LotH 4 volume - imitation or bonded leather?

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I’m considering upgrading from Christian Prayer to the full 4-volume Liturgy of the Hours. There are two bindings available; imitation leather and bonded leather. Does anyone have any opinions on which would be the better/more durable binding of the two? Thanks!

Apologies if this isn’t the best sub-forum for this - moderators please move as necessary.
 
Are you planning on entering the seminary? Very few people outside religious life need the four volume set.

On the other hand I have always believed if I am going to be something expensive like this set, I would not go cheap with imitation leather.
 
I bought the 4 volume set because 1) I really like the office of readings so other options weren’t really good enough. 2) It’s actually not that unreasonable to do 5 of the hours each day. At least for me. 2 in the morning 1 at lunch 1 when I get home and 1 before bed. 3) Religious life or priesthood is in the back of my mind but I’m discerning a relationship at the moment.

Secondly I’ve only had my set for a little over a year but I’m really really happy with the imitation leather. I don’t see any wear on them at all and expect them to be fine for years to come. Honestly, if the paper itself is the same quality for both bindings, which I highly suspect, the. I doubt it would matter. The thin paper will wear out first by far.
 
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I honestly wouldn’t buy it now.
Buy Univeralis App.
The reason why is supposedly a new translation is supposed to be coming out in the next five years. I’d wait until then.
 
Imitation leather or plastic is fine. Mine is probably 40 years old.
 
So called “bonded leather” is bits of leather ground up and mixed in with a vinyl binding agent. It is maybe slightly more durable than vinyl, but still feels like vinyl - nothing like pure leather.

For my vinyl books, I carefully apply ArmorAll protectant and warm the covers to 125º-140º so that the protectant will be absorbed.

Use waxed paper or similar to ensure that you do not get the protectant on the pages. 30 minutes or so, the a wipe with a terry cloth towel and the cover is protected and has a slick feeling to it.
 
If you consider an app, get iPieta rather than Universalis. iPieta uses the same translations as the books.

Having said that, I have the 4-volume in the imitation leather covers, and it’s done quite nicely for about 30 years. I think the revised translation looks to be more than 5 years away, but I expect my set to last until it does arrive.
 
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Thomasbradley312 said:
The reason why is supposedly a new translation is supposed to be coming out in the next five years. I’d wait until then.
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I think that rumor has been circulating almost as long… I wouldn’t hold my breath - or wait to purchase based on this. It could easily turn into a decade or longer before we really see it available.
 
tvknight415 said:
I’m considering upgrading from Christian Prayer to the full 4-volume Liturgy of the Hours. There are two bindings available; imitation leather and bonded leather. Does anyone have any opinions on which would be the better/more durable binding of the two? Thanks!

Apologies if this isn’t the best sub-forum for this - moderators please move as necessary.
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Why do you want to upgrade? The new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours should be finished in a year or two.

If you buy all 4 volumes now, they will out of date soon.

It would be my suggestion pray the Office of Readings online and if you want to pray the Daytime Prayers, get the Daytime Prayer supplement

https://www.amazon.com/Daytime-Pray...61340035&s=gateway&sprefix=daytime+pra&sr=8-1

God bless
 
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phil19034 said:
The new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours should be finished in a year or two.
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Do you have a newer update from the bishops than the rest of us? Last I heard was 2025, to coincide with a revised NABRE.
 
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angel12 said:
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phil19034:
The new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours should be finished in a year or two.
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Do you have a newer update from the bishops than the rest of us? Last I heard was 2025, to coincide with a revised NABRE.
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I don’t think they are using the new translation they are currently working on.

I think they are using the existing NABRE

http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgy-of-the-hours/liturgy-of-the-hours-second-edition.cfm

A few comments I read over the years said it would be ready in 2020

Perhaps, it won’t be, but I wouldn’t buy the 4 volume LOTH unless one really wants to pray the Office of Readings from a book and not online
 
phil19034 said:
Perhaps, it won’t be, but I wouldn’t buy the 4 volume LOTH unless one really wants to pray the Office of Readings from a book and not online
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Completely agree on that. I just wondered if I’d missed some better news on the timeline.
 
phil19034 said:
A few comments I read over the years said it would be ready in 2020
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That’s Vatican warp speed! I’ll believe it when I see it. Mind you it’s not a big issue for me as I pray the LOTH in French and Latin.

My French LOTH books could stand replacement though. Very worn and some bookbinding tape to hold them together due to cheap construction.

Also the French editors have been particularly cruel by only including TWO ribbons!!! What WERE they thinking??? I’d buy a new set if at least it had as many ribbons as Liturgia Horarum which comes with 6 ribbons.
 
I have the 4 volume set in the imitation leatherette material. But I know others who have it in bonded leather. My set has held up in the two years that I’ve had it, but the imitation material definitely has been getting creases. The bonded leather is much softer, more comfortable in the hand, and looks nicer. It’s presumably a little more durable too. If I were buying a new set, I would definitely opt for the bonded leather.

HOWEVER, they are currently working on a new translation, so if I were you, I’d wait until that’s available to make that kind of investment. Why go to the trouble of spending so much when it’s going to be replaced in a couple years anyway? If you really feel that you need the 4 volume set now, maybe try to find a cheap used set to hold you over until the new one comes out. I’ll definitely spring for the bonded leather when the new translation comes out, if that’s an option.

On a separate note, I hope they allow someone besides Catholic Book Publishers to publish the new set. CBP has been using the same tired format for the last 40+ years and their styling is unattractive and outdated in my opinion. Having seen the Baronius Press Latin volumes, the difference in styling is night and day. It would be a nice bonus to have a genuine leather option for the Breviary (although that would certainly drive up the price). I’d love to see what St. Benedict Press or MTF could do if they got the rights to publish the Breviary.
 
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OraLabora said:
Also the French editors have been particularly cruel by only including TWO ribbons!!! What WERE they thinking???
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Yeah, that seems like a major headache. Have you thought of buying your own ribbons to add? That probably wouldn’t be too expensive.
 
angel12 said:
Do you have a newer update from the bishops than the rest of us? Last I heard was 2025, to coincide with a revised NABRE.
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Everyone I’ve talked to, including those at the seminary have said 2020 or 21. But at the notoriously slow rate the translators work, it probably will be 2025.
 
Concerning the new translation - whenever it might be - would the Church really expect the tens of thousands of affected clergy (not thinking of lay at this point) to spring for a new set, or grandfather usage of the existing volumes? Big expense.
 
Thank you for your thoughts everyone.

As to the question of religious life, I am a Lay Dominican. 😉

I’ve prayed Office of Readings occasionally, using iBreviary, for several years. At Christmas, I got a copy of LotH Vol 1 on inter-library loan, and praying through that format was really comfortable, compared to just trying to pray it on the app. I found myself praying it daily, and missing it when I didn’t. After V1 went back, I tried to go back to the app, but just haven’t found the same comfort in praying it in that format. So, I find myself wanting the full set.

I’ve considered just struggling through the app until the new set is released (someday), but I’m at the point where I’d really like to get the books even if I only use them for 3-4 years before the new edition is out. Amazon has the imitation set for $107, which is not that much more than it would cost to assemble a full set buying used with separate shipping costs.
 
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