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Appendix III: Guidelines for the Publication of Devotional and Other Non-Liturgical Publications

This policy will be used by the Secretariat in decisions concerning the publication of devotional materials that include liturgical texts, scriptural texts, and other non-liturgical or catechetical material.

  1. Devotional publications in both digital and printed formats should make use of the principles and guidelines presented in Appendix II: Guidelines for the Publication of Participation Aids except for the following points below.
     
  2. Devotional publications that reproduce an entire rite are to follow the guidelines given in B. Other Liturgical Publications: Approved Liturgical Books for Use in Other Contexts. Devotional publications that do not reproduce an entire rite are to follow the guidelines given in C. Participation Aids but are allowed the exceptions in this Appendix.
     
  3. Devotional publications may include a greater use of sacred or religious art to engage the faithful in prayer and meditation of the mysteries of faith.
     
  4. On days on which several Optional Memorials occur, the texts for one may be chosen. However, the titles of the other Optional Memorials must be indicated. Though the devotional publication is fundamentally for private prayer, it will not benefit the faithful for the publisher to ignore the existence of the other Optional Memorials that occur on the same day. If the faithful participate in a liturgy that day, they should be aware of and prepared for the possibility that the liturgy may celebrate one of the other Optional Memorials that day.
     
  5. The Scripture readings from the LFM may be given for the appropriate days, with an indication when other options exist.
     
  6. Examples for the Universal Prayer may be printed in devotional publications. The parts of this prayer (introduction, intercessions, concluding prayer) must be included and modeled after those found in the RM (cf. GIRM, nos. 69-71) or the Liturgy of the Hours (cf. GILH, nos. 179-193). Example Universal Prayers must follow the guidance indicated in the General Instruction for their respective contexts. At least the most common response ("Lord, hear our prayer") may be printed; others may be indicated. Published compositions for the Universal Prayer require an imprimatur but are not reviewed by the Secretariat.
     
  7. Devotional materials may cite the example intercessions given in the RM or the Liturgy of the Hours, if appropriate. Other intercessions may be composed that accord with the instructions found in the respective ritual books (cf. GIRM, nos. 69-71; GILH, nos. 179-193) and must be followed carefully. Petitions should be appropriate to their intended context since intercessions at Mass, Lauds, and Vespers each have different focuses and purposes.
     
  8. Published collections of Universal Prayers require the imprimatur of the Diocesan Bishop, but, as they contain no liturgical texts, they are not reviewed by the Secretariat (cf. CIC, can. 826 §3).
     
  9. If the Prefaces are given, a selection may be made among the Prefaces for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, and any proper Prefaces (e.g., for a specific Sunday or feast day). If the publication covers a shorter span of time, it is sufficient to give the relevant Prefaces for the time covered by the publication. The possibility of other options should be clearly indicated.
     
  10. If the Eucharistic Prayers are included in devotional materials, the rubric indicating that the priest may choose from the four principal Eucharistic Prayers, two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation, or four Eucharistic Prayers for Use in Masses for Various Needs need not be included. If Eucharistic Prayers are printed, at least the four principal Eucharistic Prayers must be included, with the respective Prefaces for Eucharistic Prayers II and IV.
     
  11. The Sanctus, the acclamation of the Mystery of Faith, and Amen do not need to be printed with musical notation. If the acclamations for the Mystery of Faith are included, no preference should be indicated among them and all options must be provided.
     
  12. The prayers said inaudibly by the priest may be included for the devotion of the people.
     
  13. Devotional publications do not need to include the Guidelines for Receiving Communion, but they must include the Pastoral Note on the Passion Narratives when printing the Passion Narrative for Good Friday.