One of the hallmarks of the Liturgical Movement in the early- to mid-20th century was the impetus to open up the treasures of the Sacred Liturgy of the Catholic Church to the entire people of God. To this end, a slew of vernacular publications of liturgical texts, not only bilingual hand missals but also simplified lay breviaries and psalters, appeared in this period, encouraging all Catholics to join the choir of the Bride of Christ in the “opus Dei,” the Work of God in the divine office.

Below, I will outline a simple method for a daily divine office very well suited to busy family life for laypeople, especially but not exclusively those attached to the traditional form of the Roman Rite (1962 and prior). If you are new to the divine office and its related concepts, you can also check out the bottom of this post for a brief overview on the names and times of the “hours” of the divine office for beginners.

One of the fruits of the Liturgical Movement, published in 1947, was Father Frey’s “My Daily Psalm-Book,” a handy little volume containing the entire psalter arranged according to the Roman Breviary in force at the time (instituted by St. Pius X in 1911 and still in use today by priests, religious and laypeople attached to the old Roman rite), which spread out all 150 psalms throughout the week, with no repetition. The book also includes the weekly cycle of Old Testament canticles for Lauds, as well as the Benedictus (Lauds), Magnificat (Vespers) and Nunc Dimittis (Compline), and Psalm 94 as the daily invitatory before Matins.

In sum, it has the heart and soul of the Roman Breviary, without the “bells and whistles” of changing hymns, antiphons and other seasonal or sanctoral items. It is a perfect and versatile little handbook of daily prayer for busy laypeople, that “majors in the majors” – focuses on what’s most important, the Word of God that has been at the heart of Christians’ and their Jewish ancestors’ daily prayer for millennia. A very affordable reprint of the book is available from TAN Books, but vintage copies also occasionally pop up on eBay.

The Confraternity New Testament, published in the early ’40s by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, was a fresh translation of the Vulgate into still stately but more streamlined and comprehensible English. The Confraternity had plans for the entire Bible to be revised, but in 1943 Pope Pius XII released Divino Afflante Spiritu, encouraging scholars and translators to move beyond the Latin Vulgate (a translation of a translation), to the original languages of Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek. Hence, CCD’s plans changed midway and turned into what ended up becoming the “New American Bible” (NAB).

Nonetheless, the complete Confraternity New Testament is still available in both vintage and reprinted copies, and is conveniently divided into decent-size portions for daily reading, going through the entire New Testament twice a year (see image below, from an eBay listing of a vintage copy, on how the two dates are marked on the margins).

Whether vintage on eBay or modern reprints, both of these can be obtained very affordably, for under or around $15 apiece. Add to these two portable and cheap books a Roman Missal, already owned by many traditional Catholics, and you have the basis for a very straightforward way to join the daily cycle of the prayer of the Church, without needing to worry about page-flipping, or finding the correct Commons, Propers or Antiphons.

Here is a basic outline of how a simple daily office might be said with these two books, plus the Missal:

Opening:

[At Matins only: V. O Lord, open my lips. (make small sign of the cross on the lips with the thumb)
R. And my mouth shall show forth thy praise.]
V. O God, + come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
(After Septuagesima and during Lent instead of Alleluia: Praise be to Thee, O Lord, king of eternal glory.)

[At Matins only: Invitatory Psalm 94 from the back of My Daily Psalm-Book, followed by “Glory Be”]

Psalms: As given for hour and the day of the week in My Daily Psalm-Book, adding “Glory be…” after each Psalm.

Reading (optional, at one of the hours): Confraternity NT daily portion. After reading: “Thanks be to God.”

Prayer: V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto Thee. Let us pray.
[Collect of the day from the Roman Missal, matching the Collect of that day’s Mass]

Closing (all hours except Compline):
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Closing for Compline:
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, + bless us and keep us.
R. Amen.

A note on the names/timing of the various hours for beginners:

Matins: the longest of the offices (usually with nine psalms or psalm-portions, divided into three “nocturns” of three psalms each), Matins is the traditional nighttime office, done before/around dawn, first thing in the morning, or in the middle of the night; or can be “anticipated” the evening before. It is usually joined to Lauds, but can also be prayed separately.

Lauds: Morning prayer, usually joined to Matins but can be said separately, first thing (especially if there is no time for Matins). A decently hefty office with four psalms and a canticle from the Old Testament, its high point is the Gospel Canticle of the “Benedictus,” Zachary’s song of praise from St. Luke’s gospel.

Prime (first hour, ~6-7am), Terce (third hour, ~9am), Sext (sixth hour, ~12 noon), None (ninth hour, ~3pm): the “little hours” of the daytime, good times to briefly pause and rest with God before and during the busy workday, with three shorter psalms or psalm-portions each.

Vespers: Evening Prayer, the other main “hinge” of the liturgical day (the other one being Lauds). Five psalms. Its high point is the Gospel Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the “Magnificat.”

Compline: Night Prayer, just before bed; a great time to recollect and reflect on the need for both temporal sleep and refreshment, and God’s refreshment for our eventual ultimate rest in death to eternal life. Three psalms, plus the prophet Simeon’s Gospel Canticle from Luke 2, the “Nunc dimittis” (“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…”), very apt for the hour.