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Title: The Divine Office

Author: Rev. E. J. Quigley

Release Date: November 17, 2003 [EBook #10058]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DIVINE OFFICE ***

Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Keren Vergon, Charlie Kirschner and the PG Distributed Proofreaders

THE DIVINE OFFICE A STUDY OF THE ROMAN BREVIARY BY REV. E.J. QUIGLEY

1920

PREFACE

In the studies preliminary to ordination, the greatest time and attention must be given to the study of Dogmatic and Moral Theology. Certain subjects, such as liturgy, are always in danger of being shortened or of occupying a very small space in a college course. After ordination, priests find that these subjects are things of daily and hourly interest and importance. Who is it that does not know that the study of the Mass and the Missal, of the Breviary, its history and its contents are studies useful in his daily offering of sacrifice and praise?

I hope that this book may serve as an introductory manual to the study of the Breviary. It may be useful to junior students in colleges, in giving them some knowledge of the Church's Hours, which they assist at in their college choirs. It may assist them to know and love the official prayers of the Church, and may help to form devout habits of recitation, so that, when the obligation of the daily office is imposed on them, they may recite it digne, attente et devote. The "texts and intentions" may be an aid to them, and to students in Holy Orders, in the great and glorious work of pious prayer.

Perhaps, this book may be a help to priests. It is an attempt to bring into one handy volume many matters found in several volumes of history, liturgy, theology, and ascetic literature. Much of it they have met before, but some of it may be new and may enable some to pray more fervently and to aid them in the difficult work of saying each Hour and each part of an Hour with attention and devotion. Some of the pages may be to them instructive, and may give them new ideas on such points as the structure of the Hours, the Collects, the Te Deum, the Anthems of the Blessed Virgin, etc.

No book is faultless. Of this one, I can say with the Psalmist, "I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight" (Psalm 72). And I can say it with St. Columban, Totum, dicere volui in breve, totem non potui. In the book I quote Cardinal Bona. In his wonderful Rerum Liturgicarum (II., xx., 6) he wrote what I add as a finish, to this preface:—

"Saepe enim volenti et conanti vel ingenii vires vel rerum antiquarum notitia vel alia subsidia defuerunt; nec fieri potuit quin per loca salebrosa in tenebris ambulans interdum offenderim, Cum aliquid incautius et neglentius a me scriptum offenderit, ignoscat primum lector, deinde amica manu corrigat et emendat et quae omisi suppleat."

E.J.Q. ROCKCORRY, CO. MONAGHAN. CONTENTS PART I. GENERAL QUESTIONS.

   I. Idea of the Breviary
  II. Short History of Divine praise in general,
        of the Breviary in particular
 III. The excellence of the Roman Breviary in
        itself and in comparison with others
      Respect due to the sacred volume
  IV. 1. The contents of the Breviary
      2. The ecclesiastical year and its parts; the
         calendar
      3. General Rubrics of the Breviary
      Title I. The double office
        " II. The office of a semi-double
        " III. The office of a simple
        " IV. The office of Sunday
        " V. The ferial office
        " VI. The office of vigils
        " VII. Octaves
        " VIII. Office of the Blessed Virgin for Saturdays
        " IX. Commemorations
        " X. The Translation of Feasts
        " XI. Concurrence of office
        " XII. The arrangement of the office
        " XIII. Matins
        " XIV. Lauds
        " XV. Prime
        " XVI. Terce, Sext, None
        " XVII. Vespers
        " XVIII. Compline
        " XIX. The Invitatory
        " XX. Hymns
        " XXI. Antiphons
        " XXII. Psalms
        " XXIII. Canticles
        " XXIV. Versicle and responds
        " XXV. Absolutions and Benedictions
        " XXVI. The Lessons
        " XXVII. The responses after the lessons
        " XXVIII. The short responses after the hours
        " XXIX. Capitulum
        " XXX. Oratio, collects
        " XXXI. The Hymn Te Deum
        " XXXII. Pater Noster and Ave
        " XXXIII. The Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed
        " XXXIV. The Preces
        " XXXV. The suffrages of the saints
        " XXXVI. The antiphons of the Blessed Virgin
        " XXXVII. The little office of the Blessed Virgin

PART II. RULES FROM MORAL AND ASCETIC THEOLOGY FOR THE RECITATION OF THE BREVIARY.

Who are bound to say the office?
Must every holder of a benefice read the office?
What sin is committed by the omission of a notable part?
What sins are committed by the omission of the whole office?
What must a person do who has a doubt about omissions?
Does a person, who recites by mistake, an office other than that
  prescribed fulfil his obligation?
What causes justify an inversion of the hours?
Is it a sin to say Matins of following day before finishing Compline
  of the current day?
What is the time fixed for recitation of the Office?
When may a priest begin the recitation of Matins and Lauds for the
  following day?
What is true time as regards recitation of the office?
Are priests bound to recite Matins and Lauds before Mass?
At what time should the little hours be said?
Where should the office be recited?
What kind of verbal pronunciation should be attended to?
May the recitation be interrupted?
May Matins be separated from Lauds without cause?
Is intention required in reading the hours?
Is attention required? external? internal? superficial attention,
  literal attention?
Opinions of theologians on necessary attention.
Distractions, voluntary and involuntary.
Does a person reciting the hours sin, if he have distractions?
Causes excusing from reading the hours.
Scruples and the direction of the scrupulous.

ART. I. RULES FOB PIOUS RECITATION OF HOURS.

