ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on June 3, 2004

Dear Rick: Religious Orders cannot use their own versions of the Divine Office unless they have been authorized to do so. The Benedictines are one order that I believe has their own authorized edition. I am sure there are others. As far as using the NRSV or other editions not approved by the Holy See for liturgy, it would be my understanding that this is improper. Unfortunately many, if not most, of the old orders have lost their way. Many, including some Benedictines, have adopted liturgical abuses for the norms in their monasteries. The Lay Carmelite Order is now using improper material such as the Enneagram and other New Age practices that are condemned by the Church. There are Dominican priests, who are suppose to protect orthodoxy, who teach heterodoxy and flirt with heresy. There is at least one Franciscan monastery of women that is worshipping the Goddess Sophia. I know this because a sister who left that monastery because of this is a friend of mine. In addition, in doing this Internet ministry I hear all sorts of horror stories. When this sort of thing happens God raises up reformers or new founders. The old orders are often so far gone that reform is not practical. This is one of the reasons why there are thousands and thousands of new communities developing all over the world. In terms of anyone using the edition of the Divine Office specific to a particular order is concerned, unless one is associated with that Order, such as an Oblate, Tertiary, or Third Order member, whereby the Constitutions and/or Superiors allow for these associates to participate in the Office specific to that Order, we are to use the standard edition of the Divine Office. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary