liturgical ministry 2 (Summer, 1993) 82-88
scholarly update
Calls for Reform of the Breviary
On the Eve of Vatican II
Jan Michael Joncas
Although significant reforms of the Roman Breviary had al­
ready been accomplished in the twentieth century by the au­
thority of the Holy See,1 the proximate process of reform that
has led to the present reformed Roman Rite Liturgy of the
Hours may be dated from 17 May 1959. On this date (the
feast of Pentecost) Pope John XXIII established a "Pre-
Preparatory Commission" [hereinafter PPC] for his projected
Ecumenical Council. According to the Constitution that
brought the PPC into being, the Commission was charged
with four tasks: 1) to poll the global Catholic episcopate for
their insights and suggestions on topics to be addressed at the
Council; 2) to gather proposals on such topics from the vari­
ous Dicasteries of the Roman Curia; 3) to solicit the expertise
of the various theological and canonical faculties of Catholic
universities throughout the world; and 4) to suggest the com­
position of organizations such as commissions and sec­
retariats to prepare the materials upon which the Council
would work.2
The same Apostolic Constitution that gave it birth also in-
Rev. Jan Michael Joncas is assistant professor of theology at
the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and a
well-known composer of liturgical music.
1. On 1 November 1911 Pius X established a new distribution of the Psalter
in the Roman Breviary by the Apostolic Constitution Divino afflato {Acta
Apostolicae Sedis [hereinafter AAS] 3 [1911], 633-51); on 23 October 1913
the same Pontiff authorized a simplification of the Roman Breviary's rubrics
by the Apostolic Letter given "motu proprio" Abbine duos annos (AAS 5
[1913J449-51).
On 23 March 1955 by the authority of Pius XII the Sacred Congregation
of Rites published a general decree simplifying the rubrics for the Roman
Calendar, Breviary, and Missal (ΑΛ5 47 [1955] 218-24).
On 25 July I960 Pope John XXIII, in the Apostolic Letter given "motu
proprio" Rubricarum instructum and by the Codex Rubricarum issued under
his authority by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 26 July 1960, likewise
altered the rubrics of the Breviary (AAS 52 [1960] 593-740). All translations
from the original texts are mine.
2. See Acta et Documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano H Apparando. Se­
ñes I (Antepraeparatoria). Volumen I: Acta Summi Pontificis Ioannis XXIII
[hereinafter AAP 1/1], ed. Secretaria Pontificae Commissionis Centralis Prae-
paratoriae Concilii Vaticani II (Urbs Vaticana: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis,
1960)23.
dicated the membership of the PPC. John XXIII named Do-
menico Cardinal Tardini, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation
for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, as president; Mon-
signor Pericle Felici was appointed secretary. Among the oth-
er ten members of the PPC the one most influential in the
development of liturgical topics for the Preparatory Commis-
sion on the Sacred Liturgy was Bishop Enrico Dante, Pro-
Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. Fr. Arcadio
Larraona, C.M.F., Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for
Religious, was also a member of the PPC until he became a
cardinal on 14 December 1959; Larraona would later assume
further duties as the successor to Gaetano Cardinal Ci-
cognani, serving as Prefect of the Congregation of Rites and
President of the Preparatory Liturgical Commission.3
Proposals by Bishops and Superiors of Religious Orders
The process of polling bishops and superiors of religious or-
ders in conformity with the first of the PPC's tasks listed
above began with a letter sent to them by Cardinal Tardini on
18 June 1959. He requested, in the name of the Holy Father,
that the "thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations that
pastoral solicitude and zeal for souls" engendered in the ad-
dressee on topics appropriate for debate at the upcoming Ecu-
menical Council be forwarded to the PPC, if possible by 1
September 1959. The addressee was to have complete free-
dom to explore a wide variety of topics from doctrinal issues,
through the discipline of the clergy and faithful, to matters
discussed by believers and non-believers alike.4
The responses were overwhelming in number (running to
eight printed volumes) and widely varied in content and qual-
ity.5 Approximately twenty percent of the 9348 propositions
distilled from these responses by the PPC touch upon li-
3. ΛΑΡ 7/7,22.
