The Liturgy of the Hours is also known as The Divine Office or the Prayer of the Church. The book which contains this Prayer is known as the Breviary. Put simply, it is the Church keeping the Prayer of Jesus alive through time and human history. The Liturgy of the Hours sanctifies Time, making holy the passing of each day and each year until the Lord's Return. Hence, the term "Hours" is an appropriate title.
The Mass is the central act of worship and praise for the Church. The Divine Office springs from the Eucharistic celebration and flows back to it. A continual cycle of praise rising to the Blessed Trinity each day. The Liturgy of the Hours is not a private devotion like the Rosary or Novenas. The Hours is the official prayer of the Unversal Church and so it has priority over all private devotions. At every moment of every day, somewhere in the world, praise and worship is being offered to God's Glory and Honour.
It is an obligation on all Priests and Deacons to pray this Prayer each day. Certain Religious Sisters and Brothers are also obliged to pray it. For some Orders, that is their principal work, the public worship of God and so they try to make its celebration a beautiful form of praise to God each day, year in, year out.
The Second Vatican Council reminded everyone that this is the "official" Prayer of the Church and that it belongs all Catholics. Ever since, the Church has urged Lay People to make it a part of their prayer life. While it is not an obligation for Lay People, many Catholics pray at least a part of the Office; others pray it all. However, we are still a long way from it becoming the integral part of Catholic worship that it deserves to be.
There is a wealth of spiritual riches to be encountered in the Divine Office: the Psalms (which formed part of the Jewish prayer life of Jesus Himself); hymns; prayers, readings drawn from Scripture and readings from the early Church teachers and others drawn from Church teaching and the Saints of the last 2000 years.
If you click on the link below, you will go to one of many websites explaining the Liturgy of the Hours. On this particular link below, there is the option of connecting each day with the Prayer of the Church for that day, on your computer, phone or other devices. You may prefer to pray it in book form and these are readily available.
Such is the volume and extent of information available that you may find it confusing at first to get started and to make it a part of your prayer life. You can always contact the Parish Office for help. Effort will be more than repaid by uniting yourself with the praying Church, from the Pope to someone in your street who prays the Office. United not only in the present but also with all those who have ever prayed it since the time of the early Church. Click below to learn more ...