A Brief Musical Appeal

A HandmaidHPB Vocations, News, Prayer Life

We have published a separate news blog post about our need to obtain the forthcoming Liturgy of the Hours 2nd Edition Breviary sets for each Handmaid (and some future ones) that will go on sale this Summer for first use in Lent 2027. These sets are expected to be costly, especially because these editions we anticipate are from only two, but very good, selected publishers: Ascension Press and Word on Fire.

There is another accompanying need as the new breviary sets, whether by Ascension Press or Word on Fire, will have identical hymns updated to reflect the new English translations of the original 294 Latin texts from the Liturgia Horarum. That’s a first in an English breviary for the us. The music was published in 2023 as The Divine Office Hymnal. See link below.

We’ll need one copy of the Divine Office Hymnal for each sister. Many of the melodies will be familiar, but we’ll need the printed music as we learn the updated English texts—so that our prayer can be more deeply united with the universal Church, praying with the same psalms, prayers, readings, and hymns. (After all, Catholic does means universal.) In preparing these new breviaries and hymns, Holy Mother Church is giving us the tools to pray as One Church with One Faith to the One God.
 
Because we sing with accompaniment, we will also need one copy of the organ/piano accompaniment edition for our organist(s). This volume is available now, but it is quite expensive. You may have noticed the image at the top of the post: It’s a sample of the many ways our musicians have built homemade handmade Handmaid accompaniment books for the organ over the decades.
 
If you feel moved to help us lift our voices—and our instruments—in praise of the Lord, please see the links below:
 
  • The Divine Office Hymnal (2023): contains the music for all hymns used in the Liturgy of the Hours, 2nd Edition
  • Organ/Piano Accompaniment edition: one copy needed

The Divine Office Hymnal containing the music for all the hymns used in the LOTH 2nd Edition.

An organ accompaniment edition is also needed (just one copy).