1

Prayer Before Office

Open, O Lord, my mouth to bless

thy holy Name; cleanse also my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections; that I may worthily, attentively, and devoutly say this Office, and so be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Maj-esty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, in union with that divine in-

tention wherewith thou, whilst here on earth, didst render praises unto God, I desire to offer this my Office of prayer unto thee.

2

A period of silence follows for examination of conscience

I confess to Almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters,

that I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and in

my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do:

and I ask blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the angels and saints,

and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our

God.

Bow at the Glory be... Cantor:

Superior or senior Sister acc. to rank All

Make the Sign of the Cross when beginning

All

Cantor

All

All

Opening Invocation

Penitential Rite

3

From all ill dreams defend our sight, From fears and terrors of the night; Withhold from us our ghostly foe, That spot of sin we may not know O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son, Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.

Hymn: Te Lucis Ante Terminum LM

VIII.

4 Psalmody

Antiphon Cantor:

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High * and abides in the shade of the Almighty says to the Lord: “My refuge, * my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!” It is He who will free you from the snare * of the fowler who seeks to destroy you; He will conceal you with His pinions * and under His wings you will find refuge. You will not fear the terror of the night * nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the plague that prowls in the darkness, * nor the scourge that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side, * ten thousand fall at your right, you, it will never approach; * His faithfulness is buckler and shield. Your eyes have only to look, * to see how the wicked are repaid, You who have said: “Lord, my refuge!” * and have made the Most High your dwelling.

Psalm is chanted by two choirs, alternating verses.

Sit

VIII.

Cantor intones Choir

5 Upon you no evil shall fall, * no plague approach where you dwell. For you has He commanded His angels, * to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you upon their hands * lest you strike your foot against a stone. On the lion and the viper you will tread * and trample the young lion and the dragon. Since he clings to me in love, I will free him; * protect him for he knows my name. When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you.” * I will save him in distress and give him glory. With length of life I will content him; * I shall let him see my saving power. Glory be to the Father and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

All repeat antiphon.

Stand and bow

6

Reading Revelation 22:4-5

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear His name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light and they shall reign forever. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

Responsory

Cantor

All repeat

Cantor All

Cantor

All

Sit

All stand and bow

VI

Silent Reflection

7 Gospel Canticle

Antiphon: Cantor

All repeat antiphon.

All Bow

IIIa

Cantor intones

Luke 2:29-32

IIIa

Make the Sign of the Cross when beginning

Canticle is chanted by two choirs, alternating verses.

Choir I

Choir II

Choir I

Choir I

Choir II

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Prayer

On Sundays and during the Octave of Easter

Lord, We have celebrated today The mystery of the rising of Christ to new life. May we now rest in your peace, Safe from all that could harm us, And rise again refreshed and joyful, To praise you thoughout another day. We ask this though Christ our Lord. Amen.

On solemnities that do not occur on Sunday

Lord, We beg you to visit this house And banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy. May Your holy angels dwell here To keep us in peace, And may Your blessing be upon us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Final Blessing

10

Marian Antiphons

For behold, henceforth all genera-tions will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for m e ,

11 Alma Redemptoris Mater

From Advent to the Feast of the Presentation February 2nd

O Holy Mother of the Redeemer, thou gate leading to heaven and star of the sea; help the falling people who seek you to rise, thou who, all nature wondering, didst give birth to thy Holy Creator. Virgin always, hearing that Ave from Gabriel’s lips, take pity on us sinners.

12 Ave Regina Caelorum

From February 3rd to Holy Week

Hail, Queen of Heaven, hail, Lady of the angels. Hail, root and gate from which the light of the world was born. Rejoice, glorious Virgin, fairest of all. Fare thee well, most beautiful, and pray for us to Christ.

13 Regina Caeli

During the Easter Season

Queen of Heaven, rejoice! Alleluia! Fro He whom thou wast made worthy to bear, Alleluia! Has risen as He said, Alleluia! Pray for us to God, Alleluia!

14 Salve Regina (Simple Tone)

From the Feast of the Holy Trinity to the Friday before the First Sunday of Advent

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

15 Salve Regina (Solemn tone monastic use)

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Acknowledgments

This English setting of Compline is based as closely as possi-ble upon the Liber Usualis. English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours © 1970,1973,1975,1976, International Committee on English in the Liturgy. Psalm texts from The Psalms: A New Translation © The Grail (England) 1963.

The following musical resources were used as an aid in compiling this setting:

Compline Booklet, Church Music Association of America http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/compline.pdf Parish Book of Chant, Church Musica Assocation of America http://www.musicasacra.com/pbc/ Ad Completorium: The Gasparian Psalter, Fr. Jeffrey Keyes C.PP.S http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/MISCELLANEOUS/4183_ad_Completorium.pdf

Image Sources: TheCatholicLibrary.org, http://www.thecatholiclibrary.org/gallery/lineart/ Images for use in Liturgy Programs, Church Music Association of America http://www.flickr.com/photos/musicasacra sets/