ious Mary ever a Virgin, and to the company of all the saints, be
given by every creature eternal praise, honour, power and glory, and to
us the remission of all our sins. Amen. Blessed be the womb of the
Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father. And blessed be
the breasts which gave suck to Christ, our Lord."

In connection with this prayer an interesting question is discussed in
the _Irish Ecclesiastical Record_ (No. 540. December, 1912). Is this
prayer merely a sacramental? Has it an indulgence attached to it at all?
The querist quotes _The new Raccolta_, in answering the second part of
his query but wishes to know if it be an indulgence how it produces its
effects. "For either the defects committed in reading the Divine Office
are voluntary or involuntary. If voluntary they are sins and
consequently cannot be touched by an indulgence; if involuntary they are
not sinful and therefore stand in no need of an indulgence." In a very
long reply Dr. John M. Harty sums up, "For our part we adhere to the
view which says that the efficacy of the privilege annexed by Leo X. and
Pius X. to the _Sacro-sanctae_ is derived from an indulgence. At the
same time we think that these prayers are also sacramentals, since they
are official prayers of the Church. Under this aspect, they obtain the
ordinary benefits which are attached to sacramentals, and, accordingly
lead to a remission of sin and temporal punishment by means of sorrow
and satisfaction, which are elicited under the influence of the
abundant graces given by God, through the intercession of the Church.
They also placate God, so as to render Him willing to grant His favours
even though defects exist in the recitation of the Office.... Though
these defects are not produced _ex opere operato_, they nevertheless are
real, and are an encouragement to priests, whose human frailty prevents
the perfect performance even of the most sacred functions of their
priestly office."

PART III

THE CANONICAL HOURS.

CHAPTER I.

MATINS.

_Etymology_. The word _Matins_ is derived from _Matuta_, the Latin name
for the Greek goddess of morning. The word used in the Roman Breviary is
_matutinum (i.e., tempus)_. It is the old name for Lauds, _Laudes
matutinae_. The word was also used to denote the office of Vigils.
Hence, the word was used in three senses, to denote the nocturns and
lauds, to denote Lauds only and to denote the vigil office. In
liturgical study the