How neat is that? I just went out & bought the Little Office of the BVM this past Palm Sunday!! I want to learn to pray the Divine Office so badly, but through the advice of different people...I've decided to start with something simple! Blessed Holy Week everyone!

Praying the Divine Office isn't that hard!! I started praying it because some friends and I would pray Compline on nights we prayed the rosary together. That's probably the easiest to start with, in my opinion, since there's only a weekly cycle as opposed to a 4 week cycle. And it's pretty straight foward with not so much page flipping! It's also easier to start Morning Prayer & Evening Prayer during Ordinary Time...again less page flipping!

Eeek! Let's just say my talents lie elsewhere...I truly believe once I start praying it everyday in the monastery (wherever I end up!) that I will catch on...Eventually...

I am definitely an oddity in this, because when I learnt I had the full three volume set (the version approved for use in the UK is three volumes, as opposed to - I believe - the four volume version used in the US, right?), complete with ribbons, and loved it. Mind you, I'm a total bibliophile anyway, , so that I could just pick up a book and run with it probably isn't that surprising!

Crazy? But heck, as we've already noted in another thread, we're all at least a little right?

Love and prayers,

PP

Yup, we have the 4 volume version over here in the US. Once I figured it out, it's kinda fun to mess with ribbons and such Too bad I've yet to find a good "beginner's guide" to using the berviary!

I've heard that the three volume set is a beautiful translation....is it? I only have the one with Lauds, Vespers and Compline, so far

Heavens puella, not crazy! What's funny is that I even have 3 books that are supposed to tell me how to pray the Divine Office...& I still get lost... ...I will not give up however!

Rememeber when I was feeling kinda confused about what I should be doing about college and stuff? Well, it has become clearer! I am going to put my mind to it and accomplish God's Will, not follow my earthly passions. I just praise God that He has given me clarity... I was being tested I think... Now I must trust in Him not matter what happens from here on out.

Exciting realization FutureNun! I was just reading this from St. Francis (in II Celano):

St. Francis was so wise and totally amazing

And if hinting at anything, lol, I would not say so...

Don't know what you're talkin' about...

Wow. Mass of the Lord's Supper this evening was, WOW. Just plain amazing! I've never gone to the triduum Masses at this Parish, but I often go to daily Mass and sometimes Sunday Mass. Wow... I am blown away. So much latin... a very Holy priest celebrating. I love it. Too bad mom won't let me go to the 3pm Mass tomorrow if we are coloring easter eggs at the time. <<sigh>> Maybe I can go at 7pm for veneration of the Cross and stations. I would love to go to both though
And afterwards was amazing as well, spent over an hour 'keeping watch' it was truely wonderful I am going to treasure this night and all its graces!

I love the divine office. it is so beautiful.

I had an awesome experience too. We prayed Tenebrae after the Mass and the Holy Eucharist was transferred. The chanting was great and reminded me so much of praying the Divien Office with the sisters I've visited. Afterwards, I went into the Blessed Sacrament chapel to pray and it was gorgeous inside! The sacristan had entirely lit up the altar area with candles!! I thought I was in heaven!!

Good Friday was pretty amazing at the Cathedral, too!

Everything from Good Friday to Easter this morning was gorgeous at church, but this afternoon I went with my dad and brother to a nearby county park/ conservatory, and it just brought to home the love God has for us. The beauty of the countryside, the ability to explore a creek and waterfall... just the wonder of nature. It's all so beautiful, and He made it for us!

Amazing Triduum all around! Thank God for the wonderful priests & seminarians who've been working so hard!!

Something I was reflecting on that I thought I'd share...the Archbishop loves to end his homilies invoking the Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe, etc. Since I've heard 5 of his homilies in 4 days, the Heart of Jesus part kept jumping out at me. In at least one of his homilies, he mentioned joining our wounded hearts to the pierced heart of Jesus for him to make it whole. I just love that image of just being totally engulfed by Jesus in such an intimate way! I was also thinking about the image associated with Divine Mercy Sunday of the water and blood flowing out from the Sacred Heart to flood the world with mercy. If we are truly joined to his heart, then we too need to be flowing out and showing Jesus's mercy to everyone.

HOLY WOW! What a truly powerful image!

I think my church turned into a Baptist church on Easter Vigil. My mom hated it, lol

I just wish our Mass wasn't bilingual. We have a huge Spanish population here, which is wonderful. . .but I was unable to understand 1/2 of the readings (1/2 were in English and 1/2 were in Spanish) as our church was still dark for that part of the Mass.

But what an amazing Mass it was! I talked to Deb who said that we had about 2 dozen Baptisms not one dozen, and at least 3 dozen who were making their First Holy Communion.

<----------- jaw on the floor!!!! PRAISE BE TO JESUS CHRIST! That is so many people to welcome into the church!!!

Yea. . .we have that many people or close to it, every year. Our church is usually packed, though. . .every week, no matter what Mass I attend

grrrr double post!

We had so many enter the Church at our parish... not as many as you, but far more than I have ever seen!!!

God is soo good! I think what REALLY got to me, was when I saw that couple in their 60s be received into full communion. Wow. That's just awesome. . .

Today I got my Little Office of the BVM! YAY! I cannot wait to start, but I think I will have to do a little reading in the beginning of the book to get a good start. I am so excited! I also got a Latin Grammar book that is specifically for reading the Missal and Breviary in Latin... So basically Church Latin! And a small number of other books, including a few for my little sister...

How exciting! I saw the Little Office this week at a store and thought of you Good luck on learning your new prayer

Thanks! You will be remembered in my prayers this week for sure!

