Community Prayer

At the centre of the 'work of God' is prayer, communal and individual. The communal worship of the community in the Abbey Church is the heart of its life.
At Douai the monks come together four times a day to pray together in the liturgy of the hours, the office, in addition to celebrating the eucharist.

Each office contains

• psalms
• readings from Scripture
• a hymn
• prayers.

At Matins there is also a reading from a major Christian writer.

The three gospel canticles are sung each day,

• the Benedictus at Matins
• the Magnificat at Vespers (Evening Praise)
• the Nunc Dimittis at Compline (Night Prayer).

The final office each day concludes with an anthem in honour of the Blessed Virgin.

Monastery guests and all who visit the church are welcome to join the monks in the choir for the offices.

Click for the times of these services.

Click for prayer intentions.

The order of psalms sung at Douai is given here for the benefit of those who would like to pray with us in their homes.
At Matins and Midday Prayer a four week cycle is followed,
at Vespers, which is sung in Latin, a one week cycle, that of the Antiphonale Monasticum.
[On Solemnities and Festivals a special arrangement of psalms is used.]
Compline, however, is unchanged every day of the year.

Matins

The office begins with the verse:

Lord open our lips and we shall declare your praise.

The Invitatory psalm, 94, follows.
Then the first psalm or groups of psalms is sung according to the following cycle.

Week 1	Psalms
Sunday	1,  2,  3
Monday	6,  9a,  10
Tuesday	9b,  11,  14
Wednesday	17
Thursday	15,  19,  20
Friday	26,  34
Saturday	104

Week 2	Psalms
Sunday	75,  79
Monday	29,  30
Tuesday	31,  36
Wednesday	38,  40,  51
Thursday	43,   76,
Friday	82,  37
Saturday	105

Week 3	Psalms
Sunday	103
Monday	48,  49
Tuesday	61,  67
Wednesday	88
Thursday	71,  85
Friday	68
Saturday	106

Week 4	Psalms
Sunday	23,  65
Monday	57,  72
Tuesday	69,  101
Wednesday	102,  130
Thursday	12,  60,  142
Friday	108,  45
Saturday	77 vv 1-39

Then a passage from scripture is read, followed by a period of silence to meditate upon God's word contained in it.

There follows a commentory on the scripture by a Patristic writer, or a more recent author. This too is followed by a pause.

[On Sundays and Solemnities the Gospel of the day is read, followed by the Patristic commentary.]

A Hymn is sung.

Next follows a group consisting of psalm, biblical canticle and psalm.

Week 1	Psalm	Canticle	Psalm
Sunday	117	Dan 3:57-88	149
Monday	5	1 Chron 29:10-13	28
Tuesday	25	Tobit 13:1-19	32
Wednesday	56	Judith 16:2-15	46
Thursday	22	Jer 31:10-14	47
Friday	50	Is 45:15-26	99
Saturday	114+115	Ex 15:1-18	62

Week 2	Psalm	Canticle	Psalm
Sunday	117	Sir 51:1-12	150
Monday	41	Sir 36:1-7, 13-16	18
Tuesday	42	Is 38:10-20	64
Wednesday	44	1 Sam 2:1-10	96
Thursday	22	Is 12:1-6	80
Friday	50	Hab 3:2-4, 13-19	134
Saturday	91	Deut 32:1-12	8

Week 3	Psalm	Canticle	Psalm
Sunday	117	Sir 43:13-30	148
Monday	83	Is 2:2-5	95
Tuesday	84	Is 26:1-12	66
Wednesday	59	Is 33:13-16	98
Thursday	22	Is 40:10-16	86
Friday	50	Jer 14:17-21	131
Saturday	138	Wis 9:1-11	92

Week 4	Psalm	Canticle	Psalm
Sunday	117	Sir 42:15-26	137
Monday	89	Is 42:10-16	145
Tuesday	100	Dan 3:3-18	144
Wednesday	107	Is 61:10-62:5	143
Thursday	22	Is 66:10-14	146
Friday	50	Tobit 13:8-15	147
Saturday	77v40-72	Ez 36:24-28	97

A short reading from scripture follows.
The Benedictus is sung

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has turned to his people and set them free;
he has raised up a deliverer of victorious power
from the house of his servant, David.

