Liturgy of the Hours (4-Volume Set)

I'll leave the other fine commentaries to explain the need for and the history of the Hours in a life of prayer, and concentrate on the tool itself and the mindset necessary to embrace all it holds. Anyone who has decided to purchase these books, has made a sizable investment and also made a strong personal commitment to advance their prayer life. They are intimidating. They look (and are) "official" and complicated. They are certainly not for light reading. They are not easy to use, nor is there an easy way to learn to use them. These are serious, life-long tools used to spiritually shape and grow the soul. With the shortest volume a bit over 1700 pages, and the longest almost 2400 pages, the Hours require attention, dedication, study and slow, steady easing into this rich resource. It can't be said enough that you must gain some knowledge on how to use these books and have discipline in following the path of the prayer. It takes a while to be comfortable with the books as they are configured. The volumes are structured well for their purpose, so you can go from section to section with ease, as you learn the flow of the Office. Your prayer will unfold from the center of the book, outward to the prayers for that Office, to both front and back sections as needed, each section having content necessary to that Office. It will take some time to learn the method of prayer in conjunction with the Office recited. But the price you pay in the discipline required to learn to use this tool will be returned a hundredfold, with life-long (and further!) rewards. The books are big and have many sections that may be referenced during the Hours, and it takes some time to be comfortable with the back and forth between sections required at various times. Even changing sections, the book remains comfortable and usable for right or left hands. The volumes themselves are a bit larger than a large paperback novel. The first thing you notice is how very well the book fits the hand. One of the reasons to use a book rather then an electronic version for prayer, is the intimate tactile connection. As you pray, the feel of book-in-hand and the act of turning the page links you to the words, pulls you into the prayer. Even changing to a different section of the book provides a moment's pause to reflect and carry on a thought, which can be lost in the electronic versions of the Office. The paper is high quality and light weight, with a low-glare soft ivory color, enhancing the black print and the instructions printed in red, while not bleeding through the pages. Print size and type is easy on the eyes, and not hard to follow. The soft and pliable covers are colored for the seasons they represent, and hold comfortably in the hand while sitting or walking. In actual practice, one universally recognized problem is that there is no single authoritative guide easily teaching how to properly "use" the books in prayer, and the "instructions" such as they are, are not really clear and may be confusing in explaining the steps in how to pray the various Offices, holy days and seasons. One valuable tool I highly recommend, is the short and very well-written book "The Everyday Catholic's Guide to The Liturgy of the Hours " by Daria Sockey, and a visit to her very helpful blog. Internet based sites with helpful guides are also very available. All prayer requires effort, and more so here in this highly structured method of prayer . It's important to take your time to learn the set up of the book, the form of the Offices and the flow of the weekly and liturgical calendars. When beginning to pray with these resources, take it slow and easy, immersing yourself a little deeper into the discipline of prayer as you grow comfortable with each Office and what it holds. Do not do too much, or you will grow in frustration and work against progress in your prayer. This is a rich meal - take small bites and savor each one. One benefit as laity joining the raising of this prayer on behalf of the entire Church, is that we are not required to follow a certain form but we can adapt to our own circumstance and pray as we can, as little or as much as we will. This can help us to grow slowly and confidently in our prayer and method, expanding our reach as our need to grow closer to the Lord increases. For decades, I've switched between the excellent one volume version of the Hours and a four volume set, as circumstances dictated. The single volume is a great starting point and tutor in how to follow the structure of the Offices. The four volume set is a treasury of riches from Tradition and the Living Word that will hold you close for a lifetime. May the Lord bless your efforts and your journey toward Him.

