Q: This is a non-urgent Liturgy of the Hours question. You may have addressed these topics, but my search terms didn’t turn up anything on the Blog archives.
- What is the best practice on the Glory Be at the end of the Psalmody? From reading the GILH, it would appear to be required, but in some places that regularly celebrate the hours (monastic communities in particular), it is omitted.
- When the Glory Be is included, what is the appropriate posture for a seated assembly? Bow of the head? Or nothing?
As always, your knowledge and sound advice are greatly appreciated!
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A: As you indicate, the GILH 123 and 124 require the “Glory to the Father” at the conclusion of each section of the psalmody. Monastic communities may derogate from this.
The GILH never gives any instructions for a change in posture at the “Glory to the Father”. I commonly see people bow, but that is by custom, not law.
I had always understood GILH 124 to imply that where a psalm is split into a couple of parts usual practice is a Glory be at the end of each part but that you could recite the psalm as a whole and therefore omit the Glory be after the first part:
When a longer psalm is used, it is divided up in the psalter. The divisions are made so that the three-part structure of each Hour’s psalmody may be maintained, whilst close attention is paid to the objective meaning of the psalm.
It is best to observe this division, especially in choral celebration in Latin, with the Glory be to the Father added at the end of each part.
It is permitted either to retain this traditional way, or to pause between the divided parts of the psalm, or to say the whole psalm with its antiphon straight through.
That’s the current EW translation – I don’t have the revised ICEL to hand.
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You are correct. I wasn’t clear on that.