Traditional Office QUESTION from Gary on April 7, 2003 Brother,
I hope this isn't a silly question. I pray the Hours of the current rite, but I may wish to start praying the entire 150 psalms over the period of a weak. Does there exsist such a thing as an English translation of the previous books for lay folk who may wish to pray according to the traditional rite?
Thank you much, Brother
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on April 8, 2003 Dear Gary:
I do not know off-hand if there is a English Edition of the pre-Vatican II Divine Office. There is a Latin Edition (very expensive).
But, in any regard, it would not be proper to use the pre-Vatican II version, unless you are part of a community that has been given an indult.
The general indult given to the Roman Missal of 1962 is ONLY for the Mass, not the Divine Office as far as I know.
The whole purpose of the Divine Office is to pray with the Church. This implies a unity. Thus we need to pray according to how the Church tells us to pray the Divine Office. As a Liturgy its use is regulated by the Church.
If we go off on our own tangents and use editions or translations of the Office that are not currently approved then we are not praying in unity.
P.S. BTW, although I know what you mean by the term traditional office, we need to remember that the traditional Office is the CURRENT Office. Tradition means teaching that is passed down, not teaching that never changes or matures. Sacred Tradition never changes, of course, but our understanding of it matures. On Liturgy, houever, it is not an issue of unchangeable Sacred Tradition, it is a mere disciple that can be changed whenever the Church desires and thinks is prudent. Thus the Church has passed down to us the current version of the Divine Office. It is the Traditional one.
God Bless.
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