OCDS Community of
Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew
The Liturgy of the Hours
​The Liturgy of the Hours is the daily prayer of the Church. It is designed to be prayed multiple times throughout the day. Here is some good information on how to pray this Liturgy; it is also useful as a sort of "refresher course".
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As Carmelite Seculars, we are called to pray at least Morning and Evening Prayer each day, and are encouraged to pray Night Prayer if time allows. It is also recommended that we do a good Examination of Conscience before going to bed for the night. When we meet, our Community prays Morning Prayer together as a group.
How do I pray it?
​It is important to note that, for us, praying the Liturgy of the Hours online should only be used for extraordinary circumstances. Our Semi-Province has asked that we normally use our books. In doing so, you become very familiar with your book and learn where to go to find the day's prayers. Some may find it confusing at first, but do not worry. The more you get into your book, the better you will get. It is an invaluable education, and once you have mastered it, you will feel so proud!
The St. Joseph Guide for the Liturgy of the Hours is highly recommended to help you in this task. It is a small book printed yearly that lists the pages you will be using each day. We also have daily page references for both the Single and Four Volume books listed here. This (or your favorite app) can be a very good way to double-check yourself on the page markings if you are unsure, or are "flying solo" without the Guide.
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The OCDS Carmelite Proper Calendar denotes feast days and fast days. This is a great reference for celebrating our Carmelite saints, as well as a reminder about our days of fasting within the Order. It is used in conjunction with the Liturgy of the Hours book(s).
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If you are looking for an in-depth study, please refer to the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours.
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Did You Know?
You can easily calculate which week you are on in The Four-Week Psalter during Ordinary Time, and at other times as well. It works like this: First, you'll need to know which week of the Church Calendar you are in. If it is evenly divisible by the number 4 with nothing left over, then you are in Week IV of the Psalter. If the number is divisible by 4 with 1 left over, then it is Week I. If the week's number is divisible by 4 with 2 left over, it is Week II. If you divide by 4, and there is 3 left over, then is it Week III. Examples: Weeks 4, 8, 12, 24, etc. on the Church Calendar is Week IV in the Psalter. Weeks 5, 9, 13, 25, etc. is Week I in the Psalter. Weeks 6, 10, 14, 26, etc. is Week II in the Psalter. Weeks 7, 11, 15, 27, etc. is Week III in the Psalter. The same rule applies to the regular weeks in the Lenten, Advent, Easter, and Christmas Seasons. For those times that this rule doesn't apply (Holy Week or special feast days, for example), your book will tell you which week and pages to mark and pray from. Try it - it makes figuring out your place in the Psalter so much easier! If you need to double-check, just look at the Guide or your favorite app. You will get the hang of it in no time!
