October 2025 Praenotanda

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear friends and colleagues,

I hope this fall is going well for you in your liturgical and sacramental ministries. Soon enough the new liturgical year will be upon us, with its promises and grace!

In this issue of Praenotanda, you’ll find information about upcoming formation opportunities, new ritual books, and more.

Of note, 2026 Annual Resources are still available for sale. Offering these at a deep discount to liturgical and sacramental ministers is a service the ODWS is glad to provide.

As always, if there’s anything that Matthew, Gloria Ann, or I can do to assist you in your worship and sacramental ministries, please let us know.

Jeremy Helmes
ODWS Director

FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

With Christmas being less than three months away, now would be a good time to discuss with the other parish musicians in your Family of Parishes how you might best pool resources to provide the best worship experience for all those in attendance at your Christmas liturgies. I am encouraged with the reports I hear from my fellow musicians in the AoC of how their collaborative efforts with other musicians in their Family of Parishes is bringing people together and opening new avenues to encounter the Risen Lord.

If you have families in your parishes who are Hispanic, the Christmas season is also an opportune time to introduce some music from their cultures too. Some of those titles include Vamos Todos a Belén, Pastores, a Belén, Ya Llegó la Nochebuena, and others. Silent Night and Joy to the World are example of hymns that have excellent translations in many languages that can help foster a sense of unity among the various language groups in your parishes

Soli Deo Gloria,

Matthew J. Geerlings
Music Director

New Ritual Book: Order of the Anointing of the Sick and of their Pastoral Care

The new English translation of the Order of the Anointing of the Sick and of their Pastoral Care and the Spanish translation of the Ritual de la Unción de los enfermos y de su atención pastoral may be used from February 11, 2026 (memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of the Sick) and must be used as of April 5, 2026 (Easter Sunday). You can learn more here and purchase copies at a discount through the online shop of the Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments.

Q. When may the Book of the Gospels be used?

A. The General Introduction to the Lectionary specifies that “it is very desirable that cathedrals and at least the larger, more populous parishes and the churches with a larger attendance possess a beautifully designed Book of Gospels, separate from any other book of readings.” Since the proclamation of the Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word and stands apart from the other proclamations of sacred scripture, it is appropriate for the deacon (or in his absence, a reader) to carry this book in the Entrance Procession and place it on the altar, and then bring it to the ambo during the Gospel Procession. The Book of the Gospels (or Evangelary) may be used on Sundays and more solemn days. Not every Gospel pericope is included in the book (for example, weekdays are omitted) so if a passage is included, the book may generally be used.