#catholicprayer

The Liturgy of the Hours (also called the Divine Office or Breviary) is the official daily prayer of the Catholic Church. It sanctifies different parts of the day with prayer, primarily consisting of psalms, scripture readings, hymns, and prayers. Clergy, religious, and many laypeople pray it daily as a way to unite themselves with the universal Church and offer praise to God.

What Does the Liturgy of the Hours Contain?

The Liturgy of the Hours is divided into canonical hours, each designed for different times of the day. The major hours include:

Office of Readings (Matins) – Can be prayed at any time; includes extended scripture readings and writings from saints or Church Fathers.

Morning Prayer (Lauds) – Prayed at dawn to give thanks and offer the day to God.

Daytime Prayer (Terce, Sext, None) – Prayed at mid-morning (Terce), midday (Sext), or mid-afternoon (None), focusing on dependence on God throughout the workday.

Evening Prayer (Vespers) – Prayed at sunset, giving thanks for the day and reflecting on God’s mercy.

Night Prayer (Compline) – Prayed before bed, asking for God’s protection during the night.

Each hour consists of:

Opening verse (e.g., "O God, come to my assistance…")

Hymn (specific to the time of day or feast)

Psalms and Canticles (from the Book of Psalms and other scriptures)

Scripture Reading (a short passage from the Bible)

Responsory (a short prayer response)

Gospel Canticles (Benedictus for Morning, Magnificat for Evening, Nunc Dimittis for Night)

Intercessions (prayers for the Church and the world)

Concluding prayer and blessing. How to Use the Liturgy of the Hours?

Choose the Right Version

The full version is in the 4-volume Breviary.

A shorter version is Christian Prayer (1-volume).

Apps like iBreviary, Universalis, or Divine Office provide digital versions.

Follow the Liturgical Calendar

The prayers change based on the liturgical season (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time).

Feast days and solemnities have their own special prayers.

Pray at the Appointed Times

Laypeople can pray as much as they can. Morning and Evening Prayer are the most encouraged.

It can be prayed alone or in a group.

Use It as an Offering to God

The Liturgy of the Hours is not just personal devotion but an extension of the Church’s prayer.

"When we remember all God has done for us, we simply cannot but turn gratefully to Saint Joseph and thank him for such marks of his watchful care." - #SaintMaryMacKillop #SaintoftheDay

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Today, Australia celebrates 'The Feast Day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop - Australia's first Saint'. Today, more than ever, all the world needs kindness, faithfulness, and humility lived by this great Saint.

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And, of course, the Universal Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Dominic de Guzmán #HappyFeastDay

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We continue our prayers for the people of #Lebanon, especially those killed or injured in the explosion on Tuesday, 4th August. #PrayforLebanon

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📷 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Image #CatholicPriestMedia #Catholic_Priest #PrayAlways #SacredArtandImages #CatholicPrayer #HolyQuote #PrayConstantly during this #CoronaVirusPandemic

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The Chaplet of St Charbel Makhluf

THE CHAPLET The chaplet is made up of five sets of beads, three red, one white and one blue. Five black beads, divide the sets. A medal of the saint connects the beads, with a single white bead following the medal and preceding the five sets.

The red beads are for the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, the virtues by which religious share in the Passion of Christ.

The white beads represent the Holy Eucharist, and the blue beads love and devotion to Our Blessed Mother.

ORDER OF RECITATION On the first white bead after the medal say the “Father of Truth” prayer. On each black bead recite an “Our Father”.

On the first three red beads say the “Hail Mary” in honor of Saint Charbel’s fidelity to the vow of poverty.

On the second set of red beads say the “Hail Mary” in honor of Saint Charbel’s fidelity to the vow of chastity.

On the third set of red beads say the “Hail Mary” in honor of Saint Charbel’s fidelity to the vow of obedience.

On the three white beads say the “Hail Mary” in honor of Saint Charbel’s love for the Eucharist.

On the three blue beads say the “Hail Mary” in honor of Saint Charbel’s devotion to Our Blessed Mother. Conclude with the prayer to obtain graces on the medal.

Father of Truth Prayer Father of Truth, behold Your Son, a sacrifice pleasing to You. Accept this offering of Him who died for me; behold His blood shed on Golgotha for my salvation. It pleads for me. For His sake, accept my offering. Many are my sins, but greater is Your mercy. When placed on a scale, Your mercy prevails over the weight of the mountains known only to You. Consider the sin and consider the atonement; the atonement is greater and exceeds the sin. Your beloved Son sustained the nails and the lance because of my sins so in His sufferings You are satisfied and I live.

Prayer to Obtain Graces Lord, infinitely holy and glorified in Your saints, You have inspired Charbel, the saint monk, to lead the perfect life of a hermit. We thank You for granting him the blessing and the strength to detach himself from the world so that the heroism of the monastic virtues of poverty, chastity, and obedience might triumph in his hermitage. We beseech You to grant us the grace of loving and serving You, following his example. Almighty God, who have manifested the power of Saint Charbel’s intercession through his countless miracles and favors, grant us this grace (here mention your intention) which we request from You through his intercession. Amen.