St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church
Ask the Deacon: Liturgy of the Hours

This week’s question deals with the Liturgy of the Hours. Mike asks: “Are the times for prayer set in stone or flexible to accommodate a wandering mind?” This is a good question and it shows that Mike already knows quite a bit about the Liturgy of the Hours. However, for those of you who are not familiar with this ancient practice of daily prayer I’ll answer his question by beginning with a little history.

There are three names that essentially refer to the same thing: “Liturgia Horarium” (Liturgy of the Hours – a public service officiated by a minister); “Officium Divina” (Divine Office – a divine service or duty which is sometimes also referred to as “Opus Dei” meaning the work of God); “Breviarium” (Breviary – a book or compendium of all the canonical hours).

I’ll paraphrase this week’s question from Anonymous who asks: “What happened to the Communal Penance Service, and can it be reinstated?” This can be a sensitive subject for some people who have grown attached to the Communal Penance Service, so I’ll do my best to answer empathetically, but please accept my apologizes if I sound too legalistic in my answer. It is almost impossible to answer these questions without referring to the Churches Code of Canon Law.

Now, I think this question really deals with the issue of general absolution rather than the Communal Penance Service, they are two different things yet they are often assumed to be one and the same. I’ll start by explaining the Communal Penance Service. This is a practice in which Catholics join together to go through what is know as an examination of conscience. There is usually a scripture service along with a homily followed by a review of, maybe the Ten Commandments, and/or some other moral principles to help us come to a better understanding of our faults and failings since our last examination of conscience. Following this examination of conscience, the priest, or priests available, will hear individual confessions at which time the penitent receives private absolution for their sins. This type of Communal Penance Service is still offered during Advent and Lent at various parishes throughout the Vicariate, sometimes including St. Anastasia, but it is not generally conducted on a weekly basis.

In the realm of moral theology, “Anonymous” asks: “A non-Catholic friend of mine has not spoken to their child for quite some time and when I brought up that Christians are called to forgive, I was told that, because we must ask for forgiveness from God in order to be forgiven that the same holds true in human relationships. This friend is saying that we need not forgive anyone until such time as they come to us and seek out our forgiveness. Can this be true?”

The short answer is no, this is not true. To not forgive until asked to do so is to hold a grudge, it is prideful and vengeful. It is as if to say: “I have been wronged; I know I am right, and I will not forgive until you recognize that I have been wronged and that I am right.”