PROVIDENCE – Now that the changeover has taken place to the new Roman Missal, what becomes of the old missals?
The United States Council of Catholic Bishops has published official guidelines governing the proper disposal of liturgical books that have been updated.
Last spring, months before the scheduled replacing of the missal on the first Sunday of Advent, the USCCB noted in its newsletter that regardless of whether a liturgical book was previously blessed or not, it should be treated with respect as it is disposed.
Liturgical books no longer used can be buried on parish grounds or in a Catholic or parish cemetery. Another option is to first burn the sacramentaries, and if ashes remain, to bury them in an appropriate place on the church grounds or cemetery.
A copy of the sacramentary no longer used for worship also may be placed in the parish archives or liturgical library.
Father Jeremy Rodrigues, assistant pastor of St. Philip Church, Greenville, said it is important that liturgical books be carefully disposed.
“The reason for such care is that these texts were set aside for sacred use in the sacred liturgy, and therefore the church has the tradition of disposing of sacred texts in a respectful and dignified manner,” Father Rodrigues said. “Simply to throw it in the trash does not speak to the dignity of such a text for divine worship.”
Father Kenneth Suibielski, pastor of St. Clare Church, Misquamicut, collected most of the sacramentaries no longer in use from parishes in Deanery 8, and brought them to a crematorium, where they were incinerated. Some copies were kept for parish archives.
“We are the keepers of the sacred books and when sacred books need to be disposed, that is what we do,” Father Suibielski emphasized.
He added that while most Catholics don’t own a sacramentary, they should show respect when disposing of daily missals and any liturgical books. He advises individuals to keep the books in a personal library or historical archive and never to dispose of the material in a casual manner.
Father Anthony Verdelotti, diocesan director of Catholic Cemeteries, said he offered to bury the sacramentaries and other liturgical books, but no pastor accepted his proposal.
“I keep the door open,” he noted, adding that the books may be buried in any Catholic cemetery.
