Here is a Roman Breviary that I found in the library, dating from 1870.
For Sunday Matins, it has the traditional 18 psalms which are nowadays considered to have been such an outrageous imposition that it was only sensible for Pope Pius X to rearrange the psalter and shorten it. In the process, he also dropped the Laudate psalms from Lauds (still sung by the Carthusians). This change was commented on by Alcuin Reid in The Organic Development of the Liturgy. He pointed out that the tradition of singing these psalms is probably a remnant of the synagogue worship. Therefore they were probably sung by Jesus Christ himself every morning and by Christians all throughout the world until 1905.
It is worth remembering that the supposedly long, complicated and impractical tridentine breviary was used daily by St John Bosco, St Alphonsus Liguori, St Robert Bellarmine and many other saints you might care to choose from - all of whom seemed to get quite a lot of pastoral work into their day as well.
A shorter breviary was devised in the 16th century by Quingnonez. The early Jesuits were offered the opportunity to use it because of the demands of their apostolic work. St Francis Xavier flatly refused, preferring to say the full tridentine breviary in between baptising all those thousands in the far East.
6 comments:
St. Francis Xavier- not a man to go about things with half-measures.
Is there any hope for a reform of the reform with regard to the Divine Office?
Frankly, I would be hard put to suggest any way of "reforming" the post-conciliar breviary. Many religious houses have retained or are returning to a traditional office - even if it is in English, it is often according to a traditional arrangement.
For seculars, since the office is normally said privately, I think it might be easier for there to be a quiet restoration of the Roman Breviary.
I must say that the Carthusians in Parkminster have the most fascinating libary, I have ever seen.
Have you also look at their "chamber of horrors" - relics room, just next door to the libary?
Post on the relic chapel comin up ...
I have a copy of a similar 19th century version of the old breviary on my shelf (and do use it from time to time, particularly for the Triduum - though to be perfectly frank it's too large to tote in my purse, and I've not found a more compact version).
Reformed or not, the office is a hidden jewel of the Church. I, too, take heart in praying the psalms that my Savior prayed, and praying in union with the Church around the world (a reason to honor the discipline of the current office, even though as a lay woman I'm not bound in any way to a version).
No TV for St. Francis Xavier...that's the difference!
That certainly is a major difference!
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