From Breviary to Liturgy of the Hours

Detailed historical account of the development of the Roman Office.

This historical study examines the process of the structural reform of the Office, the options available to the reformers, and the choices they made. It tells the story of the consultors of the Consilium, the major body responsible for the reform of the liturgy after the Second Vatican Council, and especially the group known as Coetus IX, charged directly with preparing the structural reform of the Office. It reveals that their revision, radical compared to the existing Office, was not as radical as it could have been, thus leaving the door open to further restructuring.

The tradition of daily prayer (especially morning and evening prayer) has attracted the curiosity of all believers, and this study offers a clear understanding of the riches of this prayer tradition, as well as an honest evaluation of its weaknesses. This re-publication of Campbell’s classic text includes an afterword from the author with insights on inculturation and the second edition of the Liturgy of the Hours. It also includes a new introduction from Paul Turner, a liturgical scholar and consultor for the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Stanislaus Campbell, FSC (1935–2025) served as director of the Provincialate community at Mont La Salle in Napa, California, until his retirement in 2021. He received a doctorate in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame and taught in his congregation's secondary schools and at the college level.