The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The beauty of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is that it is a major part of the Carmelite Order. Sad to say, that when the Rule was updated in the 60's, this devotion, as well as many of the Traditions that belong to Mary, were banished from Her Order. The Carmelite Order belongs to Mary in a special way and therefore, we should make every effort to preserve the devotions that give her the honor due Her name.  Therefore, to follow the Old Rule, for this reason alone, is worth considering over choosing to live the new Third Order of Carmel. We need a restoration in Carmel more today than in the day of St. Teresa of Avila! May we seek to love and honor our Queen and Mother who deserves our love.

Explanation of the Little Office

​Chanting the Little Office of the BVM

Praying the Little Office of the BVM


​Offices

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel is essentially the same throughout the year. However, there are portions proper to both Advent and Christmastide. Because of this, the year is divided into three parts:
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  • First Office - Ordinary Time throughout the Year This Office is recited from Matins of February 3rd (the day after the Purification) until None of the Saturday before the First Sunday of Advent.
  • Second Office - Advent Office  This second Office is said from Vespers of the Saturday before the First Sunday of Advent until None of December 24th (Christmas Eve); as well as on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th).
  • Third Office: Christmastide Office  This third Office is said from Vespers of December 24th to Compline of February 2nd.
For the Traditional Lay Carmelite of Fatima, the Rule asks for Morning and Evening Prayer. The Third Order before Vatican II was asked to do the ENTIRE Little Office throughout the day. To make prayer achievable in our busy world, this Rule asks for only Morning Prayer (Matins & Lauds) and also Evening Prayer (Vespers & Compline). Below are these prayers if you have not obtained a book. Books are available from Baronius Press.

Prayers for Ordinary Time

MORNING PRAYER - MATINS & LAUDS
EVENING PRAYER - VESPERS & COMPLINE
ANTIPHONS FOR OUR LADY DURING ORDINARY TIME -
​Salve Regina (sung from Pentecost Sunday until 1st Sun of Advent)
Ave Regina Caelorum (sung from Feb 3 to Easter Vigil)
​and Regina Caeli (sung from Easter to Pentecost Sunday)
EVENING PRAYER - VESPERS & COMPLINE
Antiphon for Our Lady during Advent (sung first Sunday of Advent until Feb 2 - Purification)

Prayers for Christmastide

MORNING PRAYER - MATINS & LAUDS
EVENING PRAYER - VESPERS & COMPLINE
Antiphon to Our Lady during Christmastide (Alma Redemptoris Mater - 1st Sun of Advent to Feb. 2)

Lent & Paschaltide

Credits

The above information was taken from traditionalcarmelite.com with permission from the author. She listed the credits below to put together this work, therefore, they are also listed here. I recommend browsing her site for more info if you desire to do more than what is listed here. She has the entire Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I have only posted what is in the Rule for Morning and Evening Prayer. (Her website is not 100% traditional but she has alot of good info)
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Latin
Officium Parvum Beatae Mariae Virginis juxta Ritum Carmelitanum (1939 Edition)(Romæ: S. Sedis Apostolisch et St. Rituum Congr. Typographi, 1939)
Additional content – Rev. Vincent Maria McDonald, O.C.D., comp.,The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel with the Office of the Dead according to the Carmelite Rite (New York: Scapular Press, 1953)
Additional Content – Officium parvum B.V.M. = Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the use of the Carmelite order (London: Burns and Lambert, 1951)

English
Psalms – Douay Rheims Bible Online (www.drbo.org)
Collects, etc. – Divinum Officium (www.divinumofficium.org)
Hymns – Adapted translation of the hymns (with the permission of Jeffrey Tucker) from the Musica Sacra (Church Music Association of America) website using their collection of the Hymns of the Breviary and Missal at http://musicasacra.com/pdf/hymnsofbreviary.pdf (via divinumofficium.org)
Translation of Paschaltide, Ascension octave and Pentecost octave verses – The Hymns of the Dominican Missal and Breviary, St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Company (1943).
Additional content – Rev. Vincent Maria McDonald, O.C.D., comp.,The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel with the Office of the Dead according to the Carmelite Rite (New York: Scapular Press, 1953)