Liturgy of the Hours

Liturgy of the Hours

The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Breviary, is the universal prayer of the church.  Traditionally the work of clergy and religious, our Catechism tells us that it is the prayer of the whole people of God. (Read paragraphs 1174-1178 in the Catechism for all the explanation!)

The Divine Office takes a little study to learn to navigate, but the effort is so worth it!  In addition to the benefit of praying together with the whole church, it echoes Jesus' own conversations with His Father in the Psalms.  We also read Scripture and the writings of the church fathers; follow the seasons of the church year and its celebrations; and fulfill St. Paul's exhortation to pray constantly.

There are many resources for praying the Office:  one-volume and four-volume printed books (a new translation is expected soon); a monthly subscription from Word on Fire (one of the publishers of the new translation); and online sites and apps (iBreviary or Universalis are examples).

For more information, ask any of the priests or deacons.