As bearers of a great liturgical tradition, communities of Benedictine women must confidently assume their places as liturgical centers, as public manifestations of the praying church, as prophetic interpreters of a living faith. This challenge, issued in the conclusion of the document, Of Time Made Holy, was boldly taken up by American Benedictine communities of women everywhere. In the intervening years since its publication in 1978, the document has acted as both inspiration and guideline for a significant renewal of the Liturgy of the Hours in most communities. It seems to have been accepted wholeheartedly and acted upon with thoughtfulness and enthusiasm.

Once it was realized that one specific office was not going to be mandated for all of the houses, communities got to work to develop the best form of the Liturgy of the Hours to meet their particular needs. Using the guidelines of the document, the sisters determined which Hours they would pray and then developed their offices accordingly. Several communities published their own office books internally, and eventually others followed suit. Communities with significant resources graciously helped those with fewer, and there has been a sense of hospitality in the sharing.

The growing awareness of the importance and power of inclusive language has led most of the communities to incorporate this realization into the translations used in their office books and into the proclamation of the word. The document strongly insisted that since liturgy both expresses and shapes faith, . . . American Benedictine women must therefore . . . express their prayer in a language inclusive of all God's people. Many communities have taken this a step further to incorporate inclusive God language as well. They are dealing with this issue with varying degrees of success as they continue to raise awareness of it among their members.

Heeding the theological principle that the Liturgy of the Hours is a liturgy of word and silence, communities have made conscious decisions about the pace of their celebration, slowing it down considerably, and adding significant periods of silence after the psalms and readings. There is a meditative flow to the office that allows the word to resound in the hearts of those attending, as it is proclaimed and received with reverence.

With its great emphasis on the role and place of the assembly and the importance of the environment, this document has influenced the building and renovation of many monastery chapels. Communities have given creative expression to their worship spaces, allowing for the distinction between the celebration of the Eucharist and the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours. Enabling the symbols to speak with articulated voice, giving importance to sightlines and the conversational stance of the assembly, and imparting a feminine sense of beauty have all been hallmarks of the movement to shape the faith of the praying community through the formational reality of its worship environment.

Hospitality abounds in the midst of the praying community as guests are welcomed into the assembly and are given the worship aids necessary for their full participation. Often community members are designated to assist guests in their prayer. This act of hospitality and preparation for guests has required the generous commitment of financial resources and the time of the liturgy planners and ministers of hospitality.

The ministerial role of the Liturgy of the Hours has been taken to heart as individual community members renew their commitment to the Hours and give it priority in their schedule. Aging sisters embrace the realization that the corporate celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours is perhaps the last ministry in which they will offer their service. This is evidenced by the faithfulness of their preparation for and attendance at the Hours.

One area that is perhaps still the most problematic today is the relationship between the Liturgy of the Hours and the Eucharist. While communities have made great strides in giving importance to the Liturgy of the Hours with its proper emphasis on the sacredness of time and expression of the word, there is still a lack of understanding of the concept of the dailiness of the Hours and the centrality of the Eucharist. There is, however, a renewed interest in the theology of Eucharist and the resulting dialogue in communities may bring about a greater clarity on this issue.

American Benedictine women have embraced the Liturgy of the Hours as the foundational element of their monastic vocation to community life. With the impetus of the principles of theology and celebration contained within this document, they have carefully attended to the development of the form and celebration of the Hours. Always aware that this liturgical prayer is an inheritance from their rich monastic tradition, they offer it as gift for the present and promise for the future.