Nunc Dimittis - A Breviary Encounter of another Kind

The numbers of monks and priests who are considerably older than I are rapidly diminishing (by "considerably" and "diminishing", I am referring to deaths among men who have seen 80 years of age come and go). I recently came across a solitary witness to the mindset of that generation and quote a passage from a disciple of Thomas Merton, talking about how he lived the Trappist Office in Latin as a monk and then not many years after was experiencing about the same in choir with English:

"After Vatican II, we began singing in English. A new frontier opened up. Images and ideas took the foreground of my mind in choir. Eventually, however, as familiarity with the English settled in, recitation became habitual and the old trials of patience returned. Sometimes I follow the meaning, sometimes my mind sinks to a random stream of consciousness, and sometimes I go blank. Verses during psalmody easily pass as an undercurrent casually observed from the lofty bridge of indifference." (Quenon, Paul. In Praise of the Useless Life (p. 12). Ave Maria Press. Kindle Edition.)

From my reading (especially of people like Robert Hugh Benson: "By What Authority?", "Come Rack! Come Rope!", "The History of Richard Raynal, Solitary", "The King's Achievement" [Benson, Robert Hugh. Collected Works of Robert Hugh Benson. Minerva Classics. Kindle Edition.]), I would like to think Quenon's is a minority report and that solemn liturgy (Office or Mass) was lived more in Benson's vein and not only. Whether England or France at the time of the Reformation, the witnesses exist to assure us that what was going on rarely had anything to do with recovering the faith or drawing closer the Christ. One dare not badmouth the Counter-Reform.

I bring this up because I think I am ready for a preliminary judgment on my own experience, having taken up the gauntlet of praying the pre-conciliar breviary in full as of the First Sunday of Advent. The old Divine Office and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass according to the 1962 Missal are of a piece. I have all sorts of good things to say about this experience and no doubt with time I will find venues for sharing my joy.  

It is only now that I understand why László Dobszay in his writings focused so on the Divine Office. I quote from "The Restoration and Organic Development of the Roman Rite", T&T Clark International. London. 2010. Chapter 15 - The Divine Office. pages 99ff: "The Mass mostly contemplates the work of salvation as a single comprehensive reality; the prism of the Office unfolds it in its manifest colour." (p. 99). Somewhere in his writings he pleads for a full restoration of the Latin Office, with, if or when necessary, abbreviations or dispensations for some clerics from some psalms or hours. But the scholar wants nothing less than the old Office.

As I say, despite my difficulties especially with the Latin of the hymns, I can now appreciate Dobszay's judgment on the Office. I have less understanding for his readiness to accept abbreviations or dispensations from certain hours, let us say, for secular priests. We're talking about private recitation of the breviary and I am convinced that perhaps, despite the effort required, the Office is not too long. It is doable if one commits to the approximate canonical hours and maybe concedes joining Prime to Lauds and Compline to Vespers if you eat at 7:30 pm like I do and consider "burning the midnight oil" as an enormity. Advanced age and the inability to sleep the night through has graced me with a Matins "solution", especially in the face of first class feasts with three nocturnals and, yes, nine readings!   

Enough for now! In the midst of this Holy Triduum, this old man just wants to join his voice to that of Simeon in the Temple and proclaim that having take the Baby into his arms "nunc dimittis!" It is enough. No doubt, I will never have the joy of a full blown choral office in a monastery, or a chapter, or some other community of priests. Even so, I am terribly happy with what I have found. 

My question, obviously, is what got into that older generation to make them so eager to jettison the old Office? I know that many had problems with more than the breviary hymns, but perhaps they never really understood the nature for their own life of the sweet burden of praying at all hours to the Bridegroom with the language of His Dear Bride.

Yes "Nunc Dimittis"! No turning back! I only hope that generations of younger priests might find their way to this something which allows of no boasting or flexing as sometimes communicated in accounts of "my holy hour"...

PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI