A Companion to the Monastic Breviary

Description

From the Forward by Father Abbot:

“It will take, no doubt, a full lifetime to appreciate entirely the worth of the monastic breviary, with its vast array of scriptural passages, so wisely arranged for our maximum benefit, and its selection of commentaries chosen from among the very best writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. No doubt. However, any soul desirous of attaning God through this spiritual itinerary, can take up the breviary and make progress, although usually with no small difficulty. It may take the novice several years before he (or she) is able to find the right pages each day, with a relatively high rate of success. Heretofore as a general rule, there has been no written guide to the use of the monastic breviary or diurnal. Only an experienced person could explain the principles and let one in on to the ‘secrets’ of this lore. 

“May this Companion open for you the door to the monastic diurnal and breviary; may the latter open for you the vistas that will inspire you to move ever closer to God and to what counts most. Finally may the Word of God itself be ‘ever a lamp unto your feet,’ that is to say, to the holy desires that propel the soul toward the light and life of Heaven”

What does this book include?

A first ever translation of the Latin rubrics of the 1963 Monastic Breviary as translated by the editors of A Companion to the Monastic Breviary, and a unique Commentary on the Monastic Hours.

Part 1: Liturgical Documents including:

General Rubrics, General Rubrics of the Breviary, The Year and its Parts, and Revised Table of Movable Feasts

Part 2: Commentary and Explanation:

Of the rubrics, Of the spiritual meaning of each hour, and Of the historical development of each hour.