Restrictions on publications.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I've not seen this before. It would appear that major publishers, by providing only one form of the Responsorial Psalm, for example, may be in violation of the terms that insist upon alternate forms of the liturgy be available in official publications.

    And that you, yes you, must present materials that you create for your parish, for their approval.

    Download the document at: http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/pubguidelines.pdf

    [better link added]
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Noel,

    Is this link correct? I can't find nor download the document.

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I could not get the pdf to hook up with the attachments link here, and failed at my own site as well! Direct link now posted above. I am pretty amazed at the degree to which the document seems to intend to control what is published, but at the same time since this has not been widely distributed maybe it is intended to be ignored?
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Present materials to whom? The USCCB? Publishers? Bishop?
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Very useful, Noel. I shall read it and then post my response (having been through MANY publication processes and SNAFUS).
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    I've never seen this before. Seems like it came out in April of this year. At first glance it seems like all publishers everywhere are in violation. I don't really understand the intent or significance of this.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    It is encouraging to see that the Greek text of the Kyrie must be included along with the English text.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I think the CMAA hymnal project may be subject to this section, but only if there is included liturgical texts. Will the hymnal contain any 'liturgical matter'? In number 36, I am not sure what is meant by "a single or rigid pattern of liturgical celebration." And what the heck is 'ministerial creativity?' Thoughts?


    6
    C. Participation Materials

    33. Publications such as hymnals and popular participation aids which promote and facilitate participation of the people in the liturgy by providing the necessary texts and music to fulfill their active role are included in this third category of texts iuxta typicam. Participation materials of this kind are distinct from the approved liturgical books used by the ministers of the liturgy. Because of the impact of such materials upon liturgical celebration, publishers of participation aids are asked to observe the following guidelines. In addition, publishers of participation aids are to observe the special requirements noted in Appendix II: Guidelines for Publication of Participation Aids, also approved by the Committee on Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

    34. New liturgical texts, including future revisions of existing liturgical texts, will be supplied by the Committee on Divine Worship to all interested publishers of participation aids in such a way and time so as not to jeopardize the introduction and use of the approved liturgical book.

    35. At times the Committee on Divine Worship will provide not only the approved liturgical texts but also a suggested format for popular publications. The latter may include such elements as subheads, running directions or commentary, suggested introductory material, indications of needed supplementary material such as song texts, etc. However, it is most desirable that such supplementary material be prepared by editors and publishers themselves.

    36. The reformed liturgy offers a variety of options, encourages ministerial creativity, and at times admits a diversity of forms. The participation aid should be so designed as not to establish, once and for all, a single or rigid pattern of liturgical celebration.

    37. The arrangement or selection of liturgical texts must not result in the suppression of alternatives and options for the congregation (or for the celebrant and other ministers, as applicable). When a difficulty arises, namely, when the number of options is large, the selection of the minimal options to be included will be made by the Committee on Divine
    Worship, which should be consulted beforehand. The publisher does not have the authority to make unilateral selection of liturgical texts among the options available.

    38. Musical settings should be provided within participation aids. If the aid is to be used over an extended period or by various groups, the music should be arranged in such a way as not to limit other suitable musical selections.

    39. Publishers of popular publications are asked to submit to the Committee on Divine Worship completed manuscripts or at least page proofs of all new publications, together with the name of the ecclesiastical authority from which permission to publish will be sought. These proofs or manuscripts are in addition to those required by copyright holders whose requirements must also be met by publishers.

    40. The Committee on Divine Worship will return the manuscripts or proofs to the publishers with a report of (a) corrections to be made because of errors in the texts and/or rites, and (b) indications of corrections needed because of inadequacies, unsatisfactory commentary, or the like. Copies of the report will be sent to the appropriate ecclesiastical authority and the copyright holders of texts.

    41. Only in the case of error or violation of the approved form of texts or rites will ICEL or other proprietors of copyrighted texts be asked by the Committee on Divine Worship to withhold license to publish. In all other cases the determination will continue to be made by the local ecclesiastical authority.

    42. Publishers are reminded of the need of copyright permissions for the publication of participation aids. This refers not only to the English translation of the various texts but also to all musical compositions and settings.

    43. The local Ordinary, in accord with canon 826 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, grants the imprimatur.

    44. See Appendix II: Guidelines for the Publication of Participation Aids, regarding specific requirements for formatting, texts, and other details.

  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    I would like to know about this document, passed so recently. What is the upshot? What is the purpose? What does it seek to achieve and what gave rise to it?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I am not sure what is 'underneath' so to speak, or which faction is driving an agenda if there is any at all, but I would HOPE that it is an attempt to begin to take greater responsibility for third party publishers, (1st: official church publications 2nd: contractual 3rd: independent (hymnals, missals, devotionals, etc.) some or many of whom ran amuck in the last 40 years. (inclusive texts, neutered texts, dumbing down of theology, particularly of the Eucharistic mystery, etc.) Hymn and song texts is where most of the abuse occurred as the people were subjected to singing pantheistic, dualistic, and a host of other new age and heretical texts within the context of the liturgy. I do know there are some publishers of 'alternate canons'. I am not sure if any abuse was levied there. We had a bishop a few weeks ago whose canon was highly questionable, and I don't know if it was read from a book or improvised, but this kind of thing is also happening on a regular basis in the U.S.

    I have only made one quick reading of this document and I don't see anything that requires hymnals with a "hymns only content" to submit for permission to publish. But some kind of official recognition would definitely be a plus for the project.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    but the PBEH aside...I'm confused about the import. Can someone give a real-life example of what this would forbid or require?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Unfortunately, something like this can be very good or very bad depending on WHO decides WHAT gets the rubber stamp! The WHO here is obviously the USCCB-CODW, ICEL, and...

    It is surprising that it has not been seen before now.

    Wow... at second glance, this one is is really loaded! And contradicts itself.

    36. The reformed liturgy offers a variety of options, encourages ministerial creativity, and at times admits a diversity of forms. The participation aid should be so designed as not to establish, once and for all, a single or rigid pattern of liturgical celebration.


    I wonder if (by the above reference) the EF is considered a 'single or rigid pattern of liturgical celebration'! And if it admits a diversity of forms, then would not the EF be number one on the list?!
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Yes, I caught that requirement of diversity which would force a different approach to the cookie cutter liturgies we see from the cheap paper Missals
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Noel:

    Well, if you look at it from the perspective of the EF, then there has to be more content in Latin, yes?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I don't see this document applying to the EF at all...but that's just after just a quick reading. This refers directly to the Reformed Liturgy.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    I'm thinking that I should post this on NLM and see if anyone can make heads or tails of it
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    I would think a single or rigid pattern is one that, for instance, assume the third version of the Penitential Act, or Memorial Acclamation A.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    This would, indeed, seem to rule out the future of the EF...and if not, the NO, since there would be no reconciling that one form HAD to be performed without variation and another could not be printed unless it did offer this possibility.

    Left hand and right hand may not be communicating well.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Don't worry, Noel. These are just guidelines, not some new law that's going to be imposed rigorously. You can be confident that the authorities who issue approval for missals will follow the guidelines within the separate contexts of the 1962 and 2002 Missals.
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