In essential things, unity.
In doubtful things, liberty.
In all things, charity.
For the reason of unity and in obedience to the Lord's command to "Pray always" the Church legislates and promulgates Her prayer, the essential work of the Church for the salvation of souls. For priests, deacons and religious who have promised to pray the liturgy of the hours faithfully there follows obedience in this essential matter for unity. For this reason, and in common obedience, they therefore must choose either the current form of the "Liturgy of the Hours" or the 1962 Breviarium Romanum for their daily prayer in fulfillment of the sacred promise to pray the prayer of the Church. In this way is fulfilled the Lord's own prayer, "That they may all be one".
For priests this is particularly stressed:
"Sacred ministers have the liturgy of the hours entrusted to them in such a particular way that even when the faithful are not present they are to pray it themselves with the adaptations necessary under these circumstances. The Church commissions them to celebrate the liturgy of the hours so as to ensure at least in their persons the regular carrying out of the duty of the whole community and the unceasing continuance of Christ's prayer in the Church." (General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, No. 28.
For the laity, who have made no such solemn and public promise as have priests, deacons and religious men and women, there is freedom to choose their form of prayer from any such that has ever been in use at any time everywhere in the Church.
In essential things, unity.
In doubtful things, liberty.
In all things, charity.
(Photo: CNS/Reuters)
