Women and Men Praying the Divine Office

[lizaanne]

Question -

If a group of men and women are praying the Divine Office together, Morning and Evening Prayer (in a private setting, not in a Church) - is it appropriate for a woman to recite the Antiphons or lead any of the prayers? Or should the men in the group do this?

My feeling is that a man should do this (and I’m totally ok with that), but I would like to know what is most appropriate.

~Liza

 

[Rence]

I can’t imagine why it would matter which leads the prayers. It’s not a Mass.

 

[agnes_therese]

There’s nothing in the instructions about it. In my secular Carmelite community, we take turns, both men and women.

 

[uxordepp]

I"m not aware of any problem with women leading.

 

[Joe_5859]

I don’t think there’s anything official on this point (especially when done in a private setting). If there’s a priest present, I would defer to him to lead, but anyone could do the reading and responsory. Other than that, I would think it is up to the group to establish how they want to do things.

 

[lizaanne]

I can’t imagine why it would matter which leads the prayers. It’s not a Mass.

I am quite aware that it is not a Mass.

There’s nothing in the instructions about it. In my secular Carmelite community, we take turns, both men and women.

I don’t think there’s anything official on this point (especially when done in a private setting). If there’s a priest present, I would defer to him to lead, but anyone could do the reading and responsory. Other than that, I would think it is up to the group to establish how they want to do things.

Thank you for your helpful comments!

~Liza

 

[OraLabora]

There is no problem with a woman leading the Divine Office. If a priest or deacon is present, he should preside of course, but that doesn’t preclude the cantor (if the office is sung) being a woman, and she would lead off the antiphons, and perhaps alternate the psalmody with the assembly, if the assembly was too small to alternate between sides. The lector could also be a woman.

Keep in mind that many community of women pray the Divine Office together, with women leading! As laypeople, we are all equal.