Liturgy of the Hours Second Edition

In a decree dated October 18, 2025 (Prot. n. 58/24), the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has confirmed the English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition for liturgical use in the United States. The final text was received by the USCCB in late November. The Holy See’s confirmation now begins the publication and implementation stage of this long-awaited revision of the Divine Office. 

After consulting with the Committee on Divine Worship, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, USCCB President, signed a decree of promulgation on November 10, 2025, establishing the first-use date of the new breviary as Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, and the mandatory-use date as the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028. All four volumes are expected to be published before the end of 2027, but a longer vacatio legis was established to allow for the publication of extracted editions—especially the one-volume edition that includes Lauds and Vespers—for the benefit of permanent deacons and the lay faithful. 

A TIMELINE

 

4 Volume - Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition 

The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship selected Ascension Press and Word on Fire Publishing to be the exclusive publishers of the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition in the United States. They will be responsible only for producing the four-volume editions of the breviary. 

Editions of the four-volume set will be available for sale beginning in January 2027, with each volume being released throughout the year. Both publishers also announced the versions to be produced, though pricing, page counts per volume, and starting date for preorders will be announced in the future. The Office of Worship will continue to provide news as the publication of this new ritual book approaches, and will make the books available for sale at a discount through the online shop when they are available.

Ascension Press 

• Standard 
• Large Print 
• Premium 

Word on Fire Publishing

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1 Volume - Major Extracts of the Divine Office

The Committee on Divine Worship reviewed proposals at its November 2025 meeting for the publication of major extracts of the Divine Office: one-volume editions with at least Lauds, Vespers, and Compline. Four publishers have been selected, pending the completion of the license agreement process, to receive five-year exclusive contracts for producing major extracts of the Liturgy of the Hours. They are: 

Catholic Book Publishing Corp., 

Liturgical Press 

Magnificat

Midwest Theological Forum

More information will be released by each publisher in the coming weeks and months. The USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship is devoting 2026 and the first half of 2027 to the publication of the four-volume editions of the breviary. Once that process is complete, work will turn to the review and publication of the one-volume major extracts; they are expected to go on sale in mid-2028.