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Sunday, July 24, 2011

The final two...

The final two on the list, were sadly, not very hard to rank.  I had a harder time with the middle of the pack than with the top three and the bottom two.  I really tried to be charitable with Catholic Book Publishing and Liturgical Press, but, looking at their offerings made me wonder if they did not carefully read Liturgiam Authenticam.

7. Catholic Book Publishing

In business for 100 years, Catholic Book Publishing should have some experience with the Roman Missal.  After all, it's been publishing the venerable St. Joseph's Weekday Missals for quite some time.   However, it's latest offering, in my opinion, sadly comes up somewhat short.

The cover for the deluxe Roman Missal (priced at a reasonable $159) looks nice, and some of the artwork is traditonal.  However, the work that is imbedded within the actual text is, in my opinion, poor quality.  It looks too juvenile and does not match the nobility of the words that it is designed to highlight.  The use of sans-serif type is also problematic in that it makes the highlighted text seem too harsh.

Here is a link to the sample pages:

http://catholicbookpublishing.com/Images/pdfs/9780899420745.pdf

The cloth-bound altar edition runs $129 and its chapel version is set at $89.  Budget-conscious parishes might want to opt for the Magnificat since they would be getting a higher-quality product at a better price.


8. Liturgical Press

When I posted my rankings and copied them on Musica Sacrae, a composer who writes for Liturgical Press thought that perhaps I was a tad bit too harsh in my critique of the artwork in LP's version of the Roman Missal. 

Here is the cover:

 

Some might find a similarity between it and the one for the Midwest Theological Forum.  The only similarity that I find is that it is a depiction of Christ the King.  What makes LP's version problematic is that the artwork is quite harsh and not at all attractive.  The composer told me that maybe I wasn't seeing it in the best possible light because of the color of the paper and how it might not have translated well as a PDF.  Even after three viewings (with whatever adjustments he had them make at LP), it is still not attractive art.  Frankly, I would love to get the Crescat's opinion on this since she knows a thing or two about bad art.  It would be interesting to get her take on this.

There is also a strange mix of fonts that I found rather distracting.  I saw the sans-serif on top, but, within the body of the text, I wasn't sure if they were mixing Times New Roman with another similar font.

LP, at least as of this posting, does not seem to offer a leather-bound edition.  Both the Ritual edition and the Chapel version are cloth-bound, with the Ritual Edition coming in at $169 and the smaller, Chapel version priced at $119.95.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The next three...

A plethora of commitments prevented me from posting the rest of my reviews; however, now that I have some time, here are the comments for those versions of the Roman Missal that ranked fourth, fifth and sixth.

4. Midwest Theological Forum


Make no mistake about it, this is a gorgeous Roman Missal with impressive artwork.  The cover also resembles that of the Roman Missal used in Papal Masses.   Here is the sample artwork:

http://www.theologicalforum.org/books/RM/previewbook.asp?pi=432

Here is what the text looks like:


http://www.theologicalforum.org/books/Advent/previewbook.asp?pi=432


However, the reason why this version did not score as high on my list as that of WLP and the Magnificat is the price.  The regal edition of the MTF Roman Missal is a rather steep $500, with the classic edition coming in at $350.  The latter is rather steep, when one considers that the cover is made of faux leather.  For me, that is too much to pay, especially since, for that price, CTS offers its version of the Roman Missal with a genunine leather cover.  While the quality is impressive and the book a work of art on its own, the price may make it cost prohibitive for many parishes.  For those parishes that can afford it, this version of the Roman Missal would be a sound investment, indeed.


5. USCCB


This version of the Roman Missal, published by the USCCB, marks the conference's entrance into the field.  While the USCCB publishes the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (commonly known as the GIRM), this marks the first time, to my knowledge, that it is publishing the actual Roman Missal.


The cover is rather handsome, and one of the best renderings of Our Lord that I have seen.  However, when I took a virtual tour of the inside of the book, I was somewhat disappointed.  All of the artwork comes from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.   Not that this is a bad thing, but, some of the shrine's artwork is a bit harsh.  The other caveat was the use of sans serif in the titles. 

