Liturgy of the Hours

[TimothyH]

Also, has there been a time when they have changed the psalms, prayers and readings of the Liturgy of the Hours. I found an older version of the Christian Prayer Liturgy of the Hours and I am trying to figure out what is the difference.

The Divine Office has changed throughout Church history and there are currently many versions.

Have a look at forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=8777006&postcount=139.

-Tim-

 

[TheMc]

I’m not sure I know anyone who prays all the daytime hours that doesn’t have Orders. It’s rare to find someone who uses the Office at all it seems. Very discouraging for recent converts like myself, especially in southern US, which, as far as Christianity is concerned, seems to be about 85% protestant (including mormons, JWs, etc). Let me put it this way, in my 24 years, not including Catholics I met through my local parish, I’ve known 3… THREE catholics… none of which were really practicing.

I guess my point is, good for you

catholicbookpublishing.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductID=723&DepartmentID=13 (daytime hours)
That might be useful to you, Russ. 4 3/8 X 6 3/4 might be pocket-sized if you have an extremely large pocket, ha. Subway, huh… yeah I’d prefer to carry something people don’t want to steal.
catholicbookpublishing.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductID=288&DepartmentID=89 (morning/evening)

Looks like you’ll be stuck with 2 books if you need morning prayer.

-SG

edit: nevermind, I thought you had said morning/midmorning/midday/afternoon and not morning/midday/evening. My bad.

It also saddens me that it seems no one knows the liturgy of the hours. I taught most of my friends to do it, and provided/gifted/showed them where to get breviaries, but outside little circles like that and a person here and there, it seems no one knows it!

It really is a pity.

 

[agnes_therese]

I love books, myself, but since I have to travel sometimes for work, I have the divine office app on my tablet. It’s very handy, and does make the packing a little lighter.

I keep hoping that the easier & less expensive availability may draw in more people. Time will tell.

 

[TheMc]

In this day and age you would hopefully have access to a computer, smart phone, or tablet while “on-the-road”. If you have one, there are obviously many options.

For US, Canada, and a few other english speaking countries:
divineoffice.org has the fully office with audio for free (4volume version). $15 for the iphone/ipad/android apps.
ibreviary is free on ipad (and maybe iphone and android) (4volume)
There are others, but those, I think, are the good ones.

I think Universalis is for English-speaking Europe. It’s free on pc.

If nothing else, I guess you could print the hours you need each morning, or save them as a text file for your e-reader or something. Seems like a hassle, though. More people should be getting on the electronic bandwagon IMO. There is zero page flipping, zero knowledge required to pray the office, practically zero money.

Please don’t use universalis. There’s so many other choices.

Here’s why: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=622514

 

[J0SEPH_SG]

Please don’t use universalis. There’s so many other choices.

Here’s why: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=622514

I agree. I should probably just refrain from listing it for confusion’s sake. They do have downloadable versions on Universalis (one has grail psalms and the icel antiphons with NAB readings or jerusalem, the other is their own translation) which probably costs money, I dunno. I had assumed before that since they used the Jeruselem readings, the grail psalms were not used in other english speaking countries like the UK. Alas, I was wrong.

 

[OraLabora]

I’m not sure I know anyone who prays all the daytime hours that doesn’t have Orders. It’s rare to find someone who uses the Office at all it seems. :

Well I’m not in Orders and I pray Vigils, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline almost every day. I’m a Benedictine secular oblate though. And I use a Monastic psalter, all psalms in one week, though I do use a licit formula to spread the psalms of Vigils over two weeks.

I also have to sometimes combine hours to fit my schedule, usually by combining Compline and anticipated Vigils, or two of the minor hours. Keeps me busy enough to stay out of trouble

 

[joanofarc2008]

I have a male friend who is very close. (For the sake of avoiding scandal he and I are waiting for anything until I know the status of my annulment.) He is very devout and he had not heard of the LOTH either. I pray them as part of my formation with the SFO. I taught him how to start praying using the internet form. If he is still doing well come Easter I plan on buying him the Breviary as an Easter present. When we are together at the appropriate times of day we pray those offices together. It has helped the friendship grow very beautifully.

 

[Russ_of_Tokyo]

Here’s a tidbit that most people outside of Japan will find useless, but it’s related all the same. Feel free to ignore.

The Japanese equivalent to the Liturgy of the Hours is called Kyokai no Inori (Prayer of the Church) but there is apparently no four volume set in Japanese, but only a large one volume set very similar in size, color and feel to the one volume English Christian Prayer. The readings from the Office of Readings are published separately in a handy series of smaller books. Daytime Prayer is limited to one Office a day, so there are five Offices a day instead of seven.

Today I was excited to discover a copy of the Japanese equivalent of Shorter Christian Prayer, and eagerly bought it. Again, very similar in size, color and feel; nice and portable. But I was surprised (and disappointed) to discover that the four week Psalter is not included in this pocket version. It has all five Offices for Sunday (and Saturday night) for week one only, plus a one week cycle of Morning and Evening Prayer selected from the various days of the four week cycle, something like a “Greatest Hits” compilation, I suppose.

Also, complete Morning and Evening Prayer for the special Calendar days are included, which is good.

I’m surprised that the Church would still call it “Prayer of the Church” (it’s right on the cover of the little version) and encourage lay people to use it when the daily Psalms almost never match what the larger Church is praying each day.

Now I am wondering if I want to start using this book for private devotions outside of the home. I want to be in step with the Church in this country and pray in the same language as everyone else here, but it looks like we have two different official drummers.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[J0SEPH_SG]

Now I am wondering if I want to start using this book for private devotions outside of the home. I want to be in step with the Church in this country and pray in the same language as everyone else here, but it looks like we have two different official drummers.

Any thoughts or advice?

Whatever the local council of bishops decide should have God’s approval ordinarily.

 

[jayk15]

Sparked my interest as well. Does it use US approved translation for readings, antiphons, etc?

I think it uses the New American Bible

 

[jayk15]

Here’s a link to the Paulines site which advertises their LOTH:
paulinespublicationsafrica.blogspot.com/p/liturgy-of-hours.html

 

[CaptCrunch73]

Thank you for this link! This versions seems to be what this article is talking about

newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/10/new-translation-of-divine-office-for.html