New Daily Roman Missal - which binding?

[Windmill]

I am looking to purchase the Daily Roman Missal (according to the revised translation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal). There are 6 bindings (leather, bonded leather, hardcover…and then burgundy or black color for each binding).

For those of you who have seen the previous edition of the MTF Daily Roman Missals, which one did you buy and why?

 

[Windmill]

No one has this book in a previous version? I am not asking about the one that is still on pre-order, I’m asking about prior editions. The binding is probably the same, so I was curious which are a better feel in the hand. Pros and cons.

Anyone?

 

[The_Old_Medic]

The ONLY Missal’s that I have ever owned are a 1952 St. Joseph’s Daily Missal, that I was given by a Nun before I was baptized. I was also presented with a 1956 Edition of that same Missal, by the Priest that baptized me.

I used the 1952 edition to memorize both the Ordinary and the Proper of the Mass, and to learn all of the Catholic prayers, and the other information contained in it. I still utilize the 1956 edition of the Missal daily, with my prayers. It has everything that I need from a Missal. I use all 1,344 pages of that book, regularly.

I have never, ever used either of those Missals during mass. Instead, I watched what the priest was doing, I made all of the responses of the server (whether I was serving or not), and I participated in the Sacrifice of the mass to the MAXIMUM extent possible.

I see no need to have a Missal for the Celebration of the mass. The language is in English, and anyone can participate freely, without burying their nose in a book.

Personally, I find reading during the *** to be disrespectful. How can you actively participate, when you are so busy reading?

 

[Windmill]

Do you participate any less in the Mass when you pray the words while viewing them? By your logic, we should all memorize the Liturgy of the Hours before we pray it so we can engage in “MAXIMUM participation.” Or we should not read any prayers at all.

You say that it is disrespectful, but I completely disagree. I find that I am better able to concentrate on what I am saying as I read. It is more internal and contemplative, and that is what the prayers are supposed to do: draw us into a meditative union with the Almighty. So often, we just rattle off words without thought. I consider that to be more disrespectful than reading. In fact, Jesus talks about those who pray vainly with many words, but the Spirit of God is not in them. However, I have never read where Christ condemns anyone for reading a prayer?

I think you might do well to read Ratzinger’s book, “Spirit of the Liturgy”. It might give you the proper perspective on liturgy and “active participation,” a term that Ratzinger explains has been grossly mutated from what the Council Fathers intended it to mean. Pope Benedict is brilliant on these matters.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

While reading, you can not observe what is happening. Therefore, you are only partially involved with the Mass.

Sorry, but His Holiness does not advocate that everyone stick their noses in a book while Mass is going on. He never has, and I doubt if he ever would.

 

[Evan]

While reading, you can not observe what is happening. Therefore, you are only partially involved with the Mass.

Sorry, but His Holiness does not advocate that everyone stick their noses in a book while Mass is going on. He never has, and I doubt if he ever would.

Watching the mass, you are only partially involved with the Mass. With a missal you could read along with the parts the priest says silently and those parts that do not come through the terrible speaker system that may/may not work today.

 

[TimothyH]

I am looking to purchase the Daily Roman Missal (according to the revised translation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal). There are 6 bindings (leather, bonded leather, hardcover…and then burgundy or black color for each binding).

For those of you who have seen the previous edition of the MTF Daily Roman Missals, which one did you buy and why?

That looks like the missal put out by Midwest Theological Forum at theologicalforum.org/new_daily_roman_missal_pre-order.asp

I opened a thread about that missal here but don’t recall discussing binding.

Mine is pre-ordered in black leather. I figured it was going to last a few years and so I bought the best they had.

Someone on the other thread mentioned the missal by Catholic Truth Society. It looks like this is a beatiful layout and presentation on the pages. See cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/info_RM07.html.

-Tim-

 

[TimothyH]

The ONLY Missal’s that I have ever owned are a 1952 St. Joseph’s Daily Missal, that I was given by a Nun before I was baptized. I was also presented with a 1956 Edition of that same Missal, by the Priest that baptized me.

I used the 1952 edition to memorize both the Ordinary and the Proper of the Mass, and to learn all of the Catholic prayers, and the other information contained in it. I still utilize the 1956 edition of the Missal daily, with my prayers. It has everything that I need from a Missal. I use all 1,344 pages of that book, regularly.

I have never, ever used either of those Missals during mass. Instead, I watched what the priest was doing, I made all of the responses of the server (whether I was serving or not), and I participated in the Sacrifice of the mass to the MAXIMUM extent possible.

I see no need to have a Missal for the Celebration of the mass. The language is in English, and anyone can participate freely, without burying their nose in a book.

Personally, I find reading during the *** to be disrespectful. How can you actively participate, when you are so busy reading?

OM, with all due respect, you need to chill out and lighten up on your fellow members of Christ’s body and maybe stop telling us how we should worship.

Not everyone can memorize everything and even those who can memorize significant portions of the order of Mass for the whole year take time to do so. Some of us came to the Church late in life. For some of us, a $95 book is a significant expense, not to mention the time spent memorizing every prayer . Not everyone is gifted with 1300 page books by consecrated religious at birth.

All I’m asking for is a deep breath and to lift the boot heel off of the rest of us a little. Please.

-Tim-

 

[Windmill]

While reading, you can not observe what is happening. Therefore, you are only partially involved with the Mass.

Sorry, but His Holiness does not advocate that everyone stick their noses in a book while Mass is going on. He never has, and I doubt if he ever would.

I’ve gone to all types of Masses, most in English where I did not need a missal, but quite a few in Latin where I needed a translation, or even the 3 years I went to an Anglican Use Catholic Church which used hieratic English to such a degree that I needed to have a missal to follow along because it was hard to memorize the difficult passages. I never felt like I was participating any less in those Masses where I had a missal than when I was praying while looking up.

I understand the point you are trying to make: sometimes a missal can divert your attention from the sanctuary. But the reality of the Mass is beyond sight or sound. I am aware of the mystical reality that the external forms hide, and that is the critical thing. So many are completely oblivious to the spiritual reality of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass even though they could tell you, from memory, what physically happens at Mass from the very beginning to the very end. That doesn’t mean the physical is irrelevant. Far from it. But the physical is subordinated and ordered towards the spiritual. The physical is not an end in and of itself. So the fact that I’m praying and meditating on the spiritual reality is the key. It’s just that instead of letting the visuals draw me into the spirituality of the Mass, I’m letting the words of the prayers printed on the pages draw me into that deeper awareness.

There’s a balance to be had, and I’ve never felt like a missal impedes me from realizing full participation at Mass.