to navigate but then again it’s what I have used the longest. The bonus of having the four volume is that you are able to do the Office of Readings. It consists of 2 psalms and a canticle and then two readings. One reading is from scripture and the other is a spiritual writing. If I remember correctly, the four volume also has a more complete proper for the feast days of saints. I can’t remember if daytime prayer is any different.
Click to expand...
Thank you that was helpful. I plan on ordering from Barnes and Noble. Their 4 Vol. set comes with a supplement that contains feasts and memorials that have been added to the Church calendar since 1975 (I’m not sure if you were aware of this supplement so I mentioned it).
 
Sacred,

I have barely used my Leatherbound 4 volume set of the LOTH. It’s practically brand new. I’d be willing to sell it.

PM me if you are interested.
 
jeffryan said:
I’m currently in Deacon Formation where both the single volume (Christian Prayer) and the four volume set is used. It is more a matter of preference. The four volume contains more options for certain days (certain Saint’s feast days) but the single volume contains the music for the hymns and at times a longer Biblical reading. I personally enjoy opening a different book with the change of the Liturgical Season as it brings a special acknowledgement of each part of the Liturgical year.
I hope this helps.
Peace:blessyou:
Click to expand...
Yes, I agree. I do like the music for the hymns. I try to sound (sing) it out the best I can when I’m using it. It’s fun.

I think I heard somewhere that the 4 vol. set has the hymns but in poetical form, is that true?

I think I would enjoy opening a new book for every season too.
 
Windmill said:
In many ways, the four volume is easier to use. You aren’t having to flip back for antiphons to be repeated at the end of Psalms because they are printed again at the end of each Psalm. Also, everything flows very smoothly.

I used to pray this version a lot, but have moved on to other forms of the Office.
Click to expand...
Yea, I don’t like having to flip back and forth.
 
Anathama_Sit said:
Greetings Sacred_Heart,

I particularly perfer the Four Volume set. It was a bit difficult at first, but now I am quite comfortable with praying it.

I have been praying it for the last three years, next year will be my fourth. I pray it alone, however is someone prays the hours and we are together, I like praying it together as a group as well.

The difference is that the Four Volume set has all the offices of the day in it.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Sacred_Heart said:
Yes, I agree. I do like the music for the hymns. I try to sound (sing) it out the best I can when I’m using it. It’s fun.

I think I heard somewhere that the 4 vol. set has the hymns but in poetical form, is that true?

I think I would enjoy opening a new book for every season too.
Click to expand...
Yes that is true - which for me (someone who sing’s like a wounded cat) is enjoyable.
This is also the form of the Hymn we use during our Vespers during Holy Hour Adoration.
 
Sacred_Heart said:
Which do you like better Christian Prayer (1 volume set) or the 4 Volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours?

I’ve been using Christian Prayer and am planning to move on to the 4 Vol. set; but I would like to know what to expect. What are the differences between the two? Is the 4 Vol. set easier to use? Can I expect to get more out of it?

Also, how long have you been praying the Liturgy? Do you do it by yourself or in a group?
Click to expand...
While the antiphon repetition is a convenience, it’s only a minor one. The complexity is just the about the same.

the main question you need to ask yourself is: Do you intend to pray the Office of Readings (or constantly use them in some manner)? If yes, then that’s the reason to “graduate” to the four-volume. If not, then there is no good reason to do so.
 
I have only used the 4 volume LOTH once. It was when I was on retreat in Conyers, GA.
I have been praying the LOTH since 1983 using the one volume Christian Prayer.
Christian Prayer lacks the readings for the Office of Readings which I like to pray before and in combination with Morning Prayer. What I did was substitute other spiritual readings such as St. Augustine’s Confessions and St. Theresa’s Interior Castle. I found that I could remember more of these classics, and other books, that I chose to read better than when I would read them in a single reading. I would read them chapter by chapter.
I currently work overseas where the RSV is used instead of the NAB. I brought my Christian Prayer with me, but found it difficult to find spiritual classics here. I bought Collins 3 volume Divine Office so I would have the Office of Readings.

Whenever I return stateside permanently, it is my plan to purchase the 4 Volume LOTH. Stateside I also kept a copy of Shorter Christian Prayer in my glove compartment when I had a car, or in my backpack. That way I could pray the LOTH even when I wasn’t home.
Here I have a copy of Morning and Evening Prayer that I keep in my purse.
 
I use the 4-volume set for my personal prayer, but at Vespers during our regular Friday Holy Hour at our parish, we use the Shorter Christian Prayer, which is even more abbreviated than Christian Prayer - I don’t believe it has the propers for the saints. Father often asks me to read the reading, responsory and intercessions, and one thing I noticed is that the reading in the 4-volume set is sometimes truncated in comparison with the one-volume books, which means that I have to use the same book and can’t use my own breviary.

The reason we’re using the Shorter Christian Prayer book at the parish is to save having to print out booklets weekly from eBreviary. When we had used those for a while, I could read from my breviary, since eBreviary aligns with the 4-volume LOTH
 
nlh1302 said:
I use the 4-volume set for my personal prayer, but at Vespers during our regular Friday Holy Hour at our parish, we use the Shorter Christian Prayer, which is even more abbreviated than Christian Prayer - I don’t believe it has the propers for the saints. Father often asks me to read the reading, responsory and intercessions, and one thing I noticed is that the reading in the 4-volume set is sometimes truncated in comparison with the one-volume books, which means that I have to use the same book and can’t use my own breviary.

The reason we’re using the Shorter Christian Prayer book at the parish is to save having to print out booklets weekly from eBreviary. When we had used those for a while, I could read from my breviary, since eBreviary aligns with the 4-volume LOTH
Click to expand...
I don’t attend the early morning Mass in my parish. Those who do pray Morning prayer use Morning and Evening Prayer. It is the only source of the breviary available in our parish book store. It is small and portable.
Morning and Evening Prayer is equivalent to Shorter Christian Prayer. It is primarily the Psalter, morning and evening prayer only. Only the major Solemnities and Feasts are included.
 
porthos11 said:
While the antiphon repetition is a convenience, it’s only a minor one. The complexity is just the about the same.

the main question you need to ask yourself is: Do you intend to pray the Office of Readings (or constantly use them in some manner)? If yes, then that’s the reason to “graduate” to the four-volume. If not, then there is no good reason to do so.
Click to expand...
My intent was to expand my prayer in the liturgy; so yes I guess that means to pray the Office of Readings.
 
porthos11 said:
Then yes, the four-volume will be required.
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Unless you have access to a one or two-year approved lectionary. I have a two-year Latin/French one and it’s the one I use as our abbey uses it. Actually it’s in 6 volumes :eek:
 
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