Comparing “Benedictine Daily Prayer” and “The Monastic Diurnal.” A Benedictine oblate blog

Larry posted a comment to this blog asking a question about the “Benedictine Daily Prayer — A Short Breviary” and “The Monastic Diurnal.”

Larry thinks that "The Monastic Diurnal" has a better translation and seems more in depth than the BDP. I agree with Larry.

However, the BDP has Vigils (which the MD does not) and for Vigils the BDP has excellent readings many of which are from the early Church Fathers. And in the BDP section on saints, there are also readings from early Church fathers.

When only comparing the elements that are mostly the same in both books, “The Monastic Diurnal” is more to my liking. But in addition “Benedictine Daily Prayer — A Short Breviary” also has Vigils and readings from the early Church fathers and saints which the MD does not have.

If you like the type of readings in the BDP, then I suggest that the order of getting the books is BDP first and then the MD. On the other hand if not having the readings in your breviary is OK or you especially prefer the beauty of the language in the MD, then I suggest getting the MD first and then maybe get the BDP.

To help you make your own decision, here is the new Breviaries page on the Oblate Spring web site with three examples of the readings from the BDP and a link to excerpts from Thursday Lauds from the BDP and the MD. Here is a direct link to the PDF page containing the two excerpts.

Thank you Larry for a super question. I have been wanting to make a page for comparing the BDP and the MD. Your question is what caused me to do it tonight.

Monastic Diurnal Lauds. A Benedictine oblate blog

SOS by Collect Call

Today I prayed Lauds from the Monastic Diurnal I received recently. All I did was open the book and turn to the Saturday section for Lauds and started reading. Near the end of the office I saw a note to turn to Monday for the Benedictus and conclusion. I have no idea if I missed anything.

A couple of weeks ago, I found some good help notes for the Monastic Diurnal which I have linked on the right sidebar of this blog under the section called “Monastic Diurnal Helps” but have not read them yet.

I enjoy the hymns in the Monastic Diurnal and I much prefer the translation of the psalms in the Monastic Diurnal to the translation in the “Benedictine Daily Prayer — A Short Breviary” (which has many great features and which I use.)

All in all my prayer of Lauds from the Monastic Diurnal today was a good experience. Now all I need to know is whether I read the correct material!

Part of my problem as I mentioned here is that much of the terminology in the rubrics (the instructions/headings for the praying the divine office — often written in red-colored ink — hence the name) of the Monastic Diurnal is unknown to me — I need to learn what a “ferial” is and what's a “collect.” Help, who or what am I going to call Collect?

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Picture is SOS by Collect Call by Bill Smith1

Comparison of "Benedictine Daily Prayer" and "The Monastic Diurnal" here.


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Monastic Diurnal Compline. A Benedictine oblate blog

Ethereal

By The Wandering Angel

I used the Monastic Diurnal (info here and here) for the first time today — for Compline(1) which I finished a few minutes ago. I thought Compline would be the easiest office for starters.

Compline in the Monastic Diurnal had several words I had never heard before, like “hebdomadary,” “Confiteor,” and “Fidelium anime.” The word “collect” was also used. I know “collect” is a type of prayer, but I know there is more to it than that.

Not knowing what I am reading causes the reading to be more difficult, but I am not going to regret too much the sad state of my education! But there is so much that is new.

OK, on to an overall assessment of my first Compline from the Monastic Diurnal. I am familiar with “Benedictine Daily Prayer — A Short Breviary” and will use the BDP as the comparison.

Overall I like the Monastic Diurnal better because Compline seems a little longer than in BDP and the Monastic Diurnal seemed more monastic — spiritually prayerful and contemplative might be the core of the difference.

The Monastic Diurnal’s English translations carried more meaning than the English in BDP, and because the Monastic Diurnal also has the Latin for the offices, I was able to glance over at the Latin a couple of times to see how a particular section of Compline would be read/sung in Latin, but I glanced right back to the Engish when my head began to spin.

I know that the Nunc Dimittis(2) was not part of St. Benedict’s Compline when he wrote his Rule(3) and the Nunc Dimittis is not in the Monastic Diurnal (at least I did not spot it in my first reading of Compline), and I like that part of the Roman office added to Compline in BDP.

I especially liked the Compline hymn in the Monastic Diurnal, one line is, “To Thee, before the close of day, Creator of the world we pray...” Yes.

And in Thee may we reach the end of day — Compline — complete.

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Footnotes:

The Picture is Ethereal by The Wandering Angel.

Comparison of "Benedictine Daily Prayer" and "The Monastic Diurnal" here.