Here is a sampling of the pages:

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/RM-Sample-pages-spread_3-28-11.pdf

It's a good effort, on the part of the USCCB, but, it just does not seem to come across as excellently as the CTS or the Magnificat. 

The USCCB edition of the Roman Missal runs at $169 for the Ritual Edition and $115 for the Chapel version. 


6.  Liturgical Training Press

LTP specializes in printing all things liturgical, thus, it was only natural that it, too, would join the pack in publishing its own rendition of the Roman Missal.


Unlike the other versions of the Roman Missal previously reviewed, LTP features original artwork.  This particular style resembles Medieval woodcuts.  It's actually quite decent; however, it is rather spartan in that it is all done in black, white and red.  The red, however, might be a little jarring in some cases.  Here is a sample:

http://www.ltp.org/resources/RM3RE_INTart.pdf

Nonetheless, the artwork is good.  The actual text and music is laid out quite nicely:

http://www.ltp.org/resources/RM3RE_INT.pdf

LTP retains the use of serifs all throughout the layout, which is easy on the eyes.  Like several of the other Roman Missals, LTP also uses acid-free archival paper that is designed to last a very long time.

The Altar version is priced at $175.  Interestingly enough, LTP is also distributing the MTF Classic Edition of the Roman Missal.  I did not see a price listed for the Chapel Edition.

The final two reviews will be forthcoming.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Roman Missal review


In Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Church made a very clear observation on the imporance of beauty in the Sacred Liturgy:


122. Very rightly the fine arts are considered to rank among the noblest activities of man's genius, and this applies especially to religious art and to its highest achievement, which is sacred art. These arts, by their very nature, are oriented toward the infinite beauty of God which they attempt in some way to portray by the work of human hands; they achieve their purpose of redounding to God's praise and glory in proportion as they are directed the more exclusively to the single aim of turning men's minds devoutly toward God.
Liturgiam Authenticam takes this point further, applying it to the actual publication of the books to be used for the Sacred Liturgy:

120. The books from which the liturgical texts are recited in the vernacular with or on behalf of the people should be marked by such a dignity that the exterior appearance of the book itself will lead the faithful to a greater reverence for the word of God and for sacred realities.83

Thus it is necessary as soon as possible to move beyond the temporary phase characterized by leaflets or fascicles, wherever these exist. All books intended for the liturgical use of priest or deacon celebrants are to be of a size sufficient to distinguish them from the books intended for the personal use of the faithful. To be avoided in them is any extravagance which would necessarily lead to costs that would be unaffordable for some. Pictures or images on the cover and in the pages of the book should be characterized by a certain noble simplicity and by the use of only those styles that have a universal and perennial appeal in the cultural context.
Thus, the Church gives us parameters that cover not only what the text should say, but, the manner in which it is to be presented.  The criteria spelled out in Liturgiam Authenticam constitute what I used in determining my rankings of the various versions of the Roman Missals prepared by the different publishers.
 
All told, there were eight different versions, one from the United Kingdom and the remaining seven from the United States.  Although I had alreadly ranked these in my previous blog post, I wanted to present to you a more detailed analysis, as well as a method to my madness in judgment.


1.  The Catholic Truth Society (the United Kingdom)
Of all of the different versions I reviewed, the Catholic Truth Society, one of the official publishers to the Holy See, was the one that was the best embodiment of the vision behind Liturgiam Authenticam's publication guidelines.  Great Britain has a rich patrimony of sacred art.  It also has a rich liturgical heritage, and the CTS certainly brought that to the forefront in its version of the Roman Missal.

Flipping through the sample pages, I was greatly impressed with the care and intricate design that CTS used in publishing its Roman Missal.  The artwork, taken from Great Britain's rich treasury of sacred imagery, is simply superb.  CTS really strove to publish a book that is just as aesthetically noble and grand as the words that it contains.

Here is how CTS describes its approach:

Beauty & Durability
  • Binding. Bound in deluxe genuine padded Italian leather.
  • Cover decoration. Gold decorative blocking on front, back and spine, plus Florentine gold blocking on inside lip of cover. Cruciform design based on Byzantine St George’s cross; border design inspired by Ingeborg Psalter.
  • Durable spine. Ribbed spine gives greater durability and ensures the volume lies flat and keeps its shape over time.
  • Strong binding. Endpapers made of extra-strong tear-resistant Skinplast® to ensure durability.
  • Gilded page edges.
  • Colour illustrations. Full-colour illustrations from the 12th-century Ingeborg Psalter (Musée Condé), printed on high-quality art paper
In addition, the CTS notes that:


Beauty and Practicality
CTS is working with highly-skilled printers and binders in Italy to ensure a high quality of craftsmanship in the finished volume. The choice of paper, binding, marker ribbons and leather page tabs has been made to ensure ease of use and durability over many years. For the interior, colour illustrations have been sourced from medieval illustrated manuscripts, and decorative elements from skilled contemporary artists and from volumes in the British Library.

Now, the gilded pages reference applies to the Altar Edition, which is set at the princely sum of $370.30 (USD).  The chapel version, which does not have gilded pages, but, is just as noble and grand, costs $185.15.  A third version, called the "study edition" costs $80.50 and is bound in leatherette, but, still features the same quality paper and art work.

Here is a sample of what the Roman Missal looks like:

http://www.cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/info_RM01.html

One of the members of the Musica Sacra forum expressed concerns that perhaps, as beautiful as the Roman Missal may be, it might not be functional, insofar as the musical notations for the chanted parts of the Mass are concerned.  I purchased the transitional Roman Missal from the CTS, which is a hybrid of the old and revised translation, complete with the chant notation for the new ICEL settings, and I can attest that these are quite easy to read.  As the UK is embarking on a dual-phase implementation, with usage of the Ordinary set to begin in September, the transitional Missal is quite helpful.

Obviously, if you belong to an American parish, the big caveat is that the CTS version is meant for the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Australia) and you won't have the propers for the United States.  However, in my conversations with the CTS, I learned that this has not stopped several American parishes from pre-ordering the Roman Missal from them.

For me, the CTS edition was the benchmark by which I measured the seven American versions of the Roman Missal.

Now for the Stateside publishers.

2. The Magnificat

The Magnififcat publishes a widely used and, almost universally loved, monthly missallette by the same name.  The cover and back interior pages showcase sacred art.  Naturally, as far as I can tell, publishing the actual Roman Missal would probably be a natural extension for the Magnifcat.  After all, they've been marrying sacred art to sacred text all of these years.

This is the major game-changer, and, perhaps America's closest answer to the Catholic Truth Society's magnificent edition. 



Priced at a very reasonable $169 (before October 31, 2011), the Altar edition features:



  • An exquisitely crafted volume, very practical and with reinforced binding




  • Elegantly laid out in typescript that is both beautiful and extremely readable




  • More than 130 reproductions of sacred art paintings, drawings, woodcuts and engravings




  • A work of art in itself that answers Pope Benedict XVI’s wishes to pray in beauty: "Beauty is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation."



  • Here is a small sample of what the pages look like: 


  •  

    Unfortunately, I could not get the zoom feature to work, but, nonetheless, even this sampling gives a good indication of what to expect from the full-sized version.

    Here are the sample pages:


    Now, the chapel edition, priced at $79,  has 90 reproductions of sacred art, but, it is no less beautiful.  Like its bigger sister, this volume also appears to be easily readable.  Thus, it's an ideal marriage between form and function. 

    For its maiden effort, the Magnificat certainly does not disappoint.


    3. World Library Publications (WLP)

    Like the Magnificat, World Library Publications, J.S. Paluch's liturgical division, makes its grand entrance into the Roman Missal field in a solid manner.  WLP has extensive experience in publishing missallettes, as their publications are used in many parishes throughout the United States; hence, it would only be a matter of time until it made the leap to releasing its own full-scale version of the Roman Missal. 

    For its art work, WLP went straight to the top, culling its selections from no less than the Vatican Apostolic Library itself.   You certainly can't go wrong picking sacred art directly from the Church's main source. 