4. See Acto et Documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano 11 Apparando. Se­
ries I (Antepraeparatoria). Volumen II: Consilia et Vota Episcoporum oc
Prelatorum, [hereinafter AAP 1/2] Pars I: Europa, ed. Secretaria Pontificae
Commissionis Centralis Praeparatoriae Concilii Vaticani II (Urbs Vaticana:
Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1960) x.
5. AAP 7/2, Partes I-VIII.
Joncas: Calls for the Reform of the Breviary on the Eve of Vatican II 83

turgical issues.6 Of this distillation comments on the Divine be touched up; a better distribution of the psalms through a
Office occupy nearly forty-six printed pages.7 month; eliminate some texts that sound bad (curses, etc.).
Giovanni Caprile has conveniently summarized this ma-
terial for the reform of the Divine Office under five headings, 3) Concerning reforming various parts of the Divine Office:
indicating the number of propositiones on each topic as a) Concerning Matins (16): let its name and structure be
follows: changed; let it be reduced to a single Nocturn and to a single
reading from the Bible, which would be facultative, etc. —
1) Concerning simplification and reform of the Breviary in b) Concerning the readings (59): reform them, lessen
general: _ - _ — _ _ _ . them, distribute them better; let biblical
a) Concerning a definitive reform readings be preferred; greater variety in
(66): let there be one for the entire Of responses patristic readings, etc. —
church; let the explicitly choral elements c) Concerning Lauds (6): abolish or
be eliminated; let the readings be re- sent to the PPC, reform it. —
duced; let there be votive "Offices," etc. the distillation of comments d) Concerning the minor Hours (15):
on the Divine Office simplify or abbreviate them, abolish
b) Concerning supporting the tern- some of them.—
poral Office in place of the sanctoral (8):
occupy nearly e) Concerning hymns (3): shorten
let it be disposed this way so as not to forty-six printed pages. them; replace many that are lacking in
lose sight of liturgical time; limit, for the any religious feeling. —
entire church, the sanctoral to those saints f) Concerning antiphons and res-
who are truly universal, leaving the others to their respective ponsories (4): recite the antiphon in its entirety; simplify cer-
dioceses or religious families.— tain responses. —
c) Concerning changing the naming of the parts of the g) Concerning the "preces" (2): abolish them; re-position
Breviary (6): divide it according to the [liturgical] cycle and and reform them.
not according to the seasons that do not correspond from one
hemisphere to the other. — 4) Concerning the obligation of reciting the Divine Office
d) Concerning a dual form of the Breviary: choral and (10): fix the obligation, but not for all the Breviary, nor under
private (16): for the most part a clear distinction was pain of serious sin, etc.

e) Concerning adapting the Breviary more to the life of the
diocesan cleric (20): let it be done in a way that corresponds
better to concrete pastoral settings, to the spirituality and to
the needs of the cleric in pastoral work, and let it be an aid to
the various exercises of piety recommended to him (medita-
tion, examination of conscience, etc.). —
f) Concerning the Breviary for priests in pastoral work
(13): abbreviate it, at least in some circumstances of greater
labor; the possibility of reciting it in the vernacular. —
g) Concerning the Breviary for missionaries (4): a brief
form.—
h) Concerning not further reducing the Divine Office (4):
suggestions contrary to the preceding.
2) Concerning the reformation of the Psalter (32): criticisms
of the recent translation of the psalms; let the Vulgate version
6. See Enrico Cattaneo, Il culto cristiano in occidente: note storiche, 2nd ed.,
Biblioteca «JEL» «Subsidia», 13 (Roma: CLV Edizioni Liturgiche, 1984) 521.
Cf. Carlo Braga, C.M., "La «Sacrosanctum Concilium» nei lavori della Com-
missione Preparatoria," in Costituzione liturgica «Sacrosanctum Concilium»
Studi, ed. Congregatio per il Culto Divino (Roma: CLV Edizioni Liturgiche,
1986)25.
