Which book? QUESTION from Michael Roesch on August 13, 2002 I am a lay university student, and I am interested in rejuvenating my prayer life using the Liturgy of the Hours. I noticed in your other posts that you mention that the Daughters of St. Paul version is more complete than the CBP version in that it includes all of the day prayers. Since I am a student (and a layman) I don't foresee ever having the time to pray the day offices anyway, so I was wondering which of these two includes the largest sampling of the Office of Readings. Also, do you know much about this book and whether it includes a sampling of the Office of Readings?
In addition, I know Universalis uses an unapproved translation, but is it accurate in which readings it gives? I ask this because the excellent LiturgyHours.org site does not include the Office of Readings (yet, anyway).
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on August 24, 2002 Dear Mr. Roesch:
I am happy to see that you are interested in the Divine Office and that you are interested in being true to liturgical law. That seems to be a rarity these days.
The book you mentioned is Lauds and Vespers. It costs as much as the Daughters of St. Paul Edition. I would go with the Daughters of St. Paul edition.
I have not checked to see which one-volume edition has more Office of Readings than the other. No matter which one-volume edition you get you will not be able to particpate in the Office of Readings with the Church. Those samplings are merely to give you a sample and for your edification.
To participate in the actual Office of Readings with the Church you will have to get the 4 volume edition.
As far as I know the Universalis site (which frankly I wish did not exist, especially since they have a flippant attitude, perhaps even rebellious attitude about the Divine Office) has the calendar correct. But since it does not have the official translation, it cannot be used for the Divine Office.
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