So he promised age after age
by the mouth of his holy prophets,
that he would deliver us from our enemies,
out of the hands of all who hate us;

that he would deal mercifully with our fathers,
calling to mind his solemn covenant.
Such was the oath he swore to our father, Abraham,
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies;

that free from fear we might serve him
with a holy worship,
with uprightness of heart in his presence
all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins.

For in the tender compassion of our God
the morning sun from heaven will rise upon us,
to shine on those in darkness under the cloud of death,
to guide our feet in the way of peace.

Prayers of Praise & Intercession
Our Father
Collect
Conclusion

May the Lord bless us, may he keep uas from all evil and bring is to life everlasting. Amen>
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.

---

Midday Prayer

The office begins with the verse:

God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world with out end. Amen. Alleluia.

The Hymn is sung, followed by the psalms.

Week 1	Psalms
Sunday	113
Monday	118 v 1,   7
Tuesday	118 v 9,   13,   119
Wednesday	118 v 17,   16
Thursday	118 v 25,   24
Friday	118 v 33,   27
Saturday	118 v 41,   35

Week 2	Psalms
Sunday	113
Monday	118 v 49,   39
Tuesday	118 v 57,   52,   120
Wednesday	118 v 65,   54
Thursday	118 v 73,   55,   121
Friday	118 v 81,   58
Saturday	118 v 89,   63,   122

Week 3	Psalms
Sunday	113
Monday	118 v 97,   70
Tuesday	118 v 105,   73,
Wednesday	118 v 113,   74,   124
Thursday	118 v 121,   78
Friday	21
Saturday	118 v 129,   33

Week 4	Psalms
Sunday	113
Monday	118 v 137,   81,   123
Tuesday	118 v 145,   139,   119
Wednesday	118 v 153,   93
Thursday	118 v 161,   125,   126
Friday	118 v 169,   87
Saturday	53,   127,   128

A short reading from Scripture follows, then a verse and response.

Next the Collect is said and the office concludes with:

Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.

---

Vespers

sung in Latin according to the Antiphonale Monasticum

The Office begins

Deus in adiutorim meum intende.
Domine ad adiuvandum me festina.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia.

Day	Psalms (with antiphons)
Sunday	109,   110,   111,   112
Monday	113,   114,   115 + 116,   128
Tuesday	129,   130,   131,   132
Wednesday	134,   135,   136,   137
Thursday	138,   139,   140
Friday	141,   143,   144vv 1-11
Saturday	144 vv 12-21,   145,   146,   147

A short reading from scripture follows with a responsory.

The hymn is then sung, followed by a verse and response.

Then comes the Magnificat with its antiphon.

My soul glorifies the Lord.
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy is his name.

His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things
sends the rich empty away.

He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy.

the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.

There follows Kyrie eleison, Pater Noster,  Collect.

The office ends with:

Benedicamus Domino. Deo Gratias.
Fidelium animae per misericordiam Dei requiescant in pace. Amen.
Divinum auxilium maneant semper nobiscum.
Et cum fratribus nostris absentibus. Amen

---

Compline

The office begins with a blessing, and a reading from the Rule of St Benedict.

Then a silent examination of conscience concluding with Confiteor and absolution.

Then is sung:

Convert us God our salvation, and be angry with us no longer.
God come to my assistance, Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalms 4,   90,   133

The Hymn

Short Reading from Scripture, with versicle and response.

The Nunc Dimittis

At last, all-powerful Master
you give leave to your servant
to go in peace, according to your promise.

For my eyes have seen your salvation
which you have prepared for all nations.

the light to enlighten the Gentiles
and give glory to Israel, your people.

Collect and Blessing

Anthem of Our Lady.

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