Questions about how to pray the Little Office of the BVM

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Hello there, I’m considering enrolling on the brown scapular when this pandemic is over and I can go see my priest. That means I’ll have to pray the Little Office of Our Lady every day. I have never prayed anything like it before, not even the Divine Office, so I don’t quite know how to do it. I’ve been looking up things online, and it seems like you have to pray Matins at midnight, Lauds at 3 AM, Prime at 6 AM, Terce at 9AM, Sext at noon, None at 3 PM, Vespers at 6 PM, Compline at 9 PM. My question is: is it really that strict? Are you supposed to pray all hours or some are optional? And what do I do if I am not able to pray at one of these specific hours? I don’t know, for example, if I would be able to pray Matins, Lauds and Prime since I am usually asleep at those times, what should I do? Although I love to pray I’m also a simple layman, I have other obligations throughout the day and I don’t know if I would be capable of praying the Office everyday at these same hours. Can there be any flexibility?
Thanks.
 
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There is an alternative; you can pray the rosary daily. If you ask your priest on the day of enrolment. That is what happened to me. I’m bound to pray the rosary daily for my scapular obligation. Although I do try and pray the BVM Carmelite 1952 edition, some days being a wife etc its just not going to get done… I was advised by my priest, God would judge me on my vocation he gave me, not if I missed part of the office attending to my family. I guess each person’s vocation and soul is different and would need guiding accordingly. So maybe it depends on your state in life and discernment?

I also believe you can say Matins and Lauds together in the morning or after 6pm for the next day? But I would double check with a priest.

God bless and congratulations enrolling in the scapular. You’re truly blessed.

I will also add you to my prayers.
 
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When I got my brown scapular I read that you could ask permission of The priest that enrolled you to say the rosary instead. That’s what I did
 
The old adage is, “you pray as you can, not as you can’t.”

Of course you don’t have to be that strict. You’re a layman, not a monk. According to the Church, the hinge hours are Lauds and Vespers, so it should be sufficient for you to stick to those. Lauds is said in the morning, Vespers in the late afternoon to evening. Pick the times that suit you.

Further, for enrolling in the brown scapular, the Little Office is not required either. It used to be at one time, but now, all that’s needed is to share in some way in Carmelite spirituality. This includes the Liturgy of the Hours. I say that instead of the Little Office just because the Liturgy of the Hours is the standard prayer of the Church and is the “big” Office. I just generally say Morning, Evening, and Night Prayer.

The current Carmelite catechesis on the Brown Scapular is here. This should give you the necessary guidance on the one’s proper disposition towards the scapular.

https://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/content/scapular-catechesis
 
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Phew! I got myself wondering if I have been incorrect for the past couple of years haha. Thank you for confirming.
 
Thank You Teresa. God Bless You. This is quite helpful information. I’ll pray for you too 🙂

May God Repay You.
 
Thank You Porthos. This was also very very helpful. God Bless You and Repay You too 🙂
 
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