On Wednesday, we treated the Little Office of St. Joseph. Today, on account of Fridays (especially First Fridays) being held in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we focus on the Little Office of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (found here ).
It was mostly composed by one Fr. Croiset, then modified by a Fr. Gallifet. The present version was indulgenced by Pope Leo XIII, and this has subsequently been reaffirmed. It remains one of the five explicitly indulgenced Little Offices.
Like the Little Office of St. Joseph, does not have any psalmody. Rather, it has the traditional opening and conclusion for the Office, with a hymn, antiphon, versicle, and prayer between. The antiphons ask, in various ways, for the Heart of Jesus to convert our own hearts toward our Savior. The hymns are quite beautiful and vivid as well.
Like the Little Office of St. Joseph, these brief prayers seem very suitable immediately after praying the corresponding Hour of the day. This is especially so on Fridays (and First Fridays at that), or else in the month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Likewise, for those laity who do not have the full Office, it may serve as a way of sanctifying the day, fulfilling the Lord's command to "pray without ceasing."
It was mostly composed by one Fr. Croiset, then modified by a Fr. Gallifet. The present version was indulgenced by Pope Leo XIII, and this has subsequently been reaffirmed. It remains one of the five explicitly indulgenced Little Offices.
Like the Little Office of St. Joseph, does not have any psalmody. Rather, it has the traditional opening and conclusion for the Office, with a hymn, antiphon, versicle, and prayer between. The antiphons ask, in various ways, for the Heart of Jesus to convert our own hearts toward our Savior. The hymns are quite beautiful and vivid as well.
Like the Little Office of St. Joseph, these brief prayers seem very suitable immediately after praying the corresponding Hour of the day. This is especially so on Fridays (and First Fridays at that), or else in the month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Likewise, for those laity who do not have the full Office, it may serve as a way of sanctifying the day, fulfilling the Lord's command to "pray without ceasing."
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I have a copy of the Latin text of the *complete* Little Office of the Most Sacred Heart (Officium Parvum Sacratissimi Cordis Iesu) from 1827, with the three rotating Nocturns, the Psalms, and everything else, as familiar from the Little Office of the B.V.M. It's beautiful. But - and this is driving me nuts - I can't find the notation for the various hymns anywhere. They aren't the same as the hymns given for the truncated little office above. I've looked in the Liber Usualis and Antiphonale Monasticum, both older version and more recent, but had no luck. Do you possibly know of other sources for such hymns? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDo you still have this? My daughter is looking for a copy to use.
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