Benedictine Daily Prayer (and a new toy...)

In anticipation of the new Baronius Breviary, I've bought a new toy.  Here we see my first "test" of my just opened miniature photo studio.  I decided to show off a breviary that is very prevalent on the market: The Benedictine Daily Prayer.  A full post will hopefully be showing up here, but I will say a few things about it.

First lets take a look at the photo.  I did a little, very little, editing to take out the edges of the photo studio sides.  It was quick, but with more time it would be better.  The light is good.

The cover of the book is one of the best treatments for bonded leather I have every seen.  The burgundy color works well and makes for an attractive prayerbook.

The side lights on the studio provide the perfect amount of illumination, especially for my purposes.  Here we see the text of the breviary.  It is single column throughout with a standard serif font.  The text is moderately sized and well spaced.  Notice the hymn on the right...it is a translation of the Latin hymn for Epiphany.  The proper hymns are used throughout, not the like the ones in the Liturgy of the Hours.

The collects (example on the left page here) range from well done to ridiculous.  They are not the same old ICEL collects found in the Liturgy of the Hours.

Here is the texture of the cover.  You can also see the un-ironed floor of the photo studio, which were left on purpose for you to see.  I have some techniques to perfect.   

Here you see a comparison with Volume II of the Liturgy of the Hours.  It is shorter but about the same thickness.  

A couple more points about the BDP Breviary...

• The psalms are inclusive language version of the Grail psalms used in the LOTH.  Unless you know those well these don't really seem that bad.  I tend to dislike inclusive language used for its own sake.
• The antiphons are not new compositions from the 1970s, like the LOTH, but are translations of the traditional antiphons for the hours which go back in some cases to the first millennium of the Church.
• There are some readings at Vigils (Matins, Office of Readings) that come from magazine/journal articles and other sources.  No, I am not kidding, but it looks like they are alternate readings.  If you know how to avoid silliness you can.
• There are some feasts included that are "special" to non-Catholics.  This is meant to be ecumenical.
• This breviary is not approved for actual liturgy.

In short, there are many really really good things about the BDP.  With the exception of the non-Catholic and silly language problems, this is a better version of the hours than the LOTH.  The antiphons, hymns, and (some) of the collects are worlds better than the official version.  But because of the howlers and weirdness I cannot recommend it for everyone.  Catholics use with caution, if at all!