Probably Stupid But

[katholicchik]

Is there a dumbed-down version of how to say the Divine Office? I have that Christian Prayer book and I have googled, checked out blogs and watched youtube but alas, I think I’m either really dumb or making it harder than it is… or is it just really confusing jumping around so much to say a prayer first thing in the morning?

I open it and it says, if its Easter then start here and then if I turn there I don’t know what exactly I am to read so I flip back and skip stuff to realize I wasn’t even supposed to start there, I was supposed to be doing something every morning that precedes this printed prayer and scripture, oh then I read the reading… and I skip some more and I am at a hymn but dunno where to find the hymn or if I do, I can’t sing it bc I don’t know it and…

anyway I usually give up.

I love the divineoffice.org but I would really like to learn how to use a book.

Any suggestions for me on how to proceed?

And yes I concede that I’m not the brightest nor most dedicated bulb in the potting soil… I mean… :whacky:

 

[Little_One0307]

Hi,

First of, do you have the calendar or the Liturgy of the Hours schedule for the current year? This little publication can be bought at your local catholic store or online. They make one for the 1-volume if I remember correctly. It will tell you where to go for each of the prayers.

It used to take me a long time to set up my books and much less pray the office. But with time and perservernace one does get the hang of it.

What helped me learn it is that I prayed it with other people to begin with, only I started with the 4-voulme set. See if anyone at your parish prays and they could sit down and talk you through it.

God Bless.

I know there’s a book from Ignatius Press that has to do with LoH for beginners or something like that. I could not find it, I am going to dig out the catalog and if I can find it, I will post it for you.

 

[ANNE_2]

divineoffice.org/
or
universalis.com/

I have the 4 volume copy of the Divine Office and would be lost without the daily “Guide” for the current year.

When I can’t pray each at the appropriate time due to obligations, I pray more than one part of the day at a time.
There are Apps for those who own Ipods and Ipads.

As another poster wrote, it takes a while to set things up for yourself, and gets easier as you learn.

 

[puzzleannie]

my strong suggestion if you want a book is Shorter Christian prayer, no page flipping except to the gospel canticles inside the covers, and on Sunday.

even better is PP’s advice to go on line every day and pray from there to get into the rhythm of the 4 week psalter, I would do this for up to a year. then you can branch out. If you have the book already, the online source will tell you “where are we today”.

forget page flipping for now and just pray the psalter in the 4 week cycle, ordinary time is beginning after next week so you have a long time, until Advent, to get acclimated. don’t worry about feasts for now. Just look at your Catholic calender or on line to find out what week of OT we are in, and divide by 4, to get your week in the psalter, and just pray for whatever day it is.

getting they rhythm and habit, starting with just one hour, or morning and evening, to get started, than trying to do the whole thing

if you find a group that prays together that can be an enormous help.

your CP has everything you need, you don’t have to do the flipping yet, there is a contact inside the cover where you can order for a couple of dollars an annual guide to CP that tells you how to do it and follow it, but don’t worry about that right now. Just get in the groove. It is a wonder ful prayer. when you go to adoration, you can go to the back and also find one of the readings, just pick any one, for meditation.

 

[katholicchik]

Hi,

First of, do you have the calendar or the Liturgy of the Hours schedule for the current year? This little publication can be bought at your local catholic store or online. They make one for the 1-volume if I remember correctly. It will tell you where to go for each of the prayers.

It used to take me a long time to set up my books and much less pray the office. But with time and perservernace one does get the hang of it.

What helped me learn it is that I prayed it with other people to begin with, only I started with the 4-voulme set. See if anyone at your parish prays and they could sit down and talk you through it.

God Bless.

I know there’s a book from Ignatius Press that has to do with LoH for beginners or something like that. I could not find it, I am going to dig out the catalog and if I can find it, I will post it for you.

Did not know that thank you!

 

[Little_One0307]

Did not know that thank you!

You are welcome. I found the Ignatius catalog after digging around. I am going to look through it tomorrow and try to post it on here tomorrow night.

Oh, if you find out that your prayer book does not have enough ribbons, you can either buy a set from your local Catholic store or make them yourselves. Mine has about 20 ribbons in it lol. 20 different colors for 20 different things. I usually only use this full number during Lent and Easter Season, as Ordinary Time is much simplified.

When you do get your calendar or schedule, if you need any help, by all means feel free to PM me I know this may not be fast like Real time, but I don’t mind if you do not.

God Bless.