In the press release below, it was particularly good to hear an acknowloedgement about the important role of beauty within the sacred liturgy.
Yonkers, NY - Today at the Vatican Pope Benedict XVI was presented with a special white edition of the new Roman Missal by Pierre-Marie Dumont, publisher of Magnificat magazine. Bearing the Holy Father's coat of arms on a white leather cover, the personalized edition of the Magnificat Missal was given to the Pope four days after the implementation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, in the United States.
Leafing through the pages of the Magnificat Missal, presented in a white leather and velvet-lined box, the Pope thanked the publisher of Magnificat for the quality of the volume: "It is beautiful, it is truly beautiful," the Holy Father said. "Thank you for having made it so beautiful."
This emphasis on beauty is one of the prime characteristics of the Missal published by Magnificat. "Our desire was to answer the Pope's wish that beauty permeate the liturgy," Pierre-Marie Dumont said, recalling the Pope's own words: "Beauty is an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation."
Printed in Italy and designed in France and in the United States, the Magnificat Roman Missal is adorned with over 130 reproductions of sacred art, from catacomb frescoes to twentieth-century paintings. The artwork highlights the liturgical seasons, feast days, and other sections of the Missal.
Pope Benedict also indicated that he was very familiar with Magnificat. The monthly worship aid has been published for more than 13 years in the United States. With over one million readers worldwide, its aim is to foster and celebrate the prayer life of the Church.
NLM will be pursuing its own review of some of these missals in the near future.
