Solitary Liturgy of the Hours

[OraLabora]

It seems to me that there is enough doubt about whether it is optional that in practice it would be better to include the hymn.

Yes and when reading or reciting the Office, it’s only going to add maybe 30 seconds or a minute on top of the 10-15 minutes it already takes.

So a bit of a tempest in a teapot really.

 

[Cjbhoward]

Especially coming from those who are not even Carmelite Seculars.

My curiosity stems from the fact that I am beginning the formation process & I’ve been instructed the hymn is not optional. We can sing or recite. We can choose from an approved selection. But the hymn will be included in the prayer.

 

[powerless]

I’ll probably be taken to task for this by my legalistic brothers and sisters, but its okay, I’m used to it!

But, If you are a member of the laity, the entire LOTH is optional. Although it is the Prayer of the Church, and has Rules and Rubrics for communal use, you may read, recite, chant all or part of the prayers and readings to incorporate into your own reverent worship of God, when and how you want.

Strict following rules or rubrics for using the parts of the LOTH as a form to render worship to the Lord would be like saying that reading the Missal as a tool in personal devotion each day is wrong because you are reading what the priest would be saying, and not using the proper gestures. I for one, pray the Collect nearly daily.

 

[OraLabora]

I don’t think anyone disputes the value of using selected elements in the LOTH as private devotion. The question is sort of “when does it become liturgy”? Liturgy is the official prayer of the Church and IMHO joining one’s self to the Church’s liturgy is of great value. Over time it has become for me an indispensable source of renewal for my faith especially in times of great doubt.

I will say though, that based on my monastic experience, that abridging the LOTH, but doing the part you say faithful to the rubrics, is participating in the LOTH even if you don’t say an entire hour.

At the abbey, there are monks who must leave in the middle of an Office to attend to some necessary task. The brothers, for instance, who are assigned to some timely early morning tasks were dispensed from the second nocturne of Vigils. If they miss the second nocturne, does it mean that they weren’t participating in “liturgy”? Absolutely not! Their necessary work simply completes their prayer. God understands. or the elderly monk who needs more time to get to the refectory at the mid-day Office is dismissed early. It is still liturgy for him.

Occasionally a monk is held back by some necessary task and arrives late at the Office; Has he “participated” in the Liturgy? Absolutely.

So if a constraint obliges one to abridge an Office… be it a hymn or at some other point part way through, I think it is still liturgy. Even using the abridged Magnificat MP and EP is, assuming official texts are used, “liturgy”. Usually a psalm or canticle is omitted but the texts are identical to the LOTH. So there is one part of the LOTH that is being faithfully recited if one uses the Magnificat abridged version. It’s just some of the Office that is omitted for valid reasons. It’s no different than dismissing a working brother early from an Office so he can attend to his assigned duties (e.g. baking bread early in the morning). The part attended is 100% faithful to the LOTH. It is still participation in the liturgy. Perhaps not full participation, but it is participating fully in the portion attended.

So indeed we do have to be mindful of not descending into a strict legalism. The Law serves Man, not Man the Law. The Law allows for partial participation in certain circumstances without it losing its liturgical character. Now if one ignored a mandatory memorial, or said Lauds in the evening, or used antiphons different from the great “O” antiphons the last week in Advent, that is valid prayer, but not liturgical prayer. But if one prays the correct Office up to, say the intercessions, or omits the last psalm or canticle because of a necessary time constraint, then one is praying liturgy, at least in part, if not in full.

I have to thank Jim in particular, his interventions really got me thinking about this and realizing that I should be taking my cues, as a Benedictine, from my community who have always made practical allowances for particular circumstances.

 

[phil19034]

However, I understand that the negative reception of the new translation of the Mass is causing the LOTH translation to be put on the back burner for now, as we may yet see another translation of the Mass.

Boy, I hope not. The new translation is fine and everyone is used to it. Anyone who has an issue all these years later really needs to suck it up and get over it.

 

[OraLabora]

Anyone who has an issue all these years later really needs to suck it up and get over it.

Some of these issues are quite practical though. My parish is bilingual and Mass in English is offered by an elderly francophone priest who really struggles in English. He uses the older translation because it’s what he can manage.

Not unlike when the Neo-Vulgate replaced the Vulgate Latin (Latin too is a translation, English is a translation of a translation)

 

[MikeInVA]

The GILH speaks primarily of the office being prayed in common and it mentions little about individuals praying the office.

This is because the Divine Office is a public prayer of the Church, unlike the Rosary which is a private prayer.

 

[OraLabora]

This is because the Divine Office is a public prayer of the Church, unlike the Rosary which is a private prayer.

It is still public prayer even when said privately. I would say that outside religious communities, it is almost always said privately even by clergy.

 

[MikeInVA]

It is still public prayer even when said privately. I would say that outside religious communities, it is almost always said privately even by clergy.

Yes, I think the thread has confused public and private prayer with praying in a group vs. alone.

 

[MikeInVA]

I think a lot of the confusion is caused by Shorter Christian Prayer. It has recommended hymn numbers but does not print the hymn at the beginning of the hours. My parish prays the Morning Prayer using Shorter Christian Prayer, and only recites the hymn on feast days where they pass out copies of eBreviary.

 

[MikeInVA]

Also, for those who want to sing but can’t (like me), there is the Mundelein Psalter which is designed to be chanted. It’s a little challenging to get started but if you are determined to sing Morning and Evening Prayers it is a good way to go.

 

[OraLabora]

I second what Mike says concerning the Mundelein Psalter. I have a copy and it’s well done. I don’t use it as I chant in Latin and sometimes in French, but for those wanting to chant the Office in English, it is the way to go.

 

[TomH1]

The Divine Office is, of course, optional for the majority of you. Where observing the rubrics matters depends on what you want saying the Office to be. If you want it to be the liturgy of the Church one has to follow the rubrics. If you want it to be a private devotion you can say the Office as you prefer. Either is perfectly fine and admirable.

 

[TomH1]

I did not miss where he said what he was told to do by the friars. That does not count as a source. It is called hearsay. I have indeed questioned whether the Carmelite friars may have been telling him about their own Office. The Carmelites do have their own rite. He replied saying the ones with whom he is associated use the Roman Rite. However, he has not cited anything that supports what the friars are saying or why they are saying it.

 

[angel12]

However, he has not cited anything that supports what the friars are saying or why they are saying it.

The Carmelite friars who conducted his formation aren’t required to answer to you.

 

[TomH1]

You implied that I said the Carmelite friars are answerable to me. I have not said this.

 

[angel12]

It would appear you do no follow your own advice. Find the post where I said they were.

It’s very simple. You asked for Jim’s source. He had already given his source – his source was the friars. That’s the end of that question, it’s been answered.

Apparently, what you actually want to know is the friars’ source. You’d have to ask them.

 

[TomH1]

I am afraid that it appears you have misquoted me out of context.

 

[TomH1]

You imply that I said the Carmelite friars are answerable to me. That is not what I said.

 

[angel12]

I did not miss where he said what he was told to do by the friars. That does not count as a source . . . However, he has not cited anything that supports what the friars are saying or why they are saying it.

This certainly sounds like you’re asking for justification for the friars’ statement. If that’s not what you mean, you’re not explaining your question clearly. But certainly, don’t bother on my account. I have no concern whatsoever about how people I don’t even know personally, conduct their private recitation of the Office. I prefer to concentrate on my own.