More Morning Prayer Advice Sought
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    I need some more advice on Morning prayer for the Triduum.

    1. On another thread, someone mentioned that the doxology is not used during Holy Week. That's not so, is it, at least not for L ot H?

    2. I'm assuming that since this is mostly lay people, virtually no one will have prayed an earlier hour, so we need to start with "Lord open my lips...." and the 95th Psalm, right?

    3. In the past my parish has substituted their own intercessions, with a congregational response peculiar to this congregation. Is that licit? (As I said, almost no one is actually obliged to pray L ot H)

    4. Is it licit to omit the responsory after the readings, or the antiphon that replaces it on Good Friday and Holy Saturday?
    Is it licit to substitute one day's responsory or antiphon for another's?

    Thanks for any advice or information.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    1. I haven't found a specific instruction in the new LOTH yet about the Gloria Patri in Holy Week, but I think the Church probably intends that the Office follow the practice in the Mass; in the old Office the Gloria Patri was omitted.

    2. Starting with Ps. 95 is up to you. People not familiar with the Office would benefit from doing it. OTOH, people who say the Office might have already started the day with Ps. 95 and the Office of Readings.

    3. (I have no comment on question 3.)

    4. The chant Christus factus est is hugely important, and even if it would be licit to omit it, it just shouldn't be done.

    Notice how it develops from day to day:

    Thursday
    Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem.

    Friday
    Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.

    Saturday
    Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum, et dedit illi nomen, quod est super omne nomen.

    This is the unfolding of the Paschal mystery, expressed in song. It's the high point of the triduum offices!
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    Thanks for your answer, Chonak.

    I knew the old LotH had no Gloria Patri in Holy Week, but I've never seen a Typical Edition of the current LotH, and the English versions I have do have it.
    Further, the Liber Hymnarius, (Solesmes, '83,) has the doxology verse at the end of the hymns for Holy Week. Of course, there were no hymns for Morning Prayer during the Triduum, so that could just be an oversight.

    Believe me, it would not be my choice to drop the responsory and the 2 antiphons.
    But that is what their programs indicate they have done in the past, and before I go stepping on toes unnecessarily as I change things
    (The 7 Last Words [of Catholics]: We Never Did It That Way Before,)
    I wanted all my ducks in a row.

    Thanks again.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • dvalerio
    Posts: 341
    1) There is no provision to ommit the Gloria Patri at the end of Office Psalms in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite.

    2) Since the rule is that the Invitatory is sung (or said) at the beginning of the first hour of the day, and since you can argue both ways (some people will still not have prayed the Office of Readings, others will have, etc.), I'd also say it's up to you.

    3) I'm unaware of any provision allowing this, though I would not be scandalised... but why change them, anyway?

    4) It is licit to ommit the responsory. During the Triduum the responsory is indeed replaced by this «Christus factus est» antiphon, which is in fact a Gradual cut up into slices. No specific provision exists to ommit it, but since it replaces something that may be ommited, I'd say that yes, it can be ommited. Yet I'd agree that it's an important part of this office (albeit short; hence, it is dense---very dense).

    Rather than ommiting the responsory, you can replace it with something else «duly approved by the conference of bishops». I have no idea of what the USCCB may have done in this regard...

    I'm unaware of a provision for using another day's responsory. I think I would not be scandalised if it this were done in some ferial day, or OT Sunday... but on Good Friday, what would you use?
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