It took me quite a while to decide if I should purchase the four volume set of "The Liturgy of the Hours "or not. I had been using "Christian Prayer" which is a shorter one volume version. I had chosen the zippered edition which can be seen here: Christian Prayer: Liturgy of the Hours - Black Leather For me it was an excellent first choice, because it gave me an opportunity to see if I would use it on a regular basis. It turns out that I did and I will definitely keep this book for travel even though occasionally the ribbons get stuck in the zipper and the little cross which is used to tug that zipper came off. It wasn't difficult to put back on. The book has a very nice feel to it. The print is clear and the pages are bright and pleasant to the touch. If you open it and put it on the table before you, it will stay open. It also has the music to the hymns. The music allows me to pluck out the melodies on my guitar if I don't recognize the hymn. Of course the hymns can be read instead of sung. I ordered the four volume set in November, 2008. It arrived in a tailored to size box with each volume individually wrapped in paper. They are beautifully bound books with flexible black leather covers. Each volume is printed with gold lettering on the spine with "The Liturgy of the Hours" , the number of the volume, and what seasons of the year it covers, Advent, etc. One of the reasons I purchased the four volume set was to have the complete readings which "Christian Prayer" does not offer. The author of "The Divine Office for Dodos" says that the readings are her favorite part of the Liturgy. I recommend her book which can be seen here: The Divine Office for Dodos: A Step-By-Step Guide to Praying the Liturgy of the Hours The liturgy is prayed in a special way with certain rituals and rules and this book explains them fully. It is comforting to know that people around the world are joining you in prayer. The four volume set does not include the music for the hymns but has a good inventory of hymns. There are large type versions of the four volume set as well as Christian Prayer previously mention. However, I found the type size of this set to be perfectly readable. I am very happy to have purchased this set. My goal is to read and pray each day's liturgy. I am not yet at that point. But morning prayer is a wonderful way to start the day and night prayer, with its suggestion for an examination of conscience, is a fine way to end it. I pray the readings when I get a chance during the day.

The Liturgy of the Hours is well worth the investment. I find the daily readings to be a real source of spiritual strength, and would highly recommend that anyone interested in improving their prayer life consider investing in this set of books. The initial difficulty I found with these books is understanding the order of the different prayers of the day. With some persistence, and patience, I have overcome this difficulty and now have the reading order and structure down pat. I would recommend that if you have difficulty understanding the structure of the Liturgy of the Hours, or rather "how to pray" the Hours, you consult someone that is familiar with the prayers who can personally instruct you. A priest, monk, or nun should be able to provide you with the necessary instruction. My only regret is that I sometimes do not have enough time during the day to read the Hours, but this is more a matter of personal discipline than a fault of the books. I can usually read the Hours in their entirety within a single hour or two. To add to the readings, I will play some light Gregorian chant in the background, and burn some incense. It's my personal way of praying that I have found helpful - The incense reminds me of the holy Mass, and the music reminds me of the chorus at Mass. One of my favorite parts of the Liturgy of the Hours is the Office of the Readings, which includes a reading from the Bible followed by a historical reading, typically from a famous saint, pope, or other Catholic historical figure. These readings provide a wonderful insight into the biblical reading of the day. These books would make excellent reading for a weekend retreat. The pictorial biography that I have on Pope John Paul II indicated that he would read the Liturgy of the Hours in the early afternoon, as the morning was occupied with Mass, and the evenings with a Rosary. The Pope would follow the evening Rosary with the Compline, which is the final reading of the day from the Liturgy of the Hours. These are the same readings that priests, monks, and nuns are expected to read daily, preferably at the assigned hour of the day. If you take up the practice of daily reading the Liturgy of the Hours, you will be reading the same prayers as read throughout the Catholic world by devout Catholics worldwide. I also find that there is a recurrent theme of praise towards God in the psalms, and prayers for protection against sin and wickedness. If you need spiritual strength in a difficult time, these books would certainly provide you with spiritual strength if read with regularity. I highly recommend these books. They have been a source of inspiration to my efforts at prayer. I hope you found this review helpful.

