Review: Saint Gregory's Prayer Book
Two copies of the St. Gregory's Prayer Book (SGPB) arrived a few days ago. It is a lovely work replete with beautiful devotions drawn from the English Patrimony. Both Ordinariate and diocesan Catholics would do well to acquire a copy to access its riches.
The SGPB is "a collaborative venture" of the three personal ordinariates and the Anglicanorum Coetibus Society.
A blurb from the Ignatius Press site where one can go to purchase copies:
The St Gregory's Prayer Book is a beautifully produced leatherette prayer book compiled by the Ordinariates established by Pope Benedict XVI and drawing on the riches of the Anglican liturgical heritage and the exquisite Cranmerian language of the Book of Common Prayer to further enrich the panoply of Catholic liturgy and devotion.
The text includes ancient English collects, introits and hymns available together for the first time for the whole Church as approved examples of Catholic liturgy. In addition to the Liturgical texts, classic translations of traditional prayers and devotions for use in the Church and in the home have been lovingly compiled and edited in St Gregory's Prayer Book.
This lovely book of prayers is user friendly and accessible to Catholic faithful with a love of beautiful language and in search for supplementary resources for their prayer life that are both new and at the same time respectful of Church tradition. With gold blocking on cover and spine, and a silk ribbon marker.
The prayers of the Mass are included. The Mass content is not comprehensive, though still of much use. In discussions among parishioners, the inclusion of the Prayers at The Foot of the Altar would have been welcome content. Perhaps the editor is leaving room for a future publication such as a pew missal that includes the Mass text - i.e., Divine Worship - in its full glory.
Perhaps the editor or editors of such a missal will keep in mind the appropriateness of including images, much as the altar Missal successfully contains. Images for the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary, for example, would be welcome in a prayer book, too! Speaking of the Rosary, four sets of mysteries are included: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.
There are several prayers that are presented in Latin and English (pp.21-23; 242). E.g., the Gloria, Credo (Apostles' and Nicene), Pater Noster, Gloria Patri, etc.
The choice of paper enables devotees to easily turn pages. The font size, though small, is readable for a person with average eyesight. The Mass section is clearly marked by coloured vertical page edges, allowing for easy identification.
Devotees will have no reason to excuse themselves from carrying it with them constantly. Laments about its proportions would be unjustified. The size and weight of the Prayer Book makes it portable and easily manageable in the hand.
Thanks be to God for the work of all involved in the production of the Saint Gregory Prayer Book.
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