In the last part of his interview with Peter Jennings, CTS’s General Secretary Fergal Martin expands on who worked on the project and our future liturgical publications.

Peter Jennings: Since the CTS have exclusive publication rights does this mean that Missals published in other countries cannot be used here?

Fergal Martin: “In order for other editions of the English Roman Missal to be used in this country the Bishops’ Conference would have to formally grant permission. This has nothing to do with publication matters but liturgical use.

To be clear – this is not CTS ‘sprainting its territory’ to prevent another publisher from trespassing. This is a Church matter. Those who say that the text is the same do not understand the principle of unity in diversity: the right of the local Church to govern which books are used in its territory.

“Equally CTS is forbidden from promoting our book into other jurisdictions, without the express permission of the local Bishops; – if they elected to use the CTS edition for use in their territory then that is another question – for example the Bishops of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei have requested this of us.

“First and foremost, the Missal produced by CTS is for use in England & Wales, Scotland and Australia at the request of those three Conferences. It would be quite wrong therefore, as I understand it, for publishers or bookshops in the UK, to import and promote for liturgical use, for example, copies of the Missal published for the USA, into the UK. They would have to obtain permission from the Bishops here first to do that.”

Peter Jennings: I am sure that Catholic lay-faithful, priest and religious would like to know a little about your background and members of your team that worked on the project?

Fergal Martin: “The CTS team was headed by Piero Finaldi who has been with us for more than 12 years, together with CTS production staff, Glenda Swain and Corre Ruse, who formatted and designed all the elements. A team of freelancers fed all corrections and checks to Piero at our office based in Vauxhall, south London.

“Throughout the project, Piero was in constant contact with the three Bishops’ conferences – England and Wales, Scotland and Australia, their readers and checkers, as well as our own internal liturgical publications group and clergy advisers. There were also periodic visits to our Italian printers and binders who were a joy to work with.

“My own background is legal publishing, starting life as trainee barrister many moons ago. I have been at CTS now for 16 years, and like many of the staff here my Catholic faith is extremely important to me. I consider it a rare privilege to have been entrusted with a project of this importance.”

Peter Jennings: Among the various pastoral aids published by the CTS I believe that the three booklets, “Understanding the Roman Missal”, “Participating in the Mass” and “A Simple Guide to the Mass” by Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, a distinguished liturgist, have been particularly well received. Does CTS plan further to publish further pastoral liturgical publications by this and other authors during 2012?

Fergal Martin: “Yes. We are developing a series of booklets on ‘Living the Liturgy’ which we hope will renew people’s interest and be a good source of information and even rediscovery.

“The booklets by Abbot Cuthbert’s really do hit the mark, meeting the average, normal Mass-goer at just the right level.”

Peter Jennings: Do you have any other points you would like to make at the end of this wide-ranging interview?

Fergal Martin: “Not really, other than to thank you and all who work with CTS and especially our members and donors who encourage and support us in so many ways.

“Finally, I am reminded of what I said to His Grace, Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, when I, and members of my team, presented him with the new Missal on behalf of the CTS, during September 2011: ‘If this volume, in all its elements, can assist people in growing in their faith and prayer, and give glory to God, then CTS will have considered its very small part in all this, a job well done’.”

Please note:

All orders for Sunday Missals placed with CTS up to 8 November 2011 are being despatched this week 24-26 November 2011. (Standard (RM06), Burgundy Presentation (RM10) and White Presentation Editions (RM09).)

Orders placed after 8 November will be despatched on 13-15 December 2011, or earlier if stocks allow.

The CTS New Daily Missal will be published in early February 2012.

	Altar Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia.
	Chapel Missal - CURRENTLY REPRINTING, AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2012 – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a reduced size for chapels, use at the chair, etc.
	Study Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a scaled-down reference edition for reference, study and liturgical planning.

In the second part of his interview with Peter Jennings, Mr Fergal Martin talks about technology, trade and re-printing the Chapel Missal.

Peter Jennings: What were the greatest challenges the CTS faced during the project and do you have one or two stories to illustrate them?