7. Acta et Documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano II Apparando. Series 1
(Antepraeparatoria). Appendix Voluminis li: Analyticus Conspectus Consili-
orum et Votorum quae ab Episcopis et Prelatis data sunt [hereinafter AAP
App], Pars II, ed. Secretaria Pontificae Commissionis Centralis Prae-
paratoriae Concilii Vaticani II (Urbs Vaticana: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis,
1961)290-336.
5) Concerning dispensation from and commutation of the
Divine Office (35): the giving of more precise norms is
asked, especially in favor of the priests who have to celebrate
more Masses and are much burdened in their ministry; the au-
thority of the bishops; the possibility of substituting a half
hour of reading Sacred Scripture for the recitation of the Bre-
viary, etc.8
The most detailed proposals for the reform of the Divine
Office among bishops and superiors of religious communities
were offered by Bishop Hermenegildo Florit, titular arch-
bishop of Hierapolitano in Syria and coadjutor to the Arch-
bishop of Florence, Italy. In a series of notes sent to the Holy
See "for a reform of the Roman Breviary," Florit argues that
three fundamental elements of the Divine Office must be re-
tained in any reform project: the element of praise (repre-
sented by psalms, antiphons, hymns); the element of teaching
(represented by lessons, responsories, chapters); and the ele-
ment of petition-intercession (represented by orations and
various prayers).9
8. See Giovanni Caprile, S.J., "Cronistoria della costituzione liturgica" in La
Costituzione sulla sacra liturgia: Genesi storie-dottrinale. Testo latino e tra-
duzione italiana. Esposizione e commento. Norme di applicazione. Riforma
liturgica nel mondo, Collana Magisterio Conciliare, 14 (Torino-Leumann:
Elle Di Ci, 1967)61-62.
9. See AAP JZ2, Pars III, 279.
84 liturgical ministry 2 (Summer, 1993)

Proposals by the Dicasteries By a letter dated 31 March 1960 Enrico Dante, Pro-
of the Roman Curia Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, forwarded to
The process of gathering proposals from the various Roman Monsignor Pericle Felici the proposals articulated by that
curial congregations, in conformity with the second of the congregation on the reform of the liturgy. The entire second
PPC's tasks listed above, began with the very first meeting of section of the repent was devoted to the "public prayer of the
the PPC on 26 May 1959. At this meeting Cardinal Tardini re- Church or the Divine Office.*' As it describes the state of the
quested each curial congregation to form question the report begins:
study groups to formulate proposals for
discussion at the upcoming Council; a fol- We state in advance that it is not the in-
low-up letter from Tardini to the Cardinal
Archbishop Florit tention of this Sacred Congregation to
Presidents of the curial congregations argued that three present to the Council an exact de-
clarifying this request is dated 29 May scription of the reform of the Divine
fundamental elements Office (Breviary)...nor to expect or ask
1959. The responses of the bishops and
prelates, compiled and collated by the must be retained: a similar outline on the part of the
Council. Rather we treat, here and now,
PPC, were likewise communicated to the praise (psalms, antiphons, of the public prayer of the Church in
various curial congregations from 3 No- hymns), teaching (lessons, general, of the dangers to which it is
vember 1959 through 7 March 1960 as an exposed in our time, and of the aids by
aid in their deliberations. The written re- responsories, chapters), which it could be served and be
ports of the various dicasteries were to ap- and petition-intercession grounded securely in the future.13
10
pear by the end of March, I960. (orations and prayers).