1. The words read. 2. To whom we speak. 3. We pray in the name of the church. 4. Our associates on earth. 5. The purpose of our prayer. 6. It gives glory to God and draws down his blessings. 7. It brings help to those who recite it fervently.

ART. II. THE MEANS TO ADOPT OF PIOUS RECITATION.

A. Before Recitation.

1. Purify conscience. 2. Mortification of passions. 3. Guarding the senses. 4. Knowledge of the work that is to be done.

B. THE IMMEDIATE PREPARATION FOR THE RECITATION.

1. Reading the Ordo Recitandi officium.
2. To recollect ourselves.
3. To invoke God's aid.
4. To unite ourselves with Christ.
5. (a) Christ our model in prayer.
   (b) Our prayers to be offered through him.
   (c) Church wishes this and practices it ever.
   (d) Lives of saints show how they united with Christ in prayer.
   (e) Remembrance of the sublime work we engage in.
   (f) To propose general, special and particular intentions.

ART. III. AIDS DURING THE RECITATION OF THE HOURS.

(a) Suitable place. (b) Respectful and devout attitude. (c) Slow, deliberate pronunciation. (d) Distractions. (e) To apply the mind to what is read. (f) To read without critical judgments. (g) To think of Christ's Passion. (h) To think of the presence of God and of our Angel Guardian.

ART. IV. AFTER SAYING THE OFFICE.

1. Thanks to God. 2. Ask his pardon for faults. 3. Say the Sacro-sanctae. 4. The Sacro-sanctae.

PART III THE CANONICAL HOURS. CHAPTER I.—MATINS (TITLE XIII).

Parts Pater Noster and Ave (Title XXXII)
  Credo (Title XXXIII)
  Domine labia mea—Deus in
  Invitatory (Title XIX)
  Hymns (Title XX)
  Antiphons (Title XXI)
  Psalms (Title XXII)
  Canticles
  Replies of Biblical Commission on Psalms
  Versicles and responds (Title XXIV)
  Absolutions and blessings (Title XXV)
  Lessons (Title XXIV)
  Responses (Title XXIV)
  Rubrics and Symbolism
  Te Deum (Title XXXI)
  Texts and Intentions

CHAPTER II.—LAUDS AND PRIME TITLES (XIV AND XV).

Lauds.
  Etymology, Definition, Symbolism, Origin, Antiquity.
  Reasons for Hour, Structure, Rubrics
  Antiphons, Capitulum (Title XXX)
  Benedictus
  Oratio, Collect (Title XXX)
  Rubrics and explanation of Rubrics
  Texts and Intentions

Prime.
  Etymology, Origin, Contents, Structure
  Athanasian Creed (Title XXXIII)
  Reasons for the Morning Hour and Rubrics
  Preces (Title XXXIV), Confiteor
  Structure and Short Lesson
  Texts and Intentions

CHAPTER III.—TERCE, SEXT, NONE (TITLE XVI).

Terce.
  Etymology, Structure, Antiquity.
  Reasons for Hour
  Texts and intentions

Sext.
  Etymology, structure, antiquity
  Reasons for Hour
  Texts and intentions

None.
  Etymology, structure, antiquity
  Reasons for Hour
  Texts and intentions

CHAPTER IV.—VESPERS AND COMPLINE PAGE (TITLE XVII-XVIII).

Vespers.
  Etymology, structure, antiquity.
  Reasons for Hour
  Texts and intentions

Compline.
  Etymology, structure, antiquity
  Reasons for Hour
  Suffrages of the Saints (Title VII)
  Anthems of Blessed Virgin
  Texts and intentions

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin (Title XXVII)

PART IV. HEORTOLOGY. CHAPTER I.—A. PROPER OF THE TIME.

Advent
Christmas
St. Stephen; St. John; Circumcision; Epiphany;
  Septuagesima; Lent; Easter and Paschal Times;
  Ascension; Whit Sunday; Trinity Sunday

B. PROPER OF THE SAINTS.

December; January; February; March; May;
  June; July; August; October; November

ROGATION DAYS AND LITANIES

NOTE A. Breviary Hymns.
NOTE B. Particular Examen.
NOTE C. Bibliography.

PART I. GENERAL QUESTIONS. THE DIVINE OFFICE CHAPTER I. IDEA OF THE BREVIARY.

Etymology.—The word, Breviary, comes from an old Latin word, Breviarium, an abridgment, a compendium. The name was given to the Divine Office, because it is an abridgment or abstract made from holy scripture, the writings of the Fathers, the lives of the Saints. The word had various meanings assigned to it by early Christian writers, but the title, Breviary, as it is employed to-day—that is, a book containing the entire canonical office—appears to date from the eleventh century. Probably it was first used in this sense to denote the abridgment made by Pope Saint Gregory VII. (1013-1085), about the year 1080.

Definition.—The Breviary may be defined as "the collection of vocal prayers established by the Church, which must be recited daily by persons deputed for that purpose."

Explanation of the Definition.—"Prayers," this word includes not only the prayers properly so called, but also, the whole matter of the divine office. "Vocal," the Church orders the vocal recitation, the pronunciation of each word. "Established by the Church," to distinguish the official prayers of obligation from those which the faithful may choose according to their taste. "Which must be recited," for the recitation is strictly obligatory. "Daily," the Church has fixed these prayers for every day of the year, and even for certain hours of the day. "By persons deputed for that purpose," therefore, persons in holy orders recite these prayers not in their own name,