The Divine Office

Divine Office, The

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Title: The Divine Office
Author: Rev. E. J. Quigley
Release Date: November 17, 2003 [EBook #10058]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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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