Little hours - simplified for devotional use by laity
  • I've been putting together a little book the last few weeks for my own personal devotion. It is a version of the little hours, taking different parts from the various versions of the office (monastic and Roman) before Vatican II. I'm going to get a copy printed for myself soon to try out, but I thought I'd also post it here in case anyone would get any use out of it or has suggestions.
    LittleHours.pdf
    8M
  • RMSawicki
    Posts: 128
    Excellent plan! This "breviary nerd" awaits the completion your project with giddy anticipation.

    Gaudete in Domino Semper!
  • Thanks!

    Although, unless I come up with ideas for improvement, it basically is completed.

    I suppose it's lacking a section notating the common tones (Deus in adjutorium, 8G psalm tone, little chapter, versicle, collect, Benedicamus Domino). If anyone wants to use it and needs an appendix explaining those added I can type it up and add it sometime, but for my own use I don't need it since I already have all those tones memorized from doing Compline.

    I don't think it's worth trying to get it published unless I start publishing more important books anyway, but anyone who wants to is free to print it out for themselves. Or I could even give the LaTeX file if anyone wants to make adjustments.
  • FKulash
    Posts: 83
    Very good!

    It might be easier to use if you included only tune for the hymn at each hour, along with the psalms. Consider Sunday Prime, for example: instead of having the default tune on page 4, followed by the Advent tune on page 5, then the Christmas tune, then by the Epiphany tune, etc., you could have only the default tune on page 4, and the psalms immediately after it, starting on page 5. Put all of the other tunes after the Compline section: all the Advent tunes first, then all the Christmas tunes, and so on.
    Thanked by 1OMagnumMysterium
  • I've finished a revision, and attached it below.

    I discovered my first night using the original draft that there were several issues in Compline, so I cannot recommend anyone use the original pdf. I've fixed many issues, but there there are probably a few that still snuck past the revision, so if anyone finds any, let me know.

    I have now moved the seasonal hymn tones to after Compline as suggested, and added a preface which gives a quick overview of my reasons for editorial choices, as well as the common tones for each hour. It's now more of a usable book.
    LittleHoursRevision.pdf
    18M
  • What program have you been using for this project?
  • LaTeX