Over the past year, some Catholics on Twitter have been using the hashtag #BreviaryViews to encourage one another in praying the Divine Office, or the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the prayer of the Church marking the hours of each day. While it is generally an obligation for priests and religious, the invitation to pray it is universal, and many laypeople have taken it up as a devotion too. But it can be kind of daunting if you don’t have a religious community that’s teaching you how to pray it, so if you’re looking for help on how to get started, I’ll be compiling resources on this page.
These links all refer to the U.S. English translation. If you’d like to add a link or resource for another language or region, please contact me!
Where can I find the Liturgy of the Hours?
- Books: psalter / 1-volume / 4-volume
- Apps & Websites: iBreviary / Universalis / DivineOffice.org
- Audio: DivineOffice.org podcast / BreviaryTunes /
If you want to pray with a book, but can’t afford one, check out our donations spreadsheet. If it’s a bit dormant, email me—I maintain it and will be happy to see what other options we have.
Finally, before buying books that may represent a considerable investment, please note that the USCCB is currently revising its translation of the Liturgy of the Hours right now. The new edition will hopefully be available in the coming years.
How do I pray the Liturgy of the Hours?
- Fr. Cassidy’s introductory video
- Book: A Layman’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours
- Liturgy of the Hours “Cheat Sheet”
- Liturgy of the Hours Tutorial Video
- Follow @linipanini330 for LOTH livestreams
- To figure out which pages to use, consult Today’s Pages, or use the annual St. Joseph Guide (here’s the one for 2020)
- If you don’t know the music for a hymn given in the book, check out the BreviaryTunes app
- Advanced users only… General Instruction for the Liturgy of the Hours
What’s #BreviaryViews?
Just that: an opportunity to share the view from your breviary, or better yet, a reflection on the day’s prayer that you think might be edifying to others. The hashtag is mostly used on Twitter and Instagram, and if you’re on Twitter, check out @JohnDeGuzzy’s Wednesday #breviaryviews threads!
If there’s a resource you love that I’ve missed, please email me and I’ll add it!
Catherine L. Addington 