By a letter dated 5 April 1960 Paolo In reference to the so-called "crisis of
Philippe, O.P., Secretary of the Sacred the Breviary," the report presents three
Congregation for Religious, forwarded to Tardini the pro- difficulties arising from the nature and construction of the Of-
posals for the reform and renewal of religious life articulated fice (the daily "horaria" the use of Latin, the public character
by that congregation. Proposals for reform of the liturgical of a prayer often recited alone) and three difficulties arising
life of the religious included: 1) that formation in liturgical from the conditions of modern life (the conflict between in-
prayer as well as personal forms of prayer be offered to mem- dividual "devotions" and the Breviary, the tension between
bers of religious communities; 2) that the choral Office be ex- increasing pastoral activity on the part of priests and their ob-
tended to congregations of women religious who request it; 3) ligation of praying the Office, and the general activist attitude
that a simplified "little Office" be developed for women's of our times, which militates against time spent in prayer).14
communities, brothers, and lay confraternities that would
13. AAP 1/3,259.
have the character of official public prayer; 4) that the Divine 14. 2. De praecipuis periculis quibus Officium divinum hodie obnoxium est,
Office could be recited in the vernacular by certain groups for seu de sic dicta «crisi Breviarii». — Magnus clamor recentioribus tem-
appropriate reasons; and 5) that other forms of common poribus quasi undique elevatur, plus vel minus disertas, quo declarator Of-
prayer (e.g., the rosary, the Way of the Cross) be continued in ficium divinum seu Breviarium esse «in crisi». Haec assertio non est
11 accipienda nimia levitate. Contra Officium divinum reapse variae et grav-
religious life. iores obstant difficultates, quas examinare praestat, ut remedia opportuna
By a letter dated 28 March 1960 P. Sigismondi, Secretary inveniantur.
of the Sacred Congregation for Missionary Activity (Prop-
aganda Fide), forwarded to Tardini the proposals for the re-
form and renewal of missionary work articulated by that
congregation. These proposals took the form of cuestiones
with explanatory prefaced material. The concern of the con-
gregation on the reform of the liturgical books was that they
should be "reformed, adapting them to the conditions present
in mission lands," i.e., to the climate and to the conditions of
pastoral work.12

10. Acta and Documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano II Apparando. Se-

ries I (Antepraeparatoria). Volumen III: Proposita et Mónita SS. Congrega-
tionum Curiae Romanae, [hereinafter ΑΑΡ 1/3] ed. Secretaria Pontifîcae
Commissionis Centralis Praeparatoriae Concila Vaticani II (Urbs Vaticana:
Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1960) EX-XV.
11. See AAP 1/3, 224-25.
12. See AAP 1/3,249. While not specifically citing the Divine Office, the call
for a reform of the liturgical books (including the Breviary) responding to
"today's conditions" would be frequently cited in the debates on the reform
of the Office.
Joncas: Calls for the Reform of the Breviary on the Eve of Vatican II 85

The report concludes with four recommendations for Con- the city of Rome, Tardini made the same series of requests by
ciliar debate and action: 1) to reaffirm formally and strongly means of a letter dated 18 July 1959 addressed to the rectors
the nature and necessity of the public prayer of the church; 2) and presidents of the various bodies of higher education. The
to increase the number of those delegated by the church to deadline for returning material (written in Latin) to the PPC
perform its public prayer; 3) to reduce the non-sacerdotal was 30 April I960.18
tasks in the lives of priests; and 4) to restore the public obliga- By a letter dated 7 April 1960 P. Muñoz-Vega, S.J., rector
tion of reciting the Office in cathedral of the Pontifical Gregorian University,
chapters and colleges.15 submitted to the PPC the recommenda-
The Supreme Sacred Congregation of tions of the various faculties within the
the Holy Office presented a series of top- Neither the university. The Faculty of Theology of-
ics for consideration in its report Under Sacred Congregation fered a series of suggestions on the re-
the heading "Concerning the Life of the form of the liturgy. Concerning the
Church" it raised certain issues in refer-
for the Discipline Divine Office they raised the following
