New Missal update

I've been working on identifying and ordering resources for the new translation of the Missal, coming later this year.

A later entry into this is Magnificat, which publishes high quality, monthly prayer books that serve both as a daily missal as well as a source of devotional prayer. Magnificat is going to publish a Missal for the priest to use at the altar, and I've checked it out; it not only looks good, but the smaller, "chapel" edition has the best price.

Too bad for them, the discount is good until the end of October, so I'm not rushing to place my order. The bishops conference has also extended it's "early order" discount until August 31. That suggests they aren't getting as many orders as they supposed? I dunno.

Here's my plan; let me know what you think.

I'm going to order a minimum number of the smaller editions; then wait about a year to order additional, larger ones. The larger ones are better on the altar, because I can see the print better! And they should be a little more durable. The smaller ones are more portable, and they are also nicer for younger servers. In the end, I'll end up with about 9 or 10 missals, which sounds like a lot--except I need at least two for each parish church, one for the chapel, one for the sisters' chapel, one for the Mass kit, one for the office, and a couple for the priests to use at home. It's not good to have the missal go missing at an inopportune time!

So why am I holding off buying the bigger, more expensive ones? Couldn't I save money now?

Yes, maybe. However, I have a suspicion that the first editions of these missals will have to be corrected. The publishers are rushing these to print. Once they get past this November, and most of the missals needed around the country have been printed and shipped, and millions of customers get a good look, we're going to find mistakes. Then they'll fix them. Or else the bishops will get feedback that suggests some substantive revisions are in order, and they'll make that happen.

So I'll hold off and let that shake out.

Meanwhile, I've also ordered some booklets from the Archdiocese, which will have both the texts of the people's responses, as well as music settings we'll be using. They cost $1 apiece, not too bad, and my music director--who was on the committee working on it--says it will be a good resource. However, the early-bird discount expires tomorrow, so I had to act.

Finally, at this point I'm also planning on some pew cards, which actually won't make it to the pews; but will be usable at nursing homes and some other settings. They range in price from 20-70 cents, with some being big print, which may be a good idea. No early-bird discount thus far, so I'm waiting.

Meanwhile, I think I'll hold off on bringing missalettes--er, those booklets for which one company has trademarked that name--back into St. Boniface Parish, to minimize the clutter in the pews. Many would like missalettes; I can go either way; but they are an additional expense.

And I'm thinking about new hymnals, because the existing hymnals are now filled with Mass music that's unusable. St. Boniface hymnals, while still in reasonable shape, have given many years' service. St. Mary's are more recently purchased--we may be able to get "supplements" from the publisher; or else we can just punt again, which is probably what I'll do. I hear rumors of a revision in the lectionary again.