Thank you!

I'm praying for you also.

I only have experience of the (UK) English, Dutch and Latin versions, so I couldn't really talk about the English translation that I know. What I can say is that I do find the the Grail Psalms (the translation used in the UK Office - perhaps the US one too? - and also to be found in the New Jerusalem Bible) very lovely. They seem to tread the fine balance between a style that's distant enough to remind us that these are songs of praise to God, transcendent and immanent, and yet familiar enough to not require my translation skills between Modern and Early Modern English (as an undergraduate chorister I sang from the Oxford Psalter, Cramnerian language - glorious, but sometimes in need of a dictionary!)

I also have the book which I think you have - mine's black and is called "Morning and Evening Prayer". I bought it just before moving to Canada, as I wanted to keep up my Office over there but couldn't face lugging three books with me!

PP

By the way...

Zalig Pasen (Blessed Easter) everyone! God decided to cloister () me from the internet over the Triduum by allowing my laptop to have a tizz. On the one hand, by this evening I've been trembling with withdrawl symptoms. On the other, it freed me to live through a most amazingly blessed Triduum in my life. So whilst I've missed things on here, it's overshadowed by my thankfulness to God for this rather well-hidden grace

Love and prayers,

PP

Ooohh, Puella, He's preparing you to 'cloister' for more than the Triduum! So this was just a trial run, so to speak.

Funny you should say that. About a week ago I wrote a post in an online diary, sharing what I had undertaken as Lenten observances and generally how my Lent "had gone" (makes it sound like an election campaign, doesn't it?). A friend of mine commented and said:
(translation is slightly dodgy because once my brain is in Dutch mode it's hard to formulate a sensible English version)



But then again...I ask (again!) for prayers. When I got home after the Vigil I was on such a high I couldn't get to sleep. Now I'm on the comedown afterwards (someone should do a comparison study on he effects of intense religious experience and ecstacy or something) and even though we've just launched into the most joyful time of the year I'm sitting here feeling blah and lethargic.

However, tomorrow isn't a public holiday. So perhaps getting off my backside and doing some WORK will help

Love and prayers,

PP

"God has allowed to let you taste life as a nun & it is sweet..." How beautiful!

It is indeed! I'm blessed with some really lovely friends.

PP

We're here for you, ladies!

I've not had time to read all thirty-some pages of this thread, but please give me an update as to what everyone is doing, and if anyone has entered who has posted to this thread.

Just a reminder: the communities we propose to found will be Ecclesia Dei Indult Latin Mass Traditionalist. We are close to founding the Cloisterite monks and nuns, and they will be learning the Office with the Little Office of the BVM in Latin.

Blessings,
Gemma
Society of Our Lady of the Cloister

Anyone ever get that feeling of 'I don't belong here' when just walking around doing nothing?

What exactly do you mean?

Sorry to be so dense.

Blessings,
Gemma

Yes. . . I get that feeling all the time. I find enjoyment in the world. Sometimes too much ! LOL

But I also get that feeling often that my world isn't meant to be here.

Well, I was walking up some stairs at school, and suddenly I just felt like I didn't belong. It was an empty stairwell, no one around...

Yep! I even feel that way at get-togthers with friends or family sometimes...Like I belong somewhere else...

I felt that way at my brother's fiancee's bridal shower last week. . .even though I knew quite a bit of people. Go figure. . .but He is having me die to the world. . .

At times like that, I turn to the closest Catholic Church in which Our Lord resides, adore Him, and give Him the feeling I'm experiencing. It's death to the world in many forms being experienced--detachment from worldly amusements, etc. I think you get the picture. God is a jealous God, and He wants your undivided love and attention--unless He gives you an Earthly spouse.

I recall a very similar feeling in the public high school I was attending at the time of my reception into the Church. Although I'd been around those schools practically all my life, day by day they started looking unfamiliar. When mom brought one of the teaching sisters from the local Catholic high school to the house, I started asking all kinds of questions about how to transfer. Now get this--I was feeling alien in the school I'd spent so much time in, and when I transferred, I felt even more so in the new school. How's that for an invitation to detachment? He was doing that so I would start paying more attention to people and their souls, among other things.

HTH.

Blessings,
Gemma

I would almost like to be a contemplative nun, but at times I have to go out and be with people or else I will freak out. unfortunately... I would really like to be a Fransiscan sister of the renewal.

Third Order Regular Franciscan Sisters in Steubenville, perhaps? They call themselves contemplative and live that lifestyle, but they do have interaction with people--limited apostolates. The TOR nuns in other countries are cloistered, so this is a new expression of the charism.

Anyone got the link?

Blessings,
Gemma

http://www.torsisters.org

Aesome! Thank you so much! I am hoping to go to Steubenville anyways.

Gemma & all, That is so beautiful Gemma! You know, it has been so strange these past few months...I really feel I am being called to detach more & more...I used to love to read the more normal women's magazines..I'd clip articles & whatnot...I can't read them anymore! I literally will pick them up & flip throught them & put I'll put them right back down...same with cooking...I used to love to do gourmet cooking...now I will do it for friends or family....but I do not enjoy it so much anymore...As I became more aware of all of this...I realized this is His gift to me through the Blessed Mother (I've recently finished a rosary novena & have started another one) It does weird me out a little...but I hope He continues to work with me! Deo gratias!






Goldbug, I went to FUS for 1 year in 1990-1991...If you are able to go there...go! It is a wonderful place where a bunch of very human people are trying to become holy & live for the Lord...God is so good!