ence to the liturgy (e.g., its theological of the Sacraments questions and observations: 1) whether it
foundations; the authority of the church nor the Sacred Congregation was more opportune to have a set time of
and bishops in liturgical matters in- prayer or a division of prayer through the
cluding sacred music and art; fostering li-
for Seminaries and day so that the entire day might be sanc-
turgical piety and the active participation Universities offered any tified; 2) whether the monastic breviary,
of the faithful; posing and solving the proposals for the reform which is in great part the source of the
principles by which the liturgy is to be present Roman Breviary, is enough adapt-
reformed), but no specific proposals for
of the Divine Office. ed to the needs of a cleric charged with
the reform of the Divine Office pastoral care; 3) whether it would not be
appeared.16 better to have the hours of prayer be cho-
It is interesting to note that neither the Sacred Congrega- sen according to the actual schedule of the priest in pastoral
tion for the Discipline of the Sacraments nor the Sacred Con- care; 4) that however the Breviary is reformed, the other prac-
gregation for Seminaries and Universities offered any tices of priestly piety must be considered; 5) what is to be
proposals for the reform of the Divine Office. said about the public character of the Office; and 6) if the
spirit of prayer is deficient in a cleric it might be asked if that
Observations by Faculties stems from the difficulty of reconciling the obligation of the
of Catholic Educational Institutions Breviary with other prescribed prayers.19
The process of soliciting the expertise of theological and ca- By a letter dated 30 April 1960 Alfonso M. Stickler, rector
nonical faculties at Catholic universities throughout the of the Pontifical Salesian Atheneum, submitted the rec-
world, in conformity with the third of the PPC s tasks listed ommendation of that ecclesiastical faculty to the PPC.
above, begins with two audiences Cardinal Tardini held. The Among the observations made "on sacred times and divine
first, which involved the rectors of the ecclesiastical uni- worship," the following recommendations appeared as Votum
versities and athanea at Rome, was held in his apartments on Thirty-one, "On the Reform of the Rubrics of the Breviary":
3 July 1959; the second, which involved the presidents of the 1) that greater simplicity be procured for private recitation; 2)
theological faculties at Rome, was held in the Vatican apart- that historical readings be emended; 3) that a greater variety
ments on 17 July 1959. From both groups Tardini requested of scriptural readings be provided with more coming from the
that faculty members be asked to report on whatever topics New Testament; 4) that homiletic commentaries be chosen
they believed should be addressed at the upcoming Council; that are appropriate and consonant with modern knowledge;
the topics were not limited simply to refuting errors or to re- 5) that hymns be made briefer and clearer; 6) that priests in
uniting with other Christian bodies. He further requested that pastoral care be dispensed from at least part of the obligation
the various proposals and observations be accompanied by a of reciting the Office on festival days; and 7) that in private
series of short, clear studies that would illuminate the range recitation of the Breviary the amount of time spent in prayer
of discussion on the issues. Finally he asked that the material rather than the quantity of verbiage be more valued.20
17
be submitted to the PPC by Easter, I960. Among the various recommendations proposed by the
For those ecclesiastical universities and faculties outside Pontifical Faculty of St. Bonaventura, there are three direct
suggestions for the "revision, correction, and reformation" of
15. See AAP 1/3,264-66. the Roman Breviary: 1) a reformation reducing the canonical
16. See AAP 1/3,13-14. hours to three (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night
17. Acta et Documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano II Apparando. Series
I (Antepraeparatoria). Volumen IV: Studia et Vota Universitatum et Fa-
cultatum Ecclesiasticarum et Catholicarum, [hereinafter AAP 1/4], Pars Vi, 18. See AAP 1/4, Pars 1/1, XI-XII.
ed. Secretaria Pontificae Commissionis Centralis Praeparatoriae Concilii Vat- 19. See A4P J/4, Pars 1,28.
icani II (Urbs Vaticana: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1961) K-X. 20. See AAP 1/4, Pars 1/2,179.
