Combining Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours
Date: December 8, 2024
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: I would like to know if the Liturgy of the Hours can be combined with Mass. In the instance that they are combined, is the penitential rite replaced by the recitation of the psalms and canticle? In other words, what’s the formula of celebrating Mass combined with the office? -- E.M.I., Kachebere, Malawi
Answer: The norms regarding this are contained in the General Instruction of the Divine Office, Nos. 93-99:
“93. In particular cases, if circumstances require it, it is possible to link an Hour more closely with Mass when there is a celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in public or in common, according to the following norms, provided that the Mass and the Hour belong to one and the same Office. Care must be taken, however, that this does not result in harm to pastoral work, especially on Sundays.
“94. When Morning Prayer, celebrated in choir or in common, comes immediately before Mass, the whole celebration may begin either with the introductory verse and hymn of Morning Prayer, especially on weekdays, or with the entrance song, procession and celebrant’s greeting (especially on feast days), one or other of the introductory rites being thus omitted.
“The psalmody of Morning Prayer follows as usual, up to, but excluding, the reading. After the psalmody the penitential rite is omitted and at choice the Kyrie; then the Glory to God in the highest is said, if required by the rubrics, and the celebrant says the opening prayer of the Mass. The liturgy of the word follows as usual.
“The general intercessions are made in the place and form customary at Mass. On weekdays, at Mass in the morning, the intercessions of Morning Prayer may replace the daily form of the intercessions at Mass.
“After the communion with its communion song the Canticle of Zechariah Blessed be the Lord with its antiphon, from Morning Prayer, is sung. Then follows the prayer after communion; the rest is as usual.
“95. If one of the daytime Hours, celebrated in public at the appropriate time of day, is immediately followed by Mass, the whole celebration may begin in the same way, either with the introductory verse and hymn from the Hour, especially on weekdays, or with the entrance song, procession and celebrant’s greeting, especially on feast days, one or other of the introductory rites being thus omitted.
“The psalmody of the Hour follows as usual, up to, but excluding, the reading. After the psalmody the penitential rite is omitted and at choice the Kyrie; then the Glory to God in the highest is said, if required by the rubrics, and the celebrant says the opening prayer of the Mass.
“96. Evening Prayer, celebrated immediately before Mass, is joined to it in the same way as Morning Prayer. Evening Prayer I of solemnities, Sundays or feasts of the Lord falling on Sundays may not be celebrated until after Mass of the preceding day or Saturday.
“97. When a daytime Hour or Evening Prayer follows Mass, the Mass is celebrated in the usual way up to, and including, the prayer after communion. When the prayer after communion has been said, the psalmody of the Hour begins without introduction. At a daytime Hour, after the psalmody the prayer is said (omitting the reading), and the dismissal takes place as at Mass. At Evening Prayer, after the psalmody and omitting the reading, the Canticle of Mary with its antiphon follows immediately. The intercessions and the Lord’s Prayer are omitted, the concluding prayer is said and the blessing given to the people.
“98. Except for the night of Christmas, the combining of Mass with the Office of Readings is normally excluded, since the Mass already has its own cycle of readings, to be kept distinct from any other. If, however, by way of exception, it should be necessary to join the two, then immediately after the second reading from the Office, with its responsorial, the rest is omitted, and the Mass begins with the hymn Glory to God in the highest, if it is to be said; otherwise, the Mass begins with the opening prayer.
“99. If the Office of Readings is said immediately before another Hour of the Office, then the appropriate hymn for that Hour may be sung at the beginning of the Office of Readings. At the end of the Office of Readings the prayer and conclusion are omitted, and in the Hour following the introductory verse with the Glory to the Father is omitted.”
When an office (usually Morning Prayer or Prayer during the Day, more rarely Evening Prayer and Readings, but never Night Prayer) is thus joined to Mass, No. 94 of the norms foresees that the penitential rite is omitted as also the Lord have Mercy if so desired. Mass would then continue with the Gloria or the Collect as the case may be.
Since No. 93 specifically states that this practice is "in particular cases," it would probably not be justified to do so daily in a seminary or a parish Mass.
Since the joining together of Mass and an hour of the Divine Office can only be done when the office and Mass are the same, and the number of votive offices is quite limited; the daily joining of office and Mass would restrict somewhat the use of the many opportunities that the missal offers to celebrate votive Masses and Masses for various needs and occasions.
Likewise, the daily omission of the penitential rite would deprive the faithful and the celebrant of important graces that often come during this moment of Mass as well as the experience of the full use of the various formulas for this rite provided in the Roman Missal.
In conclusion, it would be better, from both the pastoral stance and in the context of both spiritual and liturgical formation, to habitually separate the Mass and the Office while occasionally using the option of joining them on special occasions such as the celebration of a popular local saint or patron.
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