Ouch: Disliking the pre-Vatican II Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Penitus

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Let me begin by stating that I do not consider myself a “traditionalist.”

I recently began praying the post-Vatican II version of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I really enjoyed it, and became ever curious about some of the pre-Vatican II versions, especially the Baronius Press version, since it contained Gregorian Chant, etc.

So I dropped 26 bucks after shipping, and after praying Vespers tonight, I’ve decided that I loathe it in comparison to the post-Vatican II version.

First off, it’s immensely repetitive. In the Pre-Vatican II version, the same prayers are said daily. In the post-Vatican II version, the prayers change up every day.

Second, I’m simply cannot connect with the Old English of the Douay Rheims translation. It was a costly mistake, but I can do without the following: spaketh, thither, plenteousness, etc.

Thirdly, the Baronius Press version came with an errata sheet! That is, a page that has all their typos corrected! Totally unfair! The bottom line is that they should NOT be publishing a book with typos.

Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.

So I’ll kiss my Catholic Publishing Company version and my Baronius press version can start collecting dust until I can pawn it off on someone else.
 
If I might be presumptive enough to say it - loathe is a strong word and one that is best left out of talking about prayer. Any prayer, but especially one like this.
 
Fair enough. I dislike it, and it’s not the prayers themselves I dislike…after all, much of it is God’s word. Rather, it is the translation and setup I dislike.
 
Hi - I would have gone with the 1904 version for a pre-Vatican II edition. I know it’s after the fact now - but, you can find that for about $15. It’s published by St. Bonaventure Press.

I have not been overly thrilled with Baronius Press.

:harp::heaven:
 
Penitus said:
Let me begin by stating that I do not consider myself a “traditionalist.”

I recently began praying the post-Vatican II version of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I really enjoyed it, and became ever curious about some of the pre-Vatican II versions, especially the Baronius Press version, since it contained Gregorian Chant, etc.

So I dropped 26 bucks after shipping, and after praying Vespers tonight, I’ve decided that I loathe it in comparison to the post-Vatican II version.

First off, it’s immensely repetitive. In the Pre-Vatican II version, the same prayers are said daily. In the post-Vatican II version, the prayers change up every day.

Second, I’m simply cannot connect with the Old English of the Douay Rheims translation. It was a costly mistake, but I can do without the following: spaketh, thither, plenteousness, etc.

Thirdly, the Baronius Press version came with an errata sheet! That is, a page that has all their typos corrected! Totally unfair! The bottom line is that they should NOT be publishing a book with typos.

Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.

So I’ll kiss my Catholic Publishing Company version and my Baronius press version can start collecting dust until I can pawn it off on someone else.
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No intercessions!!!:bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes:

Lets just be thankful someone as progressive and therefore right thinking as yourself stumbled upon this abomination of a book…

Who knows what tragedy may have transpired had some average person or maybe even, dare I say it, a conservative:bigyikes: found it. The implications are positively horrific.

No intercessions, whats next?

PS Send me a PM and I’ll be glad to take it off your hands, so you won’t be bothered with it infecting your household any longer…
 
So I’ll kiss my Catholic Publishing Company version and my Baronius press version can start collecting dust until I can pawn it off on someone else.
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Not “pawn”…please?
Seriously, I think you have hit at the answer here: There is almost certainly someone who would be thrilled to have this book. Why not pass it along to them, and use the version that speaks to you??
(Just my :twocents: )
 
Penitus said:
Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.
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The whole point of the Divine Office - Little Office, or “big” Office - is that it is the corporate prayer of the Church. No ad lib intercessions are needed in it.
 
So you don’t like the Pre Vatican II Little Office.

If you don’t like it, you don’t have to pray it.
 
ruslan said:
Hi - I would have gone with the 1904 version for a pre-Vatican II edition. I know it’s after the fact now - but, you can find that for about $15. It’s published by St. Bonaventure Press.
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How much variation is there in the Little Office? I have a small cloth-bound purple volume from Carmel Books titled simply “The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” How different would it be from the one you mention?
I have not been overly thrilled with Baronius Press.
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Could you perhaps share why not? I have a Challoner Bible from them which I think is quite nice, even if I do need a microscope to read the text. 🙂 The binding and quality though are outstanding, at least in my copy. Because of that I have been considering other purchases from them, and so would be very interested to know what let you down about them.

Patrick
 
Not everything pre-VII is “superior” as many like to claim, though I do believe that many of the religious books explain the faith in much clearer language than some newer publications. I think that’s one of the reasons Scott Hahn is so popular with so many Catholics - he’s a modern writer who explains things well.

The important thing is that you do have a Little Office that you’re happy with. 👍

Anyway, I agree with you about not being thrilled with Baronius Press. I ordered a DR Bible from them - the expensive leather bound one. The endpapers were not applied properly or evenly. I contacted them for an exchange several times, they said they would replace it, and they never did. Future contacts have gone unanswered.

