Little Office of Baltimore
Compiled from the prayers of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore · Published by TAN Books
Overview
The Baltimore Catechism formed generations of Catholics and provided a solid foundation in the faith for millions. Yet fewer people know that the same council responsible for the catechism—the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore—also produced a manual of prayers (Imprimatur 1888). Drawing from this rich spiritual heritage, Little Office of Baltimore presents a compact devotional edition based on the prayers found in that historic manual.
With its distinctly American Catholic pedigree and its roots in pre-twentieth-century liturgical tradition, this prayerbook offers modern readers a beautiful way to enter into the rhythm of traditional Catholic prayer. It condenses the much larger Office of Baltimore into a portable volume designed for daily use, containing prayers for the traditional hours, devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, and psalms suited for various occasions.
Rooted in the structure of the traditional Roman Office—which traces its essentials back to Saint Benedict—this edition preserves the devotional richness of earlier Catholic prayer while remaining accessible for lay Catholics today.
What This Prayerbook Provides
- Prayers for the traditional hours throughout the day
- Devotions honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints
- Psalms and prayers suited for different occasions
- A compact format ideal for daily use
- A devotional connection to historic American Catholic spirituality
From the Tradition
“This is a charming little book made of refreshing poems inspired by the liturgy, and of stimulating pictures drawn mainly from monastic life. One should leisurely enjoy it and let it affect peace in the soul of an evening.”
— Fr. Francis Bethel, OSB
Intended Audience
Little Office of Baltimore is especially appealing to traditional-minded English-speaking Catholics who desire a deeper connection to historic devotional practices. It is well suited for lay Catholics seeking a structured rhythm of prayer throughout the day.
It also makes an excellent gift for new Catholics, those preparing for or recently receiving Confirmation, and anyone interested in the heritage of American Catholic spirituality.
FAQs
Is this based on the Baltimore Catechism?
It draws from the prayer manual produced by the same council that issued the Baltimore Catechism, the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore.
Is this a full breviary?
No. It is a condensed devotional prayerbook inspired by the traditional Roman Office and intended for use by the laity.
Is it suitable for daily prayer?
Yes. The compact design and structured prayers make it ideal for praying throughout the day.
Key Themes
- Historic American Catholic devotional tradition
- Prayer structured around the traditional hours
- Connection to the Roman Office and Benedictine prayer rhythm
- Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints
- Accessible liturgical spirituality for the laity
- SKU:
- 2913
- Pages:
- 416
- Publication Date:
- May 11th, 2021
- SKU:
- 2913
- Pdf:
- https://tanbooks.com/content/Preview_TheLittleOfficeOfBaltimore.pdf
- Height:
- 6.00
- Width:
- 4.00
16 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Love this traditional divine office for the laity
I’m a big fan of the Liturgy of the Hours and try my best to promote its devotion. I love the Rosary and pray it often but THIS is the prayer of the Church and this is a great way to pray it. My only critique would id recommend a helpful “how to” resource to accompany this (as I would for any LOTH book). Thankfully there are some good ones on YouTube. Great purchase!
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Little Office of Baltimore
This was exactly what I needed! A clear, concise office that gives me the prayer boost I need, daily!
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I love it
I am inquiring into the Church and this has been very helpful in feeding my soul and learning more traditional prayers. I found it a little tricky the learn at first but with a liturgical calendar, it became easier.
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The Little Office of Baltimore
This was just what I had hoped for--an excellent prayer book, traditional yet modern, to enhance prayer life and joy!
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Amazing!
Wow this is an amazing little book. It is so good I now have both the Leather edition and the eBook. I picked up the eBook version for when on the go. And use the leather one at home. But before we get to the contents of the book. The leather edition is very well made. I have used it every day for a few months now and you cannot even tell it has been used. No spine cracking, or splitting. Excellent stitched pages, with cloth spine and headband. Gold gilded fore edge. And very nice thick heavy weight pages. No onion paper here that will tear and get damaged easily. It is a beautiful book made with skill and care. But stepping aside from the physical production to the contents. The subtitle of this book is ‘Traditional Catholic Daily Prayer’ and it is a wonderful prayer book. The description of the book is: “The Baltimore Catechism formed generations of Catholics and provided a solid foundation in the faith for millions. In recent decades, it has enjoyed a renaissance among traditional-minded Catholics, yet few know that the Plenary Council which produced it, the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, also produced a Manual of Prayers (Imprimatur 1888). This present volume, based on the prayers in that manual, bears the newly-coined name Little Office of Baltimore. With its peculiarly and unmistakable American pedigree, coupled with the fact that it preceded the extensive changes to the Divine Office that occurred throughout the 20th century, it is sure to be welcomed by today’s more traditional-minded English-speaking laity as well as those interested in historical Catholicism. It retains a strong connection to the traditional Roman office which can be traced back, in its essentials, to Saint Benedict. Relying principally on the prayers found in the Manual, when necessary the compiler supplemented with material gleaned from the English translation of the Roman breviary by the Marquis de Bute (Imprimatur 1903). The result: a beautiful new resource for those seeking to deepen their prayer lives or just a greater connection to Traditional American Catholicism.” And the chapters are: Introduction Daily Offices Matins Lauds Prime Terce Sext None Vespers Compline Propers Of The Season Advent Christmastide Epiphany Post-Epiphany And Septuagesima Lent And Passiontide Eastertide Ascensiontide Pentecost Trinity Sunday Corpus Christi Post-Pentecost Thanksgiving For Saints And Angels For The Blessed Virgin For The Holy Angels For The Church And The Saints Psalms For Various Occasions During Sickness Sorrow For Sin Confidence In God Bewailing Our Miseries Prayer For Deliverance Praise Songs Of Joy Thanksgiving In Trouble For Superiors In Disquietude Of Mind Shortness Of This Life The Good And The Wicked Excellence Of God’s Law Historical Seeking After God For Holy Communion This is one of those books I know I will be using for years to come. I have a few other prayer books in both physical and eBook edition. But this one with the Daily office is much more in depth than either of the others. The Little Office of Baltimore is based on the prayers found in the Manual of Prayers (Imprimatur 1888) and from the Bute Breviary (Imprimatur 1903) which was produced by the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore. The book is infused with faith. It looks and feels like a prayer book your grandparent or even great grandparent would have handed down. This is a wonderful book. I am certain it will be a blessing to you if you pick it up and use it.
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Baltimore book
I grew up with this book many years ago and lost track of my copy. Not sure if I lost it but was so happy to find it and purchase once again and have it in my possession and on my library shelf have a good reading. Don’t miss this one great little book to have. !!!
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The Little Office of Baltimore
This was a great book, helps much with prayer , though I will say it can be overwhelming at first but just look up videos on YouTube
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The Little Office of Baltimore
This beautiful little book is an answer to a prayer:”…an easier way to respond to those moments of grace…”. Thank you Claudio Salvucci and TAN. ?
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A treasure in my library
This little office of Baltimore is a treasure to have in my library with the traditional prayers I never knew of.
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The Little Office of Baltimore
It provides a treasure of stability and prayerful support.
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The little office of Baltimore
This is a beautiful devotional book kept near for frequent use . Grateful for this resource?
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The Little Office of Baltimore Office for the Laity
This is a wonderful prayer book. I ordered 2 more to give as gifts.