Office of the Permanent Diaconate: ——Permanent Deacons – Current Ritual Books in Use

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

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)

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 expected to be published for use beginning on February 10, 2027.

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

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

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

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.

The Order of the Anointing of the Sick and of their Pastoral Care

Date of First Use: February 11, 2026
Date of Obligatory Use: April 5, 2026

The Order of the Anointing of the Sick and of their Pastoral Care has been officially revised to replace Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum. This new edition provides clear distinction for the parts of the rite intended for the sick in a variety of circumstances. Reoriented from the previous edition, this ritual book is specifically intended for priests and deacons and therefore easier for clergy to use in pastoral settings.

Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb

Date of First Use: March 26, 2012

Provides the rite for the blessing within Mass or outside Mass. The effects of the rite are many: there is recognition that all life is a gift from God; it sustains parents by imparting grace and comfort in a time of concern and need; and it unites the parish community in prayer for the unborn child.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.