    Here is the WLP description of its version of the Roman Missal:

    The cover of the 9 x 12 Deluxe Edition is constructed of durable, dark red genuine leather.  The artwork, depicting a host and chalice, is foil-stamped in gold and green and surrounded by engraved Florentine-inspired scrollwork.  The page edges are gilded in gold. Text throughout the book is two colors (black and deep red) on eye-pleasing, natural parchment-colored paper. The type is large and legible, for ease of reading and proclaiming the texts, even in low light. High-quality ribbons and sturdy genuine leather tabs accent the book, providing you with excellent placeholders. 

    Added feature: World Library Publications' award-winning music engravers have set all the chants in the Missal in a clean, easy-to-chant style that respects the sense of the text and helps celebrants to sing them more effortlessly and effectively.
    Here is a sampling of the WLP offering:

    http://www.wlp.jspaluch.com/download/New_Roman_Missal_Brochure_003_006Rev.pdf

    I think my friend from Musica Sacra will be pleased with the WLP version when it comes to the appearance of the musical settings.  Unfortunately, for me the two big caveats were the use of sans serif type and the price.  I learned in my copy lay-out class that using sans serif type was not easy on the eyes.  The red "titles" are in sans serif and that does not look that good in print.  Insofar as the price is concerned, the deluxe version of the Roman Missal costs $395, while the chapel edition runs at $195.  In comparison with the Magnificat, WLP is a pricey option.
    ======================================
    The reviews for fourth, fifth and sixth place will come in the next post.



    Sunday, July 10, 2011

    And the rankings are in...


    I have been meaning to sit down and write some posts for the blog, but, professional commitments have prevented me from doing so.  Nonetheless, I am grateful to my friend Paco for spurring me on to write, since I did promise to post my Roman Missal rankings as soon as possible.

    It was not an easy thing to sort through eight different versions of the Roman Missal.  Special thanks does go to "chonak" from the MusicaSacra forum for informing me that WLP is also publishing its own version of the Roman Missal.  I had originally reviewed seven, but, the WLP addition bumped the number to eight.

    The criteria that I used was based on what had been given in Liturgiam Authenticam:


    120. The books from which the liturgical texts are recited in the vernacular with or on behalf of the people should be marked by such a dignity that the exterior appearance of the book itself will lead the faithful to a greater reverence for the word of God and for sacred realities.83

    Thus it is necessary as soon as possible to move beyond the temporary phase characterized by leaflets or fascicles, wherever these exist. All books intended for the liturgical use of priest or deacon celebrants are to be of a size sufficient to distinguish them from the books intended for the personal use of the faithful. To be avoided in them is any extravagance which would necessarily lead to costs that would be unaffordable for some. Pictures or images on the cover and in the pages of the book should be characterized by a certain noble simplicity and by the use of only those styles that have a universal and perennial appeal in the cultural context.

    The versions that I reviewed came from:  Catholic Books, Magnificat, Liturgical Press, Liturgical Training Press, the Catholic Truth Society, the Midwest Theological Forum, the USCCB and WLP.  Of these, seven are stateside publishers, while the Catholic Truth Society hails from the United Kingdom.

    While price was a very important determining factor, I also looked at the quality of the art as well as the type-set.  Here are my rankings:

    1.  Catholic Truth Society (United Kingdom)
    2. Magnificat
    3. WLP
    4. Midwest Theological Forum
    5. USCCB
    6. Liturgical Training Publications
    7. Catholic Books
    8. Liturgical Press

    In a subsequent post, I will go into greater detail regarding the reasons behind my rankings.  Suffice to say that the CTS artwork, culled from England's rich treasury of Sacred Art, really takes into account the full intention behind Liturgiam Authenticam's mandate.   The price is set at $370 for the Altar Missal while the Chapel edition is $185.  However, the overall quality of the Roman Missal is superb.  The reason why Liturgical Press ranks at the bottom is the lack of quality in the art.  The artwork strikes me as too angular, too stark and not at all in keeping with the beauty envisioned by Liturgiam Authenticam.