Morning and Evening prayer.../Breviary/Divine Office

[twiztedseraph]

My parents bought me the morning and evening prayers breviary from a Benedictine Abbey we frequent. Up until now I have been using an extremely shortened version of the office for youth. It gave me the basics of postures and such for the prayers, but I just wanted to double check with you fine people.

The Gospel Canticles (benedictus and magnificat) are they meant to be read in responsory fashion? Should I cross myself when beggining each canticle as the shortened office told me to? Is the glory be with alleluia recited after each psalm?

Further, with the common of the saints, is that a mandatory practise or a nice alternative?

This and any other handy hints you have would be great…I put this thread here as the divine office is a liturgy and in a way a sacramental.

 

[lyoncoeur]

I can’t afford the Breviary books, but I found this site where they will let you download a .pdf file in either booklet format, screen format or even portable reading device {palm} format, all for each day…it has the whole Devine office for that day. I checked it to the Morning & evening prayers broadcast on EWTN and it is the same…the booklets has the rubrics and is broken up for being said in responsory fashion.

www.liturgyhours.org

hope that helps…

 

[mercygate]

twiztedseraph:

My parents bought me the morning and evening prayers breviary from a Benedictine Abbey we frequent. Up until now I have been using an extremely shortened version of the office for youth. It gave me the basics of postures and such for the prayers, but I just wanted to double check with you fine people.

Do you know whether this is MP & EP from the Liturgy of the Hours, or is it the Benedictine form used at that abbey? Monasteries often have their own approved use.

The Gospel Canticles (benedictus and magnificat) are they meant to be read in responsory fashion?

Well, unless you have two heads, when you pray the office by yourself, you just read it.

Should I cross myself when beggining each canticle as the shortened office told me to?

Yup.

Is the glory be with alleluia recited after each psalm?

the Gloria Patri is prayed after each psalm and canticle but without the alleluia. The alleluia is added only after “Lord, make haste to help me” at the beginning of the office.

Further, with the common of the saints, is that a mandatory practise or a nice alternative?

It is mandatory for obligatory memorials, solemnities (sometimes the parts of the Office for Solemnities is found in the Proper of Seasons) and feasts. It is optional for optional memorials. Obligatory memorials (or during Lent they are called “commemorations” – who knows why?) are marked “Memorial” – printed in red in LOH and Christian Prayer.

This and any other handy hints you have would be great…I put this thread here as the divine office is a liturgy and in a way a sacramental.

I would advise that you get a copy of The Divine Office for Dodos, available from the Gift Shop at www.penitents.org. All you ever wanted to know about praying the Office but didn’t even know what to ask!

 

[Brendan]

twiztedseraph:

The Gospel Canticles (benedictus and magnificat) are they meant to be read in responsory fashion?

If said in a group, otherwise read in their entirity by ones self.

Should I cross myself when beggining each canticle as the shortened office told me to?

Yes. And stand if reasonable. This is the Gospel.

Is the glory be with alleluia recited after each psalm?

Yes, just prior to the Antiphon.

Further, with the common of the saints, is that a mandatory practise or a nice alternative?

For private devotion among the laity, it is not mandatory.

This and any other handy hints you have would be great…I put this thread here as the divine office is a liturgy and in a way a sacramental.

As mentioned above, www.liturgyhours.org is a great resource. In fact, my morning office is usually done using the “Mobile Format” on my PDA

 

[drforjc]

In RE: to the commons-

It is mandatory for obligatory memorials, solemnities (sometimes the parts of the Office for Solemnities is found in the Proper of Seasons) and feasts. It is optional for optional memorials. Obligatory memorials (or during Lent they are called “commemorations” – who knows why?) are marked “Memorial” – printed in red in LOH and Christian Prayer.

Here’s the citation from the GILH

1. In the arrangement of the office there is no difference between obligatory and optional memorials, except in the case of optional memorials falling during privileged seasons.

Memorials During Ordinary Time

1. In the office of readings, at morning prayer, and at evening prayer:

a. the psalms and their antiphons are taken from the current week and day, unless there are proper antiphons or proper psalms, which is indicated as the case occurs;

b. the antiphon at the invitatory, the hymn, the short reading, the antiphons at the Canticles of Zechariah and of Mary, and the intercessions must be those of the saint if these are given in the proper; otherwise, they are taken either from the common or from the current week and day;

c. the concluding prayer from the office of the saint is to be said;

 

[twiztedseraph]

Its from the divine office…the actual roman breviary…well atleast a part of it. I was asking the stuff about the saints as its weird having a psalter and then individual saints…My old youth breviary only had a weeks worth of prayers.