86 liturgical ministry 2 (Summer, 1993)

Prayer); 2) a correction of the readings, omitting repetitions commemoration in the Office; 4) that readings be chosen with
and material of doubtful historical or spiritual value; and 3) a great care to instruct the mind and to nourish the spiritual life;
choice of using either the "old Gallican" or "new Pian" trans- 5) that in private recitation of the Office either Latin or the
lation of the psalms.21 vernacular might be used; 6) that "responsorial" forms be
By a letter dated 28 April 1960 Fr. Philippus a Trinitate, eliminated in private recitation; and 7) that the four parts of
O.C.D., president of the "Teresianum," submitted that ec- the Roman Breviary be designated not by the (northern heini-
clesiastical faculty's proposals and ob- sphere's) seasons (e.g., winter, summer),
servations to the PPC. Among them there but by the seasons of the liturgical year
are two suggestions for the reform of the Although the three (e.g., Christmastide, Eastertide).25
Divine Office: 1) that in addition to the By a letter dated 12 April 1960, Vin-
concrete proposals
translation of the Psalter established by centius T. Swords, CM., president of Ni-
Pius XII, the Vulgate version emended by from Trier include agara University and the Seminary of Our
the work of the Benedictine Abbey of St. a great deal of Lady of the Angels, submitted that in-
Jerome in the city of Rome also be ap- material treating the stitution's proposals. Among the "vota"
proved for use in the Divine Office; and on the reform of the liturgy there were
2) that scriptural and homiletic texts in Divine Office as mandated the following proposals on the reform of
Nocturns be changed for greater direct daily prayer for the clergy, the Breviary: 1) that the Divine Office be
spiritual usefulness.22 they also place shortened; 2) that the readings be limited
Among the three suggestions of the to three; and 3) that the above rec-
"Marianum" Theological Faculty on li- great emphasis upon ommendations be especially operative on
turgical and devotional matters, there is a the restoration of Sundays and feastdays for priests in pas-
26
call for the revision of all the liturgical a "cathedral Office" toral care.
books, including the Breviary, to avoid By a letter dated 27 April 1960, Nik-
the inconveniences that could derive from for public celebration olaus Luhmer, S J., rector of the Catholic
a partial or phased reform. It is inter- by the entire University "Sophia" submitted the ob-
esting to note that this theological faculty baptized People of God. servations of that institution to the PPC.
raised the possibility of experimentation The following proposals were made con-
in the development of such revised li- cerning the reform of the Breviary: 1) that
turgical books.23 the use of the vernacular in the recitation of the Breviary be al-
By a letter dated 25 May 1960 Olivier Riobé, rector of the lowed, especially in communities of religious women bound to
Catholic University of the West (Angers), submitted to the the recitation of the Office; 2) that the readings from Sacred
PPC the proposals offered by this ecclesiastical institution. Scripture and ancient Christian writers be better distributed
Among the suggestions made on liturgical matters is the fol- throughout the year; 3) that hagiographie readings be abbrevi-
lowing on the reform of the Breviary: ated and conform to historical fact; 4) that "responsorial"
forms of prayer be eliminated in private recitation of the Of-
that for clerics in pastoral care, engaged in teaching or sci- fice; 5) that the Hours of the Office actually serve as morning,
entific research, or in studies a shorter form be given to the midday, and evening priestly prayer.27
Divine Office; that the readings of Sacred Scripture, sermons, By a letter dated 15 February 1960, Lloyd P. McDonald,
and homilies be drawn up so as to nurture piety more ef-
president of St. Mary's Seminary (Baltimore, Maryland,
fectively; and that the legends of the saints be made to con-
USA) submitted the proposals of the theological faculty of
form in greater degree with historical fact.24
that institution to the PPC. Of the nineteen recommendations
submitted, only one deals with the reform of the Breviary,
By a letter dated 21 April 1960 Lucas Gillon, the rector of
calling for its simplification and shortening along with a re-
the Catholic University "Lovanium" of Léopoldville, sub-
quest for different texts to be used in individual recitation.28
mitted the recommendations of that ecclesiastical institution
By a letter dated 21 April 1960 H. Junker, president of the
of higher learning. The report made seven suggestions con-
theological faculty at Trier, submitted to the PPC the pro-
cerning the reform of the Breviary: 1) that only one Nocturn,
posals of that institution. Of all the Catholic faculties sub-
with well-chosen, longer readings, be retained at Matins; 2)
