Little Office of the B.V.M [Large Print] [Bonded Leather]

John E. Rotelle (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1988

This volume presents the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary complete with reforms mandated by the Second Vatican Council with daily texts from the Liturgy of the Hours, along with readings and prayers.

Product Details

• Bonded Leather
• Publisher: Catholic Book Publishing Company (June 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899424503
• ISBN-13: 978-0899424507
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended Daily Office Book, December 16, 2003

By 

W. Landry (Baton Rouge, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Little Office of the B.V.M (Bonded Leather)

I highly recommend the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for use in Daily Prayer. It is Spiritually enriching and very easy to use and follow. It is in complete accord with Vatican II and joins the full Divine Office as part of today's official daily prayer of the Church. Its Marian theme is part of a tradition dating back to the early church and is a good companion to daily recitation of the Rosary. It contains every hour of the liturgical day with each "hour" containing all you need to complete it. You won't have to refer to other sections of the book to find the various parts of the daily office as you would in the Liturgy of the Hours, which can be very confusing to use. The size of this book makes it easy to carry in a coat pocket or purse for use anywhere. This is a fine little Book with a lot in it.

63 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Alright, but there is better., December 15, 2005

By 

T. Gallen - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Little Office of the B.V.M (Bonded Leather)

This edition of the Little Office of the B.V.M. is alright for those who are not picky about their devotions and want an easier form of the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) to add to their existing daily prayers. Saying the Little Office is a time honored custom dating back to the Middle Ages. I am glad that this book is in print.

That being said I have to comment that I, personally, find the English in this edition a bit puerile and, quite frankly, unedifying. The language of structured prayer should be uplifting and should bring one to a higher level. I'm afraid I find this translation wanting in this regard. I am also not too fond of the removal of the hour 'Prime' from the Divine Office. I remember learning the hours as a child (mind you I'm only 29 years old) and it seems odd now to have one missing eventhough it went missing before I was born.

For those looking for a more traditional translation I would highly recommend the 1904 edition "Little Office of the B.V.M." by Father Lasance. It is bi-lingual (English & Latin) and is STILL IN PRINT by the St. Bonaventure Press. However, Amazon does NOT seem to carry this item so I recommend trying to order it at your local bookstore or from Aquinas & More Catholic Goods on-line. It must be said, though, that this printing has a few typographical errors and inconsistencies. The print, while not small, is also not that large.

For them best "modern" translation of the Little Office I recommen trying to find the 1944 edition of the Little Office of the B.V.M. printed by Franciscan Herald Press (now defunct.) It can easily be found at a local used bookstore or on-line. I have seen more than a few of them recently.

Deo optimo Maximo.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ancient Prayerbook That is Always New, July 25, 2001

By 

Rev. Casca Longinus, OMI (Jacksonville, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Office of the B.V.M (Bonded Leather)

This amazing little breviary has been in constant use in the Church since the 11th century. It is a wonderful way to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the midst of a busy schedule. All seven hours are included; the prayers are short, traditional, and the arrangement can be easily adapted to any rule or circumstance. This book has long been used by religious and, for laypeople, is an extrodinary and simple way to enter deeply into the prayer life of the Churh. It's not complicated or 'flashy,' but is rich and deep and quite profound in its' simplicity - and perhaps that is something that many of us would wish to become also.