Breviary Term Analysis

In Roman Catholicism, a breviary is a book that contains the service to be delivered each day, which includes certain prayers, hymns, and lessons. Father Flynn spent a lot of time studying the breviary; however, in an important moment in the story, Eliza walks in on him half asleep, with the breviary having fallen from his lap. This scene stands out because Father Flynn’s loss of physical grip on things relating to Catholicism—most notably, the chalice, but also the breviary—represents his loss of metaphorical grip on religious teaching that are relevant to the community.