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How did the Roman Missal originate?

In the early Christian Church, many of the prayers that were said at Eucharist were memorized and handed down by word of mouth. Eventually the prayers were collected and written down in books known as sacramentaries (book of sacraments). Scripture readings were recorded in other books and the Psalms were written in a book called the Psalter. Throughout the ages, as these manuscripts were passed down, modifications and additions were made. Eventually, all the chants, prayers, instructions and scriptures were organized into one book. It was written in Latin and as the texts contained in it continued to evolve over the next five centuries it became quite large. After the Second Vatican Council, the Mass was translated into many different languages (the vernacular).

Interesting Related Documents

These documents are from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website and have been made freely available for us to download:

Words in The Roman Missal
The Worshipping Assemby at Mass
The Recepton of Holy Communion at Mass
The Eucharistic Prayer
Ten Questions on the Roman Missal
Scripture and the Mass
Praying with body mind and voice
Postures and Gestures
Parts of the Mass
Ministries and Roles
Liturgy and life
Hearing the Word of God
Embracing the Changes in the Liturgy
Celebrating the Lords Day

Dialogue before the Preface

A Walk through the New Mass

At various times during the Mass the priest greets the people by saying: ‘The Lord be with you’.

Former:	New:
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you.	Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit

As we mentioned in another place, the response ‘And with your spirit’ is based on greetings in the Epistles (others are Philippians 4:23 and Philemon 25). These words reflect more accurately the Latin words et cum spiritu tuo, a phrase used in the Mass from earliest times.

The second change is in the priest describing the sacrifice as being both his sacrifice – as an ordained priest – and ours. The new translation keeps more truly to the Latin, where the word ‘our’ was not used; using the two words ‘my’ and ‘yours’ draws us as a congregation more fully into the prayer. We are reminded that we all have sacrifices to offer as well.

The dialogue continues:

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just.

Here the priest’s part has again not changed, but the people’s part has. We now say only: ‘It is right and just’. Why is this? Once again the new response is closer to the Latin: dignum et justum est. The word dignum means ‘appropriate’ or ‘right’, and justum means ‘just’ or ‘righteous’.

At the start of Preface, which follows this dialogue, the priest will now say: ‘It is truly right and just…’, echoing exactly what the people have said. This gives an important character to the dialogue before the preface: it’s not all the priest telling the congregation what to say and do; in this case the priest follows the lead of the people, giving the congregation a more prominent contribution.