Christian Prayer

Beautiful new printing of "Christian Prayer" with top-stitched, sewn *Duralux-leather cover and gold, gilt-edged pages.*(Re: the cover material: while it's described here as "Leather Bound" , the publisher's website calls it "DuraLux", which would indicate a synthetic leather. My opinion is that the bulk is indeed synthetic leather, aka: "PU Leather", perhaps mixed with bonded leather? The feel is very similar to leather and I got a fleeting, but distinct whiff of leather aroma upon opening the shrink wrap.)While this is the same 4-week psalter, 1976 edition with music, the new binding is so impressive, I purchased a copy to replace the still-serviceable one I've prayed from daily for over a decade.The new book is softer, and feels so good to hold in one's hands. Between the new, upgraded cover and gilt page-edges, the book's presentation is that of a high-quality product, certainly befitting the Prayer of the Church. Yet, the price ($42 Prime, at the time of my purchase) is within reach of most."Christian Prayer" is the one-volume edition of the "Liturgy of The Hours" aka: "Divine Office"/Daily Office.It's main purpose is to supply the Morning (Lauds) and Evening (Vespers) prayers of the LoTH in a one volume book."Lauds & Vespers are the two hinges on which the Daily Office turns hence they are to be considered the chief hours and are to be celebrated as such." - Sancrosanctum Concilium (Vatican II document)A few features included in the book:Abbreviated versions of the other Hours.Office for the Dead.Grail version Psalms.General Roman CalendarLiturgical Calendar 1998-2025General InstructionsText is printed in black, with rubrics in red.Scripture is the NAB version.185 Hymns.5 multi-coloured ribbon markers....and ao much more!This handy-sized volume is rich source for prayer, public and private.Aimed at the laity, it will prove to be a faithful companion on one's spiritual journey, and provide one with a lifetime of material.The aesthetics and tactile-friendly nature of this new edition have certainly encouraged me to pray more. That alone justifies the purchase in my opinion.The shrink-wrapped package contains: "Christian Prayer", the St. Joseph Guide for Christian Prayer (current year), frequently-used Common Texts and Invitatory Psalms on heavy, glossy, cardstock (to aid in minimizing page-flipping), and an re-order sheet with explanatory notes (please see my photos).Very highly recommended!-------------- +++ --------------* What is the Daily of Divine Office, aka: the Liturgy of The Hours?"The Liturgy of the Hours (LoTH) is the prayer of the whole People of God. In it, Christ himself “continues his priestly work through his Church.” His members participate according to their own place in the Church and the circumstances of their lives. The laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office either with the priests, among themselves, or individually.The celebration of the LoTH demands not only harmonizing the voice with the praying heart, but also a deeper “understanding of the liturgy and of the Bible, especially of the Psalms.”The hymns & litanies of the LoTH integrate the prayer of the psalms into the age of the Church, expressing the symbolism of the time of day, the liturgical season, or the feast being celebrated. Moreover, the reading from the Word of God at each Hour with the subsequent responses or troparia and readings from the Fathers and spiritual masters at certain Hours, reveal the deeper meanings of the mystery being celebrated, assist in understanding the psalms, and help one prepare for silent prayer. d in the liturgical celebration.The LoTH, which is like an extension of the Eucharistic celebration, does not exclude but rather (in a complementary way) calls forth the various devotions of the People of God, especially adoration & worship of the Blessed Sacrament."-From: "Catechism of the Catholic Church" (Pt. 2, Section 1)Thank you for reading,-CC, Amazon Prime Member-Reviewer

Best one-volume breviary on the market in my mind. Why? Firstly it gives you something to pray and read for each hour of the day. True it's not the complete hours for Daytime prayer and the office of readings but they do give you something. Many of the other condensed breviaries only give you Morning and Evening. This version of the LOTH gives you Morning, Evening, Night prayers-complete and selections from Daytime prayers and the office of readings. It takes some getting used to, you will be better at it within a week or so. If you follow the directions, you can expand the condensed hours of Daytime prayer and the office of readings to get it closer to the full prayer.The red imitation leather feels good and looks beautiful.In my opinion you should purchase a different ribbon bookmark that has a few more ribbons.Another idea is to supplement the LOTH with the Little office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On Easter Sunday 1990, a friend from church gave me a one-volume Christian Prayer, thus starting my devotion to the Liturgy of the Hour that lasts through this day. But my old volume showed its 29 years of continued use in the torn pages that no amount of Scotch tape and masking tape could fix. And so it is time to say goodbye to the old one and hello to the new one. The moment I opened the beautiful packaging, turned the crisp new pages, and read the familiar words in the familiar font, I know a new chapter of my life devoted to the Liturgy of the Hour has begun.Just a side note - I have difficulty using the ribbons, having to move them from one page to the other. Instead, I use color-coded, inch-long, self-adhesive and removable labels available at Staples. It's pink for the Invitatory Prayer, Canticle of Zechariah, Canticle of Mary and Week I Evening Prayer (fixed); yellow for the changing daily morning and evening readings (moveable); blue for the Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and pink (fixed) to mark the Biblical and Non-Biblical Office of Readings. The moveable labels last for at least six months before they need to be replaced. These labels work better for me than the ribbons.

I presumed (my fault) that this edition had the complete Day Time Prayers just like the edition of the Christian Prayer published by the Daughters of St. Paul (DSP). I was surprised to discover that the CBPC edition only has the Day Time Prayers for Week 1 and a few other selections of Psalms. I wish this fact was written in the description box.The CBPC edition, though, is more comfortable to the eyes compared to the DSP edition.

I used to have the older version with the vinyl cover and red pages. This is an excellent upgrade. The cover feels luxurious in your hand and the design helps you to be in a prayerful state. I was, however, hoping to get prayers for some of the newer saints in this more recently published edition. Unfortunately, there is no textual update. For that, I give only four stars.

Using this book has done more to deepen my prayer life than anything else I can cite. My first attempts at getting into LotH were apps and websites (I still use Universalis for convenience when I'm away from home), but they tend to trip me up with mawkish rhymes or clumsy wording. This book is so we'll crafted in that regard. I've learned a lot and discovered some beautiful hymns in the music section too, which is a bonus. It takes a while to figure out how everything is organized, but a little mental exercise never killed anyone, right?

Even though this is a much better single volume Christian Prayer than its predecessor, mine came in shrink wrapped WITHOUT the market ribbons. So somewhere in the production process the ribbons which are key to the ease of use for this prayer book are MISSING. Unfortunate. Took the old ones out of my previous version. But they are a bit worn.

It is the book from the church for the Liturgy of the Hours, what more can be said. High quality publication, well made, love the artificial leather type cover. Goes everywhere with me and stands unto being carried everywhere.The images inside are 'different', not my choice of art but I am glad they are there and it is not all just text.Text is a very good size, easy to read etc.

I was very happy with my purchase of the book, the type is clear and easily readable it is well put together. My only issue was that the ribbon markers were NOT secured into the back of the book and come out VERY easily. Apart from that, the book is worth investing in as an aid to prayer.

It is -along with the Mass- the official public worship of the Church.When we pray the Liturgy of the Hours, we are exercising the common priesthood of the faithful, which we possess in virtue of the sacrament of baptism.A repeating cycle of psalms, biblical readings, and other prayers, coordinated to the liturgical seasons and feasts of the Church."Seven times a day I praise you"Psalm 119

Well made, beautifully printed. Was thrilled to see the melodies for the hymns so I don't have to look them up one by one. Well worth the cost. Real leather and nice ribbon markers to keep you organized. This edition even includes the Saint Joseph Guide.

Great and solid and nice and great and smooth and love it