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Question Title Posted By Question Date
The Anglican Breviary Blake Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Question:

Dear Mr. Slavek,

Is it permissible for a Roman Catholic to recite the Divine Office from the Anglican Breviary and still pray in union with the Catholic Church? I read on the internet in several places that the Fraternity of St. Peter recommends the Anglican Breviary to the laity and it has been recommended to me by another catholic. With the name "Anglican" in its title, I am a unsure and certainly do not plan on praying anything unless it is 100% Catholic and under the Pope.

Also, what is your opinion of the upcoming Baronius Latin/English Breviary coming out soon?

Thank you.

Blake

Question Answered by

Dear Blake,

No, it is not possible to pray the old rite of the Divine Office from the Anglican Breviary.  Remember, the language of that rite is LATIN, not the vernacular.  Some reasons why it may have been recommended could be for private devotional prayer, or maybe for study of the Latin language.  (for translation)

The Baronius breviary sounds awesome from what I've read of it.  I'll get a copy myself, assuming I can afford one.  :-)  I took a look at Pope Benedict's Summorum Pontificum (concerning wider use of the extraordinary rite)  The breviary was only briefly mentioned, that ordained clerics may use the 1962 Breviary.  The laity was not mentioned, so I can't assume whether or not Rome meant that the laity could also be using the old rite in Latin.  Regardless, the laity may use the old breviary in Latin or English as a private devotional prayer.

My personal opinion and practice however is to use the current rite, in English, so I can get the best understanding of what I'm doing and to pray in union with the Church.  Rarely I will pray the office in Latin from the old rite as a private prayer, but I DO pray the current Office in Latin only occasionally as a liturgical prayer (breviaries are available from paxbook.com, the Vatican publishing House)

Mr. Slavek
Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers.

(b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks.

(c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively.