not assigned for the beginning of Lauds.

A notable time may elapse between the nocturns of Matins without any
excusing cause. In the early Church intervals occurred between each
nocturn. Some authors state that an interval of three hours between two
nocturns is quite lawful, even when there be no cause for the delay.
With a reasonable cause the interval may last as long as the excusing
cause requires.

ARTICLE VI.--INTENTION AND ATTENTION.

The valid recitation of the Divine Office requires that the priest
should have in his mind an intention of praying, for the Divine Office
is a true and real prayer, not a mere vocal exercise. Hence, a priest
reading his office as a mere study or as a means of remembering the
words of the psalms does not validly recite his office (St. Alph., n.
176). Now, what sort of intention is best and what sort of intention is
necessary? An actual, explicit intention which states expressly when the
Breviary is opened, "I intend to pray," is the best intention. The
devout recital of the prayer "_Aperi Domine_" expresses well the best
form of the actual, explicit intentions of those reciting the office.
But such an express, actual intention is not necessary; a virtual
intention, which finds expression in the opening of the Breviary to
recite the office, suffices. The mere opening of the book, the finding
out of the office, the arrangement of the book markers, are ample
evidence of the existence of a virtual intention quite sufficient for
the valid recitation of the office. St. Alphonsus writes, "_Imo puto
semper adesse exercite, intentionem actualem implendi officium_" (n.
176). This question of intention gives great trouble to the timid and
scrupulous, whose doubts and difficulties seem hard to solve. The common
sense and common practice in everyday affairs seem to desert some people
when they prepare to read the canonical hours. For, who has not seen the
nervous, pious, anxious cleric, stupidly labouring to acquire even a
sufficient intention before beginning his hours?

Attention in reading the hours is a much more discussed and much more
difficult mental effort. It means the application of the mind to the
thing in which we are engaged. When we listen to a conversation or when
we write a letter the mind is fixed and attentive to the matter spoken
or written. Intention is an act of the will; attention is an act of the
understanding.

Attention may be either external or internal. Exter