Learn the Office 2.0: The individual components of the Office

So far this series has covered some general introductory points on the traditional Benedictine Office.

Why you need to know the rules for the individual components of the Office

In this next section (labelled Learn the Office 2.0-12), I plan to go through each of the individual components that make up the Office.

Each of the components of the Office have specific rules attached to them that generally apply across each of the hours where they are used.

Although the particular texts used changes, the general principles don't.

That includes things like some words that get added on to the end of particular parts of the Office (but not always spelt out in Office books), such as 'Amen', or 'Thanks be to God'.

It can also include rubrics - such as standing or bowing for a particular part of the Office.

So if you know how to say or sing the 'chapter' verse of Prime, you also know how to say it at Lauds, Vespers and the other hours.

How to use these notes

I have listed out all the posts in this section of the series below.

You can either choose to work through them systematically, or just look up the particular element of the Office that you are unsure how to say when you encounter it in the Office.

As Compline is the simplest hour to learn as it is basically the same each day, so I've started with the components of it, and followed the order they appear in that hour (with a few interpolations to cover of other hours) so you can get started straightaway with this hour.

2.1 The short lesson at Compline

2.2 Examination of conscience and confession at Compline

2.3 Versicles

2.4 The opening prayers of the hours - used at all of the day hours (Lauds to Vespers, and in the middle of Compline, each day).

2.5 How the psalms are said Pt 1: The psalms, and psalms without antiphons  (Psalms without antiphons are used at Compline,Lauds and Matins)

2.6 Psalms Pt 2: Psalms and canticles with antiphons (How the psalms and canticles are said at Lauds to Vespers)

2.7 Psalms Pt 3: Singing the psalms and antiphons

2.8 The Office hymns

2.9 The chapter (verse)

2.10 The closing prayers of the Office Pt 1: Structure - the framework used at all of the day hours.

2.11 The closing prayers of the Office Pt 2: Collects

2.12 The closing prayers of the Office Pt 3: Commemorations and memorials

2.13 The Marian antiphon at Compline

2.14 The short responsory at Lauds and Matins

Looking at the individual hours

In the third part of this series, I will go through the structure of the day hours to show you how the various components of the Office are used in each hour, and give you a bit of a flavour of each hour.

And follow the link to go to the next part in this series, on the opening reading at Compline.