Comments on: Praying the Liturgy of the Hours http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/ Catholic Sisters and Nuns in Today's World Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:50:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: deerose http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1534 deerose Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:37:28 +0000 http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1534 Cheryl: I am an oblate of St. Benedict. We are to try to recite the LOH on a regular basis - maybe 1- 2x per day. Personally, it's sometimes difficult for me to get into this, not so much because of the timing, but because I prefer to recite the Hours in community. For me, it's just not the same saying it alone. As we know, "liturgy", by its very definition, is communal prayer. So your dilemma is understandable. The mainstay of my daily prayer life is centering prayer. Our Benedictines say the most important thing is that you pray every day. Although the Hours and lectio are recommended, it's not mandatory to do it everyday. But you didn't really ask about the Benedictines, did you? Sorry for the rambling if it's of no use. Now here is what might help you. What our sisters suggest when we pose such queries as the one you did above is to just say the daily psalms from the Hours excluding the other parts of the Office such as the hymns, antiphons, etc. It's shorter and gets to the heart of the matter. Personally, I'm not a very structured person so I pray at different times per day. I mainly do my centering after lunch (or early evening if I'm at a meeting) and my Hours, spiritual reading, music meditation, etc. in the evening. Good luck! dee Cheryl:

I am an oblate of St. Benedict. We are to try to recite the LOH on a regular basis – maybe 1- 2x per day. Personally, it’s sometimes difficult for me to get into this, not so much because of the timing, but because I prefer to recite the Hours in community. For me, it’s just not the same saying it alone. As we know, “liturgy”, by its very definition, is communal prayer. So your dilemma is understandable. The mainstay of my daily prayer life is centering prayer. Our Benedictines say the most important thing is that you pray every day. Although the Hours and lectio are recommended, it’s not mandatory to do it everyday. But you didn’t really ask about the Benedictines, did you? Sorry for the rambling if it’s of no use.

Now here is what might help you. What our sisters suggest when we pose such queries as the one you did above is to just say the daily psalms from the Hours excluding the other parts of the Office such as the hymns, antiphons, etc. It’s shorter and gets to the heart of the matter.

Personally, I’m not a very structured person so I pray at different times per day. I mainly do my centering after lunch (or early evening if I’m at a meeting) and my Hours, spiritual reading, music meditation, etc. in the evening.

Good luck!

dee

]]> By: Cheryl Ann http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1533 Cheryl Ann Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:38:50 +0000 http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1533 A question to the lay who pray the breviary. As lay persons do not have a fixed time table like cloister nuns have, how do you keep the commitment of praying at least the major hours? I am a university student and lectures vary from one day to an other. For sometime I lived with cloister nuns - and since I decided that it was not my call, I always wished to still pray the divine liturgy. But I find it very difficult... A question to the lay who pray the breviary. As lay persons do not have a fixed time table like cloister nuns have, how do you keep the commitment of praying at least the major hours? I am a university student and lectures vary from one day to an other. For sometime I lived with cloister nuns – and since I decided that it was not my call, I always wished to still pray the divine liturgy. But I find it very difficult…

]]> By: Waking Up « A Nun’s Life http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1532 Waking Up « A Nun’s Life Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:52:14 +0000 http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1532 [...] times of the day. Monks and nuns have honored these hours for hundreds of years by praying the Liturgy of the Hours. I honor this time with prayer and coffee (coffee being a libation of sorts, I suppose [...] [...] times of the day. Monks and nuns have honored these hours for hundreds of years by praying the Liturgy of the Hours. I honor this time with prayer and coffee (coffee being a libation of sorts, I suppose [...]

]]> By: Macrina http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1531 Macrina Tue, 22 May 2007 13:44:35 +0000 http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1531 Thanks for writing on the liturgy of the hours, Julie! This may be of limited interest as its all in Dutch, but our community's liturgy can be heard live on the internet (seven times a day) at http://www.katholieknederland.nl/mediapastoraat/getijden/live/index.html There may also be English speaking monasteries that do this but I don't know of any for sure. Also, on the question of the office of readings / Matins / Vigils: you are correct that the reform of the breviary unlinked this from any particular time of day (part of the motivation being that it should rather be done when most of the community were able to be present - and perhaps also awake!). But the monastic communities have generally continued to see it as linked with the night (as part of the whole spirituality of praying at night, keeping vigil and watching for Christ). The Cistercians (at least the Strict observance / Trappists, I'm not so sure about the Common Observance) celebrate it very early in the morning (usually beginning around 3 or 4 a.m.). The Carthusians (and also some other Orders, as noted in the post on enclosed nuns) have it in the middle of the night and then go back to bed. The Benedictines vary and may do either of the above or may also celebrate it not quite so early in the morning but still before Lauds, or else the evening before (around 8 or 9 pm) as a vigil office. Thanks for writing on the liturgy of the hours, Julie!

This may be of limited interest as its all in Dutch, but our community’s liturgy can be heard live on the internet (seven times a day) at

http://www.katholieknederland.nl/mediapastoraat/getijden/live/index.html

There may also be English speaking monasteries that do this but I don’t know of any for sure.

Also, on the question of the office of readings / Matins / Vigils: you are correct that the reform of the breviary unlinked this from any particular time of day (part of the motivation being that it should rather be done when most of the community were able to be present – and perhaps also awake!). But the monastic communities have generally continued to see it as linked with the night (as part of the whole spirituality of praying at night, keeping vigil and watching for Christ). The Cistercians (at least the Strict observance / Trappists, I’m not so sure about the Common Observance) celebrate it very early in the morning (usually beginning around 3 or 4 a.m.). The Carthusians (and also some other Orders, as noted in the post on enclosed nuns) have it in the middle of the night and then go back to bed. The Benedictines vary and may do either of the above or may also celebrate it not quite so early in the morning but still before Lauds, or else the evening before (around 8 or 9 pm) as a vigil office.

]]> By: Lisa http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1530 Lisa Mon, 21 May 2007 23:05:21 +0000 http://anunslife.org/2007/05/17/praying-the-liturgy-of-the-hours/#comment-1530 I love praying the Liturgy of the Hours especially among community. I love praying the Liturgy of the Hours especially among community.

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