Breviaries, breviaries & MORE breviaries...

taken from my previous blog: http://dominexaudinos.blogspot.com/2007/10/breviaries-breviaries-more-breviaries.html


My attention now focused on traditional breviaries that was in vogue before Vatican II. Several options were available for me and among them were:

1. Romanum Breviarum (Roman Breviary) 3-4 volumes

2. Officium Divinum (Angelus Press) * condensed version of the tridentine breviary

3. Monastic Diurnal (St Michael's)

4. Monastic Diurnal (St Andrews Press)

5. Anglican Breviary (Frank Gavin liturgical press; reprinted by Daniel Lula)

From all the 5, I have ordered and received #2 Officium Divinum, and ordered #5 Anglican Breviary. #1 was actually my ideal choice and it is the complete compilation of the Roman office. Most expensive due to the number of copies in a complete volume and it being priced high for each (cost a bomb all together!) News has gone out that Baronius Press is coming out with a republished edition by late 2007 or 2008.

After much consideration, I reckon the Roman Breviary would be too expensive unfortunately, as my finances cou'ldn't cope with the possible exorbitant pricing after considering overseas shipping and exchange rates. KIV-ed it for future purchase to make a great additional collection to my devotional books.

Next, I did an online comparison between the Diurnals which had no Matins, some price comparison, and the usability of each edition. Ok, perhaps the diurnals were abit pricey as well, St Michaels edition of the Diurnal had an extra Latin translation over St Andrews edition (Anglican edition) The other downside of it was though it is really really traditional form pre-dating that of the Roman Breviary, the little hours and Compline is the same for the whole week. I much prefer some variety especially for Compline as it is "my most creative hour" and I'm usually free from work at that time.

So, I decided to get the Officium Divinum first as it was a practical choice; its useful for travel as it is short, only contains Sunday Lauds, Prime, Sext, Vespers & Compline and the rest of the week's Prime, Sext & Compline plus it was a beautiful edition which I believe was printed by one of SSPX's publishing house Angelus Press. Text and format is black and red throughout, and as it was a special abbreviated version for the use of the laity (a breviary ironically speaking, is already an abbreviated edition of the many volumes of the actual ancient Divine Office at the time of the Lateran Council) Nice familiar graphics too to go with the text taken from St Andrews missal.

And finally my most reasonable choice - was the Anglican Breviary of course. A Faithful translation from the Roman Breviary of 1955, some aspects I discovered online when they argued on the Anglican nature of this somewhat "Romish" breviary (hate that word):

1. The psalter (as a backbone of the breviary) is from the famous Coverdale psalter

2. The collects mirror those from the Book of Common Prayer 1928

3. Apparently the Hour of Matins is slightly different

4. Antiphons are native towards those from Anglican sources

5. The hour for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is slightly muted compared to the Roman breviary.

6. Naming convention for Sundays after Pentecost is: Sunday after TRINITY.

7. Scripture excerpts are taken from the King James Bible.

From there, what made the Anglican breviary romish to some but reasonably allowable for Catholics:
1. Translation and format pattern exactly the Roman Breviary of 1955 using old Elizabethan English.

2. Contains feast observances and prayers as set forth exactly in the Catholic Church Kalendar (some not found even in the Anglican calendar) as of 1955.

3. Page flipping and compexity of the rubrics found here are unusual in the context of the BCP but native to the characteristics of the RB.

4. Books that normally are not in the Protestant canon: Esdras, additional material from Esther, Judith, Tobit - are found in the AB as translated from the King James version.

Above all, even though the pros is not as much as the cons, I believe meditation wise I'm stronger in English than in Latin, so I prefer the English use. Latin becomes an accidental novelty if just recited without meaning; especially if its those that consist of long scriptural text. (versicles & antiphons are different if in Latin as they are normally short and easy to remember) I feel it is important for us to get some form of meaning whenever we recite the Office, or else we end up praying like robots without putting our heart and soul into it. Sincerity is important.

Also, the main purpose of reciting the Office would be lost - thats why I feel that the Divine Office should never be a rushed job. If one is unable to say the long version, say the short ones instead and you're most likely to appreciate the "quality of prayer" rather than its quantity by trying to run a whole marathon in order to finish all the hours.

* of course, this does not discount us at times whenever we're free - don't take the easy way out! after all, it is an opus dei - work of God and labour brings much fruit and grace with sincerity

I'll continue the next part of my discussion in my new posting.

How it all started with the breviary

Its been 5 years since I started with the breviary. below i moved from previous blog
http://dominexaudinos.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-it-all-started-loth-do.html

I use a wide variety of books to supplement my daily rhythm of prayer I've established for myself over these course of few years. As a child right up to my teens, any born Catholic would have to learn to say the basics "Our Father", "Hail Mary", "Glory Be". Then came recitation of the Rosary.