Fergal Martin: “It was helpful how technology often came to the rescue. Having chosen the colour pictures for the Altar Missal we were wrestling with what to do with the smaller versions that had to be printed in two-colour. We were not really satisfied with any of the options on the table and were wondering what to do next when we had a phone call from the printers saying, ‘by the way, we’ve just bought some new multi-million pound printing machines which for the first time can print in full colour on thin paper.’ Problem solved!

“You may recall that Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution which promulgated the Missale Romanum is printed at the beginning of all Missals, and it begins by citing the Council of Trent from 1570.

“Imagine our deep sense of a reconnection with the Church’s history when the CTS were invited to oversee the printing of the text pages of the Missals in the very same Northern Italian town of Trento. 441 years later we were back in Trent continuing the Council’s work.

“When we presented the Missal to the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, as he leafed through the book he paused on one of the illustrated pages and commented on how important it was for Liturgical books to be beautiful.”

Peter Jennings: There have been news reports in the Catholic press that other Catholic publishes have been upset that CTS sold copies of the new Roman Missal direct to parishes rather than offering it to the book trade first. What is the background to the CTS decision and in what particular ways does it benefit parishes?

Fergal Martin: “We have always enjoyed good and happy relations with our fellow publishers and bookshops in the Catholic and wider Christian community, here and abroad. It is a pity that some tensions, even misunderstandings, have arisen over this matter.

“There are two interconnected points here: we wanted to keep the price of the Missals down to affordable levels for the primary customers especially parishes, convents, schools, and monasteries; the volumes are very expensive to prepare and manufacture.

“It was felt that if we sold direct to parishes, rather than primarily through ‘the trade’, that is through bookshops, then we would not need to add a further 30% – 40% on to the price of each Missal to accommodate the customary bookshop discount. This was a difficult decision, but given that almost all parishes are our customers we felt this was the safest route, and we still offered bookshops a discounts of 10% on the Altar and Chapel editions – the two expensive editions – and the usual 40% discount on the smallest ‘Study edition’. We wished we could have done more, but on balance we felt it was the right approach.

“For the record, the People’s Sunday and Daily missals do have the discounts that the bookshops require.”

Peter Jennings: I understand that you have been surprised by the demands for the Chapel edition of the Missal, so much so that stocks are already exhausted. Are you able to assure parish priests and others that CTS will do everything possible to ensure that supplies of all the new translation of the Missal will be available for despatch from now on?

Fergal Martin: “The Chapel Edition did run out quicker than expected, due to unusually high demand and is being reprinted as we speak. This will only take a little time and CTS plan to despatch copies during February 2012. Our research with parishes and priests clearly indicated that a Chapel edition would be useful and welcome, but there was a strong, clear and marked preference of course for the main Altar Missal as expected, and for the smaller Study edition.

“CTS is delighted that the Chapel edition is in such demand from so many parishes. I want to assure all our customers that as always CTS will fulfil its orders for the Chapel edition as quickly as possible.

“In answer to the last part of your question, CTS will certainly ensure that quantities of the Chapel edition, and all indeed all the editions mentioned in this interview, are kept in stock in our warehouse to meet future orders as they arrive.”

In the last part tomorrow, read about the different members of our team who worked on the project.

The Sunday Missals which were talked about can now be bought from our retail bookshop in Victoria London.

(Invoicing not available)

View CTS bookshop location in a larger map

	Altar Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia.
	Chapel Missal - CURRENTLY REPRINTING, AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2012 – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a reduced size for chapels, use at the chair, etc.
	Study Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a scaled-down reference edition for reference, study and liturgical planning.

Next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent 2011, when the complete new translation of the Roman Missal comes into use for the first time in churches and chapels throughout Great Britain. In the first part of this special interview given to journalist Peter Jennings, the General Secretary of the CTS Fergal Martin gives an overview of the ups and downs of this massive publishing project.

Peter Jennings: Speaking as a layman so closely involved in the work of publication, how has this influenced your understanding of the importance of this new English translation of the Roman Missal?

Fergal Martin: “I was only reflecting on this recently and I think that in many ways it has helped me to rediscover the beauty, richness and central importance of the prayers of the Mass themselves. The Liturgy of the Word is aimed at me but the prayers said by the Priest I have often felt less involved in. Now, having seen the care taken over the translation and the ancient resonances of every collect I am much more attuned to the gems hidden away in every part of the Mass.”

