These are the most common ritual books used by a Permanent Deacon. Date of First Use is the first date that this version of the ritual may be used. Date of Obligatory Use is the date that this version of the ritual must be used. At that time all previous versions of the Ritual must not be used.
Roman Missal – Third Edition
Click here to expand/contract description.
Roman Missal – Third Edition
Date of First Use: November 1, 1989
Date of Obligatory Use: December 20, 1989
Liturgical book that contains prayers and readings for Mass, updated with new saints, prefaces, and some revised instructions. It includes prayers for all Sunday and daily Masses, both long and short forms of readings, and passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Book of the Gospels
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Book of the Gospels
Date of First Use: September 30, 2000
Date of Obligatory Use: December 3, 2000
Contains all the Gospel readings used in Mass for Sundays, solemnities, and feasts, often carried in a solemn procession at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Word. It is a special, large-format edition of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) from the Lectionary, designed to be a beautiful and venerated symbol of God’s Word during worship.

Lectionary for Mass – Volumes I-IV
Click here to expand/contract description.
Lectionary for Mass – Volumes I-IV
Date of First Use: November 29, 1998
Date of Obligatory Use: May 19, 2002
Contains the Scripture readings for the Mass, organized by the liturgical year for Sundays, weekdays, and special occasions like feasts and funerals. It is structured in a three-year cycle for Sundays and a two-year cycle for weekdays, with readings typically consisting of an Old Testament passage, a New Testament letter, and a Gospel reading. This arrangement is designed to show the unity of the Old and New Testaments and how Christ fulfills the scriptures.


Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest
Click here to expand/contract description.
Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest
Date of First Use: January 1, 2012
Provides a structure for Catholic communities to gather for worship on Sundays when a priest is unavailable. These services, led by a designated lay minister or deacon, replace the Sunday Mass and include forms like the Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion, Morning Prayer with Communion, or Evening Prayer with Communion.

Liturgy of the Hours (Under Revision)
Click here to expand/contract description.
Liturgy of the Hours (Under Revision)
Date of First Use: 1975
Date of Obligatory Use: 1975
Official daily prayer of the Church, structured around praying at specific times throughout the day to sanctify it. It consists of psalms, hymns, readings from scripture, and prayers that are prayed communally or individually. The main hours are Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, with other services including Midday Prayer and Night Prayer.
Note: The Second Edition of the LOTH is currently being reviewed by the Vatican and is estimated to be published during 2027 or 2028.

The Order of Christian Funerals with Cremation Rite
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Order of Christian Funerals with Cremation Rite
Date of First Use: October 1, 1989
Date of Obligatory Use: November 2, 1989
Official ritual book for Catholic funeral rites, which are structured around three main events: the Vigil for the Deceased, the Funeral Liturgy, and the Rite of Committal. These rites celebrate the hope of resurrection, offer prayer for the deceased, and provide comfort to the living by focusing on faith, and affirming the union of the living and the dead in the community of saints.
This Order was revised in 2019 to take into account some of the changes from the Roman Missal – Third Edition. However, it has yet to be retranslated like other ritual books.

The Order of Baptism of Children
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Order of Baptism of Children
Date of First Use: February 2, 2020
Date of Obligatory Use: April 12, 2020
Includes several key elements such as the sign of the cross, Scripture readings, anointing with holy oils, a renunciation of sin, and the reception of the white garment and candle, which symbolize rebirth and new life in Christ. The second edition has been updated to align with the current translation of the Roman Missal and other liturgical changes.

The Order of Celebrating Matrimony
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Order of Celebrating Matrimony
Date of First Use: September 8, 2016
Date of Obligatory Use: December 30, 2016
Liturgical rite for weddings, typically consisting of the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Celebration of Matrimony, the Liturgy of the Eucharist (if celebrated within Mass), and the Concluding Rite. The core of the rite is the couple’s exchange of consent and the blessing and exchange of rings. This order can be celebrated either within a Mass or as a separate ceremony, depending on the circumstances, such as if one partner is not Catholic.

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Date of First Use: December 21, 2024
Date of Obligatory Use: March 5,2025
Process for welcoming adults into the Church through prayer, instruction, and ritual. It is for unbaptized individuals, those baptized in other Christian faiths seeking full communion, and Catholics who were baptized as infants but received no religious training. The process involves stages of learning and spiritual formation, culminating in the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, typically at the Easter Vigil.

Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers
Click here to expand/contract description.
Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers
Date of First Use: October 2020
Contains prayers and blessings for Catholic families to use in their homes. It is a resource for daily use and special occasions, with sections on basic prayers, daily prayers, seasonal blessings, and prayers for various life events and needs, such as sickness, grief, or family celebrations.

Ceremonial of Bishops
Click here to expand/contract description.
Ceremonial of Bishops
Date of First Use: September 1, 1989
Date of Obligatory Use: September 1, 1989
Provides instructions for the rites and ceremonies a bishop performs, such as Mass, sacraments, and diocesan governance and serves as a model for other liturgical celebrations and is used by bishops, masters of ceremonies, diocesan liturgical offices, and seminary libraries. It outlines the specific roles, vestments, and actions a bishop undertakes to ensure solemnity and proper authority in liturgical settings.

The Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume One (Under Revision)
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume One (Under Revision)
Date of First Use: January 1, 1990
Date of Obligatory Use: Various
The Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume One, Second Edition includes an introduction by Paul Turner, and contains the following major liturgical texts:
- Christian Initiation (General Introduction)
- National Statutes for the Christian Initiation of Adults
- The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- The Order of Baptism of Children
- The Order of Confirmation
- The Order of Penance
- Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass
- The Order of Blessing the Oil of Catechumens and of the Sick and of Consecrating the Chrism
- The Order of Celebrating Matrimony
- The Order of Anointing of the Sick and of Their Pastoral Care
- The Order of Christian Funerals
Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume One, Second Edition will be published on February 15, 2026.

The Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume Two
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Rites of the Catholic Church: Volume Two
Date of First Use: January 1, 1991
Date of Obligatory Use: Various
This study edition contains the officially approved texts and rubrics for the following:
- Institutions of Readers and Acolytes;
- Ordination of Deacons, Priests, and Bishops;
- Rite of Religious Profession;
- Blessing of Persons: Abbot, Abbess; Consecrating to a Life of Virginity;
- Rite of Commissioning Special Ministers of Holy Communion;
- Dedication of a Church and Altar.
- Appendices include:
- Reception of the Bishop in the Cathedral Church,
- Blessing of Pontifical Insignia,
- the Rite of the Blessing of Oils,
- the Rite of Consecrating the Chrism,
- Crowning of the Image of the Blessed Virgin.

These books are, technically, not ritual books but could be helpful in the exercise of your ministry:
New American Bible: Revised Edition (Under revision as The Catholic American Bible)
[See next book]
Click here to expand/contract description.
New American Bible: Revised Edition (Under revision as The Catholic American Bible [see below])
Date of First Use: December 29, 1987
A complete Catholic Bible translation approved for use in the United States and other English-speaking countries. It is the first major update to the New American Bible text in 20 years and includes scholarly revisions based on recent findings in archaeology and biblical studies. Key features include its translation from original biblical languages (not the Latin Vulgate), extensive study notes, book introductions, and cross-references, all designed to provide a more accurate and accessible reading of the Scriptures.

The Catholic American Bible
Click here to expand/contract description.
The Catholic American Bible
Date of First Use: February 10, 2027
Features a modified version of the Old Testament from the NABRE, with the Book of Psalms replaced by the Abbey Psalms and Canticles alongside a new introduction and notes, a newly revised New Testament, and appendices to both the Old and New Testaments containing the Abbey Psalms and Canticles.

Abbey Psalms and Canticles
Click here to expand/contract description.
Abbey Psalms and Canticles
Date of First Use: February 2020
As of the Date of First Use, these Psalms and Canticles may be used in place of the Psalms or Canticles in all of the ritual books.

Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: The Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours
by Peter J. Elliott
Click here to expand/contract description.
Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: The Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours
by Peter J. Elliott
Date of First Use: January 13, 2005
A complete ceremonial manual for the celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. Faithful to the renewal of worship authorized by the Second Vatican Council, Ceremonies combines precise guidance to these rites with a pastoral and spiritual approach. A high ideal of noble Catholic worship is consistently maintained, respecting the “continuity of our tradition”.
Ceremonies sets out the liturgical duties of bishops, priests and deacons, acolytes and servers, lectors and eucharistic ministers etc., hence it is invaluable for clergy and seminarians and all who teach or study the liturgy. Ceremonies includes a wide range of guidance on such useful themes as: vessels and vestments, how to carry out ceremonial actions, the deacon, ministering the Eucharist to the sick, children’s liturgy, Eucharistic adoration, Eucharistic processions, celebrating vespers in a parish, eucharistic ministries and the laity, the location of the tabernacle, etc.