(1) Compline is part of the Divine Office.

(2) The Canticle of Simeon in St. Luke's Gospel (2:29-32)

(3) A prior blog talked about the Nunc Dimittis and the divine office.

Opening the Monastic Diurnal. A Benedictine oblate blog

I looked through the “Monastic Diurnal” I received recently and had to research to discover why the office of vigils is not in the book. Thanks to Michael LoPiccolo’s excellent overview of how to use the Monastic Diurnal, I learned that the title’s usage of “Diurnal” means daytime rather than daily. I learn something everyday!

I especially like the office of vigils part of the divine office. It has lots of Psalms, readings from the Early Church Fathers, and I like to think that vigils is one of the most ancient offices — having developed out of the very earliest practices of Christians often meeting on Saturday night in preparation for Sunday. But I will continue to use "Benedictine Daily Prayer" (which has vigils) at least for the foreseeable future anyway.

In my research, I also came across a weekly Ordo (like a list or calendar for what should be prayed) by Australia Incognita.

Both of these new-to-me helps have been added as links on the right sidebar of this blog under a new section: “Monastic Diurnal Helps.”

So far I like the Monastic Diurnal and can see why it is a classic. It was originally published “in 1948 as an office book for Benedictine Sisters engaged in apostolic work away from their convents and for oblates of the Benedictine Order...”

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Top picture: When it's the middle of the night and you want to pray vigils, you will need a book like "Benedictine Daily Prayer."

Monastic Diurnal. A Benedictine oblate blog

For about a year and a half I have been wanting to get a Monastic Diurnal because it was recommended by several mature oblates whose opinion I value in my baby-oblate state! I received one today for my birthday. I have yet to read anything in it and plan to begin looking at it over the weekend.

Here is the bookseller’s description of the Monastic Diurnal published by St. Michael's Abbey, Farnborough, England:

“This Benedictine breviary in parallel Latin and English is a exacting reprint of the 1963 edition. It includes the hours, as well as the feasts and seasons in the Benedictine calendar, with an updated table of moveable feasts. Gilt-edged and leather bound, this lightweight yet sturdy book was designed for traveling priests and monks. This truly beautiful book is for readers who want to draw on the inexhaustible riches of the monastic tradition. It is especially useful for those who wish to immerse themselves in rhythms of the liturgical year.”

The liturgical year they say? This could not have come at a better time.

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There may be other places to get the Monastic Diurnal, mine came from the very helpful and customer-friendly and efficient Catholic Truth Society.

The picture is of St. Benedict giving his Rule to the monks of his order.

The Benedictine Handbook. A Benedictine oblate blog

"The Benedictine Handbook" on right "Benedictine Daily Prayer" on left

[Click picture to enlarge]

An online friend recently asked about Benedictine prayer books and his question serves as a good opportunity to comment on “The Benedictine Handbook.” $25.00.

Although I recommend two other books if you have no prior knowledge of Benedictine oblates, I recommend "The Benedictine Handbook" if you are drawn to becoming an oblate and want a first book to begin a simple divine office in your home and you want to learn about the Benedictine way and its history and place in the world.

WHAT’S INSIDE

“The Benedictine Handbook” has the Rule of St. Benedict (it’s not in the translation I use, but it’s a fine translation). I like Doyle’s translation of the Rule in this beautiful publication of the Rule.

The divine office in “The Benedictine Handbook” is a simple version spanning two weeks for morning and evening offices and there are separate and very simple daytime and compline prayers. There is no vigils.

The Benedictine Handbook is packed with essential Benedictine information as you would expect in a 350-page book bearing the title “handbook.”

Of the features everyone who does not own this book will enjoy is “A Benedictine Who’s Who.” This chapter contains half page biographies of the great Benedictines throughout history — very handy.

WHY BUY THIS BOOK

If you want a first Benedictine prayer book giving an excellent introduction to the fullness of Benedictine life (the very best in my opinion), AND you want to start the divine office in a simple form, this is the book for you.

Then if you enjoy the structure and forms of the divine office, you will have become familiar with the very excellent overview provided by “The Benedictine Handbook” and you will have spent only $25.

When you want more Benedictine divine office, you still will be glad that you have “The Benedictine Handbook” in your library and you will not feel that you wasted your money.

BEYOND "THE BENEDICTINE HANDBOOK"

After you have used “The Benedictine Handbook” for several months you will be able to make up your own mind on whether you want to spend $50 for the "Benedictine Daily Prayer" or $85 for the classic "Monastic Diurnal," or some other book.