Vatican publishes copy of 1962 Roman Missal as part of study series

Published: 2007-10-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As part of a collection of studies on ancient liturgical texts, the Vatican publishing house has published a copy of the 1962 Roman Missal, the book of Mass prayers used for the Tridentine Mass. Published Oct. 19, the book is basically a scholarly commentary on the old Mass, but it includes in the back a copy of the missal the Vatican had issued 45 years ago, said Carmelite Father Edmondo Caruana, secretary of the publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. "We have inserted an exact copy of the 1962 text in the book together with the study. It is in the form of a small altar missal so it could be used for the liturgy," Father Caruana told Catholic News Service. However, he said, it would be inaccurate to say the Vatican has republished the missal for liturgical use. In a July decree, Pope Benedict XVI said the Tridentine Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal should be made available in every parish where groups of the faithful desire it. He also said the Mass from the Roman Missal in use since 1970 remains the ordinary form of the Mass, while celebration of the Tridentine Mass is the extraordinary form.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .