LotH 4 volume - imitation or bonded leather?

[otjm]

And if the Church moves as rapidly as it has in the past, it may be closer to 10 years. I googled Liturgy of the Hours (not through Amazon) and one seller has the paper bound for $38.95; $2.50 for the guide, say $48 to caver shipping.

Assuming all 5 are said each day that works out to $0.0064 (that is about one-half a cent per reading) assuming that it is only said 300 days per year - life intruding somehow. Use it almost every day of the year and it is even less…

Golly yes, that is too expensive… not.

Another one had it in all black leather; $156 with free shipping. Assuming 5 per day, 300 days (gives a fudge factor for days missed or fewer readings) it works out to a hair over 2 cents per reading.

 

[Pitcairn17]

And if the Church moves as rapidly as it has in the past, it may be closer to 10 years. I googled Liturgy of the Hours (not through Amazon) and one seller has the paper bound for $38.95; $2.50 for the guide, say $48 to caver shipping.

Assuming all 5 are said each day that works out to $0.0064 (that is about one-half a cent per reading) assuming that it is only said 300 days per year - life intruding somehow. Use it almost every day of the year and it is even less…

Golly yes, that is too expensive… not.

Another one had it in all black leather; $156 with free shipping. Assuming 5 per day, 300 days (gives a fudge factor for days missed or fewer readings) it works out to a hair over 2 cents per reading.

I suspect a typo. That same source is selling the one volume “Christian Prayer” for $37.95. Unlikely that 4-volume set would be just $1. more.

 

[CTBcin]

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.

There have been revisions in the past and priests have always been expected to have the current Breviary used by the Church for official prayer. Once the new edition comes out, the old will be obsolete. They will no longer be praying the current office approved by the Church. It also doesn’t help for religious order priests and seminarians to have varying editions of the Breviary, as they won’t be able to pray in unison as a community. And really, the Church hasn’t updated the Breviary in a long time- since the 1970s.

Remember, it’s also a BIG expense for the publishers, without a lot of profit to be made. Obviously, the Breviary is made for a niche market. If they are going to justify the massive expenses and headache involved in formatting a new edition of the Breviary, there had better be someone to buy it.

In the long run, the cheapest editions of the Breviary are a little over $100. I think mine was around $120. Assuming the new one is roughly the same price, is that really a huge expense for a priest? Especially considering that it will be his constant companion for decades? I pay significantly more every semester just to have the books I need for classes.

 

[CTBcin]

and one seller has the paper bound for $38.95; $2.50 for the guide, say $48 to caver shipping.

I have never seen a paper bound version of the LOTH. Was the seller the St. Jude Shop? I saw that they have the Liturgy of the Hours for $38.95. But, that is just for one volume. If you go into the options and select the four volume set, it’s listed at $156. For the bonded leather: $180.

 

[OraLabora]

Yeah, that seems like a major headache. Have you thought of buying your own ribbons to add? That probably wouldn’t be too expensive.

I’ve worn out more than one set of purchased ribbons! I avoid the “silky” ones (for want of a better term), they wear out faster. A trick I learned is to dip the ends in hot candle wax (just after blowing out the candle) to avoid the ends fraying.

 

[angel12]

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.

Update – Daria Sockey, who used to do the Coffee and Canticles blog about the LOTH, recently emailed the USCCB Divine Worship committee. Their response was that they expect it to be available by the end of 2022.

 

[otjm]

Well, bless my soul - it was a price per volume… and I guess that is what I get when I get in a hurry.

Okay, not a hurry - just taking a break from pulling weeds… a mindless tasl, which apparently carried over to trying to make a quick answer.

To those who propose it is so expensive: cost per use is de minimis. And as someone noted, try paying for a text book.

“Expecting” to have it out by 2022? “Expecting” is a weasel term as it is not scheduled, and is subject to revision as time rolls on. And on. And on.

 

[angel12]

“Expecting” to have it out by 2022? “Expecting” is a weasel term as it is not scheduled, and is subject to revision as time rolls on. And on. And on.

Which is why I’m thinking more along the lines of 2025. If it comes sooner, great. If not,

 

[tvknight415]

By 2022. Well, I’ve been waiting for an Ignatius Catholic Study Bible OT for awhile. Patience is a virtue.

 

[angel12]

Well, I’ve been waiting for an Ignatius Catholic Study Bible OT for awhile. Patience is a virtue.

Watch them come out at the same time.

 

[InThePew]

The church has realistically low expectations of its clergy While clergy (and others) are obligated to pray the LOTH as far as I’m aware how exactly they do this is largely a matter for them (well certainly for secular clergy - those in orders, especially the more communal ones may well be more regulated). In other words, if I wanted to I could pray it in Latin (provided, presumably, an authorised version was used). So when the new translation comes (at some point presumably before I reach the age of Methuselah) some clergy will start using it while others will stick to what they’re familiar with and have been using for years. Ultimately, when it comes to matters of private devotion, things aren’t nearly as strict as they are for public devotion.

 

[OraLabora]

Well if the LOTH itself is the precedent, it is as soon as promulgated and books are available. Charitably, in the General Instruction, St. Paul VI allowed elderly clergy to continue using the old Breviary, so as to not impose too big a burden on them, of learning the LOTH.

St. Pius X made no such accommodation with his radical reform of the Roman Breviary in 1910. The old one immediately became invalid and did not fulfill the obligation. However the Pius V Breviary was so heavy in comparison (250 vs 150 psalms per week), that many diocesan clergy and clergy with heavy pastoral charges were already using lesser votive Offices by indult. The Pius V Office was really only appropriate for religious and cathedral chapters whose main purpose in life was Liturgy.

I expect, reasonably, that some wiggle room will be permitted to give clergy time to acquire the new and expensive books, and familiarize themselves with them. Many religious communities, including non-Benedictine monastics, and even some Benedictines, use the LOTH. So replacing all the books will be a huge expense. I expect to see several communities praying the updated LOTH from photocopied sheets for a while

 

[FriendsOfJesus]

Get the bonded leather! That’s what I have and having the physical book inspires you to pray the Liturgy of the Hours more frequently. Once you start praying from the book, you don’t want to go back to the phone. I think the bonded leather is a lot prettier than the imitation leather with the different colors for each volume.

 

[edward_george1]

Back in 2010 or so, when I started seminary, I asked our liturgy director about the then-soon-to-be-released new translation of the breviary.

He laughed. Hard.

-Fr ACEGC

 

[Sean]

Don’t bother with the 4 volume unless you really want the office of reading I suggest just getting Christian prayer

 

[KMG]

For those who are edified by it, then fine, yes, go with the 4-vol., and the leather issue is probably irrelevant one way or the other.

That said, this is a 1970s production all the way. The hymnody is a disaster. The collects are the dreadful original ICEL versions. The intercessions are banal. The appendix of “poetry” is weird.

It’s appalling the American episcopate hasn’t been able to produce a vernacular version of the 1985-1987 second typical edition of the breviary over 30 yrs after the Latin appeared.

 

[Sean]

I thought everyone loves king of glory

 

[Anne1964]

I have the bonded leather set and I like them. Bought mine used on eBay at a good price.

 

[CTBcin]

That said, this is a 1970s production all the way. The hymnody is a disaster. The collects are the dreadful original ICEL versions. The intercessions are banal. The appendix of “poetry” is weird.

It’s appalling the American episcopate hasn’t been able to produce a vernacular version of the 1985-1987 second typical edition of the breviary over 30 yrs after the Latin appeared.

Yeah, these are most of my complaints as well. The hymnody ought to be translations of the Latin hymns for the day, but many of them are just standard hymns of varying quality. Some of them are good, but others are banal. “For the Fruits of His Creation” makes my eyes roll every time I see it. “Morning has Broken” is a nice folksy melody, but not something I really want to be singing for the Divine Office.

I share your opinion on the collects and intercessions.

Not all of the poetry is terrible, but it’s usually irrelevant, as I generally ignore it. It’s just a waste of space, especially considering large the volumes are.

I honestly never knew there was a newer typical version of the Breviary made in the 80s.

 

[OraLabora]

The hymnody is a disaster.

The situation in French is scarcely better; many very insipid hymns. A few are direct translations of the Latin (namely for the minor hours and Compline), and are on the iambic dimeter and can thus be chanted with simpler Gregorian tones. Most alas, are not. I just use the hymns from Liber Hymnarius and chant them in Latin.

The collects are the dreadful original ICEL versions.

The collects should be translations of the Latin. Whether they are good translations is another matter; as I don’t pray the LOTH in English, I will reserve comment. In French there are still a few collects without an official translation, only a provisional translation. For English you can use the collects from the missal from the new translation at least for Sundays and feasts.

The intercessions are banal.

The (post-Vatican II) monastic breviary is my friend. Rubrics allow me to omit the intercessions and replace them with the Kyrie. They also allow me to move the hymn to after the responsory and include the ornate versicle after the hymn.

Bishops conferences do have the authority to propose new intercessions; and in Benedictine monasteries, it is customary for the community to compose their own (the last one at Vespers is always for the deceased). Sant’ Anselmo, in Rome, which uses the Liturgy of the Hours instead of a Benedictine schema (on account of being a university), uses three simple petitions: one after the first Kyrie, one after the Christe Eleison, one after the last Kyrie, followed by the Pater Noster (they do Lauds in Italian but Mid-day prayer, Vespers and Compline in Latin).

The appendix of “poetry” is weird.

Not sure what you mean about that; it doesn’t exist in the French LOTH.

My main point being, when presented with a lemon, make lemonade. One of the ways I have done is to use Les Heures Grégoriennes for the daytime hours, and chant the LOTH in Latin (when I use it instead of the monastic, when I’m busy). It helps keep me in practice for our schola as well. LHG has the Latin alongside the French, which makes it easy to understand what you’re praying.