Great value

I previously used both Shorter Christian Prayer and Christian Prayer. Both are great additions to anyone's prayer life, but the complete Devine Office is even richer. Someone has accurately stated the musical notes are not in this as they are in Christian Prayer, but I tend to say the hymns (like poetry) so it didn't make any difference to me. The nice thing here is much more is laid out for you and requires less jumping back and forth. A good example is the Antiphons. They are reprinted at the end of each Psalm so you do not have to turn back to read them from a previous page. And each day is nicely laid out so you can go thru the entire office if you choose (I try, but it is hard to work in the daytime prayers during the day at work - even though they are fairly short). Perhaps the thing I have enjoyed the most is the complete Office of Readings. How wonderful to add to my daily prayers the readings from the Bible and from the early Church. Now about this set...outstanding quality! I got the black leather set and it came quickly and very nicely packaged. Each of the four volumes were individually wrapped and they were fitted snugly in a solid box. I am very pleased with the volumes, the timeliness of receipt, and overall quality. In conclusion, let me say this with open heart: if you are a Christian - Catholic or Protestant - and you want to jump start your prayer life or take it to a new level, you will find nothing better than praying the Devine Office (Liturgy of the Hours). Even praying just morning and evening prayers faithfully each day will draw you closer to God and enrich you.

I got these used and in “good” condition. Let me say, these were in more like in excellent condition. These are beautiful. I was so excited to get them. I didn’t realize it was a large font edition, because it was used, but that works out fine. It had all the ribbons with it, and a slide container. The later I threw away because one of the books didn’t fit in it at all. Other than that, the books are wonderfully made. The covers are nice and the font is very legible thanks to the large font. I will use them until they wear out. Additionally the Liturgy of Hours is a great way to pray throughout the day.

I could not, of course, say this was better than the Bible, per se, but if you do not have time to juggle two or three books at a time to follow a lectionary in the Bible, or find meditations fit for that day, this set is "more convenient than a complete Bible". Of course, that depends on your preferences, based on your denominational choice. For Catholics, obviously, this is perfect. It is published by the Catholics. It is also quite good for Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and even Methodists and Presbyterians. It follows the standard 3 year cycle of readings, so the book holds new material for 3 years, a reasonable time to find it is time to go back to the beginning. I recommend you get the imitation leather set. It is far more expensive than the paperback set, so much so that I wonder if it contains all the material of the more expensive set. Each volume is over 1000 pages long, with onionskin paper. Each one has an ample number of build in book markers. The look and feel is almost enough to make you feel reverent. If meditation and worship is important to you, you do not want to skimp on your tools.

I like this set very much I ordered on for me and another for a gift.

First, it must be said, that this is the USA version, also accepted in many other countries. It is not the version for communal use in the UK, Ireland and Australia. For that, the Divine Office in three volumes published in UK by Collins is required. Having said that, this 4-volume set is perfectly acceptable for private recitation of the Hours as both versions are translations of the Latin Liturgia Horarum of the Catholic Church. As an ordained minister in the Church, I am required to use the three volume volume set as approved by the Bishops' conference when praying in common. In private recitation (which for me is most of the time) we are free to choose. This 4-volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours is beautifully bound and printed as befits such an important book. The print is quite large and easy on the eye, being printed on cream paper with minimal bleed-through: a quality product at a very good price. (The Collins set has smaller, lighter print and is more expensive). Liturgically, it includes, in the 4-week psalter, the optional psalm prayers which, though mentioned in the General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours (para. 112) are not included in the UK version. I find them a great help in concluding each psalm. The Psalms are the same translation, The Grail version, as in UK, but the antiphons have slightly different wording but the same meaning. The selection of hymns in this version is quite different from th UK selections, but hymns are in any case personal in private recitation and may even be omitted or replaced by one of the poems on offer. All readings and most of the canticles are taken from the New American Bible and the gospel Canticles: The Benedictus, Magnificat and the Canticle of Simeon are the ICET version (optional in UK). I thoroughly recommend this 4-volume leather-bound set for those seekiing a quality product, who recite the Office privately in UK, especially to those with less than perfect eyesight (like me!).

This is a very high quality product which is intended for more spiritual upliftment and these books are for lifetime use.