There were the colourful prayer booklets on prayers to Our Lady, Our Lord Jesus and to the Saints. Such was the seeds that were sown with text books I used during my primary-secondary years at Catechism class. (or more fondly known as Sunday School).

It was sometime during my college days when I went online, joined Catholic forums and stuff - I read alot about what people were doing "the Hours", "Divine Office", "LOTH", "DO", "Breviary". Imagine discovering, learning and nurturing a fascination for a form of devotion online! Pictures upon pictures of people doing the LOTH and DO everywhere. Well, a clear and successful testament to calls from our former Pope John Paul II pushing for evangelisation on the Internet and bringing the message of Christ further on the WWW.

One thing led to another and the next minute - I got myself a used copy of Christian Prayer (CP) abbreviated version of the Liturgy of the Hours; LOTH by Catholic Book Publishing (CBP) from a second-hand bookstore. Very nice black and red print throughout and had nice illustrations bringing to life the prayers inside and capturing the mood for silent contemplation during the recitation.

Then, my eyes caught site of another abbreviated edition of the LOTH by Daughters of St Paul (DoSP). This edition is by far what many traditionalists would call it the modern Diurnal without Matins (except that there is really no Office of Readings which is supposed to be a fusion of Matins & Vigils) This alternate edition of LOTH is more complete than CBP edition having no dual colour scheme employed by CBP. DoSP is more thorough in covering hours with Midmorning, Midday & Midafternoon; otherwise known as Little Hours with Terce, Sext & None as its tridentine names.

Humans being humans - there were forums and reviews comparing and pitting LOTH against another variant of the Hours known as the Divine Office (DO) This alternate translation is mainly for nations under the Commonwealth, UK, Ireland, and a few pacific islands formerly under British rule. Through the episcopal conferences of UK, British Isles, India, South East Asia; the nations half of the otherside of this planet subscribe to the British translation.

By far, I think only some countries like the Philipines and India were given special approval for both DO & LOTH to be publically recited.

Anyhow, that's when I decided to contact my local Catholic bookstore (managed by Daughter's of St Paul) and got hold of a copy of an abbreviated edition of the DO otherwise known as "Everyday Prayer" (EP) from one of the nuns when they had a book sale outside my neighbourhood's chapel.

*by now you would have noticed I seem to be collecting only abbreviated breviaries, not "complete editions". Well, due to financial constraints, I can only afford these ;o(

Anyway, when I started reading & reciting the DO, I generally liked it better (my apologies to those of you who love the LOTH) the wordings were much nicer and richer and there were many reviews saying the same thing about the British edition. Well, all the more for me to use it now! I have eversince referred to it as my main source of devotion till recently.

The EP is like the DoSP edition of CP; all is black and white. But the difference between the EP and the DoSP edition of the LOTH is that the DoSP edition has beautiful illustrations, and though there isn't any dual colour scheme like the CBP edition, fonts used are varied in the form of bolded or italicised fonts of different kinds - still making it more approachable in terms of format and outlook of the typeface.

The EP unfortunately has none of those - only simple black & white text. However, what makes me love EP so much is that the antiphons are repeated after every psalm appointed, and of course the translation or the wordings are from British sources and scripture excerpts come from the Jerusalem Bible (that's one of my favourite Catholic Bibles). Great translation for those who have not had a good grasp of Latin and it minimises page flipping.

Here, American translations for the collects tend to be noticibly bland be it in the LOTH or CP as attested by many people online. It is uninspiring at best.
Another shortcome about the EP is that it has only Morning (Lauds), Evening (Vespers) and Night (Compline) prayer. Additional materials offered are 1 excerpt for the Little Hours and 1 excerpt of the Office of Readings, plus office of the Dead, alternative psalms & collects to be used in the Commons section under the Sanctoral cycle, and in the midday hours.

I have mentioned earlier that I have grown to love all things that is pre-concilliar especially in liturgical disciplines. Well, all breviaries mentioned so far are fully English, and translations are mainly contemporary. This is where I find it is still lacking for the dual language option of Latin/English so prevalent in pre-concilliar breviaries and prayer books, and the traditional English translations from Latin as opposed to contemporary ones. I hungered for more options and so my search continued...

Let the weak and the orphan have justice

God takes his stand in the divine assembly, surrounded by the gods he gives judgement.

How much longer will you give unjust judgement and uphold the prestige of the wicked?

Let the weak and the orphan have justice, be fair to the wretched and the destitute.

Rescue the weak and the needy, save them from the clutches of the wicked.

Ignorant and uncomprehending, they wander in darkness, while the foundations of the world are tottering.

I had thought, "Are you gods, are all of you sons of the Most High?"

No! you will die as human beings do, as one man, princes, you will fall.'

Arise, God, judge the world, for all nations belong to you.

- Psalm 82, NJB -