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THIS is How to Do Public Divine Offices in the Roman Catholic Church

Michie

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https://tomsdigest.com/2025/09/15/t...-divine-offices-in-the-roman-catholic-church/


The pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Orlando, Florida, loading the thurible before incensing the altar at the Magnificat. Choral Vespers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Sep. 14. 2025.


“Pastors of souls should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 100.)
A friend of mine who is a music director at a suburban Orlando Catholic parish in Florida just organized a successful organ concert coupled with Choral Vespers in honor of Holy Cross Day on September 14, 2025.

As someone who has been doing what feels like shouting into the great void about the importance of restoring regular, public divine offices with robust congregational participation, this was of course of great interest to me.

Here is a complete video of the event, courtesy of my friend Steven who organized it, played the organ and conducted the choir:

Continued below.
 
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JimR-OCDS

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How the Divine Office is celebrated has much to do with the tradition the specific order follows.

I've been to Trappist Vespers and they never use incense in the LOTH's. On Sundays the first chant
Vespers and then go into Benediction, where they do incense the Monstrance.

I'm a Discalced Carmelite and our office is prayed a little different than that of the Trappist or Benedictine's.

For one, we follow a four-week cycle, whereas the Trappist and Benedictines follow a two-week cycle.
 
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RileyG

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I don’t think the Benedictine use much incense during their daily office either. I think it depends on the specific religious community.
 
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RileyG

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How the Divine Office is celebrated has much to do with the tradition the specific order follows.

I've been to Trappist Vespers and they never use incense in the LOTH's. On Sundays the first chant
Vespers and then go into Benediction, where they do incense the Monstrance.

I'm a Discalced Carmelite and our office is prayed a little different than that of the Trappist or Benedictine's.

For one, we follow a four-week cycle, whereas the Trappist and Benedictines follow a two-week cycle.
I’ve been to a Benedictine female monastery where they follow their own office and it’s a four week cycle. Sometimes they have readings from the history of their community during lauds or vespers, but morning prayer is usually from the Old Testament and evening prayer is from the New Testament.
 
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JimR-OCDS

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I’ve been to a Benedictine female monastery where they follow their own office and it’s a four week cycle. Sometimes they have readings from the history of their community during lauds or vespers, but morning prayer is usually from the Old Testament and evening prayer is from the New Testament.
A lot could be if they are in association with the Benedictines or actually members of the order.

The Benedictine monastery I've been to follow their own rubrics for the LOTH"S and its
a two-week cycle. They have both nuns and monks at the two monasteries which are
connected to the chapel.
 
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RileyG

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A lot could be if they are in association with the Benedictines or actually members of the order.

The Benedictine monastery I've been to follow their own rubrics for the LOTH"S and its
a two-week cycle. They have both nuns and monks at the two monasteries which are
connected to the chapel.
Is it a double monastery?

The monastery I'm affiliated with is affiliated with a federation of monasteries that share their heritage.

*I'm a Benedictine Oblate.
 
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JimR-OCDS

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Is it a double monastery?

The monastery I'm affiliated with is affiliated with a federation of monasteries that share their heritage.

*I'm a Benedictine Oblate.
One side is the priory where the nuns stay and the other monastery is where the monks stay. The two are connected
to the chapel from each side.

I had looked into the Oblates who are part of the monastery I mentioned above, but being I'm already
a Discalced Carmelite Secular, OCDS, leaving the Discalced Carmelites was out of the question. :D
 
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