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Views from the Choir Loft

An FYI on EP in the OF – Introduction

Andrew R. Motyka · May 15, 2013

o you’ve been asked to plan Evening Prayer (aka “Vespers”) at your parish. This is a wonderful opportunity for common prayer in your community, and is strongly recommended by the Church:

Where possible, the principal Hours should be celebrated communally in church by other groups of the faithful. The most important of these groups are the local parishes – the cells of the diocese – established under a pastor acting for the bishop. These “represent in some degree the visible Church established throughout the world.” (General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours #21)

The only problem is that you have no idea how this is supposed to go. Sure, you’re picked up the latest edition of Magnificat, or maybe even have a book of Christian Prayer. However, you’re a music director, and you’ve never sung Vespers before. What do you do? Let’s take a walk through Evening Prayer in the Ordinary Form, and offer some good suggestions (that are by no means exhaustive) to use in St. Joe Schmoe’s Average Parish.

Note: If you’ve been asked to prepare sung Morning Prayer, you’re in luck. It is identical to Evening Prayer in every way except for the Gospel Canticle, which is the Canticle of Zechariah in the morning where it is the Canticle of Mary in the evening. Also, Morning Prayer takes place in the morning instead of the evening, in case you need everything laid out for you.

The order of liturgy (and yes, Evening Prayer is liturgy) follows:

Introduction
Hymn
1st Psalm
2nd Psalm
Canticle
Reading
(Homily)
Responsory
Gospel Canticle (Canticle of Mary, AKA the Magnificat)
Intercessions
Our Father
Prayer
Conclusion

The first thing you might notice is that there is neither an entrance nor a concluding procession. That is simply because, in the Liturgy of the Hours, there is not the same significance of a priest’s entrance as there is in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A celebration of Evening Prayer does not require a priest or deacon at all. However, if a priest or deacon leads the prayer, there are slight differences in the liturgy, especially at the introduction and conclusion.

The second thing I would call your attention to is the fact that nearly all, if not all, of this liturgy is sung. The Liturgy of the Hours is sung prayer, especially because they are primarily marked by the proclamation of the Psalms, which are the Church’s song. Keep this in mind as you prepare for this liturgy. Historically, Evening Prayer has been the focus of much effort on the part of composers, more so than any other Hour of the day. This is primarily because it took place at the end of the day, when workers could easily attend the rite, and is evidenced by the overwhelming number of choral Magnificats, which greatly outnumber their counterpart canticles in the other Hours.

Next week, we will begin with suggestions on how to handle the first parts of Evening Prayer: the introduction, Hymn, and Psalms. This is where the real “meat” of Evening Prayer is, and there are lots of options for good celebration.

For Part 1 of the series, please click HERE.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
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    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
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Random Quote

“Parish Priests have to think first of the simple faithful: people now used to the Roman Missal at Mass. They don’t want change.”

— Cardinal Spellman (one of the Vatican II fathers)

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