"Reign over us, Most Holy Mother of God, and teach us how to make the Heart of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, reign and triumph in us even as He has reigned and triumphed in thee."
Opening Prayer
It is laudable, before saying any Hour or group of Hours, to say the Church's indulgenced opening and dedicatory prayer, called the Aperi Domine
| Name of Office | Times | Comments Reference links are to newadvent.org |
| ---- | Opening prayer for all Hours. | |
| Matins - Morning Prayer | 0500-0800 (0600) | Primary Morning Office: Psalms of praise and the Te Deum. |
| Lauds - 2nd Morning Prayer | 0500-0800 (0600) | Second Morning Office: Psalms of praise, the Canticle of the Three Youths (Daniel 3), the Canticle of Zachary (Luke 1), and the Commemoration of the Saints |
| Prime - 3rd Morning Prayer | 0500-0800 (0600) | Third Morning Office: Hymn and psalms |
| Terce - Mid-Morning Prayer | 0830-1000 (0900) | Minor Office of midmorning: Hymn and psalms |
| Sext - Mid-Day Prayer | 1130-1300 (Noon) | Minor Office of midday: Hymn and psalms |
| None - Mid-Afternoon Prayer | 1430-1600 (1500) | Minor Office of midafternoon: Hymn and psalms |
| Vespers - Evening Prayer | 1630-1900 (1800) | Primary evening Office: Psalms, hymn, The Magnificat (Luke 1), and Commemoration of the Saints |
| Compline - Night Prayer | 1930-2200 (2000) | Office prior to retiring: Psalms, Hymn, The Nunc Dimittis, and the Final Antiphon to Mary |
Although defined times are given for each Office, these are only listed to serve as a guide and for perspective. The Offices can be read or recited at whatever time is best for each individual situation.
How is The Little Office recited?
Individually
The Office may be read or recited individually, and this web page was created with this purpose in mind. When done individually, everything is read or said -- even portions that seem fragmentary or repetitive.
Two or More ("Chorally," "in choir")
When two or more recite the Office together, then the recitation normally proceeds according to a pattern of alternation. The Hymns and Psalms are said stanza by stanza and verse by verse alternately between the First Side and the Second Side of the participants; the Antiphons and the Responsories are said alternating between a First Chanter and a Second Chanter, at Matins, Lauds, and Vespers; a Reader asks the Blessing and reads the Lessons at Matins; and leading and directing all is the Officiant. At other portions both Chanters recite together; and again, all participants recite together.
In the choral recitation a slight pause is made at the "*" in the midst of each Psalm versa or Hymn stanza. The respective Chanter, after starting (called "intoning") the Antiphon, intones the first verse of the Psalm as far as the "*". Similarly, the First Chanter intones the first line of each Hymn. The Officiant intones the Benedictus, the Magnificat, and the Nunc Dimittis at Lauds, Vespers, and Complin, respectively. All participants on the respective side finish the first verse or stanza; then all the opposite side takes up the second verse or stanza, and the alternate recitation goes on to the end.
The Aperi Domine is said kneeling. All but the Reader sit at the Lessons of the Matins. All kneel for the Final Antiphon to Mary, except from Vespers on Saturday to Complin on Sunday and in Easter time. All kneel always at the Sacrosanctae.
All bow, if they are standing or sitting: At the initial Hail Mary, and at the last Our Father (Hail Mary, Creed) if any; whenever the Glory be to the Father occurs; at the last stanza of the Hymns; at the close of the Orations. Other instances of kneeling, rising, bowing, making the small or the large sign of the cross, etc, are indicated in the due course of the Hours.
Abbreviations used are:
O. for Officiant or presiding leader.What is an "Office"?
The term "Office" refers to a station or duty. In government we have the Office of President, Senator, etc. In the Church we have the Office or duty to pray unceasingly. Mother Church has brought this to fruition with the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours and The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in which the day is broken into distinct periods in which to praise God and pray.
500 days for each Hour
10 years if one says the whole Office
Plenary Indulgence if one says the whole Office for a Month under the usual conditions.
For those who do not have a clear understanding on indulgences, please see the above link to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia. These are listed only because they exist. Otherwise, if you pray from the heart, that is, for the love and praise of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then who is counting?
Please send comments and suggestions to: jdri63@lobvm.us
This web page takes all of the the seasonal and Marian feast-related changes contained within the Little Officeas well as the Rubrics (as best as I can interpret them) and it calculates the correct text for that Hour on that day. This, greatly simplifies praying the office! Please note that the default date/time is based upon the U.S. central time zone (CST). Use the selection menu to find a time zone that matches your time zone offset. The Time Stamp should match your local time. The selection you make will be passed along to any Hour you select.
If any errors are found in the seasonal or daily propers, please feel free to notify me via my e-mail address, above. I am continually working to implement the Rubrics as completely and I can. I also plan to add the commemorations of the saints found in the 1915 Benzinger Brothers edition.
This web page is based upon the information found in "The Golden Manuel: Being A Guide to Catholic Devotion, Public and Private" (1850), London: Burns and Lambert (available in Google Books) and "The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary"(1915), New York: Benzinger Brothers.
Scriptures are taken from the Douay-Rheims and the Psalms are taken from the Monsignor Ronald Knox translation or Douay-Rheims. The buttons at the top of the table (and the page for each Hour) are used to select which version of the Psalms you would like. The subsequent links will retain that selection, unless you select the other. The Knox psalms are the default.
Prayer: O my Jesus, we love You. And we love and honor your dear Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Please help us to follow your command to pray without ceasing. May the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary be a means to this divine mission, may it bring honor to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and may we be assisted by her intercessions. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