Chegou rápido e em perfeitas condições; Bom tamanho das letras; Inglês de fácil leitura; Edição de muita qualidade; Boa quantidade de fitas marca-páginas (são cinco fitas removíveis para cada livro); Acompanham cartões facilitadores, com alguns salmos e cânticos mais frequentes. Recomendo!

The edition of the Hours by the Catholic Book Publishing Corp. has transformed my private devotional prayer life. I am grateful that Amazon Australia sells this product. Beautifully produced in four volumes, each with its own liturgical colour. The quality is outstanding. This will last you a lifetime, even with heavy use. An added advantage of this edition is that the ribbons are replaceable (as they will fray over time). Moreover, it comes with the Saint Joseph Guide for the Liturgy of the Hours for the year of purchase (a must as this greatly helps in how to use it if you are not familiar with it as it can be daunting). Again, I am grateful that this short guide is included. I advise reading the Apostolic Constitution and General Instructions provided in Volume One ("Advent/Christmas") to better understand its purpose and method for prayer. I am writing from Australia, and for this region there is the 3-volume Collins set. However, I would suggest for a layperson that this edition is the better for the simple reason that the 4-week psalmody is included for each volume (unlike the Collins). I am not too perturbed that this English-language version relies on the New American Bible while the Collins (I believe) is based on the more preferable New Jersusalem Bible. Moreover, the ribbons in the Collins edition are fixed and not replaceable.

The Liturgy of the Hours Black Leather 4 volume set is an overall excellent product. These books are a good size if you plan on travelling with them such as taking them to Mass or the Adoration Chapel, on the bus or to work. They fit into many "off the shelf" bible covers or most leather breviary cases that you can buy at your local Church supply store or on-line. ** There is a large print edition of the Liturgy of the Hours 4 volume set that are avilable and equally as nice, but they are too bulky to carry around. If you are planning on getting the large type edition, I would say that they would be best to keep in the house or the Chapel of your Parish. 1. Binding and Quality Each of the 4 books in this 4 volume set are beautifully bound and come with 5 ribbons. Also included are inserts of common prayers and suppliments. - The leather cover of each book is black, flexible and very durable. There is a black liturgy of the Hours logo embossed very subtly and tactfully on the front cover of each volume. On the spine of each book is embossed in gold the volume # and liturgical season it represents. - Each of the 4 volumes stay open without having to apply any force to the book and are a nice size. They are a pleasure to hold, not too heavy, and fit very nicely into one's hand. - The pages are crisp, with golden gilded edges. The page paper is your classic thin bible style paper. - The binding is strong, perfectly even and makes a nice crisp cracking sound as you open it. - The font is in mostly black with red highlights. The print is average quality. Although rare, there are a few instances 'half prints' such as part of a letter missing. 2. Praying the Divine Office - If you have never prayed the Divine Office before, you will need someone to show you how or you will have to do some research as there is more to it than just opening the books and starting. I wouldn't say to go and spend money on a tutorial book that explains it, though. The Divine Offive can be learned through the ordinary section of the 4 books, or you can purchase a St Joseph Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours that tells you exactly where to put your ribbons for each office of each day of the year. Or, there are many websites that give this information daily as well. - The Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours is interwoven beautifully with the Mass. If you are able to go to daily Mass, you will notice how the prayers of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours compliment each other. I find this to be very fulfilling as it hepls me to recollect the morning Mass during different offices later in the day. - Overall, if you feel called to start praying the Divine Office, I would say to go for it. If you are able to commit to praying each or at least most of the offices each day, it will transform your life and deepen your relationship with the Lord. 3. Translation The translation of the current Liturgy of the Hours is going to be revised, as the Roman Missal just was. This will not happen overnight though. I heard at least 5 - 10 years. I would say that this would be a good idea. I am partial to the more Traditional translations of the Readings and Psalms such as the Douay-Rheims version. The translations of the Reading and Psalms in these volumes could use a little more punch and conservative flavor. I would recommend this edition of the Liturgy of the Hours.