mitting recommendations on the reform of the liturgy, these
that the option of praying the "Office of the day" instead of a
are the most extensive, running to sixteen printed pages in the
commemoration be made facultative; 3) that during the sea-
AAP 1/4, Pars II; recommendations on the reform of the Bre-
sons of Lent and Advent saints* feasts should receive a simple
viary alone occupy nearly three full pages. The concrete pro-
21. See AAP 1/4, Pars 1/2,246. 25. Sec AAP 1/4, Pars II, 170-71.
22. See AAP 1/4, Pars 1/2,420. 26. See ΑΑΡ1/4, Pars II, 471.
23. See AAP 1/4, Pars 1/2,425. 27. See AAP 1/4, Pars II, 569.
24. AAP 1/4, ?vs 11,22. 28. See i4A/> J/4, Pars II, 636.
Joncas: Calls for the Reform of the Breviary on the Eve of Vatican II 87

posais for reform of the Divine Office fall into three sections, ("cathedral Office") to have been constructed from the be­
prefaced by the following statement of principle: ginning. Let the decrees of the synod of Vasens Π (529), Bra­
ga (563) and Toledo IV (633) serve as an example, where the
Let the Roman Breviary be reformed not only in all its laws given concerning the order of the Divine Office do not
parts—above all the didactic elements—but let the obligation speak of more than two daily canonical hours, of which one in
that is in effect up to this point for everyone who recites the the morning and the other in the evening are celebrated in pa­
31
canonical hours outside of choir be rochial churches with the people participating....
29
restricted. - — — — _ _ —
By the reformation of the obligation of
the Breviary here proposed the prim­
Thus the Trier proposals involve both a While there was itive idea of the public prayer of the
reform of the elements of the Office and widespread support Church is restored according to which
change in its obligatory status. it is not necessary for everyone to recite
for a reform of everything, but each participates in the
The first concrete proposal from the
Trier faculty intertwines both aspects: the Roman Rite Breviary single act of adoration and praise of­
fered to God by the Church according
on the eve of Vatican II to his or her own proper way. Into this
Biblical reading extended for fifteen
minutes should be allowed as a sub­
among bishops and prelates, one public prayer of the Church which
stitute for Matins; how much and in Dicasteries of the Roman the monks (deputed for this by the
Church itself) continue day and night,
what language it should be read should Curia, and Catholic the secular cleric enters at those times
not be determined [presumably by uni­
versal church law]. Of the remaining institutions of higher learning, in which he truly could and ought to
pray, namely morning and evening.32
hours only Lauds and Vespers should there was no common
stay obligatory; the recitation of the lit­
tle Hours and Compline should none­ framework for discussing The second concrete proposal in the
theless be strongly recommended to the such a reform. Trier report concerns the "truth of the
clergy.30 Hours":

Some of the eight sub-points adduced to support thisfirstcon­
crete proposal call for a restoration of the "cathedral*' or "pop­
ular" Office:
The Hours which according to this proposal would stay sim­
ply obligatory (namely Lauds and Vespers) are those from
which more recent studies prove the secular Office
29. AAP 1/4, Pars II, 765.
30. AAP 1/4, Pars II, 765-66.
Let the obUgation of Matins extend from midday to midday,
while the obligation of a reading substituted for it stretch from
midnight to midnight. Let Lauds—the permission of an­
ticipating this Hour having been eliminated—not oblige ex­
cept from morning to midday; let the obligation of Vespers
stretch from midday to midnight.33
31. AAP 1/4, ?us 11,166.
32. A*/> 1/4, Pars II, 767.
33. i4A7>J/4ParsII,767.