I also order their Little Office (hopeful even after the Bible mishap). I was on the pre-order list, so not only was it full of errors without an Errata sheet (which I agree is ridiculous - stop selling the darn thing and fix the errors!), but several of the pages had slanting type, as if the page had gone through the printer unevenly.

Needless to say, they won’t be getting anymore of my business.
 
While I respect your right to disagree, I have personally loved the BP LOBVM. I actually sold my 4-vol. LotH on ebay and used some of the money to buy my Little Office. I haven’t regretted it one day.

The old English is a real connection for me with the saints, martyrs, and pious souls who have gone before us. The conversational English in many of the new translations, while smooth-sounding to the ear, is too informal. Some people’s temperaments are irked by formal language. In those cases, this version may not be the best for them to progress in the spiritual life. For others, they thrive when the magnanimity and holiness of God is manifest in their prayer language (ie, they speak differently when addressing the Almighty).

To each his own.
 
palmas85 said:
Lets just be thankful someone as progressive and therefore right thinking as yourself stumbled upon this abomination of a book…
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So because I dislike a pre-Vatican II prayer book, that makes me “progressive” ? Does that work with Bibles, too? Are all who read non-DR Bibles progressive?
 
Penitus said:
Let me begin by stating that I do not consider myself a “traditionalist.”

I recently began praying the post-Vatican II version of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I really enjoyed it, and became ever curious about some of the pre-Vatican II versions, especially the Baronius Press version, since it contained Gregorian Chant, etc.

So I dropped 26 bucks after shipping, and after praying Vespers tonight, I’ve decided that I loathe it in comparison to the post-Vatican II version.

First off, it’s immensely repetitive. In the Pre-Vatican II version, the same prayers are said daily. In the post-Vatican II version, the prayers change up every day.

Second, I’m simply cannot connect with the Old English of the Douay Rheims translation. It was a costly mistake, but I can do without the following: spaketh, thither, plenteousness, etc.

Thirdly, the Baronius Press version came with an errata sheet! That is, a page that has all their typos corrected! Totally unfair! The bottom line is that they should NOT be publishing a book with typos.

Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.

So I’ll kiss my Catholic Publishing Company version and my Baronius press version can start collecting dust until I can pawn it off on someone else.
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A rather hateful post, wouldn’t you say? The point?
 
The point is to let others know what they’re buying when they buy a Baronius LOBVM.
 
Penitus said:
So because I dislike a pre-Vatican II prayer book, that makes me “progressive” ? Does that work with Bibles, too? Are all who read non-DR Bibles progressive?
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I can’t speak for all. They haven’t posted. You did. So based on the tone of your post, which follows:

Let me begin by stating that I do not consider myself a "traditionalist."

ISo I dropped 26 bucks after shipping, and after praying Vespers tonight, I’ve decided that I loathe it in comparison to the post-Vatican II version.

First off, it’s immensely repetitive. In the Pre-Vatican II version, the same prayers are said daily. In the post-Vatican II version, the prayers change up every day.

Second, I’m simply cannot connect with the Old English of the Douay Rheims translation. It was a costly mistake, but I can do without the following: spaketh, thither, plenteousness, etc.

Thirdly, the Baronius Press version came with an errata sheet! That is, a page that has all their typos corrected! Totally unfair! The bottom line is that they should NOT be publishing a book with typos.

Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.

So I’ll kiss my Catholic Publishing Company version and my Baronius press version can start collecting dust until I can pawn it off on someone else.

I think your tone speaks volumes, especially the loathing part, which was a particularly good point.👍 So yes, since you pointedly identified yourself as not being a traditionalist, which appears to be a point of pride with you, I would say you are a progressive.

As to non DR bibles, and I assume you mean the Douhy Reims bible, then I guess it would depend on the version that you are reading, wouldn’t you agree?

Or do you feel that ALL post Vatican II bibles and books in general of whatever type are equally good?
 
Penitus said:
The point is to let others know what they’re buying when they buy a Baronius LOBVM.
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I don’t think that was the point at all. The only thing that the Baronious Press version had that any other book from the time period didn’t have was the errata sheet. That was only one of four specific objections you had to the book.

No, your point, from the repetitive prayers to the language used to the lack of your personal favorite parts shows clearly your intent.
 
palmas85: What does any of what you have bolded to do with being progressive?

What was my intent? Can you really know my actions better than I know my own based upon a few posts on the Internet?
 
Fourthly, intercessions are missing from the pre-Vatican II version. That is by far my favorite part of prayer, and it allows me to throw in my own intercessions as well. I don’t get that option with the traditional version.
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As previously note, interecession ad libitum were not normally part of the Office.
 
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