Dear community,
Dane, Divine Office founder and producer, is in Salamanca, Spain, right now, in the middle of four weeks of Spanish language school.
On Sunday morning, October 18, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, he walked to the New Cathedral and prayed Lauds in Spanish. It was the first time he had attended Lauds in Spanish at a cathedral. The liturgy was sung except for the readings, the psalms passing from one side of the choir to the other, strophe by strophe. Dane recorded part of it so you can hear what he heard.
It was Sunday, Week I of the Psalter, the same morning psalms our community prayed in English, ending with Psalm 149:
Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
The video includes a short part of the celebration. You can also listen to Dane’s full recording of Lauds from the cathedral, about 30 minutes long.
Why is Dane in Spain
Primarily to learn the language and get to know the culture so he can help produce the Liturgy of the Hours for Spanish-speaking Catholics, in text and audio, precise to the word and faithful to the prayer of each region. The plan is to release the Spanish edition first in Latin America.
The video opens with his first stay, in Valencia this February, where he explains why he went. After almost two months of classes, he walked to the Cathedral of Valencia for morning prayer, held that day in the Chapel of the Holy Chalice, home of the Santo Cáliz, venerated by many as the cup of the Last Supper. Then the video moves to Salamanca, and to this morning.
Two questions for you
Sung or recited? Cathedrals sing the Hours. Most parishes recite them, which many find easier to pray. Sunday may call for the fuller form. Which helps you pray, and should we offer both?
Where should Dane go next? When Spanish school ends, Dane has two weeks before flying home from Madrid. Ávila, the city of Saint Teresa of Jesus, is high on his list. If you know Spain, which places would serve the work of Divine Office?
He is deciding in the coming weeks, so please share your thoughts on either question in the comments on this post at DivineOffice.org. Comments can be posted on the website only, so if you are reading in the app, open this post on the website to reply.
Your gifts at work
For the last year we have asked for your help with the Spanish edition. This is that help at work. Your contributions are making it possible for us to build what the edition needs: the tools to assemble the Spanish texts, for Dane to learn the language and produce the audio, and everything that will carry this work to the people who pray with us.
Thank you to each of you who has given. The road ahead is long, with every Hour of every day to record, for each region we will serve. If you would like to help this effort, you can contribute at divineoffice.org/contribute.
Please keep Dane and the work for the Spanish edition in your prayers.
With gratitude, The Divine Office Team