88 liturgical ministry 2 (Summer, 1993)

The final concrete proposal in the Trier report concerns the However in addition to this responsibility let the obligation be
languages in which the Office should be celebrated: imposed daily of lectio divina or mental prayer, e.g., for a
half-hour.36
Lauds and Vespers as well as Matins (if reading is not sub-
stituted for it) should be recited in the Latin language; but an By a letter dated 12 March 1960 Herr Volk, Dean of the
"Office to substitute for the office" should be established Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Münster in
when Lauds and above all Vespers are celebrated in public Westphalia, submitted the recommendations of that in-
with the people in the vernacular.34 stitution of higher learning to the PPC. Of the seven concrete
proposals on the reform of the liturgy
Although these three concrete pro- only part of one dealt with the reform of
posals include a great deal of material the Liturgy of the Hours: that the lan-
treating the Divine Office as mandated
This lack of
guage of the people be followed in the
daily prayer for the clergy, they also a common framework recitation of the prayers of the Hours.37
place great emphasis upon the restoration would hamper the reforms
of a "cathedral Office" for public celebra- By a letter dated 29 April 1960 Mau-
tion by the entire baptized People of God.
mandated by the Council
rice Nédoncelle, Dean of the Catholic
By a letter dated 13 June 1960 the and still seems Theological Faculty of the University of
Catholic Theological Faculty of the Uni- to plague current attempts Strasbourg, submitted to the PPC the pro-
versity of Bonn submitted to the PPC its posals of that institution for conciliar de-
proposals for Conciliar debate. Among
to restore the
bate. Of the five proposals on liturgical
the two proposals pertaining to liturgical Liturgy òf the Hours issues, one dealt with the reform of the
reform, one deals with the reform of the as the daily liturgical prayer Breviary:
Breviary:
of all the baptized.
that in revising the Breviary, the dis-
It seems to be desired that in reforming tinction be restored between the Office
the Roman Breviary the reading of Sacred Scripture be so of the secular cleric and that undertaken by a religious; or to
drawn up that the New Testament be read in a continuous the end that priests burdened by pastoral work not be held to
fashion into which [course of readings] parts of the Old Testa- the recitation of the minor hours. At the same time non-
ment may be placed.35 historical material could be removed.38

By a letter dated 10 April 1960 Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J., Conclusion

submitted four "vota" on liturgical reform to the PPC on be-
half of the Theological Faculty of the University of Inns-
bruck. The second votum dealt with reform of the Roman
Breviary:
Let the Breviary be reformed, so that it would be a true nour-
ishment to piety and not a burden that is undertaken with such
difficulty. Certainly the reason behind this fact is known: that
at the time of secularization (18th - 19th C.) those colleges of
canons (once flourishing and constituting by far the greater
part [of clergy?]) whose single duty was to sing the canonical
hours after the custom of monks scarcely existed anymore,
while the cleric of today on the whole lives a life scarcely dif-
ferent from the men occupied in pastoral work. Therefore let
the practice return to that earnest state of affairs, when those
canonical hours were to be observed by every cleric under
pain of sin which alone by the witness of history before the
Middle Ages were followed in cathedral churches (and par-
ishes, insofar as they existed): namely Lauds and Vespers.
34. >4ΛΡ J/4, Pars II, 768.
35. AAP i/4, Pars Π, 773.
A single overriding impression arises from the preceding in­
vestigation: While there was widespread support for a reform
of the Roman Rite Breviary on the eve of Vatican II among
bishops and prelates, Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, and
Catholic institutions of higher learning, there was no common
framework for discussing such a reform. Some considered the
Breviary a source of private prayer for clerics, others saw it as
the common daily prayer of religious communities, while still
others hoped that it could foster the active participation of the
faithful in the liturgical life of the church. This lack of common
framework would hamper the reforms mandated by the Coun­
cil itself in Chapter Four of Sacrosanctum Concilium and the
reformed books of the Liturgia Horarum stemming from the
conciliar mandate. It still seems to plague present attempts to
restore the Liturgy of the Hours as the daily liturgical prayer of
all the baptized a quarter century after the Council.
36.See/U/>J/4,ParsII,793.
37. See AAP 1/4, Pars II, 800-01.
38.i4APl/4ParsII,811.
 ^ s
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