Online Roman Breviary

[InNomineDomini]

Breviary.net has been discussed in multiple threads in this forum, but those threads didn’t address a couple of direct questions I’d like to now ask:

1. Since this website is run by a group who are sedevacantist, and since there is a nominal fee that is required in order to fully access the materials on the site, are we in some way sinning if we happen to purchase a subscription? Could such behaviour be described as problematic in other ways not covered by the word “sin”?
2. Since I won’t be able to attend an EF of the Mass any time soon, would actively praying part of a Pre-Vatican II Breviary ferment a sense of frustration with the OF of the Roman Rite? I would like to develop my interior life, not grow angry with modern Catholicism.

Apologies if this has been covered in places I may have overlooked. I’ve passively looked around the fora for a couple of days before asking.

 

[eamonnroma]

Don’t get angry. Trust the Church you claim to love, and do not live in the past.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Should a Catholic support a sedevacantist group financially? Of course not.

Private prayers can be in any language you prefer. No language is superior to another for this.

I attend the Traditional Latin Mass in my area as I admire the history and tradition. However, we should be on guard against any belief that any Catholic liturgy, in whatever rite or language, is morally superior to any other Catholic liturgy. Such a belief would surely be sinful.

 

[OraLabora]

1. Since I won’t be able to attend an EF of the Mass any time soon, would actively praying part of a Pre-Vatican II Breviary ferment a sense of frustration with the OF of the Roman Rite? I would like to develop my interior life, not grow angry with modern Catholicism.

This is strictly my opinion, but the current Liturgy of the Hours and the OF Mass are meant to go together. While using an approved version of the earlier breviary is OK, IMHO you will lose a sense of unity:

1. The liturgical year is different
2. The calendar of saints is different

The LOTH is tailor-made for people with busy schedules, and even though the psalter is divided up over 4 weeks, it’s been my experience when using shorter cycles (e.g. 1 week), one ends up having to omit Offices and thus one loses out on some great psalms. So I find it much easier to go through the entire psalter (minus the ones omitted by the LOTH) over a period of time.

Is the LOTH perfect? Of course not. But no breviary is, being a human construct. The key things to keep in mind with the LOTH:

1. You will be praying in unity with the Church;
2. Liturgy is “not all about me” and my preferences, its about solidarity with the Church, and with its members who are joyful, sorrowful, suffering, dying, being aborted, fighting wars, in prison, starting a family… in short, everyone regardless of state of life.

There’s always the option to pray it in Latin of course…

 

[rben20]

Take part in the rich tradition of the Church but do not put yourself at odds with the Pope. We can pray the breviary of the 1962 calendar as Pope Benedict XVI wishes. Angelus Press prints a nice and affordable truncated copy for the average layman in Latin/English. There is also the roman breviary by Baronius Press which is complete but expensive and also usually out of stock.

 

[InNomineDomini]

Thank you all for your replies. They’re sincerely helpful.

1. Liturgy is “not all about me” and my preferences, its about solidarity with the Church, and with its members who are joyful, sorrowful, suffering, dying, being aborted, fighting wars, in prison, starting a family… in short, everyone regardless of state of life.

This, especially, gets to the heart of my concerns. I’ve taken your advice, and will stick to the Liturgy of the Hours. If on occasion I have trouble appreciating what I read in the LOTH, I will offer this up as a sacrifice of obedience to the Church.

In many ways, I find the LOTH to be less draining than the old forms of the Roman Breviary; they’re simpler and easier to ponder on throughout the day. I also have more time for other private devotions.

Again, thank you for your views.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

InNomineDomini, there’s a free one at divinumofficium.com/, which also has a downloadable version. And they have a digital missal, too.

Edit: I posted this before seeing your most recent comment.