Why were Memorials removed at Daytime Prayer?

[OraLabora]

And anyone who thinks Paul VI checked everything out need only read what he wrote when he approved the new lectionary. In his letter to Bugnini, he openly said he didn’t have time to review the whole volume, but because he trusted the experts, he approved it.

Yes, that is pretty much what he wrote in a hand-written response, but minor correction it was to Cardinal Benno Gut, the president of the Consilium (not to Abp. Bugnini. See The Reform of the Liturgy 1948-1975 by Annibale Bugnini, p 420.).

That does not mean he did not intervene in other aspects of the reform. Indeed he annotated many drafts of liturgical schemas, sent hand-written notes on topics such as the imprecatory psalms, etc. No doubt just as Pius X would have done with the council he appointed to reform the Roman Breviary, or Pius V to the council charged with producing the Tridentine Mass and the Roman Breviary of that era.

That does apply in a few of the Benedictine Congregations, e.g. Solesmes and Subiaco-Cassinese. I have found with many that they only pray one of the little hours.

It depends on whether the community has an external apostolate or not, such as running a college. Those may lighten the Office but must retain one mid-day hour. They may even use the Liturgy of the Hours (4-week psalter) as does Sant’ Anselmo in Rome, the Benedictine college and seat of the Abbot Primate.

Bugnini talks about this in his book on the liturgical work he did. It was simply a case of wanting to downplay the sanctoral office. I

From Sacrosanctum Concilium:

1. The minds of the faithful must be directed primarily toward the feasts of the Lord whereby the mysteries of salvation are celebrated in the course of the year. Therefore, the proper of the time shall be given the preference which is its due over the feasts of the saints, so that the entire cycle of the mysteries of salvation may be suitably recalled.

1. The saints have been traditionally honored in the Church and their authentic relics and images held in veneration. For the feasts of the saints proclaim the wonderful works of Christ in His servants, and display to the faithful fitting examples for their imitation.

Lest the feasts of the saints should take precedence over the feasts which commemorate the very mysteries of salvation, many of them should be left to be celebrated by a particular Church or nation or family of religious; only those should be extended to the universal Church which commemorate saints who are truly of universal importance.

 

[TomH1]

It depends on whether the community has an external apostolate or not

Many without an external apostolate have four hours: (1) Matins & Lauds combined, (2) a little hour, often Sext, (3) Vespers and (4) Compline.

 

[OraLabora]

I’ve been to a monastery with that horarium. They were a very small community that used to have a college, but it closed. They supplied priests to parishes, if memory served. They were in the UK. That incidentally is my summer schedule for the LOTH with Matins/Lauds at 5:30 am. In winter I separate Matins and Lauds (5:30 and 7:30 am) and do two additional daytime hours with the complimentary psalter. Sometimes though I use our abbey’s monastic schema.

The Carmelite nuns in Montreal, on the other hand, do all 7 canonical hours. I believe the use the Liturgy of the Hours. They anticipate the Office of Readings prior to Compline.