How to Pray the Divine Office
The Divine Office, or the Liturgy of Hours, is a series of readings, prayers and songs that are designed to turn the devoted Catholic's heart toward God throughout the day. This is a way in which many Catholics seek to follow the New Testament's admonition to "pray without ceasing." The process of sitting, standing, singing and reciting can be cumbersome and confusing to people who have never attempted to participate in the Divine Office before. You may want to go through these steps with other worshippers to get a better and more nuanced understanding of what is being said and sung.
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Instructions
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Read or sing through the Invitatory Psalm. This can be either read (if you are alone) or sung (if you are worshipping with a group). The Invitatory Psalm is usually a single Psalm which is read through from beginning to end. At the end of each stanza, the first line of the Psalm is repeated out loud.
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Read through the Office of readings. This consists of various readings, psalms, hymns and prayers that are spaced and provided according to the liturgical calendar. At the end of each Psalm is a prayer that is meant to be said out loud. There is also a selected reading from either the Old or New Testament.
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Repeat the steps for the Morning, Daytime, Evening and Night Prayers. All of the readings are provided in the "Liturgy of the Hours" book, which is available in a one- or four-volume set at most Catholic bookstores or Catholic websites.
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Resources
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