Scripture content, and Office of the Dead
Dear Brother,
I am a Continuing Church Anglican Deacon who has started to use the 4 Volume Roman Breviary. I find that it is the perfect balance in that it has the fullness of the Divine Office, which the Book of Common Prayer does not, and is relatively easy to use unlike the Anglican Breviary, which is a 15th century english translation of the pre Vatican II Roman Breviary which is very VERY complicated to use. As a general rule, I think Vatican II went way overboard in many matters, such as the Novus Ordo Mass, but they really did a good conservative revision of the breviary. Simplified it, but kept the richness of it.
My questions are as follows: If you use the Liturgy of the Hours for a full year, how much of scripture do you get in a year? Do you cover the entire Bible, or what percentage approximately?
I am also a member of the Guild of All Souls, which is an organization that prays for the dead, I would like to use the Office of the Dead on a monthly basis for our departed members. If I do this, do I do this as the Office of the Day, or do I do both? IE Matins of the Day, then of the Dead, Lauds of the Day, then of the Dead? I have learned so much reading your website, and the concept of Tradition and the Holy See is finally starting to jel. God Bless, Mark+
QUESTION from Deacon Mark on February 18, 2004
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on February 21, 2004
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Dear Deacon: Although this has nothing to do with your question, it is my policy to always correct the error of the designation Novus Ordo Mass. There is no such Mass by that name. The official name of the Mass (in English) is the Roman Missal of _______ (insert date). As for Vatican II, its provisions were not overboard in the slightest. Its suggestion for the revision of the Roman Missal was proper and appropriate. The Council Fathers brought back into the Mass more ancient and traditional prayers and such than had been in the Roman Missal of 1962. In addition, like with the Divine Office, the Council suggested a simplification of the Roman Missal of 1962 by, for example, removing from the rubrics unnecessary repetitions. The Council also brought back the the original role of the laity in the Mass as participants and not mere spectators. This is all proper and good. The Vatican II Council was a Holy Spirit guided and inspired Council. Now, on to your question. Since you are an Anglican and not a Catholic, the regulations promulgated for the Divine Office are not binding on you. Thus you can do with the Offices as you please. But to answer the question in accord with the rules binding upon Catholic, as far as I can find, the Office of the Dead can be said on any day for which a votive office is permissible: No 245 of the GILH states: "For a public cause or out of devotion, except on solemnities, the Sundays of the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, the octave of Easter, and 2 November, a votive office may be celebrated, in whole or in part: for example, on the occasion of a pilgrimage, a local feast, or the external solemnity of a saint."
God Bless, |
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