The Liturgy of the Hours, also called the Divine Office, is part of the daily prayer of clergy and religious, the purpose of which “includes the sanctification of the day and of the whole range of human activity” (General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 11). It consists of hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers and is broken up into the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer (Lauds), Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer (Vespers), and Night Prayer (Compline). 

The Second Vatican Council desired “that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 100). This hope of the Council Fathers, while largely unfulfilled universally, is publicly realized at the Downtown Kenosha Catholic parishes each week. 

Every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., the conclusion of the period of Eucharistic Adoration, we pray Sung Vespers in the church at St. Elizabeth. One would normally pray the Divine Office using a multi-volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours; however, Android and Apple-compatible mobile devices may download the FREE app, iBreviary, to participate in the Divine Office, as well.

After the Priest and servers enter the sanctuary, the proper hymn is sung. Then, the Psalms are recited in alternatim fashion wherein the people sitting in the pews on the St. Joseph side alternate stanzas with those sitting in pews on the Blessed Mother side. Everyone stands to chant the Canticle together, which is the Magnificat at Vespers, using a simple monastic tone. Vespers concludes with a final prayer by the Priest. At DTKC, we conclude with Benediction immediately following Vespers.

The Wednesday meeting schedule at DTKC -- including choir rehearsals -- purposefully starts no earlier than 6:30 p.m. in order to accommodate staff and parishioners’ attendance at Sung Vespers. During the school year, the middle school and high school religious education students often join in praying Vespers as part of their classes. 

If you have not yet prayed Sung Vespers communally with us -- or it has been a while, please come and join us each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in the church at the St. Elizabeth campus, 714 49th Street.