Universalis LOH okay to use?

[ICXCNIKA]

I am thinking about getting the Universalis APP for my itouch. However, the Liturgy of the Hours uses the Jerusalem Bible. If I use that for saying my Office, is that okay? Someone wrote a criticism of the app because by using the Jerusalem Bible, one would not be praying “with the Church.”

Any thoughts?

 

[basenji]

It’s not really due to the fact that it is the Jerusalem Bible. The Psalms are an unapproved translation for Catholics entirely and the Universalis site lacks antiphons and the complete readings. There’s more detail on this earlier CAF thread.

Have you considered using eBreviary?

 

[bpbasilphx]

However, I would say that for personal recitation, there would be no problem with the Universalis version of the Office, howsoever incomplete it may be.

I don’t know if eBreviary has the entire office. And doesn’t it cost several dollars a day?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

If you’re praying alone Universalis is probably fine, though as others have pointed out, it’s not the same as the Liturgy of the Hours.

If you’re praying with other people or if you are someone who is obligated to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, then it’s not equivalent.

If you are just getting started with the Liturgy of the Hours then it’s probably a good and easy way to get your feet wet with this form of prayer.

 

[basenji]

However, I would say that for personal recitation, there would be no problem with the Universalis version of the Office, howsoever incomplete it may be.

I don’t know if eBreviary has the entire office. And doesn’t it cost several dollars a day?

$29.50/yr for eBreviary, which comes out to 8 cents a day. It contains all of the readings. The only drawback is that it sometimes does not include some of the smaller/newer/more obscure optional feasts and one is just left with the readings from the Psalter for that day.

And as a note of comparison, the subscription for the Universalis app is $24.50/yr or approx 6.7 cents a day.

I’m jusy sayin’

 

[puzzleannie]

I am thinking about getting the Universalis APP for my itouch. However, the Liturgy of the Hours uses the Jerusalem Bible. If I use that for saying my Office, is that okay? Someone wrote a criticism of the app because by using the Jerusalem Bible, one would not be praying “with the Church.”

Any thoughts?

the Jerusalem Bible is approved for liturgical use in many countries, so that by itself does not mean you are “not praying with the Church”.

a lay person can use any daily devotional that has an imprimatur, and if he prays any of the psalms and reads any portion of the bible in the appropriate times of the day he will be praying with the Church in the broad sense. No, he will not be praying the LOTH unless he prays it according to the method approved by the bishop’s of his country, but so what. He is not bound to do so. Only a person under canonical requirement has to pray the hours as written. I just found out that in this diocese that includes our deacon candidates, who gave our RCIA class a wonderful teaching on LOTH yesterday.

If it is not wrong to pray with any daily devotional that uses psalms and scripture as its basis, it is not wrong to pray the hours with any approved scripture translation. Even the psalm prayers or accompanying devotional composed by someone else is not a problem as long as you realize that portion is a private prayer essentially which you are being invited to share.

If your reason for using it is that it comes in an electronic version, I don’t think Universalis is any less expensive than subscribing to the actual LOTH which I am sure somebody will link soon. (I can’t read electronic devices smaller than my desktop so I will stick with the book, and write in my journal on parchment with a quill pen).

 

[Nechasin]

ibreviary is another LOH app that is availble. I know that it is free for android phones and I believe it is also for the iphone.