Peter Jennings: Some people are a little confused by hearing of various editions of the Missal published by the CTS. It would be helpful if you could explain what these are and give something of the background to each.

Fergal Martin: “Well, there is what is called the ‘Ritual’ Editions, the definitive and complete texts, used during the liturgical celebration – that is the large Missal or ‘book’ which the priest uses. I think we are the only publisher who offered this book in three sizes. Our research indicated that a large ‘Altar’ edition for use in every Church was the primary need.

There were also other environments and liturgical settings where a smaller ‘medium sized’ replica of the same book might be necessary, such as convents, monasteries and schools. There was definitely a need for something more portable, easy to bring to for a celebration elsewhere – thus the ‘Chapel’ edition was born.

“Also there was a requirement for a handy small desk volume of the Missal, for reference, liturgical preparations, ideal for the presbytery bookshelf or parish desk. So what CTS call the ‘Study’ edition has also been produced.

“Then we have what are known as ‘People’s editions’ – that is the Sunday Missal and the Daily Missal – which many Catholics will have at home or bring to Mass with them. These contain the Order of Mass and the Lectionary Readings. in the Sunday and Daily Missals we’ve decided to take an original approach. We have put all the prayers of the Mass in both Latin and English in parallel double columns, so that people can more easily see where these new translations have come from.

CTS has also produced a number of smaller, inexpensive little booklets of the Order of Mass, which take people through the Mass with the new translation – and these have proved very popular over the months of preparation leading up to the First Sunday of Advent 2011.”

Peter Jennings: Which particular CTS publications will you and your family use for Sunday Mass and why?

Fergal Martin: “I know we will want a Study Ritual edition, and probably a Daily and a Sunday Missal. My wife Carmen and I like to prepare for Mass with the children beforehand, by looking at the readings, and even one of two of the prayers that might provide a key to the liturgy of that week. I have always been greatly helped by what a priest once told me: ‘the Church believes what she prays, and prays what she believes’: so that’s a great help.”

Peter Jennings: How did the CTS go about the mammoth task of publishing the Roman Missal, the most challenging and complex project in its 145 year history?

Fergal Martin: “Technology today makes such projects far easier than for our predecessors: I think of all those publishers in the past who had so many amazing challenges to face and met them all with skill and tenacity in order to produce beautiful books. Piero Finaldi, our Project Manager on the Missals, felt keenly we should emulate that tradition, that heritage. Without any exaggeration: by invoking the Lord’s help and inspiration every day; and giving it endless thought and preparation. We were researching models and possibilities for over a year before we were even invited to tender, along with other publishers.

“The team here dissected every edition of a Missal they could find – like taking a bicycle apart to see how it all sticks together- what made it beautiful, what it lacked. We knew we needed to engage the skills of a top class printer and binder: the Ritual editions are in one sense essentially highly technical ‘assembly’ jobs, drawing together paper, leather, bindings, ribbons, tabs, texts, art and music and assembling them into one elegant volume.

“On the other hand editorially it is a labour of love, choosing the art, the colours, the design elements, the page layout, the subtle interweaving of design and elements of the liturgical year: and above all meeting the highest standard that the Church herself lays down for such liturgical books, and their translation. Even the line-breaks within a sentence are subject to rigid guidance and copyright.

“We even wanted our publicity for the Missal to reflect something of the beauty of the final book itself – we tried our best there, and I think it was appreciated.”

Part two will look at the biggest technical challenges we faced on the Missal project here at CTS.

Please note:

All orders for Sunday Missals placed with CTS up to 8 November 2011 will be despatched this week 24-26 November 2011. Standard (RM06), Burgundy Presentation (RM10) and White Presentation Editions (RM09)

Orders placed after 8 November will be despatched on 13-15 December 2011, or earlier if stocks allow.

	Altar Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia.
	Chapel Missal - CURRENTLY REPRINTING, AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2012 – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a reduced size for chapels, use at the chair, etc.
	Study Missal – The standard ritual edition of the Missal for use in England and Wales, Scotland, and Australia, in a scaled-down reference edition for reference, study and liturgical planning.