The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

What a wonderful, easy to read book that Daria Sockey has written. The best guidebook, with historical background, and inspirational treatise I have read on Liturgy of the Hours. Certainly a “must read” for any lay beginner or even someone considering beginning to pray the Daily Office, Divine Office, or Liturgy of the Hours, as it is now called. If you have been praying the hours, you will love this book, too.In just 117 pages, which are written in such an easy, down to earth style, as though you were sitting at Daria’s kitchen table over a cup of coffee, this book walks you through the history, the purpose, and the benefits of adopting this most efficacious spiritual/religious habit.Daria has one of the most comprehensive lists of resources for praying the Liturgy of the Hours (LOTH) that I have come across; printed options, on-line options, smartphone/tablet options, replete with all the sources, estimated prices and web addresses. No excuse for you to not be able to obtain just the right LOTH method for your prayer style or pocketbook.I especially like Part Three of the book. This section brings you from the forest, among the trees, even under the bark, to examine how the Psalms can be understood and applied to your daily life, no matter who you are, and not come across as ancient, pre-Christian, Old Testament prose.This is not just a high-level overview of LOTH, although it does contain many thoughts and ideas that wrap you up by praying the daily LOTH in a warm, comforting blanket. Daria’s book contains effective step-by-step instruction on how to pray any or all of the seven liturgical hours of the day.I am so impressed with the nuggets of information, little tid-bits about this great liturgical prayer that she has sprinkled through-out this book. So many laypeople are finally coming to discover and make LOTH a part of their lives. They are becoming involved along with their parish community, local religious (monks and nuns), even their clergy. Many are praying LOTH by themselves; at home, in their cars, at work, wherever they can find a few minutes to pray.I have been praying the Liturgy of the Hours for several years now. I picked it up and taught myself, with great difficulty because the material just didn’t seem to be available to help. I wish I had a resource when I began, like Daria’s new book.I am also an Oblate of Saint Benedict and I pray the hours almost every day; many times several hours each day. I also join with the monks at my local Monastery while they sing the Divine Office in Latin and Gregorian chant. As part of my personal, private recitation of LOTH, I have added to my routine the Extraordinary Form of the Office using the Monastic Diurnal and have recently begun using the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I have also taught introduction to LOTH at my local parish and have assisted my Pastor in starting a regular Sunday Vespers LOTH session at our Parish.So, as someone who is not new to the Liturgy of the Hours, and who has prayed using a variety of methods and resources, I found Daria’s book to be enlightening, easy to read, instantly applicable and straight-forward.Daria, you hit a home run with this new book!Doug Lyons, Ob. SB

As a bible study facilitator, I have many resources. This book has been inspirational.

I have to confess, I'm not the most unbiased of reviewers. I've been a fan of Daria's Coffee and Canticles blog since I first found it in 2011 I was so excited to see someone writing so clearly and insightfully about the Liturgy of the Hours. When I learned she was writing a book I was over the moon.Daria's book doesn't disappoint, either. It's a great primer for the Liturgy of the Hours, aka Divine Office, aka Breviary, aka Christian Prayer, aka Morning, Evening, Daytime,and Night Prayer, aka Lauds, Vespers, Terce, None, Sext, Vespers, and Compline (with a dash of the Office of Readings, aka Vigils). This is a book I'd definitely recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about this primary prayer of the Church. If you've been curious about the Liturgy of the Hours but didn't know where to start; if you've never heard of the Liturgy of the Hours but are interested in learning about an ancient form of prayer that has existed from the earliest days of the Church; if you have a breviary gathering dust because you just can't figure out how to use it; if you want to read more scripture but aren't sure how to begin... really unless you are a Liturgy of the Hours pro, this book probably has something for you. And even for someone like me who has been praying it for a decade, I still found some great little nuggets and a lot of encouragement.The book introduces the various hours and explains how they are prayed, dissecting them into the various parts. She explains all the technical vocabulary, reviews all the various versions out there, including electronic versions, as well as the various learning resources and guides. She tells you not only how to pray, but why to pray as well. She explains how the liturgy of the hours meshes with the liturgical year. She addresses common complaints and quibbles. She even dives into a bit of spiritual exegesis for beginners.And the book is short enough not to be overwhelming: only 115 pages. All very easy to read in non-complicated layman's language. All in all a very friendly little book. I'm thinking this, perhaps along with a volume of Christian Prayer, would be a great gift for confirmation. Treat yourself, treat a friend.

Mrs. Sockey does a clear job laying out the whys and the whats of the Liturgy of the Hours. I think though I am more discouraged than when I picked up the book out of my own naivete. As a cradle Catholic, and maybe more so because I read Sister Fidelma, Sister Frevisse and other mystery series featuring monastics, I was familiar with the concept, but not the particulars. I for instance had no idea that Vatican II actually strongly encouraged and made active strides to have the laity participate in the ancient tradition. I bought this book after attending Evening Prayer at my parish as a kickoff to the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Father encouraged all of us to take up the practice and made a simple comment about the internet makes it easy, he never carries his breviary anymore. Father's admonition was that this was a simple way to follow the advice of St Paul to pray unceasingly. So I found all the I swear its not as awful/hard/challenging stuff in this book to burst my naive little bubble that Father had planted in my head. Now that is my own fault, this book does provide a great primer on resources available, why you should care, and breaking down the individual elements. I still think that it comes down to you just have to do it though as a lot of information and variety just can't be distilled into instructions this short and a lot doesn't click until you start using it. I am not so discouraged as to not try to incorporate Evening Prayer into my routine.

Ideal for those just entering the Catholic faith and those cradle Catholics who are attempting the Hours for the first time

Worth the read if you want to know how to use your divine office volumes which can be quite confusing in initially.

Bought one for friend too. A much loved take on the user-friendly (or should I say unfriendly) issues you can experience when new to Divine Office. For me the most wonderful, beautiful prayer experience. Once adopted into your life the living unifying Lord is forever in your midst.

This is a great book for anyone interested in the liturgy of the hours. It explains the liturgy in such a way that's makes you eager to pray! Also easy and engaging to read with all the parts of the liturgy explained. Amazing read!

The author is presented as a regular kind of gal, who just so happens to know her stuff about the Divine Office. That's exactly the type of personality I was looking forward to learning more from. But when you start reading, the tone changes. Almost as if it's written by someone else. I'm not sure what that's about. On the bright side though, it is still an okay resource.