Roman Missal — Music
Composing
Roman Missal: Guide for Composers
The Department for Christian Life and Worship has prepared a guide for composers to the Order of Mass. As well as providing texts for composers to set and guidance on the role of music in the Mass it also provides details of the Process for Permission to Publish settings of the liturgical texts. Any setting of liturgical texts published in England and Wales have to be submitted to the Department prior to publication.
- Composer's Guide (pdf)
Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children
The Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children were published May 2014. A Composers' Guide to the Prayers is available.
Liturgical Year
The Department for Christian Life and Worship has prepared a guide for composers to the texts of the Liturgical Year in the Missal. This includes information about seasons of the Church's year and texts from the Missal. It is a companion to the guide to the Order of Mass.
The document includes information about which texts are included in the Process for Permission to Publish.
Lectionary for Mass
To mark the publication of the Lectionary and first use from Advent 2024 the Department for Christian Life and Worship have produced a guide ot composers on the texts of the Lectionary, their use and publication.
Publishers and composers wishing to publishing settings of the Responsorial Psalms in England and Wales should consult the Guide for Composers, paras 204-205, and submit any settings with the following form:
Other Rites
As new translations of the liturgical rites are published a resource for composers will also be made available.
- Order of Confirmation
- Guide for Composers (pdf) - joint guide with Order of Celebrating Matrimony
- Texts from Order of Confirmation
- Order of Celebrating Matrimony
- Guide for Composers (pdf) - joint guide with Order of Confirmation
- Texts from Order of Celebrating Matrimony
- Material to assist with preparation
Process for Permission to Publish
- Music - permission to publish (Word)
- Music - permission to publish (pdf)
- Music - permission to publish - sample (pdf)
Email submissions to the Liturgy Office
Future of Process
At a recent meeting of the Department for Christian LIfe and Worship the bishops noted that the number of submissions of Mass settings was now very few. They decided to simplify the process so that it was more similar to the Concordat and Imprimatur required for other liturgical publications.
Bishop Alan Hopes, emeritus Bishop of East Anglia, who has had oversight of the process on behalf of the bishops said:
The translation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal was an important moment in the life of the Church in England and Wales. It provided an opportunity to offer formation about the Mass and its celebration to the Catholic community. For musicians it was a time of change and a welcome opportunity to reflect on previous practice and the musical settings of the Mass.
The Music Panel was an important part of this renewal. Not only did it carefully check settings so that the authentic texts of the liturgy were followed but it also offered careful and considered advice to composers to help them present their music more clearly. You will be aware that with changes in the Department for Christian Life and Worship and that the number of submitted settings having significantly reduced we have decided to move to a simpler process with a concordat. I am grateful to your faithful contribution to the panel over the many years.
Any setting should be submitted to the Liturgy Office as noted above.
Information Sheets
Helpful information for publishers and composers engaged with the Process for Permission to Publish.
- Information Sheet 1 - General (pdf)
- Information Sheet 2 - Latin Texts (pdf)
- Information Sheet 3 - Publishing (pdf)
- Information Sheet 4 - Appeals (pdf)
- Information Sheet 5 - Submission (pdf)
- Information Sheet 6 - Hyphenation (pdf)
Published settings
A list of settings which have been approved for publication in England and Wales by the Department for Christian Life and Worship.